Bibek Debroy, chairman of the EAC-PM, stated that because the GoI Act, 1935 served as the basis for many of the articles in the Indian Constitution, it contains the “colonial legacy.”In an opinion piece, the head of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), Bibek Debroy, called for a “new Constitution” and noted that the existing one carries the “colonial legacy” with it. The EAC-PM chose to ignore this statement on Thursday. The economic advisory council asserted that Debroy’s paper did not represent its opinions.
“The recent article by Dr@bibekdebroy was in his personal capacity. In no way do they reflect the views of EAC-PM or the Government of India,” official handle of EAC-PM shared on X (formerly Twitter).
The recent article by Dr @bibekdebroy was in his personal capacity. In no way do they reflect the views of EAC-PM or the Government of India.
— EAC-PM (@EACtoPM) August 17, 2023
Before India’s 77th Independence Day, Debroy discussed the achievements since the country gained its independence and argued that the Constitution has undergone numerous amendments, including the 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case, in which the Supreme Court upheld the Basic Structure doctrine, and no longer contains the same elements that it did when it was first put into place in 1950. He also said that a few Constitutional adjustments would not be sufficient to meet India’s current needs.
“As with many aspects of legal change, a little adjustment here and there won’t cut it. As with the discussions in the Constituent Assembly, we should begin with the fundamentals. He posed the question in the opinion piece, “What Constitution does India need for 2047?”
Debroy was accused of having “sounded the bugle for junking the Constitution” amid a controversy sparked by his opinions. Jairam Ramesh, a senior member of the Congress, issued a warning and claimed that the EAC-PM head ‘wants the country to embrace a totally new one (Constitution)’.
“On this 77th Independence Day, the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council has sounded the trumpet in favor of tossing out the Constitution, of which Dr. (BR) Ambedkar was a key architect…He wants the nation to adopt a completely different one. The Sangh Parivar has always had this as its goal. India, you’ve been warned,” he threatened in a post on X.
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