constituent assembly of india debates (proceedings)- volume vii

and also the province of Orissa.
Therefore, Sir, I beg to move an amendment, which is (I have given notice of it just now.):
"Omit Mayurbhanj with its representation of one and the Ruler of Mayurbhanj as the Returning Officer from Part 1 of the Annexure."
I further move:
"That the State of Mayurbhanj be added to the Orissa States in Part II of the said Annexure, substituting 24 for 23 and also under the
column of representation substituting 5 for 4, including 1 from the Sate of Mayurbhanj, and the Governor of Orissa to continue as the
Returning Officer."
This is the complete amendment that I place before the Honourable Members of the Constituent
Assembly and think that it is a necessity.
If you propose to give separate representation and a separate identity to Mayurbhanj, that means
you propose to perpetuate the independent existence of smaller States, a policy which has been refuted
and not accepted by the States Ministry and the Government of India. Therefore, my amendment is just
to give effect to the very idea which has been accepted, adumbrated and followed in principle and in
practice by the States Ministry and the Government of India.
Mr. President: I may point out to Members that as the States are concerned, the question has been
in a state of flux. There have been so many changes going on from day to day that it has been difficult to
keep pace with them. The proposal is based upon the recommendation of the States Ministry, and the
proposal was reached at a conference at which not only the Prime Ministers of all the provinces
concerned but also of the Sates concerned and Rajpramukhs were present, and there were
representatives of the States Ministry as also of the Constituent Assembly, and these proposals are in
conformity with recommendations of that Conference. If there has been any change since then, we have
no notice of that change. Besides, there will be no difficulty in altering any of the rules subsequently if a
change has taken place. So I would suggest to Shri Biswanath Das that he need not apprehend that
there is any question of perpetuating smaller States. At the moment we are proceeding upon facts that
we know and we are recognizing those facts and making the rules in conformity with those facts. As soon
as a change in those facts takes place, and we are informed of that change, we shall change the rules
accordingly. So I would suggest to him not to press his amendment at this stage. We can take up the
matter as soon as the States Ministry is in a position to tell us that this ought to be changed.
Shri Biswanath Das: An officer of the States Ministry is here. These are the salient facts. I do not
dispute them but I beg of him not to dispute the facts that I have placed before him.
Mr. President: I do not dispute his facts. I only say that I have received no intimation from the
States Ministry to that effect and therefore we are proceeding upon what we have from the States
Ministry. As soon as we have information, there will be no difficulty in changing the rules. That can be
done at any sitting.
Shri Biswanath Das: You are going to take charge of the State. The moment newspapers published
that the Constituent Assembly has given separate representation to the State I assure you that there will
be tremendous trouble to be faced not by me or the people of Orissa but by the very administrator that
is going to be appointed by the Government of India. Under these circumstances I appeal to you,
knowing as you do the difficulties of the situation and as a person having an intimate knowledge of the
areas and the people concerned, not to tread on dangerous ground. I do not want to press my
amendment. I have only brought this matter to your notice as also to the notice of the Constituent