“Secular, Socialist… and Strategically Unwise?” Why is BJP-RSS risking repeating the 2024 mistake by reviving symbolic debates that strengthen Congress’s moral posturing
Just when the Congress seemed politically exhausted, the BJP and RSS have handed it a second wind—by needlessly reviving the emotionally charged debate over the Constitution’s Preamble. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale recently questioned the relevance of the terms “secular” and “socialist”—inserted during the 42nd Amendment in Indira Gandhi’s Emergency regime. As if to amplify the moment, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar echoed similar concerns, turning a marginal discussion into a national flashpoint.
The result? The Congress, without lifting a finger, has reclaimed the moral high ground it wielded effectively during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It is a gift wrapped opportunity.
“Samvidhan khatre me hai” : Congress’s Most Potent Electoral Weapon
In 2024, the Congress built its campaign around a single, emotionally resonant charge—that the Modi government posed a threat to the Constitution. It used this narrative with consistency and emotional appeal, especially among Dalits, minorities, students, and civil society. That perception—fueled more by fear than fact—worked. The BJP was reduced below the majority mark and had to rely on allies to form government. That outcome alone should have made the ruling establishment cautious about provoking symbolic controversies.
And yet, here we are again—with the BJP’s ideological flank raising a debate that delivers Congress exactly the narrative it thrives on.
The Irony of the Congress Claiming Constitutional Sanctity
It is deeply ironic that the Congress—a party under whose rule the operation Blue star and 1984 anti-Sikh violence unfolded—now lectures others on secularism. That dark chapter exposed the hollowness of its claims. For all its rhetorical commitment to constitutional values, Congress’s secularism has often meant selective silence, vote-bank politics, and institutional complicity.
By contrast, the BJP has handled challenging moments with remarkable restraint. During the highly charged Shaheen Bagh protests and the massive farmers’ agitation, the government avoided coercive overreach. Even when a group of protestors breached the Red Fort on Republic Day in 2021 and raised a religious flag from its ramparts—a moment that could have been used to justify a crackdown—the BJP-led government responded with maturity, not muscle. That, more than any speech, was constitutionalism in action.
Yet, this quiet strength is now being overshadowed by ill-timed remarks on constitutional language.
Symbols Matter—And So Does Political Prudence
Even if the BJP and RSS believe that terms like “secular” and “socialist” were misused as political tools during the Nehruvian and Indira eras, the answer is not to reopen a settled constitutional consensus. The smarter, more strategic approach is to reclaim and redefine these terms through governance.
Let secularism be interpreted as equal respect for all religions, not appeasement for a few. Let socialism be reimagined as targeted, efficient welfare, not state micromanagement and state intervention. Show that under BJP rule, constitutional values are not just preserved but practiced more sincerely than ever before. There is no need to erase these words from the Constitution when you can demonstrate their truest meaning through action.
This is how you neutralize Congress’s rhetorical dominance—by embodying the very values they only pretend to uphold.
Why Offer the Opposition a Lifeline?
In a political era where perception is currency, every unnecessary ideological skirmish costs real ground. Instead of letting the Congress set the narrative, the BJP should stay focused on delivery, development, and institutional strength.
The electorate does not care for abstract constitutional debates. But it watches closely for signs of overreach or disrespect to foundational values. The BJP must remember: it is not fighting the Congress of the 1970s. It is up against a weakened but “emotionally savvy” Opposition that thrives on moral optics, not performance.
The Final Question
After the 2024 election results, one lesson stands above all: tampering with perception—even unintentionally—can shake political dominance. BJP has far more to gain by living the Constitution than by reopening its text.
So why are the BJP and RSS repeatedly giving the Opposition such an easy political handle—especially when this very narrative cost them their majority just months ago?
Gurpartap Singh Mann, a former Member of Punjab Public Service Commission (2018–2024) and an ex-Chief General Manager of Punjab Infrastructure Development Board wherein he played a key role in infrastructure development through Private Public Partnerships.
