Conclusion

There can still be debates about exactly what constitutes the basic structure, and there is nothing wrong with such debates — in a democracy, politics is necessarily full of debate and disagreement, and that is a sign of diversity, liveliness and openness, which democracy welcomes.

At the same time, India's political parties and leadership have shown real maturity in setting limits to these debates. Politics is also about compromise and give-and-take: extreme positions may look theoretically correct and be ideologically attractive, but functioning democratic politics demands that everyone be prepared to moderate their extreme views, soften sharp positions, and work toward a common minimum ground. It is only because politicians and the people of India have learned and practised these skills that the working of India's democratic Constitution has been so successful. …