The Delhi government on Thursday faced embarrassment as the words “socialist” and “secular” were missing from the Preamble text in its print advertisements on the Constitution Day, prompting the Aam Aadmi Party dispensation to admit it was a “big mistake” and order an inquiry.
The Arvind Kerjriwal-led government brought out the advertisements in English newspapers on Thursday to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly of India on November 26, 1949.
However, in the text of the Preamble appearing in it, the two words were missing.
“Delhi government apologises for an error of missing words in its advertisement published in the English newspapers on the Constitution Day celebrations on Thursday.
“The words, socialist and secular, are erroneously missing from the text published in the English advertisement. The chief minister has taken a stern view of the matter and directed the Director of Information and Publicity to conduct an inquiry and submit a report within four days,” the government said in a statement.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also admitted the gaffe and emphasised that sanctity of “each word” written in the Indian Constitution need to be preserved.
“It was not an oversight, it was a big mistake. The government has ordered inquiry and have sought report within four days. Whoever committed the mistake won't be spared,” he said.
Sisodia said that Chief Minister Kejriwal had phoned him early in the morning after the glaring error came into notice. The government will have to fix responsibility, he said, at an event to mark the anniversary of the Constitution Day, held by the Department of SC/ST/OBC and Minorities Welfare.
Kejriwal could not attend the event due to ill-health.
“When mistakes are committed responsibility needs to be fixed as well. We will have to ensure that we fight for the sanctity of each word and principles of the constitution just like we treat the tricolour.
“The inquiry will focus on whether some mischief was involved in this matter,” the statement added.
Image: A cutout of the ad that features the preamble as it was published before its revision. Photograph: Twitter
