Preamble to Indian Constitution: 26th November every year is celebrated as Constitution Day in the country. On this day, programs are organized in many places in honor of the Constitution and its values and ideals. The Preamble of the Constitution is read at these programs and government offices. The Preamble of the Constitution is its soul. Preamble means that the basic ideals of the Indian Constitution were enshrined in the Constitution through the Preamble. The great and ideal thinking of the Constituent Assembly is reflected in the Preamble. This reflects the aspirations of the framers of the Constitution. The words included in the Preamble like – Sovereignty, Socialist, Secular, Democratic and Republic tell about the nature of India and the words Justice, Freedom and Equality tell about the rights enjoyed by the citizens of India.
The Preamble to the Constitution is as follows –
“We, the people of India, have resolved to make India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and for all its citizens:
Determined to promote social, economic and political justice, freedom of thought, expression, belief, religion and worship, equality of status and opportunity and all fraternities which ensure the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation; This Constituent Assembly of this day, this 26th day of November, 1949, “On this day of Miti Marg Shirsh Shukla Saptami, Samvat two thousand six Vikramis, we do hereby adopt, frame and dedicate this Constitution.”
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Let us tell you that the words ‘socialism’, ‘secular’ and ‘national integrity’ were added to the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act 1976 during the Emergency during Indira Gandhi’s regime. These words were not there before.
The words sovereignty, socialist, secular, democratic and republic in the constitution describe the nature of India and the words justice, liberty and equality describe the rights enjoyed by the citizens of India.
important words
Sovereignty- India is a sovereign country. It is free to decide both its external and internal affairs.
Socialist- The word ‘socialist’ was added in the Preamble to the Constitution by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976. India has adopted ‘democratic socialism’. Both the private and public sectors control the means of production and distribution. It aims to end deprivation, neglect and inequality of opportunity.
Why is Constitution Day celebrated on November 26, what is its history, how is this day different from January 26
secular- All religions are equal in India and all receive equal support from the government. The State shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of religion, creed and mode of worship.
republic- In a republic, the head of state is directly or indirectly elected by the people. Not by inheritance. In a republic, political sovereignty resides in the hands of the people rather than in the hands of a single individual such as a king.