Not a Lawyer? Doesn’t Matter—Here’s How You Can Still Fight for What’s Right

Ever been so mad at something unfair that you fantasized about flipping a table, taking the system down, or just doing something about it? Yeah, same.

Like that time a shady construction project wiped out half the trees in my neighbourhood. One day it was all green, birds chirping, good vibes. The next? Concrete slabs, dust storms, and an exclusive luxury residency coming soon! No one asked for this, least of all the people who lived there for decades.

So I did what any concerned citizen would do. I ranted. Hard. Online, in group chats, even to that one neighbour who always talks about "back in his day" (respectfully, sir, this is my day now). But, shocker—ranting didn’t magically fix things.

And that’s when I found out about PIL—Public Interest Litigation.

Turns out, you don’t need to be a lawyer to make a legal impact. A PIL lets regular people challenge the big guys—governments, corporations, corrupt systems—when public rights are at stake. And no, it’s not just for major activists or high-profile cases. It’s for anyone who’s ever thought, this isn’t fair, and someone should do something about it.

That’s exactly what Sree Krishna Seelam dives into in Power, Purpose, and People’s Rights. This book breaks down the PIL process in two hours flat, showing how everyday people have used it to fight environmental destruction, corruption, and social injustice. Real cases. Real change. No law degree required.

And look, I’m not saying you need to start suing everyone who annoys you (please, don’t). But if something genuinely messes with people’s rights, PIL gives you the power to do more than just complain. It’s a reminder that the system isn’t as untouchable as it seems—you just need to know where to push.

So, next time you see injustice and think, someone should do something, maybe that someone is you.

Even the Universal Declaration of Human Rights stresses that legal rights belong to everyone (doh)

Check out Power, Purpose, and People’s Rights and see how it’s done. Because real change? It starts with knowing your rights—and using them.