New Delhi, Aug 15:
Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal has taken a sharp swipe at the Opposition over its apprehensions over delimitation, saying that Opposition leaders should read what is written in the Constitution instead of merely carrying copies of it.
Speaking to IANS in an interview, Meghwal was asked about the debate over delimitation and the Opposition’s repeated warnings that the ruling party should exercise caution while dealing with the issue. Responding to that, the Union minister said that the constitutional position on delimitation was already clear and that the Opposition should be aware.
“The Opposition knows that 2026 is written in the Constitution and that delimitation will have to be done. It is written in the Constitution,” Meghwal said. He then targeted Opposition leaders over their frequent display of copies of the Constitution, accusing them of not reading its provisions carefully.
“They carry the book of the Constitution, but what is written in the Constitution? They do not read it,” he said. Meghwal’s remarks were aimed at countering the Opposition’s criticism and apprehensions over the delimitation exercise. He sought to underline that the issue was rooted in constitutional provisions and should not be projected merely as a political move by the government.
The Centre has already brought the Delimitation Bill, 2026, along with a related Constitution Amendment Bill. The package was discussed in the Lok Sabha on April 16-17 for more than 21 hours, with 131 MPs participating, but the Constitution Amendment Bill was not passed by the House.
Meanwhile, Meghwal also rejected the Opposition’s allegation that its members were not being given the freedom to speak in Parliament. “On one hand, they say we do not have the freedom to speak, and on the other hand, they speak disrespectfully. If the Opposition is saying that they do not have freedom, how can they speak?” he said.
He added, “On one hand, they say that they are not even allowed to protest. So, how are they protesting disrespectfully? This means that they are lying.” Meghwal further alleged that Opposition members themselves wanted to use disrespectful language, adding that “because of this, the new MPs are also not happy”.