Let new India arise out of peasants’ cottage, grasping the plough, out of huts, cobbler and sweeper- Swami Vivekananda Republic Day in India is commemorated in honour of the formation of Constitution of India on 26th January 1950. India, in 2018 is celebrating its 68th year of Republic Day. Post-independence from the British rule, it was vital for our Nation to frame a set of guidelines to abide by. A Drafting Committee chaired by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar was appointed who contrived the Constitution of India, a document constituting the fundamental political principles, procedures, powers, duties of Government institutions and the fundamental rights, directive principles and duties of the citizens of the country. After many deliberations and modi•cations, the document was brought into effect by the Constituent Assembly on 26th January 1950, the day which started to be celebrated as Republic Day since then. The date of 26th January was chosen in honour of the Purna Swaraj declaration of independence of 1930. Indian Constitution is the longest written Constitution in the world and there have been several amendments subsequently to this living document. Justice Marshall asserts: “It is the nature of (a) Constitution that only its great outlines be marked. It is a document intended to endure for ages and therefore, it has to be interpreted not merely on the basis of the intention and understanding of its framers but on the experience of its working effectively, in the existing social context”.
The Solemnization
political Republic Day is marked with paying tributes to the Armed Forces through military parades in the capital city of New Delhi at Rajpath and other State capitals in the country. Regiments of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force march past in all their •nery with the President of India, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces taking the salute. It is a day dedicated to to honour all those brave soldiers who sacri•ced their lives for the Nation with medals and bravery awards though that would only be a minimal expression of our gratitude as compared to the immense eschewal of family and friends of a soldier. The patriotic fervour encompasses the school children with colourful dance troupes performing to the tunes of patriotic songs during the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. It is considered a way to inculcate in the tiny minds a sense of allegiance towards our Nation. It is also a time for our Armed Forces to display the country’s artillery and any new additions to it during the year. It helps boost the courage and self-con•dence of the citizens of the nation. Indian Air Force exhibits excellent •ying skills with •ghter jets •ying past the parade area. The radiant formations of the jets up in the sky concluding with a tricolour formation of our National Flag and their continuous shower of •owers from the sky exuding resplendence in every bit is a view that needs to be seen to be believed. The fearless maneuvering of the •ghter jets by the Air Force personnel in the sky is sure to idolize their bravery in the minds of us civilians and arouse in us, the perseverance to stand by the interests of our Nation at any cost. The most awaited vibrant tableaus going past chronographically, each of them showcasing the cultural intricacies of their State during the Republic Day parade is a feast for the eyes and it goes without saying that it emphatically adds to a sense of pride and amazement in every Indian at the enormity of our cultural heritage and the diversity that is riveted with the background of each State. Our immortal principle of “Unity in Diversity” is best represented in this enriching parade of State-wise tableaus. Our tricolour National Flag hoisted in the Capital and in State Capitals on this day enumerates the struggles of our innumerable fellow country-men who have sacri•ced their lives to get us acountry free of bondage from foreign force, a country that was handed over to Indians to be carried forward with self- regard. Beating the retreat, the splashy concluding ceremony at Vijay Chowk marks the end of Republic Day celebrations held in the evening of the third day of Republic Day, on 29th of January every year. The retreat with the Chief Guest as President of India, is a witness to a brilliant display of Military Bands, Pipe and Drum Bands, Buglers and Trumpeters from various Army, Navy and Air Force Regiments. The tunes to the like of Sare Jahan Se Achcha •ll the air with nationalistic fervour and coagulate the dutifulness in the minds of Indians. The series of events ending in a vibrant splendour of artillery and bands conveys a resounding watchfulness of our Armed Forces in conjunction with binding the citizens of the nation with courage and public spirit. It is an apt occasion to pay our respects to these protectors of our Nation. Guest of Honour for the occasion is usually a Head of a State of another country and the selection of the guest depends on the strategic, economic and political interests of India each year. It is directed towards building up good relations with countries in the world and strengthening the already existing cordial relationships with certain other nations. Inviting the then American President, Barack Obama in 2015 initiated an era of trust between the two nations while inviting the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed in 2017 deepened our ties with United Arab Emirates in terms of infrastructure investment, trade and geopolitics along with restraining the lurking terror threat in the world. This year, for the •rst time in the history of India, the leaders of all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam will be Chief Guests on the Republic Day. The Act East Policy of India is the crux of ASEAN. Thus this event is seen as not only to uplift and update the perception among the citizens about our Nation but also as a modus operandi to develop and strengthen mutual trust and kinship with other countries in the world.
With the current Government assuring heightened socio-economic, political and cultural reforms to the citizens of India, there seems a light at the end of the tunnel. Welfare of farmers, digitalization, focussing on the issue of unemployment through encouraging start-ups with Make in India initiative, giving a boost to the personal morale of citizens with Swachch Bharath initiative, women empowerment are a few issues that the current Government has been addressing. The effort to change the face of India in the global •rmament through the country’s technological advancements however is only a beginning towards a New India. In the words of Vikram Seth in his book, “A Suitable Boy”, the current Government’s image as an exponent of discipline and order is built on both the successes and failures of the ancient regime. It offers modernisation, but without modernity, bullet trains without the culture of criticism, managerial efficiency without the guarantee of equal rights. And this streamlined design for a new India immediately entices those welloff Indians who have long regarded democracy as a nuisance, recoiled from the destitute masses, and idolised technocratic, doers.” As the great potential of India and its citizens is in the process of being tapped, there still seems to be a huge scope. In the wake of the above, it is an enlightened and an honest leadership that will usher in a near-destitute people into active citizenship, economic prosperity and self-reliance thereby placing India on a pedestal to progression. On this Republic Day, it is very apt that as citizens of a country with myriad cultures, we assure to remain united and acknowledge the sacri•ces made by the soldiers in the Armed Forces, empathize with their integrity and contribute our bit for the betterment of our society and our Nation. This reassurance to the self and to the fellow countrymen is the minimum we could do as responsible citizens of one of the largest democracies of the world.
The Background
Post independent India was a dichotomous amalgamation of both dark and bright sides, striving towards best. The era of postindependence re•ected the aspirations of the bygone leaders, the dreams of foreseers, and the hopes the multitude of Indians.. India acquired its long cherished independence on 15th August, 1947, after British government decided to lay down all claims of the Indian dominion. Behind all these rosy and promising state of affairs, there also was underlying the extreme dark side of post-independence India, in the terrible fate of Partition of India into India and Pakistan. As if to burst the balloon of Swaraj illusion, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30th January 1948. Amidst such commotion, Indian government post-independence was to behave in a secular and sovereign manner, taking decisions pertaining to economy,oreign relations, border security and the likes. Keeping these sublime facts to mind and looking towards establishing India as a respected free nation worldwide, the country framed its one of a kind Constitution on 26th November, 1949. The Constituent Assembly of India adopted the Constitution of India, drafted by a colossal committee, headed by the enigmatic B. R. Ambedkar. India from then onwards became a federal, democratic republic after its Constitution came to effect on January 26, 1950, the day which was declared henceforth as Republic Day to its citizens. Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the •rst President of independent India. The Parliament went on to pass extensive reforms that ampli•ed the legal rights of women in Hindu society and further legislated strictly against caste discrimination and untouchability.
The Struggle
In spite of various measures being taken to uplift the country after independence, dark forces still hovered around, in the form of the Jammu & Kashmir issue and its delimitations, one of the primary causes that lead to the Indo-China War in 1962. Additional Kashmir con•icts erupted in the form of Indo-Pak War in 1971, wherein Pakistan had dangerously come down onto Indian control lineups, forcing Indian Army to take dire measures. The 1971 Indo Pak War was won by Indian brave hearts. Industrialisation and commercialisation of technology and general goods product was another domain that was laid primary emphasis by the post-independence Indian government to verily in•uence foreign trade and import. However, despite the narrow basis and the class constraints on the democratic system in a developing capitalist society, it is credtable that parliamentary democracy has retained its vitality over the years. This is mainly due to the people and their struggles and democratic movements. One of the major achievements of independent India is the parliamentary democratic system that was instituted along with a Republican Constitution. The Constitution provided the scope for people's participation and a voice in politics, which re•ects the aspirations of the Indian people in their struggle for national independence. The participation of ordinary people in the elections at all levels is marked by sustained enthusiasm. However, the political system cannot be said to have transformed the lives of people. The assurances of securing their livelihood, abolition of poverty and the structures of exploitation providing equity with economic growth were still a long way to go.
The Constitution
The Constitution of India, in its Directive Principles, directs the state to “promote the welfare of the people by securing a social order in which justice, social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of the national life. It calls for the state to strive to minimise the inequalities in income and to see that the control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the common good and to ensure that the operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth and means of production to common detriment." On the verge of entering the seventh decade now, we are yet to reach the goals set by our Constitution. One of the major reasons is traced to economic inequalities and concentration of wealth in certain pockets in the Nation.
The Reforms
With the current Government assuring heightened socio-economic, political and cultural reforms to the citizens of India, there seems a light at the end of the tunnel. Welfare of farmers, digitalization, focussing on the issue of unemployment through encouraging start-ups with Make in India initiative, giving a boost to the personal morale of citizens with Swachch Bharath initiative, women empowerment are a few issues that the current Government has been addressing. The effort to change the face of India in the global •rmament through the country’s technological advancements however is only a beginning towards a New India. In the words of Vikram Seth in his book, “A Suitable Boy”, the current Government’s image as an exponent of discipline and order is built on both the successes and failures of the ancient regime. It offers modernisation, but without modernity, bullet trains without the culture of criticism, managerial efficiency without the guarantee of equal rights. And this streamlined design for a new India immediately entices those welloff Indians who have long regarded democracy as a nuisance, recoiled from the destitute masses, and idolised technocratic, doers.” As the great potential of India and its citizens is in the process of being tapped, there still seems to be a huge scope. In the wake of the above, it is an enlightened and an honest leadership that will usher in a near-destitute people into active citizenship, economic prosperity and self-reliance thereby placing India on a pedestal to progression. On this Republic Day, it is very apt that as citizens of a country with myriad cultures, we assure to remain united and acknowledge the sacri•ces made by the soldiers in the Armed Forces, empathize with their integrity and contribute our bit for the betterment of our society and our Nation. This re-assurance to the self and to the fellow countrymen is the minimum we could do as responsible citizens of one of the largest democracies of the world.
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