Advisory council to PM steers clear of chief’s ‘new Constitution’ demand

New Delhi, August 18

The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has distanced itself from its chairman Bibek Debroy’s article suggesting that it is time the country embraced a new Constitution.

What Debroy said

We should go back to the drawing board and start from first principles… we the people have to give ourselves a new Constitution.

Bibek Debroy, EAC-PM Chairman

“The recent article by Bibek Debroy was in his personal capacity. In no way does it reflect the views of the EAC-PM or the Government of India,” tweeted the EAC-PM. The tweet did not mention the specific article, but Debroy had earlier this week written an article for a business daily in which he termed the present Constitution a “colonial legacy”.

“Much of what we debate begins and ends with the Constitution. A few amendments won’t do. We should go back to the drawing board… we the People have to give ourselves a new Constitution,” Debroy had written. The article too had carried a disclaimer stating that “these are the author’s personal views. In no way do these reflect the views of the EAC to the PM or Government of India”.