Fundamental rights are some rights, that all the citizens of the country own irrespective of their caste, race, sex, religion, place of birth. If any rights are fundamental rights in which one the right talks about the right to equality that is given in article 14 to article 18. Basically, it treats everyone on a same scale of equality. So, let’s discuss how Article 15 encourages equality among the people.
This article was important to be introduced in the Indian society as the stories of people harassed and treated badly for drawing water from well, people being treated like slaves and considered lower in dignity if not belonged from higher caste. Devotees of lower caste being stopped from entering into temple and beaten up for touching idols of gods was becoming a major problem so it was important to introduce this article to stop such discrimination going in the name of caste, sex and race. Also, the people treated Shudras as untouchables where they were deprived of all the basic facilities and were badly treated by the upper caste people. After knowing all these it compelled me to dig more on article 15 and the rights hold by people under Article 15.
Article 15 of the Indian constitution talks about the prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, sex, caste, gender, place of birth. The state shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds that are mentioned above. Also, no citizen shall on these grounds be any subject to any disability, liability. No one should be restricted to go to any public places, or should deny the right to use wells, tanks, wholly partly. ARTICLE 15 restricts discriminate on the ground of:
RELIGION- It means that no person should be discriminated on the basis of religion.
RACE- Ethnic origin should not form a basis of discrimination. For example- a citizen of Afghanistan origin should not be discriminated from those of an Indian origin.
CASTE- discrimination on the basis of caste is also prohibited to prevent atrocities on the lower caste by the upper caste.
Sex- Gender of an individual shall not be a valid ground for discrimination in any matter.
PLACE OF BIRTH- A place where an individual is born should not become a reason to discriminate anyone from the other members of the country.
Participating in discrimination on the basis of the 5 factors mentioned above would be punishable. According to this article the state nor any individual can discriminate on the basis of these 5 factors.
Article 15 also allows the state to make certain laws for women, children which is termed as positive discrimination as these are made for the upliftment of the society and to improve their status and condition for their better living. These laws will uplift the rank of the women and children.
Also, special laws are made for the socially and economically backward classes. It allows the state to enact laws and provisions relating to the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes and the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Seats were reserved in the government and private institutions for the schedule caste and tribes who were considered educationally and socially weak. Also, in this article the limit of reservation was made upto 50%.
Article 15 of the constitution very clearly states that discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, religion, sex or place of birth will not be tolerated. However, for the upliftment of weaker sections of the society, some aspects based on favorable discrimination can be made. So, the inclusion of Article 15 was important so that they could be given a fair chance so that they could develop their status and condition properly in the society. Article 15 aims to stop some of the inhuman discrimination that has been going since centuries in our country.
Aishwarya Says:
I have always been against Glorifying Over Work and therefore, in the year 2021, I have decided to launch this campaign “Balancing Life”and talk about this wrong practice, that we have been following since last few years. I will be talking to and interviewing around 1 lakh people in the coming 2021 and publish their interview regarding their opinion on glamourising Over Work.
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