Right to work

Right to work

          Article 41 of the Indian constitution says that the state shall make effective provisions for securing the right to work. Let us now examine the implications of making right to work as a fundamental right. The very easy option for the government is to transfer this directive principle from part IV of the constitution to part III containing fundamental rights. The Directive Principle of right to work is a lofty ideal. But the Directive Principle has not clearly defined the term right to work, what machinery has the government to help enforce the right to work for unemployed people. Then there are serious questions like illiteracy and economic poverty which could come in the way of enforcing the right to work. It can not even afford to give unemployment allowance to the millions of unemployed people. Right to work is a noble ideal enshrined in our constitution. But it is not practical because of various conditions existing in our country. The committee was formulated to give shape to this new right. But how this right will be enacted is only a matter of conjecture. The right to work can not be viewed in isolation. It is related to various other rights, like the right to equality, to equal wages and so on. Therefore, as long as India is not a developed country, we can not dream of making right to work as a fundamental right. It is an impressive election slogan. The word 'right' is very much emotional. The people of India take their rights quite seriously. In case this right remains unfulfilled, it has the seeds of revolution at all levels. Hence right to work is impractical ideal in the present circumstances.