As per the news report, a BJP member of Rajya Sabha is set to move a resolution in the House tomorrow seeking the removal of the phrase “Socialist” from the Preamble of the Constitution.
Rakesh Sinha has given notice, seeking the Chairman’s permission to move the resolution to drop the word “socialist” on Friday during the time allotted for Private Members’ Bill, and his notice was admitted on Wednesday. A copy of every resolution which has been passed by the House is forwarded to the minister concerned and the minister can bring a law in the same line.
The preamble of the constitution declares India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic.
“Socialism: A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole”
Explaining the reason for moving this resolution Sinha said Indian constitution has egalitarian provisions. “Even during the constituent assembly debates Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had contested the use of the word socialist, the entire constituent assembly agreed therefore there was no need to use the word. It was inserted in the Preamble as a political gimmick during emergency to divert the attention of people and under pressure from the former Soviet Union,” he said.
The terms “socialist” and “secular” had been inserted in the preamble later, to qualify the character of the Indian republic, as part of the 42nd amendment which was passed during the Emergency.
Many groups have sought to restore the original preamble. In 2015, a controversy was sparked by a government advertisement on Republic Day, which featured the preamble with the words “secular” and “socialist” missing.
This news had made netizens asking, will Secular be next?
Well, only time will tell.
