Framing of the Constitution Test - 2

Hindustani – a blend of Hindi and Urdu – was a popular language of a large section of the people of India, and it was a composite language enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures. 

On 13 December 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the “Objectives Resolution” in the Constituent Assembly.

Mahatma Gandhi felt that everyone should speak in a language that common people could easily understand. Hindustani – a blend of Hindi and Urdu – was a popular language of a large section of the people of India, and it was a composite language enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures. 

While welcoming the Objectives Resolution, N.G. Ranga, a socialist who had been a leader of the peasant movement, urged that the term minorities be interpreted in economic terms. 

The Constitution of India was framed between December 1946 and November 1949. 

1. The representatives were to be elected from 3 principal communities: Muslims, Sikhs & others.

2. The Constitution-making process was organized around the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly. The members of the Constituent Assembly were elected on a limited franchise. The Cabinet Mission Plan, which set up the Constituent Assembly of India, discarded full adult franchise for elections to the Constituent Assembly and instead suggested indirect elections by members of the recently elected Provincial Legislative Assemblies. In addition to members elected by the Provincial Legislative Assembly (292), the Princely States and the Chief Commissioner’s Provinces contributed 93 and 4 members of the Constituent Assembly taking the total membership to 389. After partition, the total number of seats came down to 299 as some Provinces and Princely States became part of Pakistan. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly.

3. Chairman of the Union Constituent Committee was J. L. Nehru.

4. The Drafting Committee comprised of 7 members, not 8.

Society had used their services and labour but kept them at a social distance, refusing to mix with them or dine with them or allow them entry into temples. “We have been suffering, but we are prepared to suffer no more,” said  J. Nagappa from Madras. “We have realised our responsibilities. We know how to assert ourselves.”

The constitution of India was framed by a Constitution Assembly set up under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946.

A Communist member, Somnath Lahiri saw the dark hand of British imperialism hanging over the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly.

On 27 August 1947, B. Pocker Bahadur from Madras made a powerful plea for continuing separate electorates. Minorities exist in all lands, argued Bahadur; they could not be wished away, they could not be “erased out of existence”.