EMBODIMENT OF CULTURE AND IDEALS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONSTITUTION

Every responsible citizen should keep an eye on how the governance is going on in a democracy and how it should be run. I agree, the Constitution makes it possible. The work of giving justice, freedom and participation in power to all the citizens of the country is done through someone, then it is the Constitution itself. The intention behind implementing the Constitution in the country on January 26, 1950 and adopting it has been that all Indians get the ideal of a universal democratic republic. Our Constitution related to fraternity, self-respect and unity of the nation among the citizens is not only a law to govern the country, but also a kind of manifesto for economic and social transformation of the country. The faith of the Constitution is in the ‘democratic system of governance’. That’s why you see, the power of the Constitution lies directly with the people. What ideals, aspirations the Constitution reveals, it can be understood clearly from the words contained in the preamble of the Constitution ‘We the people of India’. It is not just the words of the preamble of the Constitution but it is the life philosophy of our great Indian culture. If the Constitution has given us rights, it has also given us duties. In my every public function, I recite the fundamental duties along with the preamble of the Constitution.

I do that so that all should be alert to follow the basic duties along with the rights. I firmly believe that no democracy can be called vibrant unless its citizens are ready to actively participate in governance and shoulder responsibilities for the best interest of the country. Our nation is one of the few countries in the world where the glorious tradition of democracy has existed since ancient times. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Shri Krishna says that one should perform one’s duties without expecting the fruits. In this way, what other book can be bigger about performing one’s duty than the saga of Lord Shri Ram, the Supreme Personality of Godhead! Mahatma Gandhi always used to say that the right source of rights is our duties and if we perform our duties properly then we will not need to ask for rights. The Constitution balances the rights and duties of the citizens. I believe that the fundamental duties act as a kind of cautionary for the citizens of the country. It helps in achieving national goals by promoting a sense of discipline and commitment towards the nation as well as ensuring active participation of the citizens. The fundamental duties in the Constitution were needed because rights and duties are interdependent.

There are some moral duties in the Constitution and some others are civic duties. It is a moral ideal to cherish the noble ideals of the freedom struggle and it is the civic duty of all of us to respect the Constitution, the National Flag and the National Anthem. Fundamental Duties are a part of Indian tradition, mythology, religions and practices. Nation is not a geography. The Constitution is also not just an idea or just a book. This is an ideal and for this we all need to keep working continuously. That’s why after assuming the post of Governor in Rajasthan, I started working keeping constitutional awareness as a priority. I initiated the tradition of reciting the preamble and basic duties of the Constitution in the speech in the State Legislative Assembly, took the initiative to build a Constitution Park in all funded universities of the state and the construction of a Constitution Park in the Raj Bhavan is the culmination of that. The main intention behind the construction of the Constitution Park has been that people can experience the tangible explanation of the ideals related to our Constitution like a movie. The Governor is not a person but a constitutional institution. Anyone who comes to the Raj Bhavan, special or common, can come face to face with the high ideals enshrined in the Constitution, for this purpose the Indian Constitution has been realised here through sculptures, pictures, installations and other mediums. By looking at the sculptures, models and images displayed here, it will be known how the dream of constitutional democracy, socialism, secularism, freedom, equality, fraternity, goodwill, unity and integrity have been included in the Constitution by the makers of the Constitution. Mahatma Gandhi had once said that nation is an abstract concept which is made concrete by the citizens of the nation. This belief is created by the culture, civilization, thinking tradition, religion, worship, way of life etc. of that group of people.

If we go in the light of this saying of Gandhiji, then it will also be known that our Constitution was prepared keeping the ideals of Indian culture at the centre. Renowned artist Nandlal Bose was called from Santiniketan and paintings were made in all the 22 parts of the Constitution in the light of ancient Indian culture, tradition and geography. It is a matter of pride that Kirpal Singh Shekhawat, a renowned artist of Rajasthan, has also contributed in the making of these paintings. The Constitution Park, which has been prepared in the Raj Bhavan, is important in the way that it is very beautiful, saluting the journey of Constitution making, Constituent Assembly committees, the picture of the Constituent Assembly of 1950, the Constituent Assembly model and the contribution of women in the Constituent Assembly. Sculptures have been displayed. Here the names of the members of the Constituent Assembly are engraved, then historical photographs related to the making of the Constitution and the statue of presenting the Constitution book to the then President Dr Rajendra Prasad by Dr BR Ambedkar. Apart from that, images of public heroes associated with the Constitution and democracy have been displayed.

This Constitution Park not only shows the historical journey of the Constitution making, but it is also a beautiful euphemism of Indian art-culture and rule of law. When the idea of this park came to my mind, the first thing I discussed was with our Chief Specialist Govind Ram Jaiswal. He gave very important suggestions after studying the culture related to the Constitution. When the Jaipur Development Authority started work under the Smart City Scheme of the Central Government, Architect Anoop Bartaria worked to bring alive the concrete form of the Constitution. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot took full interest in it and it was completed in less than a year after its foundation stone was laid on January 26, 2022. The President of the world’s largest democratic nation, Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate it and dedicate it to the state and the nation. This is truly a historic moment. I want that taking inspiration from the Constitution as a reflection of our culture, all the citizens should work while being aware of their constitutional rights as well as their basic duties.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

KALRAJ MISHRA The writer is Governor of Rajasthan