Page 1 of 11

European Journal of Business &

Social Sciences

Available at https://ejbss.org/

ISSN: 2235-767X

Volume 07 Issue 03

March 2019

Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 363

Human Rights Movements in India

Anshuman Singh

M.A. (Political Science)

University of Allahabad

Abstract

The pioneering efforts leading to the eventual germination of the human rights movement in

India appeared to have come from the relentless social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy. A

unique dimension of the human rights movement in India appears to be its diversification into

hitherto unchartered domains due mainly to the felt needs of time. The pioneering role in this

regard has been played by Sundarlal Bahuguna who launched the Chikpo Movement in the

hills of Garhwal during 1980s for the protection and promotion of the inherent rights of the

natives in the forest resources of the region. Human rights movements generally are related to

social movements. The social movements entail several puzzling problems regarding their

definition, conceptualisation, classification etc. Similar problems appear strikingly applicable

for conceptualising human rights movements. According to the Oxford wordbook, the term

movement signifies “a series of actions and endeavours of a body of persons for a special

object”. The human society has witnessed abundant transformation over time. New norms are

emerging to satiate the social- political aspirations of additional and more individuals, who

are declarative their identities, individual similarly as collective and claiming their rights.

Human rights movements also demand similar kind of research. Human rights movements

are predicated on the moral and ethical stances of human life whereby the dignity and

individual respects are assured to facilitate human beings realize their real potentials.

Keywords: Human rights, Movement, Society, Chikpo Movement, Social movements.

Page 2 of 11

European Journal of Business &

Social Sciences

Available at https://ejbss.org/

ISSN: 2235-767X

Volume 07 Issue 03

March 2019

Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 364

Introduction

The idea of human rights has gained unexampled attention within the period once the globe

War II. The evolution of this idea may be a sustained process within which completely

different cultures, thoughts and circumstances have created their contributions. From the

rights of few privileged teams to natural rights, the idea of human rights, today, belongs to all

or any the humanity. The meaning of rights has broadened bit by bit with the ever-changing

wants and times. Rights are diversely categorized as civil, political, social, cultural and

economic. These are primarily right to life, liberty, equality, religion, education, employment

etc. Not all human demands become rights. Rights are those demands that are approved by

the society and sanctioned by the state. State does not grant everyone all rights. Some rights,

significantly political and economic are solely granted to the voters of the various states.

Since the Second World War, “human rights have become a by-word and received

unprecedented attention. The concept of human rights has become central and most

contesting issue in all socio-political agendas. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights,

adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 in its preamble has

proclaimed that, “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a common standard of

achievement for all people of all nations. Human rights relate to individual additionally as

collective conducts as ethical imperatives. During this regard, human rights don't seem to be

conceded as political practices of interest reconciliation however as what must be desired.

The base of human rights ethics consists of respect for human dignity, integrity and well- being of others, which give reasonable commonplace for human conduct and foundation of a

simply society.

Human rights: Indian perspective

The concept of Human Rights is relatively new. Traditionally, it was known by the name of

natural rights of man. At that time natural rights mainly included rights of life, liberty and

pursuit of happiness. Human Rights came into being since the advent of civilization. Man

without society is unthinkable and rights are meaningless out of society. With the

Page 3 of 11

European Journal of Business &

Social Sciences

Available at https://ejbss.org/

ISSN: 2235-767X

Volume 07 Issue 03

March 2019

Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 365

development of civilization, Human Rights became an integral part of society. The

appreciation of human rights in India is no longer embedded in politics but in the very values

of lifestyles and its sustainability. They have been recognised as morals and ethics associated

with human dignity and humanity itself. Today, the discourse of human rights not only

includes civil liberties and freedoms against the State, but also many socio-economic and

group rights. The Indian perspective combines each the positive notion of rights guaranteed

through the State and law and therefore the notion of natural rights, and goes even more,

riveting horizontal rights applicable to any or all voters and therefore the vertical rights to

reinforce the life probabilities of vulnerable teams. The movements for civil and democratic

rights, human rights for women, dalits, bonded labour and the victims of multi-purpose

projects are the societal expressions of inequitable and unjust structures. The emergence of

people’s movement to assert their rights as human beings is the result of the developmental

process initiated during colonialism and subsequently by the independent Indian State. The

social and economic divisions among the people have persisted for long, but these have

become more pronounced and critical today. The different human rights movements

witnessed in India mainly include civil liberties and democratic rights movements,

movements for dalit rights, women’s movements and environmental rights movements. In

brief we can say that Human Rights are universally accepted principles and rules that support

morality and make it possible for each member of the human family to realize his or her full

potential and to live life in an atmosphere of freedom, justice and peace.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the most modern Indian social reformer made a poignant critique of

the religious rituals that created major divisions in Hindu society and denied majorities of

people their basic Human Rights. Gandhi also condemned British rule over Indians as unjust

and violent. He expounded the theory of peaceful resistance to fight British Law. He

launched non-violent struggle to advocate self-government and fundamental laws for

themselves. Various great reformers like Kautilya, Ashoka, Vivekanands, Raja Ram Mohan

Roy, Jawahar Lal Nehru, and M.K. Gandhi advocated Human Right. Moreover the concerned

efforts were made by Indian National Congress to secure basic Human Rights for Indians and

ultimately these were enshrined in the constitution of India in the form of Fundamental

Rights and Directive Principles of the state policy to attain social and economic democracy

for all in order to lead a dignified life.