Shivakumar's remarks reveal Cong's hidden agenda of changing Constitution to appease Muslims: BJP

New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) The BJP on Monday alleged that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s latest remarks on Muslim quota have brought to light the Congress' "hidden agenda" of changing the Constitution to provide reservation to the minority community for their votes.

Rahul Gandhi, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi should tell the country that they will not change the Constitution, former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.

This came after Shivakumar at a media event on Sunday purportedly suggested that a "good day" may come when the Constitution may be changed to accommodate quota for Muslims. However, the Congress leader on Monday claimed that he had been misquoted and asserted that he "never said that we will change the Constitution".

As a row erupted over his purported remarks with the BJP raising the issue in Parliament, the Karnataka deputy chief minister clarified in a post on X that he has never stated that the Constitution will be amended in any manner to give religion-based reservation.

He accused the BJP's leaders and ministers, both in Karnataka and at the Centre, of resorting to "brazen and blatant" lies to malign the Congress and him "by falsely attributing statements" to him.

At the press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Ravi Shankar Prasad read out the remarks made by Shivakumar and said, “Truth has the very uncanny habit of appearing and reappearing.” "It’s Congress’ hidden agenda that it will change the Constitution for votes," he alleged, terming Shivakumar’s remarks as “the beginning”.

“Mr Rahul Gandhi, will you speak up? Will you make a comment on the comments made by your Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar? Will you clarify that the Congress will not change the Constitution for appeasement (of Muslims),” Prasad asked.

“Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi should tell the country that they will not change the Constitution when religion-based reservation is not permissible under it ,” he added. PTI