'Four people from the same family tore Constitution apart, won't let reservation based on religion': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reacted sharply to the opposition's claim that if the BJP comes back to power for the third time, it will change the Constitution. The Prime Minister called it a 'lie' and asserted that the question that should be asked is who first messed with the Constitution in this country. "Pandit Nehru did it," he said in an exclusive interview with India Today. "The first amendment he (Nehru) brought in the Constitution was to restrict freedom of speech, which means it was against democracy as well as the constitution."

The Prime Minister said the second amendment was brought by Nehru's daughter (Indira Gandhi). "She was the Prime Minister. And what did she do? The court gave a judgment that you cannot remain a member of parliament, so she overturned the court's judgment. There was a movement in the country, so she imposed an Emergency and closed all the newspapers."

After that, the Prime Minister continued, her son (Rajiv Gandhi) came and he overturned the Supreme Court's judgement in the Shah Bano's case. "He changed the Constitution. Then he brought laws that were about restrictions on media. The opposition became a little stronger across the country. The media also started becoming vibrant. Everybody came out saying that we will not let emergency come again, out of fear he had to withdraw it," he said.  

The Prime Minister also targeted Rahul Gandhi for tearing up a copy of an ordinance cleared by the Manmohan Singh Cabinet in September 2013.  

"That government was formed from the womb of the Constitution. I like the government or I don't like it, it was a constitutional government through the democracy of India. The Cabinet was formed from the womb of the Constitution. That Cabinet took a decision and a prince called a press conference and tore apart the cabinet's decision. Not only this, the cabinet then reversed its issue," the prime minister said, adding that this means that "four people from the same family have torn apart the constitution at different times".

The BJP's top leader, who is spearheading the party's campaign, said the time of those people doing such dirty acts for the Constitution is over and that is why "I tell people boldly that as long as Modi is alive, the basic sentiment of the Constituent Assembly is that there will be no reservation on the basis of religion."

"I will fight for this. I will sacrifice my life for this. Reservation on the basis of religion...You have divided the country on the basis of religion once, will you do this again on the basis of religion? Will you keep watching this game just to keep your position and keep getting the chair? The country will not accept it and I will be able to devote my life to educating the country," he said.