Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on June 27 called for a review of the inclusion of the terms “socialist” and “secular” in the Preamble to the Constitution. He made the remarks while speaking at an event in Delhi on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency.
Hosabale said the two words were inserted during the Emergency by the then Congress government through the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1976. He stated that the amendment was passed under unusual circumstances and that there was a need to examine whether the words should continue to remain in the Preamble.
He also said that the Congress party had not apologised for the imposition of the Emergency. Referring to events between 1975 and 1977, he cited incidents including mass arrests, censorship of the press, restrictions on the judiciary, and sterilisation campaigns. He said that those responsible had not expressed regret for these actions.
The Union government observed June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas (Constitution Murder Day) to mark the 50th year of the Emergency declaration. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in public statements and social media posts, described the Emergency as a period when democratic processes were suspended.
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, enacted in 1976, made several changes to the Constitution, including the addition of the words “socialist” and “secular” to the Preamble. The amendment was passed during the Emergency when civil liberties were suspended and political opposition was limited.
Following Hosabale’s remarks, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh responded on social media, stating that the RSS had not accepted the Constitution since its inception. He cited past instances where RSS leaders had criticised the Constitution and expressed preference for ancient legal texts. He also said that the RSS had not participated in the Constituent Assembly process and had called for a new Constitution on multiple occasions.
Ramesh referred to a Supreme Court judgment delivered in November 2024 by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, which upheld the basic structure doctrine. The judgment stated that features such as secularism cannot be removed or altered through constitutional amendments.
The RSS, established in 1925, is considered the ideological parent organisation of several affiliated groups, including the Bharatiya Janata Party. It does not participate directly in electoral politics but has been involved in social and cultural mobilisation.
The organisation did not take part in the drafting of the Constitution between 1946 and 1950. Historical documents show that it expressed criticism of the Constitution after it was adopted.
The inclusion of the terms “socialist” and “secular” in the Preamble has been debated at various points since the amendment was passed. The Supreme Court’s 1973 Kesavananda Bharati judgment laid down the basic structure doctrine, under which certain essential features of the Constitution, including secularism, cannot be amended.
