New Delhi: The issue of intolerance cast its shadow on Thursday during an animated debate in the Lok Sabha that saw the government attack Congress saying ‘secularism’ was the ‘most misused’ term in politics while Congress hit back contending that the ideals of the Constitution were under threat as they were being pilloried deliberately.
The occasion was a day-long debate on the ‘Commitment to India’s Constitution’ as part of 125th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar in the Lok Sabha on the first day of the Winter session when a senior minister Thawar Chand Gehlot pitched for Ram temple in Ayodhya, implementation of Uniform Civil Code and repeal of Article 370 relating to Jammu and Kashmir.
Participating in the debate, opposition members raked up the issue of intolerance and accused the prime minister of maintaining ‘silence’.
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 through the 42nd amendment of the Constitution.
“Let bygones be bygones. 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 in-built 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 (sect-neutral) and it should be regularly used as it is the official Hindi translation of secularism.
“Secularism is the most misused word in the politics of 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 was present during the entire day.
Modi will wind up the debate with his reply on Friday. (PTI)
