On 26 January 1950, India’s Constitution came into effect—drafted by B.R. As Tripurdaman Singh’s forthcoming book Sixteen Stormy Days: The Story Of The First Amendment To The Constitution Of India shows, the first amendment to the Constitution, passed amid tremendous political opposition in 1951, affected freedom of speech, caste-based reservation and the zamindari system, among others. The Constitution of India for childrenIn another fascinating book, Ambedkar’s Preamble: A Secret History Of The Constitution Of India, Aakash Singh Rathore celebrates Ambedkar’s pioneering role as chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution, arguing that the key concepts of the Preamble owe more to the Dalit leader than we give him credit for. India's founding momentIn a perceptive review of Madhav Khosla’s book, India’s Founding Moment: The Constitution Of A Most Surprising Democracy, Shruti Rajagopalan draws a parallel between the mass protests against the CAA and NRC and the principles that form the bedrock of the Constitution, which is a symbolic presence in these gatherings. From the late legal expert Leila Seth’s classic book for children on the Preamble (illustrated by Bindia Thapar), now 10 years old, to writer Subhadra Sen Gupta and illustrator Tapas Guha’s collaboration in their new book, The Constitution Of India For Children, there are invaluable resources that can help foster a generation of astute, civic-minded and self-aware young citizens who can further the vision of the founding parents of the nation.

Source: Mint January 26, 2020 07:52 UTC