Along with the rest of the country, Nagaland Civil Secretariat officers and staff also celebrated Constitution Day to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution of India at the Secretariat conference hall at Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima on November 26.
The occasion also marks the culmination of the year-long celebrations themed “Hamara Samvidhan – Hamara Swabhiman.”
Nagaland Home Commissioner, Abhijit Sinha, IAS chaired the Constitution Day observance program and highlighted the historic journey of the Indian Constitution, recalling that the Constituent Assembly, established in 1946, took nearly three years to complete its monumental task of drafting the Constitution. He noted that the Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949 and came into effect on January 26, 1950.
As part of the programme, Chief Secretary Sentiyanger Imchen, IAS initiated the pledged taking where the Preamble to the Constitution of India was read aloud in unison by all officers and staff of the Secretariat who attended the event, reaffirming their commitment to the values and principles enshrined in the Constitution.
The observance was held in solidarity with the rest of the nation to commemorate the adoption of the Constitution and to promote constitutional values among government functionaries.
DIPR
Addl. Director, DIPR, Er. Kevizayieno, administering the Constitutional Day Pledge during the celebration of Constitutional Day at DIPR Conference Hall, Kohima on November 26.
Kohima | November 26
DIPR
The Directorate of Information & Public Relations, Nagaland, Kohima observed the National Constitution Day on November 26.
The programme was chaired by Er Kevizayieno, Additional Director, DIPR, and administered the Constitution day pledge. The programme was attended by Officers and staff of the department.
GHS Padumpukhuri:
GHS Padumpukhuri, Dimapur observed the Samvidhan Divas on November 26. The school participated in the nationwide campaign “Hamara Samvidhan, Hamara Swabhiman” with the objective of encouraging citizens to read and understand the Indian Constitution’s Preamble. 60 students participated in reading the Preamble, fostering patriotism and understanding of India’s core values.
Teachers and students discussed the Constitution’s importance, history, and relevance, while the Preamble was shared on the website. Students were encouraged to share videos reading the Preamble and Certificates were provided upon completion.
The event increased awareness about the Indian Constitution among students, encouraging responsible citizenship and contributing to the nation’s growth.
Nagaland University:
The 76th Constitution Day celebration on the theme “Hamara Samvidhan – Hamara Swabhiman” was jointly organised by Nagaland University’s Department of Political Science and Department of Law. Chairperson Dr. Neizhanou Golmei, from the Department of Political Science, emphasised the importance of celebrating this day.
In his welcome address, Prof Dasarathi Bhuyan, HoD, Dept. of Political Science, pointed out how this day has replaced National Law Day since 2015, to celebrate our constitution framed under the leadership of Dr BR Ambedkar.
Deflecting Western criticism of the Indian constitution of being just borrowed from other democracies as well as being insufficient and just a lawyers’ paradise, he asserted that our constitutional makers had a vision for the future of our nation at a very crucial juncture.
He further emphasised the value of the words enshrined in the preamble and the need to spread the message of Ambedkar and other makers of the constitution.
A pledge in unison came with the words of the preamble starting from “We the people of India” to “Adopt, enact and give to ourselves these constitutions” echoed in the hall led by Dr Thokchom Ghanakumar Singh, Assistant Professor, Department of law and Dr Shasanka Sekhar Pati, Associate Professor, Dept. of Political Science, in English and Hindi respectively. It was followed by an audio-video rendition of the Preamble.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
With his speech on the importance of the constitution, Dr Likhase Sangtam, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, threw light on how we became ‘one nation’ because of the constitution made by the constitutional makers for the different people that we are.
He said with checks and balances, the Constitution puts the people over the government, and the government under the authority of the Constitution, adding it gives the weakest citizen the power to challenge the highest authority.
He pointed out that there is a bitter truth of many citizens not knowing the words of the Constitution and the power it holds to protect them. “The Constitution can’t protect the people if people can’t protect it,” he said and concluded by calling for reciting the preamble not just as a ritual but to continuously make it a substantial document for our betterment.
Chief Guest and VC in-charge, Prof Mithilesh Kumar Sinha paid tribute to the members of the Constituent Assembly for their relentless work over 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days in crafting the Constitution and giving us a torch that guides us through darkness and empowers us to overcome challenges.
He pointed out that the constitution is of just a book of laws but a proof of the continuous flow of changes that have been required over time. Furthermore, he emphasized that while we enjoy our fundamental rights, we must also uphold the fundamental duties that accompany them. It is not that rights follow duties, but rather duties arise from the rights we are privileged to have.
It was followed by a lecture on Constitution Day by Prof Yugal Kishore from National University of Study and Research in Law, Ranchi. He argued that the Preamble is a living document guiding the destiny of the nation. It doesn’t just reflect our cultural heritage but also fulfils our modern aspirations, he said.
He exhorted all to recommit to the ideal of the preamble, by embracing dialogue over division. In the face of modern technology, AI, and environmental challenges, constitutional morality should guide us in our future endeavours, he asserted.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks from Dr. Kuldeep Singh Panwar, HoD, Department of Law and the singing of the National Anthem.
