Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in his speech on the last day of Budget session of the state legislature, said that the Constitution is sacrosanct and nobody, however powerful, can change it.
He also launched a sharp attack on Congress, claiming that the Constitution was most abused during the Congress rule during 1967-1977.
Countering the opposition narrative that BJP rule will result in changing of the Constitution, Fadnavis said, “It was during Indira Gandhi’s rule as PM that the Constitution was amended 99 times, changing its very basic structure.” He added that the emergency was a classic example of how the Congress treated the Constitution and the judiciary.
The Indian Constitution, which honours Indian culture and traditional wisdom, is entirely founded on Indian principles. It is our responsibility to uphold and preserve its constitutional values.
— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) March 26, 2025
भारतीय संस्कृती व भारतीय पारंपरिक ज्ञान यांचा सन्मान करणारे भारतीय संविधान हे… pic.twitter.com/j7P7kC74w4
Fadnavis was speaking during the debate in legislative assembly on the Amrit Mahotsav of the Constitution.
He said that democracy has lasted in India only because of the strong Constitution given to the country by Babasaheb Ambedkar.
He also pointed out that Ambedkar was opposed to inclusion of Article 370 but it was included due to Jawaharlal Nehru, who was prime minister then.
Ambedkar agreed only after it was decided that it will be a temporary measure.
So, abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government was nothing but fulfilment of a promise made in the Constitution.
‘Decision to appoint LoP in assembly is Speaker's prerogative’
CM Fadnavis said appointing the Leader of Opposition in the state legislative assembly was the prerogative of the Speaker and the government would not interfere in it. He added that the Mahayuti government was working towards ensuring that the state's growth rate speeds up.
In the November 2024 assembly polls, the Mahayuti alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) registered a resounding victory by winning 230 of the 288 assembly seats, while the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) managed to bag only 46 seats.
