Page 75 - Constitution

70 Years of Indian

Constitution

History is witness to the fact that the Naga
eaders amongst the freedom fighters gave their
all for the freedom of the motherland, all their zeal, struggle had already gained momentum
much before India became free from
Ltheir skill and their ardor went with it. They were British yoke. The Naga National Council

true patriots. They fought for freedom with a united heart (NNC) formed at Wokha in 1946, became
and soul because they were fully alive to the fact that sole voice of the Nagas
even the whole heart is too little a sacrifice for this noble
cause. The hallmark of our Constitution is in design, in
India, in 1960 through a political agreement between
size, in excellence and in its provisions that are great.
the representatives of the Naga Peoples Convention
We cannot but rejoice in the handiwork of the members
and the Government of India for the first time Nagaland
of the Constituent Assembly because they have liberally
was recognized as the 16th State within Indian Union
and freely borrowed the best from the Constitutions of
and became part of the Constitution of India. The State
the world and fashioned it from the mass of precedents a
was formally inaugurated on 1st December 1963 by Dr
document to suit India’s needs.
Sarvepalli Radha Krishnan, the President of India. On
The members of the Constituent Assembly had applied
this auspicious occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the
both their political foresight and wisdom in carrying out
adoption of the Constitution, as one of the signatories
the stupendous task of framing the Constitution, which
to the 16 Point Agreement of 1960 I want to highlight
is indeed memorable as they had taken care to record,
the very special feature of no. 7 of the Sixteen Point
what is best for the country by the pen of inspiration and
Agreement which was incorporated as Article 371A of the
had written them upon the heart of the Indian people in
Constitution of India. A brief background of the agreement
a tangible form. The Constitution of India has not been
is stated herein. Hope and aspiration flew thick and fast
adopted to be admired for an hour or just to celebrate
for the Nagas when it was evident that the British were
and then forgotten. They are meant to be perpetual
preparing to leave Indian shores and hand over the reign
signs and instructive tokens to all coming generations
of governance to the Indians. The Nagas were fiercely
and especially they have been designed to confirm the
fighting for their freedom along with India’s dedicated
faith of the people on this sacred Constitution. We should
struggle for independence. History is witness to the fact
remember that a silver thread of patriotism runs through
that the Naga struggle had already gained momentum
the entire fabric of this Constitution. Let the memories of
much before India became free from British yoke. The
those who brought out this constitution continue to guide
Naga National Council (NNC) formed at Wokha in 1946,
the nation.
became sole voice of the Nagas. The struggle continued
Even though there was no Naga representative in the
well after 1947, because Nagas being simple, free spirited
Constituent Assembly while drafting the Constitution of
and valiant people valued their freedom more than

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