The Supreme Court of India while hearing a public interest petition, emphasised that India is one country and warned about the dangers of singling out individuals simply because of their culture, language or background.
The bench observed that the essence of India’s constitutional promise lies in embracing diversity, not penalising it. The judges cautioned that when people are ostracised or targeted for being different, the social fabric and trust in institutions suffer.
Highlighting that the right to dignity and equality must extend beyond mere words, the Court said that citizens must have “the freedom to live without fear of being ‘othered’ ” or reduced to stereotypes on account of their cultural identity. It called upon law-enforcement agencies, civil society and the media to act responsibly and avoid narratives that separate rather than unify.
The petition highlighted several instances where individuals alleged harassment or discrimination due to their cultural habits or linguistic identity. The Court directed the central and state governments to file an affidavit detailing steps taken to prevent such targeting, train officials in cultural‐sensitivity and set up grievance redress mechanisms at the local level.
In its remarks, the Court reaffirmed that unity in the nation does not mean erasing differences but protecting them, and that justice demands equal protection for all, no matter their origin, speech or community.
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