Congress backing polygamy by supporting personal laws: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Patna: Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday charged the Congress with supporting retrograde practices such as polygamy by promising "freedom of personal laws" in its manifesto for Lok Sabha elections.

The former Union minister, who is seeking re-election from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha seat, spoke to reporters here after voting was over for the first phase, in which he claimed "a massive groundswell of support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

"They claim that they are secular and yet they support personal laws. What do personal laws provide for other than four marriages?" asked Prasad, who had held Law and Justice portfolio in the Union cabinet.

The allusion to the Muslim personal law comes in the backdrop of Modi's charge that the Congress manifesto bore "the imprint of Muslim League", which is blamed for the partition of India in 1947.

Prasad also lashed out at the INDIA bloc for alleging "threat to the Constitution", following statements from a number of BJP leaders who have said "once the party wins two-third majority in Lok Sabha, there would be a change in the Constitution".

"We abide by the Constitution which came under serious threat during Emergency brought by a Congress government headed by Indira Gandhi who had the support of the Left," said Prasad who also pointed out that Lalu Prasad's RJD, the BJP's principal rival in Bihar, was also a part of the INDIA bloc.

"If the Constitution faces any threat, it is from them. They should see the original copy of the Constitution, which has photographs of Lord Ram, Lord Krishna and the Buddha," Prasad added.