Somnath Lahiri
Topic: Framing the Indian Constitution · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Framing the Constitution"
Meaning
Somnath Lahiri was a Communist member of the Constituent Assembly from Bengal. He was its sharpest critic from the left. In the winter of 1946-47 the British were still in India, and the Interim Government worked under the Viceroy. Lahiri argued that the Assembly was British-made and could not be truly free. He urged the Assembly to declare independence at once.
Example
During the December 1946 debate on Nehru's Objectives Resolution, Lahiri said the Assembly was working "under the shadow of British guns". Nehru agreed that the British had a "hand in its birth". But he replied that "Governments are, in fact, the expression of the will of the people", so the Assembly's real strength came from the people.
Don't confuse with
- N.G. Ranga: a socialist peasant leader who welcomed the Objectives Resolution and said "the real minorities are the masses". Lahiri attacked the Assembly's British origins.
Related concepts
- Objectives Resolution
- Indian Councils Act 1909
- Edwin Montagu
- Government of India Act 1919
- Dyarchy
- Government of India Act 1935
- Federal Court of India
- Jyotiba Phule
- Swami Vivekananda