Restoring the Spirit: Revisiting 'Secular' and 'Socialist' in India's Preamble

RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has sparked a debate with his call to review the terms 'socialist' and 'secular' in the preamble of India's Constitution. According to an article in an RSS-affiliated magazine, this proposal aims to restore the Constitution's original spirit, seen as distorted during the Congress-led Emergency era.

The article draws on Constituent Assembly debates to argue that Hosabale's call aligns with democratic principles championed by B R Ambedkar. Reflecting on historical decisions from 1948, the piece claims the inclusion of these terms was not part of Ambedkar's vision for a democratic India and that their adoption was a political maneuver.

Congress has contested Hosabale's suggestion, interpreting it as a deep-rooted strategy to undermine the Constitution's core. Nevertheless, the debate continues, with the RSS maintaining that this discussion honors the Constitution's intent, contrasting sharply with Congress actions during the Emergency.

(With inputs from agencies.)