"Previous govts destroyed Constitution's goodness": Ram Nath Thakur

Thakur on Wednesday slammed the opposition over the Constitution Day, stating that it was not celebrated during their regime and its goodness of the Constitution to be displayed but was destroyed.

"When Prime Minister Modi was about to become Prime Minister for the first time in 2014, he took an oath on the Constitution that he would work to bring forward the person at the lowest rung... Now, Constitution Day is being celebrated; it was not celebrated before. Those who remained in power for a long time never allowed the goodness of the Constitution to be displayed; they destroyed it. I thank the Prime Minister for celebrating Constitution Day while following in the footsteps of Baba Saheb Ambedkar," Ram Nath Thakur told ANI.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu expressed happiness and congratulated the members of Parliament for upholding the vision and dreams of the original Constitutional framers on the occasion of Constitution Day."

Additionally, I bow in respect at this commemoration for good luck and prosperity to the members," President Murmu said.

Recalling the history of the constitution's drafting, she remembered Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, who was the chairman of the Drafting Committee, and praised his efforts in drafting India's supreme legal document.

"I am delighted to be among you all on the historic occasion of Constitution Day. On this very day, November 26, 1949, in this very Central Hall of the Constitution House, the members of the Constituent Assembly completed the task of drafting the Constitution of India. On this very day that year, we, the people of India, adopted our Constitution. After independence, the Constituent Assembly also served as India's interim Parliament. Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee, was one of the principal architects of our Constitution," she said.

The Constitution of India, adopted on November 26, 1949, was drafted by the Constituent Assembly, which was presided over by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, who later became the first President of India.

The Constituent Assembly was established under the Cabinet Mission Plan and initially comprised 389 members. After the Partition of India, its membership was reduced to 299. (ANI)