Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid homage in Parliament to Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Mahatma Gandhi “and all those who made sacrifices during the freedom struggle” as the nation celebrated Constitution Day.
Elaborating on the spirit behind celebrating ‘Constitution Day,’ the Prime Minister said it was during the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, “we all felt that what could be a greater auspicious occasion than the gift that Babasaheb Ambedkar had given to this country. We should always remember his contribution in the form of a memory book (Smrit Granth)”.
He said it would have been better if along with establishing the tradition of Republic Day on 26th January, ‘Constitution Day’ was also established on 26th November at that time itself.
“Today is the day to salute this House. Under the leadership of such stalwarts, after much churning and discussion, the nectar of our Constitution emerged, the Prime Minister said.
He noted that our Constitution is not just a collection of many articles but a great tradition of millennia. The Prime Minister said Constitution Day should also be celebrated because our path should constantly be evaluated whether it is right or not.
The Prime Minister also warned against the tendency of forgetting and glorifying convicted corrupt people. He said while giving an opportunity to reform we should refrain from glorifying such people in public life.
The Prime Minister said Mahatma Gandhi had tried to prepare the nation for its duties, even while fighting for the rights in the freedom movement. “It would have been better if the duty had been emphasized after the country's independence. In the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, it is necessary for us to move forward on the path of duty so that our rights are protected”, he concluded.
The President also participated in the event. After the speech of the President, the nation joined him Live, in reading the Preamble of the Constitution. President released the digital version of Constituent Assembly Debates, digital version of calligraphed copy of the Constitution of India and updated version of the Constitution of India that includes all amendments till date. He also inaugurated an ‘Online Quiz on Constitutional Democracy’.
