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  Why 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were added to the Preamble: History, context and controversy

  Explainers | June 27, 2025 17:22 IST

  The current Preamble defines India as a "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic". The original text simply read "Sovereign Democratic Republic". The terms "socialist" and "secular" were added via the 42nd Amendment during Indira Gandhi's Emergency rule in 1976.

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  RSS leader Hosabale suggests removing 'socialist', 'secular' from Preamble, rakes up Emergency

  India | June 27, 2025 23:51 IST

  RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said the words 'socialist' and 'secular' were added to the Constitution's Preamble during the Emergency and that they were not part of the original one drafted by BR Ambedkar.

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  Supreme Court rejects plea to remove 'Socialist' and 'Secularism' from Constitution's Preamble

  India | November 25, 2024 14:12 IST

  The petition challenged the legality of adding the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976, arguing that including these words exceeds the Parliament's power to amend the Constitution under Article 368.

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  Supreme Court postpones hearing on removal of 'Secular' and 'Socialist' from Preamble to October 21

  India | August 13, 2024 15:54 IST

  The petition contended that Dr BR Ambedkar had rejected the incorporation of these words as the Constitution cannot thrust upon the citizens certain political ideologies by taking away their right to choose.

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  Rajnath blasts Congress for creating fear psychosis: 'BJP will never change Constitution's Preamble'

  India | May 05, 2024 10:31 IST

  Rajnath Singh lashed out at Congress and accused it of creating "fear psychosis" over the issue of Constitution and reservation and said that the BJP government will never change the Preamble or tinker with the reservation.

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  SC to hear Subramanian Swamy's plea seeking deletion of ‘Secular’, ‘Socialist’ from Preamble

  India | February 09, 2024 17:39 IST

  The words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were inserted in the Preamble of the Constitution under the 42nd Constitutional amendment moved by the Indira Gandhi government in 1976 during Emergency.

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  Reciting preamble every Saturday mandatory in govt schools of Madhya Pradesh

  India | January 23, 2020 15:56 IST

  Students in government-run schools in Madhya Pradesh will have to compulsorily read out the preamble to the Constitution during their assemblies on every Saturday starting this week, an official said on Thursday.

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  Special UP Assembly session on Preamble on Nov 26

  India | November 05, 2019 10:48 IST

  The Chief Minister has also ordered holding of quiz programmes and exhibitions focusing on the Preamble of the Constitution in schools and universities. He has also ordered production of short films on all the basic duties mentioned in Article 51A.  

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  "Socialist" and "secular" words missing from Delhi govt Constitution Day ad, probe ordered

  Politics | November 26, 2015 16:27 IST

  New Delhi: The Delhi government today faced embarrassment as the words "socialist" and "secular" were missing from the Preamble text in its print advertisements on the Constitution Day, prompting the AAP dispensation to admit it

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  BJP chief Amit Shah against changing Preamble, says his party respects Constitution

  Politics | February 02, 2015 7:31 IST

  New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah has said that the saffron party respects the Constitution of India as it stands today, with the words ‘secular' and ‘socialist' in its Preamble.A report published

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  Missing words “ secular and socialist “ from Preamble in govt ad kick up controversy

  India | January 28, 2015 8:22 IST

  New Delhi: A Republic Day advertisement, featuring the Preamble of the Constitution, issued by the Union ministry of Information & Broadcasting caused an online uproar as the words ‘secular' 'socialist' were missing.The ad used the

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