There are, I know, Sir, certain other safeguards still maintained in this Constitution, such as economic safeguards for backward communities and so forth. I believe that a transitory measure of this kind is necessary; it is wise and prudent to reassure many sections of our people in this way. But, Sir, I submit that the full and logical implications of what we are doing now is that a time should come when even the economic and other assistance to be given should not be based upon the claims of classes as a whole, but should be based upon the claims of the individual. I am sure, Sir, a time will come when all those who claim and need special assistance, will get it, without reservations and safeguard son the basis of communities; when our legislatures and the leaders of the country will be able to think out individual tests, in which the communal or social background may certainly be taken into account, but which will give that assistance or that concession to all individuals, without limiting it to particular castes or classes. It is only on this ground and on this understanding that class differences, in so far as they are dangerous politically and lead to political separatism, will be eliminated. If, on the other hand, cultural, religious and other rights of this nature are safeguarded, I do not see why the variety and the diversity of this country should not be a source of strength and glory rather than a source of political weakness such as they threatened to be in recent years. We earnestly trust that the spirit in which these rights will be enucleated, interpreted and enforced in future years by our Judges, the spirit in which the majority community will give effect to them, will allay all fears and encourage the minorities in the path which they have deliberately chosen now, of giving up political safeguards. Thus alone in the near future–I do not wait for a distant future–in the near future, will the political homogeneity of these three hundred and thirty million people be an accomplished fact, and the members of all communities standing shoulder to shoulder in their civic equality, but maintaining their right to their own faith, their convictions and their ideals, and drawing their individual strength from those beliefs and from those convictions will work together for the prosperity and greatness of our motherland. (Applause).
