The Indian Constitution is beautiful, sacred and sacrosanct

India as a nation is worried. Union home minister Rajnath Singh unleashing his ire on the term 'Secularism' on the first day of winter session of Parliament and the world is now concerned whether India will chalk out a new course for its people. Will it remain all-inclusive as it was created by the visionaries who framed its Constitution? Or will it take a new course?When Singh claimed that the term secularism is the most misused word in the constitution, it was construed that the government intends to prepare ground to remove that term and may also speak of a plan to review the entire statute. NDA - I government had resorted to such a move, but did not push it.There are sections in the country who wish to make India a Hindu Rashtra. These voices are becoming louder. And the government is not standing up to say that what is being asked for is wrong and cannot be done.However, there are also those who are determined to retain India as 'pluralistic and secular'. A large section of the intelligentsia has not only denounced growing trends of intolerance, but also has gone a step further by returning awards received from the government.More apprehensive in this situation are the religious minorities. These include 180 million Muslims, 24 million Christians, 17 million Sikhs and seven million Buddhists, among others. They fear that the Constitution may be amended in a manner that would formally deny them equal citizenship. This feeling is the result of the Indian government, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and its supporters denying that there is any increase in intolerance in the country.Against this background, two positive developments have taken place. First: the government has decided to celebrate November 26 as Constitution Day. It will be observed in all educational institutions on a bigger scale next year. The decision has been taken on a day that also marks the 125{+t}{+h} birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, the head of the Constituent Assembly and principal architect of the Constitution. Paying tributes to Ambedkar also means that India acknowledges that a large section of its population has been discriminated against for centuries. The State would continue to compensate for the injustices suffered by the Dalits through affirmative action. If stretched further, it could also mean that there would be no injustice or unequal treatment to any other group of citizens in the country.Second: the speech of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the parliament on Friday. Modi has tried to assuage the frayed feelings of the people by saying that the Constitution is sacred which cannot be changed. "For the government, the only dharma is 'India first, the only dharma granth (holy book) is the Constitution," he declared. But at the same time he refrained from mentioning intolerance or giving any reference to the brutal killing of some people on account of their beliefs and social practices.Against this backdrop, where the government is talking in many voices and not stopping ministers from issuing provocative and unconstitutional statements, the people believe that there could be a hidden shock that the ruling disposition could spring in the near future.It was perhaps easier for the framers of constitution to make India a Hindu State. After all, Pakistan had declared itself an Islamic State. But fortunately, the Constituent Assembly and persons like Dr Ambedkar were aware of the perils of creating a theocratic state and going against the pluralistic strains of India. Therefore, they put every citizen, irrespective of faith, caste or creed, on an equal footing before the State. Indian secularism recognises the importance of religion in the lives of people. It is not anti-God. Even those who do not believe in God stand shoulder to shoulder with believers before the Constitution.The Constitution has given freedom to profess, practice and propagate any faith one desires. Religious and linguistic minorities have been given rights to establish their own trusts, associations, educational and other institutions and manage them.The Preamble of the Constitution sums up the beautiful spirit of the constitution. It says, "We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens: Justice, social economic and political; Liberty, of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and opportunity; and promote among them all; Fraternity, assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation; in our constituent assembly this twenty-sixth of November 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give ourselves this constitution."