On 26th January 1950 India became a republic, shedding its last
links with its colonial past and inaugurating a new era of liberty
and freedom. With fundamental rights and civil liberties guaranteed
by the state, the new constitution was universally acclaimed as the
‘world’s greatest experiment in liberal government’. This
idealistic birth of a new republic meant a clean break with a
repressive past. And yet, barely twelve months later, the very
makers of the constitution were denouncing their own creation.
Passed in June 1951, the First Amendment to the Constitution was a
pivotal moment in Indian constitutional history. Sixteen Stormy
Days explores the contentious legacy of this First Amendment which
drastically curbed freedom of speech, restricted freedom against
discrimination and circumscribed the right to property. It follows
the sixteen days of debate that led up to it, the people that
created it, the great battle waged against it and the immense
consequences it has had for Indian democracy. It is a cautionary
tale about an almost forgotten but hugely consequential piece of
history that holds the key to understanding the position of civil
liberties and individual freedoms in India today. It challenges
conventional wisdom on iconic figures such as Jawaharlal Nehru,
B.R. Ambedkar, Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Patel and Shyama Prasad
Mookerji, and lays bare the vast gulf between the liberal promise
of India’s Constitution and the authoritarian impulses of her
first government.
General
Imprint: |
Bloomsbury Academic
|
Country of origin: |
United Kingdom |
Release date: |
2024 |
Authors: |
Tripurdaman Singh
|
Dimensions: |
216 x 138mm (L x W) |
Pages: |
272 |
ISBN-13: |
978-1-350-38438-5 |
Categories: |
Books
|
LSN: |
1-350-38438-0 |
Barcode: |
9781350384385 |
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