India marks Constitution Day
India is marking its Constitution day today, November 26th. Seventy years ago in 1949 on this day India adopted its Constitution, which imparted to it sovereignty by announcing it to,be a republic with its own head of state – the President.
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the Constitution Day celebrations, organised by the Supreme Court, to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, today in New Delhi.
India won independence from the yoke of British colonialism on 15th August 1947. From then till 1950 it remained a dominion of Great Britain. On 26th November 1949 the country adopted its Constitution. Two month later – in 26th January 1950 the constitution came into force, marking the birth of the republic. This is the day that Indians believe the country truly became independent. It is a gazetted holiday.
The constitution is the supreme law of the land. It provides the framework for India’s governance – a parliamentary democracy, a federation of states with a unitarian tilt, a multi-party system, an independent judiciary with checks and balances in place to ensure transparent and democratic governance
The constitution enshrines the aspirations of the people, the ideals and the principles that the state is to be guided by, the fulfillment and enactment of which is the sacred duty of every citizen of this vast and diverse land.
It was drafted by a Constituent Assembly consisting of luminaries like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, Maulana Azad, the first education minister, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the first Industries’ Minister and others.
The Constituent Assembly can be considered to be the first parliament of India.
The chairperson of the drafting committee Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called the father of the constitution had affirmed that the “Constitution is not a mere lawyers document, it’s is a vehicle of Life, and it’s spirit is always the spirit of Age.” The president of the Assembly Dr. Rajendra Prasad went on to become India’s first president, the first head of state of independent India.
The preamble to the constitution encapsulates its spirit. The preamble’s opening words say “We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens:
Justice, social, economic and political;
Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
Equality of status and of opportunity, and to promote among them all
Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
In our Constituent Assembly this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this Constitution.
The basic framework of the constitution cannot be changed but a number of amendments have been incorporated in keeping with the times and as a response to the changing needs of the nation.
Over the years India has undergone an enormous transformation. While challenges remain, india has transformed itself into a rapidly developing country, one of the world’s fastest growing economy, and its largest democracy.
Through the system of local self-governance power has devolved to millions at the grassroots, including women and some of the most marginalized sections of society. Legislation like the Right to Education and the Right to Information are milestones in furthering the ideals of the constitution. Schemes like Aadhaar, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, the MNREGA are helping in the financial inclusion of millions of Indians. Those like Make-in-India campaign and National Skill Development Mission will empower millions of Indian youth. Missions like the ‘Mangalayan’ to Mars heralds India’s growing scientific and technological prowess.
Speaking on the occasion, the President Kovind said that the Constitution is the scripture of the nation that has to be read in a sensitive and delicate manner. The Constitution gave this onerous task to the judiciary. Keeping the role of the Supreme Court as final interpreter of the Constitution and the laws enacted under it, the judiciary assumes the role of its guardian. The authors of the Constitution took extra care in providing it the necessary powers and freedoms to function without any undue influence. Over these eventful seven decades, the judiciary has remained alive to the high responsibility placed on it.
Honoring the constitution and underscoring its importance, in 2015 Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated ‘Constitution Day’, on 26th November – the day the constitution was adopted. It is being celebrated every year since.
