Overview

• Arjun Ram Meghwal stated the government has no plan or intention to reconsider or remove ‘socialism’ and ‘secularism’ from the Preamble and has not formally launched any legal or constitutional effort.
• He cited a November 2024 Supreme Court ruling that upheld the 42nd Amendment and confirmed that socialism and secularism are integral to the Constitution’s basic structure.
• RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s call for a national debate and then Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s description of the terms as a “festering wound” have intensified public discussion.
• Opponents of the 1976 Emergency-era amendment contend the additions lack legitimacy without broad consensus, noting they occurred during a period of suspended civil liberties.
• Leaders including Mayawati and Rahul Gandhi welcomed the government’s assurance, stressing that the Preamble’s wording protects equality and religious freedom.