BIC TALKS 358. Building Bridges: The Journey Towards Equality and Fraternity
6 snips
May 4, 2025 Gautam Patel, a former Bombay High Court judge, shares his insights on how law can foster equality in India. Mary E John, a former professor at the Center for Women's Development Studies, discusses the evolution of women's rights since 1950. Rahamath Tarikere, who taught Kannada Literature, reflects on fraternity and pluralism in Indian society. Together, they delve into the constitutional values of equality and fraternity, the legacy of historical figures like Ambedkar and Buddha, and the cultural roots that shape contemporary governance and social justice.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Ambedkar's Fraternity Insight
- Fraternity was introduced into India's Constitution largely by Ambedkar to give meaningful depth to equality.
- Equality without fraternity is meaningless as fraternity fosters kinship and belonging beyond formal equality.
Fraternity's Gender Implications
- Fraternity originally meant brotherhood excluding women, tying men under new social contracts.
- Ambedkar hoped fraternity would build kinship across castes, but this risks using women merely as instruments.
Women’s Early Constitutional Views
- Women in the Constituent Assembly took formal equality for granted and were anti-reservation.
- They believed in uniform civil code and saw diversity as a threat to women’s rights.