We Should Cherish The Noble Ideals That Inspired Our National Struggle For Freedom, Blogs Dia Mirza

"I learned from my illiterate but wise mother that all rights to be deserved and preserved come from duty well done. Thus the very right to live accrues to us when we do the duty of citizenship to the world. From this one fundamental statement, perhaps it is easy enough to define duties of man and woman and correlate every right to some corresponding duty to be first performed..." ¨C Mahatma Gandhi

To most freedom would be the right to be able to do as one may choose. (That¡¯s an answer that most people would give.) But that right to do as you may choose must be guided by a value system. To me freedom means the ability to exercise my Fundamental Right protected by the Constitution of India without encroaching upon the Fundamental Rights of my fellow citizens.

The Constitution of India states the Fundamental Rights of its citizens, and article 51A introduced the Fundamental Duties of citizens much later. The framers of the Indian Constitution were visionaries and had practiced values in life, discharging their societal and national obligations based on noble ideals. These ideals had inspired the freedom struggle and the need to defend the country, to promote harmony, secularism and preserve India¡¯s rich heritage that was a composite Indian culture. These values were nurtured at home through tradition and were supplemented by education and were integral to the way of life in India. Which is perhaps why the founding Fathers of our nation did not deem it necessary to state the Fundamental Duties.

Image Credit: BCCL

The Fundamental Duties were laid out much later, perhaps because it had become apparent that society needed a reminder of the fact that with freedom comes responsibility. That, if we become a nation of people that are not guided by principles, it would become impossible to uphold the spirit of the Constitution and our Fundamental Rights.

Lets for a minute imagine we lived in a Utopian society. A country that loved and cared for its entire people. Where health, education, employment, housing were equally accessible to all. A society that had no division of class, caste or religion. Where our natural, cultural, architectural, artistic heritage was revered and protected. A country where every one did their work because they felt responsible for not just their own, but future generations. That this sense of responsibility was not driven by a concept that money or material growth would ensure a better future but a responsibility that was driven by protecting value systems. A country where compassion, honesty, integrity and liberty were the values reflected in all walks of life¡­.

We are far from reaching this state of utopia that was the driving principle based on which our constitution was written. We find ourselves free for 68 years in a country that clamors for a growth rate of 9%. Where profit is above principle. Where the idea of progress is tilted strongly towards the prospect of making more money. We have become the country that is plagued by a mind set that is willing to make money at ¡®any cost¡¯, devoid of any value system or ethic. Which is what explains the lack of responsibility in almost all areas of life. Which is why as a society we need to find a way to make our Fundamental Duties an integral part of our education system, a part of our lives.

Image Credit: BCCL

ARTICLE 51A Fundamental Duties ¨C It shall be the duty of every citizen of India

a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.

b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for Freedom

c) to uphold and protect sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;

d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;

e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practice derogatory to the dignity of women

f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture

g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers wild life and to have compassion for living creatures

h) to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform:

i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence

j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement.

The corruption at every level including private and public office, the severe lapse in almost all our spheres of administration, the flouting, bending of laws, rules and regulations etc are a glaring example of a serious ethical deficit. While this continues to cause restlessness, alarm, anger in some, to most the problem seems insurmountable. And compels one to feel that the day India can rid itself of corruption, India will truly be free.

¡®We the people of India¡¯ must recognize ¡°our sense of responsibility, increase our internal freedom by fortifying our moral character. When freedom presents us with different possibilities for action, including to do right or wrong, a responsible moral character will ensure the former will prevail.¡±

Happy Independence Day!

Note: The views expressed in the article are writer's own