New Delhi, Nov 26: President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday asserted that the Constitution is the cornerstone of the nation’s identity as also the guiding document to shun colonial mindset and adopt nationalistic thinking.
Addressing the Constitution Day event at the Central Hall of the Old Parliament building, now called ‘Samvidhan Sadan’, Murmu also said the Indian Parliament, which expresses public aspirations in the world’s largest democracy, now serves as an example for many democracies around the world.
The president said the Constitution is the document of the country’s national pride and the text of the national identity.
“It is a guiding text for taking the country forward with a nationalist mindset by abandoning the colonial mindset,” she said.
Murmu said with this spirit and keeping in mind the social and technological developments, important legislations related to the criminal justice system have been implemented.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, based on the spirit of justice rather than punishment, have been implemented, she noted.
The three new laws replaced the colonial era Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act of 1872, respectively. The new laws came into effect from July 1, 2024.
The President said India’s parliamentary system, reflecting public expression, has become stronger in various dimensions and the success of the Constitution’s faith in public wisdom through the provision of adult franchise is lauded in many other countries.
She said by moving forward in accordance with the constitutional system, India’s executive, legislature and judiciary have strengthened the development of the country and given stability and support to the lives of its citizens.
“The members of both Houses of Parliament have not only taken our country forward but have also developed a healthy tradition of deep political thinking. In the coming eras, when comparative studies of various democracies and constitutions will be conducted, Indian democracy and Constitution will be described in golden letters,” she said.
Murmu described the members of parliament as the bearers, creators, and witnesses of the glorious tradition of the Constitution and democracy.
She expressed confidence that under the guidance of Parliament, the resolve to make India a developed nation will definitely be fulfilled.
The president said the strong arguments given in the Constituent Assembly in favour of adopting the parliamentary system are relevant even today.
“The Indian Parliament, which expresses public aspirations in the world’s largest democracy, today serves as an example for many democracies around the world,” she said.
The president said the increased turnout of women voters over the past few years has given special social expression to the country’s democratic consciousness.
“Women, youth, the poor, farmers, members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, people from disadvantaged sections, the middle class, and the neo-middle class are strengthening our democratic system from the Panchayat to Parliament,” she said.
Murmu said the ideals that express the soul of the Constitution are social, economic and political justice; liberty, equality, and fraternity.
On all these dimensions, MPs have actualised the visions of the Constitution-makers, she said.
The president said as a tangible testament to the success of the parliamentary system, now India is rapidly progressing towards becoming the world’s third largest economy.
“India has achieved one of the world’s greatest successes on the scale of economic justice, with nearly 250 million people coming out of poverty,” she said.
The president also released the digital version of the Constitution in nine languages- Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Punjabi, Bodo, Kashmiri, Telugu, Odia and Assamese.
The programme included the reading of the Preamble led by the president.
Besides Murmu, those seated at the dais included Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Opposition leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, Union ministers J P Nadda and Kiren Rijiju and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha Harivansh.
Several union ministers and MPs from both houses of Parliament attended the event.
A commemorative booklet on calligraphy in the original Constitution was also released. (Agencies)
