Drop ‘secular, socialist’ from Constitution: RSS

The RSS on Thursday called for reviewing the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the preamble of the Constitution, saying these were included during Emergency and were never part of the Constitution drafted by BR Ambedkar.

Addressing an event on 50 years of Emergency here, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabole said, “Babasaheb Ambedkar never used these words in the preamble. The words were added during Emergency, when fundamental rights were suspended, Parliament did not function and the judiciary became lame.” He said discussions were held on this issue later but no effort was made to remove the two words from the preamble.

“So whether these words should remain must be considered. The preamble is eternal. Are the thoughts of socialism as an ideology eternal for India,” he asked.

The suggestion from the RSS’ second most senior functionary to consider removing the terms secular and socialist came as he hit out at the Congress for the excesses during Emergency, demanding an apology from the party.

Recalling the days of Emergency, which was announced on June 25, 1975, Hosabale said while thousands were put in jail and tortured during that period, the freedom of the judiciary and media was also curtailed. The days of Emergency also witnessed large-scale forced sterlisation, the RSS leader said.

“Those who did such things are today moving around with Constitution’s copy. Your ancestors did it.... You must apologise,” he said. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also attended the event.