November 26 is a landmark day for India. On this day in 1949, the Constitution of India was adopted by the Constituent Assembly and on January 26, 1950 it came into force. The Constitution declares India a "sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens justice, social, economic and political; liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation." Ahead of Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas, we remember BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian constitution. Constitution Day was first celebrated in 2015, when the government decided to mark the day as a tribute to BR Ambedkar.
Constitution Day (Samvidhan Divas): 10 inspirational quotes of BR Ambedkar, architect of the Indian Constitution
- "However good a constitution may be, if those who are implementing it are not good, it will prove to be bad. However bad a constitution may be, if those implementing it are good, it will prove to be good"
- "If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, what must we do? The first thing in my judgement we must do is to hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives"
- "Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of...social democracy. What does social democracy mean? It means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life..."
- "I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved"
- The Constitution can provide only the organs of State such as the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. The factors on which the working of those organs of the State depend are the people and the political parties they will set up as their instruments to carry out their wishes and their politics."
- "A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society"
- "So long as you do not achieve social liberty, whatever freedom is provided by the law is of no avail to you"
- "Democracy is not merely a form of government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards fellow men"
- "I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity"
- "We are Indians, firstly and lastly"
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