Day 1 – Q 5.The Constitution of India is a creative blending of the nationalist voice and the colonial system of governance. Elucidate.
5. The Constitution of India is a creative blending of the nationalist voice and the colonial system of governance. Elucidate.
भारत का संविधान राष्ट्रवादी आवाज और प्रशासन की औपनिवेशिक प्रणाली का एक रचनात्मक मिश्रण है। स्पष्ट करें।
Approach
- Write 2-3 Lines about Constitution
- Divide answer into 2 parts one emphasising nationalist tinge and other colonial system
- Conclude the answer
Introduction
Indian constitution is the lengthiest constitution in world. The constitution is inclusive and in words of BR Ambedkar is framed by ransacking all the known constitutions, which is why it includes best features available and modified to suit the Indian needs
Blending of National voice:
- Fundamental Rights: Based on Karachi resolution of Congress
- Gandhian Principles of DPSP: Ban against animal slaughter, co-operative societies
- Universal Adult Suffrage: The demand of Ambedkar which got complete support from Nehru
- Economic Planning: Socialist principle of congress
- Preamble: Fraternity, Unity and integrity, secularism , socialism
- Decentralisation: Initially as DPSP in constitution was added as schedule 73 and 74th in Constitution
- Education in mother tongue or Vernacular Language
Colonial imprints
- Nature of democracy: Parliamentary system, which was a colonial legacy, was adopted as the governance system for the independent India.
- Strong Centre: Residuary powers with Centre, emergency provisions, and lack of financial autonomy for states were all borrowed from the colonial era.
- Parliamentary provisions: Annual financial statement, ordinance making powers and certain parliamentary practices were continued from the pre-independence time.
- Non-exclusive domains of legislature, executive and judiciary: Interdependence among the three pillars was a feature of British India.
- Bureaucracy: Indian Civil Service which the Sardar Patel called as Steel frame of India.
Conclusion:
The above features show that our constitution is blend of both nationalist voice and colonial system of governance.
Best Answer: GreenTea and the Extra Mile :
vat69:
The Indian constitution was formulated after intense deliberation and discussion and derives its power and authority from the people whose representatives penned down the constitution. During parliamentary deliberation cues were taken from both the nationalist movement and the pre-existing colonial structure of governance.
Colonial features of the constitution:
* Federal government with strong centre
* Ordinance making powers of president and governor under Article 352, 356 and 360 of the constitution.
* Residuary powers with centre with respect to concurrent list.
* Emergency provisions under Articles 352,356 and 360.
* Centre to state devolution of financial resources representing a top-down financial approach
Thus Government of India Act ,1935 was the source from which the following features were adopted earning the flak of critics who called them ‘Colonial features’ which were autocratic in nature.
Nationalist features of the constitution:
* Provision of fundamental rights in Part III of the constitution
* Secularism was adopted as a fundamental and architectonic principle of the state and toleration was envisioned.
* DPSP were incorporated in Part IV of the constitution envisioning socio-economic equality
* Keeping Gandhi’s principle of ’Swarajya’ and ‘Ramrajya’ in mind the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments were enacted to empower grass root administration
* Some fundamental duties were included in Art 51(A) of the constitution to be a source of inspiration for the citizens.
Thus it is clear that Indian constitution makers were able to include in the constitution a pragmatic mix of colonial and nationalist features which has stood the test of time.
RPA:
