Chandigarh, Nov 26 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday launched a drive to apprise citizens, specially the younger generation, of Fundamental Duties enshrined in the Constitution.

Addressing the special session of the Haryana assembly earlier to commemorate 70 years of the adoption of the Constitution, Khattar told the House of his intent to launch the drive.

The campaign will last till April 14, 2020, the 129th birth anniversary of the chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution, Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, he said.

As part of the campaign, various government departments will be organising a series of talks, seminars, quiz competition, elocution contest, debates, essay writing and painting competitions etc.

Addressing the House, Khattar reminded that the Constitution, which gives citizens a series of basic rights, also sets out some basic duties for all citizens.

"I believe in any civilized society, rights and duties are two sides of the same coin. Recently we have celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. He had said: 'Right is the duty well performed and that the right is the right discharge of duty," said Khattar.

"It is, however, a bitter truth that since independence, the basic rights in our country have been emphasized upon much more than the basic duties. Initially it was also necessary, but now the time has come for all citizens to strictly follow their basic duties as well to further strengthen our democracy," said the chief minister.

Khattar also urged all the members of the House play their "very important role" in apprising citizens of their fundamental duties.

On the occasion, political leaders hailed B R Ambedkar on the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution.

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala said the need of the hour is to make more and more people aware of the power of the Constitution.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)