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• Fraternity : It means brotherhood among the people of India.

• Untouchability is seen as a crime and has been legally abolished by law.
• Government jobs are opened to all people.
• The constitution has also placed responsibility on the government to take specific
steps to realise this right to equality for poor and other marginal communities.

constitution of inDia

Preamble

We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN,
SOCIALIST, SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens.
Justice, social, economic and political.

Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith
and worship.
Equality of status and opportunity and to

promote among them all.
Fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual
and the unity and integrity of the Nation.

In our Constitution Assembly, this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do Hereby Adopt,
Enact And Give to Ourselves this constitution.

The constituent Assembly took almost three years (two years, eleven months and seventeen days
to be precise) to complete its historic task of drafting the constitution for Independent India. During
this period, it held eleven sessions covering a total of 165 days. Of these, 114 days were spent on the
consideration of the Draft Constitution.
UntoUchables

In caste system, communities/groups of people were placed in a sort of ladder where each
caste was either above or below the other. Those who placed themselves at the top of this
ladder called themselves upper caste and feel superior. The groups, who were placed at
the bottom of the ladder were seen as unworthy and called ‘untouchables’.

Untouchables were those, whose jobs or lifestyles involved what were seen as polluting
activities. Killing for a living, as for instance fishermen, working with hides of dead cattle,
contact with human body emission; i.e., sweepers and washerman.

Mahatma Gandhi–the father of the nation, gave the term ‘Harijan’ (Harijan means ‘Hari ka Jan’; i.e.,
God’s people) to the untouchables. Mahatma Gandhi used to stay in Harijan colonies. There was
no feeling of untouchability in his ashram. He used to dine with people of low castes. The National
movement led by Gandhiji provided a common platform to all the people irrespective of their caste or
religion. This motivated the upper caste people from discriminating against the untouchables.
Until untouchablity was banned, many people were segregated, forbidden access to
temples, schools or well water. Some were even unable to move freely in daylight. Now

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