The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday denounced RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's call to review the words 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Constitution's Preamble, saying these ideas reflect the core values for which freedom fighters sacrificed their lives.

The left party alleged the RSS' proposal exposes its "long-standing objective of subverting the Constitution and its intent to transform India into a Hindu Rashtra".

Hosabale, while addressing an event on the Emergency, said on Thursday that "the preamble of the Constitution Baba Saheb Ambedkar made never had these words." "During the Emergency, when fundamental rights were suspended, Parliament did not work, and judiciary became lame, then these words were added." The RSS leader said discussions were held on this issue later but no effort was made to remove them from the Preamble. "So whether they should remain in the Preamble should be considered," he had added.

Hitting out at the RSS, the CPI(M) Politburo said the inclusion of the words 'socialism' and 'secularism' in the Preamble was not an arbitrary addition. These words reflect the core values for which freedom fighters sacrificed their lives, it said.

"The Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly denounces the proposal made by the RSS General Secretary to remove the words 'socialist' and 'secular' from the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.

"This proposal exposes the RSS's long-standing objective of subverting the Constitution and its intent to transform India into a Hindu Rashtra in pursuit of its Hindutva project," the Left party said.

It underlined that the Indian Constitution embodies the aspirations of countless freedom fighters from various streams.

"The inclusion of 'socialism' and 'secularism' in the Preamble is not an arbitrary addition; it reflects the core values for which freedom fighters like Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh and his comrades stood and sacrificed their lives," the party said.

The CPI(M) said the ideals of the freedom fighters are embedded in every provision of the Constitution, and the insertion of these words merely affirms that legacy.

"It is the height of hypocrisy for the RSS, which played no role in the freedom movement, to now advocate for the removal of these foundational principles. It cannot tolerate the values cherished by our martyrs betrays its reactionary, anti-people, and divisive ideology," the politburo said.

"The CPI(M) firmly opposes any attempt to alter the core values enshrined in our Constitution. We appeal to the people to remain vigilant and resolutely resist all such efforts by the RSS and its protégé BJP." The suggestion from the RSS's second senior-most functionary to consider removing the two works from the Preamble came as he hit out at the Congress for the Emergency era "excesses" and demanded an apology from the party.

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