Row in Rajya Sabha regarding newer editions of Constitution missing original illustrations

Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, on Tuesday asserted that the Constitution signed by the founding fathers carrying 22 miniatures is the only authentic version and urged Union Minister and Leader of the House J P Nadda to take “severe action” against anyone publishing constitution without the illustrations.

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The Chairman gave the directive after a row broke out between the Opposition Congress and the treasury benches regarding newer editions of the Constitution missing original illustrations.

“I am categorical that the Constitution signed by the founding fathers carrying 22 miniatures is the only authentic one and it can include amendments by the Parliament. If there is any change effected by judiciary or any institution, it is not acceptable to this House,” Dhankhar said.

The Chairman appealed to the Leader of the House to ensure that only the authentic version of the Indian Constitution was promulgated.

“Any violation of this should be taken seriously by the government and severe action taken,” Dhankhar said.

Speaking during the Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, BJP MP Radha Mohan Aggarwal raised the issue alleging that several illustrations including those of Lord Ram and Sita, part of original copy of the Constitution, were dropped from the copies published and sold later.

Kharge protested, saying he read the Constitution and never heard of the illustrations the BJP MP was talking about. Misrepresentation of the copy amounted to heaping insult on Constitution framer B R Ambedkar, he said.

Later, the Congress members staged a walkout from the House.

Targeting Congress over the issue, Leader of the House JP Nadda said the previous Congress government got the illustrations removed because they did not want Indians to know about their glorious past. This was the “hidden agenda” of the Congress, he said.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien said the copy of the Constitution available on the computer installed on his desk did not have any illustration.

Chairman Dhankhar said the original copy of the Constitution contained illustration of Ram-Sita, Lord Krishna giving sermon to Arjuna, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Emperor Akbar and others.

Publishing the copy without the illustrations amounted to insulting B R Ambedkar and other founding fathers of the Constitution, Dhankhar said.

The Chairman said changes in the Constition could be carried out only by the Members of Parliament and the change would have to be ratified by the President.