New Delhi | On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, a series of commemorative programs were held by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) across India. In one such event at Ambedkar Auditorium in Delhi, senior RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale reignited a long-standing demand of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS): the removal of the words ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, as per a report by the Hindustan Times.
The demand is not new, but has gained renewed momentum since the BJP came to power at the Centre. Over the years, the Sangh Parivar has consistently raised the call for transforming India into a “Hindu Rashtra” and amending the Constitution accordingly.
While addressing the gathering, Hosabale called for a national apology from the Congress for the imposition of the Emergency, citing widespread human rights violations, suppression of press freedom, and judicial interference during the period. “Thousands were jailed and tortured, and yet those responsible are today flaunting copies of the Constitution. They have yet to apologise to the nation,” he said.
Reacting sharply, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the RSS of never accepting the Indian Constitution in full. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ramesh alleged that the RSS had started attacking the Constitution and its architects—Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, and others—as early as November 30, 1949. “The RSS never accepted the Constitution because it was not inspired by the Manusmriti,” he said.
He further pointed out that both RSS and BJP have repeatedly advocated for drafting a new Constitution, a sentiment that was also echoed during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ramesh emphasized that the Indian public rejected such attempts decisively through the ballot.
Ramesh also highlighted a key Supreme Court ruling delivered on November 25, 2024, which dismissed public interest litigations challenging the inclusion of ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ in the Preamble. These words were added through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment during the Emergency in 1976.
The Supreme Court held that the amendment did not violate the basic structure of the Constitution. The term ‘Socialist’, the Court clarified, refers to the state’s responsibility to ensure social and economic justice and does not imply control over private enterprises. ‘Secular’, it added, denotes the state’s neutrality towards all religions—not hostility to any religion.
The Court also rejected the argument that the amendment was unconstitutional simply because it was enacted during the Emergency, affirming that the Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution under Article 368, and the amendment was valid.
