NEW DELHI, Jan. 15 -- It was the school assembly. The guest speaker asked the students: "whose school is this"? One student answered: "This school belongs to the Principal," and another answered: "This school belongs to the school managing committee". The speaker was unsatisfied. Then came forward a brilliant student. She answered: "This school belongs to all of us: the management, the principal, the teachers, the helping staff, and all of us students". The guest speaker was pleased. The school belongs to all of us.

The same question can be asked about our nation. In the preamble of the Constitution, we read: "We the people of India having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic Republic, an...