From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Feb 24: If Constitution is protected, people will survive, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru on Saturday, asking people to reject those who are against Constitution.

Inaugurating the Constitution and National Unity Conference held under the auspices of the State Social Welfare Department at the Bengaluru Palace Grounds, he said nobody would tolerate denigration of the Constitution.

Quoting one of the most respected former US President Abraham Lincoln, Siddaramaiah said people are the rightful masters of the Constitution and their duty is not to overthrow Constitution but overthrow and reject those who are against the Constitution.

The Chief Minister said the people who are against the Constitution are giving it negative propaganda as the Constitution clearly states freedom, equality and fraternity.

This propaganda has been going on since it came into effect on January 26, 1950. This should not be tolerated. If the Constitution is protected, we will all survive. Otherwise we will be in danger, he said.

Siddaramaiah said it is the responsibility of every government to eradicate inequality in the country. We are entering a society of contradictions.

In a society with social and economic inequality, political democracy can succeed only when it rests on the foundations of social democracy. Ambedkar had said that those who suffer from inequality will destroy the edifice of democracy. Eradication of social inequality is the responsibility of every government, he said.

If the Constitution to succeed, it is important to know in whose hands the power rests. The constitution will succeed if it is in the hands of those who are in favour of the constitution, equality and those who want to build a human society. If it is in the hands of those who are against the constitution, we have no survival, he said.

The Chief Minister said the power should be in the hands of those who are in favour of the constitution to fulfill the wishes of the constitution.

He said as part of the Amrita Mahotsava celebration of the adoption of the Constitution, a state-wide constitution awareness Jatha has been organized in the state to make people understand the preamble, aspirations of the Constitution from 26 January 2024.

The jatha has travelled through 31 districts and has informed the people about the purpose, inevitability and necessity of the constitution. He said that the National Unity Conference will be held for two days.

The Indian Constitution, authored by Dr B R Ambedkar, must be read by all citizens. The Constitution panel headed by Dr Ambedkar had studied the constitutions of several countries and drafted the constitution in such a way as to suggest solutions to the country's problems. The constitution of India is the greatest constitution.

The Chief Minister distributed prizes and mementos to Tumakuru, Davanagere, Mysore, Kodagu and Bellary districts for organizing the best activities.

State Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraja Horatti, Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, Supreme Court Retired Justice Gopal Gowda, High Court Retired Justice Nagamohan Das, Minister Priyanka Kharge MLA Somasekar, Additional Chief Secretary Dr Shalini Rajneesh were present.