In order to safeguard the dignity of the individual, we need to build the nation and protect its unity and integrity. It was only through a spirit of common brotherhood and fraternity that we could hope to build national unity in a highly pluralistic and heterogenous society. We could not succeed in our efforts at economic development and could not hope to preserve either democracy or the independence of the country and honour of the countrymen. Article 51 A, therefore, appropriately makes it the duty of every citizen to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India and promote harmony and brotherhood. At least in matters which involve threat to the unity and integrity of the nation, it is expected of every citizen to forget all differences and rise above all considerations of self-interest. If this does not happen, nation building becomes an impossibility.
Conclusion
Thus, an analysis of the various concepts and terms in the Preamble shows that the noble words of our Preamble represent the quintessence, the philosophy, the ideals or the soul of the entire Constitution of India. Other parts and provisions of the Constitution are only an elaborate and an attempt to give concrete shape, content and meaning to the words of the Preamble. No wonder that the Supreme Court found that the Preamble contained some of the basic features of the Constitution which could not be altered even by an amendment of the Constitution under Article 368. It is , however, felt that words like 'socialist,' 'secular' etc used in the Preamble are very ambiguous and our polity has suffered greatly due to their having not been precisely defined in the Constitution. It may, therefore be most advisable to define them through a constitutional amendment.
Extract from Our Constitution by S C Kashyap
Conclusion
Thus, an analysis of the various concepts and terms in the Preamble shows that the noble words of our Preamble represent the quintessence, the philosophy, the ideals or the soul of the entire Constitution of India. Other parts and provisions of the Constitution are only an elaborate and an attempt to give concrete shape, content and meaning to the words of the Preamble. No wonder that the Supreme Court found that the Preamble contained some of the basic features of the Constitution which could not be altered even by an amendment of the Constitution under Article 368. It is , however, felt that words like 'socialist,' 'secular' etc used in the Preamble are very ambiguous and our polity has suffered greatly due to their having not been precisely defined in the Constitution. It may, therefore be most advisable to define them through a constitutional amendment.
Extract from Our Constitution by S C Kashyap
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