
NAGPUR, FEBRUARY 15: Moving a step further vis-a-vis the on-going debate on constitutional review, Jambuwantrao Dhote, the firebrand leader of 1970s who is now in Shiv Sena, has demanded that a new Constituent Assembly be set up to completely restructure the Indian Constitution.
While welcoming the announcement of PM Atal Behari Vajpayee regarding setting up of a commission to review the Constitution, Dhote said that merely reviewing the Constitution won8217;t help, it would actually have to be restructured. Addressing a press conference on Monday, Dhote in said that he supported the view of Dr Ambedkar expressed in Rajya Sabha in 1954 that the present Constitution should be burnt down. 8220;I will throw the ashes beyond the seven seas,8221; he added.
He said that the present Constitution was a merely a rehash of a number of foreign Consitutions, mainly Britain and Ireland and thus a 8220;symbol of continuing mental slavery8221;. It is clearly mentioned in Constitution that wherever some problems arise, steps should be taken on the basis on the constitution of Ireland. Describing the circumstances when the Constitution was prepared, he said that it had a typical effect of mental servitude, imperialism and communal riots that were rocking the country at that time. The present Constitution is 8220;anti-poor, anti-backward class and anti-neglected section of society8221;, he charged and added, 8220;It helps the anti-social and anti-national elements and helps the rich section to stash money.8221;
The validity of the Constitution could easily be deduced from the fact that the Preamble, the Directive Principles and even the Fundamental Rights in the Constitution have to be amended. He said that on this background, it was time that a new Constitution was written for India.