Prime Minister Narendra Modi names Pakistan in his Constitution Day address, says ?India will never forget the wounds inflicted during 2008 Mumbai terror attacks?

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the All India Presiding Officers Conference on the occasion of Constitution Day on Thursday.

Speaking on the Constitution, the PM noted that an effort was made to destroy the tradition of separation of power during the 1970s but an answer to this attempt was also given via Constitution.

“After Emergency, the system of Checks and Balances got strengthened. The Legislature, Executive and Judiciary, all three learned a lot from that period (of Emergency) and progressed,” the PM told the conference.

“130 crore Indians have exhibited maturity and one of the biggest reasons behind that is their trust in all three arms of the Constitution,” he added.

He said today is the day to bow down to Bapu’s (Mahatma Gandhi’s) inspiration and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s commitment.

“Many such personalities have decided the path of development for India. It was decided five years ago on November 26 to celebrate the day as Constitution Day so as to remember their efforts,” the PM stated.

The Prime Minister named Pakistan in his address and said that terrorists sent from Pakistan had attacked Mumbai on this day in 2008. “People from India and many foreign nations were killed. I pay homage to them as well as police and security forces personnel who died while fighting the terrorists,” the PM stated.

He added that today’s India can never forget the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, one of the biggest on the Indian soil. “Today’s India is fighting terrorism with ‘new niti and new riti’,” the PM said.

The PM recalled that Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi was clear in his vision for fundamental rights and duties, which he said were interlinked.

“Our Constitution has many features but one very special feature is the importance given to duties. Mahatma Gandhi was very keen about this. He saw a close link between rights & duties. He felt that once we perform our duties, rights will automatically be safeguarded,” the PM stated.

Coining a new ‘Know Your Constitution’, the Prime Minister said the same could help strengthen our constitutional safeguards.