India has long been a country of sovereignty, secular, peace-loving and strength in unity. Considering its geopolitical and culture ranging from the historic to the modern-day there are several facts about India that make it unique. Apart from bearing a long heritage of diversified culture and population, the Nation of India is also known for being called the Union of states. The concept of describing how India is a Union of states provides India with a unique look toward democracy as the motto of Unity is strength might be glorified by associating India with the Union of states. India is also called “Bharat’ or the land of king Bharat hence it might also be referred to as India that is Bharat is a union of states. This may rather interest us to get a clear understanding of what a Union of states is and how the Indian subcontinent is called as India is a union of states.
What is a union of states?
A state is an administrative unit of a government or a federal country that has its independent norms of governance. But in a country like India the importance of a Union of states was quite important for the encompassing future of the nation and it also necessarily contained and upheld the thought of holding the nation together. The concept of considering how India is a union of states goes to the visionary thought of Dr B.R. Ambedkar and the drafting committee of article one of the constitution of India in 1950. The concept of calling India that is Bharat is a union of states upheld the fact that all the sovereign states of India shall be in proper cooperation and upheld the strength, ideals and work together for building a better India or Bharat.
Why is India that is Bharat a union of states?
The coining of how India is a union of states goes to the visionary drafting of the constitutional committee in 1950 that stated its utmost importance and value for recognising India as a Union of states. Article one of the Drafting constitution 1948 described that:
- India shall be a Union of states
- The states shall imply those states for the period specified in parts I, II and III of the first schedule
- The territories of India may further comprise:
- The territories being specified in segment IV of the first schedule
- The territories of the states
- Such other territories that may be acquired
There were also some disparities while recognising India as a Union of States as some members argued that the Union of states was appropriate for India rather than calling it a federation. Although The drafting committee explained that the term of calling how India is a Union of States was done because did not allow the states the provision to secede from India. Even the head of the drafting committee Dr B.R. Ambeddkar also improvised on the fact that although India is a federal country based on its constitutional structure, the coining of India as a Union of states was important as it provided certain advantages according to him and the drafting committee. Those advantages explaining India that is Bharat is a union of states are:
- Indian federal structure is a component of units but not formed by their agreement
- Those states or units have no right to secede from the country
The term coining Bharat and India for naming the country also had some differences among the members but finally, it was concluded that India that is Bharat is a Union of states.
Conclusion
The article has tried to briefly describe what a Union of states is and how its association with India coined India is a Union of States. The essay also attempts to bring out the reason behind calling India that is Bharat is a union of states. The complete reason behind it is also somehow briefly explained.