‘Socialist’, ‘Secular’ terms missing in Preamble in new Telangana textbooks
Hyderabad, Jun 23: The Telangana State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has got mired in a controversy following the publication of the Preamble of the Constitution on the cover page of a school textbook allegedly without the words 'socialist' and 'secular'.
The SCERT, however, maintained that the error occurred due to oversight.
The Telangana State United Teachers' Federation (TSUTF) submitted a representation to the secretary of education department on Thursday complaining that the words 'socialist' and 'secular' were "removed" from the Preamble published on the cover page of the class 10 social studies textbook published by the SCERT.
The two words were included in the Preamble through the 42nd Constitutional amendment, the TSUTF recalled.
However, the Preamble, including the two words, was published in the pages inside class 8 and 10 social studies books, it said.
At a time when there is a debate "across the globe" that secularism was in danger in India, the publication of the old Preamble "the way some people want it" instead of the one that is in force gives rise to several doubts, the Federation claimed.
It said that the error was a major one and that either it happened intentionally or due to oversight.
The Federation urged that the correct Preamble be published and sought tough action against those responsible for wrongly publishing the Preamble, after conducting an inquiry.
Meanwhile, the SCERT said the error was inadvertent.
"This happened by oversight and unintentionally while downloading the image at the time of designing the cover," the SCERT Director said.
However, in the inner pages of other textbooks, the Preamble after amendment was printed.
"The error crept in inadvertently," the Director said.
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Ajay Rai’s ‘nimbu-mirchi’ jibe over Rafale use in Pahalgam aftermath sparks BJP-Congress row
New Delhi: A political row erupted after Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai used a toy plane hung with lemon and chillies to question the government’s response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam. Rai made a symbolic reference, aimed at the Centre’s inaction despite possessing Rafale fighter jets, to the popular superstition of warding off evil with a “nimbu-mirchi” charm.
With the toy plane in his hands, Rai questioned, “When will they take action against terrorists and those who support them? Rafale jets are parked in hangars, protected with lemons and chillies. Our youth went to Pahalgam full of joy, but their bodies came back in coffins.”
The BJP responded, accusing the Congress of echoing Pakistan’s narrative. BJP’s spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “Ajay Rai has not just held a toy plane, he has insulted the armed forces and played into Pakistan’s hands.” He claimed that while the Congress publicly pledged support to the Centre following the attack, its other leaders have acted to demoralize Indian forces.
Poonawala said, “This isn’t an isolated slip-up, it’s a pattern,” citing previous controversial comments by Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, Charanjit Singh Channi, Vijay Wadettiwar and RB Timmapur.
The video was picked up by Pakistan’s media, adding fuel to the BJP’s criticism that the Congress was acting like a “PR agent” for India’s adversaries. Despite the backlash, Rai stood by his statement, saying, “I am only asking when Rafale will be used. The country is waiting for action against the Pahalgam killers.” He also added that while the Congress supports the government in fighting terrorism, people have a right to question its strategy.
The Congress leadership has cautioned its members against making off-the-cuff remarks after getting caught off guard by repeated flare-ups. The Communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh clarified on X that only views expressed by Congress President Mallikarjuna Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and authorized AICC office-bearers represent the official party line.
