Constitutional Awareness Program

India became independent nation on August 15, 1947 through the collective effort of all India's citizens. The country was in need of a constitution, and a solemn decision to draft a constitution for new India was made. 

The fledgling Indian government under the capable ministry of Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru invited a most learned and authority on law, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, to become a law minister even though Ambedkar was not a congressmen. Dr. Ambedkar, a Dalit, was elected as a chairman of the constitution drafting committee. Through his tireless efforts the constitution was drafted in two years and came into being on January 26, 1950.

Dr. Ambedkar was acutely aware of the horrendous social injustices faced by the untouchables in Hindu caste system. He himself was an untouchable, a victim of Hindu caste system, so in drafting The Indian Constitution he was able to include wording to guarantee social rights to the untouchable people as equal citizens of the nation.

The preamble of The Indian Constitution declares equality, justice, liberty, and fraternity for all. Nonetheless, after sixty-three years of independence, throughout the country most of the untouchables face brutal discrimination in all aspects of their lives.  The caste system enables a hereditary elite, the upper castes, to dominate and subjugate all other people thus trampling on constitutional rights. 

In India the central government and the individual state governments fail to fulfill their obligations to the people in accord with The Constitution. Dr. Ambedkar stated quite clearly that despite the Constitution being very egalitarian and progressive, if those who hold political office are not capable and do not serve the interests of all the people the nation will fall to ruin. He further remarked that if office holders were progressive and selfless, even if the constitution is weak, the country would flourish.

History over the past sixty years has revealed a dark side of Indian politics, progressive and selfless candidates do not gain power. As a consequence, the status quo of caste society remains firmly entrenched; untouchability is maintained as a prime criteria for discrimination and still very much a part of Indian life at all levels of society. 

The Constitutional Awareness Program is designed to educate the masses so as to properly inform people of their constitutionally guaranteed human rights and equality. Indian citizens need not be required to beg for relief from any authority; the constitution mandates their equality. What stands in the way of full citizenship for all people is the Draconian, evil Hindu caste system that festers like a cancer in the body of the Indian nation. The caste system stands solidly in the path of full constitutional human rights for all Indian citizens.

Corruption reigns supreme in all levels of the Indian government, bribery is required for attention to be paid to even the smallest matter. Public servants receive good salaries but the culture of unabashed greed and selfishness permeates the government as a routine feature of doing business. Typically if a woman goes to a police station to file a First Information Report (FIR) she will be coerced into paying a bribe to do so. Failure to assent to paying such a bribe will cause her report to be ignored and at worst subject her to rape by the corrupt police official.

Talk of social justice or change to the evil and corrupt system is uncomfortable to many people who maintain that action to bring about change upsets the status quo and is unnecessary.  Many people feel that it is best to ignore corruption, take part in the system by simply paying attention to one’s work and focus on personal enrichment. So many Indian politicians behave like mobsters addicted to the manipulation of people for personal gain through the trappings of their office.  In Indian politics muscle and money reign supreme, the rights afforded all citizens by The Constitution are ignored as votes are stolen and equality, justice, liberty and fraternity are left in the gutter.