One of the book’s greatest strengths lies in its clarity of structure. Tharoor guides the reader through the key elements of the Constitution, starting with the preamble and then proceeding to the various organs of the state, the principles of separation of powers, fundamental rights, duties, and the directive principles. He explains, in precise yet straightforward terms, how India’s Constitution borrows elements from many global traditions—the parliamentary model from Britain, judicial review from the United States, and a detailed rights framework with a strong moral core.
However, the book is far from a celebration alone. He delves into how recent policy moves—such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC)—have challenged the secular, inclusive core of the Constitution. He argues that these measures, by introducing religion as a basis for citizenship, represent a sharp break from the constitutional consensus of 1950.
Tharoor is equally scathing about the shrinking space for cooperative federalism. He critiques the central government’s increasing tendency to bypass state governments, citing decisions such as the demonetisation exercise and the abrupt Covid-19 lockdown as evidence of growing executive unilateralism. He warns that this concentration of power in the Union government, run by the BJP, threatens to undermine the quasi-federal structure envisioned by the Constitution.
In another compelling section, Tharoor discusses the role of civil society movements in constitutional change. He uses the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption protests as a case study to explore how activism can pressure governments, but cautions against substituting street-level mobilisation for representative democracy.
What distinguishes Our Living Constitution from a standard textbook is its deeply political tone. He directly critiques the writings and speeches of Hindutva ideologues like Savarkar, Golwalkar, and Deendayal Upadhyaya—arguing that their vision of India as a “Hindu Rashtra” is fundamentally incompatible with the Constitution’s values. He asks, “will constitutionalism tame Hindutva, or will Hindutva transform the workings of the Constitution from a democracy to a ‘dharmocracy’?”
And yet, the book is not devoid of hope. Tharoor celebrates moments of popular resistance, such as the anti-CAA protests and the farmers’ agitation, as evidence of India’s resilient democratic spirit.