The absence of the terms “socialist” and “secular” in the English copies of the Constitution distributed to Members of Parliament (MPs) has ignited a significant controversy. This development occurred on the opening day of the new parliament building, leading the opposition to label it as an “assault” on the Constitution.
In response to these allegations, Law Minister Arjun Meghwal argued that the copies contained the “original version” of the Constitution’s Preamble. He emphasized that the words “socialist” and “secular” were introduced through the 42nd amendment in 1976 and were not part of the original Constitution.
This explanation triggered further protests from the opposition, who accused the government of making a substantial change without following the proper process. Interestingly, the Hindi copies of the Constitution retained the correct wording, raising suspicions about whether this alteration was intentional or inadvertent.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury expressed concern, stating that while they were aware of the 1976 amendment, the omission of these words in the current copies raised doubts about the government’s intentions. He regarded it as a serious matter that required attention.
Binoy Viswam of the CPI-M went as far as to label the omission a “crime.” Copies of the Constitution were distributed to MPs in gift bags during the new parliament building’s inauguration.
The original preamble of the Constitution described India as a “sovereign, democratic republic.” During the Emergency period under the Congress government led by Indira Gandhi, significant changes were made through the 42nd amendment, including the insertion of “socialist” and “secular” into the preamble. In 1978, some of these changes were reversed, but the amended preamble remained. The Supreme Court subsequently established that “secularism” is a part of the basic structure doctrine, making it unalterable.
Opposition leaders argued that once an amendment is notified, the old Constitution should cease to be printed, and any change to it would constitute tampering.
In conclusion, the omission of “socialist” and “secular” from the English copies of the Constitution distributed to MPs has triggered a controversy, with the opposition questioning the government’s intentions and process. The matter has raised concerns about potential tampering with the Constitution.
