Amid the ongoing row over the words “Secular” and “Socialist” in the Preamble of the country’s Constitution, disgruntled Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has apparently defended Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) over Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s accusation that the RSS and the BJP want ‘Manusmriti’ instead of the Constitution.
The controversy erupted after RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale’s remarks that the words “Socialist” and “Secular” were added to the Preamble of the Constitution during the Emergency and that they were not part of the original Constitution drafted by Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Reacting to it, Rahul Gandhi said that the mask of the RSS has come off again and that the BJP and RSS don’t want the Constitution but the Manusmriti.
“The mask of RSS has come off again. The Constitution irks them because it speaks of equality, secularism, and justice. RSS-BJP doesn’t want the Constitution; they want Manusmriti. They aim to strip the marginalised and the poor of their rights and enslave them again. Snatching a powerful weapon like the Constitution from them is their real agenda. RSS should stop dreaming this dream – we will never let them succeed. Every patriotic Indian will defend the Constitution until their last breath,” Rahul said in a post on X.
When Tharoor, during an event in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, was asked to comment on Rahul’s remarks, he said that although RSS Ideologue M S Golwalkar criticised the Constitution, saying it has nothing of the Manusmriti, the RSS has now moved on from those days,
“Historically, he’s (Rahul Gandhi) referring to the fact that that was a criticism expressed at the time of the adoption of the Constitution. Mr Golwalkar, amongst others, said that one of the greatest flaws of the Constitution is that there is nothing of the Manusmriti in it, but I think the RSS itself has moved on from those days,” the disgruntled Congress leader said.
He further added: “So, as a historical statement, it’s accurate, whether it’s a reflection of how they feel today. The RSS should be in the best position to answer that.”
The Congress has strongly objected to RSS leader Dattatreya Hosabale’s remarks, saying the Constitution is the shield of every citizen of the country and neither the BJP, nor its ideological mother RSS should dare to cast an eye on it.
“What the BJP leaders were saying during the Lok Sabha election campaign, today the RSS has openly come forward to repeat the same thing. The Constitution is the shield of every citizen of this country; neither the RSS nor the BJP should dare to cast an eye on it,” Congress leader Pawan Khera said.