Latest news with #Chouhan
New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
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.
Deccan Herald
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
No need for socialism in India, secularism not core of our culture: Union minister Shivraj Chouhan
Chouhan's remarks assume significance as the RSS on Thursday called for reviewing the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the preamble of the Constitution
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Socialist', ‘secular' don't reflect India's core cultural values: Chouhan
Jun 28, 2025 05:30 AM IST VARANASI Amid a national debate on whether the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' should remain in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday invoked India's civilisational ethos to argue that these words do not reflect the country's core cultural values. He came down heavily on the Congress, saying the party should apologise for imposing Emergency in the country 50 years ago. Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan addresses a press conference, in Varanasi, Friday. (PTI Photo) He said the word 'secularism', added to the Constitution by the Congress, should be removed, while there's also no need for the word 'socialism' as equality is the basic principle of India. 'Sarva dharma sambhav (equal respect for all religions) is the core of Indian culture, but secularism is not a core value of our was inserted during the Emergency. That is why there should be strong consideration on removing the word 'secularism' from the Indian Constitution,' said the minister, responding to a query at a press conference. 'The second word is 'socialism': Sabko apne jaisa maano (treat everyone like yourself), live and let live, the world is one family are the core of India. That is why there is also no need for the word 'socialism'. It's removal should be considered seriously,' added Chouhan. The minister alleged that the Congress amended the Constitution to save its power as well as to impose its ideological agenda. 'The Congress added words like 'secular' and 'socialist' to the Constitution by amending it so that the party could impose its ideological agenda on the nation. This amendment extended the period of Emergency and the President got the right to declare emergency even without prior approval of Parliament,' he said during a press conference. In response to if his ministry was planning to start 'Ladle Kisan scheme' to make sure that farmers don't go away from farming, Chouhan indicated that such a scheme may be started in near future. He said the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan is being run across the country for strengthening agriculture.
The Print
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
No need for socialism in India, secularism not core of our culture: Union minister Chouhan
In indirect support to the RSS' call to review the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Constitution, Union minister Jitendra Singh on Friday also said any right-thinking citizen will endorse it because everybody knows that these words were not part of the original Constitution written by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Chouhan's remarks assume significance as the RSS on Thursday called for reviewing the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the preamble of the Constitution, saying they were included during the Emergency and were never part of the Constitution drafted by B R Ambedkar. Addressing an event organised at New Delhi on 50 years of the Emergency, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said, 'The preamble of the Constitution Baba Saheb Ambedkar made never had these words. During the Emergency, when fundamental rights were suspended, Parliament did not work, the judiciary became lame, then these words were added.' Speaking at a programme held in Varanasi to mark 50 years of the Emergency, Chouhan said, ''Bharat mein samajwad kee zaroorat nahi hai… Dharmanirapeksh hamaaree sanskrti ka mool nahin hai aur issliye is par zaroor vichaar hona chaahiye' (There is no need for socialism in India… 'Secular' is not the core of our culture and hence, this must be deliberated upon),' he said. Varanasi (UP), Jun 27 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said 'there is no need for socialism in India', adding 'secularism is not the core of our culture'. Recalling the days of the Emergency, Chouhan said in order to save her power, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country. 'There was no threat to external security nor was there any threat to internal security. The only threat was to the prime minister's chair, hence, on the night of June 25, 1975, the Emergency was declared in the country without holding a cabinet meeting,' the Union minister said. 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. 'All civil rights were suspended. Putting a lock on the freedom of the press is murder of the Constitution, reducing the rights of the court, making it ineffective — it was murder of the Constitution. 'Making the entire country a prison — this was the murder of the Constitution. All opposition parties and even students were put in jails. The Congress is the killer of the Constitution,' he said. The senior BJP leader took a dig at Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and without naming him alleged that the Congress does not have the right to keep a copy of the Constitution. 'Those dark days are still remembered. Dictatorship is in the DNA of the Congress. Those who roam around with a copy of the Constitution in their hands will have to answer, he said. Chouhan said if the Congress wants to learn democracy, it should learn from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 'The Bharatiya Janata Party respects the spirit of democracy but for what Congress did, I am repeating again that they should rub their nose and apologise to the country that they had committed this historical mistake,' he said. 'Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly believes in democracy and that is why the work of celebrating Constitution Day in independent India was done by Prime Minister Modi. Democracy is in the nature of the Bharatiya Janata Party,' Chouhan said. PTI COR NAV MAN KSS KSS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Print
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Shivraj seconds Hosabale's call for review of insertion of secularism, socialism in Preamble
'Secularism is not the core of our culture. That is why there should indeed be a discussion about it. The word 'secularism' was added during the Emergency—there should be deliberation on removing it,' Chouhan said to a question on whether these terms should be removed from the Preamble. These words, according to the senior BJP leader, were not part of India's civilisational ethos and had been inserted during the 1975 Emergency. New Delhi: After Dattatreya Hosabale of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan joined the bandwagon demanding a rethink on the relevance of the words secularism and socialism in the Constitution. In Varanasi, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare also described India as 'an ancient and great nation' founded on the principle of Sarva Dharma Sambhav—equal respect for all faiths. He emphasised that India, as a civilisation, has long upheld religious harmony and mutual respect across traditions. 'This is the India that, not today but thousands of years ago, said 'Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti'—Truth is one, the wise call it by many names,' he said, quoting ancient scripture to underline India's pluralistic tradition. 'This is the India that says 'Munde munde matir bhinna'—every mind is different. It respects differing thoughts and forms of worship.' Citing Swami Vivekananda's historic speech in Chicago, Chouhan added, 'No matter which path you follow, ultimately all lead to the same supreme truth.' A day earlier, Hosabale had forcefully argued for reviewing the inclusion of secularism and socialism in the Constitution. The RSS general secretary said the two terms were inserted into the Preamble during the Emergency—bypassing public debate—and were not part of the Constitution originally drafted by Chouhan also questioned the relevance of socialism in contemporary India, asserting that Indian philosophy already embodies egalitarian values through its ancient teachings. 'Atmavat sarvabhuteshu—to see oneself in all beings—is India's fundamental thought. The entire world is one family—this is India's spirit. Live and let live, let there be goodwill among living beings, let the world be well,' he said. 'Sarve bhavantu sukhinah, sarve santu niramayah—may all be happy, may all be free of illness—this is India's true sentiment. That's why we don't need socialism,' Chouhan said. 'We've been saying it for years—Sia Ram may sab jag jani—see everyone as one and the same. There is no need for imposed socialism.' The nation, the Union Minister said, must seriously reflect on this (removal of secularism and socialism from the Constitution. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: 'Mask comes off' as RSS wants 'Manusmriti', says Rahul on call to drop 'secular' from Constitution
