Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday appealed to uphold the ideals and values of the Constitution and create an India that will make its founding fathers proud. “Our constitution is a ray of hope. When I say, a ray of hope, I mean H for harmony, O for opportunity, P for people’s participation and E for equality.” says Modi. “It illuminates our path ahead.”

The significant achievement of India’s Constituent Assembly is that it created a Constitution which has survived. India’s Constituent Assembly had men of genius with vision, passion, integrity and patience and let no one trivialise their foundational achievement. India’s Constitution has been amended around one hundred times.

Pakistan’s assembly took seven years to draft the country’s Constitution (1956), which collapsed in 1958 and again in 1969, 1978 and so on.

Indira Gandhi’s infamous amendments, including those during the Emergency, the amendments were opportunistic, self-serving and constitutionally disgraceful. It is no wonder that the SC turned round to her in the Basic Structure case to say: “No more Mrs Gandhi, no more, you can amend the Constitution but not alter its basic structure”. That is the strength of India Constitution.

Our Constitution is founded on two premises - democracy (dominated by politicians) and rule of law and justice (ensured by the higher courts). You cannot have one without the other. Without democracy, there would be autocracy; without rule of law, there would be lawlessness.

India is a multi-cultural, multi-religious civilization of enormous diversities. To capture all this in the embrace of its versatile Constitution is an unparalleled achievement, which will carry India into the future.

Strength of India Constitution

1.    The Constituent Assembly was to have 389 members. But its membership was reduced to 299 after Partition.
2.    284 members signed the Constitution on Jan 24, 1950.
3.    After 100 amendments, the Constitution of India now has 448 articles in 25 parts, 12 schedules and 5 appendices.
4.    The concept of fundamental rights was inspired by the American constitution, the concept of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity from the French, the directive principles of state policy from the Irish and the Emergency provisions from Germany.
5.    The Constitution was handwritten in both English and Hindi. The calligraphy was done by Prem Behari Narain Raizada. The artwork was by Nandalal Bose and other artists.
6.    It took 5 years to produce the first two copies of the document which are kept in helium-filled cases in the library of Parliament.
7.    The day the Constitution was signed, it was raining. Many considered it a good omen.

By Premji