No, PM Narendra Modi did not say he 'will replace Constitution with Manusmriti'

By: Mohammad Salman
April 23 2024

Share Article:

Screenshot of the viral posts. (Source: X/Screenshot)

What is the claim?

A video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been circulating on social media. In the video, he is heard saying, "Even if Baba Saheb Ambedkar himself comes, he can't abolish the Constitution." This video has led to claims that PM Modi intends to establish a Constitution based on the Manusmriti, an ancient legal text of Hinduism in Sanskrit.

A social media user shared the viral video on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, "I will change the old Constitution to make a constitution with Manusmriti which even Baba Saheb Ambedkar himself cannot end. Is this what the arrogant Narendra Modi wants to say? (translated)." An archived version of the post can be found here. Archives of similar posts can be viewed here and here.

Screenshot of the viral posts. (Source: X/Screenshot)

However, the viral video originates from a BJP campaign rally in Barmer, Rajasthan. During his speech, Modi stated, "Even if Baba Saheb Ambedkar himself comes, he can't abolish the Constitution," but he does not mention the Manusmriti.

How did we find the truth?

A keyword search of 'Narendra Modi Ambedkar' led us to various media reports featuring screenshots from the viral video. According to an India Today report dated April 12, 2024, Modi criticized the Opposition during his speech at a campaign rally in Barmer, Rajasthan. He refuted the Opposition's claims that the BJP is "destroying" the Constitution. He asserted that his government respects the Constitution and that even BR Ambedkar (who helped draft the Constitution after India’s Independence) couldn't abolish it.

We located the full video of Modi’s speech at the Barmer rally, uploaded on the prime minister’s YouTube channel on April 12, 2024.

From the timestamp of 0:32 minutes in the video, Modi can be heard accusing the Congress party of being anti-Ambedkar and the Opposition of misusing the topic of the Constitution during elections. At 34:28, he stated, "As far as the Constitution is concerned, believe it, and write down Modi’s words; even if Baba Saheb Ambedkar himself comes, he cannot abolish the Constitution. Our Constitution is the Geeta, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bible, Quran for the government; all these are our Constitution for us (translated from Hindi)."

Modi did not mention modifying the Constitution or establishing a Constitution based on the Manusmriti, and he did not use the word 'Manusmriti' anywhere in his speech.

His remarks against the Congress were in response to a statement by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who criticized BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde's comments on changing the Constitution, as reported by the Times of India on March 10, 2024. Gandhi had stated that "the ultimate goal of Narendra Modi and BJP is to destroy Babasaheb's Constitution (translated).”

However, it should be noted that according to The Indian Express and The Hindu, BJP leaders like Lallu Singh and Jyoti Mirdha have made statements about making changes in the Constitution during the third term of the Modi government.

The verdict

The claim that Narendra Modi stated he would change the Constitution to implement a 'Manusmriti-like Constitution' is false. While he did say that "even Baba Saheb Ambedkar cannot abolish the Constitution," he did not mention the Manusmriti in his speech. Therefore, we have marked the viral claim as false.

(Translated by Azra Ali)