As BJP calls for amending Preamble, why Kharge says it should start from own backyard
Commemorating 50 years of the imposition of the Emergency, RSS called for a discussion on whether the words “socialist” and “secular” should remain in the Preamble of the Constitution because “they were added later”.
3 min readHyderabadUpdated: Jul 4, 2025 07:48 PM IST
In Telangana, Kharge said that 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes will be implemented in educational and employment and local body elections. (Express photo)
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge asked the Bharatiya Janata Party Friday why it had included the words “socialist and secular” in the party constitution when leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh were calling for their removal from India’s Preamble.
At a public meeting attended by Congress workers from across Telangana, Kharge read out Article II of the BJP constitution which read: “The Party shall bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established and to the principles of socialism, secularism and democracy and would uphold the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India”.
Commemorating 50 years of the imposition of the Emergency at an event last month, RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale called for a discussion on whether the words “socialist” and “secular” should remain in the Preamble of the Constitution because “they were added later”.
Without naming Hosabale, Kharge, who was speaking at an event called ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’, said: “Now an RSSwala wants to change the preamble of the constitution by removing the words secular and socialist. I challenge you, BJP, (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, (Home Minister Amit) Shah and everyone. No one can change or remove this (from the constitution). It is my challenge. You won’t be able to do so”.
Criticising the current BJP rule in the Centre, Kharge said: “Modiji has visited 42 countries, but he has not visited our own Manipur. Manipur where rape, violence is happening. Why is Modi silent about Manipur? Rahul Gandhi and I went there. Modi has not even peeped into Manipur to see what’s happening there”.
About the Pahalgam terror attack, Kharge said: “We had stood behind the country and the soldiers of the country when the terror attack happened. But why did Modi leave the war in the middle? He did not make use of the chance he got to square with Pakistan,” he said. Coming down heavily on US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he “brought peace” between India and Pakistan, Kharge said, “Why is Modi silent about Trump’s announcement”. He added that India’s foreign policy has made enemies out of countries everywhere.
Kharge added, “We will teach BJP a lesson. The Congress party will come to power in the Centre…Modi and Shah will leave Delhi when this happens”.
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In Telangana, Kharge said that 42 percent reservation for Backward Classes will be implemented in educational and employment and local body elections.
“We will not stop till the BC reservation is implemented in the state,” Kharge said, congratulating the state government for conducting the caste survey. In the meeting which was held to boost the morale of Congress workers at the booth and local body levels, Kharge said that every development programme implemented by the state should reach “each household”. He exhorted workers to relay the welfare measures of the Congress including those for farmers, women and youth to the grassroots.
Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice.
Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include:
Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India.
Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism.
Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities.
National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting.
Authoritativeness & Trust
A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society.
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