Republic Day - Skit (Play for Kids)

Republic Day - Skit

<Start>

One evening of Jan 1950… Shivram & Rajiv are sitting at Nathu’s tea stall in their village.

<Enter Gopinath>

Shivram: Hi Gopi, how are you? Come and have Tea…

Gopinath: Yeah Shivram Chacha, this is the only saving grace in this cold weather!

Shivram: Nathu Kaka, please make us a fresh hot tea will you…!

Shivram: You must have met my son, Rajiv… Say Namaste to your Bhaiyaa Rajiv.

Rajiv: Namaste Bhaiyaa.

Gopinath: Namaste…Namaste. How are you doing? Are you going to school?

Rajiv: Yes Bhaiyaa. It is so much fun to go to school. Teachers tell us a lot of stories about Great Mahatma Gandhiji, Nehruji, Subhash Chandra Boseji and many such freedom fighters. It’s very inspiring.

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Gopinath: Chacha, do you realize, it’s been more than 2 years we got independence and we are still being governed by old British laws. Isn’t it distressing?

Shivram: Yeah you are right. But our Leaders were discussing the nitty-gritties of the framework of the law that will govern our independent country. Wonder what happened?

Gopinath: They surely said something about forming a Drafting committee to draft our own constitution. Am not sure what happened to that? I am already losing hope

Rajiv: Drafting Committee? What is a drafting committee Bhaiyaa?

Gopinath: A very good question indeed Rajiv. You see post declaration of our Independence the constituent Assembly, elected a set of Leaders to form a “Drafting committee”, on 29^th August 1947. This drafting committee was given the task of making set of laws that will govern our new country. These set of laws together will be called our Indian “Constitution”!

Rajiv: Oh, but it is already more than 2 years you said. Have they not yet completed drafting the constitution? It’s been awfully long… isn’t it?

Shivram: Huh, we fought so valiantly for our independence and we are still being ruled under the colonial laws of “Government of India Act 1935”, made by British Empire. What a tragedy.

Gopinath: Well Rajiv has a point. Chacha, do you remember the news about Constitution being signed couple of months back in November 1949 itself… why is it not declared & implemented or brought into force till now?

<Enter Krishnaraman>

Krishnaraman: Hey Shivram, Hello Gopinath… what are you two discussing? And oho – who is that little fellow?! Rajiv! How are you boy?

Gopinath: Namaste Chacha

Rajiv: Namaste Krishna Chacha. We were talking about our new Constitution.

Krishnaraman: Oh yes, what a wonderful creation, our constitution! Shivram, Gopi…Why are you two looking so sad?! It’s start of another new year… We are now in 1950! I never thought in January of 1930 that I would live to see an Independent India 20 years down the line! The smell of independence is so different – refreshing! Wow!

Gopinath: January 1930? What happened in that year?

Shivram: Oh you were too young then Gopinath! Rajiv was not even born then! But we remember that day clearly – don’t we Krishnaraman?

Krishnaraman: Oh yes. I can still feel the energy of that day! You see, on 26^th January, 1930, we, India, promulgated the declaration of Independence… the pledge of “Purna Swaraj”… the famous declaration of complete independence from imperialist British rule! That day still gives me goosebumps! What a day that was!

Rajiv: But Chacha, what did this “Purna Swaraj” mean? British Rulers were still in India, so how could we declare Independence unilaterally?

Krishnaraman: Shivram, your son is awfully intelligent. He does ask the right questions… ha ha ha!

Krishnaraman: Rajiv, on 26^th January 1930, Indian National Congress declared independence of India from the clutches and cruelty of British rule. Purna Swaraj… A complete Self-Rule! The country has been celebrating that day as our Independence Day ever since… i.e till we finally got independence on 15^th Aug 1947! What a day that was! Today we are breathing freely in our own independent country without any outsider ruling us! Hah! It is all like a dream really!

Gopinath: But Krishna Chacha, we are still following the laws made by Britishers… we are not entirely independent – are we?

Krishnaraman: Ha Ha Ha! Have patience my dear. Have patience. One step at a time… It was important to move out the British and get the reins of the country in our own hands first! Making laws take time. We are a diverse country and it takes a lot of discussion and debate to find the right set of laws that would be acceptable to all. Laws, that are, fair and unbiased towards any sect of people or society… However, you must also be aware that the Constituent Assembly has already finalized and signed the Constitution in November last year i.e. on 26 November 1949!

<All 4 of the characters start walking towards backstage while talking…>

Gopinath: But Krishnaraman Chacha, when will we see our own constitution taking affect? I just hate those discriminatory British laws!

Krishnaraman: Haven’t you heard in the news that we are about to adopt the constitution anytime now?

Shivram: What? Wow. I too missed it. When is that going to happen?

Krishnaraman: Well, you should have guessed it by now! We are commemorating 20 Years of declaration of “Purana Swaraj” with adoption of the signed constitution!

<Everyone is out of the stage by now… Lights dim>

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<Lights on - Everyone is again sitting on the same tea shop – having tea and trying to set the right frequency on a Radio-set someone has… Radio is on full volume>

<Background voice>: Today is 26^th Jan 1950, 10:18AM… The retiring Governor-General, Mr. C. Rajagopalachari, is reading out the proclamation of the Republic of "India, that is, Bharat".

<A recording of Rajagopalachari’s speech of those times can be played if possible/available – Else – background voice can read the following historic text of his proclamation speech>

“Whereas the people of India, having into a Sovereign Democratic Republic, adopted, enacted and gave to themselves on the twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, in their Constituent Assembly the Constitution of India;

"And whereas it has been declared by the said Constitution that India, that is, Bharat, shall be a Union of States comprising within the Union the territories which were hitherto the Governor's provinces, the Indian States and the Chief Commissioners' provinces;

"And whereas this, the twenty sixth day of January 1950, has been fixed for the commencement of the said Constitution;

"Now, therefore, it is hereby proclaimed that from this date, the twenty sixth day of January, 1950, India, that is Bharat, shall be a Sovereign Democratic Republic, and the Union and its component units, the States, shall exercise all powers and functions of government and administration in accordance with the provisions of the said Constitution.

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Gopinath jumped with joy, shouting “Bharat Mata ki Jai, Vande Mataram…”

Gopinath then picks up Rajiv and looks at Shivram and then they both look at Krishnaraman and all of them cry (have tears)… All of them together hug each other…

Rajiv touches feet of Shivram, Krishnaraman and Gopinath…

Shivram: Dear Son, we have fought very hard for this independence and self-rule. It is now up to you and future generations to safeguard and honor the great responsibility that comes with this proclamation. God Bless you.

Krishnaraman: And never forget this day of your life… We will be celebrating it henceforth as our Republic day! We are part of history!

<Background voice> Dr Rajendra Prasad is being sworn in as the first President of India… its 10:24AM….

<Optional – Background voice reads the speech of Dr Rajendra Prasad>

 “…Today for the first time in our long and chequered history we find the whole of this vast land from Kashmir in the north to Cape Comorin in the south, from Kathiawad and Cutch in the west to Coecanada and Kamrup in the east, brought together under the jurisdiction of one Constitution and one Union which takes over the responsibility for the welfare of more than 320 million men and women that inhabit it…”

A group of dancers come on the stage and perform on “Song” <Vande Mataram>

<Curtains come down>

<End>

Its Montoo..