Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indian citizens to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities and strengthen democracy by exercising their right to vote. In a letter to the nation on Constitution Day, he emphasized that citizens should prioritize their duties as India progresses toward the vision of a “Viksit Bharat.” Constitution Day celebrations took place at the Central Hall of the Old Parliament building and in state capitals. The Central Hall program included a reading of the Preamble led by President Droupadi Murmu.

Those present at the dais included President Murmu, Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Opposition leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, Union ministers J. P. Nadda and Kiren Rijiju, and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, along with several MPs and union ministers.

In her address, President Murmu described the Constitution as the foundation of India’s identity and a guiding document for adopting nationalistic thinking while moving away from a colonial mindset. PM Modi highlighted that India’s Constitution enabled individuals like him, from humble and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, to serve as the head of the government for over 24 years. He noted that the Constitution empowers citizens to dream and provides the strength to pursue those dreams. The celebrations, which commemorate the adoption of the Constitution in 1949, also reflected political tensions between the central government and states governed by the INDIA bloc, reminiscent of the campaigns during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

PM Modi recalled that in 2010, when the Constitution turned 60, it did not receive the national recognition it deserved. At the time, a “Samvidhan Gaurav Yatra” was organized in Gujarat to express gratitude and commitment to the Constitution. He further noted that the 75th anniversary was marked as an extraordinary milestone by the central government, which convened a special parliamentary session. Modi also shared personal reflections, recalling how he bowed and touched the Constitution with reverence during his first visit to Parliament in 2014 and again after the 2019 election results.

Meanwhile, in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while garlanding B. R. Ambedkar’s statue, criticized the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging it was a way to implement the NRC “through the backdoor” and create fear among citizens. She raised concerns about threats to voting rights, religious rights, and attacks on Dalits, minorities, and ordinary voters. Banerjee questioned restrictions on MPs expressing patriotic slogans in Parliament and suggested these actions could undermine West Bengal’s identity.

In Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged citizens to identify “anti-constitutional Manuwadis” favoring the Manusmriti over the Constitution, describing it as the unwritten law that governed India before Ambedkar’s Constitution. The Congress party accused the RSS and BJP of undermining the Constitution, claiming that PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were deliberately subverting constitutional principles. The party observed Constitution Day as ‘Samvidhan Bachao Divas’ nationwide.

PM Modi reiterated that fundamental duties guide citizens in achieving collective social and economic progress. He highlighted Mahatma Gandhi’s view that performing duties well ensures corresponding rights, emphasizing that real rights emerge from fulfilling responsibilities. The PM stressed that exercising the right to vote strengthens democracy and suggested that schools and colleges honor first-time voters during Constitution Day celebrations. He also credited Sardar Patel for ensuring India’s political unification.