Siddaramaiah attacks RSS for stand on ‘secular', ‘socialist'
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday attacked the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for opposing the words 'secular' and 'socialist' in the Preamble of the Constitution.
He was reacting to RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale's call for a review of the two words that were inserted into the Preamble during the Emergency by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Noting that the RSS leader's remark was not a casual one, the Chief Minister wrote on X that 'it is part of a long-standing agenda to reshape India's democracy in their ideological image'. Mr. Siddaramaiah said further, 'Let me say this clearly that if not for these constitutional values, people like me would never have had the opportunity to study, speak, or serve. That is the power of justice, equality, and secularism.'
The Chief Minister said the two words were inserted when the secular values were being attacked, especially by the RSS and its affiliates.
'Let us not forget: the RSS refused to accept the Constitution when it was adopted. In its mouthpiece Organiser, the RSS complained in 1949 that the Constitution had 'nothing which can be called our own', and lamented that it ignored India's ancient traditions,' the Chief Minister said.
'In the recent elections, BJP leaders openly said they needed 400 seats to rewrite the Constitution. The people of India saw through that agenda — and gave them a resounding answer. Now they are back to their old playbook. But let it be clear: our Congress party will stand like a rock against any attempt to weaken or rewrite the Constitution. We will defend its values — secularism, social justice, and democracy — with full strength and conviction,' Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
41 minutes ago
- Hans India
Double engine Sarkar autocratic, says Sharmila
Rajamahendravaram: Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president YS Sharmila strongly criticised the BJP-led government, stating that only Congress party truly understands people's problems and works for their genuine welfare. She participated in East Godavari district Congress extended meeting held in Rajamahendravaram on Friday. Sharmila alleged that both the Centre and the State are currently under autocratic and regressive rule. She appealed to the public to support Congress party and bring back good governance, which she described as a historic necessity. Senior Congress leader and CWC special invitee Gidugu Rudra Raju also addressed the gathering. Referring to the Emergency period, he condemned the BJP and RSS for spreading relentless misinformation about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He stated that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, constitutional institutions are being undermined and misused for political gain, which he said is far worse than anything and equal to a dictatorship. He added that while Indira Gandhi made significant contributions to national security and poverty alleviation, today's political forces are shamefully attempting to tarnish her legacy with false propaganda. Rudra Raju asserted that India witnessed real development and genuine welfare during Congress rule. The meeting was chaired by East Godavari District Congress President TK Visweswara Reddy. APCC in-charge Palak Verma also attended the event. Following the meeting, Sharmila, Rudra Raju, Vishweshwara Reddy, and others paid floral tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar's statue at Gokavaram Bus Stand. Later, Sharmila unveiled a statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi near the water tank at Rajiv Gandhi Park in Seethampeta and paid homage by garlanding the statues of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
New Indian Express
44 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Preamble 'not changeable', but was 'changed' in 1976 during Emergency, says VP Dhankhar
NEW DELHI: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday asserted that the Preamble of a constitution is "not changeable" as it is the "seed" on which the document grows. He said the preamble of no other constitution has undergone change except that of India. "But this Preamble was changed by the 42nd Constitution (Amendment) Act of 1976," he said noting that the words "socialist", "secular", and "integrity" were added. "We must reflect," he said adding that B R Ambedkar did painstaking work on the Constitution and he must have "surely focused on it". His remarks at a book launch event here came after the RSS on Thursday called for reviewing the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Constitution, saying they were included during the Emergency and were never part of the Constitution drafted by Ambedkar.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Puducherry: Resignation of three nominated BJP MLAs accepted by Speaker
The Puducherry Assembly Secretariat has issued a notification accepting the resignation of K. Venkatesan, V.P. Ramalingam, and R.B. Ashok Babu from the Legislative Assembly as nominated legislators. The three members belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were appointed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs immediately after the All India N.R. Congress-BJP alliance won the 2021 Assembly polls in the Union Territory. The legislators had submitted their resignation letters to Speaker R. Selvam on the 'instructions' of the BJP high command on Friday (June 27, 2025) evening, sources in the party said. The MHA would soon issue an order appointing three new members as nominated legislators. The party is likely to give representation to a Dalit member as well as a member from the Karaikal region, the sources said. 'Now that the Speaker has accepted the resignation of the three members, the process to appoint new members has also started. The order is expected to come anytime, and the members will be sworn in early next week,' said a BJP leader. Meanwhile, the party leadership has been in huddle since Friday evening to elect a new president and also find a replacement for A.K. Sai J. Saravanan Kumar, who had also submitted his resignation from the Chief Minister N. Rangasamy-led Cabinet on Friday. Mr. Rangasamy, the founder-leader of the AINRC, had told the media on Friday evening, after consulting Lt. Governor K. Kailashnathan, that the resignation of Mr. Kumar was accepted by the government. Mr. Kumar is among the leaders considered for the post of president of the BJP in the UT, a party source said, adding that the nomination process for electing the party's Puducherry unit chief will be carried out on Sunday (June 29, 2025). Protest held The supporters of Mr. Kumar, meanwhile, staged a demonstration on Friday night in the town, protesting the decision of BJP to replace him. Mr. Kumar was the only leader belonging to the Dalit community in the first National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Puducherry. The supporters raised slogans demanding that Mr. Kumar be made the president of the BJP's Puducherry unit. The protesters later dispersed after the intervention of close associates of the former Minister.
