The Constitution of India is the largest, as well as, the longest in the world. It comprises about 146,385 words. It has 444 articles segmented into 22 parts, and 12 schedules with 118 amendments to date. Our preamble includes terminologies like Equality, Justice, Secular etc. Treating everyone equally, giving everyone equal opportunities and chances; whether it’s in the job front, education system or in normal daily life. Our country believes in treating everyone equally.
The Constitution of India gives us all the rights of equality through its amends and articles.
But when we look at the treatment of citizens through the eyes of an individual, we tend to question this. What the constitution provides to us is not mutually inclusive of the mindset/perspective of each Indian. This difference cannot be controlled. When looking through an individual's mindset we see that our country is still not completely following the constitution. There are still unequal treatment of some or the other human living in India on the basis of caste and religion. There is still inequality among men and women; girls and boys. Do these daily situations not contradict the constitution of India?
With the 42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India (1976), the Preamble to the Constitution asserted that India is a “secular” nation. The meaning of a secular state is that it does not prioritize any one religion for the country and its people. That every religion should be treated equally. Do you think every person in India in the current generation treats all religions equally?
No matter how much we try to involve every religion, a part of us still has some prejudice about other religions’ practices and beliefs and we try to distance ourselves from them. A recent news of religious discrimination has been noted by the Times of India. It states that “Amala Paul was denied entry into the Thiruvairanikulam Mahadeva Temple in Ernakulam on Monday. The actor was stopped by temple authorities who recognised her, and refused to allow her into the premises as she is not a Hindu.” Does this behavior of people living in India make India a secular nation? Even though the terminology of secularism exists in the constitution, that doesn't make a country secular until and unless every citizen truly with heart accepts all religions.
Now if we look at the term of equality; do you think every citizen of India is treated equally? The laws and articles do provide equality in all aspects. But what about those little situations when men and women are treated unequally or boys and girls are discriminated on different aspects? A recent report by Times of India states that “Women in India despite their same education qualification and work experience as men were discriminated against, in the labor market due to societal and employer prejudice.
Oxfam India’s “India Discrimination report 2022” shows that discrimination causes 100% of employment inequality faced by women in rural areas in the labor market and 99% in urban markets. By hearing certain reports can we actually say that India is secular and follows equality in all aspects of life.?
We have no one to blame; not the government or the citizens of India. The only thing to blame is our very own mindset. It is not easy to change the way every human sees the world. We should give humans the right to see the world however they want. But they should also have a benchmark of when they can interfere in other human’s lives.
We should let everyone live their life on their own, based on their own choices. Neither should we allow others to stop us from doing something nor should we stop someone, unless it leads to breaking the law.
This is our life and no one’s interference or mindset should stop us from being ourselves.
https://religionandpolitics.org/2017/03/28/the-clash-between-religious-freedom-and-equality-law/