A campaign led by the INDIA bloc, using a simulative Constitution as the symbol of protest, seems to have created an impressive increment in the sales of a pocket edition of the Constitution of India, as a report by a news agency unveils. The North Indian publisher, Eastern Book Company (EBC) of Lucknow, alerted that the current distribution of this, the ‘pocketing Indian Constitution’, has topped around 5000 pieces only in the last three months, which was actually its annual business of 2023.
The use of ‘Constitution’ as a symbol became apparent during the first sitting of the 18th Lok Sabha when opposition leaders stood in front of the Parliament House with a black and red leather-bound Constitution of India. This action was a drastic show of dissent against the policies spearheaded by the Modi-led coalition government, which argued that there might be a compromise of the constitution and its underpinnings.
Elections saw more focus on the Constitution, especially Rahul Gandhi, who campaigned that if the incumbent government were to be re-elected, the latter would change the constitution. With this increased public attention, it became an influential symbol of protest and a call for responsible citizenship.
This constitutional companion produced by the EBC was first published in 2009 and, up to this year, has gone through 16 editions, indicating its usefulness. Former attorney general KK Venugopalan, whose foreword has also been included in the book, conveys a testimony to the fact that the book is not just bulky in terms of size but has a large information content that is relevant for every citizen and is not restricted to the practitioners in the legal field alone.
According to Sumeet Malik, the publisher at EBC, the sales volume has gone up over the recent past, with many people becoming interested in reading the Constitution, as seen in political campaigns, and other leaders frequently referring to it in their speeches. This format was also portable and could easily fit into a briefcase or bag, and therefore, it should continue to be an important way of educating people regarding the Constitution’s provision on rights and governance.
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