Active citizenship

Let me start off with a very simple question, something we had internalised in class 9 civics course itself. What are the Fundamental Rights given to us by the Indian Constitution? If honestly you cannot remember any then fret not, for you do not stand alone in this miserable state of being. To give you company is one of the premier institutes of the country where a simple question as this got the reply of "I cannot think of these rights at the moment". It is indeed sad that people we expect to be the thinkers and business leaders of tomorrow do not possess the most fundamental knowledge of their own belongingness to the nation. I would not act judgmental for I am guilty of recalling only 4. I do sincerely hope that you, as the reader are at least aware there are 6 fundamental rights! If not, I'd suggest reading on nevertheless.

We have prided ourselves on being one of the few economies registering an annual growth of 7% even in times of recession as these. Our intellectual prowess' mettle is appreciated the world over. From sciences to all the arts, we have shown our versatility. All of this gets shattered in a moment of realisation when one person stands up and questions our basic understanding. If this was not humiliating enough, to be unaware of the details of the rights, the follow-up question on whether a concept of "Fundamental Duties" existed, met with an equal silence from the whole class, nobody aware, or even remotely confident of the correct answer. The answer, my friend, is that we DO have fundamental duties as well, and one of them is the duty to vote "properly". We often simply restrict our use of the English language either due to pure laziness or ignorance - ending at "my right to vote". The suffix of "properly" seldom comes into play. What then does one associate with a vote being proper? Choosing the right candidate? Exercising the vote? Not being influenced by partisan politics? Keeping the country's benefits in mind? Not letting "I have to go pick up munna from school" get in the way of going down to the poll booth? Unfortunately, "properly" encompasses all these and a lot more! We have in our daze to zoom ahead in life, forgotten the moral and ethical fibre that has set us apart from the rest of the world. I will not get into a patronisation seminar on exercising our right to vote, so no worries on that front.

Am in the mood for delving into the business, and governance aspects of the whole discussion, but I will refrain from doing so, in the larger interest of the readers. I will, however, elaborate on one last point - education. There was a time just post-independence when our educational objectives used to be, in the order of decreasing preference:

1. Be a better human being - compassionate and understanding
2. Become a rational citizen, aware of responsibilities and rights we now enjoy
3. Specialise in a field - become a doctor, lawyer etc. for the betterment of society

While none of these is dispensable, over the past 62 years of independence we have eliminated the first two as prerequisites, and instead focused on the last point. We have intensified all efforts to gain expertise and excel in our fields, in the process, forgetting our moral obligations, our national responsibilities. Nobody expects each and every one of us to be a Gandhi, or a Bose, but we do have the option to be a responsible citizen of the nation. Citizenship is a fleeting concept that bubbles up in a cricket match between India and Pakistan, a terrorist attack in Mumbai, studying abroad. We want to be associated with a vibrant India, yet in our wish to be so, we hardly put in any efforts to ensure these dreams are realised. Every law in India works, the Constitution is the longest and most irrefutable living document in the world, yet we are where we are, despite all that.

We have always questioned the violation of our fundamental rights, but never ensured enforcement of our fundamental duties. While the fundamental rights remain "judicially enforceable", the duties continue to dabble in murky waters as mere "suggestive guidelines". Harping on being a "responsible citizen" won't help anymore, the new world order is "active citizenship" - to draw the mantle and take it on yourself to be a representative, and law abiding person working for the betterment of the nation. It would be apt to surmise this post on Gandhi's philosophy - There is enough in this world for everyone's needs, but hardly enough for one man's greed.

PS: Following are our fundamental rights in case googling up stuff is also a hassle for you :)

1. Right to equality
2. Right to freedom
3. Right to freedom of religion
4. Right against exploitation
5. Cultural and educational rights
6. Right to constitutional remedies

Disclaimer: While the post might seem disconnected, I attribute that to the million questions brewing up in my head, which I could not spew onto this post, for want of longevity.