New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS): President Pranab Mukherjee Thursday told a visiting group of law students to "uphold the constitution" and "protect fundamental rights of the people under all circumstances," a statement by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Stressing that law was the "essence of any civilized order," Mukherjee told the LLB students of Mohsin College in West Bengal's Hooghly that in a democracy, "neither the constitution nor the basic principles of statecraft can remain rigid and stagnant".

"This is because new situations keep emerging which must be addressed within the framework of the constitution. A number of amendments to the constitution have, therefore, taken place," he said.

The principles of equality, liberty, fraternity and social justice should always remain uppermost in their minds, the president said, referring to the students who are in Delhi for an educational tour to observe the proceedings of the Supreme Court.

Mukherjee further told the students that they represented an institution whose brilliant alumni included illustrious luminaries like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.