The statement by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, suggesting a review of the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the preamble of the constitution, has ignited a political firestorm.
New Delhi: The debate over removing words like 'socialist' and 'secular' from the preamble of the Indian constitution has once again intensified. This time, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, speaking on a public platform, has called for a review of the issue, stating that these words were forcibly added during the Emergency and were not part of the original spirit of the Constituent Assembly.
In response, the Congress launched a sharp attack on the RSS and BJP on Thursday, calling it a conspiracy to dismantle the constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar, which they would not allow to succeed at any cost.
In fact, Dattatreya Hosabale said at an event held on the anniversary of the Emergency that when the Emergency was imposed in 1975, the Parliament was inactive, the judiciary had also become crippled, and even fundamental rights were suspended. In such circumstances, the words 'socialist' and 'secular' were added to the preamble of the constitution, while these words were not mentioned in the constitution prepared by Dr. Ambedkar. Hosabale said that now is the time to consider whether they should be retained in the preamble or not.
Congress's Counterattack
The Congress immediately retaliated against this statement. The party posted on X (formerly Twitter), calling the RSS and BJP anti-constitutional. The Congress said that the RSS-BJP's thinking is aimed at breaking the original form of the constitution. The party claimed that even when the constitution was implemented, the RSS had opposed it and burnt copies of the constitution.
The Congress alleged that the BJP, by giving the slogan of 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, had also expressed its intention to change the constitution. Now this effort is another step in that direction. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said in a statement, the RSS-BJP wants to attack the soul of the constitution. This is the agenda to abolish the constitution made by Babasaheb Ambedkar. We will not let this succeed.
Debate Intensifies in Political Circles
After the RSS's statement, the debate has intensified in political circles. Several opposition parties have also supported the Congress, saying that tampering with the preamble of the constitution would be playing with the democratic soul of India. Some experts believe that the words 'socialist' and 'secular' are deeply intertwined with the Indian socio-cultural fabric and removing them would hurt the faith of crores of Indians.
However, RSS supporters argue that Dr. Ambedkar did not see the need to include these words in the preamble and that the then government, in 1976, changed the original spirit by adding them in the circumstances of the Emergency. Therefore, talking about review is not anti-constitutional but an attempt to clarify historical facts.
This issue has sparked a new debate in the political equations formed after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While the BJP supporting class is calling it a debate in the direction of historical reforms, the Congress and other opposition parties are considering it a direct attack on the basic structure of the constitution.
According to legal experts, a constitutional amendment process would be necessary to make changes in the preamble, which requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament, as well as the approval of half of the states. In such a situation, the effect of this debate currently appears to be more political, while it will not be easy to implement it practically.
