PANJIM: A day after Union Minister for Skill Development, Ananth Kumar Hegde, stoked controversy with his remarks on changing the constitution, strong reactions came from Congress, while BJP and ally Goa Forward preferred not to react.
Hegde had asking people to identify themselves by their religion and caste rather than being secular and said that the Constitution too would change in accordance with such thinking. “We are here to change the Constitution,” he had said at a function organised by the Brahmana Yuva Parishat and women’s organisation at Kukkanur, Karnataka.
Reacting to Hegde’s controversial remark on secularism, the Congress in Goa condemned that the statements made by the Union minister.
“Union Minister Hegde’s comments are most condemnable. Secularism is a preamble promise as reflected in our Constitution. Hence, statements contrary to this proposition are against the constitutional scheme and guarantees,” Advocate Yatish Naik, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) General Secretary, Spokesperson and Chairman of GPCC legal affairs department said.
Condemning Hegde’s comments, several Congress supporters have wondered whether the Prime Minister would break his silence on Hegde’s remarks as the minister had candidly spoken about changing the Constitution. “We as Congress supporters strongly condemn such regressive remarks which are against the idea and ideals of India,” party supporters said.
Senior BJP leaders from Goa, however, chose to maintain distance refusing to comment on the controversial remark.
Union Minister and North Goa MP Shripad Naik,
speaking to Herald said he was unaware of the statements made by Hegde. “I am totally unaware of the comments made by the Union minister,” he said.
South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar said, “I would not like to say anything neither comment on the statements made by Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde.”
BJP’s alliance partner, Goa Forward Party (GFP), said they would not like to comment on issues which are of no relevance to Goa.
“Our government in Goa goes on a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) which has its basis on Goenkarponn. What a central minister talks has no relevance to us and Goan politics and hence I would not like to comment,” TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said.
