The Communists’ love for Indian Constitution is relatively a new phenomenon. In fact, the Communists had no role in the making of the Indian Constitution as no CPI top leaders were members of the Constituent Assembly. While almost all the Hindu nationalist faces of political leadership like Syama Prasad Mookerjee, K M Munshi, H V Kamath, etc., who upheld the Hindutva ideals, substantially contributed to the making of the Constitution, Somnath Lahiri was the sole member in the Constituent Assembly to present the Communist views. He was not a part of any committees in the Constituent Assembly.
In one of his speeches in the assembly, Maulana Hasrat Mohani says: “Looking around, I find that except Nationalist members no one else is present here. There was one Communist member from Bengal, but somehow, he has been ousted.”
On November 25, 1949, when Dr B.R. Ambedkar addressed the Constituent Assembly of India for the last time, he marked the enemies of the Indian Constitution in his historic speech. Dr Ambedkar exposed the anti-national and anti-Constitutional stand of Communists, and explained why Communists and Socialists condemn our Constitution.
Notably, Dr B R Ambedkar was a vehement critic of Communism as he strongly opposed violence and dictatorship. Communists, on the other hand, left no stone unturned to counter-attack Dr Ambedkar when he was alive.
“The Communists say that there are the only two means of establishing communism. The first is violence. Nothing short of it will suffice to break up the existing system. The other is dictatorship of the proletariat. Nothing short of it will suffice to continue the new system,” Dr Ambedkar wrote in his book, Buddha or Karl Marx.
“The Communists themselves admit that their theory of the State as a permanent dictatorship is a weakness in their political philosophy,” he observed. (Buddha or Karl Marx)
Ambedkar, who believed in the workers’ right to strike, said that the weapon of strike should be used sparingly and to the advantage of the workers, and not for political objectives of the communist leaders. With his characteristic boldness he reiterated his view that the communists were impelled to resort to a strike more with political objectives than with the object of bettering the lot of the workers. [Dhananjay Keer, Dr. Ambedkar Life and Mission]
As regards the labor movement carried on by the Communists, he [Dr. Ambedkar] added that there was no possibility of his joining them. He declared that he was a confirmed enemy of the Communists, who exploited the laborers for their political ends. [Dhananjay Keer, Dr. Ambedkar Life and Mission]
In his last speech in the Constituent Assembly, Dr Ambedkar termed Communists and Socialists as condemners of the Constitution. He said that the Communist party wanted a Constitution based upon their principle of Dictatorship of the Proletariat, and they condemned the Constitution because it is based on parliamentary democracy.
Dr Ambedkar also warned that Communist-Socialist groups want the Fundamental Rights absolute, without limitations, because if their party fails to come to power, they would have the unfettered freedom to overthrow the state!
“The condemnation of the Constitution largely comes from two quarters, the Communist Party and the Socialist Party. Why do they condemn the Constitution? Is it because it is really a bad Constitution? I venture to say no’. The Communist Party want a Constitution based upon the principle of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. They condemn the Constitution because it is based upon parliamentary democracy. The Socialists want two things. The first thing they want is that if they come in power, the Constitution must give them the freedom to nationalize or socialize all private property without payment of compensation. The second thing that the Socialists want is that the Fundamental Rights mentioned in the Constitution must be absolute and without any limitations so that if their Party fails to come into power, they would have the unfettered freedom not merely to criticize, but also to overthrow the State,” Dr Ambedkar said
