National Law School of India University's (NLSIU) Centre for Labour Studies Director Babu Mathew said that no other Constitution in the world has brought transformation in society like the Indian Constitution. He was delivering a special lecture on 'Indian Constitution and Social Change' as part of the 73rd Constitution Day organised by the University of Mysore's Dr BR Ambedkar Research and Extension Centre at Manasagangotri campus on Saturday, November 26.
According to a report by The New Indian Express, Mathew said that the Constitutions of South Africa, Brazil and India are known as the Transformation Constitution. "However, if we compare all three Constitutions, the Indian Constitution stands in the first place. South Africa, while framing their Constitution, had adopted various aspects from the Indian Constitution. Every subsequent Constitution has the benefit of the earlier Constitution," he said.
Mathew pointed out that the Indian Constitution enabled the country to bring in change in the economic system after years of British rule. However, South Africa, he said, was unable to do so. "This was because their economy is still with white people. Black people face violence and atrocities in South Africa which is a threat to the Constitution. The 100 years of independence struggle witnessed anti-imperialism, anti-feudalism and anti-foreign capital. When we consider total transformation, no other Constitution is close to the Indian Constitution," he said, as per a report by TNIE.
Mathew also slammed the present government for the privatisation of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). "Without the support of Soviet Russia, ISRO could not have developed. Russia gave the cryogenic engine to ISRO. After several years of hard work and research, ISRO is now at the stage of making profit. It is making the world's cheapest satellite launches. At this junction, the government is planning to privatise ISRO. The entire nation is irked by the government's plans to sell public sectors to private companies. The government will first push the public sectors to loss before selling it. This government is an expert in doing this," said Mathew.
He added that the strength of the Indian Constitution is that it is the product of the Indian freedom movement. "Those who were on the Constituent Assembly created by Dr BR Ambedkar had participated in the freedom movement. It created a high level of unity among the members of the Constitution's Constituent Assembly. The average life of a Constitution is 17 years. But the Indian Constitution is celebrating 73rd year," he said. Later, University of Mysore incharge Vice-Chancellor, H Rajashekar, said that the Constitution is the foundation of democracy. "We must read the Indian Constitution similar to Bhagavat Gita and adopt it in our lives. Ambedkar has given us the Constitution and it is our responsibility to protect it," he said.
