India: Congress claims 'socialist and secular' missing from new Constitution copies, BJP responds

India's Congress party has raisedconcerns about the omission of the words "socialist" and "secular" from the new copies of the Indian Constitution distributed to Members of Parliament in the new Parliament building.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a prominent Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, pointed out that the Preamble of the new Constitution copies lacked the two words which were incorporated into the Constitution through the 42nd Amendment in 1976 during the Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

These words were added by the Congress regime at the time apparently to guaranteethe protection of minority rights and to prevent economic dominance by the wealthy.

Chowdhury insinuated that the absence of "socialist" and "secular" from the copies may be a deliberate act.

However, he lamented that he had not been given the opportunity to address this issue in Parliament.

To counter this allegation, Arjun Ram Meghwal, the minister of law and justice from the ruling BJP said, "when the Constitution was drafted, it was like this. An amendment was made later."

"This is the original copy. Our spokesperson has replied to the same," hetold reporters outside the new parliament building.

Watch Sonia Gandhi's (former INC president) comments here:

Historical context

The ideal of secularism was deeply cherished by India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, and the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, BRAmbedkar.

However, when it came to including "secular" in the preamble, both leaders were cautious.

Ambedkar believed that the specifics of state policy and societal organisation should be determined by the people themselves, not enshrined in the Constitution.

Nehru acknowledged that communalism existed in the hearts and minds of individuals and should be foughtagainst.

Although the term "secularism" was not explicitly inserted into the Constitution, its principles were woven into India's constitutional philosophy.

Articles 25, 26 and 27 guarantee religious freedom and equality before the law for all citizens, laying the foundation for a secular state.

During the Emergency in 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi introduced a 20-page document that granted unprecedented powers to the Parliament, resulting in significant changes to the Constitution, including in the Preamble.

India's description shifted from a "sovereign, democratic republic" to a "sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic."

(With inputs from agencies)

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