The words justice and equality are enshrined in India’s Constitution and activists, for decades have been fighting to make the society one that is just and equal for all. But what is more important – equality, or justice?
This question, it turns out, may not be relevant or may need to rephrased for the Indian context.
Equality is part of the Abrahamic mythology, while justice has its roots in Greek mythology. Both terms seem to seem to assume or impose a homogeneous worldview.
Indians, however, have not traditionally thought in these terms – the Indian way celebrates diversity. This is also linked to the fact that its majority religion, Hinduism, is polytheistic and Indian thought blends different ideas together and there is no one final truth.
In this episode of the Myth and Culture podcast, Devdutt Pattanaik and Jerry Johnson speak about how the question of whether equality is more important or justice is a western one. In India, equality and justice are important at different times and places as multiple structures and truths can coexist, as compared to the west, which has a fixed worldview.