Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Thursday demanded that the Congress must apologise for the imposition of Emergency by the Indira Gandhi government 50 years ago.
While addressing an event in New Delhi, Hosabale strongly called for the removal of the words “socialist” and “secular” from the Preamble of the Constitution, saying that they were inserted by the Congress government during the Emergency.
Recalling the Emergency declared on June 25, 1975, Hosabale said that thousands were imprisoned and tortured during that time, and the independence of the judiciary and media was also severely suppressed.
The RSS leader also pointed out that the Emergency period saw large-scale forced sterilisation campaigns.
“Those who did such things are today moving around with the Constitution's copy. They have still not apologised... Apologise,” he said.
“Your ancestors did it... You must apologise for this to the country,” Hosabale said.
The Emergency in India was imposed by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and remained in effect from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977.
SC dismissed pleas challenging 1976 amendment adding ‘socialist’, ‘secular’, ‘integrity’ to Preamble
Earlier in November 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed a series of petitions challenging the 1976 amendment to the Constitution that had added the words "socialist", “secular”, and “integrity” to the Preamble.
These terms were inserted through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, introduced by the Indira Gandhi-led government during the Emergency.
{{/usCountry}}These terms were inserted through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, introduced by the Indira Gandhi-led government during the Emergency.
{{/usCountry}}The amendment altered the description of India in the Preamble from a “sovereign, democratic republic” to a “sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic”.
A bench comprising then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and justice Sanjay Kumar had reserved its verdict on November 22 on petitions filed by former Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay.
One of the earliest pleas in the matter had been filed in 2020 by Balram Singh, through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain.
While pronouncing the verdict, the justice Khanna said, “The writ petitions do not need further deliberation and adjudication. The amending power of Parliament over the Constitution extends to Preamble.” The bench further noted that the adoption date of the Constitution does not limit the government’s authority under Article 368.
“The verdict explained that after so many years, the process cannot be so nullified,” he added.