Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that Jammu Kashmir celebrated its first Constitution Day, marking a historic milestone with the full implementation of the Indian Constitution in the region.
Addressing an event at the Supreme Court to mark Constitution Day, PM Modi described the Constitution as a “living stream” that has adapted to the evolving needs and expectations of the nation, including the challenges posed by Emergency, and will continue to guide India through changing times.
Modi emphasised that his government has strengthened constitutional values through various welfare initiatives aimed at promoting social and financial equality.
He highlighted measures such as opening bank accounts for over 53 crore people, providing homes for more than four crore poor families, delivering cooking gas cylinders to needy women, and implementing health insurance for the underprivileged.
The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, which occurred on Constitution Day, reaffirming India’s resolve to confront and respond to threats to its security effectively.
Recalling Rajendra Prasad’s concluding remarks to the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, Modi stated that India requires only “a group of honest people who will keep the country’s interests above their own,” embodying the ‘nation first’ ethos that will sustain the Constitution for centuries.
Modi underscored that the Constitution was not merely a book of laws but a dynamic framework crafted by its makers to reflect India’s aspirations and facilitate progress.
He urged all citizens to focus on building a developed India and said that the Constitution remains a beacon during the country’s transformative period.
In his address, Modi acknowledged the new judicial code aimed at speeding up justice and highlighted that the shift from a punishment-based system to a justice-based system aligns with constitutional values.
He also referenced the original calligraphed Constitution, which included images of figures like Lord Ram, Sita, Guru Nanak, Buddha, and Mahavir, symbolising the human values that the document aims to uphold.
The event featured speeches from Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Bar Council of India chairman Manan Kumar Mishra. Mishra praised Modi’s leadership and defended the government against critics who claimed its actions were contrary to the Constitution’s spirit.