BENGALURU: International Day of Democracy was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Vidhana Soudha on Sunday with many flocking to the venue to collect their hand-printed preamble of the Indian Constitution or witness a series of entertaining plays on democracy or read creative and thought-provoking posters by students. India Post also released a special postal cover to mark the International Day of Democracy at Vidhana Soudha.
A total of 4,800 Preambles were printed by students, families, and professionals at the ‘Print Your Preamble’ stall–one of the most popular attractions of the event by ‘Reclaim Constitution’ at the Vidhana Soudha steps. Students from the Azim Premji Univeristy showcased posters with themes such as inclusion, representation, and protection of fundamental rights, sparking conversation among attendees.
Another key feature of the event was ‘Constitutional Observer’ which was a comparative digital interface that allowed users to explore current and past parliamentary discourse in India. The interface showed how it can track legislative discussions, compare policy debates over time, and enhance public understanding of India’s parliamentary processes.
The day-long event saw the participation of democracy ambassadors such as Harekala Hajabba, sanitation workers Nagalakshmi and Manjula, transgender activist Priyanka, and two specially-abled students, who stood beside the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to symbolise the spirit of Democracy Day.
Man breaches security, runs toward Siddu
Bengaluru: A man, who breached security by entering the stage during the Chief Minister’s programme held in front of the Vidhana Soudha as part of the International Day of Democracy on Sunday, was arrested by the Vidhana Soudha police.
The accused has been identified as Mahadev Nayak (28), a resident of Kanakapura, who works at a private automobile company. Sources said that he jumped onto the platform and attempted to approach CM Siddaramaiah, who was seated with cabinet colleagues and senior bureaucrats.
His security personnel swung into action and immediately stopped him from coming close to the CM and whisked him away from the stage. Later, he was taken into custody by the local police. The police said that the man had come from Kanakapura to felicitate the CM by draping a shawl. A case was registered against him for breaching security protocols.
Postal dept releases special cover to mark Democracy Day
Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday released a special cover brought out by the Karnataka Postal Circle to mark the International Day of Democracy. An official release said hundreds of free postcards were distributed to the public and students, urging them to write the Preamble of the Constitution on them and post it to friends and family. The initiative aimed to give the youth an experience of writing the preamble. The postcards are being despatched by the GPO.