Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said those against the Constitution are speaking of changing it, while he and his party are fighting to safeguard it.

He was speaking on the sidelines of an event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution.

"Those who are against the Constitution, they are telling it (about changing the Constitution). Recently Swamiji of the Pejawar Math in Udupi had also spoken about the need for amending the Constitution. I don't know...we are fighting to ensure that the Constitution should not be changed," Siddaramiah said in response to a question.

Addressing reporters here, he said, "About 106 amendments have been made to the Constitution so far. We are celebrating 75 years (of adopting the constitution). Probably India's is the longest (written) Constitution in the whole world."

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Noting that it has been 75 years since the country adopted its Constitution, the CM said whether it is central or the state government or the local bodies, they have to function in accordance with the Constitution and uphold its principles.

Pointing out that his government has made it compulsory for students to read the preamble of the Constitution at schools and colleges, he said, "Every child should understand the preamble of the Constitution, its principles, and should function according to it. Everyone should be aware of the rights and duties that have been provided under the Constitution. So we observe the constitution day. It is a pious day."

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Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly criticised the Centre over the women's reservation and accused it of trying to use it as a "weapon" to tackle the opposition before taking up the delimitation exercise based on population.

"The Union government is not concerned about implementing reservations for women. If their concerns were genuine, they could have done it right away. Rather than doing that, the BJP-led Centre is thinking of using it as a weapon to tackle opposition and take up the delimitation exercise based on population," he told PTI in an interview.

"Hence, the women's reservation must be implemented immediately without showing delimitation as a reason," the DMK president added.

Expressing apprehensions on the proposed delimitation exercise, the CM said it was the DMK that raised the first voice asserting the rights of the state after realising that Tamil Nadu would be affected by the proposed exercise. He also attacked his rival and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami over the delimitation issue.

Recalling efforts made by the DMK to raise the issue of population-based delimitation, he said an all-party meeting and a meeting of CMs under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee seeking fair delimitation were convened. It sought to freeze delimitation for 25 years and stick to it based on the 1971 Census population.

"We urged the union government that states which successfully implemented population control programmes must not be punished," he added. 

The party came up with "Tamil Nadu poradum, Tamil Nadu vellum" (Tamil Nadu will struggle, Tamil Nadu will win) and this is DMK's stand, he said.

"However, Palaniswami, who is seeking votes for the entry of the BJP through the backdoor, has till date been mute over delimitation, and this is a betrayal of the people of Tamil Nadu."