Quotable Quotes

• Our interpretation of the Constitution must fill the silences in its text. (Para 9)
• The Constitution is not just a legal document, but in India’s social structure, it is a quantum leap. In one stroke, it gave a dignified identity to all citizens of India. (Para 14)
• The Constitution mandates the replacement of fundamental wrongs with fundamental rights. The Constitution is the embodiment of the aspirations of the millions of caste-oppressed communities, which hoped for a better future in independent India. (Para 15)
• The fight against caste-based discrimination is not a battle that can be won overnight; it requires sustained effort, dedication, and the willingness to confront and challenge societal norms that perpetuate inequality. (Para 23)
• As a society that divided people into a hierarchy, we must remain conscious of the forms and kinds of discrimination against marginalized groups. Discriminatory laws enacted before the Constitution of India came into force need to be scrutinized and done away with. (Para 36)
• Article 17 enunciates that everyone is born equal. There cannot be any stigma attached to the existence, touch or presence of any person. (Para 54)
• A nation must prioritize human dignity—ensuring that every person, regardless of their background or identity, is able to live with respect, equality, and freedom. (Para 57)
• The right to live with dignity extends even to the incarcerated. Not providing dignity to prisoners is a relic of the colonizers and pre-colonial mechanisms, where oppressive systems were designed to dehumanize and degrade those under the control of the State.( Para 58)
• The rules of caste continued in medieval history. The law of caste manifested in several ways– with each manifestation causing a form of violence against the oppressed communities. (Para 94)
• The exercise of the power to arrest or detain may become reflective of a colonial mindset, if not exercised with caution. (Para 143)
• Discrimination against the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Denotified Tribes has continued in a systemic manner. Remedying systemic discrimination requires concrete multi-faceted efforts by all institutions. (Para 144)
• Segregating prisoners on the basis of caste would reinforce caste differences or animosity that ought to be prevented at the first place. Segregation would not lead to rehabilitation. (Para 166)
• The notion that an occupation is considered as “degrading or menial” is an aspect of the caste system and untouchability. (Para 179)
• Refusal to check caste practices or prejudices amounts to cementing of such practices. If such practices are based on the oppression of the marginalized castes, then such practices cannot be left untouched.( Para 180)
• The rule that a prisoner of a high caste be allowed to refuse the food cooked by other castes is a legal sanction by the State authorities to untouchability and the caste system.”(Para 181)
• Article 21 envisages the growth of individual personality. Caste prejudices and discrimination hinder the growth of one’s personality. Therefore, Article 21 provides for the right to overcome caste barriers as a part of the right to life of individuals from marginalized communities. (Para 187)
• Assigning labour based on caste background strips individuals of their liberty to engage in meaningful work, and denies them the opportunity to rise above the constraints imposed by their social identity. (Para 195)
• After all, the “bounds of caste are made of steel”– “Sometimes invisible but almost always inextricable””.But not so strong that they cannot be broken with the power of the Constitution. (Para 229)