The Congress party in Nagaland has raised concerns over the omission of the words ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution in a circular issued by the state government to all departments for recitation on Constitution Day. The party’s apprehension is understandable given the significance of the Preamble as the soul and spirit of the Constitution, embodying the guiding principles and fundamental values upon which the Indian Constitution is built.
The Preamble serves as a beacon for the Indian Constitution, much like a preface that encapsulates the essence of the entire document. When the very Preamble of the Constitution, regarded as the holy book and the supreme law governing the nation, is reduced to a controversial topic, one is made to wonder if all’s well with the country.
This debate is not new. In fact, BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy even approached the Supreme Court seeking the deletion of the words ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ from the Preamble. The latest controversy erupted when the Congress Party alleged that the copies of the Preamble distributed to lawmakers on the opening day of the new Parliament building lacked the words ‘secular’ and ‘socialist.’ Interestingly, the BJP government responded by stating that the copies reflected the ‘original’ version of the Preamble and that these words were added later through constitutional amendments. It is important to note that the words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ were not included in the Constitution when it was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. These terms were incorporated into the Preamble through the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution in 1976 during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The Indian Constitution, the world’s lengthiest written constitution, has undergone over a hundred amendments. The Preamble, being a part of the Constitution, is also amendable. It was amended just once, during the Emergency in 1976, and the change remains a matter of debate and controversy. It appears that the BJP may seek to remove the two words through another amendment, but it is clear that such a move would only further politicize the Preamble.
Coming back to Nagaland, the ongoing ‘controversy’ highlights the Congress party’s vigilance in fulfilling its role as the opposition party, despite having no representation in the assembly. That, perhaps, is the only take away from the whole ‘controversy’.