DRAFT CONSTITUTION 1163
[Selected excerpts from the speeches of the members eulogising the services of the Drafting Committee, its chairman Dr. Ambedkar and describing the significance of the Constitution are reproduced here. —Ed.]
Shri V. I. Muniswamy Pillay (Madras : General) : Mr. President, Sir, I stand before this August Assembly to support the motion moved by my Honourable Friend, Dr. Ambedkar....
...Sir, I proceed now to appreciate the great services that have been rendered by the Drafting Committee whose services are so valuable to us; they have not spared days and nights in coming to decisions on important articles. I must say a word of praise to the calibre and capacity of the Chairman of the Drafting Committee—Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. (Loud cheers.) Coming as I do from a community that has produced Dr. Ambedkar, I feel proud that his capacity has now been recognized, not only by the Harijans but by all communities that inhabit India. The Scheduled Castes have produced a great Nandanar, a great devotee, a Tirupazanalwar, a great Vaishnaivite saint, and above all a Tiruvalluvar, the great philospher whose name and fame is not only known throughout the length and breadth of India but of the whole world.
To that galaxy of great men of Harijans now we have to add Dr. Ambedkar, who, as a man has been able to show to the world that the Scheduled Castes are no less important but they can rise to heights and give to the world their great services. I know, Sir, that he has served the community of the Harijans and also of India by his great service and sacrifice in preparing a Constitution which will be the order of the day from the 26th of January 1950 and I also feel. Sir, of the Chief Draftsman and of the staff that have worked in preparing the Constitution cannot be littled; they equally receive our praise....
*Seth Govind Das (C. P. & Berar: General) : @ [Mr. President, I am very happy today on seeing that the third reading of the Constitution, completed by us in about three years, has now begun. On this occasion, I would at first like to congratulate Dr. Ambedkar who has laboured hard to put this Constitution into proper shape. Today he has moved the Motion that the Constitution as settled by the Assembly be passed. It has been said about Dr. Ambedkar that he is the Manu of the present age. Whatever be the truth of that statement, I can say that Dr. Ambedkar was quite equal to the task of constitution making that had been entrusted to him]....
†Shri Rohini Kumar Chaudhuri (Assam : General) : On a point of information; in describing Dr. Ambedkar as Manu, was the honourable Member referring to the Hindu Code ?
*CAD, Official Report, Vol. X, 17th November 1949, p. 610.
† Ibid., p. 611.