Drop words 'secular', 'socialist' from Constitution: Shiv Sena

The words 'secular' and 'socialist' be dropped permanently from the preamble of the Constitution, the Shiv Sena demanded Wednesday, a day after a controversy erupted over a central government Republic Day advertisement.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut welcomed the exclusion of the words from the R-Day advertisement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which raised a furore.

"We welcome this. Though it may have been done inadvertently, it was like honouring the feelings of the people of India. If the terms were mistakenly deleted this time, we want them to be removed permanently from the Constitution," Raut told media persons.

However, Nationalist Congress Party executive president Jitendra Awhad opposed the Shiv Sena proposal.

"We read the Constitution as it stands today. Because amendment is part of parliamentary procedures. This is what the preamble says and the advertisement omitted 'secular' and 'socialist'. Does it reflect the BJP mindset?" Awhad asked.

The advertisements, published in newspapers around the country to commemorate the 66th Republic Day celebrations, quotes the Preamble as: "We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC."

The original preamble says: "WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure all its citizens."