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Indian opposition blasts minister's remark on constitution change

Xinhua,December 27, 2017 Adjust font size:

NEW DELHI, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Indian Parliament Wednesday witnessed massive uproar over a minister's controversial comments that his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will "soon change the country's Constitution."

Opposition parties, mainly the Congress, created ruckus in both Houses of Parliament -- Lok Sabha (Lower House) and Rajya Sabha (Upper House), demanding immediate sacking of junior Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Anantkumar Hegde for his controversial remarks.

"If a person does not believe in the Indian Constitution, he has no right to be a member of parliament," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in the Upper House.

The Indian government "does not associate with Hegde's views," senior Indian Minister Vijay Goel said in parliament.

At a recent event in his homestate of Karnataka, Hegde asked people to proudly speak about their individual religion.

"Some people say the Constitution says secular and you must accept it. We will respect the Constitution, but the Constitution has changed several times and it will change in the future too. We are here to change the Constitution and we'll change it," he said. Enditem