VARANASI (UP): (Jun 28) 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”.
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. PTI
