Constitution is country’s ‘national text’ that guides institutions, personal conduct: President Murmu

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said that the Constitution of India is not merely a legislative document but the “national text” that guides institutions and personal conduct.  

The President was addressing the Constitution Day celebrations organised by the Supreme Court. Paying homage to the founding fathers who “crafted the largest written Constitution for the largest democracy in world history”, President Murmu said the Constitution remains the source of India’s unity, republican character, equality, and peaceful social, economic and political transformation.

“It is a matter of national pride that everyone, from the general public to experts, has become increasingly confident in our Constitution,” she said, adding that the question ‘What does the Constitution say on this subject?’ has become the standard for determining the legitimacy of any action or system.

The President said that India’s constitutional framers worked with an unwavering sense of “national interest”, providing the country with a durable foundation for unity. She recalled that during the framing of the Constitution, there was “deep public engagement” with the process, and 53,000 citizens attended the Constituent Assembly’s sittings from the Visitors’ Gallery.

President Murmu said that thousands of suggestions were received from the public, and members from every region and social group participated in shaping the Constitution. Referring to Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s role, the President said Constitution Day, officially adopted in 2015 to mark his 125th birth anniversary year, is a tribute to his “extraordinary contribution”.

She also acknowledged the contributions of women members of the Assembly, including Dakshayani Velayudhan, who had emphasised that the Constitution must give people “a new framework for living”.

President Murmu said that despite being a legislative document, the Constitution became “a reference book for the people” through public participation and widespread representation. She suggested the creation of a child-friendly version of the Constitution in various Indian languages so that future generations “continue to feel connected” to constitutional ideals from early childhood.

“A good personality can be formed when constitutional ideals and duties are assimilated at a stage when a child’s life perspective is developing,” she said. President Murmu stressed that the executive, legislature and judiciary must continue to strengthen the constitutional system “through mutual coordination”, adding that such harmonised functioning would accelerate India’s progress towards becoming a developed nation.

The President concluded her address by invoking the Supreme Court’s motto "Yato Dharmastato Jayaḥ" saying that in a democracy, “where constitutional values prevail, victory prevails”.

--IANS

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