Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that this is a “golden time” to remove the words “socialism” and “secularism” from the Constitution.
He said that under the leadership of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the constitution was “fully converted” in addition to two conditions through the 42nd amendment.
“Fifty years after the Emergency, whether it is RSS or many intellectuals in the country, they have said that this is a golden time to remove the words of socialism and secularism from the Constitution. We are a mature democracy … We do not need to adopt the terminology of secularism from British or American formation;
He was speaking at the Assam launch of the book of ‘The Emergency Diaries – Years that Fake Leader’. According to the publisher, there is a compilation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s experiences during the anti-book movement.
Sarma said that an “Indian concept” of secularism was already vested in the Constitution with Article 14, which guarantees equality before the law to all individuals.
“Article 14 of our Constitution, where it says that the state cannot have separate treatment against anyone in the country, it is the foundation of our secularism. At the time of preparing the Constitution, Ambedkar said that there is no question of mentioning the word secularism in the Constitution. It can be clearly said that the state is not concept.
Speaking further, he said, “If we are neutral, we cannot work for Sattras (Vaishnav Mathas in Assam), Namghar (Community Prayer Hall), Temple, cannot discuss the matters of Vedas, we cannot discuss about the Gita … Now, I cannot do a hardcore Muslim. India is a spiritual nation.”
The story continues below this advertisement
He also said that socialism was never a part of Indian civilization nor “Mahatma Gandhi talked about the economic ideals, which was a trustee”.
“In our civilization, no leader talked about socialism. It is an ideology based on struggle … because of this, we fell into competition with other countries … This socialism that was involved in the constitution was not demolished by the BJP. Liberal philosophy further,” He said, “He said, referring to the economic reforms of the beginning of the 1990s.
,
