Constituent Assembly Debates should be taught in Universities

 

Surya Pratap Singh Adv

Constituent Assembly Debates should be taught in Universities

"The earliest formula of Wisdom promises to be its last, -God, Light, Freedom, Immortality." These are the words of Sri Aurobindo from Life Divine .State has been expected to be  instrumental in  seeking  theses ideals .This is the birds view of study of human civilization on mother earth. Evolution of Human Race in Modern Times can be traced from three words Liberty, Equality & Fraternity. The gift to the word by French Revolution. Equality manifested in terms of Socialism, Liberty expressed in Capitalism. But fraternity is yet to all the light of the day in view of Sri Aurobindo. Human rights are bunch of rights, responsibility and duty towards fellow being irrespective of race, colour, sex, nationality, religion etc. Impact of French revolution can be seen in the form of fundamental rights guaranteed, protected and upheld by legal provisions in the form of constitution and statutory laws.

Having witnessed WWI , WWII and formation of  League of Nations and  United Nations , Constituent Assembly had the challenge of framing the constitution to fulfil the aspiration of freedom struggle. But there was also opportunity to learn from the lessons of the democracies across the world, weakness, shortfall of the institutions to strike balance between rights and duties of citizens both individual collective.

I  had an opportunity of access to the chamber where the Constitution duly signed by the members of the Constituent Assembly in Hindi and English, are preserved. Thereby replica of the original Constitution of India and a set of Constituent Assembly Debates were bought by me. Having examined the  replica of the original Constitution of India and a  Constituent Assembly Debates I am of the view that selected portions of the  Debates be incorporated in the  LL.B. syllabus in all Universities  for better understanding of  significant issues like citizenship, universal access to education, content of  textbooks, harmony between majority- minority, Uniform Civil Code, process of assimilation, secularism, synthesis of  cultural values, Sanskrit, national language, reservation policy, etc. To begin with , NLUs may introduce in the syllabus.

Study of the CAD can be divided in the following ways -

A   ISSUES DECIDED BY WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA (GENERATION OF FREEDOM FIGHTERS)

1 Issues decided by Constituent Assembly like Prohibition of untouchability , equality of women.

B  ISSUES DECIDED BY WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA ,( OUR GENERATION)

2 There Pending issues to be decided by Parliament like  Uniform Civil Code 3 Alternate solution  to be decided by Parliament- like Affirmative  action , Compulsory  NCC training in schools or colleges  4 Issues bad in implementation  like Hindi-State language Regional , Judgement in HC  in mother/ state language  5 Issues to be decided by  judiciary like . Veda and Gita in schools and colleges , balancing  freedom of speech and expression and unity and integrity.

This is the pressing time for   introduction of   Constituent Assembly Debates in LL.B. syllabus and other Courses in all Universities as well as in all libraries of all the Legislative Assemblies and the Legislative councils. Constituent Assembly Debates underlines that unity and integrity of India was never compromised for achieving social, political and economical reforms following the policy of   consensus and accommodation.