'Preamble like parenthood, cannot be changed howsoever you try': VP Jagdeep Dhankhar
"There have been a lot of issues about the preamble to the Constitution. The Preamble of the Indian Constitution is something like parenthood to children. Howsoever you may try, you can't change your parenthood. That is not possible," Dhankhar said while interacting with students and faculty at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS), Kochi in Kerala.
Dhankhar also said that, historically, no country's preamble has ever been changed, but lamented that the Preamble of the Indian Constitution was altered during the Emergency era.
"The Preamble of our Constitution was changed during a time when hundreds and thousands of people were behind bars, the darkest period of our democracy--emergency era," he said.
Dhankhar's statement comes against the backdrop of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) calling for a review of the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Constitution, stating that these were included during the Emergency and were never part of the Constitution drafted by BR Ambedkar.
Addressing an event on 50 years of Emergency in New Delhi on June 26, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabole said, "Babasaheb Ambedkar never used these words in the preamble of the Constitution. The words were added during Emergency, when fundamental rights were suspended, Parliament did not function, and the judiciary became lame."
Hosabole's remarks sparked a political row with Rahul Gandhi on June 27, claiming that the RSS mask has come off again as it wants "Manusmriti" and not the Constitution to run the country.
The Manusmriti is a Hindu scripture authored by a medieval ascetic named Manu. It has been widely criticised for its gender and caste-based provisions.
Hosabale said discussions were held on this issue later, but no effort was made to remove those words from the Preamble. Therefore, he added, whether those words should remain in the Preamble should be considered.
"The Preamble is eternal. Are the thoughts of socialism as an ideology eternal for India?" Hosabale asked.
June 25 marked 50 years of Emergency –a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency across the country by citing internal and external threats to the country.
Key Takeaways The Preamble is viewed as a foundational element of the Constitution that reflects the core values of India.
Historical context is crucial in understanding the changes made during the Emergency period.
The debate over 'socialist' and 'secular' highlights ongoing tensions about the Constitution's interpretation.
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