NEW DELHI: Addressing the nation within the newest version of his month-to-month radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, whereas congratulating countrymen on the event of Constitution Day, stated it was unlucky that the primary modification of the Constitution ‘pertained to curbing’ the liberty of speech and expression. “In keeping with the changing times, circumstances and requirements of the country, previous governments (at the Centre) carried out amendments (to the Constitution) at different times. However, it is our misfortune that the first amendment of the Constitution pertained to curtailing the freedom of speech and expression,” PM Modi stated through the 107th version of his month-to-month radio tackle on Sunday.
“However, through the 44th amendment, the wrongs committed during the Emergency (during the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi) were duly rectified,” PM Modi famous throughout his tackle. The first modification was handed in 1951 by the Provisional Parliament, members of which had simply completed drafting the Constitution as a part of the mandate of the Constituent Assembly.
As a part of the primary modification, adjustments had been made to articles 15, 19, 85, 87, 174, 176, 341, 342, 372 and 376 of the Constitution. It included the Ninth Schedule to guard land reforms and different legal guidelines, after judicial overview, whereas additionally inserting articles 31, 31A and 31B. Significantly, underneath the provisions of Article 31 of the Constitution, legal guidelines enunciated within the Ninth Schedule can’t be challenged in a courtroom of legislation on the bottom of violating the elemental rights of residents.
Labelling November 26 as an “extremely significant” day, PM Modi stated residents can draw resolve and inspiration to construct a ‘Vikshit Bharat’ (developed India) from the residents’ constitution and elementary duties which can be laid down within the Constitution. “All of us are aware that the Constitution took 2 years 11 months and 18 days to come into being. The oldest member of the Constituent Assembly was Shri Sachidananda Sinha-Ji. The draft of our Constitution was made after undertaking a close and careful study of the Constitution of over 60 countries and holding long deliberations. After reading the draft, before it was eventually adopted, over 2,000 amendments were re-incorporated into the Constitution. Since it came into force in 1950 to this day, a total of 106 amendments have been made to the Constitution,” PM Modi stated.
He additionally lauded Hansa Mehta, considered one of solely 15 ladies members of the Constituent Assembly, which sat to draft the Constitution, for her fierce advocacy of equal rights for ladies. “It’s again inspiring that of the members of the Constituent Assembly who were nominated, 15 were women. One such member was Hansa Mehta-Ji, who raised her voice for the rights and justice for women. I remember that in 2015, when we were celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar (comsidered as the father of the Constitution), a thought crossed my mind to observe the 26th of November as Constitution Day. And since then, every year, we have been celebrating this day as Constitution Day,” PM Modi added.
He stated the ‘Nari Shakti Vandanam Adhiniyam’, or the Women’s Reservation Act, which was handed by each Houses of Parliament and have become a legislation following Presidential assent, will enhance and facilitate the accomplishment of the nation’s resolve to construct a developed ‘Bharat’. “Back in the day, India was one of the few countries whose Constitution enabled voting Rights for women. It gives me immense satisfaction that following in the footsteps of the visionary framers of our Constitution, the Parliament passed the ‘Nari Shakti Vandanam Adhiniyam’. It serves as an illustration of the Sankalp Shakti (strength of resolve) of our democracy. The Women’s Reservation Act will also aid our efforts to build a developed Bharat,” PM Modi stated.
Commemorating the victims on the fifteenth anniversary of the 26/11 terror assaults in Mumbai, he added, “We can never forget 26th of November. It was on this very day that the country came under the dastardliest terror attack. The terrorists (from Pakistan) spelt fear not just in Mumbai but across the country. However, it was our combined fortitude and resilience that made us rise again from the ordeal inflicted on us by the terrorists and crush terror with full strength and resolve.”
