Karnataka govt to organise state-wide 'Constitution Awareness' programme from Jan 26 to Feb 23

The Government has taken a decision to create mass awareness to reaffirm the power of the Indian constitution through this 'constitution and Unity of India' programme, the government said in a release.

Mysuru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the state government is organising a massive 'Constitution and Unity of India' programme at a time when the structure of Indian constitution is being debated, its embedded values appear to be under threat due to recent developments of misconceptions, false informations, opinions against it by some vested interests who have no respect for it, he said. 

He added, "Some say they will change the Indian Constitution if they come to power. So in order to answer their doubts, clear the confusions among people, save, preserve Indian Constitution and reaffirm the power of the Indian constitution this programme is being organised. A Constitution Awareness Jatha would be held in all the districts from January 26 to February 23 covering all 6000 gram panchayats," the CM said.

The Jatha will be flagged off by the respective district in-charge ministers on January 26 and local elected representatives MLAs, MLCs, students, SHGs, people from different walks of life including farmers will participate in it. It will have a mobile van with  LED screen, which will play a short movie on the essence of the Constitution, how it has been prepared and adopted. It will also feature a few tableaux which depict contents related to the Constitution and other connected things specific to the districts. It will even have a tableau depicting guarantee schemes and the officials will help eligible citizens who are not covered in the Guarantee programmes during this jaatha," he added, Siddaramaiah told media persons in Mysuru on Thursday. 

He said the Indian Constitution was unanimously approved in the drafting committee which was chaired by Dr B R Ambedkar and involved stalwarts, statesmen. It was adopted after elaborately studying the socio, economic fabric of the India and diversity of Indian culture, after thorough discussions on what kind of Constitution is required for the nation, which will provide for the problems of class, caste system, to build a secular equal society to ensure social justice for all, so that people  live with equality, with humanity with love for each other. It guarantees several fundamental rights including the freedom to follow the religion of their choice," he said.  

"So as we step into 75^th year of adoption of the Constitution, in order to look at how the Constitution has been implemented, if the objectives of its preambles are met and what are the challenges that lie ahead, a Constitution Workshop will be held on February 25 and 26 at Bengaluru Palace ground. It will have intellectual discourse, discussions, round table on topics pertaining to concepts of Indian Constitution including 'Equality, Secularism, Social justice' involving experts from across the state, the country and few from outside India too. At the end of the round table, a declaration will be drafted based on the discussions. The workshop will be jointly organised and curated by the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC), and Karnataka Law University, along with few other institutions and NGOs," he added.  

CM Siddaramaiah also informed that, there will also be an expo on 'Constitutional values and Science and Technology' by KREIS (Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society) and other organisations, he said. 

He informed that the programme will conclude with a mega convention on 'Constitution awareness' at Krishna Vihar at the Bengaluru Palace grounds where over a lakh people from all walks of life, intellectuals, public representatives from across the country will participate, CM Siddaramaiah said. 

The Social welfare department is organising the programme in collaboration with other departments including tribal welfare, backward class welfare, RDPR, Urban development, Kannada and Culture, Information and Public Relations, Revenue department, state PSUs, NGOs and others. Rs 18 crores has been approved to organise the programme, and Rs 25 lakh has been released for each district for the purpose.

Social Welfare minister H C Mahadevappa, Principal Secretary of Social Welfare Department, P Manivanna, Mysuru DC Dr K V Rajendra, Police Commissioner Ramesh Banoth were present in the press meet.