No plans to remove 'socialist,' 'secular' from Constitution preamble: Government
What's the story
The central government has clarified that it has no current plans to reconsider or remove the words "socialist" and "secular" from the preamble of the Constitution. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal made this statement in response to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman. Suman had asked if the government was moving forward to reconsider the use of the words, and the stand of the government regarding reconsideration of the use of the words, socialism and secularism.
Amendment discussions
Discussions on amending preamble require broad consensus: Meghwal
In response, Meghwal said, "The government's official stand is that there is no current plan or intention to reconsider or remove the words 'socialism' and 'secularism'." Meghwal emphasized that any discussions on amending the preamble would require thorough deliberation and broad consensus. However, he reiterated that no formal process has been initiated for such changes. The minister also referred to a Supreme Court ruling, which upheld Parliament's power to amend the Constitution's Preamble under the 42nd Constitutional Amendment of 1976.
Court ruling
Supreme Court's ruling on these terms
The Supreme Court clarified that "socialism" in the Indian context means a welfare state and does not hinder private sector growth. It also stated that "secularism" is an integral part of the Constitution's basic structure. While some social organizations have called for reconsideration of these terms, Meghwal said this public discourse does not reflect the government's official stance or actions.
Controversial remarks
RSS leader's remarks on emergency anniversary
Earlier in June, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale had said that terms like "socialism" and "secularism" were forcibly inserted into the Constitution. The words "socialist" and "secular" were not included in the original preamble of the Constitution. During the tenure of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1976, they were inserted into the Constitution through the 42nd amendment.