Let’s Celebrate Constitution Day: Dr. Birbal Jha

Let’s celebrate Samvidhan Divas or Constitution Day or National Law Day today as it was 26th November 1949 when the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the constitution of the country which, however, came into effect on 26 January 1950.

Adhering to the law of the land is not only an honour to the establishment but also strengthening the nation and ensuring the better prospects of countrymen. Broadly speaking, the rights of every citizen are well protected and justice for all is well-enshrined in the book for all to follow.

But can the law be selective? People are often heard saying that what is happening is that ‘one law for the rich and another for the poor’. Is that any way natural delivery of justice for mankind? Rather everybody is expected to be equal in the eyes of the law, more particularly in democratic set up that we have chosen to stay with. A self-chosen form of government is the best possible one. The monarchy is the matter of past. 

However, those close to the power behave like that they are a law unto themselves, leaving the common man beleaguered and victimized of their oppression and inebriation of their powers. Reports are all around. Who will bell the cat?

So what will these commoners do? They will have no option but to choose the path of the saying -necessity knows no law. Who will deny the fact that ‘self-preservation is the first law of nature? On the contrary, nobody should be allowed to take the law into their own hands.  Hence, it is incumbent upon the government to ensure the infallible justice to all.

Let the law be equally applicable to everybody irrespective of their, caste, creed, religion, high or low. This is the high time the philosophy of Thomas  Fuller’s words- “be you never so high, the law is above you” be brought into practice in letters and spirits. This will a real tribute to the architect of Indian Constitution, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar who in every possible manner put in everything for the best possible form of governance and rule.

 What is needed is practice and adherence to the constitution of the country, not the way Shiv Sena has declared that his party will boycott the celebration. The national interest must be above the party politics for petty gains. Blame-game is on. The lives of masses are at stake with Delhi choking. Even the apex court has intervened asking the political parties enjoying the power to unite to work for the cause and stop the gas chamber burning in the national capital of the country.

Shall we wake up to the call on this National Law Day or remain within precincts of our houses passing the bucks?

The social entrepreneur Dr Birbal Jha is a noted author and the Managing Director of Lingua Multiservices Pvt Ltd having a popular trademark ‘British Lingua’. He is regarded as having created a revolution in English training in India with the slogan ‘English for all.’

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Political Marriage of Convenience:Birbal Jha

Where is a moral ground?  The pat counter-question was in response to the resignation sought by the political opponent from RJD supremo Lalu Yadav, who was then the chief minister of the Government of Bihar.

However, he is currently incarcerated in the jail for his conviction in a fodder scam case under different IPC sections. Thereby, he is barred from fighting any elections and enjoying the taste of power either.

Intoxicated in absolute power at the relevant time, veteran Lalu Yadav might have taken only a literal meaning of the word ground, which is the solid surface of the earth, ignoring its wide figurative meanings. Hence, he chose not to budge then. But the legal ground did not spare him, sticking its wise saying - be you never so high, the law is above you.



But the unanswered question of ‘moral ground’ is still fresh in Indian politics whether this ground exists or it has sunk so low that it has become invisible now. A case of Maharashtra politics is the latest pointer.



The melodrama spanning around a month after the declaration of 2019 Maharashtra Assembly election results came to close on Saturday. No instant elected government was formed in want of absolute majority. None of the political party enjoyed the magic number of 145 in 288 seats of the Assembly.



However, pre-poll political alliance of BJP -Shiv Sena was voted to form the government with 105 seats to the saffron party and 56 to its ally. Notwithstanding this fact, Sena backtracked and began to bargain for the chief ministerial post, leaving its big brother in the lurch for number-game. Nothing could materialize and the age old political marriage was divorced with all acrimony for the rejoice of opponents.

The political ideology was assigned to ashes merely for power-hunger. Thus, the veneer of ideological similarities came in full view of the public. Everything hidden so far was unmasked to the bone. Naked dance of politics for power ensued with days passing by.



 Moreover, the drama heightened for a scene-drop. The new scene that emerged was that early in the day on 23rd November 2019, Devendra Fadnavis born in 1970 was sworn in as Chief Minister in succession. He has been able to cobble up the number from the breakaway group of NCP led by Ajit Pawar who is facing corruption charges. God knows what will happen now.



 Shiv Sena that always claimed to be opposed to the ideology of Congress and NCP, a splinter of larger Congress got exposed in the aftermath of election results. It was seen inching as close as possible to both of the political opponents since its inception.


 Breaking all moral grounds for power, it shook hands with Congress and NCP and even declared that Udhav Thackrey was going to be Chief-Minister of Maharashtra which was flashed in all media only to see something else. However, the political acumen of BJP deflated the wheels of Sena, with a masterstroke of winning over the heart of Ajit Pawar led NCP.



But the bigger question of electorate lies unanswered as whom to believe and whom not to believe when it comes to the moral ground. Who has the ideology and who hasn’t?  It is a question difficult to be answered in today’s political scenario.  Morality has taken a back seat whereas hunger for power is in the driver’s seat. The saying fits well here- all is fair in love and war. In other words -all is fair in politics.



The social entrepreneur Dr Birbal Jha is a noted author and the Managing Director of Lingua Multiservices Pvt Ltd having a popular trademark ‘British Lingua’. He is regarded as having created a revolution in English training in India with the slogan ‘English for all’