Call to be ‘watchful’ of threats to Constitution

M. Umapathy, retired professor of Political Science, University of Mysore, has emphasised the need for people to be “vigilant” and “watchful” of the threats to the Constitution of India, which has been leading the country in the right direction over the last 75 years.

“The Constitution of India, despite the various challenges it confronted over the last 75 years, is, by and large, leading the country in the right direction. It is a mixed bag today. But, given the nature of various threats it continues to face, it is upon us, the people, to be vigilant and watchful,” said a statement from quoting Prof. Umapathy while he was addressing the gathering at the Constitution Day celebrations jointly organised by People’s Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL), Mysuru, and Shyagale Shivarudramma Trust in Mysuru on Tuesday.

Prof. Umapathy, who spoke on ‘Constitution of India – Threats, Responses and Future’, said that it was a testament to the quality of Constitution of India that it has stood the test of time for 75 years while the constitutions in the neighbourhood had dissipated.

The statement said Prof. Umapathy decried the Hindutva brigade’s efforts at deriding Nehruvian socialism. “…while Nehru had laid the solid foundations for democracy to sustain, the Congress mukt slogans were efforts by those, who want to overturn the Constitution,” the statement said.

PUCL’s Mysuru president Kamal Gopinath, in his presidential address, said the Constitution can be said to have achieved its goal only when “India achieves complete eradication of caste, equality for women in all spheres and leaves no room for minorities to be treated as second class citizens”.

Reacting to Home Minister Amit Shah’s reported promise to eradicate Naxalism by 2026, Mr. Gopinath said if the Home Minister was alluding to “encounter” killings, it was a step in the wrong direction.

“While nobody can support armed rebellions, it is also true that many of these were emotionally charged youths demanding justified rights. We at PUCL urge the government to make strenuous efforts at changing hearts and bringing these youth and Adivasi back to the mainstream and meet their logical demands, instead of showing utter disrespect for life and adopting the route of encounter killings,” said Mr. Gopinath.

K. Kalachenne Gowda of Shyagale Shivarudrappa Trust, who also spoke, traced the genesis and history of the Constitution.

Published - November 27, 2024 07:44 pm IST