Removing socialist secular from the constitution of India is an unjust act

Removing socialist secular from the constitution of India is an unjust act

Introduction:

Big talks of secularism and respect for every religion, freedom to follow any religious belief are often heard when our political leaders deliver a speech. However, the same is not seen as far as their actions are concerned. An advertisement published by the government of India on the Republic Day with excerpts of the preamble to the constitution had the words "socialist secular" missing. Controversy began as opposition slammed the BJP led government of its "Hindutva promotion ideology" and to make it worse their ally, Shiv Sena stated that these words should be deleted from the constitution.

For:

1. Missing out words from the constitution of India shows the political diplomacy of the BJP led government. On one side, there are big speeches from their leaders talking of religious equality and on the other side, they are keen in getting rid of the word "secular" from the constitution. Promotion of hindutva has been the unspoken motive of the Modi government with allies like RSS and VHP. These instances should not be spared as they would only encourage their extremist ideology.

2. Shiv Sena leaders even went ahead to say that these words should be deleted from the constitution. Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said: "Removing the words socialist and secular is not controversy but the feeling of crores of Indians. The country is of Hindus and belongs to them. People of all religions can live in India but Hindus will dominate." There has been no clarification from the government or the PM in particular on this statement issued by their ally.

3. Obama said in his speech that India is on the way to become a very successful nation "as long as it is not splintered on religious lines." While the development plans of Modi is very optimistic, these alliances with the extremists more than often is a hindrance. The missing words seems to be not an error but a deliberate move to please the ally that they hold close. The illustration on the advertisement also shows the same story; the people shown in it are either Hindu or tribal, no Muslim or Sikh included.

4. BJP seems to be agreeing with the extremists on their motive of making India a capitalist Hindu nation instead of a socialist secular nation. It is not just disturbing to millions of people in the country who have to often prove their loyalty at being an Indian but also an attempt to undermine the constitution of India with their own policies and rules dominating as they rule the nation.

5. India is a democratic republic with people of various religion and caste divided by faith but united in nationality. There are differences and controversies but that does not influence the loyalty of millions of Indians towards their nation. Unity in diversity has not lost its meaning with broad minded people respecting each other and their religion despite differences in ideologies. Such attempts at deleting the words "socialist and secular" is harmful to peace and integrity of the nation.

Against:

1. This is a needles controversy as the advertisement features the original constitution that was signed on the republic day. It was a memorial paying tribute to the original constitution that did not actually had the words socialist and secular which were added as part of the 42nd amendment act passed during an emergency. Since the original constitution did not have these words, the advertisement should have been taken in an open-minded way instead of bringing in useless controversy.

2. Even before the word secular was added to the preamble, the constitution of India was secular in nature. It is not to be forgotten than before the amendment that added these words, the constitution was framed based on secularism. It was in fact an unnecessary amendment and to celebrate the original constitution is not a crime calling for controversies on the nature and political diplomacy of the government.

3. Adding the word socialist is a mistake that could easily be undone. It limits policy choices that can be made by a democratically elected government. In the words of B R Ambedkar who opposed the insertion of this word: "what should be policy of the state, how the society should be organized in its social and economic side are matters which must be decided by people themselves according to time and circumstances." There seems no harm in removing the word socialist from the preamble.

4. Paying tribute to the original constitution that was framed on the republic day has nothing to do with promotion of hindutva or sharing the motives of Shev Sena. The Modi government has development strategies that it is more involved in than these minor errors that some find offending due to the way they misunderstood the meaning behind it. We Indians are easily offended and that's what the opposition uses to its benefits.

Conclusion:

The government may or may not have meant to be against the secularism and socialist nature of the constitution but what matters is its clarification on the matter than concerns millions of Indians with their trust in stake. The government could have issued a clarification in this regard and should condemn the extremism with which Shiv Sena leaders interpreted the advertisement published by the government of India. The preamble is an introduction to the constitution of India and clearly states its nature. There is no way these words can be deleted from the constitution.