'Secularism is the 'most misused' term in India': Sena backs Rajnath

Shiv Sena on Friday backed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's remarks that secularism was the "most misused" term in India and hit out at Congress alleging that it effected constitutional amendments to suit its "dirty politics".

The party said that the dalit population has over the years realised that Congress has used the 'divide-and-rule formula' to serve its "selfish politics" of vote bank.

"The Congress ensured that walls of caste, creed and religion were permanent. The word secularism has been misused in our country," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.

"The Constitution was framed to ensure that the country remains a strong sovereign nation. But several amendments were made for dirty politics. In the Shah Bano case, constitutional amendment was made to overturn a historic Supreme Court verdict," the ruling alliance partner alleged.

Because of such instances, the country's sovereignty is under threat, it said.

"Secularism is the most misused word in the country. Its misuse should come to an end. Because of the rampant misuse of the word, there have been instances of tension in the society," Rajanth had said on Thursday during a debate on the 'Commitment to India's Constitution' as part of 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar in Lok Sabha.

Singh had also said that Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, had never thought of putting the term 'secularism' in the Preamble, but it was incorporated through an amendment in 1976.

"The words 'socialist' and 'secular' were incorporated in the Preamble through the 42nd amendment of the Constitution. We have no objection," he said.

Referring to the debate in Lok Sabha, the Saamana editorial slammed the Congress for claiming that Ambedkar, his constitutional framework and its implementation were all because of the party.

"The dalit population has over the years realised that Congress, which ensured Ambedkar's defeat in Lok Sabha polls, has used the 'divide-and-rule formula' and used followers of Ambedkar for their selfish politics as vote bank," the Sena further alleged.

The celebration of Constitution Day would be meaningful if wisdom dawns on selfish politicians not to use these words, the editorial opined.