‘Suspicious intentions’: Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says ‘secular’, ‘socialist’ words removed from the Preamble

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury alleged that the new copies of the Constitution given to the lawmakers on the first day in the new parliament building, do not have the words ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ in the Preamble. He said that the Modi government had “suspicious” intentions. 

"The new copies of the Constitution that were given to us today, the one we held in our hands and entered the new Parliament building, its Preamble doesn't have the words 'socialist secular'," said Chowdhury, who is the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, to news agency ANI.

“We know that the words were added after an amendment in 1976 but if someone gives us the Constitution today and it doesn't have those words, it is a matter of concern...Their intention is suspicious. It has been done cleverly. It is a matter of concern for me. I tried to raise this issue but I did not get an opportunity to raise this issue..." he said.

The Members of Parliament received a copy of the Constitution of India along with a commemorative coin, a stamp and books related to the Parliament on the opening day of the new parliament building. These gifts were given to the MPs in a gift bag. 

The new parliament complex was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28. The move to the new parliament building took place on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi on Tuesday. 

The staff of the new parliament building – including chamber attendants, officers, security personnel, drivers and marshals – have also been given new uniforms. 

Several women sportspersons and artistes from the fields of cinema, fashion, dance and music visited the new parliament building as the lawmakers moved to introduce the women's reservation bill. Prominent among them included actors Kangana Ranaut and Esha Gupta, fashion designer Rina Dhaka, singer-dancer Sapna Chaudhary, Padma Shree awardee dancers Nalini and Kamlini and vocalist Padma Shree Sumitra Guha.

Meanwhile, the old parliament building will now be known as 'Samvidhan Sadan'. "The Speaker, Lok Sabha is pleased to notify the building previously known as Parliament House and situated on Plot Number 116, New Delhi with Lok Sabha Marg to the north-west and Rajya Sabha Marg to the south-west, to be, hereon, designated as the Samvidhan Sadan", said a notification issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

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