CM: Country does not a need a new Constitution

MP, 17 Feb 2024, Kolkata: Amidst talks of BJP replacing the Indian Constitution if it comes to power in 2024, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Saturday, opined that the country does not need a new Constitution and talks of adopting a new one is to please some specific ideology. 

“What they want to change is the spirit of the Constitution. But we love our constitution. Our Constitution’s spirit is the Preamble that guides the spirit of the country—justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, opportunity for all to stay together, unity in diversity and so many things. India is a vast country with so many states, languages and diverse cultures. 

This is why the Constitution was drafted taking everything into consideration—federalism, democracy, secularism, everything,” Banerjee said delivering the keynote address at a debate organised by a leading English national daily in collaboration with Sister Nivedita University. Also Read - Bengal govt removes Sumit Kumar as DIG after Sandeshkhali violence Banerjee asserted that she “cannot accept if somebody says secularism is bad, equality is unthinkable, democracy is dangerous and federal structure is disastrous”. 

She felt this demeaned the hard efforts of BR Ambedkar in framing the Indian Constitution. “We cannot accept the fact that the Constitution is run by the agency, for the agency, of the agency rather than of the people, by the people, and for the people. 

Today, we cannot say anything strongly since if we do, the ED (Enforcement Directorate) will be at my house. 

The media is purchased and the judiciary too is under political pressure. If the voice of the people is silenced then what is the need of democracy?” she questioned. 

Banerjee further alleged that the Centre is dictating what to wear, what food to eat and even what language to speak which is unacceptable. 

“They are changing history, geography and even science. They may say that stars, sun and the moon have been captured by them. To them, there should be one party, one leader, one policy and one language,” Banerjee said in a veiled attack at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She, however, ended with a note of optimism, claiming that one day it will be exposed that agency cannot build a country. “I am sure that one day there will be an end of autocracy, Hitlerism,” she maintained. 

 https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cm-country-does-not-a-need-a-new-constitution-552537