“Secular, Socialist… and Strategically Unwise?” Why are BJP and RSS risking a repeat of the 2024 mistake by reviving symbolic debates that strengthen Congress’s moral posturing? Just when Congress seemed politically exhausted, 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? Congress, without lifting a finger, has reclaimed the moral high ground it had used so effectively during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It’s a gift-wrapped opportunity.
“Samvidhan khatre mein hai”: Congress’s Most Potent Electoral Weapon
In 2024, Congress built its campaign around one emotionally charged claim—that the Modi government posed a threat to the Constitution. It ran with this narrative with consistency and emotional appeal, especially among Dalits, minorities, students and civil society. That perception—fueled more by fear than fact—worked. BJP was reduced below the majority mark and had to rely on allies to form the government. That outcome alone should have made the ruling establishment more cautious about provoking symbolic controversies.
Yet here we are again—with 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’s deeply ironic that Congress—a party under whose rule Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh violence unfolded—now lectures others on secularism. Those dark chapters exposed the hollowness of its claims. For all its high-minded rhetoric, Congress’s secularism has often meant selective silence, vote-bank politics and institutional complicity.
By contrast, BJP has handled difficult moments with remarkable restraint. During the highly charged Shaheen Bagh protests and the massive farmers’ agitation, the government avoided coercive overreach. Even when protestors breached the Red Fort on Republic Day in 2021 and raised a religious flag from its ramparts—a moment that could’ve been used to justify a crackdown—the BJP-led government responded with maturity, not muscle. That, more than any speech, was constitutionalism in action.
And yet, this quiet strength now risks being eclipsed by ill-timed remarks about constitutional language.
Symbols Matter—And So Does Political Prudence
Even if BJP and RSS genuinely believe that terms like “secular” and “socialist” were misused during the Nehruvian and Indira eras, the answer is not to reopen a settled constitutional consensus. The smarter, more strategic move would be to redefine and reclaim these terms through governance.
Let secularism mean equal respect for all religions, not just appeasement of a few.
Let socialism reflect targeted and efficient welfare, not outdated state micromanagement.
Show that under BJP rule, constitutional values aren’t just preserved, but practiced with more sincerity than ever before.
There’s no real need to erase these words from the Constitution when their true meaning can be demonstrated through policy and performance.
That’s how you neutralize Congress’s rhetorical dominance—by embodying the very values they only performatively uphold.
Why Offer the Opposition a Lifeline?
In today’s political environment where perception is often more important than substance, every avoidable ideological skirmish carries a cost. Rather than letting Congress frame the narrative, BJP should focus on delivery, development, and institutional reform.
The average voter doesn’t care for abstract constitutional debates. But they do notice signs of overreach or any attempt to tamper with foundational values. BJP must remember—it’s no longer battling the Congress of the 1970s. It faces a weakened but emotionally sharp opposition that knows how to turn symbolism into electoral capital.
The Final Question
If the 2024 results taught the BJP anything, it is this: mismanaging perception—even by accident—can erode political dominance. BJP has much more to gain by living the Constitution than by reopening its text.
So why are BJP and RSS giving the Opposition such a convenient political handle—especially when this very narrative nearly cost them the government just months ago?