A new constitutional debate has been ignited in the Rajya Sabha by BJP MP Bhim Singh, who has introduced a Private Member’s Bill seeking to remove the words “secular" and “socialist" from the Preamble of the Constitution of India. The MP argues that these terms are not required and were inserted in an “undemocratic" fashion during the politically fraught period of the Emergency.

Bhim Singh contends that the insertion of these two words via the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 constituted an overreach by the executive. During the Emergency (1975-1977), key democratic processes, including parliamentary scrutiny, were severely curtailed, lending credence to the argument that the amendment lacked the necessary democratic mandate. The MP asserts that the essence of India’s constitu

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