No need for socialism in India, secularism not core of our culture: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Veteran Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Rajendra Chaudhary slammed the BJP and the RSS for suggesting that the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Constitution's Preamble could be done away with.
"These statements merely prove that the RSS and BJP don't believe in democracy and are making attempts to weaken the Constitution," Chaudhary told PTI.
UP Congress chief Ajay Rai told PTI, "Such statements in fact validate what we have been saying for long that the RSS and BJP don't have any faith in the Constitution. This country belongs to all. The Congress will protect the Constitution at all costs."
Chouhan said he was only 16 years old when the Emergency was promulgated and he was also arrested and taken to jail under Defence of India Rules.
"Even today, I get goosebumps remembering those dark days. During the Emergency, if there was a frenzy to demolish houses at Turkman Gate, the public was crushed by bulldozers. If anyone protested, they were riddled with bullets. It was not bullets fired on the public, it was the murder of the Constitution," Chouhan recalled.
The Union minister said there was neither any appeal, nor "vakeel" (lawyer), nor "daleel" (argument) and alleged that it was murder of the Constitution.
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