Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president DK Shivakumar on Monday said that he had been misquoted over his remarks on the Constitution and that his reference to "changing the Constitution" was limited to incidents when the Constitution had to be modified in order to comply with court orders.
Speaking at the News18 India Diamond States Summit 2025 on Sunday, Shivakumar touched upon the Bill providing 4 percent quota to Muslims in certain government contracts that was cleared by the state Assembly on Friday.
“Let us see, let us watch. Let us see what comes out of court. We have started something, I know that everyone will go to the court. Let us wait for some good day, the day will come. Lot of changes are there, Constitution will be changing, there are judgements which alters the Constitution also," the Deputy CM said.
As the BJP raked up a row over Shivakumar's remarks on changing the Constitution, the Congress leader said he never made the remarks in the context of the Muslim reservation that the government had introduced.
"I have been in the Assembly since the last 36 years. I have a basic common sense. I have said casually that there have been many changes to the Constitution after various judgements. I have not said it in the context of this issue (Muslim reservation). As per the quota of the backwards classes, reservation has been given. I have not said that we are going to change Constitution. Whatever they (BJP leaders) are quoting is wrong," Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru as a huge row erupted over the remarks.
Taking Shivakumar head on, Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and BJP president JP Nadda said that the Congress party’s attempt to introduce religion-based reservations goes against the very principles laid down by Dr. BR Ambedkar in the Constitution.
"In Karnataka, Congress has already passed a 4% reservation based on religion in public contracts. Even more concerning is that their Deputy CM has openly stated that they would even change the Constitution to fulfill their divisive agenda. This blatant attempt to divide the nation for political gain poses a threat to India’s unity," Nadda said in Rajya Sabha earlier today.
Responding to Nadda's remarks, Shivakumar said that he is senior to Nadda in terms of political experience. "I am a sensible, senior politician, than Mr Nadda. I have been in the Assembly since the last 36 years...We are a national party...It is our party that brought Constitution to this country...I will file a motion for breach of privilege on this. I will fight a case. They are misquoting me," Shivakumar reiterated.
Notably, the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi have made protecting the Constitution a cornerstone of its campaign against the BJP. Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections last year, the grand old party alleged that the BJP wanted to win 400 seats in order to gain two-thirds majority and enable it to change the Constitution and end reservations, a charge that the BJP has vehemently denied.
Earlier today, BJP leaders questioned Rahul's claims to "saving the Constitution" and slammed the party for resorting to the politics of appeasement.
"Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar openly declares that the Congress will amend the Constitution to grant reservations to Muslims. Where is Rahul Gandhi, the self-proclaimed saviour of the Constitution now?" BJP I-T cell head Amit Malviya said in a post on X.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that Shivakumar's remarks were an admission that Congress was the "biggest threat to the Constitution".
“Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar has agreed that giving 4% reservation to Muslims in government contracts is not under the Constitution, but they will change the Constitution for it… Rahul Gandhi accuses others of changing the Constitution, but it is he who wants to change the Constitution and Babasaheb Ambedkar… and destroy the Constitution to give reservation to Muslims on the basis of religion," Poonawalla told news agency ANI.
"Now Rahul Gandhi should tell who is the real enemy of the Constitution?… Congress is the biggest threat to the Constitution of this country. Their vote bank politics and appeasement politics are the biggest threat to the Constitution," he added.
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