THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA – A LIVING DOCUMENT

We live in a world where on one hand most people perform religious rites and on the other hand they set high security passwords on their advanced tech sets; where people control the lights of their home by a remote or a smartphone but their life is run by papers of prophecy. Such contradictions are innumerable.

When a person starts identifying contradictions in daily life, he starts questioning the present state of affairs. Here starts the transformation towards new views, practices etc. This again started in India in the 18th century. I am saying again because Indians have been questioning the systems from old ages. Buddha and the Bhakti Saint movements are examples of this.

But the technological advancement in 18^th century was unprecedented. As a result people started questioning religious texts, rituals and the inequality promoted by them. Many people started to reinterpret religious ideas to suit the present and future conditions. All this led to the idea of nationalism, modern western democratic values and eventually independence.

For a common man whose life was stagnant for centuries, whose generations were performing same functions everyday throughout their lives this was a fast change. One whose life was ruled by the village heads, was now given a constitution in hand which was a piece of paper for him like any other. Imagine telling a cobbler one day, from today you need not do only this job you have freedom to do anything. The first question he will ask – ‘What else can I do? I only know this work.” This is like giving a bat to people who do not even know cricket and saying ‘now play, you have right to play’.

Having said this, we should also understand that the freedom movement which our Mahatma built had masses at its base. Urban and rural poor, farmers, knew that everything is going to change. That the basic principles and laws of society were transforming. This brings our next point. Laws and policies are not only to be made. They are to be implemented. Without efficient implementation they are like papers in the hands of illiterate.

Constitution of India is a forward looking document. It has changed the scenario on ground. But do we know our Constitution? We all have studied Civics in schools but now have been cut off with basic principles of our nationhood. But we have not been cut off from our religion, caste identities. Why? Because we revise them daily. Instead if we had read our constitution and revised its principles daily what would be the picture? Our parents teach us morning prayers, evening prayers. Do they teach us Article 14? Do we know that it is due to this article that females can vote, they can work in field of their choice.

Real change starts at home. We need to instill these principles in our daily lives. If we do this, other issues will automatically fade out. Does this mean that religion and constitution cannot co-exist? No. Religion is an organised form of society with its own laws and was useful in it’s time. Constitution of India gives us the fundamental right to practice religion.

Indian society in its formation and structure is controlled by social norms. Religion is an important part of it. But we should keep evolving it. Because, a still pond nurtures mosquitoes. Constitution of India is a living document. People can amend it according to changing circumstances. It will keep growing like a tree. Never in history has it happened that every person in India can decide who his representative is and what laws of the country should be.

Today in our country there is ‘Rule of Law’. Be it environmental, social, religious matters we can approach court. Constitution is not by the lawyers, for the lawyers, of the lawyers. It is for the people, by the people, of the people. Explore it and you will find a reflection of rich ancient Indian values, modern liberal ideas, governance structures and inclusiveness.

— Eternal Explorer.