Sale of Constitution's copies increase amid INDIA bloc campaign: Report

The small copy of the Constitution that has become a symbol of the Opposition INDIA bloc's protest, has increased sales for one publisher

A campaign by the INDIA bloc, using the Constitution as a symbol of protest, seems to have increased the sales of a small coat-pocket version of the Indian Constitution, according to a Times of India report. The publisher claims to have sold as many as 5,000 copies in the last three months.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders show copies of the Constitution of India (PTI)

The inaugural session of the 18th Lok Sabha was marked with Opposition leaders gathering outside the Parliament house and waving a small, black and red, leather bound Constitution of India.

The Opposition used the book to protest against the Modi-led coalition government, stating that they would dilute the ideals and frameworks in the Constitution.

This small book, containing the Constitution of the nation, has gained a life of its own after Rahul Gandhi began using it in election rallies to state that the Modi-led government would tamper with the Constitution, if re-elected.

The book is now a symbol and its popularity has increased sales for its publisher - Lucknow based Eastern Book Company (EBC), according to a report by the Times of India.

The coat pocket version of the Constitution was first printed in 2009 by EBC and since then has had 16 editions.

According to the Times of India report, EBC publisher Sumeet Malik claims to have sold 5,000 copies of the book in the last three months, which is as many as he sold in 2023 in total.

Malik told TOI that, “The demand is quite high for our coat pocket edition of Indian Constitution. We are selling out as soon as the fresh stock is received.”

The Congress had bought four boxes full of copies to the 18th Lok Sabha's first session as well, according to Indian Express. Malik, also told TOI, that he had gifted a copy of the book to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The foreword of the book, written by former attorney general KK Venugopalan, states that the book though small in size, is huge in human dimensions. It also says that it must be carried, even if one is not a lawyer to understand the ideas of our Constitution.