3 Things Republic Day Special: Three key debates that shaped the Constitution
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Jan 26, 2026 Adrija Roy Chaudhary, a journalist at The Indian Express who reports on historical and constitutional topics, guides a lively look at three pivotal constitutional debates. Short segments revisit how secularism was treated, why reservations were framed as they were, and how the cow became a directive principle. The discussion spotlights heated assemblies, major players, and enduring choices.
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Secularism Was Implied, Not Stated
- The word 'secular' was not in the original preamble and was added only in 1976 via the 42nd Amendment.
- Founding fathers endorsed secular spirit but avoided the European exclusionary model in the original text.
India's Secularism Is Plural, Not Exclusionary
- The Constituent Assembly rejected the European meaning of secularism that demands state non-involvement in religion.
- They preferred a plural model where the state neither promotes nor curbs any single religion.
Founders Chose Function Over Label
- Nehru and Ambedkar supported secular principles but opposed codifying the word 'secular' in the Constitution.
- They embedded secularism through measures like no state religion and equal citizenship instead of the label itself.