No socialist, secular, integrity in preamble at UP park, Govt says replica reflects original text

A controversy has erupted in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district after a replica of the Indian Constitution’s Preamble, installed at a newly inaugurated Constitution Park, was found to exclude the words socialist, secular and integrity—terms that have long been part of the constitutional text.

The park, located within the Baraut Municipal Council premises, was inaugurated on Republic Day by minister of state and Bharatiya Janata Party leader K.P. Malik in the presence of district magistrate Asmita Lal, The Wire reported.

Soon after, residents and legal professionals noticed that the Preamble displayed at the site mirrored the original version adopted on January 26, 1950, omitting the three words that were inserted through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976.

The district administration has defended the display, stating that the replica reflects the original Preamble and that no political or ideological agenda was involved. Officials have argued that since the Constitution is subject to amendments, the park chose to present the original version.

However, the administration has not explained why this rationale was selectively applied to the Preamble while numerous other constitutional amendments remain unignored in public and legal practice.

The Uttar Pradesh government has described the park as a space intended to promote health, civic awareness and constitutional literacy. Yet local residents have questioned how this objective is served by excluding words that the Supreme Court has repeatedly held to be integral to the Constitution’s basic structure.

A municipal councillor from Baraut has formally demanded that the text be corrected, warning that the omission prevents citizens from understanding the Constitution in its current and legally operative form.

Lawyers and civil society members in Baraut have echoed these concerns, arguing that the continued relevance of socialism, secularism and national integrity is underscored by widening economic inequality, rising communal polarisation and increasing social fragmentation. Memorandums have been submitted to the district magistrate, with residents warning of protests if corrective action is not taken.

The issue has also gained traction on social media, where the Baghpat Information Department reiterated that the replica represents the original Preamble. This explanation, however, has failed to quell criticism, particularly in light of recent judicial pronouncements. In November 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed petitions seeking the removal of socialist and secular from the Preamble, affirming that these terms are inseparable from the Constitution’s foundational values.

The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of renewed ideological debates, with sections of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and some BJP leaders questioning the legitimacy of Emergency-era amendments. Although the Union government has publicly stated that it has no intention of removing these words, critics argue that administrative actions such as the Baraut display contradict these assurances.