Jab controversial topics aate hain – inter-faith marriage, LGBTQ+ rights, dress codes, religious practices – tab aksar “society kya sochegi” vs “Constitution kya kehta hai” ka direct clash dekhne ko milta hai. Yahin se constitutional morality vs social morality ka concept nikalta hai.
Social morality basically majority ka mindset hota hai – family, community, caste group, religious body, TV debates, sab mix hokar ek “acceptable behaviour” ka idea banate hain. Problem yeh hai ki yeh morality kabhi-kabhi prejudice, patriarchy, casteism ya fear pe based hoti hai.
Constitutional morality uske opposite direction me kaam karti hai: dignity, liberty, equality, choice, privacy jaise principles pe based. Courts baar-baar bol chuke hain: jab conflict ho, to judge social morality nahi, constitutional morality follow karega. Majority uncomfortable ho, ye akela reason nahi ki kisi right ko deny kar diya jaye.
Iska matlab yeh nahi ki Constitution society se disconnected bubble me jeeta hai. Lekin jab question fundamental rights ka ho – like whom to marry, what to eat, how to pray, how to express – tab State aur courts ko long-term justice pe focus karna hota hai, not short-term noise.
Slowly, isi approach ne previously taboo topics ko bhi legal recognition dilayi hai.
