How does G.B. Pant define the attributes of a loyal citizen?
According to G.B. Pant, a loyal citizen must have undivided loyalty exclusively centred round the State. He argued that there cannot be any divided loyalty in a democracy.
A loyal citizen must practice self-discipline and care less for himself and more for others. Citizens should stop thinking only in terms of communities and instead think in terms of citizens. Pant emphasised that the citizen forms both the base and summit of the social pyramid.
Citizens must suppress their personal extravagance and care for larger interests. They must act as equal members of one State politically, even while communities are recognised as cultural entities. This unified loyalty is essential for the success of democracy and nation-building.
Explanation
The answer draws directly from G.B. Pant's speech in CAD Vol.II where he outlines three key attributes of a loyal citizen: (1) undivided loyalty centred on the State, (2) self-discipline and selflessness, and (3) prioritising citizen identity over community identity. Pant warned that divided loyalties would doom democracy. The Constitution grants rights to citizens, but citizens must offer their loyalty to the State in return. This was part of the broader nationalist concern about forging a unified nation-state.