A dark chapter in India’s democracy

June 25 is an indelible day — the day when democracy and the rights of citizens in the country were trampled

In the history of Independent India, there are many important dates which are both eventful and historic. November 26 is one such historic day — also known as Constitution Day. The Constituent Assembly of India adopted India’s Constitution on this day, in 1949. To make this day ever more significant, and to make the ethos of Indian Constitution memorable, the Narendra Modi government, in 2015, decided to celebrate the day officially. Post Independence, the leaders of our great country firmly decided that the fruits of Independence have to be enjoyed by all sections of society. The result was: universal adult suffrage and India emerging as the world’s biggest democracy. To strengthen our unity amid diversities, establishing a political system based on the strong edifice of democracy was the only priority at that time. The architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, once said, “Political democracy cannot last unless there lies at the base of it social democracy. What does social democracy mean? It means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life.”