New Delhi: The Constitution Day was celebrated across the country on November 26, 2019 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution by the Constituent Assembly. The main event was held in the Central Hall of the Parliament in which the President of India, the Vice President of India, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of Lok Sabha and several Ministers and Members of Parliament have participated. Programmes were organized in all States and Union Territories in which the Governors / Administrators, the Chief Ministers, the Ministers, the Chief Secretaries and other officials have participated in the Mass Reading of the Preamble to the Constitution. All the Universities, Colleges, Schools and other educational institutions have taken active participation in the programmes. The Government of India Departments, the State Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Nagarpalikas, Gram Panchayats, Chambers of Industry and Commerce have also taken active participation in the Mass Reading of the Preamble.
The Indian Soldiers at the Siachen Glacier reading the Preamble to the Constitution remains the highlight of the campaign.
A Forward Block at LC, Siachen Glacier
The soldiers on-board Indian Naval Ships and Aircraft Carriers have also read the Preamble. All three Armed Forces, Paramilitary Forces have actively participated in the Mass Reading Programme. Students at various Universities, Colleges, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Industrial Training Institutes, Public Health Centres, Archeological Survey of India sites, Judicial Authorities, Cooperative Societies and Units of Integrated Child Development Scheme etc. have participated in the Mass Reading of the Preamble.
The Constitution Day celebrations were organized in Raj Bhavans, State Legislative Assemblies, Secretariats and other important offices and departments in the States.
Several Indian Embassies and Consulate Generals of India across the world have also participated in the Preamble reading on the Constitution Day.
The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Human Resource Development in association with the UGC is organizing 11 rounds of National Essay Competition. There will be one National Essay Competition every month based on the Fundamental Duty. Students enrolled in any Higher Educational Institution in India are eligible to participate. The details of the Competition could be seen on PIB Website: pib.nic.in (HRD Ministry, November 26, 2019)
Tweets by the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Ministers, State Governors and Chief Ministers and bytes captured from eminent personalities on the Indian Constitution showcased the importance given by them to the cause. Effort is also made to publicize stories from beneficiaries of duty by others, and to encourage active participation of students from Universities and Law colleges to visit schools in their areas to deliver Talks and Presentations on Fundamental Duties. Bodies like the National Legal State Authority (NALSA) and Bar Council and State Bar Councils and Associations would be providing list of resource persons at the district and state level who would undertake ‘Talks/Seminars or Lectures’ in schools and colleges. To create a year round momentum for the activities, entries for Logo competition have been invited, Essay writing, Online quiz on the activities for the general public has also been designed that can be accessed on the ‘My Gov.in’ platform.
In addition, Brochures, Posters, Films, Video clips on the theme of Constitution and Citizens’ Duties were developed and made available on the website of Department of Justice (https://doj.gov.in). Each Department / Organization has been instructed to identify one or more FD and make an action plan to project the duty in its working.
The Department of Justice in Government of India, being the nodal department, has been monitoring and coordinating the activities with the various Ministries, Departments, State Governments, Union Territories and Educational Institutions etc. Few States have prepared a Calendar for the activities to be conducted in coming months. Nearly 10,000 Photographs, Videos and Reports pertaining to the Constitution Day activities have been received by the Department from various parts of the country.
Acknowledging that the Constitution does not remain a mere abstract entity but is a living example and a beacon of hope that touches the life of every common man, it is therefore envisioned that its noble ideals and principles reaches out to every street, every corner, every mohalla and this eventually would serve as greatest tribute and honor to the founding fathers of the Indian Constitution.
