Gujral caution on review

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, FEB. 2. The former Prime Minister, Mr. I. K. Gujral, today said he would not support ``vague'' and ``free-fishing'' attempts to review the Indian Constitution and called for more immediate legislative reforms such as those on electoral laws.

``The vague terms of reference does not persuade me to support it,'' the former Prime Minister said during an interaction with Indian journalists.

Mr. Gujral, who is in the island to participate in the Neelan Tiruchelvam Commemoration Programme which concluded yesterday, cautioned that ``free-fishing can be very harmful'' in an exercise such as reviewing the Constitution, which was drafted by a Constituent Assembly.

That the Indian Constitution had gone through 79 amendments was ``proof enough that it could change along with times'', Mr. Gujral said, calling upon the Government to come out in clear terms the provisions they want to be reviewed. ``The basic tenets of the Constitution cannot be changed,'' he said adding ``our people have learnt the practice of the system''.

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