By The Sampadak Express
The Indian Youth Congress’ Karnataka legal cell has filed a formal police complaint against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, alleging that his recent comments on the Constitution were “unconstitutional, inflammatory, and divisive.”
The complaint, filed at Seshadripuram Police Station in Bengaluru on Sunday, targets Hosabale’s remarks advocating a debate on removing the words “secular” and “socialist” from the Preamble of the Constitution. These words were introduced through the 42nd Amendment during the Emergency in 1976.
In his statement, Youth Congress representative Shreedhar M.M. said, “This complaint is filed to uphold the sanctity of the Constitution and to prevent any attempt to disturb public order. These are not mere intellectual opinions, but deliberate provocations that undermine India’s founding principles.”
The complaint claims that Hosabale’s comments violate provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and could potentially incite communal tensions by questioning established constitutional values. It also argues that the remarks do not fall under the protection of free political speech, but instead amount to cognizable criminal offenses.
Hosabale, speaking at an event in Delhi last week, had stated:
“During the Emergency, two words secular and socialist were added to the Constitution, which were not part of the original Preamble. Later, these words were not removed. A debate must happen on whether they should remain. These two words were not in Dr. Ambedkar’s Constitution. At the time, there was no functioning Parliament, no rights, no judiciary, and yet these words were added.”
The remarks have sparked sharp criticism from opposition leaders and legal experts, who view them as an attempt to dilute constitutional guarantees.
While police officials have confirmed receipt of the complaint, no First Information Report (FIR) has been registered yet. The Youth Congress has urged law enforcement agencies to act swiftly and decisively.“
Any public attempt to weaken constitutional values must be taken seriously,” Shreedhar said. “No individual or organization is above the Constitution, and we expect accountability under the law.”
The incident has reignited debate over the legacy of the 42nd Amendment and the ongoing ideological tussle over India’s constitutional identity.
