GAURAV JAIN Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) ORDER :- "Frailty, thy name is woman", was the ignominy heaped upon women of Victorian Era by William Shakespeare in his great work 'Hamlet'. The history of sociology has, however, established the contrary, i.e., 'fortitude', thy name is woman; 'caress', thy name is woman; 'self-sacrifice', thy name is woman; tenacity and successful pursuit, their apathetical is women. Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, Srimovo Bhandarnaike and Golda Meir are few illustrious women having proved successful in democratic governance of the respective democratic States. Amidst them, still, a class of women is trapped as victims of circumstances, unfounded social sanctions, handicaps and coercive forms in the flesh trade, optimised as 'prostitutes', (for short, 'fallen women'). Seeking their redemptions, a few enlightened segments are tapping the doors of this Court under Article 32 of the Constitution, through a public spirited advocate, Gaurav Jain who filed, on their behalf, the main writ petitions claiming that right to be free citizens; right not to be trapped again; readjusted by economic empowerment, social justice and self-sustenance thereby with equality of status, dignity of person in truth and reality and social integration in the mainstream are their magna carta. An article "A Red light trap: Society gives no chance to prostitutes' offspring" in 'India Today' dated 11/07/1988 is founded as source material and has done yeoman's service to ignite the sensitivity of Gaurav to seek improvement of the plight of the unfortunate fallen women and their progeny. Though Gaurav had asked for establishing separate educational institutions for the children of the fallen women, this Court after hearing all the State Governments and Union Territories which were then represented through their respective standing counsel, observed on 15/11/1989 in Gaurav Jain v. Union of India, 1990 Supp SCC 709 : (AIR 1990 SC 292) that "segregating children of prostitutes by locating separate schools and providing separate hostels" would not be in the interest of the children and the society at large. This Court directed that they "should be segregated from their mothers and be allowed to mingle with others and become a part of the society". Accepting the suggestion from the Bar and rejecting the limited prayer of the petitioner, this Court had ordered that "Chidren of prostitutes should, however, not be permitted to live in inferno and the undesirable surroundings of prostitute homes". This was felt particularly so in the case of young girls whose body and mind are likely to be abused with growing age for being admitted into the profession of their mothers. While this Court did not accept the plea for separate hostels for children of prostitutes, it felt that "accommodation in hostels and other reformatory homes should be adequately available to help segregation of these children from their mothers living in prostitute homes as soon as they are identified". In that view, instead of disposing of the writ petition with a set of directions, this Court constituted a Committee comprising S/Shri V. C. Mahajan, R. K. Jain, Senior Advocates and others including M. N. Shroff, Advocate, as its Convenor, and other individuals named in the Order; the Court directed the Committee to submit its report giving suggestions for appropriate action. Accordingly, the report was submitted. Arguments were heard and judgment was reserved but could not be delivered. Resultantly, it was released from judgment. We have re-heard the counsel on both sides. The primary question in this case is: what are the rights of the children of fallen women, the modules to segregate them from their mothers and others so as to give them protection, care and rehabilitation in the mainstream of the national life? and as a facet of it, what should be the scheme to be evolved to eradicate prostitution, i.e., the source itself; and what succour and sustenance can be provided to the fallen victims of flesh trade? These are primary questions we angulate for consideration in this public interest litigation.

(2.) THE Preamble, an integral part of the Constitution, pledges to secure 'socio-economic justice' to all its citizens with stated liberties, 'equality of status and of opportunity', assuring 'fraternity' and 'dignity' of the individual in a united and integrated Bharat. THE fallen women too are part of citizenry. Prostitution in society has not been an unknown phenomenon; it is of ancient origin and has its manifestation in various forms with varied degrees unfounded on so-called social sanctions etc. THE victims of the trap are the poor, illiterate and ignorant sections of the society and are the target group in the flesh trade; rich communities exploit them and harvest at their misery and ignominy in an organised gangsterism, in particular, with police nexus. It is of grave social concern, increasingly realised by enlightened public spirited sections of the society to prevent gender exploitation of girl children. THE prostitute has always been an object and was never seen as complete human being with dignity of person; as if she has had no needs and aspirations of her own, individually or collectively. THEir problems are compounded by coercion laid around them and torturous treatment meted out to them. When they make attempts either to resist the prostitution or to relieve themselves from the trap, they succumb to the violent treatment and resultantly many a one settle for prostitution. Prostitute is equally a human being. Despite that trap, she is confronted with the problems to bear and rear the children. THE limitations of trade confront them in bringing up their children, be it male or female. THEir children are equally subjected to inhuman treatment by managers of brothels and are subjected to discrimination, social isolation; they are deprived of their right to live normal life for no fault of their own. In recent times, however, there has been a growing body of opinion, by certain enlightened sections of the society advocating the need to no longer treat the fallen women as a criminal or as an object of shocking sexual abuse; they are victims of circumstances and hence should be treated as human beings like others, so as to bring them into the mainstream of the social order without any attached stigma. Equally, they realise the need to keep their children away from the red light area, particularly girl children and have them inducted into respectable and meaningful avocations and/or self-employment schemes. In no circumstances, they should continue to be in the trap of flesh trade for commercial exploitation. THEy need to be treated with humanity and compassion so as to integrate them into the social mainstream. If given equal opportunity, they would be able to play their own part for peaceful rehabilitation, live a life with happiness purposefully, with meaningful right to life, culturally, socially and economically with equality of status and dignity of person. THEse constitutional and human rights to the victims of fallen track of flesh trade, need care and consideration of the society. This case calls upon to resolve that human problem with caress and purposeful guidelines, lend help to ameliorate their socio-economic conditions, eradicate social stigma and to make available to them equal opportunities for the social order.

(3.) ARTICLE 38 enjoins the State to secure and protect, as effectively as it may, a social order in which justice - social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of national life. It enjoins, by appropriate statutory or administrative actions, that the State should minimise the inequalities in status and provide facilities and opportunities to make equal results. ARTICLE 39(f) provides that the children should be given opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and conditions of freedom and dignity; and that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and against moral and material abandonment. ARTICLE 46 directs the State to promote the educational and economic interests of the women and weaker sections of the people and that it shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. ARTICLE 45 makes provision for free and compulsory education for children, which is now well settled as a fundamental right to the children upto the age of 14 years; it also mandates that facilities and opportunities for higher educational avenues be provided to them. The social justice and economic empowerment are firmly held as fundamental rights of every citizen.