What is a Fundamental Rights in India?

The Constitution offers all citizens, individually and collectively, some basic freedoms. These are guaranteed in the Constitution in the form of six broad categories of Fundamental Rights, which are justiciable. Article 12 to 35 contained in Part III of the Constitution deal with Fundamental Rights. These are:

1. Right to Equality

This right states that all citizens are the same under the law. This means that men and women are equal no matter what religion or caste they belong to. The law will treat a Brahmin woman in the same way that it would treat a Muslim man if they were to break the law.

2. Right to Freedom

The particular law allows the people of the country to censure the government and its policies. They are allowed to organise themselves however they choose and carry out their daily lives in any way they seem fit. Of course within limits. In short, people are able to exist without fear of a higher force such as the government.

3. Right against Exploitation

One should always remember that to be exploited is to be misused. We often see that kids and poor people are especially vulnerable to being exploited. This one of the most important fundamental rights ensures things like education for children and equal pay for equal work.

4. Right to Freedom of Religion

In our country, each and every citizen can practice their choice of religion. Everyone is free to do whatever his/her religion tells them to do. So Muslims fast during Ramzan, Christians during Lent and Hindus during Navaratri. However, in following our religion we should not forget that other people are free to follow theirs and that this is no reason to fight.

5. Cultural and Educational Rights

The main aim of this law is to protect the minorities. We have multiple groups of people who are very less in number. They mostly live in remote areas or have been downtrodden by the old-fashioned society. We can include certain castes and tribes who live in jungles, away from developed big cities and towns. Even a particular segment of public, called Dalits or the small religious groups like the Parsis do come under minorities. All these people have a fundamental right to enjoy all the benefits that the majority of citizens enjoy.

6. Right to Constitutional Remedies

This right is very important for the legal development of the citizens and the country. All citizens have equal right to appeal to the court of law for justice. If they feel they have a threat to life or property or to join the government in order to effect this change.