Latest news with #BunchofThoughts'
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Former Minister Kimmane Ratnakar questions BJP leaders' allegiance to Indian Constitution
Former Minister and Congress leader Kimmane Ratnakar has questioned the BJP leaders' allegiance to the Indian Constitution, citing their devotion to M.S. Golwalkar's 'Bunch of Thoughts'. 'If BJP leaders accept the Constitution they have to reject the 'Bunch of Thoughts' written by Golwalkar of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. A person cannot accept both,' said Mr. Rathnakar in a press conference in Shivamogga on Thursday. 'The RSS is celebrating its 100th year. The BJP leaders, influenced by Golwalkar's ideas, have been trying to implement what the organisation stands for. However, the thoughts propagated by the leader are against the basic principles of the Indian Constitution,' he said. Holding a copy of Golwalkar's book, Mr. Ratnakar went through the excerpts from the book and questioned if the BJP leaders did support those ideas. Making a reference to the mention of Purusha Sukta in the book, he wanted to know if the BJP leaders would accept the depiction of the origin of four varnas – Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra. Referring to Golwalkar's thoughts favouring a unitary State and opposing the federal system, the former Minister stated that the views expressed in the book were completely opposite to the principles of the Constitution. 'Leaders of the BJP should clarify where they stand on these issues,' he wanted to know. Referring to Home Minister Amit Shah's recent comment that those who speak English in India would soon feel ashamed, Mr. Rathnakar stated that Shah's speech had its roots in Golwalkar's ideas. 'Shah did not make that statement all of a sudden. Golwalkar himself has advocated priority to Hindi over other languages,' he said. Further, he demanded BJP's response to RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale's call to omit 'socialist' and 'secular' from the Preamble of the Constitution. Displaying a copy of the BJP's constitution, the Congress leader stated that the party (BJP) announced to have faith and allegiance to principles of socialism and secularism. 'The words – 'socialism' and 'secularism' – were present in the party's constitution. They may have amended it now,' he commented. District Congress Committee president R. Prasanna Kumar, party spokesperson Ramesh Hegde and others were present at the press conference.
New Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Insider track: Three in race to replace Delhi police chief
Emergency, Constitution & Bihar polls Where else than poll-bound Bihar for a political showdown on Emergency and the Constitution? Politicians are shovelling deep, looking for shining gems from the archives to blind their rivals. The Congress' 'Samvidhan Badlav' battles with the BJP's 'Samvidhan Hatya'. The latter's campaign against the Congress' Emergency-era clampdown faces the former's accusation that the saffron party is secretly plotting to amend the Constitution. The RJD has also found a weapon, in the form of the recent statement by senior RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale regarding 'Socialism' and 'Secularism' in the Preamble — terms he claims shouldn't be there — to push back hard. 'This statement is gold,' an RJD strategist said. 'We don't even have to say much. The RSS is doing it for us. The public will see through it.' To recall, in the last assembly polls, Lalu Yadav used to hold up a copy of 'Bunch of Thoughts' — a compilation of speeches by RSS founder M S Golwalkar — at rallies. He didn't need words — just the book and a knowing look. That was enough to rattle the BJP's messaging. New buzz around BJP ex-ministers In BJP circles, there's quiet chatter about a group of once-prominent Union ministers who are now absent from both the government and Parliament. Names like Smriti Irani, Raj Kumar Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav, Ashwini Choubey, Shahnawaz Hussain, Ravi Shankar Prasad, and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. Party insiders suggest that Shahnawaz Hussain, Raj Kumar Singh, and Ram Kripal Yadav—one of the few influential Yadav leaders in the Bihar BJP—may get roles in the organisation or on key committees. Ahead of Bihar's assembly polls, There's also talk of some returning to electoral politics, where their regional clout could help the party. Choubey and Naqvi are reportedly in line for gubernatorial posts, while Irani and Prasad may be given crucial organisational responsibilities.
