Discussion on the issues of minorities during Constituent Assembly Debates
Discussion on the issues of minorities during Constituent
Assembly Debates
On the issue of the rights of the
Minorities Constituent Assembly Debates dated 7 Dec 1948
Shri Lokanath Misra Constuituent
said "...we have different scripts, different languages and even
different cultures in the territory of India and they have been recognised and,
preserved and they must flourish, but I should say, as all roads lead to
Rome and ought also to lead to Rome, all these cultures, all these languages
and all these scripts must be taken as a means to a common end, which
the State must recognise, nourish and protect. In fact, it has been our
desire and it has been the very soul of the birth of our freedom and our resurgence
that we must go towards unity in spite of all the diversity that has divided
us. I, therefore, submit to the House that although we have many languages,
many cultures, many scripts, many religions, it may not yet be impossible for
us to find out if there is something common for India bequeathed even from the
hoary past, which has been running on till today, vitalizing and inspiring us.
Just as there is the ocean to which all the rivers go, to the cultural ocean,
to the spiritual ocean that is India, that has been our heritage, all our
rivers of culture, language and script, hopes and aspirations must go and from
a mighty ocean ever full. Sir, this article 23(Draft Constitution ) which is an
article recognising diversity must find out a way for our unity and unless
we have that unity, the state administration or the State rolling machine, just
a rule of external law, cannot bring us to unity. Therefore for a real unity,
for a homogeneous unity, and natural unity, we must evolve a certain philosophy,
a certain culture, and a certain language which will contain and carry
everything and still be more than everything and must at the same time be
running from the ageless past to the eternal future. I therefore, submit,
Sir, this amendment, which I am suggesting will find favour with the House and
the House will realize that, without developing this unity which can be
brought about only on a very high plane, on the plane where we are one, inspite
of the appearance that we are many and in the plane of the heart, which is the
home of the spirit and also in the sphere of culture, which we have all been
nourishing, there cannot be a real unity and we will have no real
contribution to the world civilization or the amity of man, his peace and
prosperity..."
The Honourable Shri K. Santhanam said in the Constituent Assembly on
8 Dec 1948 "...At the same time, we should not interfere with the historical
process of assimilation. We ought not to think that for hundreds and
thousands of years to come these linguistic minorities will
perpetuate themselves as they are. The historical processes should be
allowed free play. These minorities should be helped to become
assimilated with the people of the locality. They should gradually absorb
the language of the locality and become merged with the people there.
Otherwise they will be aliens, as it were, in those provinces. Therefore, we
should not have rigid provisions by which every child is automatically
protected in what may be called his mother-tongue. On the other hand,
this process should not be sudden, it should not be forced. Wherever there
are large numbers of children, they should be given education—primary
education—in their own mother-tongue. At the same time, they should be
encouraged and assisted to go to the ordinary schools of the provinces and to
imbibe the local tongue and get assimilated with the people. "
Shri Damodar Swarup Seth in on Constituent Assembly Debates 8 Dec1948 expressed his views on secularism
"...in a secular state minorities based on religion or community should
not be recognised. If they are given recognition then I submit that we
cannot claim that ours is a secular state. Recognition of minorities based
on religion or community is the very negation of secularism. Besides Sir,
if these minorities are recognised and granted the right to establish
and administer educational institutions of their own, it will not only block
the way of national unity, so essential for a country of different faiths, as
India is, but will also promote communalism, and narrow anti national outlook
as was the case hitherto, with disastrous results...."
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