Page 186 - SST Class 08

Fundamental Rights
q Fundamental Rights as expression of secularism
q Marginalised communities and realisation of rights q Efforts made by the government for the realisation of
Introduction
Our Constitution lays emphasis on justice, equality,
fraternity etc. These rights are essential for the well
being of the citizens of a country. These rights are
known as Fundamental Rights. These are included
in part IIIrd of the Constitution.
FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AS
EXPRESSION OF SECULARISM
The Preamble to the Constitution declares India to
be a secular nation. You know that by secularism
is meant ‘equal distance from all religions’. The
separation of religion and state is the foundation
of secularism. It ensures religious groups do not
interfere in affairs of state and the state does not
interfere in religious affairs. It signifies that there is
no state religion. This word is not a hollow word
which was included in the Preamble to make it
high sounding. Rather, it is an ideal which has
been sought to be achieved by various provisions
in the Constitution itself.
The ideal of secularism means the following :
1. The state will not discriminate against any
person on the basis of his religion.
2. The state will allow all citizens to follow the
religion of their choice without meting out any
preference or discrimination.
3. The citizens of India will be entitled to enter
any office on the basis of qualification and
merit, and not on the basis of religion.
These ideals have been fully realised in the
Fundamental Rights as given in the Constitution of
India.
Contemporary Social Science-8
186
and Duties 21
q Fundamental Duties
rights of the marginalised communities
Info Bits
Info Bits
The term ‘secularism’ was first used by British
writer George Holyoake in 1851.
Fundamental Rights
Let us first understand what a Fundamental Right
means. For the all round development of all
people, it is necessary that all citizens are given
certain basic rights, by which they can lead a
dignified and respectable life. We can also call
these rights as human rights, because they are
concerned with the dignity of human. In the
Constitution of India, these rights have been
called Fundamental Rights.
The Constitution of India embodies an impressive
list of Fundamental Rights and thus offers to all
citizens individually and collectively those basic
freedoms and conditions of life which alone can
make life significant and democracy fruitful. These
rights are considered essential for the proper,
moral and material uplift of the people. These
rights are an integral part of the Constitution and
cannot be taken away normally, except under an
emergency. If any Fundamental Right is
encroached upon by any law, that law will be
declared null and void by the judiciary.
The Constitution of India gives us six Fundamental
Rights. They are :
Right to Equality
The Right to Equality has been given in the
Constitution from Articles 14 to 18. It guarantees
to all persons (both citizens and others) equality
before the law and equal protection of the law. It