Preamble Deemed Unchangeable, Yet Altered During Emergency: V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar Amid RSS Controversy

Vice President Dhankhar acknowledged the Preamble as the "seed" from which the Constitution grows, but also reminded the public that it was amended during the Emergency in 1976.;

By :  Palakshi
Update: 2025-06-28 09:51 GMT
Preamble Deemed Unchangeable, Yet Altered During Emergency: V-P Jagdeep Dhankhar Amid RSS Controversy
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Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stirred debate on Saturday by pointing out that while the Constitution’s preamble is generally considered untouchable, it was actually amended in 1976. His comment comes amid renewed calls from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to remove the words “socialist” and “secular” from the preamble.

Dhankhar reminded everyone that during the Emergency period (1975–77), the 42nd Amendment introduced the words “socialist,” “secular,” and “integrity” into the preamble. “When B. R. Ambedkar drafted the original Constitution, he must have reflected carefully on its wording,” he said. “India remains the only country to have officially revised its preamble.”

The controversy began when RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale argued that the terms “socialist” and “secular” were not part of the original constitution and should be removed. He criticized their inclusion as forced additions and demanded an apology from those responsible, taking aim at opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi.

Though the Supreme Court dismissed petitions challenging the 1976 amendment last November, the RSS’s demand has sparked fresh debate. Critics, including Rahul Gandhi, accused the RSS and BJP of wanting to erase constitutional protections for marginalised groups. “The mask of RSS has come off again,” he remarked, warning that they prefer the religious law of Manusmriti to the Constitution.

Meanwhile, some BJP leaders support the idea. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told ANI that secularism is a Western concept, not intrinsic to Indian tradition, and questioned its place in the preamble.

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