The Maharashtra-based right-wing group, Sanatan Sanstha, on Monday said it demands a change in the Constitution as the statute has worked only for minorities till now.
The Sanstha has come under the scanner of investigative agencies after its name surfaced during the probe into the murders of rationalist Narendra Dhabolkar and journalist Gauri Lankesh, and in the recent Nalasopara arms haul case.
“We have always demanded that word secularism should be removed from the preamble of the Constitution as it was not present in the original draft of it. It was added by Indira Gandhi under pressure from KGB and communists during emergency,” said Chetan Rajhans, national spokesperson of the Sanstha.
He was addressing a press conference in Mumbai, organised jointly with the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS).
When asked why the Constitution needs to be changed, Mr Rajhans claimed Hindus were not constitutionally protected. “There is no protection to Hindus. There are no commissions to protect the majority. Except for minorities no one is protected,” he said.
Ducking a question on protection extended to Scheduled Castes and tribes and OBCs, he said, “You are asking me whom I consider a Hindu. Let me tell you, we do not differentiate in castes. All are Hindus only, according to us,” wrapping up the press conference.
Pressure from kin
Earlier, Mr Rajhans said none of the nine individuals arrested by investigative agencies were ‘seeker’ ( sadhaks ) of the Sanatan Sanstha.
“When not a single investigation agency has officially named the Sanatan Sanstha, it is extremely painful to endure the defamation of Sanatan Sanstha. To stop the defamation, Sanstha has decided to lodge defamation suits on false accusations made on the basis of unofficial information,” said Mr. Rajhans.
Blaming the families of slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and veteran Communist leader Govind Pansare for running a campaign against the Sanstha and HJS, Sunil Ghanvat of HJS said the arrests were being made under pressure from the kin and progressive organisations, Communists and parties like the Congress.
