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Remarks by Ambassador Sibi George on the occasion of the Constitution Day of India celebrations in Berne, Nov 26, 2019

Posted on: November 26, 2019 | Back | Print

Remarks by Ambassador Sibi George on the occasion of the Constitution Day of India celebrations in Berne, Nov 26, 2019

Your Excellencies Ambassadors, Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I welcome Your Excellencies and out distinguished guests for joining me today to celebrate the Constitution Day of India.
          
Seventy years ago on this day, November 26, 1949, 299 members of the Constituent Assembly of India met and formally adopted the Constitution of India in New Delhi.

At the midnight of August 14, on the eve of India’s independence in 1947, the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru addressing the Constituent Assembly said, I quote “Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny; and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.

A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new -- when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India, and her people, and to the still larger cause of humanity.”

It is in realization of the solemn pledge of dedication to the service of India that the Constituent Assembly went about framing the constitution of India. Since its first meeting in December 1946, the Constituent Assembly took two years, eleven months and seventeen days for the Constituent Assembly to complete the task of finalizing the constitution.

The Constitution of India has the distinction of being the most lengthy and detailed written constitutional document the world has so far produced. The original constitution contained as many as 395 articles and 8 schedules, today it contains 461 articles and 12 schedules. It provides for the Constitutions of the Union and Units i.e the States of India with the same fullness and precision.

The Preamble of the Constitution states, I quote:

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 26th day of November 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Today morning the members of my Mission visited the Gandhi Statue at the Gandhi square in Villeneuve where we read out the preamble of the Constitution.

Today, in India, we speak different languages, we worship different gods, we eat different foods, we wear different clothes, but there is a feeling of oneness and common consciousness that keeps us together, make us proud of our nation India. In May this year in implementation of this constitution India went to polling booth to elect a new government. It was the largest festival of democracy in the world when 600 million people exercised their sovereign right to vote.

It is an occasion for celebration for 1.3 billion Indians definitely, but it is also an occasion for celebration for the humanity when 1/6th of its population celebrates the anniversary of its constitution which guarantees 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. Addressing the Members of Indian Parliament today, Prime Minister Modi said, “The Constitution, can be simplified in two mantras as "dignity for Indian" and "unity for India". “The constitution encompasses our life, our society, our traditions and beliefs and also solutions to new challenges”, Prime Minister Modi said.

November 26 is a happy occasion as India celebrates Constitution Day but it also is a sad reminder of the Mumbai terror attacks, which had taken place on this day in 2008. For India, Nov 26 is an occasion to remember and honour the framers of our constitution, particularly Dr. Ambedkar, who is called the Father of the Constitution of India, whose birth anniversary we will celebrate on April 14. Nov 26 is also an occasion to remember the victims of Mumbai terror attacks.

Today we are launching our yearlong celebrations to celebrate the constitution of India. I invite you to see a photo exhibition ‘Making of Indian constitution’ here. I also invite you to watch a short video on the occasion.

I once again thank you for coming over to join our celebrations today.
          
Thank you.

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