"Gimmick, sham": Ayodhya MP Awadhesh Prasad on BJP celebrating Constitution Day

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 27 (ANI): As India celebrated the adoption day of its Constitution on Wednesday, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Awadhesh Prasad accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "not believing" in socialism or secularism, the terms mentioned in the Preamble.
Speaking to ANI, Prasad said that the BJP's celebrations of Constitution Day were a "gimmick and sham."
"The BJP does not believe in socialism or secularism. It is making every effort to curtail the jurisdiction of the courts enshrined in our Constitution. Their celebration of Constitution Day is merely a gimmick and a sham," the SP MP said.
India celebrated the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution on Wednesday with a solemn national ceremony held in the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, reaffirming India's collective commitment to the ideals and values of the Constitution.
President Droupadi Murmu presided over the ceremony, which was attended by the Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Speaker Om Birla, Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, and other dignitaries.
The President released the Constitution of India in nine languages--Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Punjabi, Bodo, Kashmiri, Telugu, Odia and Assamese--prepared by the Legislative Department.
The President, in her address, underscored the Constitution's pivotal role in guiding India's democratic journey and called on citizens to uphold its core principles -- justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity.
The President said that the all-inclusive vision enshrined in constitutional ideals provides direction to our governance system. She said that in 2015, the year of Babasaheb Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary, it was decided to celebrate November 26 annually as Constitution Day. That decision has proven to be really meaningful.
On this day, the entire nation reaffirms its respect for our Constitution, the foundation of Indian democracy, and its makers. 'We, the people of India,' express faith in our Constitution, both individually and collectively.
The Constitution of India was adopted on November 26, 1949, and came into effect a few months later, on January 26, 1950. The document was extensively debated and agreed upon by the Constituent Assembly. The document established India as a "Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic" with the aim of securing Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for all citizens.
It is the longest written Constitution in the world, demarcating the separation of powers, structure of administration, courts and legislative departments for the country. The Constitution calls for adhering to constitutional supremacy. (ANI)