The voice of Goa – Citizen Herald is a great platform for the citizens to report about the various civic issues faced by the general public. On every Monday, we read about several problems and hardships faced by the citizens. But do the concerned local authorities take any corrective measures to solve their problems?
After the reports are published in the newspapers, the citizens should also file formal complaints highlighting the difficulties faced by them with the Collector and the concerned Departments who have the powers to act on the complaints received by them, and the same should be decided within the stipulated period. However, if no action is taken by the concerned local authorities, then the citizens must take recourse to the Fundamental Rights of Article 21 of our Constitution and action can be initiated under Article 226 or Article 32 by filing Writ of Mandamus or PIL in the Honourable High Court and the Supreme Court.
Judiciary is the third pillar of our Constitution. We must bestow our trust in Judiciary, even though the judicial process tends to be complicated, tedious and, at times, lengthy. Judiciary is that branch of government that interprets and defines the laws, and thus plays a decisive role in enhancing the true spirit of Democracy and Human Rights.
Our Constitution has guaranteed basic rights to every citizen of India. However, not all people are aware of our Fundamental Rights. Articles 14 to 32 are referred to as Fundamental Rights in our Constitution. The Constitution of India is a sacred document which gives protection to every citizen of India, irrespective of caste, colour or creed. We must learn how to claim our rights, otherwise our legislators will take advantage of our lack of knowledge for their own benefit. People have to come together, protest and fight to claim their inalienable rights. We, the citizens of India, have the Fundamental Rights to live with human dignity, right to proper roads, electricity, food, clean drinking water, clean air and environment, healthcare, right to education, right to privacy, freedom from sexual abuse, etc. And the government of the day is duty bound to enforce the said rights.
It is a threat if you remain silent in democracy. Democracy means the government of the people, by the people and for the people. It is a form of government in which the citizens share the power. Democracy will be vibrant only when people raise their voices. People cannot remain silent in a democracy.
It is said that prayer without action is dead. People must realise that democracy will be at its best only when the weakest get the same benefits as their elected representatives. Mahatma Gandhi had once said that true democracy cannot be worked by 20 men sitting at the Centre. It has to be worked from below, by the people of every village. And therefore, people’s active participation in a democracy is a must to keep it alive.
