‘Constitution is the Light’ campaign draws hundreds of students at Gulbarga University

Kalaburagi: The seminar and a walkathon on Constitution organised by Prajavani and Deccan Herald in collaboration with Social Welfare Department, received overwhelming response with hundreds of students taking part at the Gulbarga University campus on Wednesday. 

The event was held as part of the “Constitution is the Light” campaign aimed at creating awareness among the youth about the importance of the Constitution. Hundreds of youths attended a talk on the Constitution at Dr B R Ambedkar Bhavan before the start of 3-km walkathon.

The participants raised slogans “Respect the Constitution, Strengthen the Nation” and “Rights for all, Duties for all – the Gift of the Constitution.” 

Inaugurating the seminar, the university Vice-Chancellor Prof Shashikant Udikeri said that India would lead the world with absolute implementation of the principles enshrined in the Constitution.

“The Constitution has given us the power to raise our voices democratically apart from ensuring equality, education, and an administrative system. The Constitution has always been the hope of the young generation. Any thoughts that undermine the Constitution will be fatal to the interests of great India,” he said.

‘Awareness essential’

The university Registrar Prof Ramesh Londonkar lamented that the Constitution has not been fully implemented even seven and a half decades after its enactment.

In the meantime, attempts are being made to distort the Constitution. “Therefore, awareness about the Constitution needs to reach beyond the university and the student community in such a critical period,” he said. 

Social Welfare Department Joint Director Preeti Doddamani said that Dr Ambedkar has given the light of the Constitution to the citizens and everyone should use it to move India forward.

Delivering a lecture during the seminar, Institute of Kannada Studies Director Prof H T Pote said that the Constitution is not just a bundle of papers, but a part of the life for Indians. 

“The Preamble of our Constitution begins with the phrase We the citizens of India. This includes all the citizens of the country. The Constitution is a book that should be in the house of every Indian. There are holy books for all religions including Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhism in the country. But, the Constitution is the book that protects all these holy books”, he explained. 

Pointing out that Dr Ambedkar has brought unity through the Constitution, he said that the Constitution gave opportunities and rights to women, backward classes, along with the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes people. None of these people would survive without the Constitution. Therefore, protecting the Constitution is not the responsibility of Dalits alone; it is the duty of all, he opined. 

Stating that harmony, equality and brotherhood are aspirations of the Constitution, he said that Dr Ambedkar has drawn all the principles from Buddha as claimed by him while drafting the constitution.