New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday described the Constitution as the country’s “guiding document” to shed remnants of a colonial mindset and move towards a stronger, nationalistic outlook rooted in India’s civilisational values.
Speaking at a Constitution Day event, the President said the framers of the Constitution had given India a charter that not only laid down the framework of governance but also showed the way to rebuild confidence and self-respect after decades of foreign rule.
“Our Constitution is not just a legal text. It is a guiding document that inspires us to shun a colonial mindset and adopt nationalistic thinking based on our own ideals, culture and traditions,” she said, urging citizens to see the document as a “living moral compass”, not merely a book of laws.
Murmu stressed that true respect for the Constitution means aligning policies, institutions and individual behaviour with its core values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. She said recent reforms aimed at phasing out colonial-era systems and symbols were part of a broader effort to “decolonise our thinking” and make governance more people-centric.
The President also underlined the role of citizens in realising the vision of the Constitution, saying fundamental duties were as important as fundamental rights. “Every Indian has a responsibility to protect the unity and integrity of the nation and to contribute positively to its progress. Only then can we build a truly strong, self-reliant and confident India,” she said.
She called upon the youth to read and understand the Constitution, arguing that an informed generation, aware of its rights and duties, would be the biggest guarantee of a vibrant democracy.