Constitutional Nation Building: Half A Century of India’s Success

The Constitution of India makes it clear what kind of a nation we are, highlighting our shared past and shared destiny. Our national commitment is to the values that denote the ‘Basic Structure’ of our Constitution, as visualised in its Preamble. The success or otherwise, the suitability, viability and justification of any government has to be judged by its readiness to achieve and success in achieving the goals of the Preamble. That is the best guarantee for the nation-building.

Acceptance of the existence of cultural pluralism is an acceptance of the existence of a liberal democracy. It is a realisation that, in a liberal democracy, none of the social groups should have any reason to feel disadvantaged because of any cultural differences. The Constitution of India ensures that, on the one hand, no group is discriminated or disadvantaged and, on the other, that each such group may preserve the identities peculiar to itself.

A dialogue between different identities strengthens their own positions because all of them enjoy similar positions under the Constitution and all of them face similar problems in a democratic plural society. If a dialogue and understanding is there, domination and deprivation are ruled out. A plural society is in greater need of an institutional understanding and consensus over the basic values, of the society, under state protection. This guarantee of protection, for the accepted Indian national values, is provided by the Constitution of India. It is the constitutional restructuring of social relations that has ensured equality among our various identities, basing our pluralism on social equality.

Manak Publications, Delhi, 2001
ISBN No.81-7827-013-7, Rs.400/-.

Contents

1- Introduction
2- Founding Fathers' Vision of the Indian Constitution - Ajay Kumar Singh
3- Constitutional Working for Federal Nation-Building - Arshi Khan
4- Social Justice and Constitutional Safeguards: Precept and Practice - Kumar Suresh
5- Sub-Regions and State Formation - Ajay Kumar Singh
6- Disputed Structures of Indian Nationalism - Akhtar Majeed
7- Further Readings

CONSTITUTIONAL NATION BUILDING: HALF A CENTURY OF INDIA'S SUCCESS

CONSTITUTIONAL NATION BUILDING:
HALF A CENTURY OF INDIA'S SUCCESS