The Preamble of a Constitution is not changeable, but it was changed in 1976, said Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday. His remark came amid an ongoing controversy over the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) seeking removal of the terms “socialist” and “secular” from the Preamble.
While Dhankhar agreed that the Preamble is the "seed" on which the Constitution grows, he also reminded people that it was changed during Emergency in 1976, and the the words "socialist", "secular", and "integrity" were added to it.
"We must reflect," Dhankhar said, underscoring that when B R Ambedkar formulated the Constitution, he must have "surely focused on it". He also said that India is the only country that has seen the Preamble of its Constitution undergo a change.
What is the Preamble row?
RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has objected to the use of words “socialist” and “secular” in the Preamble of the Constitution, and has sought their removal. The demand has sparked a controversy, with the BJP defending it and the Opposition calling it an insult to the Constitution and its framers.
Hosabale argues that these terms were forcibly added to the Constitution and need to be reconsidered in the present times. “Those who did such things are today moving around with the Constitution's copy. They have still not apologised... Apologise,” he said, in a veiled dig at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi.
{{/usCountry}}Hosabale argues that these terms were forcibly added to the Constitution and need to be reconsidered in the present times. “Those who did such things are today moving around with the Constitution's copy. They have still not apologised... Apologise,” he said, in a veiled dig at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi.
{{/usCountry}}This is not the first such call seeking removal of these terms. In November last year, the Supreme Court dismissed a series of petitions challenging the 1976 amendment.
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment used to bring about these modifications in the Constitution was introduced by the erstwhile Indira Gandhi-led government during Emergency, from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977.
'Mask of RSS has come off'
Congress says the RSS is calling for modifications to the Preamble as it is upset that the document is not "inspired by Manusmriti". Rahul Gandhi also joined in the criticism for this call.
"The mask of RSS has come off again," he said. "RSS-BJP doesn't want the Constitution. They want Manusmriti. They aim to strip the marginalised and the poor of their rights and enslave them again. Snatching a powerful weapon like the Constitution from them is their real agenda," the Congress leader posted on X.
Meanwhile, several BJP leaders have echoed the call raised by the RSS general secretary, saying secularism has been imported from the West and and does not represent Indian culture.
"The basic sentiment of India is equality of all religions... Secularism is not the core of our culture," former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Chouhan told news agency ANI.
Many other BJP leaders believe that any citizen would amplify RSS's demand as the modifications made during Emergency were not part of the original Constitution written by Dr B R Ambedkar.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)