CPI(M) Kerala minister disparages the Constitution, triggers major controversy in state

Left Democratic Front leader and CPI(M) minister Saji Cherian triggered a controversy in Kerala for his targeted attack on the Constitution of India where he remarked that the Constitution only helped a certain class of people become wealthy while the working class wasn’t protected. CPI(M) has now taken off the video from their social media page.

“We all say that we have a beautifully written Constitution, the most important aspect of the country. The Constitution is full of ‘stupid’ values such as democracy and secularism, but their only purpose is to exploit the working class,” said Cherian in a meeting held on Monday, July 4, 2022. He used the popular colloquial terms kuntham (spear) and kudachakram (shield), which is generally used to talk of inane things, to describe the Constitution.

The Minister for Fisheries and Culture and the two-time legislator from the Chengannur Assembly constituency in Alappuzha district was speaking at the inauguration of the 100th episode of a weekly CPI(M) political commentary programme at Mallapally in Pathanamthitta.

“The Constitution is what the British articulated, but has been written by an Indian. It allows for looting commoners. India is a country that does not even accept workers' protests. Even in the courts, the verdicts are always favourable to business people and that's what has helped the Adanis and Ambanis,” added Cherian, slamming the judiciary. The minister also slammed the media in the same speech and alleged that the media was always with certain business interests.

Lambasting the minister, retired Kerala High Court judge B Kemal Pasha urged Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to demand Cherian’s resignation as what Saji Cherian stated was a violation of the oath that he had taken.

Adding to this demand, Leader of Opposition and Congress MLA VD Satheesan said, “What Cherian said is not acceptable and has belittled the Constitution. Cherian has shamed BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution. LDF has lost their balance. The CM should ask for his resignation. If Vijayan does not act, we will seek legal recourse.”

Going back into history, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President K Sudhakaran underscored that CPI(M) was one of the parties that wasn’t willing to accept the Constitution of India and the other was Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“Saji Cherian is questioning the very existence of the country by questioning the Constitution. If he doesn’t resign, it raises the question whether his party believes in the Constitution. If they do not believe in the Constitution, why have they contested elections and are governing in the state. The Constitution has helped run this country, which otherwise would have collapsed. The Kerala Chief Minister should clarify in the Assembly about the minister’s opinions,” maintained Sudhakaran.