Achieved ambitious goals related to social justice through Constitution: Prez Murmu

Describing the Constitution as a living and progressive document, President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday said it is the strong foundation stone of our democratic republic and one that ensures our collective and individual dignity.
“Our farsighted Constitution-makers had provided for a system of adopting new ideas, according to the needs of the changing times. We have achieved many ambitious goals related to social justice and inclusive development through the Constitution. With a new approach, we are earning for India a new identity in the comity of nations,” she said in her address to lawmakers on Samvidhan Divas, the commemoration of 75 years of adoption of the Constitution.
Reflecting on the country’s journey from the time the Constitution was framed, she said, “The Constitution-makers had given a directive for India to play an important role in promotion of international peace and security. Today, besides being a leading economy, our country is playing this role very well as the ‘Vishwa-Bandhu’.”
In her address, in the Central Hall of the old Parliament building now known as the Samvidhan Sadan, the President said celebrating milestones such as the 75 years of Independence, ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ or the upcoming 75th anniversary of our Republic provide us with opportunities to take stock of the journey and plan better for the journey ahead.
“Such celebrations strengthen our unity and show that we are all together in our efforts to achieve the national goals,” she said.
Paying tribute to BR Ambedkar and Dr Rajendra Prasad, the president said, the farsighted members of the Constituent Assembly gave us an inspiring Constitution which has proved to be a model for other countries as well.
She said the “imprint of Babasaheb Ambedkar’s progressive and inclusive thinking can be found in our Constitution” and his historic addresses in the Constituent Assembly “make it clear that India is the mother of democracy.”
Referring to Dr Prasad she said, in his speech on this day in 1949, as the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly, he had expressed the view that it is up to those who operate the Constitution to keep it alive.
“He had also said that many things which cannot be written in the Constitution are done by the conventions. He had hoped that our country would acquire those capacities and develop those conventions,” she said.
While recalling the contribution of the 15 women members of the Constituent Assembly in framing the Constitution, the President also referred to the drafting of the document as the outcome of the country’s long freedom struggle and said the ideals of that “incomparable national movement” came to be enshrined in the Constitution.
“…Those ideals have been captured succinctly in the Preamble of the Constitution. They are justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. These ideals have defined India since the ages. The ideals highlighted in the Preamble of the Constitution complement each other. Together, they create an environment in which every single citizen finds an opportunity to flourish, contribute to society, and help fellow citizens.” she said.
Pointing out that the Constitutional ideals get strength from the active participation of the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary and the citizens, she said Fundamental Duties of every citizen have been clearly mentioned in our Constitution. “Protecting the unity and integrity of India, promoting harmony in the society, ensuring the dignity of women, protecting the environment, developing a scientific temper, safeguarding public property and taking the nation to higher levels of achievement are included among the Fundamental Duties of the citizens,” she said.
The President said in the last few years the government has taken several steps for the development of all sections of the society, especially the weaker sections, which in turn has improved their lives and offered new opportunities for development. She also referred to the Supreme Court, the judiciary of the country making efforts to make the judicial system more effective.
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Barring lawmakers from the Samajwadi Party (SP), leaders from across the political spectrum were present for the President’s address.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Leader of the Rajya Sabha JP Nadda, Leaders of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge (Rajya Sabha) and Rahul Gandhi (Lok Sabha), Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju were present on the dais.
SP lawmaker Javed Ali said, the party’s lawmakers were not present in the Central Hall but joined the reading of the Preamble in the party office.
“We read the Preamble in our party office, because we did not feel it was right to commemorate Samvidhan Divas with the BJP. In recent times, efforts have been made to erode the maulik adhikar (fundamental rights) enshrined in the Constitution. We saw how the voting rights of a particular community were snatched in the by-polls (in Uttar Pradesh), there are visuals of people from that community being sent back….in Sambhal Police fired at people… the right to live, vote and reservation are being snatched…” he said.
President Murmu also unveiled a commemorative coin, a postage stamp, and Sanskrit and Maithili copies of the document apart from two books, the Making of the Constitution of India: A Glimpse and Making of the Constitution of India & its Glorious Journey.