FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

INTRODUCTION
Fundamental rights are a group of rights that have been recognized by the Supreme Court
as requiring a high degree of protection from government encroachment. There are 6
fundamental rights. They are as follows

 The Right to EQUALITY

 The Right to FREEDOM
 The Right to Freedom from EXPLOITATION
 The Right to FREEDOM OF RELIGION
 Cultural and EDUCATIONAL Rights
 The Right to CONSTITUTIONAL REMEDIES

Right to EQUALITY
Equality before Law:- Article 14 of the constitution guarantees that all citizens shall be
equally protected by the laws of the country
(ii) Social equality and equal access to public areas:- Article 15 of the constitution states that
no person shall be discriminated against based on caste, color, language, etc. Every person
shall have equal access to public places like public parks, museums, wells, bathing ghats,
temples, etc. However, the State may make any special provision for women and children.
(iii) Equality in matters of public employment:- Article 16 of the constitution lays down that
the State cannot discriminate against anyone in matters of employment. All citizens can
apply for government jobs.
(iv) Abolition of untouchability:- Article 17 of the constitution abolishes the practice of
untouchability. The practice of untouchability is an offense and anyone doing so is
punishable by law.
(v) Abolition of Titles:- Article 18 of the constitution prohibits the State from conferring any
titles. Citizens of India cannot accept titles from a foreign State.
In India, all individuals should be equal before the law. But marginalized
People are not getting resources equally. Even though the state must ensure the equality of
women, they are not allowed to enter certain temples and mosques. People who have
money and authority take the disadvantage of it and ignore the rights of poor people .social
workers can raise their voice for the voiceless and implement projects for them

RIGHT TO FREEDOM
The Constitution guarantees the following six Fundamental Freedoms:
(i) Freedom of speech and expression.
(ii) Freedom to assemble peacefully without arms.
(iii) Freedom to form associations or unions.
(iv) Freedom to move freely throughout the territory of India
(v) Freedom to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India.
(vi) Freedom to practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business.
In India, every person should have a voice for their rights. But in actual context, it works only
for the people with power and authority
.
Right Against Exploitation, Article 23-24
Prohibition of traffic in human beings and forced labour. Article 23
Prohibition of compulsory services Article-23: under this article, the state can not force
people to do compulsory service for public purposes.
Prohibition of Child Labour Article-24: Children below the age of fourteen years will not be
allowed to work in factories, mines, or in other dangerous places so that their health is not
adversely affected
Children are exploited through child labour. even though the laws
are there, in India children are used by people to make a profit. Social workers can identify
such children and protect their rights.
Right to freedom of religion
The right to freedom of religion, covered in Articles 25, 26, 27, and 28, provides religious
freedom to all citizens of India. The objective of this right is to sustain the principle of
secularism in India. Now, Most of the disputations occur in India based on religion. Even
though the person has the right to choose their religion, they are not supposed to be. Social
workers can educate them about their rights and make them aware of them.

Cultural and educational rights

As India is a country of many languages, religions, and cultures, the Constitution provides
special measures, in Articles 29 and 30, to protect the rights of the minorities. Any
community which has a language and a script of its own has the right to conserve and
develop them. No citizen can be discriminated against for admission in State or State-aided
institutions. Every person has the right to get an education. There should not be any
discrimination based on education for the minority people Social workers can work in the
sector of education by ensuring the rights of the people and implementing projects for them
.
Right to constitutional remedies
The right to constitutional remedies empowers the citizens to move to a court of law in case
of any denial of the fundamental rights. In India, citizens are not much aware of their rights,
especially the minorities. some of them even don’t know where to approach if their rights
are denied. The citizen can ask the court to see if it is according to the provisions of the law
of the country. If the court finds that it is not, the person will have to be freed. This
procedure of asking the courts to preserve or safeguard the citizens' fundamental rights can
be done in various ways. The courts can issue various kinds of writs. These writs are habeas
corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, and certiorari. When a national or state
emergency is declared, this right is suspended by the central government. Social workers
can play an important role in this right by educating and making them aware of their rights
and where to approach if their rights are denied.

Conclusion
The rights are the basis for the development of an Individual. The people and officials of
India are ought to enjoy these rights