'Stop The Use Of The Word Dharmanirpeksh'

Extracted from the BJP president's speechto the party's National Executive on June 1:

Stop the Constitutional Use of the Word "Dharmanirpeksh"

Friends, when India’s Constitution was written in November1949, then in the Preamble of the Constitution basically India was declared as a"Sovereign, Democratic, Republic". In context of the Preamble of theConstitution Dr Bhimrao Ambedar said that it should be considered as the soul ofthe Constitution and if there was to be any doubt regarding any Article then thedecision should be taken after studying it with reference to the Preamble.Therefore, fundamentally there should have been no change to the Preamble of theConstitution since it reflected India’s basic character and was an expressionof the public sentiment at the time of independence. Yet, in the decade of the1970s through the 42nd constitutional amendment, the words "Secular" and"Socialist" were added to the Preamble of the Constitution. And after thischange the Preamble of India’s Constitution became "Sovereign, Secular,Socialist, Democratic, Republic". It is only after this change thatwidespread politics began over the word "Secular" which was publicized as "Dharmanirpekshta".However, neither technically nor politically, the true meaning of the word"Secular" can ever be "Dharmanirpekshta". The official Hinditranslation of the Preamble of the Constitution published by the Law &Justice Ministry of Government of India, which is also a public document, inthat the meaning of the word "Secular" is written as "Panthnirpeksh".[sic]

Friends, there is a big difference in being "Dharmanirpeksh"and "Panthnirpeksh". Panth or sect symbolizesdevotion towards any specific belief, specific way of prayer and specific formof God but Dharma symbolizes absolute and eternal values which cannever change like laws of nature. For example one can say Dharma islike the earth or land while Panth is like different paths built over it. Ourmind can chose any path, change from one path to another, we can hold differentviews about the various paths but how can we ever get separated from the earth?

"Dharmapran Nation" means a nation whose actualconsciousness is imbibed in Dharma. India is a "Dharmapran"nation and this is evident from Amarnath in the extreme north to SabarimalaTemple in the extreme south, and in Haridwar, Nasik, Ujjain and Prayag where onecan see Kumbh Melas in perpetual occurrence.

India’s National Emblem has three lions and carries theeternal message of "Satyamev Jaytev" (Truth Always Triumphs) of theMundkoupanishad. Truth signifies Dharma and not a sect.India’s National Flag has the Ashoka Chakra in it. This Chakra found inSarnath is Dharmachakra and basically symbolizes the cycle of Dharma.In India’s Parliament behind the seat of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha "DharmachakraPravartanay" (for the propogation of the eternal cycle of Dharma) isinscribed. Therefore, if Dharma is present in the National Emblem, NationalFlag, and in the supreme seat of Parliament then how can the entireestablishment of India be neutral to Dharma or be Dharmanirpeksh?

Probably by understanding these very sentiments, even in theConstitution the word Panthnirpeksh was written. The use of the termDharmanirpeksh instead of Panthnirpeksh is not only incorrect,unconstitutional, not only against all the national symbols of India but alsoagainst the very basis of the real and perpetual ethos of our great nation. Thelevel of pervasion and confusion created in both politics and among the publicby the inappropriate use of the word is unimaginable. This also hurts ouridentity and traditions. India has always been a Panthnirpeksh or sectneutral country. Here from Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shakht to Jainism, Buddhismand Sikhism many sects have flourished. Throughout history there has never beenany discrimination with anybody. However, India was never Dharmanirpeksh,is not Dharmanirpeksh and till it’s existence can never ever be Dharmanirpeksh.To make this Dharmapran nation into a Dharma neutral nation isa deplorable attempt to destroy the actual consciousness of this great country.At least after 61 years of independence we should try and come out of thiscolonial mindset. India needs to come out of the distorted Indianization fromthe borrowed western thoughts because without appreciating our own identity andalso by hurting our own identity India cannot become a proud and powerful nationof the 21st century.

The confusion created by Dharmanirpeksh and Panthnirpekshcannot be removed only through an explanation. The only solution is to stop theuse of the word Dharmanirpeksh. That is why I am announcing that infuture we will never use the word Dharmanirpeksh and the Government ofIndia should also issue a directive prohibiting the constitutional use of theword Dharmanirpeksh so that from the Prime Minister to the common public no oneconstitutionally uses this term and this will prevent confusion and damage fromtaking place though its usage.

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[Commentators have also made much of the concluding portion of the BJPPresident's speech]

Every section of society must be developed. On this occasion I would like to appeal to the minorities of the country that they should be wary of those who practice politics in the name of so called secularism. The BJP treats the minorities not as vote banks but as committed citizens of the country.

Friends, from the core of their hearts, the people want to hand over power to the BJP. We also want the nation to experience an environment of value based politics. Alongwith Cultural Nationalism, Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and True Secularism, we are committed to preserve the national unity and integrity. We always maintain that power is a means and not an end for us. I have great hope that our party workers in every village will constitute their teams at every booth and while they will ensure the BJP’s geographical, social, political and cultural expansion, they will also ensure that our ideology spreads among our supporters in their respective areas. If we succeed on this front, which I am confident that we will achieve, then that day is not far when on the ramparts of the Red Fort, our prime ministerial candidate Shri Lal Krishna Advaniji will address the entire country.

Full text of the speech can be found here.