Protect the Constitution, it’ll protect the nation

IN PERSPECTIVE

We are, undoubtedly, a great nation. We are recognised the world over as a nation of consequence despite being a developing country. This is on account of our several achievements and distinctions, normally considered benchmarks of a developed country.

We are also a nation of many diversities and contradictions. Yet, we are a strong nation. We are home to most religions of the world. We have hundreds of languages and dialects, something inconceivable for most countries. We are a miniature world by ourselves. An oyster holding a hundred resplendent pearls!

There is no country like India, with such variety in its people, geography, nature, culture and food habits. But do we realise how rare and precious this is? How these diversities complement each other, making the fine tapestry that is India! We ought to preserve this rich and elegant diversity by cultivating an inclusive culture of tolerance and mutual respect, irrespective of our faith, language or region. This, in fact, is the very soul of our nationhood.

Peaceful co-existence is a necessity for our country’s onward march to progress and prosperity. If ever we disregard this and start distorting the secular, inclusive fabric of our nation, we will be embarking on a perilous course of backwardness and self-annihilation.

We cannot reach the status of a developed nation without ensuring the unity and integrity of our country. Unfortunately, we hear shrill discordant noises here and there, weakening our credentials. This tendency has been gaining ground for some time. Gandhiji had repeatedly expressed his angst about our reluctance to be united in body and spirit. Jawaharlal Nehru repeatedly expressed his absolute faith in our ‘unity in diversity’.

All our freedom fighters had one single dream -- of a country where all Indians stand united, strong and patriotic. This was the clarion call of our hard-won independence. Every one of us has to experience this inner urge to be a full-blooded Indian.

Once independent, we decided to be a Republic – a parliamentary democracy in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives. We, the people, gave ourselves a Constitution that is often hailed as one of the best in the world. Babasaheb Ambedkar, acclaimed as the architect of this very comprehensive document, envisaged it as the very soul of our nationhood. One that assures the establishment of a truly egalitarian nation.

No matter which party come to power, or what ideology it professes, our nationhood and the fundamental rights of every citizen shall remain inviolable. That’s the assurance of our Constitution. No government shall try to alter the basic tenets of the Constitution for whatever reason. If they do, it will be a perversion and a betrayal of the very spirit of this sacred document which is based on truth, peace, justice, equality and fraternity. Any attempt to alter the quintessential character of the Constitution or violate its spirit will be a gross misadventure and a massive betrayal. If ever such an attempt is made, it is incumbent upon the judiciary to thwart it. Part III of our Constitution, which is our magna carta, should remain undiluted for posterity to value and cherish.

If we cannot protect the fundamental rights of all our citizens, irrespective of their religion, we cease to be a republic, because that’s the mandate of our Constitution.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel said, “What we need is the heart’s unity. That unity can come only when the majority takes courage in both hands and is prepared to change places with the minority. That would be the highest wisdom”. He was advocating empathy. In fact, no conflict will prevail if there is a spirit of empathy, be it in family or community or nation.

An independent judiciary is the final guarantor of a republic. The judiciary must be independent, incorruptible, and impartial. It is the bulwark of a true democracy. A judiciary that is subservient to the executive or legislature, or beholden to them for any reason, and swayed by extraneous considerations, will be a curse, an unmitigated disaster. The common man’s last bastion of hope is the judiciary, even as all others fail.

A great nation is not created overnight. Modern India was built over the last 75 years. Warts and all, we have made remarkable strides. We must not fritter away our gains by creating ‘narrow domestic walls’ and by being a house divided against itself.

Our elected leaders have to display statesmanship in taking decisions. They are entrusted with the responsibility to preserve, protect and practice the values enshrined in the Constitution. It is incumbent upon them to nurture these noble goals unflinchingly, with totally selfless commitment.

Nationhood transcends everything, and it has to be preserved and celebrated.

(The writer is Director, Little Rock Institutions, Brahmavar, Udupi)