“Respect the Constitution” means upholding the supreme law of the land, honoring its ideals, institutions (like Parliament, Judiciary), and symbols (Flag, Anthem), understanding its role in governance and citizen rights, and practicing democratic values like fraternity, protecting public property, and promoting harmony, as it’s a fundamental duty for citizens in many nations, especially India, to ensure democratic stability and national identity. It is about internalizing constitutional morality and practicing it daily, not just showing symbolic gestures. I am sure you may have heard all this before!
Why should I like the Constitution of India? Or for that matter why should I love it? Why should I respect it? It is an old, outdated document written without a foresight. (Please, do not start all that once again, I am not insulting anyone!) This document can almost be called, in our latest computer terminology, ‘Cut, Copy and Paste’ document as it was copied from almost all popular constitutions across the globe! It is an agreed fact that whatever is good for the people of those countries cannot be good for our country or people. These countries are diametrically different from our India, culturally, religiously, morally, and in every conceivable aspect of life. How can we copy constitution from them? How can we even think of copying them? How can we have, for example, Universal Adult Franchise i.e., everyone to vote? Or everyone to take part in the government formation? A mad, drunk, and insane man cannot enter into a binding agreement (Indian Contract Act), but he can surely vote! Have we gone insane? Then every government we chose will invariably be an insane government!
An educated, understanding and responsible man would definitely understand the value and the purpose of his vote and the positive effects of responsible voting. Over 65% of present Indian population votes irresponsibly and with ill-understanding. They vote for liquor, money and others.
‘What proof do I have?’ you may ask.
There is no need to provide proofs for a universal truth. Consequently, the responsible voters began withdrawing voluntarily from the voting process. They do not want any part in the government formation. When you take the total % of average polling across India, it is only 55% to 60%! In other words, 40% to 45 % voters are abstaining. But this is only one part of the story. Listen to the other part: there are people (scores like I) who never applied for a voting ID! Without a voting ID no one can vote. Thus, these people never voted. For voting means accepting a document (the Constitution) that does not serve the purpose. It has more ill-effects and few positive effects.
All politicians are good. They are innocent. They are doing the work what they think they should, for they are merely the products of the constitution. Remove the mother root, all these people will vanish without a trace. Remove the constitution, every politician of the class and character we see will fade away, paving way for the new breed, new and more responsible politicians.
During the past four decades, we have witnessed many revolutions… Computer, Internet, Travel, Services revolutions – to name a few. Nothing remained the same. Our Constitution, therefore, must change in a responsible way, for the good of the people.
You have the following choices:
- Either enjoy the present never improving and ever worsening situation with an expired Constitution, for it is the root of everything; or
- Attempt to change the Constitution. Changing is no big deal. It will not take 2 years, 11 months and 26 days!
Blissfully, I have withdrawn from both the scenarios above, became a silent observer. I have reached a position where I do not care either way!
You may ask, ‘We have done many amendments to the constitution to keep it relevant. What about it’? The patch work was done in a superficial & cosmetic manner. The expired essence remained active.
The governments (successive) ensured to make the people slaves by repeatedly saying: ‘To vote is your Right’ or ‘It is your democratic duty to vote’ etc. These governments made voting a religious process. This resulted in every simpleton aspiring to become a politician. They began spending inconceivable amounts to chase their perverted dream. Voting is neither a right, nor a duty, nor love for the nation etc. Voting is a choice, and it will remain forever so. And till date I followed my choice. Consequently, TVs, social media, newspapers and discussions in social gatherings became non-existent for me. This gave tremendous peace and enjoyment. Why should I therefore, respect or love etc. the expired Constitution? Why should I bother about a dead document at all? Only the zombies follow a dead document. I am alive. I follow life!
About the Author
Dr. K. Raja Gopal Reddy is a seasoned internationally qualified Insurance professional. What you are reading here, may not answer all the questions we have, but has the absolute power of asking unsettling questions which increase the interest in the strange world, and show the contradictory wonders lying just below the surface of the commonest things of life. Look at this disturbing but beautiful thought of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him”. Dr. Reddy can be reached at: raja66gopal@gmail.com
