Q13 of 29 Page 1

Within the constituent assembly of India, the language issue was intensely debated. Examine the views put forwards by the members of the assembly on this issue.

OR


How did the constituent assembly of India protect the powers of the central government? Explain.

The language debate produced intense arguments in the constituent assembly.

• Prior independence, Hindustani was thought to be accepted as the national language. It was the blend of Hindi and Urdu and was a composite language enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures. Mahatma Gandhi felt that it was the ideal language of communication that could unify Hindus and Muslims, and people of the north and the south.


• But the course was changed due to the deepening of the communal conflicts. In the constituent assembly debates, R.V. Dhulekar pleads to make Hindi the language of constitution making. The language committee was set up to look into the issue. According to its report, it was decided that Hindi in the Devanagari script would be the official language, but the transition to Hindi would be gradual. For the first fifteen years, English would continue to be used for all official purposes. Each province was to be allowed to choose one of the regional languages for official work within the province.


• But this report was challenged with deep fears and worries. Shrimati G. Durgabai from Madras highlights that there was strong opposition against Hindi in the south. Although She accepted Hindustani as the language of the people but feared that imposition of Hindi would create anxieties and fears amongst different language groups.


• Many members appealed for a spirit of accommodation. Shri Shankarrao Deo from Bombay and T. A. Ramalingam Chettiar from madras argued for mutual adjustment so that national unity could not be compromised.


OR


The rights of the Central Government and the states were intensely debated in the constituent assembly. Jawaharlal Nehru argued for a strong government. Even Ambedkar also proclaimed for a strong and united centre. The centre was made strong enough to enable it to stop the communal frenzy. It was argued that only 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. The violence witnessed at the time of partition further pushed the demand for centralization.


The constituent assembly protected the powers of the central government. The Draft Constitution provided for three lists of subjects: Union, State, and Concurrent. The Central Government preserved the subjects in the union list, states were vested with the second list while for the third list, Centre and state shared responsibility.


To make the centre more powerful it was given control of minerals and key industries.


It was also given emergency powers. Article 356 gave the Centre the powers to take over a state administration on the recommendation of the Governor.


In terms of fiscal distribution, the center retained all the proceeds such as customs duties and company taxes where as the states were assigned the estate duties, sales tax etc.


More from this chapter

All 29 →
11

Analyze the role of zamindars during the Mughal period.

Or


Examine how the lives of forest dwellers were transformed in the 6th-16th centuries.

 12

What do Ashokan inscriptions tell about Mauryas? Describe the limitations of inscriptional evidence.

OR


State any three features of Mahajanapadas. How did Magadha become a powerful Mahajanapada? Explain.

 14

Draupadi’s Marriage

Drupada, the king of Panchala organised a competition where the challenge was to string a bow and hit a target; the winner would be chosen to marry his daughter Draupadi. Arjun was victorious and was garlanded by Draupadi. The Pandavas returned with her to their mother Kunti, who even, before she saw them asked them to share whatever they had got. She realised her mistake when she saw Draupadi, but her command could not be violated. After much deliberation, Yudhisthira decided that Draupadi would be their common wife. When Drupada was told about this, he protested. However, the Seer Vyasa arrived and told him that Pandavas in relaity were incarnations of Indra, whose wife had been reborn as Draupadi and they were thus, destined for each other. Vyasa added in another instance that a young woman had prayed to Shiva for a husband, and in her enthusiasm, had prayed five times instead of one. This woman has reborn as Draupadi, and Shiva had fulfilled her prayers. Convinced by these stories, Drupada consented to marriage.


(i) How does the story reveal that the mother was considered as the highest guru?


(ii) Why didn’t Kunti save Draupadi from the dire situation?


(iii) Why did Drupada and Sage Vyasa decide Draupadi’s strange marriage with five men?

 15

A warning for europe

Berinier warned that if European kings followed the Mughal model:


Their kingdoms would be very from being well-ciltivated and peopled, so well built, so rich, so polite and flourishing as we see them. Our kings are otherwise rich and powerful; and we must avow that they are much better and more royally served. They would soon be kings of deserts and solitudes, of beggars and barbarians such as those whom I have been representing(Mughals). We should find the great cities and great Borroughs (boroughs) rendered uninhabitable because of ill air; and to fall to ruine (ruin) without any bodies (anybody) taking care of repairing them; the hillocks abondon’d and field overspread with bushes or fill’d with pestilential marishes (marshes), as hath been already intimidated.


(i) In what ways did Bernier condemn the Mughal rulers?


(ii) What contrast does the account of Bernier and Abu’l Fazl’s Ain-i-Akbari?


(iii) Pride has its fall if power and negligence of duty rule anyone. Explain the statement in relevance to the Bernier’s warning.