Republic Day
As the entire nation has geared up for the celebration of its 72nd Republic Day on 26th January 2021, Books33 takes this privilege to plunge into the pages of history and dig out some interesting facts about this national festival for our young readers – the Gen Zs.
India, as we know, was a colony of the British for over 200 years before it became independent from the rule of the British Raj following the Indian independence movement. While India became independent on August 14, 1947, it still did not have a permanent constitution, and Indian laws were based on a modified version of the British established, Government of India Act 1935.
If we go by the timeline, The British administration had propelled the Cabinet mission to India in 1946 to communicate with Indian administrators, the procedure for the agreeable transfer of power. As per the stratagems enacted by the goal, provincial legislative elections were carried on deriving in the appointment of 292 representatives who would go on to form the Constituent Assembly. Those legislated included names like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sarojini Naidu, and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and others.
On December 9, 1946, the Constituent Assembly joined for the introductory time in the Constitution Hall of Parliament House, with the motive of assembling the manuscript that would blather on to form the spine of independent India’s administration. Enthusiastic, the 207 members out of 292 prevailing in the first session commenced the debate and conversations, which would proceed for the next three years, culminating in the constitution of India.
In the consecutive year, on 29 August 1947, a Drafting Committee was appointed for the drafting of a permanent Indian Constitution, with Dr B R Ambedkar as chairman.
In the next three years, the Constituent Assembly held 11 sessions over 165 days. The draft constitution was approved by the Constituent Assembly on Nov. 26, 1949. After a lot of hard work, the Constitution was finally drafted, and January 26 was chosen as the day to declare India as the Sovereign Republic. The significance of January 26 is that on that day in 1929, the Indian National Congress made the well-known Declaration of Indian Independence (Purna Swaraj) as opposed to British rule.
About a month later, on January 26, 1950 ( First Republic Day ), the Constitution of India came into force officially, earning the newly born nation of India, the face of a modern republic.
Though the Constitution came into force in 1950 with a democratic government system, it was adopted by the Indian Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949. This completed the country’s transition into becoming a sovereign republic.
Ever since, for nearly seven decades now, every year on Republic Day, over 25 ascended and marching contingents, sundry missiles, radars and tanks, military bands, and motored vehicles create their annual journey down Raisina Hill, along Rajpath, and past India Gate. It is a one-of-a-kind defense ceremony of Republic Day.
Books33 wishes you a very Happy Republic Day. We wish that India continues to achieve greater heights in terms of its developmental endeavors.
Jai Hind
Want to read more blogs like this? Check out our Blogs page, here you will find more such content.
