Demanding an apology from the Congress for imposing the Emergency, he said, “Those who did such things are today moving around with the Constitution’s copy. They have still not apologised. Your ancestors did it. You must apologise for this to the country,” he said in his remarks aimed at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Recalling the days of the Emergency, the RSS leader said while thousands of people were put in jail and tortured during that period, freedom of the judiciary and media was also curtailed. “The days of the Emergency also witnessed large-scale forced sterilisation,” Hosabale added.

Speaking to a news agency on Friday, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC backed the RSS leader’s remarks, stating: “He is absolutely right. The words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ were not part of the original Preamble of the Constitution drafted by BR Ambedkar. These were added during the Emergency in 1975, when then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi introduced the 42nd Constitutional Amendment. This raises a question—why highlight only these two terms when India is already a sovereign, democratic republic?”

She added that the Congress should apologise for the Emergency era amendments, saying: “Shiv Sena demands that the Congress party apologise publicly for the Emergency. These terms were not in the original draft, and they should be removed.”

On the other hand, Congress leader Tariq Anwar condemned Hosabale’s remarks, saying: “There’s a clear scent of communalism in his statement. India is secular by nature and by history. The Constitution guarantees the right to equality, the right to vote, and the right to practice one’s religion. As for socialism, it aims to reduce inequality. We are striving to create a just society, and the term ‘socialism’ symbolises that effort.”

RJD leader Shakti Singh Yadav also slammed the RSS, accusing it of repeatedly attempting to undermine the Constitution’s foundational principles.

“The RSS has always wanted to change the Constitution. The BJP is merely the political face of the RSS, and after coming to power, they are trying to implement the RSS’s ideology. Narendra Modi is not just the Prime Minister of India; he represents the RSS’s mission. Their agenda to remove socialism and secularism will not be accepted by the people.”