“One Nation, One Constitution”: Dr. Ambedkar’s Vision and the Debate on Article 370

  “One Nation, One Constitution”: Dr. Ambedkar’s Vision and the Debate on Article 370

✍️ A UPSC Perspective by Suryavanshi IAS | June 28, 2025

---

🧭 Context: What Did the Chief Justice Say?

Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, while inaugurating the Constitution Preamble Park, emphasized that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar never supported the idea of multiple constitutions within India. He said Ambedkar envisioned one Constitution for one nation—a unifying framework to preserve the sovereignty and integrity of India.

Justice Gavai recalled this vision in the context of the Supreme Court’s unanimous judgment in 2023, which upheld the abrogation of Article 370, ending the special constitutional status granted to Jammu and Kashmir.

---

📜 A Quick Recap: What was Article 370?

• Article 370 of the Indian Constitution granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It allowed the state to have its own Constitution, flag, and autonomy over internal matters, except in foreign affairs, defence, and communication.
• On August 5, 2019, the Government of India abrogated Article 370, effectively making Jammu and Kashmir a Union Territory and bringing it under the full application of the Indian Constitution.

---

📌 Why This Matters for UPSC Aspirants

This topic touches on multiple areas of the UPSC syllabus:

Paper	Topic
GS Paper II	Indian Constitution – federalism, structure, amendments, Article 370, role of judiciary
GS Paper I	Modern Indian History – contribution of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Essay Paper	Themes of unity, democracy, constitutional morality
Ethics Paper	Constitutional values and duties

---

👨‍⚖️ CJI Gavai's Key Points – UPSC Breakdown

🔹 1. One Constitution for Unity

Dr. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution, stood for one unified legal structure for India. The CJI emphasized that multiple constitutions would fragment the nation, especially during crises.

“If we want to keep the country united, we need only one Constitution.” – CJI B.R. Gavai

🔹 2. Federalism vs Unity Debate

Ambedkar was once criticized for giving too much power to the Centre, but he had warned that excessive federalism during emergencies could threaten India's unity.

This argument was cited in the Supreme Court’s 2023 verdict, where the Constitution Bench upheld the Centre's right to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, citing constitutional symmetry and national integrity.

🔹 3. Constitution as a Living Document

Justice Gavai pointed out that despite global instability in regions like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, India has remained united—thanks to its Constitutional resilience.

---

🧪 Constitutional Morality & Article 370: UPSC Insight

Ambedkar had said:

"Constitution is not a mere lawyer’s document, it is a vehicle of life, and its spirit is always the spirit of the age."

So while Article 370 was originally a temporary provision (Part XXI), its political permanence raised questions of constitutional morality, equality, and integration.

---

🏛️ The Preamble & Civic Values

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, also present at the event, reminded the nation that liberty, equality, fraternity—the core values of the Preamble—were Ambedkar’s gifts to India.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis proposed that the Preamble be taught to every student, reflecting efforts to mainstream Constitutional literacy during the Amrit Mahotsav of the Constitution.

---

📝 UPSC Prelims & Mains Questions

🔹 Prelims MCQ (Expected)

Q. Which of the following statements best explains the term "Constitutional Morality"?

a) Popular opinion in a democracy

b) Respecting the will of the majority

c) Adherence to constitutional values and principles

d) Implementation of majoritarian policies

✅ Correct Answer: (c)

---

🔹 Mains GS Paper II Practice Question

Q. "The abrogation of Article 370 was not just a political move but a constitutional assertion of unity."

Critically examine in light of recent Supreme Court judgments and Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of federalism.

---

🎯 Takeaways for UPSC Aspirants

• Know the history and purpose of Article 370
• Understand the Supreme Court’s 2023 reasoning
• Relate the topic to federalism, unity, and constitutional values
• Use Ambedkar’s quotes for essay and ethics papers
• Study current efforts like teaching the Preamble under constitutional awareness campaigns

---

📢 Suryavanshi IAS Foundation Course for UPSC

🎓 Are you in Class 12 or just passed? Start early, succeed early.

Join our UPSC Foundation Batch in Lucknow, starting 2nd July 2025.

📘 Course Highlights:

• NCERT + GS + Polity + CSAT
• Preamble, Constitution, and Indian History from scratch
• Regular answer writing practice
• Personalized mentoring for beginners
• Weekly quizzes + current affairs sessions

📍 Location: Rahul Vihar, Near Manas Enclave, Lucknow

📞 Contact: 06306446114, suryavanshiias.blogspot.com

🎯 Seats filling fast—Book your free counselling today!

---

🙌 Final Words

As India celebrates the spirit of the Constitution, remember what CJI Gavai highlighted: Unity is rooted in Constitutional integrity. For every aspirant of civil services, understanding the soul of the Constitution is not just preparation—it’s a duty.