Dr. Varun Mark Gideon, Jesus and Mary College (JMC), University of Delhi, gave a guest talk on Human Rights and the Reality of Caste in India at the Human Sciences Research Group (HSRG)’s Weekly Talk Series on 8 February.
Dr. Gideon’s talk was aimed at the evolution of human rights, complementing the fundamental rights laid out in the Indian Constitution and the role this has had in addressing caste inequalities. The talk was divided into three sections, with the first section focusing on human rights, the second section discussing fundamental duties, and the final section bringing these two discussions together to address the issue of caste inequalities.
The discussion on human rights began with Dr. Gideon highlighting the importance of rights in our lives. He emphasised how rights benefit us by providing us with a sense of security and by allowing us to live our lives to the fullest. He also talked about how responsibilities are central to rights and how, without responsibilities, rights become meaningless. To illustrate this point, Dr. Gideon used the example of Nazi Germany and how the division in society caused chaos and violated the basic human rights of the citizens.
The second section of the talk centred on fundamental duties, and Dr. Gideon discussed how these duties complement the rights outlined in the Indian Constitution. He explained how fundamental duties are crucial to maintaining a harmonious society and how they are essential to preserving our rights.
In the final section of the talk, Dr. Gideon brought the discussions on human rights and fundamental duties together to address the issue of caste inequalities. He discussed how some schools violate the basic human rights of students belonging to backward castes by making them do chores such as cooking and cleaning. He also spoke about how discrimination based on caste is prevalent in all religions and how the Human Rights Measurement Initiative’s report on India was disheartening.
In conclusion, Dr. Gideon’s talk provided a comprehensive overview of the evolution of human rights, their complementing role with fundamental rights, and their impact on addressing caste inequalities. The talk was informative and thought-provoking, and it helped to shed light on the importance of rights and responsibilities in society.
Dr. Varun Mark Gideon is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science, Jesus and Mary College (JMC), University of Delhi. He obtained his Ph.D from the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, JNU, New Delhi. His areas of focus are urban governance and citizenship theory. Currently he is teaching a course on Human Rights in a Comparative Perspective at JMC.