The text of the Preamble of the Indian constitution reads:
“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to
constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST
SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to
all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY, of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the
unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November,
1949, DO HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO
OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.”
The constitution came into force on January 26, 1950. The
January 26 became the Republic Day of India.
Let us look back with some sense of
introspection and consider whether we have
lived up to the lofty ideals of the Preamble
of the constitution of the Republic India.
It is a mixed bag, to my mind, of good and
bad.
The Good – we are prevailing as a sovereign country and are a
dignified member of the comity of nations.
We are the largest democracy of the world.
The words ‘Socialist and Secular’ were added
to the preamble were added on the
recommendations of the Swaran Singh
Committee later sometime in the early 70s.
It could be anybody’s guess or opinion
whether we are socialist and secular? The
redeeming factor is that the constitution is
working. If, somehow, polarization of
political forces on the basis of ideology
and programme happens, Indian democracy
would be the most vibrant and successful.
The Bad – Could we secure for ourselves Justice, Liberty and
Equality and promote Fraternity, as
visualized by the founding fathers? The
answer, most probably, is in the negative.
The justice is delayed, costly, lopsided and
hard to find. The liberty is discriminatory.
The Media is totally commercialized. The
intellectual class is self-centered. The
Equality is yet to come by in the caste
ridden society. We have failed to promote
fraternity in the society at large. Communal
strife is getting strengthened. Religious
bigotry is gaining support. But it is
satisfactory to note that we still swear to
uphold the constitution. Many positive
things have happened and much is
underway.Anyway, we have come a long way but
still we have to go a long way. We need to
work and strive in unison.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar rightly said in his last speech in the
Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949
and I quote “….. I shall not therefore enter
into the merits of the Constitution. Because
I feel, 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 working of a Constitution does not
depend wholly upon the nature of the
Constitution. The Constitution can provide
only the organs of State such as the
Legislature, the Executive and the
Judiciary. The factors on which the working
of those organs of the State depends are the
people and the political parties they will
set up as their instruments to carry out
their wishes and their politics. “
We the people of India must consider and realize this if we
want to see India succeed and prosper. It
seems that the constitution has not failed
us. And we must not fail the constitution
By. Mr. Ramesh Chander, Retired Indian Diplomat
