Right vs. Privilege!

 Stop Clapping for the Bare Minimum

We live in a world where people are celebrated for being allowed to do things they should have never needed permission for in the first place.

You apply for an official document, and it gets processed in a month. Someone says, “Wow, you’re lucky it was so fast.”
You get to walk home safely at night. You whisper, “Thank God nothing happened.”
A girl asks her family for permission to pursue higher education, and gets it. Everyone praises the family for being “modern.”

But hold on, why are we cheering for basic rights being granted as if they were luxuries?

We’ve reached a point where fundamental rights are treated like special favours, and people are taught to feel grateful instead of entitled.

Example 1: RTI – The Right That Feels Like a Privilege

The Right to Information (RTI) Act was created so that every Indian citizen can question public authorities and access information about government decisions, spending, and functioning.

And yet, people who file RTIs often feel like they’re breaking a rule. They are warned, silenced, or made to feel like a nuisance. When they do get a reply, they’re often told: “At least you got a response.”

But why “at least”? Isn’t transparency a citizen’s right in a democracy? Why has asking questions become a privilege that only the brave or privileged few feel entitled to use?

Example 2: Girls Needing Permission for Dreams

How often do we hear this:

“My parents allowed me to study engineering.”
“I’m lucky my husband supports my career.”
“They let me go on a solo trip.”

Let. Allowed. Support.

Notice the language. We’ve internalized the idea that women’s aspirations need a stamp of approval from someone else, a father, a brother, a husband, a principal. That permission is something to be grateful for.

But freedom to choose your path is not a gift. It’s your right.

Example 3: Access to Justice

When victims of caste-based violence or communal hate crimes finally get attention or some form of delayed justice, we often hear:

“At least they got a hearing in court.”
“At least the police filed an FIR.”
“At least the media covered it.”

But why is basic access to justice the exception and not the rule? Why should someone from a marginalised background feel thankful just to be taken seriously?

We don’t need sympathy. We need systems that work equally for everyone, without needing media pressure, viral hashtags, or public outcry.

Example 4: Infrastructure and Access

A village finally gets a school, or a bus route, or a working public toilet. Local leaders celebrate it like a gift to the people.

But why weren’t those basic amenities already in place?

When infrastructure arrives late, it's not charity,  it's a delayed delivery of a right.

So, What’s the Real Problem?

The system: social, political, and cultural benefits when people confuse entitlement with generosity. When people start treating rights like privileges, they stop demanding better.

They accept crumbs and call it cake.
They whisper thank you instead of asking why it wasn’t already theirs.

Let’s Flip the Narrative

Instead of “They allowed me,” say 

“I had every right.”

 Instead of “At least they listened,” ask 

“Why did it take this long?”

 Instead of saying “I’m lucky,” say 

“This is what I deserved.”

Gratitude is beautiful when it’s for kindness.
But for justice, equality, safety, and dignity. You don’t owe anyone a thank you.

Don’t celebrate the bare minimum.
Demand the full picture.
And remember,  the moment you start calling a right a 'privilege', you give away your power.