Raju Shetti, NCP team up to ‘save Constitution’

Mumbai: This Republic Day, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) MP Raju Shetti and Nationa-list Congress Party (NCP) leader Jitendra Awhad plan to hold a “Sanvidhan Bachao (Save the Cons-titution) Rally”.

The leaders have approa-ched former Rajya Sabha member Sharad Yadav, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to join the march from Rajgruha (Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s house in Dadar east) to Chaityabhoomi.

Mr Shetti said, “The BJP is in a position to change the Constitution. A union minister has spoken about it already and no action has been taken against him by the party. We will try to make people aware of this. While Mr Shetti is known for his anti-NCP stand, he will be joining hands for the first time with a NCP leader. Fielding questions about the same, he said, “It is not about the party. It is about consolidating all pro-Constitution forces.”

After Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde  allegedly spoke about changing the Constit-ution, there was fiery debate over the BJP’s agenda. Though Mr Hegde later extended an apology to the nation on the floor of the House, the Opposition is unwilling to buy it.

Pointing the same, Mr Shetti said this was the reason for the proposed agitation. “You need 14 state Assemblies with you and a majority in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for any changes in amendments. BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the Rajya Sabha and already has 19 states with it. So, Mr Hegde’s statement is indicative of this and we want people to know that this is the BJP’s true face,” he said.

Mr Shetti and Mr Awhad are busy eliciting support from national leaders too. “We are trying to contact all like-minded senior leaders. All the secular liberal forces must keep their differences aside, and first save the Constitution,” said Mr Awhad.