Make Citizens Aware Of Their Fundamental Duties, Karnataka HC Tells Centre, State [Read Order]

Even literate people do not know their fundamental duties, the court observed.

The Karnataka High Court has directed the Central and state government to undertake campaigns to propagate the principles and the objects behind the incorporation of Article 51-A in the Constitution of India and to generate awareness and consciousness amongst the citizens towards their fundamental duties.

Justice AN Venugopala Gowda observed that about 70% of the people living in rural areas were illiterate and even literate people do not fundamental duties incorporated as Article 51-A in the Constitution by the 42nd amendment.

It is this absence of awareness amongst the large percentage of citizens which is the cause for several ills such as deception, exploitation and deprivation of rights and benefits from which the poorer sections are suffering, the court observed.

Directing the Central and state governments to make submissions in the next hearing with regard to the steps taken in the matter, it observed that ‘creating awareness among the people is very important to promote harmony and spirit of common brotherhood amongst the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to dignity of women by cherishing and following the ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom by abiding the Constitution and showing respect to its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem, which would amount to nothing but doing national service, apart from making citizens aware, to protect and improve the natural environment by developing scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform apart from safeguarding public property and to abjure violence.’

The court also suggested that the Union Government can propagate / create awareness of the fundamental duties by telecasting the same in the Doordarshan channels, more particularly on all National holidays and on such other occasions.

Read the Order here.

This article has been made possible because of financial support from Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation.