What’s in a word

The debate over the inclusion of the words “socialist” and “secular” to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution is futile, since we all know these were introduced by the 42nd Amendment, passed amidst the damning Emergency of 1975-77 and were not part of the original draft adopted on November 26, 1949. Including the word “secular” in the Preamble didn’t suddenly “make” India secular, just as its removal won’t rend India’s secular fabric.

K.K. Mohanty

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