Some thoughts on Republic Day
On 26th January 1950, India became Republic. This day marks the assertion of the identity of a young nation, which had so far seen violence of unimaginable scale due to partition. We were also facing mounting challenges - Poverty was rampant, social ills were pervasive, calls for modernity were not reaching the ears of the illiterate population. But the founders of our nation carved the idea of India, despite these obstacles. When I say that our republic day marks the identity of our country, it is not without meaning. The flashy five bold letters - Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic that we find in the preamble of our constitution are not the only things that define our identity. It is much more subtle and elegant. Consider, for instance, Article 395 of the Indian Constitution. It reads as follows: The Indian Independence Act, 1947, and the Government of India Act, 1935, together with all enactments amending or supplementing the latter Act, but no...