Consti-tution Season 02

What is free speech? Why is it important? What does our Constitution say about your Right to Freedom of Expression? Our Right to Free Speech comes with some restrictions and these restrictions, more often than not, are misused by the powers that be. In this episode of Consti-tuition, Meghnad delves into this fundamental right of ours and talks about why we must protect it—for our own collective good. After you watch the episode, don't forget to do the homework! It's a tuition class after all, even if you get it for free. Tell us whether you think our Right to Free Speech is being misused and how. Also, do think about this very fundamental question: should the Right to Free Speech be absolute or should it come with some restrictions?

Meghnad explains the widespread use of Hindi and how it affects non-speakers. Is Hindi our national language? Do we have a national language? The answer to both these questions is absolutely not. In this episode, the first part of the Language combo, Meghnad explains how Hindi turned into a language which is so widespread and used in India. He also wonders out loud: what happens when a person doesn't understand Hindi or English? What all can she not do in a multilingual country like ours? This is part one of two for Language. In the next episode, we talk about the other widely adapted and used language: English.

In this episode, Meghnad wonders how English became such a widespread language in administration and in India, generally speaking. By the way, it's all Macaulay's doing. He makes even Trump look like a tree-hugging, refuge-rescuing liberal. Meghnad also steps back and wonders: What is the point of language even? Why is it so emotive and important for human beings in general? This is Part 2 of the Language episode. We did Part 1 last week where Meghnad spoke about how Hindi is not a national language and why it is so important to understand its origins.

Privacy is an inalienable fundamental right—which the Supreme Court confirmed last year—which is intrinsic to our Right to Liberty. But what does it really mean? Do we really need it? Can't we all just get along like the residents of the Bigg Boss house? In an age of rapidly evolving technology, where data is considered the new oil, we have to talk about and understand why it's important to protect our Right to Privacy. If we don't, we're just handing over our personal lives and the key to controlling our behavior to powerful authority figures and private companies. Data, when collected in large amounts, will always be exploited by those collecting it. For instance, if you dump potatoes in front of CM Yogi Adityanath's house, phones are going to be tapped to track you down, you hear? Watch this episode where Meghnad breaks down privacy, mass surveillance and how to behave when there is a camera in your bedroom. Oh yes, and don't forget to do the homework in the end!

Do you worship an entity which is bigger than yourself? Would you like to add one more? Meghnad is going to try and convert you to worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the delicious god of everything that is delicious. In this episode of Consti-tuition, let's talk about the most controversial topic of our time and the time before us and before that too: Religion. What rights does the Constitution grant you for practising your religion? Are there any exceptions to these rights? All of these questions are answered—and much more. Allow us to add some #nuance to your religious life.

Public figures and decisionmakers tend to make ridiculous claims which sometimes have no factual backing. But before we blame them for doing so, let's look at the fundamental reason that gives our leaders so much confidence while saying random things: Public Education. India has an effective Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act which makes sure every child gets the basic education required for them to become productive members of our society. But that's all on paper. The implementation of this act to make our schools effective is a whole 'nother can of worms. In this episode, let's talk about our Right to Education, whether it is effective at all and how we can hope to fix it. Can we even fix it?

There needs to be a strong conversation about gender and gender rights. Gender is independent of the organs we have as a man or a woman. It is the perceived social and cultural norms applied to a person. So in this episode of Consti-tuition, Meghnad explains the many nuances of Gender and how our Constitution tries to tackle the problem of discrimination. There are laws to correct the gender imbalance in our society, but if those don't get implemented properly, what's the point, even? Please note, there's no homework in this episode since this is Part One of a two-part series on Gender. Do look out for Part Two next week!

In Part 2 of the Gender series, Manisha takes you through the history of the fight for gender rights in India and across the world. Our woke Supreme Court has decriminalised homosexuality and there are movements in the Parliament to give Transpeople their rights. While India is, mulling over LGBT rights, there are still a lot of questions that remain unanswered.

We're back after a mid-season break and our gareebi is also back! New Meghnad is back on his old Consti-tuition set making pertinent points about how inequality in India affects all of us—socially, legally, morally and generally. The situation of wealth distribution in India is extremely bad at the moment. To explain how this situation came to be, Meghnad explains it using a dark and dreary illustration involving a clichéd character called Ram Lal. He also takes a peek at the past, when socialist dreams reigned and capitalists had regular nightmares. Watch this episode of Consti-tuition to get the complete picture of how India is currently the most unequal country in the world.

In this episode of Consti-tuition, Meghnad makes a case in favour of reservations. Point to note: Reservations are not an employment guarantee scheme, it's a way to achieve social justice. Justice for who, you ask? It's about social justice for those who have been marginalised and oppressed for thousands of years and over generations. The current debate around reservations has been twisted by politicians and circumstances created by politicians. But it would be worthwhile to go back in history, to a time when non-politicians allowed reservations for the marginalised classes in their princely states.

In this episode of Consti-tuition, Meghnad tells you about our complicated and inefficient health care system. Why does it not work? Where is the government even? Is it even a good idea for the government to be involved in health care? Meghnad also talks to you about why the answer to that last question is a big YES. Public health care is important because it is a basic necessity which should be available to each and every citizen in the country, regardless of their economic or social status.

"Knowledge is Power." — Petyr Baelish Our governments—all of them, regardless of which party runs them—seem to have imbibed this singular philosophy. But then one fine day, about a decade ago, the UPA government passed this uncharacteristically good law which broke that belief. It was called the Right to Information Act and it changed ... everything. For the first time, citizens had the absolute right to ask anything and demand information from the governments they elect. The happiness of the Act was shortlived because successive governments have tried to stifle it in one way or another. In extreme situations, political actors and officials have even resorted to getting RTI activists killed. In this episode of Consti-tuition, Meghnad tells you about this one epic weapon every citizen has and how they can wield it to hold the people they elect accountable. People in power are scared, very, very scared, of the Right to Information Act.

"Go to Pakistan" might have become a funny refrain but the people using it want particular Indian citizens to become, well, Pakistani citizens. It is one of the daftest refrain being used in present-day India and Meghnad tells you why. Citizenship is a complex issue which encompasses identities, especially on the lines of caste, religion, language, appearance and even ideology. With the government's introduction of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and the push towards a National Register for Citizens, the concept has become even more convoluted than ever before. In the penultimate episode of Consti-tuition, Meghnad tries to break the issue down and explain what it means to be the citizen of a country, not just our country, any country.

It's the FINAL episode of Season 2. In this episode, let's explore the one thing that is on everyone's minds: General Elections. Indian elections are big. Like, really really big. But the question we're dealing with today is how is this biggest political slug-fest on the planet funded? Meghnad explains how are funds procured by political parties, how they're spent, for what purpose and what are the different shady loopholes politicians use to escape the law. Our political parties have something to hide and it's not pretty.