Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wrote a letter to citizens underscoring the importance of constitutional "duties", drawing sharp criticism from the Opposition Congress that questioned his own adherence to "fundamental duties".
"Let us, on this Constitution Day, reaffirm our pledge to fulfil our duties as citizens of this great nation. In doing so, we can all contribute meaningfully to the building of a Viksit Bharat that is developed and empowered," Modi wrote in the open letter to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution in 1949.
Modi sought to stress the primacy of duties over fundamental rights. He stressed the responsibility of strengthening democracy through the exercise of the right to vote and suggested schools and colleges celebrate Constitution Day by recognising first-time voters.
"All these personalities and milestones remind us of the primacy of our duties, something the Constitution also emphasises through a dedicated chapter on Fundamental Duties in Article 51A. These duties guide us on how to collectively achieve social and economic progress," he wrote, invoking Mahatma Gandhi and the framers of the Constitution.
The Congress general secretary in charge of communication, Jairam Ramesh, came up with a counter. “Part IV-A, Article 51-A of the Constitution relates to Fundamental Duties and has enumerated eleven of them. But is the Prime Minister fulfilling even his own fundamental duties as a citizen and leader?" Ramesh asked on X.
Ramesh highlighted four duties and claimed Modi’s commitment to them is “demonstrably suspect”. He listed the four as abiding by the Constitution and respecting its ideals and institutions; cherishing and following the noble ideals which inspired the national struggle for freedom; promoting harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood among all the people of India, transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; and developing scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform.
Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK chief M.K. Stalin too sought to obliquely slam the central government without directly referring to Modi’s letter. “India belongs to all its people, not to one culture or one ideology. On this Constitution Day, we reaffirm our resolve to resist every force that tries to shrink Babasaheb Ambedkar’s vision,” Stalin said on X.
Modi, however, termed the Constitution as a “sacred document” that has continued to guide the nation’s progress with “clarity and conviction”.
“It is the power of our Constitution that enabled a person like me, coming from a humble and economically disadvantaged family, to serve as the Head of the Government continuously for over 24 years,” Modi said in his letter.