Cong calls foul play on ‘Socialist and Secular’ missing from Preamble, Centre defends original doesn’t have it
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New Delhi: The Indian constitution distributed among the Members of Parliament as the new business began in the new parliament building is allegedly found to have omitted the words "Socialist and Secular" in the Preamble, leading the opposition Congress party to call foul play by the BJP government.
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, ignited the debate when he claimed that the copies given to MPs did not contain the words "Socialist and Secular" in the Preamble, triggering accusations of a deliberate omission by the government.
Chowdhury voiced his concerns, stating that while the government could argue that they provided an older version of the Constitution, it would have been more appropriate to include the amended version with the additional terms.
He questioned whether the omission was intentional and speculated that there might be a hidden agenda behind it.
The inclusion of the terms "Socialist and Secular" in the Preamble was made through the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution in 1976 during the tenure of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal sought to downplay the controversy, suggesting that the copies distributed to MPs may indeed be the original version of the Constitution.
According to him, the Preamble was formulated without the additional terms when the Constitution was initially adopted, and the changes came later with the 42nd Amendment. Meghwal's statement implies that the government might have provided the members with the original draft of the Constitution, which lacked the two terms.
A bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on September 18, prior to the special parliamentary session, clearly stated that MPs would receive copies of the Constitution as well as calligraphic copies of the original Constitution of India.
The bulletin aimed to commemorate the historic first sitting in the new Parliament House and listed several items to be presented to Honourable Members on the occasion, including a copy of the Constitution.
The controversy raises questions about the intention behind providing the original version of the Constitution to Parliament members during the inaugural session in the new building. Some argue that it might be a gesture to harken back to the Constitution's original form, highlighting the evolution of India's political landscape over the years.