National
Fundamental duties and covid 19 crisis
Rahul Kumar.
Recently, all of us celebrated the birth anniversary of Baba saheb Bhim rao ambedkar on 14th april. We all feel pride in him for being the architect of our constitution. Although fundamental duties were added in the constitution through the 42nd amendment in 1976, the idea of duties were implicit in Ambedkar’s vision of constitution.
It is this fundamental duty which we need most at this point of time,when the whole world is grappling with the covid 19 crisis. Our constitution has prescribed various remedies in case our fundamental rights are violated, however fundamental duties, which put onus on people to be followed are non justiciable and it can’t be enforced by the rule of law. Thus, it is left on the conscience of we Indians to follow these fundamental duties.
The ongoing lockdown saga in wake of the Covid 19 crisis has put the rationale of fundamental duties to test in its widest possible manner. Neither such situation has ever arisen in the past nor will possibly arise in future which will put fundamental duties and the role of people to test.
In a recent interview, Punjab chief minister captain Amrendra singh has cited a report mentioning that corona pandemic will affect almost half of indian population by september and the only way out is maintaining social distancing rapid testing which has put both our rights and duties to test.
Maintaining social distancing is our fundamental duty at this point of time as well as getting rapidly tested is our fundamental right. This duality involves both people and government. Whereas success in maintaining social distancing depends on people, providing avenues for testing depends on the government. This brought focus again on a quote of Gandhiji where he said “a duty well performed creates a corresponding right” .
However, in the whole scenario we are missing a point. The point is of ‘Trust’. Performing one’s duty requires trust in community as well as faith of people in government. The incidents of migration of people from large cities on their feet towards their native place hundreds of kilometers apart in wake of job loss and fear of lack of access to daily needs including food, show lack of faith of these people in governments (state and centre) in their ability to provide food and shelter.
Even when the prime minister Modi called for ‘clapping’ in solidarity with medical staff and police, people celebrated this occasion and violated lockdown attracting criticism from none other than the prime minister himself.
The real problem is that either we are not aware of our duties or are not serious about the corona crisis, possibly both. I still remember that when I was in school, some books had fundamental duties printed on the back side of their cover, however neither I gauged their importance nor did teachers find it useful to explain what it was. Even government sponsored events such as Indian science congress has become a laughing stock in the wake of recent conferences glorifying theories which have not been proved violating “To develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform” which is one of the fundamental duties.
Anyway, the time is not to play blame games. Yuval Noah Harari,in a recent interview with India today, has talked about solidarity and cooperation among nations as well as people to fight the pandemic. He goes on saying that it is the time when history can go either way. Either we will become more democratic, furthering two way communication between people and government or we will become more autocratic where countries use this crisis as an opportunity to advance towards an Orwellian state. If we have to survive and emerge stronger, we have no choice but to choose the former.
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This is a time when the government can build trust among the public by demonstrating cooperative federalism and executing people centric policies devoid of vote politics. Political parties have opportunities to prove that national interest is above their own narrow agenda of grabbing vote. Their image among people is more of latter than former.
Moreover, it is the time to show that we individuals still place humanity above all and are committed to uphold the grand ethos which our ancestors had envisaged.
Selfish acts of some individuals abusing healthcare staffs by treating them as vector of corona or act of hoarding essential items in the wake of crisis by few business groups and attempt by some to fuel communal hatred signify that demon inside us is still alive and finding opportunities for destruction not for others but for ourselves also.
Harari goes on saying further that humans will certainly win over this virus saga but the main challenge is how to tame the demon inside us which always looks for opportunities for destruction.
This can only happen if we choose to perform our duties and at the same time exercise our rights, putting community and national interest over narrow self interest. So, let us revisit our duties enshrined in our constitution and interpret it in present context to strengthen our resolve in fighting this pandemic.
