Ahmedabad: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stoked yet another controversy by saying that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has ‘moved on’ from its original stand on the Constitution over the non-inclusion of inputs from the Manusmriti in it.
This comes at a time when the Congress has hit out at the RSS for demanding removal of the terms ‘socialism’ and ‘secularism’ from the Preamble to the Constitution.
“During that (Emergency) period, terms like ‘socialism’ and ‘secularism’ were forcibly inserted into the Preamble of the Constitution. Today, we must reflect on whether these words should remain there,” RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale had said on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975.
The Congress had called this a “deliberate assault on the soul of our Constitution,” accusing the RSS and BJP of championing an “anti-Constitutional” agenda.
“It is part of a long-standing conspiracy to dismantle Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision for a just, inclusive and democratic India – something the RSS-BJP has always been plotting. Let us not forget: when the Constitution was adopted, the RSS rejected it. They didn’t just oppose it – they burnt it. In the Lok Sabha elections, BJP leaders did not even hide their intent. They declared openly that they needed over 400 seats to rewrite the Constitution,” Congress had posted on its official X handle after Hosabale’s remark.
Tharoor, who participating in a discussion hosted by the Ahmedabad Management Association on ‘Diction, Diplomacy, and Discretion’ on Saturday told the media: “At the time of the adoption of the Constitution, Mr Golwalkar, amongst others, said that one of the great flaws of the Constitution is that there is nothing of the Manusmriti in it. But I think the RSS itself has moved on from those days. So, as a historical statement, it’s accurate. Whether it’s a reflection of how they feel today, the RSS should be in the best position to answer that.”
Speaking on the Emergency, Tharoor said that everyone is very clear that it was “a bad period in our history because of a lot of suspensions (of liberties),” but then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi herself called for elections and gracefully accepted the outcome.
“I think all of us should use this anniversary to re-dedicate ourselves to the Constitution, to the values of freedom, to the values that our founders fought for and established,” he said, adding, “I hope everyone uses this 50th anniversary not to play political games and score political points, but rather to re-dedicate ourselves to those ideals.”
The Thiruvananthapuram MP also clarified that his recent visit to Russia was a pre-scheduled engagement, focused on parliamentary outreach and diplomacy.
“It gave me an opportunity to connect with my counterparts,” he said, adding that he also met his “old friend,” the Russian foreign minister.
“Fortunately, the government’s delegation had already conveyed India’s message, so my role was simply to reinforce it. Russia has been a long-standing, trusted partner of India, and it’s important to nurture that relationship,” he said.
“As for the visit itself – it included public events, media interviews, and student interactions. None of the dramatic, James Bond-type speculation people have floated – no secret missions, nothing of that sort,” Tharoor added.
