Opposition on Thursday raked up the 'intolerance' issue in Lok Sabha during an animated debate on the Constitution which saw the government claiming that the word 'secularism' was "rampantly misused" and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi taunting the ruling party for holding the debate.
Gandhi said the ideals and principles of the Constitution are under threat and being attacked deliberately as she participated in the debate on 'Commitment to India's Constitution' as part of 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar on the first day of the Winter session. Attacking the BJP, she said "there cannot be a bigger joke" than holding of the discussion by those "who never had faith in the Constitution nor had they participated in its drafting, are now swearing by it and are laying claim to it." Some other opposition parties, including Trinamool Congress and BJD, also raised the issue of 'intolerance', saying the untoward incidents witnessed in the recent past should be condemned as they send out "negative messages" and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address the matter.
Initiating the discussion, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the architect of the Constitution had never thought of putting the term 'secularism' in the Preamble but it was incorporated through an amendment in 1976. "The words 'socialist' and 'secular' were incorporated in the Preamble through the 42nd amendment of the Constitution. We have no objection. Let bygone be bygone. B R Ambedkar had never thought the necessity to incorporate it in the Preamble as these two words were part of the Constitution. It is inbuilt in the Indian system," he said amidst protests from Congress.
Singh objected to the use of Hindi word 'Dharma Nirpekshta', saying the literal translation of the secularism should be 'Panth Nirpekshta' and it should be regularly used as it is the official Hindi translation of secularism. "Secularism is the most misused word in the country. Its misuse should come to an end. Because of the rampant misuse of the word, there have been instances of tension in the society," he said in the packed House where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi were present.
Singh said it was difficult to maintain social harmony because of the "rampant misuse" of the word secularism. His party colleague and Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot pitched for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, implementation of Uniform Civil Code and repeal of Article 370 that grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Gandhi said that whatever being witnessed over the past few months was "totally against the principles" of the Constitution. She recalled Ambedkar's warning to hit out at the ruling dispensation, as she sought to highlight the contribution of the Congress in the drafting of the Constitution and in the freedom struggle. Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge warned of serious consequences in case the Constitution was "reviewed".
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