Union minister Hegde hints at removing 'secular' from Constitution

Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde has hinted that Constitution which contained the word "secular" would be amended.

Venting out his ire against the "seculars" at a public function in Koppal district on Sunday, Union Minister of State for Employment and Skill Development said, "Seculars do not know what their blood is. Yes constitution has given that right to say 'we are secular and we will say it'. Yes, I know but constitution has been amended many times, we will also amend it. We have come to power for that."

"If you say you are a Muslim, Christian etc., I feel proud that you have connection with your religion and caste, but who are these so called seculars? Seculars don't have any parentage," Hegde said earlier in his address.

This is not the first time that Hegde has made a controversial remark. Last year, he was booked for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Islam.

In November, he refused to participate in the annual Tipu Jayanti celebration in Karnataka, as BJP, unlike Congress, views the Mysore ruler as a tyrant monarch and considers him of being biased against Hindus.

It may be noted that the election for Congress-majority Karnataka Assembly is due in 2018.