Who among the following said that fundamental rights in India rest on the bedrock of Indian National Security ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

**Detailed explanation of why it is correct — include conceptual, or contextual depth:**

The correct option is 1, **Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar**. Sir Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar was a prominent member of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution and a key figure in the debates concerning Fundamental Rights. His philosophy regarding rights was rooted in the necessity of balancing individual liberty with the stability and security of the newly independent nation. During the Constituent Assembly debates, particularly concerning the freedoms guaranteed under what is now Article 19 (which deals with fundamental freedoms like speech and assembly), he strongly advocated for the inclusion of reasonable restrictions. It was Ayyar who forcefully articulated the idea that the Fundamental Rights enshrined in the Constitution were not absolute and were fundamentally contingent upon the overall well-being and security of the State. He famously argued that the fundamental rights provisions were conceived keeping in mind "the security of the State, public order, and morality," essentially stating that the bedrock upon which these rights rest is the very security and existence of the Indian nation. This viewpoint justified the inclusion of provisions that allow the State to impose restrictions on freedoms in the interest of national security and public order, a crucial difference between the Indian model of fundamental rights and the seemingly absolute rights found in the U.S. Constitution. His statement emphasizes a pragmatic approach to rights, prioritizing national integrity in times of crisis.

The incorrect option is 2:

**Detailed explanation of why it is incorrect — include conceptual, or contextual depth:**

K. M. Munshi was another pivotal member of the Drafting Committee. While he played a major role in drafting various parts of the Constitution, including the Preamble and key provisions on fundamental rights, his specific famous quote or contribution is typically related to the 'Munshi-Ayyangar Formula' on the Official Language of the Union, or his contribution to the concept of 'Constitutional Morality.' While Munshi certainly supported a robust framework for fundamental rights and accepted necessary restrictions, the exact quote linking fundamental rights resting on the 'bedrock of Indian National Security' is explicitly attributed to Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar during the debates on restrictions to Article 19. Munshi's focus was often on integrating democratic principles and safeguarding cultural rights, rather than specifically using the phrase 'bedrock of national security' to frame the entire rights chapter.

The incorrect option is 3:

**Detailed explanation of why it is incorrect — include conceptual, or contextual depth:**

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, is often referred to as the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution. His immense contribution lies primarily in establishing the constitutional framework for social justice, abolishing untouchability, and ensuring equality. Ambedkar's focus, when discussing Fundamental Rights, was centered on making them enforceable through Article 32 (Right to Constitutional Remedies), which he deemed the "heart and soul" of the Constitution. While he was aware of the necessity of restrictions for public order, his primary philosophical contribution emphasized making rights real for the marginalized sections of society (social democracy) and giving them judicial protection. The specific phrasing about rights resting on the 'bedrock of Indian National Security' is not his noted constitutional contribution regarding fundamental rights; rather, it belongs to Ayyar, who was more concerned with the limitations on rights imposed for the sake of state integrity.

The incorrect option is 4:

**Detailed explanation of why it is incorrect — include conceptual, or contextual depth:**

C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) was a statesman, independence activist, and the last Governor-General of India. While he was a critical political leader during the framing of the Constitution, he was not a member of the Drafting Committee like the other three options, nor was he the most vocal participant in the specific technical debates surrounding the drafting of Fundamental Rights provisions in the Assembly. Rajaji's later political career involved strong advocacy for market liberalism (Swatantra Party) and he was a prominent figure in public life, but his constitutional contributions do not include the specific articulation of the linkage between fundamental rights and national security as a 'bedrock,' which was a point argued meticulously by the legal minds within the Drafting Committee, particularly Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, to defend the inclusion of restrictions.