The Preamble
The Preamble is an introductory part of the Constitution of India. It reveals the intention of the framers of the Constitution and the basic features and ideals of the nation.
- India was declared as a Sovereign Democratic Republic. Later, the words, ‘secular’, ‘socialist’ and ‘integrity’ were added to it by the Amendment Act of 1976.
- The Preamble of the Constitution stresses that the real authority lies with the ‘People of India’ as it starts with the words, ‘We the people of India’. It shows that the Constitution of India derives its authority from the people.
- The words ‘Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic’ reflect the pattern of our political society.
Meaning of the Terms
Secular:Â India is a secular state. It means that every citizen has the right to practice, propagate and profess his religion. The state neither encourages nor discourages the practice of any religion.
Socialist:Â India is a socialist state. It means that the state is expected to bring about social and economic equality and to prevent the concentration of wealth in the hands of few.
Sovereign:Â India is a sovereign country. She is free from any external or internal pressure.
Democratic:Â India is a democratic country. People vote and elect their own representatives.
Republic:Â The word republic means that the head of the country is elected and his/her position is not hereditary.
Ideals
The ideals reflected in the Constitution of India are the following:
Justice—social, economic, and political
Social Justice
It says that justice is provided to the people irrespective of their race, caste, religion or
caste.
Economic Justice
- It means that the state has to provide adequate means of livelihood to all its citizens.
- The Government ensures economic justice by ensuring minimum wages, equal work and no pay difference between men and women for the same work.
Political Justice
Political justice means that the people have the right to express their views and opinions freely without the fear of persecution.
Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship
- This is inspired by the American and French Revolutions. People in India have the right to live a dignified life.
- They have the freedom of speech and expression. They also have the freedom to practise their religion or faith.
Fraternity
Fraternity means that the people of the country are bound by the spirit of brotherhood and unity. Because India is a multilingual, multicultural, pluralistic society, the unity and integrity of the nation can be preserved if the spirit of brotherhood exists among the people.
Significance of the Preamble
The importance of the Preamble of the Constitution is
- The Preamble represents the essence, philosophy and ideals of the Constitution of the country.
- Any disputes or ambiguities present in the Constitution should be resolved after reading the Constitution.
- The Preamble contains five basic principles of the Constitution as it declares India to be a Sovereign, Secular, Socialist, Democratic Republic.
- The Preamble thus is an important part of the Constitution
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