Framing The Constitution The Beginning of A New Era

What was the most popular movement against the British?

Quit India

What was a striking feature of popular upsurge before the making of the constitution?

Degree of Hindu--Muslim Unity

What was emphasized by some members of the Depressed Castes regarding their plight?

Caused by social norms and valued of caste society/

Used service but kept them at social distance

What is the Preamble based on?

Objective Resolution

Order

First Session Of The Constituent Assembly

Adoption of the Objectives Resolution

Appointment of Drafting Committee

Enforcment of the Constitution

What was Nehru doing by referring to American and French revolts?

Nehru was locating the history of constitution-making in India within a longer history of struggle for liberty and freedom

What is the constitution so big?

Country’s size and diversity

Designed to keep divided India together

Has to be elaborate, carefully-worked-out, and painstakingly drafted document.

Tried to make Indians of different classes, castes and communities to come together.

When was the constitution framed?

December 1946 - November 1949

How many sessions did the Constituent Assemblt have?

11

165 days

When were the drafts revised and refined?

In between sessions

When was the rising of the ratings of the Royal Indian Navy?

Spring of 1946

When were the Great Calcutta Killings?

August 1946

How much land did the princely states occupy?

1/3
Owed allegiance to British Crown

Began “to luxuriate in wild dreams of independent power in an India of many partitions”

How were members of the Constituent Assembly chosen?

Not on universal franchise

1945-46

Provincial elections

Provincial legislatures then chose representative to the Constituent Assembly

Who won in the Constituent election?

Congress swept the general seats 82%

Muslim League captures most of reserved Muslim seats

Why did the Muslim League oppose the constituent assembly?

Demanded Pakistan with a separate constitution

Why were the Socialists unwilling to join the Constituent Assemble?

It was a creation of the British and incapable of being truly autonomous

What did linguistic minorities want?

Protection of their mother tongue

What did religious minorities ask for?

Special safeguards

What were discussion in the Constituent Assembly influenced by?

By public

Criticisms from press

Public was aked for views

How many members did the Committee have?

300

What did Dalits want?

End to all caste oppression and reservation of seats in government bodies

Who was the president of the Rules of Procedure Committee and Steering Commitee?

Rajendra Prasad

Who was the president of the Union Power Committee, Union Constitution Committee and States Committe?

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru

Who was the president of the Provincial Constitution Committe and Advisory Commitee?

Vallabhbhai Patel

Who was the president of the Drafting Committe?

Bhimrao Ambedkar

Who was the president of the Flag Committee and Fundamental Rights Sub-Committe?

J.B. Kripalani

Who was the president of the Suprime Court Commitee?

S. Vardachariar

Who was the president of the Minorities Sub-Commitee?

H.C. Mookerjee

Who was the president of the Constitution Review Commison?

M.N. Venkatchaliah

How many members did the Constituent Assembly have?

300

Who were three most important representatives of Congress?

Jawaharlal Nehru

Vallabhbhai Patel

Rajendra Prasad

What did Nehru do in the Constituent Assembly?

Passed Objectives Resolution and the

proposed that the National flag be horizontal tricolor of Saffron, white and dark green in equal proportions

Which wheel in navy blue in center

Democratic is not mentioned

What did Patel do in the Constituent Assembly?

Worked behind the scenes

Played key roles in drafting of several reports

Worked to reconcile opposing points of view

What did Rajendra Prasad do in the Constituent Assembly?

Steer the discussion along constructive lines while making sure everybody had a chance to speak

Who was B.R. Ambedkar?

Against Congress during British rule

Joined Union Cabinet as law minster after Independance

Chairman of Drafting Commitee

Which two lawyers served with Ambedkar?

K.M. Munshi from Gujarat

Alladi Krishnaswamy Aiyar from Madras

Which civil servants assisted the six members?

B.N. Rau, Constitutional Advisor to the GOI, prepared background paper on the political systems of other country

S.N. Mukherjee. Had the ability to put complex proposals in clear legal language

How long did it take to draft the Constitution?

3 years

How many volumes was the printed record of the discussions?

11

When the Nehru introduce the Objectives Resolution?

13 December 1946

What were the aims of the Objectives Resolution?

13 December 1946

Defined ideals for constitution

India to be an “Independant Sovereign Republic”

Guaranteed its citizens justice, equality and freedom

Assured “adequate safeguards shall be provided for minorities, backward and tribal areas, and Depressed and Other Backward Classes”

Placed in a broad historical perspective

Mind went back to past of historic efforts to produce such a document of rights

Constitution of an independent, sovereign Republic of India

What did Nehru stress?

We are not going to just copy

Had to fit in with the temper of our people and be acceptable to them

Learn from failures

What was the objective of the Constitution according to Nehru?

To fuse liberal ideas of democracy with the socialist idea of economic justice

Who urged the members to free themselves from the influences of imperial rule?

Somnath Lahiri

“Working the British plans as the British should like it to be worked out”

“That is very good, Sir – bold words, noble words”

Who had a hand in the in the birth of the constituent assembly?

British Government

When did the constituent assembly deliberate?

1946-47

How could the constituent assembly work?

Under the directions of the Viceroy and the British Government in London

Nehru was interim

Who authored Montague-Chelmsford Reforms in 1919?

Edwin Montague

How do governments come into being according to Nehru?

Expression of the will of the people

What did Nehru say about the British controlling the constituent assembly?

It had a “hand in its birth but you must not ignore the source from which this Assembly derives its strength”

What were the ideals of social stuggles?

Democracy, equality and justice

What did Swami Vivekananda campaign for?

Reform of Hinduism.

Wanted it to be more just

What did Jyotuba Phule of Maharashtra for?

Pointed to suffering of depressed castes or communist or socialist workers

Maharashtra

When was the exectuive partly responsible to the provincial legislature?

1919

When were reforms made by the British?

1909, 1919, 1935

What did govenrment of India act do?

1935

Elections

Congress came into power in 8/11 provinces

Percentage of population in 1935

10 -15%

No universal franchise

Who had the power under the 1935 act?

Responsible to Governor appointed by the British

Not based of universal adul franchise

When did B. Pocker Bahadur from Madras make a powerful plea?

27 August 1947

What did B. Pocker Bahadur say?

Needed a separate electorate

Could not be “erased out of existence”

Democracy could only exist if everyone’s voice was well represented

Only separate electorates would ensure the Muslims had a voice in the government

The ideas of Muslims could not be understood by non-muslims

What did most nationalists see separate electorates as?

a measure deliberately introduced by the British to divide the people

haunted by the fear of continued civil war, riots and violence.

What did R.V. Dhulekar say?

“With the help of it they allured you (the minorities) to a long lull. Give it up now … Now there is no one to misguide you.” to B. Pocker Bahadur

“The English played their game under the cover of safeguards,”

What did Sardar Patel say to B. Pocker Bahadur?

Said that Separate electorates was a “poison that has entered the body politic of out country”

“Do you want peace in this land? If so do away with it (separate electorates),

“We have freedom only to fight among ourselves. That is the only freedom we have got”

”British element is gone, but they have left the mischief behind.” No other country where separate electorate works

What did Govind Ballabh Pant say?

Separate electorates were harmful for the nation and for minorities

“not only his material wants but also his spiritual sense of self-respect”

He believed it to be a suicidal demand, he said that it would permanently isolate the minorities

“There is the unwholesome and to some extent degrading habit of thinking always in terms of communities and never in terms of citizens”

“Let us remember that it is the citizen that must count. It is the citizen that forms the base as well as the summit of the social pyramid.”

Which Muslim leader did not support the demand for separate electorated?

Begum Aizaas Rasul

By when did the Muslim members of the Constituent Assembly agree that separate electorates werem bad?

1949

Who was N.G. Ranga?

Socialist leader

Who were the real minorities according to N.G. Ranga?

The poor and the downtrodden

“They need props. They need a ladder,”

“The real minorities are the masses of this country”

Whom are we supposed to represent? The ordinary masses of our country. And yet most of us do not belong to the masses themselves.

What did N.G. Ranga say about representation?

That members of the constituent assembly were not from the masses

Who was the orator for the Ranga?

Jaipal Singh

What did Jaipal Singh say?

His people had been disgracefully treated and neglected for the last 6,000 years

Needed to ensure conditions that would have to help them get up to the general population

Tribes were not a numerical minority

“Our point is that you have got to mix with us. We are willing to mix with you …

Did not ask for a separate electorate but reservation was needed“I take Nehru at word and think we are going to start a new chapter of independent India where no one is going to be neglected”

What did Ambedkar demand for?

Separate electorates for the Depressed Castes

Gandhi opposed it saying it would permanently segregate them

What did J.Nagappa of Madras say?

We have been suffering, but we are prepared to suffer no more

“We have realised our responsibilities. We know how to assert ourselves.”, Depressed caste was not a minority. Suffering was due to systematic marginalization. No access to education and no share in education

What was the causes for the suffering for Depressed Castes?

Made up 20-25% of population

Systematic marginalization

No access to education

No share in the administration

Suppressed for thousands of years they can’t move forwork

What id K.J. Khanderkar say?

Central Provinces

Depressed Castes were suppressed for thousands of years

We were suppressed for thousands of years. ... suppressed... to such an extent that neither our minds nor our bodies and now even our hearts work, nor are we able to march forward. This is the position

What did Dakshayani Velayudhan want?

Immediate removal of our social disabilities
“We want removal of our social disabilities”

What did Hansa Mehta from Bombay want?

Justice for women not reserved seats or separate electorates

We have never asked for privileges. What we have asked for is social justice, economic justice, and political justice

When did Ambedkar stop arguing for separate electorates?

After partition

What did the Constituent assembly do to fix social problems?

Untouchability be abolished

Hindu temples be thrown open to all castes

Seats in legislatures and jobs in government be reserved for the lowest caste

Some said that an attitude change needed to take place

What did Nehru advocate for in relation to the state?

A strong center

After partition it would be injurious to the interests of the country to have a weak central authority which would be incapable of ensuring peace, of coordinating vital matters of common concern

What three lists did the Draft Constitution make?

Union

State

Concurrent

What powers did the Union have?

More power than any other federation

Had control over minerals and key industries

Article 365 gave Centre power to take over a state administration on the recommendation of the Governor

What power did Article 356 give?

Gave centre the power to take over a state administration

On recommendation of the Governor

What system did the Constitution mandate?

Fiscal Federalism

What taxes could the Centre levy?

Customs duties and Company taxes

What taxes are shared between Centre and State?

Income tax and excise duties

What taxes are left wholly to the states?

Land, property, sales and bottled liquor tax

Who defended the rights of states?

K. Santhanam from Madras

How could the Centre be stronger according to K. Santhanam?

Madras

By relieving it some of the function and giving it to the states.

Could not be stronger if you give all the power to the Centre

But if powers were given to states without money if would impoverish themprovinces would rise in “revolt against the Centre”.

Unitary System

What did A. Ramaswamy Mudaliar say?

Let us not lay the flattering unction to our soul that we are better patriots if we propose a strong Centre and that those who advocate a more vigorous examination of these resources are people with not enough of national spirit or patriotism.

What system did Santhanam want?

A unitary system

Who said “the Centre is likely to break”?

Member from Orissa

Why did Ambedkar want “a strong and unified Centre”?

To stop the communal frenzy

Who said “the Centre should be made as strong as possible”?

Gopalaswami Ayyangar

Who from the United Province argued for more central power?

Balakrishna Sharma

A strong centre could plan for the well-being of the country, mobilize the available economic resources, establish a proper administration and defend the country against foreign aggression

Why did Congress grant autonomy to provinces?

So that Centre would not interfere in Muslim provinces

Changed position after partition because pressures were not there

What did Gandhi said should be the language?

Not to confine with Hindi and Urdu but to take words and inspiration from every language

Speak in language common people could understand

Combination of both Urdu and Hindi

Admit words from regional languages

To confine oneself to Hindi or Urdu would be a crime against intelligence and the spirit of patriotism.

What did Congress adopt as the National Language in the 1930s?

Hindustani

What was Hindustani?

Blend of Hindi and Urdu enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures