Our Constitution based on principles of Dharma

Vijayawada: The Constitution Day was celebrated here on Saturday, where Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan noted that several provisions of the Indian Constitution could be related to the harmony of existence in Vedic literature, fundamental unity and right to life.

The Governor and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy paid floral tributes to the portrait of architect of Indian Constitution, Dr B R Ambedkar, at a state function held in Vijayawada.

The Governor read out the Preamble of the Constitution, which the dignitaries present repeated.

Addressing the gathering, the Governor noted that it was a matter of pride that India was the "mother of democracy".

"Democracy has come out of Vedas. There is plenty of evidence in archaeological monuments, literary works, numismatic, epigraphical and spiritual scriptures, which establish that the system of democracy evolved in Bharat ages ago," he said.

The principles of 'dharma' or natural law found their way into the Constitution in the form of fundamental rights. "Dharma as we all know was a duty-based legal system but the current legal system became a rights-based one. The human rights and fundamental rights are derived from dharma, evidence of which is available in Rigveda," he pointed out.

The Governor said the concept of welfare state also had roots in dharma. Harichandan recalled that an attempt was made to attack democracy once in 1975 when the Emergency was imposed. "There was darkness in the constitutional field all over India. Rights of citizens, including freedom of speech, were withdrawn.

The subsequent Janata Party government made an amendment (to the Constitution) that it will now be difficult to murder democracy again," the Governor remarked.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war, the Governor noted that India was now playing a key role in international politics.

"Despite several pressures, the Prime Minister took a neutral stand. Everybody is now praising Prime Minister Modi as he said the era of war is over and era of peace has come," Harichandan added.

In his address, Jagan Mohan Reddy observed that the Constitution has been "our social reformer' for the past 72 years. "It is the rule book that teaches discipline to 140 crore people, a guide that shows us the (right) path. It is a philosopher, teacher and a symbol of our sovereignty," Reddy said.