• By Abhirupa Kundu
  • Wed, 20 Sep 2023 10:22 AM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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As the Parliament's special session rolls onto day two, Congress has alleged that the Preamble in the new copies of the Constitution that were given on Tuesday in the new Parliament building, did not have the words "socialist" or "secular". Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that those words were added after an amendment in 1976 but if those words are absent from the Constitution now, it would be a matter of concern.

Calling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Centre's intention "suspicious", the Congress leader said, "The new copies of the Constitution that were given to us today (September 19), the one we held in our hands and entered (the new Parliament building), its Preamble doesn't have the words 'socialist secular'. We know that the words were added after an amendment in 1976 but if someone gives us the Constitution today and it doesn't have those words, it is a matter of concern...Their intention is suspicious. It has been done cleverly. It is a matter of concern for me. I tried to raise this issue but I did not get an opportunity to raise this issue."

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury holds the Constitution of India in his hand as he enters the new building of the Parliament. (Photo credit: ANI)

"When I was reading it, I couldn't find these two words. I added them on my own... I also showed it to Rahul Gandhi...It was amended in 1976, so why shouldn't we get it today. Why do we do amendments? This shows the deliberate attempt to change our Constitution," Chowdhury remarked. 

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Speaking on the India and Bharat row, earlier in Lok Sabha at the new Parliament complex, Chowdhury said that nobody should try to create an "unnecessary" rift between "India" and "Bharat" as there is no difference between the two as per the Constitution of India.

"This Constitution is no less than the Gita, Quran, and Bible for us. Article 1 says, "India, that is, Bharat, shall be a Union of States..." It means that there is no difference between India and Bharat. It will be better if nobody tries to unnecessarily create a rift between the two," he said.

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