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• Depressed classes form 20-25% population of our country, so they are not
minority but they have faced marginalization continuously.
• Members of Depressed classes suffered systematic marginalization. They had no
access to public places, they were suppressed through distorted social and moral
orders. Depressed classes had no access to education and had no share in the
administration.
• Members of Depressed classes emphasized the problem of untouchability that
could not be resolved through safeguard and protection. To completely remove
this, there is a need to integrate these people into mainstream and bring attitudinal
change in the society.
• The constituent assembly made a provision that abolished untouchability, Hindu
temples be-thrown open to all castes and seats in legislature, jobs in government
offices be reserved for lowest castes. Many recognized that social discrimination
could only be solved through a change in the attitudes within society.

The Powers of the State:

• Issue of division of power of the government at the centre and at state level was
intensely debated.
• Draft constitution provided three lists of subject i.e. Union List-union government
can make laws on it. State List, State government can make laws on it and
Concurrent List-Both Union and State government can make laws on listed items.
• More items are listed in Union list. In India-Union government is made more
powerful so that it can ensure peace, security, and can coordinate on the matter of
vital interest and to speak for whole country in the international sphere.
• However some taxes such as land and property taxes, sales tax and tax on
bottled liquor could be levied and collected by the state on their own.

View of Santhanam on Powers of Centre and State:

• K Santhanam said reallocation of power was necessary, not only to strengthen the
state but also the centre. He said if centre is overburdened with responsibility it
could not function properly. So it is important that some powers to the state should
be transferred.
• Again, Santhanam said states should be given appropriate fiscal provision so that
they can work independently and they do not need to depend on centre for even
nominal expenditure,
• Santhanam and many others predicted dark future if allocation is not done
properly. He further said that province might revolt against centre and centre will
break, as excessive power is centralised in the constitution.

Need for Strong Government: