The Republic Day, which is observed on January 26 of every year commemorates the day in history when the Constitution of India came into force in 1950. It was on this day that the Constitution as drafted and approved by the Constituent Assembly of India came into effect. While the main national celebration is held in the national capital at Rajpath with the President of India taking centre stage, the day is observed at state capitals and even at the district levels. Interestingly, the republic day spectacle which is marked by color and military shows of strength that forks its way on Rajpath from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill through Vijay Chowk and India Gate was held in a totally different manner and venue in 1950.
The President then, the late Dr Rajendra Prasad had driven out of Rastrapati Bhawan, then known as the Government House in a 35-year-old coach specially renovated for the occasion making its way through the Irwin Amphitheatre ironically named after a former Viceroy of the British Empire then and now renamed as the National Stadium. The President took a ride on Vijay Chowk and a mere 3000 officers and men of the three Armed Services of India and the Police with massed bands took part in the Ceremonial Parade. This was then and during the intervening period, more grandeur crept in, more ceremony has come in. India’s Republic day functions inevitably end up being a mix of heavy security, the color of tradition and culture and military displays. At the national level, the Republic day parade also features in a special invitee from neighboring countries and various functions take place till the time, the beating retreat takes place on 29th January thereby marking the end of the celebrations. For a few years now, there are voices calling for the an end to such pomp and gaiety even as the nation slumps on the inflation radar and register growth deficits, with its farmers committing suicides and its various law and order machineries including its para military forces involved in taking away the rights enshrined in the Constitution of India. For every detractor of the pomp and show of the Republic day parade and its paraphernalia, there are other vociferous noises of support that are of the opinion that a nation must also find a way of showing the world, but more so its immediate neighbors that it is made of stern stuff. If the detractors talk about the manner in which the common man end up having their movements curtailed due to the high security arrangements, the supporters get back with arguments of the need for a national imagery of might and pomp.
At the state level, the Republic Day functions were earlier held with active people participation and ironically so, during the height of the insurgent movement. While the angst then was that the Kangla was out of bounds to the common man then, the Republic day parade was lustily cheered and greeted by droves of people who came out to the main parade routes. Compare and contrast this to the situation now where the function is held in the hallowed grounds of the Kangla but the public has to stay put party because of the military might of both the state and the non state forces. Present day Republic day functions in the state mean more harassment of the public in terms of their movement and safety: with roads being off limit first because of the scare of loss of life or limbs from the banned armed groups and because of the road blocks enforced by overzealous state security personnel. And yet, despite all the combing operations and the checks and the road blocks, a bomb still went off in the 1st MR Ground. Heads are still to roll on that count. On the other hand, the Press release machinery from banned armed groups has also been in circulation extolling the success of its boycott call. Given that the poor common man cannot win when the idea of violence is lying in wait for him, it is a matter of technicality whether he is yet to discount the idea of a Republic on his own volition. When the citizens of a Republic have to stay in their homes; shorn of the basic needs of electricity, drinking water and hygiene, the idea of a nation upping its pride under the garb of colorful parades and official functions, it says the Republic is only play acting.