No plan to remove ‘secular’, ‘socialist’ from Preamble: Govt amid calls to revisit inclusion of term
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New Delhi: The Union government has no plans to remove the words “secular” and “socialist” from the Preamble of the Constitution, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told the Parliament. His remarks come amid growing demands from certain groups to revisit the inclusion of the two terms.
Responding in writing to a question raised by Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman, Meghwal said the government has not initiated any formal process to amend the Preamble. He added that any change to it would require “thorough deliberation and broad consensus.”
Meghwal also cited a Supreme Court ruling from November 2024, which upheld the 42nd Constitutional Amendment of 1976 that had introduced the words "secular" and "socialist" into the Preamble.
“The court clarified that ‘socialism’ in the Indian context signifies a welfare state and does not impede private sector growth, while ‘secularism’ is integral to the Constitution’s basic structure,” the Union law minister added.
The issue resurfaced in public discourse last month when Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale remarked that the two terms were not part of the Preamble of the Constitution drafted by B.R. Ambedkar, and their relevance today "must be reviewed."
Hosabale’s comments sparked political backlash, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging that the RSS-BJP alliance is hostile to the Constitution. "The Constitution irks them because it speaks of equality, secularism, and justice. The RSS-BJP doesn't want the Constitution; they want 'Manusmriti'. They aim to strip the marginalised and the poor of their rights and enslave them again. Snatching a powerful weapon like the Constitution from them is their real agenda," Gandhi had said.
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Afzalpur: KSRTC bus veers off road into field, no injuries reported
Afzalpur: A KSRTC bus veered off the road into a field near RMS School in Atanur village today. No injuries were reported.
The bus was travelling from Afzalpur to Kalaburagi when the incident occurred. The driver managed to bring the vehicle under control and safely stop it, preventing any damage or injuries.
According to Transport Unit Manager A.V. Bhovi, the road at the spot was narrow and there was a risk from an oncoming vehicle.
“The driver steered the bus to the side as a precaution. No damage was caused, and there is no need for the public to panic,” he said.
