President Pranab Mukherjee today stressed the need for remembering the contributions made by freedom fighters as well as those who drafted Constitution, saying the "magnificient Magna Carta" can keep 125 crore people of the country in a single unit.
Speaking at an event to mark the birth centenary of freedom fighter Chaudhary Ranbir Singh, the President said that it is essential to keep in mind that the seeds of fruits endeared by people today were sown by stalwarts and freedom fighters who considered it their sacred duty.
"There is a need of remembering the contributions of our Constitution makers and freedom fighters because that will implant in our mind and in our thought process that we have not obtained our freedom as a gratis from the development of international situation in the post second world war.
"It is the freedom fighting, struggle of millions of people... Their life, their youth for the cause of the freedom," the President said.
Mukherjee noted that it was not easy to draft the Constitution and referred to it as "magnificient Magna Carta" of the socio-economic transformation.
The President said that Chaudhary Ranbir Singh was one of the architects of our Constitution and took active part in its making as a member of the Constituent Assembly.
"...It was not very easy. A selected number of persons and many other stalwarts very carefully crafted this Constitution which can keep 125 plus crore of people in a single unit...A single country," he said.
The President said he was glad to be associated with the birth centenary celebrations of Chaudhary Singh, who was a veteran freedom fighter, devoted Gandhian and a seasoned Parliamentarian.
"We shall have to remember their contribution, we shall have to keep in mind that the fruits which we are endearing today, their seeds were sown by these stalwarts, freedom fighters...Who considered it was a sacred duty," he said.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also attended the event.
Singh said,"The life of Chaudhary Singh inspires us today to form a new India and take it forward by removing communalism and castism by working together."
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, former Governor Motilal Vora, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh and a host of senior Congress leaders were present during the event.
