The BJP on Monday seized on Karnataka deputy chief minister D.K. Shivakumar’s comment that the “Constitution will be changing”, made in the context of accommodating religion-based reservation, and attacked the Congress inside and outside Parliament.

Shivakumar made the remark while answering questions about the Karnataka Assembly passing an amendment bill last week, reserving for Muslims 4 per cent of government contracts for civil projects and the procurement of goods and services.

The BJP seems to have sniffed in these comments an opportunity not just to corner the Congress but turn the “Constitution change” tables on it.

During the Lok Sabha poll campaign last year, the Opposition had alleged that if given a big majority, the BJP would use it to change the Constitution and scrap reservations. While the BJP denied this, the allegation is believed to be a key reason why the party finished short of a majority.

The BJP stalled both Houses of Parliament on Monday, with Union ministers taking turns to accuse the Congress of “prioritising appeasement over national interest” and demanding Shivakumar’s dismissal.

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju ripped into the Congress in the Upper and Lower Houses, joined by BJP president J.P. Nadda in the Rajya Sabha.

“A senior Congress leader, who is holding a constitutional post, has made a statement that they are going to change the Constitution to provide reservation to Muslims. How can this House remain silent?” Rijiju said in the Lok Sabha.

“We cannot take this statement lightly…. It is an assault on the Constitution of India,” he told the Rajya Sabha.

“We want a clear answer from the leader of the Opposition on why (the) Congress wants to change the Constitution to provide reservation for Muslims.”

Shivakumar accused the BJP of misquoting him. The Congress chief whip in the Upper House, Jairam Ramesh, filed a privilege notice accusing Rijiju of misleading the House with “false claims”.

Shivakumar’s comments had come during an interview with the News18 channel on Sunday, where he was asked about the criticism of the Karnataka amendment on the grounds that the Constitution doesn’t allow religion-based reservations.

“I agree. Let us see, let us watch what court comes out (sic),” Shivakumar said.

“We have started something; I know that everyone will go to court. Let us wait for some good day; the day will come. Lot of changes are there, the Constitution will be changing; there are judgments which alter the Constitution also.”

In the Rajya Sabha, Nadda accused the Congress of trying to destroy the Constitution and demanded the withdrawal of the state’s amended reservation law.

Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge rebutted the charge.

“Nobody has said anything about changing the Constitution. Nobody from our side will say such a thing. The talk about changing the Constitution comes from that side, not this side,” he said.

“Did (RSS chief Mohan) Bhagwat not say a similar thing? Did RSS-BJP not say that they would amend the Constitution if they get two-third(s) majority?” he went on.

“We have said we will protect the Constitution.... Currency notes recovered from a judge’s house; to suppress it, they are talking about the Constitution.”

Nadda alleged that the Karnataka amendment had taken away the shares of the Dalits, tribal communities and OBCs and given them to “Muslims and minorities”.

“They have tried to include Muslims and minorities among OBCs through (the) backdoor. After my comments here, Shivakumar has said the Constitution has been given by the Congress and the Congress will change it. There is no repentance,” he said.

Shivakumar said the BJP was spreading fake news. “I casually said there would be changes after various judgments. As per the quota of backward classes, reservation has been given. I never said the Constitution will be changed,” he said.

Former law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad read out Shivakumar’s comments at a media address, claiming he had clearly spoken about changing the Constitution. “Karnataka deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar is just a beginning. The Congress party’s hidden agenda is to change the Constitution for votes,” Prasad said.

In the Lok Sabha, Rijiju demanded that Shivakumar be sacked. “If you (the Congress) accept Ambedkar’s Constitution, then sack the leader occupying the constitutional post,” he said. “There (in Karnataka) you speak about giving reservations to Muslims and here you resort to drama, waving pictures of Ambedkar.”

BJP social media head Amit Malviya hit out at Rahul Gandhi, seeking to paint the Congress as anti-Hindu.

“Where is Rahul Gandhi, the self-proclaimed saviour of the Constitution now?” he asked in an X post, attaching the video of Shivakumar’s comments.

“The Congress has always prioritised appeasement over national interest — they didn’t hesitate to partition the country on religious lines, and even after that, ensured that Muslims stayed back. There could be no greater betrayal. Congress has never been fair to Hindus — and it never will be.”