CAPF AC 2021 Q69: Modern History – Constitutional Developments & British Plans (1909 - 1947)
- (a) Somnath Lahiri
- (b) B. R. Ambedkar
- (c) Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
- (d) B. N. Rau
Answer: (a) Somnath Lahiri
Explanation
Who called the Constituent Assembly British-made
How to think: this quote is from the NCERT chapter on the framing of the Constitution.
The speaker was the only Communist member of the Assembly, Somnath Lahiri.
The context: in the winter of 1946-47 the British were still in India.
The interim government worked under the Viceroy.
Lahiri told Nehru that the Assembly was British-made and was working the British plan as the British should like it to be worked out.
He asked members to free themselves from imperial influence.
| Person | Role in the Constituent Assembly |
|---|---|
| Somnath Lahiri | Communist member; made this warning |
| B. R. Ambedkar | Chairman of the Drafting Committee |
| Shyama Prasad Mukherjee | Member; minister in the interim cabinet |
| B. N. Rau | Constitutional Adviser; prepared the first draft |
Answer: (a) Somnath Lahiri.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Somnath Lahiri, the Communist member, gave this warning.
- (b) Incorrect. B. R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee and defended the Assembly's work.
- (c) Incorrect. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee did not make this remark.
- (d) Incorrect. B. N. Rau was the Constitutional Adviser, an official and not a critic.
Key point
Somnath Lahiri (Communist) called the Constituent Assembly British-made. The Assembly was set up under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946; Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution on 13 December 1946.
Remember
British-made Assembly: Somnath Lahiri.
Common mistakes
- Guessing Ambedkar because he often criticised the Congress.
- Mixing up B. N. Rau (adviser) with the members who spoke in debates.
- Forgetting that the Assembly was formed under the British Cabinet Mission Plan.
Exam tip
Educated guess: the sharpest attack on a body created under a British plan would come from the most radical voice. Among the four, only Lahiri was a Communist.
Sources
- NCERT Class XII History — Themes in Indian History Part III, Chapter 15: Framing the Constitution
- Constituent Assembly Debates, Volume I (speech of Somnath Lahiri, December 1946)