Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday called for the removal of the word 鈥渟ecularism鈥 from the Indian constitution, saying it is not the 鈥渃ore of our culture.鈥 The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister went on to say that there is no need for the word 鈥渟ocialism鈥 in the constitution as well.
The minister pointed out that both terms were included in the preamble of the Indian Constitution during the Emergency.
鈥淭he basic sentiment of India is equality of all religions鈥 Secularism is not the core of our culture. The word secularism was added (to our culture) during the Emergency. It should be removed鈥 Live and let live is the basic sentiment of India鈥 Therefore, there is no need for socialism here鈥 There is no need for the word socialism (samajwad) either. The country should think about this,鈥 he said.
Chouhan鈥檚 remark came after RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale鈥檚 call for reviewing the words 鈥榮ocialist鈥 and 鈥榮ecular鈥 in the Preamble of the Constitution. Hosable said it is not about dismantling the constitution but about restoring its 鈥渙riginal spirit鈥, free from the 鈥渄istortions鈥 of the Congress鈥 Emergency-era policies, according to an article published in an RSS-linked magazine on Friday.
The Agriculture Minister termed the Emergency a 鈥渄ark period鈥 in democracy.
Recalling the time during the Emergency, he said, 鈥淚 used to distribute pamphlets saying 鈥楨mergency Hatao鈥 and 鈥業ndira teri tanashahi nahi chalegi鈥. On 9 April, in the last nine months of the Emergency, the police got a whiff of it. They came to my house, slapped me and hurled such abuses at me that I can鈥檛 even repeat. They dragged me down the stairs and took me to the police station. They hit my knees and elbows so badly that they still hurt today. They tortured me the whole night, and then in the morning, they handcuffed me and took me to the Magistrate, who signed off the papers to send me to jail.鈥
鈥淲hile I was being taken to jail on foot and in handcuffs, some children passing by saw me and said that I must be a thief. When I heard the word 鈥榗hor鈥, my conscience wept. I started shouting slogans alone that 鈥榸ulm ke aage nahi jhukunga, zulm kiya toh aur ladunga鈥欌 When I reached Bhopal Central Jail, I was shouting slogans from outside, and those who were already jailed were shouting slogans from inside the jail鈥 I had made up my mind in that jail that I would not live for myself. I have to do something for the country and society,鈥 he added.