Importance of Constitution Day

Shyam Sudan

Like every year we are going to celebrate our constitution day on 26 November. Constitution day or Sambhidaan Divas is celebrated on this day because we have adopted our constitution on 26th November 1949 in our constituent assembly. Our constitution, which is the amalgamation of different constitutions of the world, is very unique and different from others. Because it is equipped with all the positive salient features of different constitution of the democracies in it.
This unique amalgamation of our constitution makes it the world’s lengtheist and bulkiest constitution. There are about 470 Srticles with 12 schedules and five Appendices in it. Since the adoption of constitution in our constituent assembly we have made several amendments in it. Amendment in constitution is a necessary excercise to give it a refined and updated version. Because we are living in a contemporary and complex society and in order to deal with the latest issues and complexities such amendments are mandatory. Those legal obligations and articles which are outdated in present scenario need to be abolished and deleted.
Last year, an important amendment by abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A has been done by our assembly. The role of drafting committee which was set on 29 August 1947 under the chairmanship of Dr B.R. Ambedaker had played a very praiseworthy and exemplary role in this direction. Because it was a very Herculean task to give a final shape to such a constitution for such a nation who got the fresh independences. Lot of brain storming, contrivance and creativity was needed for this hectic task. But all the members of drafting committee were well experienced and learn scholars of their respective field.
Members like K.M. Munshi, Mohammad sadullah, A.Kiyer, N.Madav Rao etc has played their unique role in drafting and compiling the lengtheist and bulkiest constitution of the world.
Dr B.R. Ambedkar who was a great scholars, jurist, economist and politician of our country, was the chairman of then drafting committee of constitution. Our constitution preamble is based on the values of justice, equality and liberty.
The document of preamble explains its objectives and philosophy. Constitution day is also celebrated in the name of legal awareness day. Legal awareness among people is mandatory in present scenario. One can only give respect and honour to its constitution when every citizen is legally aware. With the knowledge of legal awareness one can easily know about its role, responsibility and duties for nation. Now a days we are habitual of raising questions for our rights but we are not sincerely devoted for our duties. Rights and duties are the two sides of a same coin. When we celebrate our constitution day or law awermess day, we can aware the general public about both the aspects of our constitution. Now a days there is a custom of celebration of constitution day at every platform.
Even our Prime Minister Nariendra Modi has laid emphasis on this. He asserted that now the time has come to focus our attitude towards our duties for the nation. Paying tribute to B.R. Ambedkar Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he would be happy to see that Indian has strengthened and empowered its democracy in last 70 years. Now is the very apt time to give more vigour to our democracy. Basically constitution is not merely a volume of printed pages or a document of legal formalities but a true soul and torchbearer for our country which gives direction to our democracy and strengthen it. For such a vast nation which is multilingual, multicultural and multireligious it is very difficult to provide a stable and strong identity. Constitution is the only tool which binds us in the fabric of unity and integrity. Now a days, constitution day is celebrated across the entire nation with great enthusiasm and zeal.
Even in different schools of the country, this day is celebrated to aware the students. On this day different cultural programmes like debate sessions, painting and drawing competition, slogan writing and other art activities are organised in schools for awareness of children. Even in our UT Jammu and Kashmir DSE has announced various direction for celebration of this historic day. However, due to COVID pandemic all the programmes and events will be organised via online and other virtual modes. In all government offices and educational institution the celebration will start by reading the preamble of the constitution.
For our UT Jammu and Kashmir now the importance of this day is much more because now we have been completely accepted as an integral part of India with the abrogation of Article 370. Earlier many laws were not implemented in this region due to hindrance of Article 370. Now we are living in a democracy which believes in the concept of one nation one constitution. Concept of dual citizenship has ended up for us. There is need to organise programmes at mass level to develop the faith of public in our constitution. We are blessed with the biggest democracy of the world and and it is our duty to maintain and protect the norms and values of our constitution. Constitutional day or sambhidaan divas is the time when we bring a sense of awareness among people of the country for their rightful role and contribution for strengthening the democracy of the nation. This day gives us the opportunity to encourage our fellow citizens for their responsibility for our nation. The very first line of our preamble, ‘we the people’, declares the prime motive of our constitution. The aim of celebration of this day is to inculcate the thinking of above quoted line in the minds and behaviour of every citizen of our country.
The rule of law only governs when we have faith in our constitution and constitution be in rightful place. Our constitution is the fundamental law of the country and it distributes power equally in three organs of Government i.e., executive, judiciary and legislative.