In India, the government operates or regulates retail outlets known as Fair Price Shops (FPS). These shops focus on distributing basic necessities such as food grains, edible oils, and sugar at fair or subsidized prices. The major objective of these shops is to provide a safety net for low-income households by easing their economic burden. Ensuring food security is the prime aim of this government welfare initiative.
An efficient verification mechanism exists for beneficiaries through Aadhaar authentication. Moreover, there are facilities in place to monitor transactions online with electronic Point of Sale (e-POS) machines. The integration of e-POS devices with electronic weighing scales guarantees that the beneficiaries receive the correct amount of ration. FPSs and ePOS machines play an essential role in implementing the One Nation One Ration Card Scheme (ONORC) successfully.
Untangling Ethical Issues and Responsibilities
However, the recent directive by the Patan District Collector moving all ration cards from a Dalit-run FPS in Kanosan village to a neighboring village brings some significant ethical and constitutional discussions to the forefront.
A central ethical concern in this instance is caste-based discrimination, which led to the transfer of ration cards. This unethical move can be interpreted as a severe dereliction of duty by the district collector. Public officials should ideally act with complete integrity and serve every citizen’s best interests without showing any favoritism.
Moreover, the mental trauma suffered by the victim of this caste-based discrimination, resulting in a suicide attempt, poses another significant ethical issue. It emphasizes the importance of ethical principles like compassion, empathy, and the obligation to protect the well-being of individuals.
The Legal Framework and Its Role
Activists of the Right to Food Campaign advocate for enforcing legal frameworks such as the SC/ST Act and National Food Security Act in such situations. Public officials must uphold the rule of law and respect the constitution, two critical ethical principles.
The violation of mandated principles related to empowering marginalized communities also represents a central ethical concern. It is crucial to adhere to ethical principles of fairness, equity, justice, equality, and non-discrimination.
In this context, the moral responsibility of the district collector and the households of upper castes in dealing with the repercussions of their actions is vitally important.
Constitutional and Statutory Violations
The incident brings to light serious violations of constitutional mandates. The Indian Constitution endorses the fundamental values of equality, justice, and non-discrimination under Part-III (Article 17). Actions based on caste contradict these principles ingrained in the constitution.
Moreover, it also highlights the non-enforcement of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, as amended in 2015. This legislation aims to prevent and punish atrocities against marginalized communities. It also stresses the strict action required against caste-based discrimination and violence.
The occurrence further brings into question the violation of the National Food Security Act that advocates for the democratic control of FPSs distribution to marginalized communities. Transferring ration shops to another FPS contradicts the spirit of this legislation.
Steps Towards Preventing Similar Incidents
Ideally, the system should adopt preventive measures such as raising awareness similar to the model of the Mid-Day Meals Scheme implementation. In this system, high dignitaries consume the cooked food to shatter myths of caste-stigma and discrimination.
Moreover, legal action should be intensified to tackle caste-based discriminatory practices effectively. Incorporating such malpractices in Annual Confidential Reports of Bureaucrats could act as a deterrent in the future.
The imminent revocation of the Dalit FPS dealer’s license due to the incident raises significant questions about economic implications and livelihoods. The Right to Food Campaign advocates for the High Courts or Chief Minister’s Office taking suo motu cognizance of such discriminatory ration card transfers. This step is vital to uphold the rule of law and constitutional values.
FPSs are crucial in ensuring food security and access to essentials for marginalized communities. Therefore, democratically empowering FPSs is key to fostering inclusivity and economic well-being.
The incident serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing challenges in eradicating caste-based discrimination and upholding constitutional values in India. Not just legal, it is also a moral obligation for society to uphold social equity, justice, and inclusivity.
