Page 13 - DIVA3 2021_final_CORR_reduced

International

India’s achievements should be assessed in the As you are aware, India is a multi-ethnic,
light of the challenges, which we faced at the multi-religious, multilingual and multicultural
time of our independence due to two centuries country. It is home to almost all religions of the
of subjugation and colonial exploitation, and world, and secularism has been a fundamental
the challenges that we have been facing since tenet of India’s Constitution and its democratic
due to our geo-strategic environment, the Cold polity. Equal respect for all religions has been
War and contemporary global challenges, such an article of faith for Indian civilization and
as climate change and terrorism. society. The people of India are entitled to
freedom of conscience and enjoy the right to
The Indian Constitution has enshrined freely profess, practice and propagate religion,
basic human rights as fundamental rights, subject only to public order, morality, health
including the right to religious freedom and and other such provisions as laid down in the
education. Would you say that India was Constitution. They have the right to conserve
ahead of its time? their distinct language, script or culture. The
The makers of India’s Constitution were fact that the number of the followers of various
visionaries who were influenced by the ideals religions in India has continued to grow since
that inspired India’s struggle for freedom from independence is, in itself, a testimony that
colonial rule. They were also aware of the the people of India have been enjoying the
principal elements of human rights set out in freedom of religion or belief guaranteed under
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. the Indian constitution. Our Constitution has
Civil and political rights as well as economic, served us well, as reflected in the success of
social and cultural rights were enshrined in our democratic and inclusive polity.
our Constitution. There are several identical
features between the fundamental rights India is currently a member of the United
enshrined in India’s Constitution and the Nations Security Council. However, India,
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For has also been seeking a permanent seat
instance, key human rights, such as equality at the Council. How does India’s current
before law, non-discrimination on grounds of (short-term) membership affect this effort,
religion, race and sex, freedom of speech and and why is it so important for India to be a
expression, right to life and liberty and judicial permanent member?
remedy against violation of rights have all been The UN has been in existence for over 75 years
provided for in the Indian Constitution. now. However, the structure of the UN Security
Council is a classic example of the reluctance
How has the Indian Constitution borne the to reform the architecture of a UN body that
test of time, particularly in its guarantee of is reflective of an outdated geopolitical, post-
religious freedom? war construct of the 1940s. When the Security

w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h