Baridua, November 27: In order to remember and realise the significance of the Constitution of India, the Constitution Day 2017 was observed with thought provoking deliberations at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) on Sunday, 26 November. The function was organised by the University School of Law and Research (USLR), USTM.
Addressing a gathering of more than 200 participants, Prof Arupjyoti Choudhury, Vice Chancellor of USTM said, “The Constitution is an important document based on the idea of equality, liberty and fraternity – something we need to connect with and make it a part and parcel of our life. Amendments to the Constitution have increased faith among the people in the sacrosanct document.” He urged the students, researchers and teaching community telling that the law schools and researchers must try and come up with new ideas of how the Constitution could be made more relevant to the society and time.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Dinomoni Thakuria, Deputy Registrar, Mahapurusha Srimanta Sankaradeva Viswavidyalaya, said that the pulse of the people of India has been etched in the Constitution by its framers. The Constitution is a living document. The immense hard work and effort put in by the framers of the Constitution must be remembered on this Constitution Day, he added.
Earlier, welcoming the participants, Prof (Dr) AK Sinha, Dean, USLR said that the Constitution was partially adopted on 26 November 1949 when 16 Articles came into operation. “The day was earlier celebrated as National Law Day, and since 2015, it has been observed as Constitution Day”, he said.
Prof Alaka Sharma, Dean, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, USTM said that the students should go through the debates that took place during the drafting of the Indian Constitution in order to know the process and its significance. She said that till 2016, only 101 amendments have taken place and this goes to show how well it was drafted by its framers.
Referring to the recent introduction of right to primary education as a fundamental right in the Constitution, she said that it has been a revolutionary change and will go a long way to impact on the educational development of the country. Others who spoke on the occasion included Prof AC Talukdar, Ms Ameera Yasmin Mazumdar, and Akkas Ali, apart from a host of student participants.
