Saquib Salim

“The 26th of January has got a sanctity all its own in our national calendar, we might still have another day, and it might very aptly and in the fitness of things signify the advent of our complete freedom and republican status. We may christen it the “Republic Day”. The 26th January would still be regarded as “Independence Day”, the day on which we took the famous pledge of independence…. I have no objection if the “Independence Day” and the “Republic Day” syn-chronise, but I think it would add more importance to our national calendar if we had “Independence Day” on the 26th January”

Hari Vishnu Kamath told this to the Constituent Assembly of India on 17 October 1949 while discussing Draft Article 314 i.e., the date on which the Constitution of India would come into force.

The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950. Since then, the day is celebrated as Republic Day in India. But, it is not common knowledge that the date was chosen to keep the ‘sanctity’ of this date.

The Indian National Congress (INC) Presided by Jawaharlal Nehru at its Lahore Session passed a resolution on 19 December 1929 declaring Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) as its goal.

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The resolution said, “We hold it to be a crime against man and God to submit any longer to a rule that has caused this fourfold disaster to our country….. We are convinced that if we can but withdraw our voluntary help and stop payment of taxes without doing violence, even under provocation, the end of this inhuman rule is assured. We therefore hereby solemnly resolve to carry out the Congress instructions issued from time to time for the purpose of establishing Purna Swaraj.”

It was also decided at the Congress Session that the pledge to Purna Swaraj would be publicly declared across the country on 26 January 1930. The day had to be celebrated as ‘Independence Day’. After that, till 1947, every year this day was celebrated by the Indians braving the British police oppression.

Every year, on this date, thousands of people would be arrested, hundreds would receive injuries and on occasions, many would die of police firings to declare India’s freedom.

After the formal declaration of India’s independence on 15 August 1947, the national leaders celebrated 26 January. In 1948, Dr. Rajendra Prasad unfurled the national flag at a public ceremony and said, “Previously, we had only been making declarations for the achievement of independence every year on January 26, but this is the first time in the history of our national struggle that we are celebrating real independence.”

Jawaharlal Nehru also gave a party to foreign delegates to celebrate ‘Independence Day’ on 26 January 1948. Across India, in 1948, the day was celebrated as Independence Day.

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The national leaders felt that the date had to remain in public memory and celebrated and thus was decided as the date on which the Constitution of India came into force.