“India: The Mother of Democracy”

“Bharat: Loktantra ki Janani”.

Lecture on November 26
on account of
“Constitution Day”
Samvidhan Diwas (Constitution Day) is
celebrated every year on 26 November to
th

Commemorate the adoption of the

Constitution of India as Jan Baghidari and
to Honor and acknowledge the
contributions of the Founding Fathers of
the Constitution
 SET of RULES of a School
is called Discipline
**********************
SET of RULES of a Country
is called Constitution
We need Justice to remove the systematic Barrier of inequality among the citizens of India
 Acknowledging the Contributions of the
Founding Fathers of the Indian Constitution
“India: The
“India:
Mother
TheofMother
Democracy”
of Democracy”
• November 26, which is celebrated as Constitution
Day in India;
• It was on this day in 1949 when the Constituent
Assembly chaired by Babu Rajendra Prasad
adopted the Constitution of India.
• Dr. BR Ambedkar said that India is a diverse nation
with different religions, languages, and cultures,
and all Indians are connected by strong
democratic values.
UGC Wants Universities to Hold Lectures on the
Theme That India is ‘Mother of Democracy
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) wants universities
and colleges across the country to conduct lectures on
‘India: The Mother of Democracy’ on Constitution Day,
November 26 to push the idea that democracy was
prevalent in the region since the time of the Vedas.
• UGC chairperson M. Jagadesh Kumar wrote to over 45 central
universities and 45 deemed-to-be universities, asking them
to organize special lectures from November 15 to 30, apart
from November 26.
• He has also written to all governors – who are chancellors
of state universities – to “encourage” such lectures.
 UGC & ICHR

Asserting that the Rakhigarhi (Haryana) Archaeological findings confirm India is

the oldest civilization and the ‘Mother of Democracy, “Indian Council of Historical
Research” (ICHR) Chairperson ‘Raghuvendra Tanwar’ said it was the British who
"during their rule, demolished or tried to demolish our past".
 India now honors unsung heroes of the past
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India
was correcting its past mistakes by celebrating its
heritage and remembering its unsung brave hearts
who were lost in the pages of history written as part
of a conspiracy during the colonial rule.
• The PM emphasized that when a nation knows its
real past, only then it can learn from its experiences
and tread in the correct direction for its future.
• It is our responsibility that our sense of history is
not confined to a few decades and centuries, but is
immemorial.
https://www.mpa.gov.in/constitution-day
WEB LINK
https://legislative.gov.in/constitution-of-india/preamble-to-the-constitution-of-india
 India’s ‘Lok Tantrik-Parampara’
(Democratic Traditions)
• The UGC and ICHR suggest that we could touch
upon topics such as the archaeological evidence of
democratic roots in India, or,
• look at the roots of India’s ‘Lok Tantrik-Parampara’
(democratic traditions) in the Rigveda, or
• Study the epigraphical sources of Indian democracy,
among other suggested topics.
 “India: The Mother of Democracy”
• Other topics include “Existence of Ganarajya in Kalinga During Asoka’s
Invasion”,
• “Harappans- the Pioneering Architect of the Democratic System in the World:
Archeological Perspective”,
• “Governing Principles of Democracy in Ancient Sanskrit Scriptures based on
Shruti, Smriti Ithihasa and Mahakavya Texts”,
• “Kingly Democracies of Ancient India: Examining Democratic Trends in
Sanskrit Literature”,
• “The Tradition of Local Self-Government In Ancient And Medieval Tamilnadu”,
• Democratic Thoughts and Traditions as Reflected in Arthasastra”, and
• “Jana Tantra as perceived through the coins of Gana-Janapadas (BCE 400 – 300
ACE)”. 
 “India: The Mother of Democracy”
• “Democratic systems in Bharat have evolved over the ages since Vedic times;
• Recent archaeological excavation at Rakhigarhi and Sanauli reveals that the
roots of people’s self-governance date back to at least 5000 BCE. (Before
the Common Era)
• The existence of two kinds of states – Janapada and Rajya or the two
assemblies called Sabha and Samiti forming essential features of the
government.
• All indicate that the ancient form of governance in India was democratic,
contrary to the general belief that it was monarchical.
• There is more evidence in the form of archaeological, literary, numismatic,
and epigraphical sources as well as the bhakti movement to emphasize the
Lok Tantrik (democratic) traditions of Bharat.   
 “India: The Mother of Democracy”
• It adds that ancient India was unique because there was no
autocracy or aristocratism as there was no concentration of
the prestige of birth, influence of wealth and political office,
and “Bharatiya” governance was different from ancient Rome
and Greece. Sovereignty in India instead rested on “Dharma”
which the note explains as “Law”.
• The over-arching theme for the lectures that has been spelt
out by the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is to
promote India as a “Loktantra” as opposed to “Prajatantra” or
“Jantantra”.
 “India: The Mother of Democracy”
• while the “Lok Tantra” stands for “community system
oriented towards the welfare of the community”,
• “Praja Tantra” is a mere translation of democracy and
• “Jan Tantra” is the “ruler versus people-oriented system”. 
• The Bhakti tradition responsible for religious reforms, and
democracy as known to ancient Indian Buddhism and Institutions of
the Sikhs also find a mention along with tribal traditions in
governance and tradition of local self-government in ancient
Sangam period and medieval Tamil Nadu.
 UGC Wants Universities to Hold Lectures on Theme
That India is ‘Mother of Democracy’
• The concept note claims that from “ancient times”, a “geo-cultural
definition” has been given to the Indian region or Bharata, which is the
“country which lies to the south of the Himalayas and the north of the
oceans is called Bharata and the Bharatiyas are the people of this
country”.
• These themes are based on a book brought out by the Indian Council
of Historical Research (ICHR) on “India: the mother of democracy”,
which is a compilation of 30 chapters contributed by 30 different
authors. And in order to take their writings to teachers and students,
the UGC has planned 90 lectures in 90 universities across the country.
 To understand the greatness of the Indian Constitution,
one has to go through the Preamble to the Constitution
• What is a Preamble?
• A preamble is an introductory statement in a document that explains the
document’s philosophy and objectives.
• In a Constitution, it presents the intention of its framers, the history
behind its creation, and the core values and principles of the nation.
• The preamble basically gives the idea of the following things/objects:

• Source of the Constitution

• Nature of Indian State
• Statement of its objectives
• Date of its adoption
 The Preamble to the Indian Constitution
• History of the Preamble to the Indian Constitution
• The ideals behind the Preamble to India’s
Constitution were laid down by Jawaharlal Nehru’s
Objectives Resolution, adopted by the Constituent
Assembly on January 22, 1947.
• Although not enforceable in court, the Preamble
states the objectives of the Constitution and acts
as an aid during the interpretation of the Articles
when language is found ambiguous.
 The Preamble to the Indian Constitution
• Components of Preamble
• It is indicated by the Preamble that the source of
authority of the Constitution lies with the people of India.
• Preamble declares India to be a sovereign, socialist,
secular and democratic republic.
• The objectives stated by the Preamble are to secure
justice, liberty, equality to all citizens and promote
fraternity to maintain unity and integrity of the nation.
• The date is mentioned in the preamble when it was
adopted i.e. November 26, 1949.
 The Preamble to the Indian Constitution
• WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to
constitute India into a SOVEREIGN, SOCIALIST, SECULAR
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
• JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
• LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
• EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among
them all
• FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity
and integrity of the Nation;
• IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of
November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO
OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
• We, the people of India: It indicates the ultimate sovereignty of the people of
India. Sovereignty means the independent authority of the State, not being subject to
the control of any other State or external power.
• Sovereign: The term means that India has its own independent authority and it is not a
dominion of any other external power. In the country, the legislature has the power to
make laws which are subject to certain limitations.
• Socialist: The term means the achievement of socialist ends through democratic means.
It holds faith in a mixed economy where both private and public sectors co-exist side by
side.
• It was added in the Preamble by 42nd Amendment, 1976.
• Secular: The term means that all the religions in India get equal respect, protection and
support from the state.
• It was incorporated in the Preamble by 42 nd Constitutional Amendment, 1976.
• Democratic: The term implies that the Constitution of India has an established form of
Constitution which gets its authority from the will of the people expressed in an election.
• Republic: The term indicates that the head of the state is elected by the people. In India,
the President of India is the elected head of the state.
 Keshavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala
(Basic Structure Doctrine)
• Justice Khanna's judgment held that, although the
Constitution is amenable to amendments, changes that 
ultra vires, tinker with its basic structure cannot be made by
Parliament, that is – certain parts of the constitution were
"basic" and could not be amended.
• However, he also said the amendment of the right was
fundamental – as he explained, "if no provision were
made for the amendment of the Constitution, the people
would have recourse to extra-constitutional methods like a
revolution".