New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Radha Mohan Das Agarwal on Tuesday demanded inclusion of 22 illustrations including those of Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and King Vikramaditya in the copy of the Constitution.
Raising the issue during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP MP claimed that important portions of the Constitution were removed in an unconstitutional manner.
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge termed the move as an attempt to create unnecessary controversy.
“Today, if an Indian citizen, even a law student, when he goes to buy a copy of the Constitution as signed on January 26, 1949 by the founding fathers of the Constitution he cannot buy it from the market. Some important parts of the Constitution were removed from the Constitution in an unconstitutional manner for some unknown reasons,” the BJP lawmaker said in the Upper HJouse.
Agarwal said at the time of drafting the Constitution of India, the Samvidhan Sabha had invited famed painter Nandalal Bose and directed him to make some illustrations to reflect the spirit of the Constitution and make them part of the Constitution.
Agarwal said Bose made 22 illustrations which included pictures of Lord Ram returning to Ayodhya, Lord Krishna giving sermon in the battlefield, King Vikramaditya and Lord Mahavira, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Rani Lakshmi Bai.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar endorsed the demands made by the BJP MP and remarked, “I have no doubt and I am categorical. The Constitution signed by the founding fathers of the Constitution carrying 22 miniatures is the only authentic one and can include amendments by the Parliament. If there is any change effected by judiciary or any institution it is not acceptable to this House
“I appeal to the Leader of the House that in the country only authentic version of the Indian Constitution is promulgated. Any violation of this should be taken quite seriously by the government and severe action taken,” he further said.
