A controversy has erupted over the terms 'socialist' and 'secular' in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, recently claimed that both these words were missing from copies of the Constitution provided to MPs.Now, is this true? Watch this video till the end to find out.What is the Preamble? The Preamble serves as an introduction to our Constitution that outlines its principles and objectives. The original Preamble, adopted in 1949, did not explicitly feature the phrases 'socialist' or 'secular.' However, in 1995, the Supreme Court ruled that these terms were integral to the Constitution, thus resolving a longstanding debate.Why and when were these words incorporated?During the Emergency in 1976, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi pushed through the 42nd Amendment transforming the Preamble from a 'sovereign, democratic republic' to a 'sovereign, socialist & secular, democratic republic.At that time, India faced economic vulnerabilities, two wars, and food shortages, so Indira Gandhi wanted to align with socialist principles and appease the masses, promising to 'remove poverty.'This isn't the first time this debate has flared up. In 2015, an advertisement by the Information Ministry omitted 'socialist' and 'secular' from the Preamble, leading to controversy.Supreme Court's DecisionIn 1973, the apex court ruled that 'secularism' was an intrinsic part of the Constitution, beyond amendment. In 1994, the Supreme Court affirmed secularism as a fundamental feature of the Indian Constitution. In 2008, the Court explained that 'socialism' encompassed welfare measures for citizens and then as recently as 2022, the Court reaffirmed India's secular identity.In conclusion, the terms 'socialist' and 'secular' were introduced into the Constitution in 1976 to align with Indira Gandhi's policies but the Supreme Court has consistently upheld their significance despite these terms having stirred countless debates over the years.If you found this informative, follow #ABPDecodes on ABP Live for more news and perspectives on a wide range of topics from across the country.