Prime Minister Narendra Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the All India Conference of Presidents on the occasion of Constitution Day on Thursday.
Referring to Constitution Day, Prime Minister Modi said that today is the day to bow to the inspiration of Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi) and the commitment of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
“Many of these personalities have decided the path of India’s development. Five years ago it was decided on November 26 to celebrate the day as Constitution Day to remember their efforts,” said the prime minister.
Here are his key comments on the occasion:
11/26 terrorist attacks in Bombay
Prime Minister Modi named Pakistan in his direction and said that terrorists sent from Pakistan had attacked Mumbai that day in 2008.
“People from India and many foreign nations died. I pay tribute to them, as well as to the police and security forces who died fighting the terrorists, ”said the prime minister.
He added that India today can never forget the Mumbai terrorist attacks of 11/26, one of the largest on Indian soil.
“Today’s India is fighting terrorism with ‘new niti and new riti,'” the prime minister said.
About Constitution, Emergency and more
Speaking about the Constitution, the prime minister noted that an effort was made to destroy the tradition of separation of powers during the 1970s, but a response to this attempt was also given through the Constitution.
“After the Emergency, the Checks and Balances system was strengthened. Legislature, Executive and Judicial, the three learned a lot from that (Emergency) period and progressed, ”said the prime minister at the conference.
“130 crore Indians have shown maturity and one of the main reasons behind that is their trust in the three arms of the Constitution,” he added.
The prime minister noted that both houses of Parliament have worked longer than planned. “Parliamentarians have also implemented a cut in their salaries to show their commitment. Many state MLAs have also donated a portion of their salaries to contribute to the fight against coronavirus, ”he said.
The prime minister referred to the recently concluded Bihar elections and said the world has witnessed India’s strong electoral processes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “The strength derived from the Constitution helps to facilitate such difficult tasks,” Modi said.
The prime minister also raised the tone for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. He said: “One nation, one election is not just a matter of debate, this is India’s need.”
The prime minister also suggested a single list of voters for the Lok Sabha, Assembly and panchayat polls, arguing that separate lists were a waste of resources.
Without naming Congress, the prime minister also attacked previous governments for stalling development projects. Referring to the Sardar Sarovar dam in Kevadia, the prime minister said that the dam project was stalled for years. And those responsible for this delay do not even regret their actions.
The link between rights and duties
The prime minister recalled that the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was clear in his vision of fundamental rights and duties, which he said were interrelated.
“Our Constitution has many characteristics, but a very special characteristic is the importance that is given to duties. Mahatma Gandhi was very interested in this. He saw a close link between rights and duties. He considered that once we fulfilled our duties, rights will be protected automatically, “declared the prime minister.
Referring to KYC (Know Your Client), PM coined the term ‘Know Your Constitution’ and said the same could help strengthen our constitutional safeguards.
The prime minister suggested that the language of the law should be so simple that any common man could understand it.
A simplified procedure is also necessary to eliminate laws that have lost relevance over time.
“Can’t we put in place a system in which, just as we amend old laws, the removal of such laws can also happen automatically?” Asked the prime minister.
