Words added to Preamble of Constitution were 'nasoor', 'sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatana":VP
New Delhi, June 28 (UNI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar today described as ''Nasoor'' (festering wound) and a sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatana the words secularism and socialism added in the Preamble of the Constitution during emergency, asserting that the Preamble should have been respected rather than tweaked, altered, and decimated.
''What a travesty of justice! First, we change something which is not changeable, alterable and then change it during Emergency. Preamble, the soul of the Constitution should have been respected rather than tweaked, altered, and decimated,'' he said at the Vice-President's Enclave marking the presentation of the first copy of 'Ambedkar's Messages' compiled by D. S. Veeraiah, author and former MLC Karnataka.
He regretted that a very serious work which could not be altered, had been changed ''casually, farcically and with no sense of propriety.''
Describing the Preamble of any constitution as its ''soul,'' he said Preamble of the Indian Constitution is unique.
Preamble is not changeable. Preamble is not alterable. Preamble is the basis on which the constitution has grown. Preamble is the seed of the Constitution. It is Soul of the constitution but this Preamble for Bharat was changed by 42nd Constitutional Amendment act of 1976, adding words Socialist, Secular and integrity'.
'We must reflect why our temples of democracy are sacrileged? Why are our temples of democracy ravaged by disruption?'
Dr. Ambedkar did painstaking work. He would have surely focused on it. The founding fathers thought it befittingly wise to give us that Preamble. No country's Preamble has undergone change — except Bharat. But devastatingly, this change was effected for Bharat at a time when people were virtually enslaved. We the people, the ultimate fountain of power — the best of them were languishing in jails. They were denied access to the judicial system…So, what a travesty of justice ! First, we change something which is not changeable, alterable — something that emanates from We the People — and then, you change it during Emergency. When We the People were bleeding — in heart, in soul — they were in darkness', he added.
'We are changing the soul of the Constitution. We are, as a matter of fact, by this flash of words, added during the darkest period of Emergency — the darkest period for the Constitution of the country. And in the process, if you deeply reflect, we are giving wings to existential challenges. These words have been added as Nasoor (festering wound). These words will create upheaval. Addition of these words in the Preamble during the Emergency signals betrayal of the mindset of the framers of the Constitution. It is nothing but belittling the civilizational wealth and knowledge of this country for thousands of years. It is sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatana', he further underlined.
Describing Dr Ambedkar as a visionary and statesman, the Vice President said Dr. Ambedkar should never be seen as a politician, he asked why was he given Bharat Ratna so late? Why so late? Why posthumously?
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