As a curve traversing in a space has an inflection point, it is imperative to halt and analyse. Analyse the change in direction and thus the change in nature of the curve.

In a republic, there are times when some inflection points arrive, and we must halt, take stock of the arguments within, and rededicate the republic to its best version.

Our 75th Republic Day, gives us this very opportunity.

On January 22, 1947, the constituent assembly adopted Jawaharlal Nehru's Objectives Resolution- laying the ideals for our Preamble. Fortunately or not, in our 'parliamentary' democracy, it has often been only presidential style heads of state that have brought a change in the mindset of the people. Nehru felt India should be Hindu in spirit- adopting the virtues of tolerance and acceptance. Indira Gandhi in 1976, added the word secular, making the Indian spirit bereft of its supposed Nehruvian Hindu leanings. Yet due to her ritualistic Hinduism, she was hailed by the right as  'Sabse Badi Hindu'. And then came our incumbent 'Hindu Hriday Samrat' who made India Hindu in spirit and in practise. Clearly, India today has a different significance for January 22. Interestingly, it may have to do with the undoing of the Preamble unlike the 22 January in 1947.

But as we go from January 22 to 26, comes the 23rd- the birthday of Bose. Netaji was known for his greeting- Jai Hind. We can't fall over ourselves to pay lip service to Netaji and then proceed to replace his greeting with another narrow, communal one- using it as a clarion call, or to remind everyone who's the boss.

The popular sentiment echoing today is to create a second republic which is a break from the past, the one in which Rajya (governance) is preceded by Rama. As the Union Cabinet labels 22 January 2024 as a day of a new era dawning, we must be reminded that any new era, no matter how righteous, must be tested against the constitutional ideals that nourish us till today.

Today we invite the French president against the notion of us sharing common values of liberty, equality and fraternity (borrowed from the French motto). Yet it's the very flagbearers of these values on our side that are jeered at by most.

In most livid times, the Preamble has acted as a knight in shining armour, now the time is ripe to see if there are any chinks in the armour. Let India and her constitution walk in the world's desert of inhumanity with no Achilles' heel that plummets us deep down into the hell of ignominy. Long live our Republic- INDIA!