Constitution Day 2020: History, Significance & BR Ambedkar Quotes

Constitution Day or Samvidhan Diwas is celebrated annually in India on 26 November. The day is also known as National Law Day. The day commemorates the adoption of the Constitution in India.

On this day in 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India formally adopted the Constitution of India that came into force on 26 January 1950. The day is also celebrated as a mark of tribute to India's first Law Minister BR Ambedkar, who played a pivotal role in drafting the Indian Constitution.

The two months between the adoption and enforcement of the Constitution was used for reading and translation of the document from English to Hindi.

Constitution Day 2020: Significance

The Constituent Assembly met for 166 days for two years, 11 months, and 18 days before the Constitution was finally adopted.

Addressing the All India Presiding Officers’ Conference at Kevadiya in Gujarat on 26 November 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the need to popularise the Constitution of India, especially among the youth, adding that special feature of India’s Constitution was the “importance given to duties”.

"“Friends, our Constitution has many special features. But one very special feature is the importance given to duties. Mahatma Gandhi himself was very keen about this. He saw a close link between rights and duties. He felt that once we perform our duties, rights will be safeguarded,”" - Prime Minister Narendra ModiConstitution Day 2020: Quotes From BR Ambedkar

• "If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but also in fact, what must we do? The first thing in my judgement we must do is to hold fast to constitutional methods of achieving our social and economic objectives."

• "Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of...social democracy. What does social democracy mean? It means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life..."

• "I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved."

• The Constitution can provide only the organs of State such as the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. The factors on which the working of those organs of the State depend are the people and the political parties they will set up as their instruments to carry out their wishes and their politics."

• "Democracy is not merely a form of government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards fellow men."

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