Origin of the controversy: During a program in Delhi on Thursday, June 26, 2025, RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosbale spoke about removing the words “socialist” and “secular” from the preamble of the Constitution. He said that these words were forcibly added during the Emergency of 1976 and are “artificial” with no justification in the Constitution. He said: “These words were imposed on the Constitution during the dark period of Emergency. Now is the time to remove them so that the Constitution is in line with its original spirit.” The statement created a storm on the political scene. Opposition parties called it an attack on the Constitution, while Rahul Gandhi called it proof of the hidden agenda of the RSS and the BJP. Rahul Gandhi’s strong response: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the RSS and the BJP through a post on X. He wrote: “The mask of the RSS has come off once again. The Constitution hurts them because it talks about equality, secularism, and justice. RSS and BJP need Manusmriti, not the Constitution. They are taking away the rights of the Bahujans and the poor and making them They want to enslave them again. Their main agenda is to take away a powerful weapon like the Constitution. RSS should stop dreaming this dream. We will never let them succeed. Every patriotic Indian will defend the Constitution till his last breath.” Rahul Gandhi’s statement sparked a huge debate not only in political circles but also on social media. A user on X wrote: “The Constitution is our pride, and no one can take away its spirit. Rahul Gandhi spoke the heart of every Indian today.” Chandrashekhar Azad’s stance: Azad Rashtriya Party President Chandrashekhar Azad also reacted to this issue. He said that the Constitution is a protective shield for every citizen. He said: “The spirit of the Constitution has never been a prisoner of any party or ideology. Amendments were definitely made in 1976, but Babasaheb Ambedkar had said that if the intention is pure, this Constitution will prove to be the best in the world. "The RSS' statements are an attack on the spirit of this Constitution, which we will never tolerate." Chandrashekhar stressed that protecting the Constitution is the responsibility of every Indian, and it will not be allowed to be damaged by any ideological agenda. Political upheaval and public reaction: Hosbale’s statement has drawn a new line in Indian politics. Opposition parties have called it part of the BJP and RSS’s “Hindutva agenda”, while the BJP has called it merely an “intellectual debate”. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Tripathi said that Hosbale’s statement was his personal stand and it was wrong to link it to the party’s agenda. However, the public reaction on X saw it as an attack on the Constitution. One user wrote: “Secularism and socialism are the soul of our Constitution. Removing them is tantamount to treason.” On the other hand, some users supported Hosbale’s stance, saying that these words, added during the Emergency, are not in line with the original spirit of the Constitution. Conclusion: This controversy is not limited to political rhetoric but invites a deeper debate on India’s constitutional structure and its core values. The response of Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders has made it clear that they will go to any extent to protect the Constitution. On the other hand, the RSS statement indicates that ideological differences still exist. At the heart of Indian politics. Only time will tell where this dispute will take the political landscape in the coming days. But one thing is certain: the Constitution of India is a sacred document for every citizen, and its protection is the primary responsibility of every patriot. Source: The Hindu: Hindustan Times: India Today: The Print: X-Posts: