March of the Republic: On India’s 77th Republic Day and the President’s speech

President Droupadi Murmu reflected on India’s democratic and development journey on the eve of India’s 77th Republic Day. Her emphasis was rightly on the self-reliance of the country in all fields and India’s role as a messenger of peace and stability in a world that is increasingly fractious. Ms. Murmu highlighted recent national achievements and touched upon political and cultural themes that are currently the priorities of the Centre. She noted that the national song, Vande Mataram, was a “lyrical national prayer” even as the country celebrates the 150th anniversary of its composition, and also paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whose 150th birth anniversary was celebrated recently, for his role in unifying the nation. The commander-in-chief also hailed the success of Operation Sindoor, which involved precision strikes against terror infrastructure, and credited it to India’s growing self-reliance in defence. The President said India’s progress towards becoming the third largest global economy was well on track, and commended economic reforms such as the GST and the new Labour Codes. She noted the great strides achieved by the country’s women in fields ranging from agriculture to space, and their critical role as voters. Farmers, sanitation workers, teachers, scientists, and healthcare professionals also found special mention in the President’s speech.

The President invoked the idea of constitutional nationalism. Republic Day celebrations are an annual occasion to revisit the ideals of the Constitution and to review its progress in principle and practice. Cataloguing the achievements of the country is motivating, but also essential on such occasions is self-reflection. Economic growth or military prowess are not the sole markers of progress for any nation. Singing paeans to the Constitution is one thing, but delivering on its principles by protecting the rights of citizens and discharging the duties of the state is quite another. The state in its self-congratulatory posture, as reflected in the President’s speech, must not ignore the many struggles of the citizenry that persist even in the eighth decade of the Republic. Civilisational pride cannot be a ruse to overshadow the material questions of the present. Republic Day celebrates the ideals of the Constitution. Sectarian politics, the weakening of the federal character of the Republic, and corruption should not be allowed to undermine those ideals.