Why Nehru Brought The First Amendment
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar|January 01, 2025
The debate in parliament on the 75 years of the glorious journey of the Constitution did not live up to its billing.
P D T ACHARY

It started on a serious note with Rajnath Singh, the senior-most minister in the government, initiating it, but it soon became a slanging match and lost its gravity. It possibly could not be avoided because of the form of adversarial politics being practised today.

There used to be scintillating parliamentary debates on issues of national and international importance. Those were times when the country was proud of its parliamentarians. So when it was announced that they would be discussing the Constitution's journey across decades, the old-timers sat up and watched the debate with great interest. But it was a frustrating experience.

Speakers hurled allegations on the damage done to the Constitution by the other side of the aisle. The debate culminated in the prime minister's take on the first of his office, Jawaharlal Nehru, for amending the Constitution several times to take away the rights of citizens, and that too with retrospective effect at times.

The main focus was the first amendment, made in 1951. Hence there is a need to dwell on the nature and context of those changes Nehru introduced through the first amendment.

This story is from the January 01, 2025 edition of The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 01, 2025 edition of The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS BHUBANESWARView All
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

World No 1 An Se-Young lives up to billing at India Open

Pornpawee Chochuwong stood bemused in the middle of the court.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Lithium Deposits Likely in Eastern Ghats Belt of State, Need Probe: GSI

THE Geological Survey of India on Sunday said there are chances of lithium deposits in Nayagarh and other districts of the Eastern Ghats belt of Odisha, though it is yet to be confirmed.

time-read
2 mins  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Foden stars as Man City hit Ipswich for six

PHIL Foden struck twice as Manchester City climbed to fourth in the Premier League with a 6-0 rout of struggling Ipswich on Sunday.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Global leaders keen on India's growth story: Vaishnaw ahead of Davos visit

UNION Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday highlighted the significant global interest in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic policies, which are set to take centre-stage during discussions at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

B'luru techie gets free phone, loses ₹2.8 crore

AFTER the 'dubious parcel at Customs' scam and 'digital arrest' scare, cyber fraudsters have come up with a new trick to gobble up your money: give a free mobile phone, and use it to siphon off money from your bank account.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Gunfight breaks out in Baramulla, first this year

A gunfight between security forces and terrorists broke out on Sunday in Sopore area of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, the first encounter this year.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Responsible reporting crucial to man-wildlife conflict resolution: WTI

TO get the discussion going on responsible media reporting on man-wildlife conflict, with special focus on elephants, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the Forest department organised a two-day workshop at Baripada.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Suspected Diarrhoea Outbreak Claims Four Lives in Puri District

PANIC has gripped scores of villages under Gopinathpur and Gadishgopa gram panchayats of Kanas block after four persons died and several others have taken ill in the last 15 days in a suspected diarrhoea outbreak.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Doc, pharmacist of Deriki PHC attacked by drunk miscreants

AN on-duty doctor and a pharmacist of the Deriki primary health centre (PHC) in Naugaon block sustained injuries after allegedly being attacked by five drunk miscreants here on Saturday afternoon.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025
The New Indian Express Bhubaneswar

Gukesh turns tables on Anish Giri in Tata Open

D Gukesh seems to be on a roll. At least for a while. On January 17, D Gukesh was at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the National Sports awards ceremony.

time-read
1 min  |
January 20, 2025