Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).

Assertion (A): The Indian constitution abolished the practice of Untouchability.

Reason (R): The Government passed laws to that effect in the year 1960s and 1970s.

In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Both (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

The correct answer is option (2) - Both (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

Assertion (A): The Indian constitution abolished the practice of Untouchability. This is correct.The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1950, explicitly abolished the practice of untouchability. Article 17 of the Constitution declares untouchability to be a punishable offense.

Reason (R): The Government passed laws to that effect in the year 1960s and 1970s. This is also correct. While the Constitution outlawed untouchability, subsequent laws and amendments in the 1960s and 1970s further strengthened these protections. These laws specified stricter punishments for crimes related to untouchability and provided measures to improve the socio-economic conditions of Dalits (formerly untouchables).

However, Reasoning does not explain the assertion i.e. as to why the Indian constitution abolished the practice of Untouchability.