Kerala culture minister Saji Cheriyan courted a controversy on Tuesday after criticising the Indian Constitution saying it helped plundering the working class in the last 75 years.“We often say it is a beautiful Constitution. But we blindly copied the British system and wrote a Constitution. It never provides any safeguard against exploitation. It helps plundering common man and working class,” the minister said at Mallapally in Pathanamthitta district in a programme organised by the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), Monday night.“
The Constitution was fine-tuned adding democracy and secularism here and there to make it beautiful. But the exploitative part is quite evident. We proudly followed the system for 75 years,” he said. BJP's KJ Alphons reacted strongly to Cherian's 'unconstitutional' statements, saying that it was wrong for Kerala Cabinet minister to make comments against the Constitution being an elected representative.Cherian has taken oath to protect the Constitution and now he is ridiculing it. He must be sacked immediately by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan or the governor should recommend the CM to sack his minister, Alphons said.Besides Alphons, several people, including Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan also criticised Cherian for his controversial remarks."If Vijayan does not act, we will seek legal recourse," said Satheesan.Cherian is a two-time legislator from the Chengannur Assembly constituency in Alappuzha district.