India needs a new ‘Constitution Code’ like existing ‘National Flag Code’.

Forceful insertion of two words ‘Secular’ and ‘Socialist’ in the very Preamble during emergency is highly objectionable and travesty of democracy and that too needed to be expunged through another constitutional amendment as well.

India must promulgate a ‘Printing & Propagation of Indian Constitution Code’ to retain the Purity and Significance of Original Indian Constitution.

Upananda Brahmachari | HENB | New Delhi | March 27, 2019:: Like Flag Code of India 2002, there should be a definite ‘Printing & Propagation of Indian Constitution Code’ for printing all the Pictures drawn in the Original Constitution Chapter-wise including the original Preamble of 1950 in all further printed copies of Indian Constitution in all languages.

Reproduction of all Constitutional pictures in all Printed Constitution copies will help the new generation & students to understand the actual spirit of Indian Constitution well. And every Citizen has the Rights to know the original Indian Constitution.

The Constitution of the Republic of India, which came into effect on January 26, 1950, was approved by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. The original of this elaborate edition took nearly five years to produce. It is signed by the framers of the constitution, most of whom are regarded as the founders of the Republic of India. The original of the book is kept in a special helium-filled case in the Library of the Parliament of India. The illustrations represent styles from the different civilizations of the subcontinent, ranging from the prehistoric Mohenjodaro, in the Indus Valley, to the present. The calligraphy in the book was done by Prem Behari Narain Raizda. It was illuminated by Shipagur (Art Master) Nandalal Bose of Shantiniketan and other artists.

The pictures drawn in the original pages of Indian Constitutional were not simple art-work but made as a reflection of Indian History, Tradition, Art & Culture. Every Citizen must know it. But, hardly any publisher reproduces those constitutional pictures in the printed edition of Indian constitution made for text book or reference. As there is no such Code for Printing of Indian Constitution, nobody cares for the printing of it properly. Even, when many of our text books are printed with the amended Preamble of Indian constitution as, “WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a  SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC”; the readers do not able to know that it was actually only “SOVEREIGN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC” until the amendment through Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976, w.e.f. 3-1-1977 in the black phase of Emergency Period in India imposed by then PM Indira Gandhi.

Hence, the forceful insertion of two words ‘Secular’ and ‘Socialist’ in the very Preamble of Indian constitution in the emergency period by then autocrat PM Mrs Indiar Gandhi is highly objectionable and travesty of democracy and that too needed to be expunged through another constitutional amendment as well.

For the right propagation of the real spirit of Indian Constitution, the need of ‘Printing & Propagation of Indian Constitution Code’ is barely needed to meet up the provisions i) Proper printing of Indian Constitution with all its illustrations mandatorily, ii) Proper keeping of Constitution Book with dignity along with National Flag in the offices of all dignified officials, magistrates,  ministers and Panchayat functionaries and iii) Special propagation of Indian Constitution on Constitution Day (Samvidhan Diwas) on 26 November through taking oath in front of validly printed constitution to maintain the Fundamental Duties of a Citizen.

There are 22 (Twenty two) illustrations in Original Indian constitution apart from its significant art works in the cover and back page along with an luminous illustration on Ashok Sthambh and the page for the preamble. The illustrations are found as below:

Illustration of Pictures drawn in the Pages of Original Constitution of India.

1. P1 Front Cover – Ashok Stambh – Satyameva Jayate- Motif of Lotus and Lotus buds
2. P 5 – Ashok Stambh
3. P7 Preamble – Sovereign Democratic Republic (Nov 26, 1949) – Ox-Elephant-Horse-Lion – Lotus
4. P 9 Part-I The Union and its Territory –Mahenjodaro Seal of Vrishabh (Ox)
5. P13 Part-II Citizenship – Vedic Life Style of Yajna (Fire Sacrifice) – Scene from Vedic Ashram- Gurukul
6. P 19 Part-III Fundamental Rights – Scene from Ramayana– Lord Rama’s Return to Ayodhya after Conquest of Lanka
7. P 41 Part-IV Directive Principles of State Policy – Scene from Mahabharat– Lord Krishna propounding Gita to Arjuna in Kurukhestra
8. P 47 Part-V The Union – Scene from Mahajanapada and Nanda period- Buddha in Tapasya
9. P 133 Part-VI The States in Part A of the First Schedule – Tirthankar Mahavir
10. P 203 Part-VII The States in Part B of the First Schedule – Scene from Mauryan Period – Spread of Budhha Dharma by Ashoka in India and abroad
11. P 211 Part VIII The States in Part C of the First Schedule – Scene from Gupta Period – Development of Art –Hanuman’s voyage to Lanka to search Sita Mata (?)
12. P 215 Part IX The Territories in Part D of the First Schedule and other Territories – Scene from Gupta Period – Scene from King Vikramaditya’s Court
13. P 217 Part X The Scheduled and Tribal Areas – The Symbol and Teaching of Nalanda University
14. P 210 Part XI The Relation between Union and the States – Scene from Medieval Period – Orissan Sculpture- King Bharat (?)
15. P 233 Part XII Finance, Property, Contracts and Suits – Nataraja
16. P 267 Part XIII Trade, Commerce and Intercourse within the Territory of India – Bhagirath’s penance and descent of
17. P 271 Part XIV Services under the Union and the States – Scene from Mughal Period- Court of Emperor Akbar
18. P 289 Part XV Elections – Chatrapati Shivaji and Guru Govind Singh
19. P 295 Part XVI Special Provisions relating to Certain Classes – British Period – Janshi Rani Lakshmibai and Tipu Sultan- Rise against British Raj
20. P 305 Part XVII Official language – Mathama Gandhi’s Dandi Abhiyan
21. P 315 Part XVIII Emergency Provisions – Mahatma Gandhi’s visit in Riot affected Noakhali
22. P 327 Part XIX Miscellaneous – Netaji SC Bose seeking blessings of Mahatma Ji Calling him Father of our Nation. INA’s battle to liberate Mother India.
23. P 341 Part XX Amendment of Constitution – The Himalaya
24. P 343 Part XXI Temporary and Transitional Provisions – Conquering the Deserts
25. P 369 Part XXII Short Title, Commencements and Repeals – Conquering on Sea
26. P 478 Back Cover – Flower Wreaths dedicated the Martyrs of the Freedom Movement

The illustrations are seen in this order below:

Cover of Original Constitution- Ashok Stambh – Satyameva Jayate- Motif of Lotus and Lotus buds

Ashok Stambh

Preamble- Ox-Elephant-Horse-Lion – Lotus

Part-I The Union and its Territory –Mahenjodaro Seal of Vrishabh (Ox)

Part-II Citizenship – Hindu Life Style of Yajna – Scene from Vedic Ashram- Gurukul

Part-III Fundamental Rights – Scene from Ramayana- Lord Rama’s Return to Ayodhya after Conquest of Lanka

Part-IV Directive Principles of State Policy – Scene from Mahabharat- Lord Krishna propounding Gita to Arjuna in Kurukhestra

Part-V The Union – Scene from Mahajanapada and Nanda period- Buddha in Tapasya

Part-VI The States in Part A of the First Schedule – Tirthankar Mahavir

Part-VII The States in Part B of the First Schedule – Scene from Mauryan Period – Spread of Budhha Dharma by Ashoka in India and abroad

Part VIII The States in Part C of the First Schedule – Scene from Gupta Period – Development of Art -Hanuman’s voyage to Lanka to search Sita Mata (?)

Part IX The Territories in Part D of the First Schedule and other Territories – Scene from Gupta Period – Scene from King Vikramaditya’s Court

Part X The Scheduled and Tribal Areas – The Symbol and Teaching of Nalanda University

Part XI The Relation between Union and the States – Scene from Medieval Period – Orissan Sculpture- King Bharat (?)

Part XII Finance, Property, Contracts and Suits – Nataraja

Part XIII Trade, Commerce and Intercourse within the Territory of India – Bhagirath’s penance and descent of Ganga.

Part XIV Services under the Union and the States – Scene from Mughal Period- Court of Emperor Akbar

Part XV Elections – Chatrapati Shivaji and Guru Govind Singh

Part XVI Special Provisions relating to Certain Classes – British Period – Janshi Rani Lakshmibai and Tipu Sultan- Rise against British Raj

Part XVII Official language – Mathama Gandhi’s Dandi Abhiyan

Part XVIII Emergency Provisions – Mahatma Gandhi’s visit in Riot affected Noakhali

Part XIX Miscellaneous – Netaji SC Bose seeking blessings of Mahatma Ji Calling him Father of our Nation. INA’s battle to liberate Mother India.

Part XX Amendment of Constitution – The Himalaya

Part XXI Temporary and Transitional Provisions – Conquering the Deserts

Part XXII Short Title, Commencements and Repeals – Conquering on Sea

Back Cover – Flower Wreaths dedicated the Martyrs of the Freedom Movement

The makers of Indian Constitution had a deep thought to present the Constitution in consonance of Indian Culture, Heritage, History and Harmony. The illustrations in the original constitution reflected that right perception. Unless the reality of constitution would not be retrieved and represented to the republic in a righteous way, the use of Constitution as a reactor for potential production of patriotism will be unachieved unfortunately. Such edition of Indian Constitution with the illustrations of its original copy will surly be a meaningful resource of patriotism and nationalism undoubtedly.

As, the ‘Printing & Propagation of Indian Constitution Code’ is highly needed for the interest of citizen’s empowerment, Government of India, must see the materialization of it.

____

Courtesy: World Digital Library.

The writer can be contacted at upananda.br@gmail.com

One comment on “India needs a new ‘Constitution Code’ like existing ‘National Flag Code’.”

1. Arindam.

   March 28, 2019

   

   Frankly, we’d be better off with a new Constitution (a much shorter one also), and a new Flag (with a purely saffron background – just like the Chinese flag has a purely red background and the EU’s flag has a purely blue background.. Those kinds of flags stand out).

   Indeed, do we even need a written Constitution? The British have managed without one – relying on case law, existing legislation, etc…

   LikeLike

   Reply

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