‘Why should I resign?’ asks arrogant Kerala minister after insulting Constitution

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid widespread criticism, Kerala Minister for Fisheries and Culture and CPM leader Saji Cheriyan, said that he would not resign. “Why should I resign? What’s the issue,” Saji Cheriyan asked media persons.

On Tuesday, the CPM leader made insulting remarks against the Constitution, saying it has been made at the behest of the British to plunder the people of the country.

Cheriyan, a blue-eyed boy of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, said that the Constitution condones exploitation and was written in a way helping to plunder people of the nation and exploit the resources He was speaking at a political programme at Mallappally, in Pathanamthitta district.

“We all say that we have a beautifully written Constitution. But, I would say, the Constitution is written in such a way that it can be used to plunder the people of the country. I can say it anywhere,” Cheriyan said.

“The Indian Constitution is not fair to the working class as there is no protection for them and instead of that some ‘stupid’ and ‘silly’ (used Malayalam colloquial words like ‘kunthem’ and ‘kudachakrem’) things like secularism and democracy are written in it.

Saji has also insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar by mocking his role as the architect of the Constitution. “The Constitution was written by an Indian at the behest of the British. It’s something which one allows for loot and nothing there for the labour,” Cherian added.

Hours after stirring the controversy, Saji expressed his regret at the state Assembly and said that he respects the constitution but said that his comments are being twisted. Instead of taking action against the minister, CPM has extended its support to Saji Cheriyan.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, on Tuesday came heavily on Kerala Minister Saji Cherian for insulting the Indian Constitution.

“Kerala Minister Saji Cheriyan humiliated the Indian Constitution in his speech. This is an anti-national statement made by him. What is more surprising is that he is giving a clarification now. He doesn’t know anything about the Constitution,” Muraleedharan told media persons.

He said that Cheriyan’s derogatory remarks reflect the thinking of the left party about the Indian Constitution. “This is not a slip of tongue. This is the continuation of what the Left party thinks of the Constitution,” he added