Swarajya, May 27, 1961
Says an American writer: "Private property and a free economy are the material foundations of freedom. Neither liberty nor the pursuit of happiness as inscribed in the American Constitution is secure without the right to acquire and hold property. Property rights and human rights are inseparable, whoever controls the means of existence of a people, whether by monopolistic coercion at private hands or through the confiscation of property by the State, has power over life or death".
It was therefore that the Indian Constitution framers put it down solemnly in the 19th Article that "all citizens shall have the right to acquire, hold and dispose of property and to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business". This was classified as a fundamental right of citizens of India, and was guaranteed not merely against robbers and anti-socials and other law-breakers, but against law-makers, the Government and Parliament included.
Says an American writer:
Private property and a free economy are the material foundations of freedom. Neither liberty nor the pursuit of happiness as inscribed in the American Constitution is secure without the right to acquire and hold property. Property rights and human rights are inseparable, whoever controls the means of existence of a people, whether by monopolistic coercion at private hands or through the confiscation of property by the State, has power over life or death. Alexander Hamilton said "Power over a man's subsistence is power over his will". Leon Trotsky the communist put it brutally "in a country where the sole employer is the State, opposition means death by slow starvation who shall not obey shall not eat.
It was therefore that the Indian Constitution framers put it down solemnly in the 19th Article that "all citizens shall have' the right to acquire, hold and dispose of property and to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade or business". This was classified as a fundamental right of citizens of India, and was guaranteed not merely against robbers and anti- socials and other law-breakers but against law-makers, the Government and Parliament included.
But now instead of respecting the letter and the spirit of the solemn charter, a collusion has been forged by the Congress Party leaders and those who follow the communist policy enunciated by Leon Trotsky (quoted above) that those who will not obey, shall not be permitted to acquire, hold and dispose of property, and carry on any occupation or business of his choice, that all citizens are employees under the sole employer, the State, and that those who will not obey shall not eat. There is a complete accord between the Congress and communist and no communist hand is raised against any proposition of the Congress in Parliament. The Swatantra Party is fighting to overthrow this sinister combine to amend and nullify the Constitution.
