logo
Himanta Sarma Launches 'Emergency Diaries', Calls For Removing 'Secularism, Socialism' From Constitution

Himanta Sarma Launches 'Emergency Diaries', Calls For Removing 'Secularism, Socialism' From Constitution

NDTV12 hours ago

Guwahati:
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing the media on Saturday at Vajpayee Bhawan, the state BJP headquarters in Guwahati, launched a book titled 'Emergency Diaries', highlighting the resistance and struggle during the Emergency, particularly emphasizing the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Today, we have launched the book Emergency Diaries, which is basically about the struggle and resistance movement during that time organised by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Mr Sarma said.
He added that it is now time to erase the legacies of the Emergency period, comparing it with PM Modi's ongoing efforts to remove remnants of colonial rule from Indian systems.
"In the same spirit, we must work to wipe out the legacies of the Emergency. Two important legacies from that time are the insertion of the words secularism and socialism into our Constitution," he said.
"I believe the word secularism contradicts Sarva Dharma Samabhava, which is a truly Indian concept. Similarly, socialism does not reflect our economic philosophy, which has always been about Sarvodaya and Antyodaya," he said.
Launched the book 'Emergency Diaries' which chronicles Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji's life during the emergency and how he resisted the draconian regime and its unlawful practices.
📍 Guwahati pic.twitter.com/NzX6myzB5X
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 28, 2025
Calling the terms foreign impositions, Mr Sarma urged the government of India to consider removing them.
"These two words were not part of the original Constitution but were inserted later by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Therefore, I request the government of India to delete the words socialism and secularism from the Preamble of our Constitution," he said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Issues Threats Against India, Repeats Kashmir Rhetoric After Pahalgam Terror Attack
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Issues Threats Against India, Repeats Kashmir Rhetoric After Pahalgam Terror Attack

First Post

time11 minutes ago

  • First Post

Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Issues Threats Against India, Repeats Kashmir Rhetoric After Pahalgam Terror Attack

Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir has once again threatened India and repeated his calls for a 'Free Kashmir' after his 'jugular vein' remark. He also backed terror and termed it a 'legitimate struggle.' read more With Munir's 'promotion', Pakistan now has two illegitimate power centres in military and civil domains. Image: X/ @NotCMShehbaz Pakistan's Army Chief and the self-proclaimed Field Marshal, Asim Munir, has once again issued threats against India and repeated his 'Free Kashmir' rhetoric following his full of hate 'jugular vein' remark. Speaking at the Pakistan Naval Academy in Karachi on Saturday, Munir blamed India — without offering any evidence — for the recent rise in tensions following the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam. However, it is a blatant truth that Pakistan, through its proxy groups, continues its policy of terrorism against India. Whenever India retaliates in self-defence, Islamabad shifts the blame onto India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Munir described Pakistan as a 'net regional stabiliser' and claimed that Islamabad had firmly responded to what he called 'unprovoked' Indian military actions. 'Despite provocations, Pakistan has shown restraint and maturity, reaffirming its commitment to regional peace,' he said. He accused India of deliberately stoking tensions in the region, especially as Pakistan claims it is close to eliminating terrorism. Fresh Kashmir rhetoric after 'Jugular Vein' remark In his speech, Munir once again raised the Kashmir issue, urging Pakistanis to remember the 'sacrifices of our Kashmiri brothers struggling against India's illegal occupation.' 'Pakistan strongly supports a fair resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with UN resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people,' he said. A few days before the Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam, Munir had stirred tensions by declaring Kashmir as Pakistan's 'jugular vein.' 'Kashmir is our jugular vein; it will remain our jugular vein; we will not forget it,' he told members of the Pakistani diaspora abroad. Though the reality is that Pakistan has long been facing insurgency in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and PoK after mass disappearances, human rights violations, and depriving people there of basic amenities. Less than a week after Munir's 'jugular vein' statement, Pakistan-backed terrorists killed over two dozen male tourists in Kashmir's scenic Pahalgam region. In response, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, dealing a significant blow to Pakistan. It also launched Operation Sindoor, targeting and destroying terror launchpads deep inside Pakistani territory. Following this, India and Pakistan exchanged cross-border fire for four days. During the clashes, India carried out strikes on several Pakistani air bases, weakened the Pakistan Army's capabilities, and successfully defended itself against missile and drone attacks. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan and its backed terror groups continue to launch attacks in India, killing innocent people. India has suffered greatly from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, from the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai to the latest Pahalgam attack. Pakistan, and its de facto ruler, the deep-state army, cannot defeat India in a direct war, so they remain engaged in a proxy conflict, following the policy of 'bleeding India with a thousand cuts.' Since then, India has established a new normal of responding to Pakistan and terrorism with force. This has been evident since the Uri attack, after which surgical strikes were carried out. Notably, India also conducted air strikes inside Pakistan in Balakot following the Pulwama attack. The military actions and standoffs were visible to the world after the Pahalgam attack.

India's ban on ships with Pakistani cargo raises freight costs, delays imports: Report
India's ban on ships with Pakistani cargo raises freight costs, delays imports: Report

Time of India

time13 minutes ago

  • Time of India

India's ban on ships with Pakistani cargo raises freight costs, delays imports: Report

India's ban on ships carrying Pakistani goods from anchoring at its ports has increased freight charges and transit time, according to a media report. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India imposed a comprehensive ban, effective May 2, 2025, on the direct or indirect import or transit of goods originating in or exported from Pakistan . Pakistani importers said the Indian ban has resulted in longer shipping times and higher freight charges, Dawn newspaper reported on Sunday. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký "Mother vessels are not coming to Pakistan due to this Indian action, which delays our imports by 30 to 50 days," said Javed Bilwani, President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry . He said importers are now relying on feeder vessels, which raises costs. Live Events Exporters also reported a spike in shipping and insurance costs following the Indian ban. However, they said the overall impact on exports remains minimal, the paper reported. "There is no significant impact on exports..., except for a rise in insurance costs. Shipping charges had already gone up even before the escalation," said Aamir Aziz, an exporter of textile made-ups. Pakistan's exports are heavily reliant on imported inputs for value addition. With the government maintaining tight controls on imports to conserve foreign exchange, any disruption in supply chains has broader economic implications, the paper said. The India-Pakistan trade relations soured after the Pulwama terror attack, following which India raised the import duty to 200 per cent on all goods imported from Pakistan. Formal trade relations between Pakistan and India have remained frozen since 2019, and bilateral trade declined from USD 2.41 billion in 2018 to USD 1.2 billion in 2024. Pakistan's exports to India decreased from USD 547.5 million in 2019 to just USD 480,000 in 2024.

Keeladi: excavating the past
Keeladi: excavating the past

The Hindu

time14 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Keeladi: excavating the past

A newly laid road runs through Keeladi, a village in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, that has now earned a significant place on India's political and cultural map. A steady stream of visitors, particularly students, flock to the state-of-the-art museum established by the Tamil Nadu government which showcases the findings from the Keeladi excavation site. On the other side of the village, nestled among coconut groves, workers under the supervision of archaeologists continue to excavate land once believed to have been a thriving industrial hub. Square-shaped trenches reveal remnants of furnaces containing soot and ash, confirming that Keeladi was a centre for manufacturing beads made from quartz, carnelian, glass, agate, and other materials. Carbon dating of charcoal discovered at the site in February 2017 established that the settlement dates back to 6th century BCE. These excavations offer compelling evidence that urban civilisation existed in Tamil Nadu during the Sangam age. The findings also indicate trade and cultural exchange with the Indus Valley Civilisation. For Tamil Nadu politicians, particularly the leaders of the ruling DMK, the findings provided the much-needed grist for their political narrative. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in January this year announced a $1 million prize for experts or organisations that succeed in deciphering the script of the Indus Valley Civilisation, pointing out that 60% of the graffiti marks found in Tamil Nadu had parallels to the symbols found on Indus seals. Long-standing divide The findings also fuelled the long-standing Aryan-Dravidian divide, and some expressed reservations about accepting the findings from Keeladi. This was followed by the transfer of archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), who led the first two phases of the excavation, to Assam in 2017. The third phase was overseen by another archaeologist, P.S. Sriraman, who reported that there was no continuity in the brick structures. Excavations resumed only after the intervention of the Madras High Court. The Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology also took up the project and, in its report, asserted that Keeladi was once a site of urban civilisation, a claim that remains a point of contention among archaeologists. Those who dispute the claim of an urban settlement point to sites such as Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and others in Gujarat, which, they argue, 'bear testimony to the existence of an urban civilisation,' whereas Keeladi, they contend, is just another excavation site without sufficient evidence to qualify as an urban centre. The return of the 982-page report by Amarnath Ramakrishna of the ASI, with instructions to provide further evidence and rewrite it, stirred yet another controversy. In Tamil Nadu, this move is perceived as indicative of the BJP-led NDA government's bias against discoveries emerging from the South. The current dispensation at the Centre is seen as reluctant to accept anything projected as superior to the Indo-Aryan heritage. Given the Centre's stance on Indian culture, language, and religion, the ASI's directive to Mr. Ramakrishna and his subsequent transfer is viewed with suspicion — even if there is a genuine academic basis for it. Mr. Ramakrishna, rather than pursuing the matter through academic channels, has joined the chorus of Tamil Nadu politicians, though many believe the Centre's motives are clear for all to see. Mr. Ramakrishna, from the beginning, has been maintaining that there has been no evidence for religious worship. What remains undisputed is the need for extensive excavation in Keeladi and surrounding areas. Madurai and its neighbouring regions along the banks of the Vaigai are undeniably ancient settlements. It is crucial to have excavations on the scale of those at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro to substantiate the claim of a flourishing urban civilisation in Tamil Nadu. The ASI has the responsibility of undertaking this effort with the support of the Tamil Nadu government.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store