Saji Cheriyan quits as Kerala minister amid outrage over Constitution remarks

The Left leader had later expressed regret and claimed news reports in this connection were 'distorted.

Saji Cheriyan resigned as Kerala's culture minister on Wednesday, a day after he courted controversy over his remarks on the Constitution, triggering a huge political row in the southern state.

File photo of Saji Cheriyan.

“I have resigned and it's my personal decision. I have never ever defamed the Constitution. A particular part from the speech was taken and the media fabricated it to weaken the CPI-M and the LDF,” Cheriyan said in a statement.

The Left leader had earlier expressed regret, adding news reports in this connection were 'distorted.

While the Congress-led Opposition had described the remarks by Cheriyan as 'obnoxious', the BJP said he should hold an office enabled by the Constitution he has disrespected and lashed out at the CPI(M) over the controversy.

Speaking at a party meeting in Pathnamthitta on Monday, Chieriyan had denounced the Constitution and said it was reduced to an instrument for exploitation.

“We often say it is a beautiful Constitution. But we blindly copied the British system and wrote a Constitution. It never provides any safeguard against exploitation. It helps plundering common man and working class,” Cheriyan said at Mallapally in Pathanamthitta district.

“The Constitution was fine-tuned adding democracy and secularism here and there to make it beautiful. But the exploitative part is quite evident. We proudly followed the system for 75 years,” he added.