New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu led the 75th Constitution Day ceremony at the Samvidhan Sadan on Wednesday, November 26, marking the 76th anniversary of the adoption of India’s Constitution.
Senior leaders, including President Murmu, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, read the Preamble aloud as part of the commemoration.
In her speech, President Murmu highlighted the enduring intent of the Constitution’s architects, the country’s social and political strides, and the government’s recent policy decisions. She also launched digital versions of the Constitution in nine additional Indian languages, including the first Kashmiri and Bodo editions.
Here are five key quotes from her address:
1. ‘Our Constitution-makers wanted our personal, democratic rights to be always protected’
President Murmu said the Constitution was drafted with a clear commitment to safeguarding citizens’ freedoms. She noted that the Constituent Assembly completed its task in the same historic hall in 1949, adopting a document meant to ensure justice, liberty and equality for all.
2. ‘Bringing 25 crore people out of poverty is one of the biggest achievements of the country’
She pointed to economic progress in recent years, describing large-scale poverty reduction as a milestone that reflects both sustained governance efforts and the foundational vision of inclusive development embedded in the Constitution.
3. ‘By abrogating the provisions of Article 370, the nation has been freed from a prideful political obstacle’
President Murmu said the repeal of Article 370 cleared an impediment to India’s political integration. She added that the move has created conditions for deeper participation, including historic voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir’s recent assembly elections.
4. ‘Women-led development will commence through Nari Shakti’
Referring to the Nari Shakti Bandhan Act and earlier reforms such as the prohibition of triple talaq, she said these measures signify a shift towards greater representation and empowerment of women in social and political life.
5. ‘The Goods and Services Tax... was implemented to promote the country’s economic integration’
She listed GST as one of the major structural reforms undertaken to strengthen national integration, alongside the introduction of digital Constitution editions to widen access and awareness.
The event also saw Vice President Radhakrishnan and Speaker Om Birla emphasise the Constitution’s role in shaping India’s democratic journey. The day concluded with leaders paying respects to the framers whose deliberations in the Constituent Assembly formed the basis of modern India.
