Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud on Wednesday said that the contribution of women in drafting of the Constitution has been immense and this was the reason why used the expression “founding fathers and mothers of the Constitution,” while delivering the verdict in the Govt of NCT of Delhi vs Union of India case in 2018.
As per the CJI, he used this line to give the due recognition to women, who have made immense contribution in drafting of the Constitution.
A Bench led by the CJI was today hearing the dispute between the Delhi Government and the Centre over the control of civil services.
Senior Advocate Dr.Abhishek Manu Singhvi, while quoting from the 2018 verdict, referred to the expression “founding mothers”. He said, “This I have not read anywhere else”.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta seconded with the Senior Counsel and said that this expression was used for the first time in the judgment.
The CJI then explained the reason behind using the expression “mothers,” stating that the role played by many of the women members of the Constituent Assembly has not been adequately recognised.
He said there were women like Dakshayani Velayudhan, who were outstanding individuals of those days. These women really contributed to the drafting of the Constitution, he added.
Singhvi said that many of these outstanding women had eminent husbands too. However, they had their complete identity in their own right. Women like Durgabhai Deshmukh fought for many causes, even during times when their equally eminent husbands were not standing with them. Therefore, they found a place in the Assembly, he added.
The Senior Counsel further said that most countries used the expression “motherland”, barring a few exceptions like Germany which used the term “fatherland”.