NCP-SP leader Supriya Sule dismisses RSS' call for changes to Constitution's Preamble
NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Saturday called the Indian Constitution a product of extensive debate and asserted that nobody would be allowed to alter it. Sule said that in a democracy, everybody has the right to speak.(PTI)
The Lok Sabha MP from Baramati was addressing a press conference in Nagpur.
To a query about RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's recent call for reviewing the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the preamble of the Constitution, Sule said that in a democracy, everybody has the right to speak.
'He said what he felt,' said Sule.
Addressing an event on the 50 years of the Emergency, Hosabale had said, 'The preamble of the Constitution Baba Saheb Ambedkar made never had these words (socialist and secular). During the Emergency, when fundamental rights were suspended, Parliament did not work, the judiciary became lame, then these words were added.'
Sule said such controversies remind her of late former BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who used to say that if 'you (media)' stopped spotlighting these incidents, people wouldn't talk about them.
'The Constitution is the result of much discussion and deliberation. We will not let anyone change the Constitution in this country,' she said.
Asked about the raging controversy over Hindi for students in primary school, Sule asked, 'Is Hindi compulsory in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh or Telangana? When Hindi is not compulsory everywhere, then why is it being made mandatory in Maharashtra?'
The language row erupted after the state government last week issued an amended order stating Hindi will 'generally' be taught as the third language to students in Marathi and English medium schools from Classes 1 to 5.
According to the order, if 20 students per grade in a school wish to study any other Indian language, they can opt out of Hindi. If such a demand arises, either a teacher will be appointed, or the language will be taught online.
Opposition parties, however, dubbed the move a default imposition of Hindi as a third language.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
23 minutes ago
- United News of India
BSP, SP oppose any move to remove 'Secular' and 'Socialist' from Preamble of Constitution
Lucknow, June 28 (UNI) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) have opposed any move by the BJP to amend the Constitution to remove the words "Secular" and "Socialist" from the Preamble of the Constitution. Both the parties threatened to launch an agitation if a "conspiracy was hatched to amend the Constitution". BSP supremo Mayawati while talking to reporters here today warned the BJP and the Congress over the debate on the Constitution. She said that it seems that the BSP will have to raise its voice against these parties across the country. Mayawati said that Babasaheb Ambedkar had given a "humanitarian" Constitution to the country by spending his entire life. "But, the first Congress party and now the BJP government never implemented it with full devotion. Both parties and their supporters mostly emphasised the ideology of their respective party. Unnecessary changes were made from time to time in the constitution," she alleged. "Anyway, all the words used in the Indian Constitution and its Preamble, they satisfy the soul of the country and have been implemented in the country only after much understanding, long and deep thinking and now it is not right to tamper with them as it will be grossly inappropriate," she added. BSP chief Mayawati alleged that "there is something else in the heart of both parties and something else on their tongue". Mayawati said that parties should rise above their narrow thought and avoid tampering with the Constitution. BSP supremo also said that politics in the name of language going on in many states of the country is not good. "All languages should be respected," she said. On the issue of voters list controversy in Bihar, Mayawati said the Election Commission should clarify its position and the political parties should be taken into confidence before launching any new decision. Reacting on the rape of a student in Kolkata, she said that women are not completely safe anywhere in the entire country, including West Bengal. In this matter too, the central and all state governments must pay attention, she said. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said here today that, 'Those opposing reservations are also opposing socialism and secularism words in the Constitution. The BJP had opposed these principles since its inception. Today, they continue spreading hatred because they cannot attack the Constitution directly. So they oppose secularism and socialism instead.' Akhilesh Yadav further said that, "The excuse for the two words is actually the goal of the BJP and their fellow colleagues to remove the entire Constitution." "That is why if the Constitution is to be saved, then the BJP has to be removed," he stressed. UNI XC RN
The Hindu
38 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Pinarayi Vijayan defends Minister V. Sivankutty on latter's walkout from Raj Bhavan
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has strongly defended Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty's decision to walk out of a Raj Bhavan event on June 19 in protest against the display of an image of saffron-flag holding Bharat Mata. The Minister has done nothing wrong, and he had no intention to disrespect the Governor, Mr. Vijayan said in a strongly-worded letter to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. Mr. Sivankutty has merely responded the way a Minister should on seeing a flag and symbol not mandated by the Constitution at an official function. His action is befitting of a Minister who has taken the oath of office under the Constitution, Mr. Vijayan said. Raj Bhavan's stance The Minister had walked out during the award distribution related to the Kerala State Bharat Scouts and Guides Rajya Puraskar. Raj Bhavan had termed the Minister's action 'a gross violation of protocol and a grave insult to the office of the Governor.' In his letter to the Governor, the Chief Minister added that only national symbols and flag mandated by the Constitution should be displayed at official functions at Raj Bhavan. Earlier in June, Agriculture Minister P. Prasad had skipped the World Environment Day celebrations at Raj Bhavan following the display of the Bharat Matha motif at the event. More recently, the State Cabinet had also drawn the Governor's attention to protocols governing ceremonial and officials functions at Raj Bhavan.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
SC upheld Article 370 abrogation so there is one Constitution: CJI
Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Saturday said the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, 'so that the country is governed by only one Constitution', as envisioned by Dr B R Ambedkar. The CJI was in Nagpur for the inauguration of a 'Constitution Preamble Park' and unveiling of Ambedkar's statue at a law college. The CJI was part of the five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, led by then CJI D Y Chandrachud, that, in December 2023, upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370. 'When Parliament abrogated Article 370 and the challenge against it came before us, during the hearing I had referred to Dr Ambedkar's speech. He had said that in the United States of America, there is a Constitution of the federal government which governs very limited subjects and every state also has its Constitution which has more scope,' CJI Gavai said. 'That is why Dr Ambedkar had said that this country needs only one Constitution to keep it united. Before abrogation of Article 370, a separate Constitution for just one state was not as per Ambedkar's vision or thinking and, therefore, we unanimously upheld Parliament's decision so that the country will be governed by only one Constitution,' he said. 'Even though our Constitution is federal, it is not like that of America. It is federal as well as unitary at the same time. Many had alleged that the Constitution provides for excessive centralisation and that the country may not remain united during times of war. To them, Babasaheb had responded firmly, he said that the Constitution is neither overly centralised nor excessively federal. It is well-suited to meet all challenges. And he assured the nation that the Constitution will keep the country united in times of both war and peace,' the CJI said. 'And while looking at the journey of 75 years of our Constitution, we are seeing the situation in neighbouring countries, may it be Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal or Sri Lanka… Whenever our country faces challenges or crises, it has stood strong together and remained united,' the CJI said. Reflecting on Ambedkar's critical role in the making of the Constitution, the CJI recalled his emphasis on enforceable rights, citing Article 32 as the heart and soul of the Constitution. 'Babasaheb said rights mean little if there are no remedies to enforce them,' he said. 'That is why today we see Article 32 in the Constitution which we call the right to remedy in case of violation of fundamental rights, which can be directly raised before the Supreme Court. Its root lies in Ambedkar's speech on December 17, 1946,' he said, adding that Ambedkar also insisted on ensuring social and economic equality alongside political rights. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who also addressed the event, said the park would spread the Constitution's core values. Besides a statue of Ambedkar, the park has ten murals depicting key values of the Preamble, miniature models of Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, Supreme Court and the Ashoka Pillar.
