Nishith Gupta: CIVIL LIBERTY – BE IT LOCAL OR GLOBAL – WE NEED IT
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2.4 Freedom of Association
It is beyond debate that independence to engage in organization for the advancement of belief and ideas is an inseparable aspect of the liberty protected by any Constitution. The right to assemble peaceably should apply not only to meetings at private places, but also to gatherings held at public spots. The people should be allowed to associate and hold peaceful demonstrations on their will. Some Constitutions allow it; however, it is unfortunate that many still don’t.
What of demonstrations at political summits? As long as people assemble and protest within the normal bounds of conduct, they should not be restrained from doing so. However, if they attempt to interfere with programs for their own use, a state should have authority to punish such activities. Government may make reasonable set of laws about the time, place and mode of such assemblies. But the judicial system must look closely at such regulations, especially in circumstances that raise a suspicion that law is not being applied evenhandedly.
2.5 Freedom of Free Worship
In some states, people enjoy a degree of religious autonomy unknown in rest of the world, and they take full benefit of it. However, the assault on the self-rule to believe continues, although to different extent, both in pro-democratic and non-democratic societies around the world. The right of each and every person to practice his or her own religion, or no religion at all, is among the most elemental of the freedoms that must be granted and guaranteed to him/her. The lawmakers should understand very well that religious liberty could flourish only if they leave religion alone ensuring the right to practice one's religion free of governmental interference. Such an establishment would require the separation of religion and state, and luckily, it is fairly feasible. The government must begin, or continue if already started, working to ensure that religious liberty is protected.
2.6 Government By the People And For The People
Briefly put, government is all about who gets what, why and how – and especially about the depiction of conflicting demands. It is about resolving conflicts in a way that enhances and nation’s worth and purposes. Democracy (Greek; demos: people, kratia: power) flourish and thrive, when its citizens have a voice in by whom and how they are being governed and understand the working of their governmental system. The questions of who takes part in politics – how and why or not – if yes, then whether or not on essentially equal terms, are practical ones; since, they involve the recognition of egalitarianism in any population.
Even those states, where people have right to vote to select and eventually run their governments, are not free of flaws. Better educated, middle-aged, and more party- and group-involved people tend to vote more and consequently have a louder voice; the economically and socially poor/oppressed tend to vote the least and have little/no say in government decisions. Poor people, woman or minority are the major groups that are often excluded or exclude themselves from opting an authority with the perception that their vote would not make much difference in their life. Even in the most vocal pro-democracy nation, the United states, voting districts created to provide fair representation for African-Americans have been undermined by lawmakers and by the courts, and felony disenfranchisement laws have robbed hundreds of thousands of minorities of their right to vote. A responsible governing authority must have a duty to assuage this sense of political apathy in these social and economic groups and start building trust.
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