Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury claims ‘socialist and secular’ removed from new copies of Constitution; Law Minister says ‘was like this’

#WATCH | Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, “The new copies of the Constitution that were given to us today (19th September), the one we held in our hands and entered (the new Parliament building), its Preamble doesn’t have the words ‘socialist… pic.twitter.com/NhvBLp7Ufi

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2023

The two terms – Socialist and Secular – were inserted into the Preamble as part of the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution in 1976 during Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

However, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal played down the issue saying the members may have been given a copy of the original Constitution. “It (Preamble) was like this when the Constitution was adopted. After that, the 42nd amendment came… So it must be the original copy”.

A bulletin issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat on September 18, the first day of the special session of Parliament, had clearly stated that members would be given a copy of the Constitution and a calligraphed copy of the original Constitution of India.

#WATCH | On his claim that the new copies of the Constitution that were given to them, its Preamble didn’t have the words ‘socialist secular’, Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says, “..When I was reading it, I couldn’t find these two words. I added them… pic.twitter.com/lCwdKtRsYV

— ANI (@ANI) September 20, 2023

“To mark the historic first sitting in the Parliament House of India (new building of Parliament) a copy of the Constitution of India, Calligraphed copy of the original Constitution of India, newsletter “Gaurav”, and commemorative stamp and coin released on the occasion of inauguration of the new building of Parliament will be presented to Hon‟ble Members,” the bulletin had said.