Write a short note on any two struggles for full enjoyment of citizen rights which have taken place in India in recent years. Which rights were being claimed in each case?

The Indian Constitution attempted to accommodate a very diverse society. To mention just a few of these diversities, it attempted to provide full and equal citizenship to groups as different as the Dalits (the Scheduled Castes) and Scheduled Tribes, many women who had not previously enjoyed equal rights, some remote communities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands who had little contact with modern civilization, and many others. However, even such inclusive provisions have given rise to struggles and controversies.

(i)The women’s movement, the dalit movement, or struggles of people displaced by development projects, represent only a few of the struggles being waged by people who feel that they are being denied full rights of citizenship. Thirty three percentage seats have been reserved in all local governments bodies.

(ii)The experience of India indicates that democratic citizenship in any country is a project, an ideal to work towards. New issues are constantly being raised as societies charge and new demands are made by groups who feel they are being marginalised. In a democratic state there demands have to be negotiated. The other Backward Castes have been agitating for 27½ per cent reservation in all educational institution.

Women are demanding reservation of 33% seats in state legislative assemblies as well as in Lok Sabha also.