The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has recently called for the removal of the words “secularism” and “socialism” from the preamble of the Indian Constitution, igniting a contentious debate. Some frame this demand around the historical context of their inclusion—during Indira Gandhi’s Emergency in 1976—suggesting they were political impositions. However, this perspective misses the core issue: these terms are not...

