Q.Who among the following demanded justice for women in the Constituent Assembly ? (A) H.J. Khandekar (B) T.A. Ramalingam Chettiar (C) Hansa Mehta (D) Jaipal Singh

The Constituent Assembly debates on language were among the most emotionally charged in India's history. The question of what language the Constitution itself should be written in — and what language(s) would serve as official languages of the nation — touched deep nerves about identity, regional pride, and national unity. Several members had strong views, but one figure stands out for his particularly forceful and early plea.

Let's examine each option to understand who made that specific demand.

1. R.V. Dhulekar — He was a member from the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh). On December 9, 1946, the very first day of the Constituent Assembly, Dhulekar rose to speak and insisted that the proceedings be conducted in Hindi. He argued that Hindi was the language of the majority and should be the sole language for framing the Constitution. His speech was so vehement that it caused a major uproar, with members from non-Hindi regions objecting strongly. This is the classic instance of a "strong plea for Hindi to be used as the language of constitution-making."

2. Shankarrao Deo — He was a prominent Congress leader from Maharashtra and a key figure in the Assembly. While he was a nationalist, he was not the one making a strong plea for Hindi as the language of constitution-making. He was more involved in organizational matters and was generally supportive of a consensus approach on language, not a unilateral push for Hindi.

3. G. Durgabai — She was a member from Madras (now Tamil Nadu) and a social reformer. She was a strong advocate for the rights of women and for the use of regional languages. She would have been on the side of those who opposed making Hindi the sole language of the Constitution, arguing for the continued use of English and the recognition of other Indian languages. …

The Constituent Assembly debates were not merely legal exercises; they were arenas where India's future social contract was negotiated. Among the many voices, a few stood out for championing the rights of groups that had been historically marginalized. Women's representation in the Assembly was limited—only 15 women among 299 members—but their impact was disproportionately large.

Hansa Mehta was one of the most articulate and persistent advocates for women's rights during these debates. A reformer, educator, and social worker from Gujarat, she brought both intellectual rigor and moral clarity to discussions on gender justice.

Why Hansa Mehta's role was pivotal

1. Constitutional provisions for women: Mehta consistently argued that the Constitution must guarantee equality not just in abstract terms but in concrete legal provisions. She pushed for women's equal rights in marriage, property, and employment—issues that were contentious in a society still bound by traditional norms.

2. Language matters: Perhaps her most celebrated contribution came on the international stage. As India's representative to the UN Commission on Human Rights (1947–48), she successfully argued for changing the phrase "All men are born free and equal" in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to "All human beings are born free and equal." This wasn't pedantry; it was a recognition that language shapes reality, and exclusionary language perpetuates exclusion. …