The other important change, Sir, which I have made in the amendment is that I have tried to specify different stages when the Constitution will come into force on the whole of India. Even in the original Resolution, I may point out, there are certain territories envisaged which perhaps might come into the Union at a very late stage. I refer, Sir, to the two territories described as territories outside both British India and Indian States, and such other territories as might like to join the Union. Now these two parts of the Union surely are not going to come in now and here. Therefore, different stages of the formation of the complete Union have been envisaged even in the original Resolution and I have tried in my amendment to clarify that the Independent Sovereign Republic will comprise initially of the territories that now form British India, and, as soon as possible, also of the territories that form the Indian States. My whole purpose in moving this amendment is, as I said before, to see that in framing the first Resolution we should so word it that it may not have to be altered at any stage. After all, it is the first act of this Assembly and no one would like, that circumstances developing later on, might require the Resolution to be altered. An Independent Sovereign Republic for the territories that form British India has been accepted in the past by the majority elements constituting that territory. There may be difficulties pointed out by others. We shall probably have to take note of those difficulties and try to solve them. I therefore, introduced in the Resolution stages by which we could form the Independent Sovereign Republic ultimately in its entirety. But even if we may not be able to secure the association of people whose association we definitely seek and are anxious to secure, even then the march to independence will not be hindered and we shall not have to wait for all the territories to agree before the Constitution can be laid down. These, Sir, are the reasons which led me to move this amendment. I am very sorry that the Hon’ble the Mover of the Resolution is not here today. As a matter of fact my desire entirely was to bring to his attention the points which I had in mind and to request him to consider whether it might be possible to accept the amendments or portions of it that might not be in conflict with the original idea which he advocated.
