The Indian Constitution is a unique charter of rights and responsibilities in that it brings together an enormous diversity of cultures, languages, religious beliefs, civilisational streams, etc., under one umbrella. It is a matter of great pride that the founders had the sagacity and depth of knowledge to prepare the document keeping in mind the course the nation would chart in the future. The experience, thus far, has been that it has stood the test of time, but nothing can be taken for granted without the continued effort to implement it in letter and spirit in all corners of the land.
The essence of this is the rule of law at the absolute grassroots. It cannot be that, in the effort to preserve diversity, a situation is created under which citizens are denied their fundamental rights (and the power to carry out their fundamental duties). Failure to enforce the rule of law by governments and administrations across the country weakens society, particularly when justice is denied.
When reports come in, for instance, that a woman has been burnt alive because she is believed have indulged in witchcraft, questions naturally arise about the civic environment she existed in. Is it that, in the desire to preserve ‘tribal’ culture and provide ‘autonomy’, the basics of the constitution are not being implemented? How is it that such actions and the mindset behind them continue to flourish despite all the efforts to provide education and exposure to a modern mindset? It is possible that certain sensitivities have to be taken into consideration, but these should be addressed by deploying administrators trained in the nuances of maintaining law and order.
This is just one example but there are similar instances of extra-constitutional behaviour by communities and individuals. They exercise power based on ‘local tradition’, or their own visualisation of right and wrong. Be it the ‘khaps’ of Haryana and Western UP, the fundamentalists of various religions, or mere political and criminal satraps, they function outside of the law. Despite the rapidly changing social circumstances, they continue to wield power and, thereby, deny full implementation of the constitution. Each group has one or the other political outfit extending support, making it more difficult to sort out the situation.
It becomes the duty, therefore, for civil and reform organisations to take on the responsibility of awakening the common citizen to the harm being done to India’s future and its coming generations by remaining hostage to these anomalous growths in the body fabric of the nation. People cannot become truly free if they are denied the basic protection of the law.
