Bhubaneswar: The alleged omission of the words ‘socialist' and ‘secular' from the Constitution's Preamble displayed inside the Vidhan Sabha triggered uproar on the opening day of the winter session of the assembly as opposition BJD and Congress voiced protest and demanded their restoration.
Controversy erupted during Tuesday's Question Hour when senior BJD member Ranendra Pratap Swain raised the issue, prompting party members to storm the well of the House, shouting anti-govt slogans. The disruption forced speaker Surama Padhy to adjourn proceedings twice — first till 12:25 pm and then till 4 pm.
"The mysterious disappearance of these crucial words comes just a day after the Supreme Court affirmed their permanence in the Preamble as per the 42nd Constitutional Amendment," Swain told reporters outside the assembly.
BJD MLA Goutam Buddha Das called the omission a deliberate act and "an insult to the Constitution". The Congress also joined the protest, with legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam demanding the immediate restoration of the words.
However, BJP MLA Irasis Acharya dismissed the opposition's claims as misleading. "The display shows the original 1949 Preamble, before the two words were inserted in 1976. This has remained unchanged through different govts, including those led by the BJD and Congress," Acharya explained, adding that "without a doubt, everyone in the country accepts the 42nd Amendment and the Supreme Court verdict retaining these words."
The opposition also raised concerns about the deaths of three women after allegedly consuming mango kernels in Kandhamal district.
Earlier in the day, chief minister Mohan Majhi led Constitution Day celebrations, emphasizing on the constitutional values and fundamental duties. "The Constitution is our sacred text, guiding the nation and serving as the primary source of all laws and regulations," Majhi said, while leading a citizens march from AG Square to Capital Hospital.
The chief minister highlighted the Constitution's role in ensuring equal rights regardless of caste, religion, wealth, or gender and stressed the importance of protecting national sovereignty and unity.
The words ‘socialist' and ‘secular' were added to the Constitution's Preamble through the 42nd Amendment in 1976. On Monday, the Supreme Court dismissed a PIL seeking their removal and ruled that these words would stay as permanent features of the Constitution.