Democracy – without understanding the constitution that protects it – is fatal to society. That’s why one initiative, Citizen 2022, is setting out to ensure more of India’s villagers are constitution literate.
“I own both – a hammer and the constitution,” proudly says Ms K Vasandhi, a MGNREGA worker in Thenmela village of Kollam district in Kerala.
While catching a break from constructing ridges across the forest slopes, she enthusiastically reads parts of the constitution book provided to her by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA).
Vasandhi is among 14 lakh plus people who received constitution education under the ‘Citizen 2022’ initiative, jointly organized by Kollam District Panchayat, Kollam District Planning Committee and KILA.
Citizen 2022 is a constitution literacy campaign that is transforming Kollam into a constitution literate district.
Our democracy won’t be productive unless the crux of our constitution reaches to all citizens”
Sam K Daniel
On 14th January 2023 Kerala Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan declared Kollam as India’s first constitution literate district. Over 2000 Citizen 2022 instructors trained more than 6 lakh families and made 16 lakh plus individuals constitution literate.
Kollam’s rich history of people’s participation
Kollam has a glorious history inextricably connected with social and progressive movements.
The literacy movement in 1991 enabled the district to reach 100% literacy and the people’s plan campaign held in 1996 had earmarked great success with enormous participation of common people.
“Our democracy won’t be productive unless the crux of our constitution reaches to all citizens. So, we decided to provide constitutional literacy to everyone above the age of 10. We reached out to over 7 lakh families,” said Advocate Sam K Daniel, President of Kollam District Panchayat.
He could not have done it, he said, without the help of the local government and the “unremitting participation and support of all sections of society.”
Making constitution accessible to all
“After attending the classes, I came to know that all are equal in our country,” said Vasandhi to a group of villagers attending a constitution literacy meeting.
“Though the constitution says all are equal in India, we poor are still unequal. Why?” she quickly added.
Her question, asked with a pinch of desperation, immediately received applause by the entire women’s group attending the meeting.
It was impossible to assemble the most downtrodden people for training. That left us with no other option but to go to the doorsteps of each house”
Anu Anikuttan
India’s constitution is not an easy read. It consists of a preamble, 470 articles grouped in 25 parts with 12 schedules and 105 amendments. Even lawyers find it hard to fully comprehend.
Therefore, KILA prepared a version of the constitution which is easily understandable. Important provisions of the constitution are explained by linking them to their day-to-day life.
This has enabled the people, especially the women, to engage in debates and discussions about the constitution in the language and contexts known to them.
Reaching everyone – from doorsteps to jungle
The Citizen 2022 campaign began on 1 February 2022 from ward no. 3 of Thenmala village.
But, “what will I get after being constitution literate?” is the most common question N Nagaran, a village panchayat representative, encountered while speaking to people in his village.
Out of the 1230 citizens in his ward , 350 belong to Scheduled Caste communities and more than 400 rely solely on MGNREGA for livelihood.
“It was impossible to assemble the most downtrodden people for training. That left us with no other option but to go to the doorsteps of each house,” said Ms Anu Anikuttan, a post graduate in History who also became one of the first instructors for the campaign.
Ms Anikuttan proudly took this opportunity after a three day residential training on the constitution from experts at KILA.
She went to houses, shops, schools and even MGNREGA work sites in the jungle to reach as many people as possible.
Later five more women from her village joined as instructors.
Inspiring others to become instructors
2400 instructors, also called senators, were mobilized to reach 68 village panchayats, four municipalities and one corporation in the district.
“More than 70 percent of the senators involved are women. They are extremely eager and love educating people. I’m extremely proud of them,” said Mr Sudesan, Deputy Director of KILA.
The instructors receive a monthly honorarium of Rs 1000.
“It’s not the honorarium but the great service I’ve bestowed upon the most marginalized section in our society that makes me happy,” said Anikuttan.
Besides taking up the herculean task of training lakhs of people, they also printed and distributed more than 48,000 copies of the preamble to the constitution to houses, shops and public offices in the district.
Seeking answers to difficult questions
The biggest lesson that MGNREGA worker P Latha has learned is about equal opportunity enshrined under Article 16 of the Indian constitution. But she is unconvinced about this constitutional promise.
“As per my knowledge, our constitution speaks about equal opportunities, but never ensures jobs for poor people like me. Why?” asks Latha
Almost all of the women workers had this question.
In the wake of the prevailing unemployment, Kudumbashree, a government controlled women self-help group has launched a self-employment training programme with the assistance of Thenmala village panchayat.
“Around 60 constitutionally literate unemployed women have already joined the tailor training program. But after the training, they have to be provided with financial help to begin their own ventures,” said Vijaya Lakshmi Vijayan, Chairman of Kudumbashree, Thenmala panchayat.
Apart from unemployment, many people asserted that corruption and the lackadaisical attitude of some government employees are the major hurdles in implementing constitutional rights.
“This is only the beginning. People should raise their voice to protect their constitutional rights. We have to wait some more time for realizing the impacts of constitution literacy,” said Mr Sudesan.
The lead image at the top shows women reading from the constitution textbook provided by KILA (Photo by K Rajendran)
K Rajendran is a journalist based in Thiruvananthapuram.
