Congress Leader Highlights Historical Oversight in Constitutional Debate

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticized Prime Minister Modi for omitting Indira Gandhi's support for the 44th Amendment while attacking the 42nd Amendment. He highlighted that many provisions from the 42nd Amendment, including its socialist and secular changes, remain. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha recently debated the Constitution's 75-year journey.

In a pointed critique, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of selective criticism during discussions on India's constitutional amendments. He argued that Modi targeted Indira Gandhi over the 42nd Amendment but neglected to mention her support for the 44th Amendment, which removed significant provisions introduced earlier.

Ramesh highlighted that the 42nd Amendment under Gandhi's leadership incorporated key terms like 'socialist' and 'secular' into the Constitution's Preamble, a change that persists today as part of India's basic structure, affirmed by the Supreme Court.

The constitutional debate resurfaced during a recent commemorative session in Parliament, marking 75 years since the Constitution's adoption. The discussions witnessed heated exchanges between government and opposition members over historical and contemporary constitutional issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)