Constitutional Promise of Justice
Our Constitution was written with the dream of justice—social, economic, and political—for every citizen. But looking at today’s reality, one cannot help but ask: Is justice only on paper?
Right to Scientific Education
Article 21A guarantees free and compulsory scientific education for children below 14 years. Education is meant to prepare young minds for a modern and rational society. Yet, instead of improving schools, governments are shutting them down or replacing science-based learning with lessons cantered on religious practices like the Kawar Yatra. Is this what the framers of our Constitution meant by scientific education? Clearly not.
Equality Without Discrimination
Article 15 strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, or race. But what do we see around us? In states like Uttar Pradesh, policies and administrative decisions often divide people on religious and caste lines. Equality, promised by the Constitution, becomes a hollow slogan when governments themselves create divisions for political gains.
Rights of SCs and STs
The same story continues with Articles 15(4) and 16, which were framed to uplift Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) by giving them priority in education and job reservations. Yet, countless SC and ST students are denied quality education, and reserved seats in government jobs remain vacant year after year. This deliberate neglect robs the oppressed communities of their constitutional rights.
A Call for Real Justice
Justice in India today seems selective—available for the powerful and denied to the marginalized. If we remain silent, the values of our Constitution will be reduced to decorative words. It is the duty of every citizen to demand accountability, to question policies that betray equality, and to fight for real justice. Only then can we say that justice is truly alive in India.