If Modi wins in 2019 poll, we won’t see next election in 2024: AICC secy
Udupi, July 19: AICC secretary and State Congress in-charge PC Vishnunath said that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi elected in 2019 Lok Sabha election and formed the government at the centre, the chances of having such general election in 2024 are very bleak.
Inaugurating the third national executive meeting of the two-day All India Fishermen Congress Committee here on Wednesday, he said that 2019 Lok Sabha election would become a ‘do or die’ situation for both Congress and the country. Despite giving good governance, the party did not get good response in the last Assembly election in the state. In spite of that the Congress has succeeded in keeping the BJP away from the power. The country was in a critical condition. The forthcoming Lok Sabha election would become a ‘do or die’ situation for protecting the secular fabric of the country, he said.
People should come together to fight against anti-fishermen, farmers, labourers and small traders policies of Narendra Modi government and protect the democracy in the country, he said.
First manifesto for fishermen
For the first time in the history of the country, the Congress has prepared a separate manifesto for the welfare of the fishermen. So far, no political party had prepared such a manifesto in the country. The manifesto was prepared keeping in mind the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The resolutions to be taken in this conference would be included in the manifesto, he said.
All India Fishermen Congress Committee president TN Prathapan presided over the conference in which district Congress president Janardhan Tonse, senior vice president Uday Kumar Shetty Muniyalu, AICC member Amrita Shenoy, Committee general secretary M Peer Saheb, Secretary Kiran Kumar Udyavara, State secretary Upendra Mendon, District committee president Manoj Karkera, Committee national working president and former MLA UR Sabhapathi and others were present.
Resolutions
Separate ministry for fishermen
All India Fishermen Congress Committee’s third national executive committee meeting has taken some resolutions to prevail upon the central government to fulfill their demands.
- Separate Ministry for the welfare of fishermen in the country
- Traditional fishermen communities across the country should be included in the SC/ST category based on the demands in each state.
- A separate Commission should be constituted to study the socio-economic and educational condition of the fishermen community and implement its recommendations.
- Decision should be taken in the national level on waiving off the loans availed from nationalized, scheduled and cooperative banks.
- Fishermen Development Board should be constituted in the national level and states should adopt it.
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SC upholds inclusion of ‘secular, socialist’ in Preamble of Constitution
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the inclusion of the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the Preamble of the Constitution, confirming their retrospective application from November 26, 1949. The court ruled that the power to amend the Constitution under Article 368 extends to the Preamble, which is an integral part of the document.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna stated, “The power under Article 368 cannot be curtailed. It will equally apply to the Preamble.” The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, which introduced these terms in 1976 during the Emergency, was challenged on grounds of its retrospective application and the lack of states’ ratification.
The petitioners, including BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, argued that the amendment forced a particular economic theory on the nation and violated the original intent of the Constitution. Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay contended that the Preamble reflects the will of the people at the time of adoption in 1949 and is therefore unalterable.
The court dismissed these objections, affirming that both socialism and secularism are part of the Constitution's Basic Structure. The Bench clarified that socialism refers to a welfare state ensuring equality of opportunity without negating private sector participation or individualism. It emphasised that secularism is embedded in the Constitution, particularly in the principles of equality and fraternity.
Chief Justice Khanna remarked, “Secularism has always been a core feature of the Constitution.” He added that the amendment did not impose socialism as dogma but aligned with the welfare goals enshrined in various constitutional provisions.
