`Save constitution' stir only to save Sonia's skin -- Sushma

`Save constitution' stir only to save Sonia's skin -- Sushma
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

PUNE, JULY 24: Former Union Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Sunday that the Congress' Save the Constitution campaign was nothing but a ploy to save its president Sonia Gandhi.

Swaraj said Sonia Gandhi probably wanted to thwart any opposition to a ``foreigner'' being appointed to the highest post in the country. Criticising the growing opposition to the committee formed to review the Constitution, Swaraj insisted there were no ulterior motives as the aim was to increase the accountability of Parliament and improve Centre-State relations.

The former BJP spokesperson was delivering a lecture organised by the Rotary Club of Pune Central. ``There is simply no way anyone could ascribe any kind of political motive to the setting up of this committee, which aims to provide the right to information to citizens, avoid the misuse of Article 356 apart from strengthening Panchayati Raj,'' she said.

The committee will soon submit its recommendations, which can only be implemented if it has two-thirds of the majority in Parliament, Swaraj said. Reviewing the Constitution had already been promised in the BJP manifesto, Swaraj said, adding that the committee was formed on the basis of the commom minimum programme of the NDA.

She said that reviewing the Constitution was not an insult to the architect of Constitution, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. The Constitution has already been amended 81 times. Sixty nine amendments were made when Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were Prime Ministers.

The BJP leader refused to comment on the resignation of Union Law Minister Ram Jethmalani, saying that it was the prerogative of the Prime Minister. Talking to mediapersons at a meeting organised by the Pune Union of Working Journalists, Swaraj said, ``How can one comment when the issue has already claimed a Minister's head?''

Sushma said she would request the Prime Minister to make a last attempt to evolve a consensus among all political parties over the Women's Reservation Bill. The NDA government had introduced the Bill in the Lok sabha despite strong opposition from some political parties.

In Kolhapur, Swaraj expressed the hope that the imbroglio over the prosecution of Shiv Sena chief Bal thackeray would be resolved within six weeks -- the time period given by the Supreme Court to the Centre and the Maharashtra Government to clarify their stand.

``The Sena is one of our constituents at the Centre. The BJP and the Sena will discuss the issue,'' Swaraj said at a press conference at the government circuit house here.