Amrit Kaal has been named Kartavya Kaal, says Narendra Modi
Kartavya, or duty, should be India’s first priority leading to 100 years of independence in 2047, the prime minister said.
The period leading to 2047, which marks 100 years of India’s independence, is “Kartavya Kaal” – the era of duty, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.
“India is advancing by making duties its first priority,” he said while addressing an event in Puttaparthi of Andhra Pradesh. “Keeping the 100 years of independence in focus, we have named our Amrit Kaal as Kartavya Kaal.”
The term Amrit Kaal – the era of nectar – had been coined by Modi in 2021. The prime minister had said that the 25-year period between the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022 and the 100th anniversary in 2047 will be “Amrit Kaal” for the country.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of the Sai Hira Global Convention Centre in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, via video conferencing, says "India is giving top priority to its Kartavya. The next 25 years of Independence are going to be our Kartavya Kaal" pic.twitter.com/OHcxgYctC1
— ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2023
Also read: What three systemic afflictions say about India at 75
Modi’s remarks on Tuesday were not the first time that his government linked “Amrit Kaal” to the duties of citizens.
At an event to mark Civil Services Day on April 21, Modi had said that “Amrit Kaal” was the time to perform duties. “The century of independence will be the golden century of the country when we will give first priority to our duties,” the prime minister said. “Duty is not an option for us but a resolution.”
In September, the government had also changed the name of one of Delhi’s main thoroughfares from Rajpath to Kartavya Path.
Also read: Rajpath has been renamed but will ‘Kartavya Path’ resonate as powerfully with all Indians?
In the past, the prime minister has also linked human rights and duties, suggesting that they should be “discussed together, not separately”.
“Other than awareness of their rights, each individual must abide by their duties,” Modi had said while addressing an event to mark the 28th foundation day of the National Human Rights Commission in October 2021.
Academicians and constitutional scholars have said that it is incorrect to conflate rights and duties. Samuel Moyn, a professor at Yale Law School has argued that “it would be a grievous mistake to insist” that the “enjoyment of rights ought to depend on assumption of duties first”.
Also read: Why Modi’s idea of linking rights to duties goes against the Constitution
