The New Constitution
Saadat Hasan Manto
AUTHOR:(Saadat
Hasan Manto)
Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955) was a leading Urdu writer. He
became famous due to his artistic skill. His themes are often controversial. He
was born in a Kashmiri Muslim family in Samrala, Ludhiana (East Punjab). Manto did
not have formal education. After completing his college education in Amritsar,
he joined Aligarh Muslim University but he discontinued after a year. He worked
for all India Radio for some time before moving to Bombay, where he began to
write for films. These were troublesome days in the history of India. In 1948
he migrated to Lahore. He began his literary career by translating western
writers. He led a life of poverty.
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SUMMARY
and Analysis
The story “The New Constitution” conveys the idea that ‘a
little knowledge is a dangerous thing’. It also tells the reader about the true
feelings of the common people of India for the British.
In this story the main character of
protagonist is Ustad Mangu. He is a
tongawala and lives in Lahore. He is illiterate. He is in the habit of overhear
his passengers. Once he overhears from his passengers about the communal
violence. He is worried and tells his friends about the reason of this communal
violence. He hates the English because of their arrogance and insulting
behavior towards Indians.
Once a gora soldier insults him and
Ustad bears the insult silently at that time. In rage, he abuses the English
with himself. Once he overhears about the introduction of the new constitution
from the discussion of passengers. He is very happy from that day. He returns
to the Tonga stand and tells his companions about the news. After that, he
overhears about the changes. He overhears that the Indians would be free. He
thought that the new constitution would force the English to go back to
England. The Indian would have elected assemblies selected by its own citizens.
All would have equal rights without any difference. He waits for the
introduction of the new constitution very impatiently.
On 1 April, he gets up early in the
morning and comes on road to see the new constitution in force. However, he is
disappointed to see no change anywhere in practical life. He meets a Gora
soldier there and picks up a quarrel with him. He beats the Gora soldier. Two
police officers lock him up. They tell him that nothing has changed and it is
the same old constitution in India.
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TEXT
QUESTIONS
Q1. Discuss Mangu’s feelings towards the British. How would
he react on seeing a ‘gora’?
Ans:
Mangu had intense hatred towards the British. People like him have the hated towards
British and their imperialistic system. He hated British both for personal
reason as he was insulted by them and also as the rule upon India. When one day
he saw his new customer was a Gora, feelings of hatred rose in his heart. At
first he didn’t pay any heed towards him. But then he felt that it be foolish
to give man’s money a miss. He decided to recover the money from those people
that he had spent on the plume. So he allowed him to ascend upon his Tonga.
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Q2. Recount Mangu’s encounter with Britisher with whom he
earlier had an altercation?
Ans: When the ‘Gora’ solider asked Mangu to take him somewhere,
he recognized him. He was the person with whom he earlier had an altercation.
He had abused Mangu a year ago. At this
time he talked to Mangu in the samre arrogant tone once again. The situation
was different for Mangu due to his misconception about the new constitution
from 1st April. Mangu thought that due to new constitution he was equal to
British. Therefore, under the wrong impression he picked up a quarrel with the
Gora solider. When the soldier’s polished cane touched Mangu’s thigh, he starts
quarrel with him. He got down from his tonga and began to hit him all over his
body. A big crowd gathered there. Two policemen appeared from somewhere and
with great difficulty managed to rescue the Britisher. Mangu in his anger was
shouting about new constitution new constitution about which he has heard. But the two policemen while arresting him told
that it as old constitution. He was imprisoned in the lockup and he cries their
also about new constitution.
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Q3. Bring out the implication of the title of Manto’s story
while tracing Mangu’s raising expectations from the new laws?
Ans:
The title should work like the sign board. The whole story should revolve
around the title. The story of “The New
Constitution” of Shaddat Hussain Manto revolves around the New Constitution
about which Mangu has misconception.
Mangu believed that all his
expectations would come true with the implementation of the new constitution.
He astonished as nothing happened like that when he beats the Gora solider. He was
looked by the police under the same old constitution. He thought that the new
constitution would force the British to go back to England and India would be
free. Indians would not be insulted and oppressed as earlier.
It is clear from the story of the
“New Constitution” that its title is appropriate and suitable.
Q4. What is your estimate of Ustad Mangu? Discuss with the
help of examples from the story?
Ans: Ustad Mangu is the main character or protagonist of the
story “New Constitution”. He is the hero and central figure of the story. He is
tangawala by profession. He is middle aged illiterate man from Lahore. He used
to cut jokes with his friends. He gets information about the New Constitution
and shares it with his friends. He is a humorous person but he bore hidden
hatred for all the English people and used to abuse them all the time. He
believes that communal violence is the result of some holy man’s curse. Summing
up, we can say that Mangu is a good character. He is the protagonist of the
story. He is a patriot. He hates the English people for their arrogance and
cruelty. He hates the English because they are ruling upon his country India.
He wants his motherland India to be a free country.
