Adityanath hails Constitution, asks citizens to cultivate sense of duty 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the Constitution binds the nation's vast diversity into unity.

He was speaking at a Constitution Day event at Lok Bhavan, where he led the reading of the Preamble and administered an oath to officials and attendees.

"The result of the collective efforts of our freedom fighters and experts is that our Constitution is the biggest in the world and a document that unites India's diversity," he said.

Before the oath ceremony, tributes were paid to Bharat Mata and Dr B R Ambedkar, and a short film was screened. The chief minister also felicitated winners of various competitions.

Adityanath stressed the need to cultivate a sense of duty among citizens.            "Everyone talks of rights. But rights are protected only when individuals develop the habit of fulfilling their duties. Without duties, rights cannot exist," he said.

"Where efforts are made to claim rights without duties, democracy does not survive; dictatorship crushes the rights of common citizens," he said.

The chief minister that, "Every person should free themselves from a mentality of servitude and show respect for the armed forces and uniformed personnel."

Adityanath cautioned against blaming institutions for the actions of individuals.

"If one person makes a mistake, the whole system should not be condemned," he said, adding people often widen social divisions for personal gain.

"Efforts must be directed towards unity and integrity."   Disrespecting the Constitution, he said, amounted to disrespecting Ambedkar, freedom fighters and the poor who received democratic rights because of it.

Adityanath noted that while several modern democracies granted voting rights to women much later, India ensured universal adult franchise from the first general election.

He recalled PM Narendra Modi's remarks in 2015 that the true value of independence is forgotten because many have neither seen the freedom struggle nor witnessed the struggles of those who suffered for it.

The chief minister said the original Constitution presented to the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, contains illustrations depicting India's civilisational heritage from Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya to Lord Krishna delivering the Gita.

"Every Indian household should have a copy of the Constitution, and families should read the Preamble," he said.

He stressed that citizens who perform their duties diligently honour the Constitution, while those who neglect responsibilities insult the nation's democratic values.

"If someone widens divides in the name of caste, region or language, they weaken India," he said.

Adityanath said the state has received over 98 lakh suggestions from the public on building a developed Uttar Pradesh as part of the discussion initiated during the last session of the state legislature.

"Every fifth family in the state has sent suggestions. People want to be part of governance," he said.

The government plans to honour the best suggestions at both district and state levels, he added.

"A self-reliant village will lead to a self-reliant district, state and nation. A self-reliant India will take us closer to the vision of a developed India," he said.

Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and many state ministers attended the event.