Time to focus on our duties: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Constitution could be simplified down to two mantras as “dignity for Indian” and “unity for India”.India observes Constitution Day on November 26, but the day is also a sad reminder of the Mumbai terror attacks, which took place on this day in 2008.

The Prime Minister paid tributes to those killed in the Mumbai terror attacks and went on to emphasise on people’s duties, saying their rights were stressed upon earlier, but time had now come to focus on citizens’ responsibilities. In his address to a joint sitting of Parliament to mark the Constitution Day, he said special aspect of the Indian Constitution was that it highlighted both rights and duties of citizens.

The demand of the present time is that society should deliberate on its duties and responsibilities as well, he said. “We cannot preserve our rights without fulfilling our responsibilities.”

Noting that the Constitution began with “we the people of India”, he said people were its strength, inspiration and aim. “Our effort should be to ensure focus on our duties in our conversations and meetings,” he said at the joint sitting. He quoted Mahatma Gandhi saying the Father of the Nation had understood the fine balance between rights and duties. “As proud citizens of India, let us think about how our actions will make our nation even stronger,” he said.