Sir, in commending this motion to the House, I would like to be understood in the first place that this is not merely an attempt to improve upon language. I do not profess to be an authority on the English language, and much less on the mysteries of technical draftsmanship as is implied in this language. Mine is only a commonsense view of this matter. The term “the citizens”, as it is used in this clause, is so collective that I am afraid its distributive sense is apt to be lost sight of. I am, therefore, proposing to substitute for the words “the citizens” the words “every citizen” so that each and every member of the society shall have this right to an adequate standard of living. The distributive sense is brought out much better by my amendment, this very language is used in another article in this Chapter itself later on when they are speaking of the right to primary education. I am therefore suggesting no innovation which is not authorised by the draftsman’s own terminology.
