Sixteen Stormy Days- Book review

It was May of 1951. Heated debates were going in the Parliament. Proposal to amend constitution was put forward by Nehru government. It was just 14 months since constitution for new republic was accepted. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, communists and other members of Indian National Congress were against the proposal.

However, the proposal was passed in the parliament and constitution of India was amended for the very first time. Amendment brought radical changes in relationships between citizen and state. Freedom of speech, freedom to trade, right to equality and right to hold property were changed with this amendment.

Congress party, headed by Nehru, was aspirational in bringing land reforms in the country. UP and Bihar legislative assemblies had passed land reforms but they were stuck down by the judiciary with consideration of rights granted by constitution. Similarly, government’s efforts to censor organizer, mouthpiece of RSS and cross roads, leftist weekly journal, were already stuck down by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Madras High Court and later, Supreme Court also abolished the communal GO of the Madras government which was giving representation to communities in admission and in government jobs.

According to Nehru government, press was ‘abusing’ freedom of expression. Social agendas of the Congress were already in danger. Reservation and land reforms were not possible due to constitution itself. In following year, 1952, there would be first elections in the republic. Party already declared about their social agendas before independence. If they were not going to be enacted then how to reach out to public was also question.

So, it was decided by Nehru government to amend the relevant parts of the constitution. Move was supported by Ambedkar, who was law minister in same government. Constitution makers themselves reduced individual liberties of citizens when constitution came as obstacle in their interests.

Author Tripurdaman Singh is Cambridge trained historian. In his work-Sixteen Stormy Days- he explains in detail the context which led to amendment in the constitution. Work is collection of political commentaries, editorials, debates in the parliament and reporting in newspapers. Book is dynamic; it gives too many important details and information about first amendment of constitution.

In few parts, many stories are running parallel, in which, readers may feel interlink is quite broken. However, Singh tried his best to include all possible details about first amendment and its context. The book is result of rigorous study and research done by him.

In the nutshell, book is an interesting read and informative. Those who are interested in constitutional history and political history or those who are advocates of individual liberties must read this book.

(Article was originally published on MyInd.net)