Citizens and the administration must work in accordance with the Constitution and the message it conveys is that “no one should be harmed in any way”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday.
His statement comes against the backdrop of controversy relating to film ‘Padmavati’ and cases of vigilantism. Addressing the people on his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme, he said, “It is our duty that we abide by our Constitution in letter and spirit. Citizens and administrators alike must move ahead in accordance with the spirit of our Constitution. The message that our Constitution conveys is that no one should be harmed in any way.”
Some groups have claimed that the Bollywood movie showed queen Padmavati in bad light and have threatened to physically harm actor Deepika Padukone and torch theatres screening it. There have also been fresh incidents of vigilantes attacking men transporting cows.
The PM said the Constitution of India was the spirit of India’s democracy. In 1949, on this day, the Constituent Assembly had approved the document that was adopted the next year on January 26. He said the members of the Constituent Assembly worked hard for about three years to draft the Constitution.
“Can you imagine how hard their task would have been to frame the Constitution of our country which has such big diversities? Now, this is the responsibility of all of us to make a new India in the light of the thinking of the makers of our Constitution,” Modi said.
The PM asserted that equality and sensitivity towards all was the unique characteristic of our Constitution. “It guarantees fundamental rights to each and every citizen…it protects their fundamental rights and safeguards their interests. It is our duty that we abide by our Constitution in letter and spirit. Citizens and administrators alike must move ahead in accordance with the spirit of our Constitution. The message that our Constitution conveys is that no one should be harmed in any way,” he said.
Modi also recalled the contributions of B R Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in shaping early India. In his address, the 38th so far, the PM also hailed the role of differently abled (divyang) people in various fields, including the drive against open defecation and sports.
“We get to learn something or the other every moment. They are performing well in every walk of life. Whether it be the field of sports, any kind of competition or a social initiative, our divyang brethren are second to none…let the confluence of collective and the individual foster a sense of harmony in our society; let us move forward with each other, together,” he said.
