*Mr. President, after midnight today a great revolution is to take place in the history of India a revolution, for which India had been working for the last one hundred years in her fight for freedom, an event for which many Indians have sacrificed their lives to achieve, is now approaching very near. Now that as a result of these sacrifices we have achieved this freedom, a new question confronts us, which is even more vital. That struggle is over but a fresh one of a different type is to begin; this new struggle is not to be fought against any outsider but is to be settled among our own selves. It is evident that when a nation had to fight against another nation we were swayed by different emotions, we had to adopt different tactics, and different methods. Now the time has come when we shall have to shoulder great responsibilities when there will be no room for clapping and for high-sounding slogans. After today the task before this House, before the leaders of the country, will not be a spectacular one but one that requires diligence, industry and service to the people. We know that great responsibility rests on this Assembly and that is of framing a Constitution, which would be acceptable not only to the minorities but also to all the people of the country, to the poor and to the common man and through which we may serve the people of India. This is the greatest task. Similarly, this House has to shoulder the responsibility of the administration of the country till such time as fresh elections are held. The administrative responsibility sometimes brings with it scoldings and one has to put up with abuses etc., and is even subjected to brickbats. But all this has to be endured. A reading of the pledge, which is before us now shows that it entails heavy responsibility. Ordinarily, I think that all the members, when they came here, had already taken the pledge of serving their country honestly and faithfully and as best as they could. But a pledge formally administered leaves some psychological effect on the mind of every person. Hence, I think that today, before we shoulder the responsibility, this is a most opportune. moment for all of us to bind ourselves with this pledge that henceforth all our actions and deeds would primarily be directed towards the good of the State and no communal considerations would be allowed to prevail and we shall do our utmost to give everyone his due. After taking this pledge, when we step out of this Chamber, we shall give a message to the people of the country that we have taken a vow honestly to shoulder the responsibility, and in discharging our duties we shall show no favour to anyone.
