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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Message from eastern states in President's ‘At Home' invite to Independence Day guests
A CLOTH bag with a hand-painted M adhubani tag holds a box woven from sikki grass, a lesser known traditional craft form from Bihar. Inside the box is a bamboo frame carrying an invite and four other paintings, showcasing popular artforms from West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand, besides Bihar. The eastern states are the focus of around 450 invites being sent this year by Rashtrapati Bhawan for the 'At Home' to be held on August 15 to mark the 79th Independence Day. The invite box has been curated in a way that the paintings and other artifacts can be used independently by the invitees as souvenirs. Not only the invite but the menu for the event also bears a stamp of the region with dishes such as litti-chokha, mochar chop, aloo-matar chop, dahi-bada, aloo dum and ghoogni being included in the list. Desserts will include chhena poda from Odisha, gur sandesh from West Bengal and anarsa from Jharkhand. The 500-odd guests at these events include the PM and his Cabinet, diplomats from various missions, senior officials and eminent personalities. The invitation kits have been carefully curated to showcase the unique heritage and creative excellence of the four eastern states, officials told The Indian Express. 'Every element reflects the skill and imagination of the artists of the region be it the hand-crafted box made of woven grass, the reusable bamboo photo frame, the exquisite folk paintings, or the specially designed block-printed stole,' they said. The invitation kits have been put together by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, in collaboration with over 100 artisans, mostly women, from the four states. While nine Madhubani artists from Bihar and 15 bamboo artisans from Jharkhand worked from NID Bengaluru campus, the others worked from their respective villages. The 'At Home' event at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Republic Day had a southern flavour, showcasing art and culinary delights from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Those in the know say this tradition has been started keeping with President Droupadi Murmu's interest in showcasing the cultural diversity of the country. According to an official, the idea behind the August 15 invite is to showcase both popular and lesser-known art and craft forms from the four states. For instance, the main box carrying the invite, woven from the golden-hued sikki grass, reflects the delicate artistry of rural craftswomen from Bihar, said the official. The choice of craft form is also symbolic. The openable frame carrying the printed invite is crafted by tribal artisans from Jharkhand, where bamboo weaving is deeply rooted in tradition. The invite takes the symbolic form of a door, representing the welcoming spirit of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official said. The frame has hand-painted Madhubani motifs and houses four paintings typical of the four eastern states. 'Its design allows it to be transformed into a reusable tabletop photo frame, merging tradition with utility,' said the official. The four paintings include Tikuli art, an 800-year-old folk painting style from Patna; Pattachitra, which is practised by the Patua community of Medinipur, Bengal; Talapatra Chitra, the palm leaf scrolls of Odisha; and Paitkar painting, an old tribal scroll tradition from Jharkhand's Amadubi village. The tussar silk stole has been specially designed and block printed by hand to depict artistic elements common to folk paintings of the region, in a subtle tri-colour theme. Traditional motifs such as 'matsya', 'kamal', 'basant', mirror the rhythms of nature, time and life. Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More
Mint
05-08-2025
- Business
- Mint
Philippines President Marcos Jr receives ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, PM Modi present
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during his state visit to India. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were present during the ceremony. In a post on the social media platform X, Rashtrapati Bhawan informed, 'President Droupadi Murmu accorded a ceremonial welcome to H.E. Mr Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines at Rashtrapati Bhavan.' Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr is on a state visit to India from August 4 to 8, marking his first visit to the country since taking the President's office. President Marcos is accompanied by First Lady Madame Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation that includes several Cabinet Ministers, other dignitaries, senior officials, and business representatives, the External Affairs Ministry informed earlier. Marcos emphasised the strengthening of the Indo-Pacific partnership, recognising the need to adapt to global political, trade, and economic changes influenced by new technologies. Speaking on India-Philippines ties, President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos was quoted as saying, 'I think it is a reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening. What used to be referred to as the Asia Pacific Region, we now refer to it as the Indo-Pacific Region, which is, I think, the correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of all of politics, all of trade and all of economy.' He further added, 'To build upon what we already have and to certainly explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of the new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and the geopolitics around us now.' President Marcos Jr. and his wife, Louise Araneta-Marcos, paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. After laying a wreath at the Rajghat, they signed the visitors' book and were presented with mementoes and books. (With inputs from agencies)
Time of India
05-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Philippines President says Indo-Pacific better reflects global realities than Asia-Pacific
Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr . on Tuesday said the term Indo-Pacific is a more accurate reflection of today's global dynamics than the older Asia-Pacific, noting how the terminology has shifted in recent years. "Indo Pacific is the correct evolution of Asia Pacific," the visiting Philippines President said while addressing reporters at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program Marcos said that this is a reaffirmation of the alliance between Indian and the Philippines. "I think it is a reaffirmation of the alliance and the partnership that we are strengthening. What used to be what where we used to refer to the Asia Pacific region we now refer to as the Indo Pacific region, which is I think a correct evolution of that understanding because of the global nature of all of politics and of all of trade and all of the economy. And to build upon what we already have had but to certainly to explore the many opportunities that have arisen in the past few years because of the new technologies and the changing state of the global economy and the geopolitical the geopolitics around us now," he said. Marcos was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan. Live Events President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present on the occasion. He is set to hold a high-level delegation talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital later today. On Monday, he held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as he marked the beginning of his five-day state visit to the country. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, "Delighted to call on President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr of the Philippines this evening in Delhi at the start of his State Visit. Confident that his talks with PM Narendra Modi tomorrow will significantly deepen our bilateral partnership." — DrSJaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) This is the first visit by the President of the Southeast Asian country to India since he assumed office back in 2022, marking a significant milestone, as his visit aligns with the celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations. He is accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta Marcos and a high-level delegation, including several Ministers from his Cabinet.
The Hindu
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Flavour of crafts from Eastern India at this year's Independence Day ‘At Home'
For those invited by President Droupadi Murmu for her customary evening reception or 'At Home' this, the 79th Independence Day, the invitation sent out in her name will be showcasing the skill of craftspersons from Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, a nod to eastern India after this year's Republic Day bid a similar nod to southern India. The invitations will be made by contributions of artisans from these four states and curated by the National Institute of Design. Most of the artisans, many of them women worked alongside NID team, out of these nine artists from Madhubani in Bihar and 15 bamboo artisans from Jharkhand worked out of the Bengaluru campus of NID, with the rest . According Ashok Kumar Biswas, a Padma Shri awardee in 2024, and the man entrusted with producing the nearly 750 pieces of Tikuli art work from Bihar to be added to the invitation, the instructions from NID, that coordinated the effort with Rashtrapati Bhawan was clear. 'They wanted a lightweight example of Tikuli painting which is usually based on scenes of rural life in Bihar, or cultural and religious motifs, festivals etc. They asked for three types samples, of the traditional Tikuli base of MDA (dark brown in colour) with enamel paint, then on handmaid paper, and also little pieces of cardboard and plywood. I prepared a fourth sample, on paper, made to look like the dark brown Tikuli painting base, and sent it off. They approved the fourth sample and asked that 750 pieces be sent in 15 which we did at the Tikuli training centre that I run,' he said. 'It is a matter of great pride for me to be asked to do this by the President of India's office, for an occassion like indendence day, its a good initiative that places India's folk art at the centre of the Republic,' he said. The invitation will be encased in a Sikki Grass Box, made by artisans from Raiyam village in Madhubani district of Bihar, with 30 artists engaged in it. Woven delicately from Sikki grass, the box would contain a frame with the invitation itself, made of Bamboo with painting on the borders, with artists from Dumka in Jharkhand. This foldable frame can be reused as a photo frame after the event. Apart from the box and the frame, small artifacts, like a bookmark with Madhubani painting etched on it, plus a tussar stole with, again Madhubani painting with traditional block printing of symbols like Matsya (fish), Kamal (lotus) and Basant (spring) Tala Patachitra paintings by artisans from Raghurajpur in Puri, Bengali Patachitra postcard size painting by artists from Pingla village in Midnapore in West Bengal, Paitkar painting from East Singhbum in Jharkhand and Tikuli art postcard size painting from Patna in Bihar are also included in the invitation box.
News18
28-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
How Emergency '75 Tried To Distort The Constitution Of India
It was this provision that the then-President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed depended upon while proclaiming the Emergency on the night of June 25, 1975. 'Internal disturbance" lent itself to a wide-ranging interpretation, including political and civil society movements. The original article contained no proviso that the proclamation of the emergency should be restricted to only affected parts of India. Thus it was proclaimed for the whole of India, even if that were not necessary. Also, in a glaring lapse of parliamentary procedure, President Ahmed's proclamation preceded the cabinet meeting approving the emergency. The proclamation of emergency, Kuldip Nayar informs, was signed at 11.45 pm on June 25, 1975. Indira Gandhi decided to call the meeting of the cabinet at 6 pm on June 26 after returning from the Rashtrapati Bhawan (The Judgement: Inside Story of the Emergency in India, P. 39-41). The proclamation was placed before the cabinet that met at 1, Safdarjung Road—the Prime Minister's official residence—for ex-post facto approval. The arrest of the opposition leaders, as well as the journalists, had gone on with ruthless efficiency in the intervening period. Article 352 has been altered since then, raising the constitutional bar against the sweeping imposition of emergency countrywide as in 1975. Paradoxically, even Indira Gandhi's government has a role in it through the 42nd amendment of the Constitution (1976). The 44th amendment brought in by the Janata Party's government (1978) further conditioned the imposition of emergency. Thus, from the constitutional viewpoint, the imposition of emergency became more difficult. Further, Article 359, which was related to the suspension of the enforcement of the rights conferred by Part III during emergencies, no longer applied to Articles 20 and 21. This meant that the constitutional provisions with regard to protection in respect of conviction of offences, and protection of life and personal liberty, could not be abridged under any circumstances (even if other fundamental rights are suspended under emergency). These changes will be described ahead. II The events described as the causes of the Emergency '75, e.g. students' movement spearheaded by Jay Prakash Narayan, the Allahabad High Court's judgment declaring Indira Gandhi's election from Raebareli parliamentary constituency (1971) as void, etc, were at best immediate causes. Immediate causes only ignite the stockpile of explosive materials already present. The underlying cause of the Emergency '75 was Indira Gandhi's authoritarian style of functioning, which she equated with efficiency. This imbalanced the harmony conceived by the framers of the Constitution, between the legislature, executive, and judiciary. However, a more impersonal reading of the situation was that it represented a 'mid-life crisis of the Constitution" itself. Advertisement Indira Gandhi prioritised directive principles over fundamental rights. She vouched for 'parliamentary supremacy" in sorting out constitutional provisions (which, according to her, impeded the development of India) over judicial interpretation. She felt 'parliamentary supremacy" was necessary to prevent the Constitution from becoming atrophied. Parliament of India must have unlimited authority to amend the Constitution with a two-thirds majority as and when needed. There was a sudden acceleration in Constitution amendments during her second tenure. During the first two decades of its operation, the Constitution had been amended on 23 occasions. The Constitution (Twenty-third Amendment) Act, 1969, was notified on January 23, 1970, and came into force the same day. There was no other amendment during the rest of the year, which also witnessed the premature dissolution of the Fourth Lok Sabha. In the Fifth Lok Sabha elections, 1971, Indira Gandhi returned with a huge mandate. During this tenure, which included the Emergency '75 period, the Constitution was amended on 19 occasions. advetisement Her magnum opus enactment was the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976, which had often been described as a mini-Constitution. Several of its unwelcome provisions were later neutralised through the 43rd and 44th amendments brought by the Janata Party government. Indira launched her strike with the Constitution (Twenty-fourth Amendment) Bill, 1971, which was later passed as the Constitution (Twenty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1971. Herein, her target was the Supreme Court's landmark judgment in the IC Golaknath and Ors v State of Punjab (1967) that had denied Parliament the right to amend the Part III (Fundamental Rights) of the Constitution even while exercising its powers under Article 368. It was the first time that any authority had held that any portion of the Constitution was impervious to amendment. Indira Gandhi naturally did not appreciate this judicial embargo and wanted to get rid of it at the earliest. However, she could not have the last laugh in the matter. advetisement In Keshavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), the Supreme Court laid down the concept of 'basic structure" of the Constitution that exercised a cap on Parliament's unlimited amending power. In effect, the 24th Amendment made the provisions of Article 13 subject to the provisions of Article 368 as invalid. The apex court held that the whole of Article 31 C, which abrogates for certain purposes the fundamental rights in Articles 14, 19, and 31 of the Constitution, is invalid. The court stated that while ordinarily it had no power to review a constitutional amendment, it could do so if the amendment destroyed or damaged the basic structure of the Constitution. Basic feature, however, is not a finite or quantifiable concept but depends on the merit of the case. III Less than five months after the Emergency '75 had been declared–on November 10, 1975–the Supreme Court constituted a 13-judge bench to hear a plea of the Government of India that the Keshavananda Bharati verdict should be overruled. It was evidently a quid pro quo by Chief Justice AN Ray, who had been elevated to the top position by Indira Gandhi, by superseding three senior-most judges, who resigned in protest (April 1973). Legal luminary Nani A Palkhivala filed a petition against this government plea on the ground that the Keshavananda Bharati judgment was delivered by a full bench of the Supreme Court with proceedings lasting for five months. It would set a wrong precedent whereby even this full bench's judgment might be reconsidered by another full bench in future. Moreover, the time was least opportune, when fundamental rights of the citizens stood abrogated, there was no effective opposition inside Parliament, and most important leaders of the opposition parties were languishing in jail. Nobody could write or speak anything in public that was not acceptable to the government (We, The People P. 187). Due to Palkhivala's forceful advocacy, the bench was dissolved within two days of argument, though nothing was reported in the media due to censorship. Yet, it was a victory, no doubt, which saved the prestige of the judiciary. Having failed to regain unlimited amending power through the legal route and dissatisfied with the tardiness of the parliamentary process, Indira Gandhi contemplated a change in the form of government. The French system appealed best to Indira. Her notorious younger son, Sanjay, overtly pitched for a presidential system, which gave all the power to one person, without the curb of Parliament (The Judgement, P. 114). The Swaran Singh Committee was set up by the AICC to consider suitable changes in the Constitution. Swaran Singh, the former external affairs minister, came out with proposals for extensive changes in the Constitution. 'It would have been worse if I were not there," Swaran Singh later told Kuldip Nayar, 'we buried the presidential system once and for all" (The Judgement, P. 148). The Swaran Singh Committee proposals became the basis of the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Bill, 1976, which, on enactment, became the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976. It was an extensive piece of legislation that sought to (a) amend the Preamble (inserting the expression Socialist Secular) and the Seventh Schedule in addition to around 36 separate articles (b) substitute four articles with new ones, (c) insert two new Parts viz. IVA and XIVA and eleven new articles. Palkhivala describes the legislation as a 'devastating attack on the Constitution". It is a pity that the exercise was undertaken under the guise of the Emergency. When the Janata Party came to power as a result of the Sixth Lok Sabha elections, 1977, it enacted the Constitution (Forty-third Amendment) Act, 1977, and the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, which aimed at reversing many of the capricious and detrimental amendments. By a legislative 'surgical strike", to use a present-day popular phrase, the Janata Party government removed the root cause of confusion that had exposed fundamental rights to repeated parliamentary assaults. The 44th amendment did away with 'Article 31: Compulsory Acquisition of Property" in Part III (Fundamental Rights). The Right to Property to another part of the Constitution viz. Part XII thus making it a legal right. The presence of Right to Property (which was actually about land acquisition by the government) in Part III had actually made Fundamental Rights unsafe. The problem was fixed for all times to come. This churning led to an important result. The imposition of emergency under Article 352 became more difficult and conditional. Both Indira Gandhi and the Janata Party contributed to the process. The 42nd amendment made it possible, or desirable, that any emergency was restricted to the affected parts of India rather than being imposed on the whole of India as provided in the original Constitution. The 44th amendment replaced the word 'internal disturbance" with 'armed rebellion". Thus, any civilian protest movement, even if it became violent, could not be used as an excuse to impose emergency. Article 352 (1) now reads as – 'If the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists whereby the security of India or any part of the territory thereof is threatened, whether by war or external aggression, or armed rebellion, he may, by Proclamation, make a declaration to the effect in respect of whole of India or such part of the territory thereof as may be specified in the Proclamation. Through the 44th amendment, it now became necessary for both Houses of Parliament to approve the emergency by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting before the expiration of one month of Proclamation. Previously, the approval was by simple majority before the expiration of two months. Soli Sorabjee, the then Additional Solicitor General of India, made an insightful observation on the abnormalities in Indira Gandhi's approach to the Constitution amendment. Appearing on All India Radio Spotlight programme on September 23, 1978, Sorabjee stated: 'Our Constitution conceives of the State as existing for its citizens and not the citizens for the State. It recognises the infinite worth of every individual soul because it believes that in a world of variables, it is the individual alone who is timeless. Accordingly, our Constitution ordains that justice — social, economic and political, be achieved without stifling basic freedoms and the dignity of the individual. In other words, without depriving the people of India of their basic human rights." This priceless statement of Soli Sorabjee should be remembered by every government as the key to our constitutional ethos.
