New Delhi [India], June 27 : Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday accused the BJP and RSS of attempting to erode core constitutional values like socialism and secularism for the benefit of capitalist interests.
Terming BJP-RSS as "worshippers of capitalism," Bharadwaj said the ruling party alongwith the RSS have been selling and privatising everything and that is why they have a problem with the word socialism.
Bharadwaj's remarks came in response to RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's recent comments demanding a move to reconsider the words "socialist" and "secular" in the Preamble of the Constitution.
Speaking to ANI, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, "Before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, many prominent leaders of the BJP claimed that the party will get 350 seats and they will change the constitution. Due to that, the BJP got only 240 seats. Now, the RSS has started the same debate. There should be no problem with the words secularism and socialism."
"In the 11 years of the BJP government, all the country's resources have been handed over to capitalists... They are selling everything, privatising it. That is why they have a problem with the word socialism. Because they are worshippers of capitalism... This is a highly alarming indication for the country's impoverished population. Some capitalists get some capital, and they are trying to run the whole country," Bharadwaj told ANI.
RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale had questioned the legitimacy of including the terms "socialist" and "secular" in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution on Thursday.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and MP KC Venugopal also lashed out at the RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's statement and claimed that the leader's remarks were an insult to the Constitution, a rejection of its values, and a direct attack on the Supreme Court.
Dattatreya Hosabale had earlier stated that the Emergency imposed in the country on June 25, 1975, was the "biggest blow to Indian democracy."
Hosabale was addressing a program on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, jointly organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (under the Ministry of Culture), Ambedkar International Centre.
He remarked that during the Emergency, terms like "Socialism" and "Secularism" were forcibly inserted into the Constitution -- a move that needs to be reconsidered today.
He emphasised that the Emergency wasn't just a misuse of power, but an attempt to crush civil liberties. Millions were imprisoned and freedom of the press was suppressed.
He said that those who imposed the Emergency and trampled the Constitution and democracy have never apologised. If they cannot apologise personally, they should do so on behalf of their ancestors.