Mains Practice Questions

Approach

• Illustrate how other preamble morals are more discussed and practised than the ideal of Fraternity.
• Highlight what Fraternity means in Indian Context and issues/challenges in strengthening it.
• Conclude by highlighting the importance of Fraternity at par with other morals and some ways to do it.

Introduction

Fraternity essentially means that all the citizens should behave members of the same family. No one should treat a fellow citizen as inferior. While the morals of Preamble like- Justice, Equality, Liberty have been explicitly and implicitly ensured through Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles and other constitutional provisions, this is not the case with Fraternity.

Body

Meaning of Fraternity in Indian Context

• Sense of common brotherhood transcending religion, language, regional or sectional diversities (Article 51A). This is to be promoted through single citizenship. Despite this, communal violence like 2002 Gujarat riots, ongoing Citizenship Amendment Act protest and violence, North-South divide based on languages, and other social disturbances due to differences in diversity and inability to come to common terms for living in harmony are common.
• Dignity of Individuals by maintaining material betterment of individual and democratic setup. Challenges to this include income inequality based on caste, gender, low social status of women like rape, domestic violence, less economic participation, challenges to democratic setup like the use of money and muscle power in elections.
• Unity and Integrity of the nation at both levels: psychological and territorial. Still secessionist movements persist like demand for Greater Nagalim, lack of unified polity manifested in temporary provisions for certain states like Article 371, border disputes, especially with Pakistan and China. At psychological level issues include communalism, regionalism, linguism etc.

Conclusion

Fraternity is an important element for a strong nation-state that encompasses diversity as large as that of India’s. This had been cherished during nationalist freedom struggle also reminded by 42^nd Constitutional Amendment Act by adding the word integrity.