Mixed reaction from T.N. leaders on Constitution amendment

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JAN. 28. While the DMK today chose to play down the reported difference between the BJP-led NDA Government and the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, over the issue of review of the Constitution, the AIADMK condemned what it called the ``calculated move'' of the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, to ``turn the Constitution on its head''.

The DMK president and Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, told reporters at the party headquarters that though newspapers had highlighted the ``difference'' in the views of the Prime Minister and the President at the special session of Parliament yesterday to mark the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, a full reading of their respective speeches gave no such indication.

Mr. Karunanidhi said what both had expressed was not contrary to the spirit of the basic structure of the Constitution, nor had the head of the State and the head of the Government spoken of any change to the basic structure.

He said the DMK had been pleading long for amendments to the Constitution to provide for, among others, more powers to the States, allowing States to fix the quantum of reservation to the Scheduled and Backward Classes, adopting all the national languages including Tamil as official language and removal of Article 356 that hangs like a Damocles sword over the State governments.

Mr. Karunanidhi said the power to dismiss State governments by invoking Article 356 could not be justified even during an emergency situation, as ``atrocities'' could take place at the Centre also.

In a statement, the AIADMK general secretary, Ms. Jayalalitha, appealed to the Prime Minister and his ``cohorts'' to pay heed to the ``sound advice'' of the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, against tampering with the Constitution.

``I strongly condemn Mr. Vajpayee's calculated move to take the country's Constitutional system within his ambience to stabilise his own political authority,'' she said.

Ms. Jayalalitha expressed support for the statements of the President who, she said, had minced no words in opposing the move and had stated ``unequivocally'' that shortcomings in the people running the system could not be obviated by Constitutional changes or provisions.

Saying it was her hunch that Mr. Vajpayee was keen on opting for some other form of government to ensure the stability of his own Government, she pointed out that the Constitution was not meant to serve the interests of any political party.

The Janata Party president, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, also condemning the BJP's attempt to ``rewrite'' the Constitution, said there was no need for a review as Article 368 provided amending powers to Parliament.

In a statement, he said, if a general review was necessary, then the Law Commission was there for that purpose. Many features of the basic structure of the Constitution such as secularism and adult franchise were not to the liking of the ``fascist, communal RSS.'' The RSS had directed the BJP to find ways to start a new Republic with a `Hindutva' Constitution, he claimed. ``This spells danger for Indian democracy,'' he warned.

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