“Secularism is part of Indian psyche”

While, commemorating the 50th anniversary of  Emergency, some  politicians have trained their guns on the 42nd Amendment for inserting the term “secular” in the Preamble of the Constitution. This has raised an unsavoury controversy. It is noteworthy that even the Supreme court in its landmark judgement in the Kesavananda Bharti case (1973) preceding the amendment ,upheld the view that secularism is the basic structure of the Constitution. The court found no rationale in deleting the demand for its exclusion. Secularism is not a mere word but an article of faith in the manner we proudly define nationalism and inclusive democracy. Let us stay united with all co-existing faiths and set the on-going controversy at rest.

A K Saxena ( Former civil servant)