Indian Constitution Day 2024: India observes Constitution Day, also known as Samvidhan Diwas on November 26 each year — marking the adoption of the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. While the Constitution finally took effect a couple of months later on January 6, 1950, when India became a republic, its adoption remains a pivotal moment in Indian history. The day was declared in the year which marked the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. Earlier, this day was celebrated as Law Day.

This year, the country is celebrating 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution, with PM Narendra Modi taking to social media to wish the citizens. “Happy Constitution Day to all countrymen on the auspicious occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution,” wrote the PM.

सभी देशवासियों को भारतीय संविधान की 75वीं वर्षगांठ के पावन अवसर पर संविधान दिवस की बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं।#75YearsOfConstitutionpic.twitter.com/pa5MVHO6Cu

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2024

Constitution Day: History

After India became an independent country, the Constituent Assembly, established in 1946, entrusted the job of drafting the Constitution to a committee chaired by Dr Ambedkar. The assembly took two years, eleven months, and seventeen days to draft the longest Constitution in the world, which has managed to hold a diverse country like India together, over seven decades later.

The Preamble of the Constitution of India declares the country as a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic and aims to secure justice, liberty, and equality for all citizens and promote fraternity to maintain the unity and integrity of the nation.

Also Read | Constitution Day Of India: Know About Its History And Importance

Constitution Day: Significance 

Constitution Day is marked to honour the vision and efforts of the Constituent Assembly, which through maximum deliberations, laid the foundation for a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic. Notably, the Constitution came into effect on January 26, 1950, as the Constitution makers wanted to commemorate the declaration of Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) in 1930

Mau:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday claimed INDIA bloc parties will rewrite the Constitution to provide reservation on the basis of religion, and alleged they want to turn the country’s majority community into second-class citizens.

Addressing a public meeting in Purvanchal region’s Ghosi here, he also alleged the opposition grouping will end the reservation given to SC, ST, OBC and give all of it to Muslims. He accused INDIA parties of making different castes fight among themselves.

Attacking INDIA bloc partners Samajwadi Party and Congress, PM Modi said they have neglected Purvanchal over the years and turned it into a “region of mafia, poverty and helplessness”.

The SP and INDIA bloc are making castes fight among themselves so that they become weak, he alleged, adding this is being done “to divert people’s attention from the real issues”.

“Today, I have come to alert the people of Purvanchal and Ghosi about the big conspiracy of the INDI alliance,” PM Modi said, and counted the grouping’s three “big conspiracies”.

“First, the people of INDI alliance will change the Constitution and write in it afresh that reservation should be given on the basis of religion in India. Second, these INDI people will end the reservation given to SC, ST, OBC. Third, they will give the entire reservation to Muslims on the basis of religion.” 

He said, “A third method has been created to circumvent the OBC reservation. They are declaring Muslim castes as OBC overnight. Recently, the Calcutta High Court has rejected OBC reservation for 77 Muslim castes.” 

The PM went on add, “Today, the SP, Congress and INDI people want to make the majority community in India second-class citizens.” 

He alleged those associated with the Samajwadi Party kept Purvanchal backward under a conspiracy and the people of the region will continue to punish them for this.

“The families of SP and Congress had their dynastic mindset turn Purvanchal into a region of mafia, poverty and helplessness,” he said.

“The people associated with the INDI Alliance who set fire to your houses, encroached on land, who emboldened rioters, who shed tears for the mafia, such people should not be allowed to set foot in Purvanchal,” said the PM.

The rally was held in support of BJP and NDA candidates from Ghosi, Salempur and Ballia Lok Sabha seats.

Referring to the SP and Congress’ previous manifestos, PM Modi said, “In 2012 (assembly polls), the SP had clearly written in its manifesto that the reservation that Babasaheb gave to Dalits, similar reservation will be given to Muslims.” 

PM Modi further claimed the Congress declared educational establishments as minority institutions and gave reservation to Muslims there.

“Before 2014, the Congress changed the law overnight to declare schools, colleges and universities as minority institutions. They declared thousands of educational institutions as minority institutions. Earlier, the reservation SC, ST and OBC students were getting there was completely ended and Muslims got reservation.” 

“What can be a bigger betrayal than this of the sons and daughters of Dalits, backward tribals?” The entire world is watching the ongoing general elections in India, he said, adding the more powerful government India elects, the more powerful prime minister it gets, and its echo will be heard in every country of the world.

NDA partner Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party has fielded Arvind Rajbhar from the Ghosi Lok Sabha seat. The BJP has fielded Neeraj Shekhar and Ravindra Kushwaha from Ballia and Salempur Lok Sabha seats, respectively.

Polling in Ghosi, Ballia and Salempur will be held on June 1 in the last phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud is felicitated with the ‘Award for Global Leadership’, at Harvard Law School, in Massachusetts, USA.
| Photo Credit: PTI

However bad a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good if those responsible for its functioning happen to be a “good lot,” Chief Justice of India D. Y. Chandrachud said while citing B. R. Ambedkar and hailing his idea of constitutionalism as being responsible for dismantling deeply entrenched caste hierarchy in India.

The CJI made the observations during his keynote address at the Sixth International Conference on the ‘Unfinished Legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’ at the Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, in the U.S. on October 22.

The CJI highlighted the idea of constitutionalism of Ambedkar, who headed the committee tasked to frame the Indian Constitution and said it was instrumental in transforming Indian society by dismantling deeply entrenched caste hierarchy and promoting social, economic and political empowerment of marginalised groups.

“Ambedkar’s legacy continues to shape the constitutional values of modern India, serving as a beacon for social reform and the pursuit of justice for all,” he said.

He cited Ambedkar, who had said however good a Constitution may be, it is sure to turn out bad because those who are called to work it happen to be a bad lot.

“However bad a Constitution may be, it may turn out to be good if those who are called to work it happen to be a good lot,” the CJI said quoting Ambedkar.

The CJI, who is in the USA, was also felicitated with the ‘Award for Global Leadership’ by the Center on the Legal Profession, Harvard Law School on Saturday.

The announcement about CJI Chandrachud being chosen as the recipient of the award was made on January 11, 2023 in an online ceremony.

He was present at the Harvard Law School on Saturday for a fireside chat with David Wilkins, Professor at Harvard Law School and Faculty Director, Center on the Legal Profession.