A bill was submitted to incorporate the word "secular" in preamble of Jammu and Kashmir's Constitution
Srinagar:
Sixty years after it was adopted, the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir is set to correct an apparent oversight and answer a fundamental question: Is Jammu and Kashmir a secular state?
Adopted in 1956, the preamble of the state's Constitution does not include the word "secular". While the word was added in the Indian Constitution in 1976 with the 42nd amendment, the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, which underlines the state's special status in the Indian Union, did not make the change.
Now, a legislator from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) MY Tarigami has submitted a private member's bill in the state assembly to incorporate the word "secular" in the preamble of the state's Constitution.
"Preservation of secular values and secular character of the state is paramount for every citizen. That is why, keeping in view certain divisive tendencies which are emerging, some of them are being patronised by the government at different levels, it's important for us to reaffirm our faith in secularism," said MY Tarigami, legislator and state secretary of the CPI(M).
The bill has won support across the political spectrum in the state and so far no party has opposed the idea.
"This word secular has been incorporated in the Indian Constitution long time back and Jammu and Kashmir is the only state where it has not been incorporated. This is a welcome step," said BJP spokesman Arun Gupta.
Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a special status and is the only state in the country which has a separate constitution, flag and the penal code.
Adopted in 1956, the preamble of the state's Constitution does not include the word "secular". While the word was added in the Indian Constitution in 1976 with the 42nd amendment, the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, which underlines the state's special status in the Indian Union, did not make the change.
Now, a legislator from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) MY Tarigami has submitted a private member's bill in the state assembly to incorporate the word "secular" in the preamble of the state's Constitution.
"Preservation of secular values and secular character of the state is paramount for every citizen. That is why, keeping in view certain divisive tendencies which are emerging, some of them are being patronised by the government at different levels, it's important for us to reaffirm our faith in secularism," said MY Tarigami, legislator and state secretary of the CPI(M).
The bill has won support across the political spectrum in the state and so far no party has opposed the idea.
"This word secular has been incorporated in the Indian Constitution long time back and Jammu and Kashmir is the only state where it has not been incorporated. This is a welcome step," said BJP spokesman Arun Gupta.
Jammu and Kashmir enjoys a special status and is the only state in the country which has a separate constitution, flag and the penal code.
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