New Delhi, Nov 26
As India observes its National Law Day on this day, it celebrates the diamond anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. This sacrosanct document of paramount legal status lays down the framework for India’s polity and sets out an array of rights, duties, and directives for both citizens and the state for the best practice of democracy.
On November 26, 1949, the Constituent Assembly presented the national Constitution after an arduous process of elaborate debates and meticulous discussions, to be adopted as a legal document, before it came into force on January 26, 1950.
Marking 75 years of the evolving existence of the Indian Constitution, O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) inaugurated India’s first, an exclusive and dedicated institution named 'Constitution Museum and the Rights and Freedoms Academy' at its Sonipat campus in Haryana, on November 23.
The university’s founding Vice Chancellor, Prof C. Raj Kumar, in conversation with IANS, explained what such an initiative means for India and its people.
Given that this unique museum is housed in a varsity campus, and that close to 40 million students are engaged in the higher education system in the country at present, Dr Raj Kumar highlighted that this step was crucial in the direction of nation-building.
An educational pursuit
“Imagine if we didn’t invest in ideas of democracy, Constitution, rule of law, democratic polity, elections and rights and freedoms, they [students] will end up growing up disconnected with the idea of nation-building,” the JGU VC said, adding, “You can’t preach them to be committed to the nation if they don’t know the history, the struggles, and the context.”
He maintained that the idea of the Constitution Museum and the Constitution itself is central to education because “this is how we can promote civic education which will ultimately develop an informed citizenry.”
Emphasising the necessity of civic education, he said that engaging with young students is an effective way to promote it. He highlighted that people up to a certain generation learnt ‘Civics’ as part of their school curriculum and that such learning is absent these days -- “my children have no such subject and they have no opportunity to learn it unless they go beyond the school curriculum,” said the 50-year-old VC.
On that note, he stated that for a person who has no connect with the Constitution, should have a look at its historical evolution and how this document shaped the nation so far, lending significance to the newly established institution.
An enduring legacy
75 years is a long time for a Constitution to not only survive but to serve its purpose consistently. “It has brought us together as people despite all the differences of caste, religion, language, culture, food habits, attire, climatic conditions, to the political differences we had -- all brought under this one document which everybody is prepared to commit themselves to,” said the VC.
The healthy survival of the Constitution is indeed a feat to celebrate. Not many constitutions have withstood the test of time. Countries like Egypt, Nepal and Afghanistan had their respective Constitutions change with certain governments. Older democracies, over a long period, have had several Constitutions.
They ended up fulfilling Dr Ambedkar’s prophecy, said Prof Raj Kumar, “You could have a great Constitution but if the people who man it are not good, then it will fail.”
On the other hand, the Republic Of India has had this single Constitution for the past 75 years since its inception. Stating that a Constitution is a work in progress, the VC pointed out that even older and developed democracies, such as the US, are constantly making it better.
Epitome of Democracy
“Our Constitution has not only withstood the test of time but it has served us well,” he said. The Sanctity of the Indian Constitution is maintained across party lines, and despite differences, all adhere to it. The seed of this ethos was sown at the time of raging debates at the Constituent Assembly.
“One of the most remarkable things is that the members of The Constituent Assembly disagreed on several matters but they disagreed with a lot of respect and dignity. They disagreed and agreed in the larger interest of the nation,” the VC spotlighted. “What we can learn from the Constituent Assembly is that people with strong political and ideological differences can come together for a larger national interest,” he added.
During the making of the Constitution, every disagreement was duly paid attention to and responded to. This was “absolutely” the epitome of a democratic exercise. “It doesn’t get better,” he admitted.
Lest we forget, the smaller percentage of women in the Constituent Assembly who made substantive contributions and each had an important role to play, are honoured with a dedicated wall at the museum.
A living space
While museums are generally presumed to be archives, the Constitution Museum is set to be as living and dynamic a space as the Constitution itself. It is a space designed to evolve over time and remain relevant.
Christened 'Constitution Museum and the Rights and Freedoms Academy', Dr Raj Kumar pointed out that the fulcrum of this academy is the constant learning and evolving as new information is gathered, and the museum is also updated.
With the intent to organise events of intellectual engagements and participative exercises under this initiative, people can appreciate what the Constitution is and also talk about how to make it better.
Timelessness of the Constitution
For a massive document adopted in 1949, and for it to remain relevant and functional in 2024, the makers had ensured to keep within it the space to incorporate necessary changes and amendments. Dr Raj Kumar, also a Professor of Law explained this with the example of the Right to Education Act.
There was no specific provision in the Constitution that was focused on the right to education. But with Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty), after several decades of the Constitution being functional, two judgements of the Supreme Court expanded this Article (Right to Life) and observed that the framers of the Constitution “had not envisaged some random animal life and its existence—but it is a right to life of meaningful existence, a right to life of informed engagement; and one cannot have a meaningful existence without education,” he said.
So, the Supreme Court interpreted and read into the Right to Life Provision of the Constitution. After the Supreme Court’s argument, Right to Education became a Fundamental Right, and the Parliament accepted it and enacted it into law. Article 21 A (Right to Education) was thus inserted in the Constitution.
Current perspective
A step in the direction of developing a better sense of our history, the purpose of this newly-founded initiative is to pause and spare a thought to the 75-year journey of the Indian Constitution, pay tribute to its makers and, most importantly, to be able to fulfil our responsibilities as mere ordinary citizens without any labels of power.
This museum serves to “appreciate our past so that we are better prepared for the future.”
