Updated: November 26, 2020 7:14:09 pm
People observe Constitution Day at Ambedkar Garden in South Mumbai on Thursday. (Express photo: Ganesh Shirsekar)
On November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India, which came into force on January 26, 1950.
Although January 26 is celebrated as Republic Day, since 2015, November 26 has been observed as Constitution Day. from India, or Samvidhan Divas.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter today: “We started observing November 26 as Constitution Day in 2015. Since then, people across India have been celebrating it with great fervor. This is a day to express gratitude to the creators of our Constitution and to reiterate our commitment to building the India of your dreams. “
Why is November 26 observed as Constitution Day?
In May 2015, the Union Cabinet announced that November 26 will be observed as Constitution Day to promote “constitutional values among citizens.” This was the year that marked the 125th anniversary of the birth of BR Ambedkar, chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee. Other members included Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, and Shayama Prasad Mukherjee, among others.
The central government’s decision was seen as a move to reclaim Ambedkar’s legacy, in an attempt to reach out to the Dalit community. Following the cabinet meeting in 2015, then-Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot said: “Rahul Gandhi and his party never honored Ambedkar. Neither did he obtain the Bharat Ratna, nor was his oil painting installed in the premises of Parliament while Congress was in power. “
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At that time, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment decided to undertake various activities to promote the ideas and philosophy of Ambedkar, including the creation of the International Ambedkar Center in 15, Janpath at a cost of more than 197 million rupees.
On November 19, 2015, the government formally notified November 26 as Constitution Day. Prior to this, the day was observed as National Law Day. Ambedkar was also India’s Prime Minister of Law.
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“This year, the country celebrates the 125th anniversary of the birth of Dr. BR Ambedkar. ‘Constitution Day’ will be part of these year-long national celebrations. This will be a tribute to Dr. Ambedkar, who played a pivotal role in crafting the Constitution of India as Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, ”said a press release issued by the Press Information Office in 2015. .
Chronology of events
The Constituent Assembly, the body intended to draft the Constitution of India, held its first session on December 9, 1946, which was attended by 207 members, including nine women. Initially, the assembly had 389 members, but after the independence and partition of India, the force was reduced to 299. The assembly took more than three years to draft the constitution, spending more than 114 days considering only the content of the constitution. draft.
Addressing the All India Conference of Presidents. https://t.co/vwPvZRWMff
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 26, 2020
On December 13, 1946, Nehru presented the “Resolution of Objectives” which was later adopted as a Preamble on January 22, 1947.
The Drafting Committee chaired by Ambedkar was one of the more than 17 committees of the Constituent Assembly. His task was to prepare a draft Constitution for India. Of some 7,600 amendments tabled, this committee got rid of about 2,400 amendments while debating and deliberating on the constitution.
The last session of the Constituent Assembly ended on November 26, 1949, when the Constitution was approved, and two months later, on January 26, 1950, it came into force after 284 members signed it. January 26 was elected because the Congressional resolution on Poorna Swaraj was declared on this day in 1930.
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