BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said two negative propaganda are going on against the Constitution that it is for the salvation of Dalits and is not in accordance with the socio-economic situation of the people. Citizens should not tolerate such propaganda and stand strong to protect the Constitution, he exhorted.
Inaugurating the ‘Constitution and National Unity ‘ conference organised by the Social Welfare Department at Palace Grounds, he said people who are against the Constitution are behind this propaganda.
“The Constitution clearly mentions freedom, equality and fraternity. The propaganda has prevailed since the Constitution 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 warned. To make his point, he quoted former US President Abraham Lincoln: “We are the rightful masters of the Constitution... not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow those who are against the Constitution.”
Important to know who has power: CM
He said, “It is the responsibility of every government to eradicate inequality in the country. We are entering an era of contradictions. In a society with social and economic inequality, political democracy can succeed only when it rests on the foundations of social democracy.”
The CM pointed out that the architect of the Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar, had said that those who suffer from inequality will destroy the edifice of democracy. For the Constitution to succeed, it is important to know in whose hands the power is with. It will succeed if it is in the hands of those who are in favour of it and those who want to build a humane society, he noted.
“If it is in the hands of those who are against the Constitution, we will not survive,” he warned.
The conference was organised as part of the Amrita Mahotsava celebration of the adoption of the Constitution. Awareness ‘jathas’ on the Constitution had been organised across the state from January 26, 2024 to make people understand the Preamble and aspirations of the Constitution.
Siddaramaiah distributed prizes and mementos to Tumakuru, Davanagere, Mysuru, Kodagu and Ballari district administrations for organising best activities to create awareness on the Constitution.