VHP and Bajrang Dal stage protest in Mangaluru demanding arrest of St Gerosa School teacher
Mangaluru : Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest in Mangaluru demanding the withdrawal of cases against many including MLAs Vedavyas Kamat, Bharat Shetty and the arrest of St. Gerosa School teacher on the allegations of insulting Lord Ram.
The demonstrators gathered in front of the Mangalore taluk office, demanding the arrest of teacher Prabha and criticising the state government. Shivananda Mendon, the general secretary of VHP's district unit, accused the teacher of insulting Hinduism and demanded action against her.
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Insisting to give their request to the Police Commissioner, the protestors pushed the barricade put up by the police and shouted slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram'. DCP Siddharth Goyal, who was present at the spot, took the protesters into custody and sent them away in a police vehicle.
The police informed that the protestors had not obtained prior permission for the protest and rally.
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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.
