BJP leaders' statements challenge to Constitution: Wasnik

The recent controversial statements made by BJP leaders and some Hindu leaders posed a major challenge to the secular fabric and the Constitution of the country and the Congress is going to face this as a challenge, senior party leader Mukul Wasnik today said.
"This is a major challenge to the very secular fabric of the country. Very fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution are being challenged by the BJP and this is a serious development.The Congress party has decided to stand up against this," Wasnik told reporters here, replying to a query.
"India can be India only if it is secular and anybody who is trying to destroy this very fundamental principle of the Indian Constitution and of the Indian nation, we will have to face that as a challenge and the Congress party will face it as a challenge," he said, when asked whether the Congress was making the issue its political plank.

Wasnik, in charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu, referred to the recent remarks made by Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and others.
Wasnik's visit to Tamil Nadu becomes the first made by a senior Congress leader to the state after former Union Minister G K Vasan parted ways with the party to revive his father's Tamil Maanila Congress.
On woes raised by former leaders, who have joined Vasan's party, Wasnik said, "What they said is their concern. It is for them to answer.But I think they may have decided that they have to find a new way and therefore they were trying to raise issues, which are totally baseless. It is smoke without fire."

To a query on BJP's attempts to rope in 'Superstar' Rajinikanth into the party, Wasnik said, "What the BJP as a political party wants to do in Tamil Nadu it is for them to decide and I am nobody to comment on their strategy. As far as the Congress is concerned, we have decided to restore the lost ground in Tamil Nadu. We have made a beginning.."
The senior leader was hopeful of regaining the party's influence in the state and secure the support of the general public on issues concerning them.
Earlier, Wasnik joined TNCC president EVKS Elangovan in chairing the party's executive committee meeting at the state party office here.