Grade 9

Ch.5(Civics)

Democratic Rights

Q. 1 How were prisoners tortured by the U.S. army in Guantanamo Bay?

Ans. 1. About 600 people were secretly picked by the US forces from all over the world and put in
a prison in Guantanamo Bay.

2. The American government said that they were enemies of the US and linked it to the attack on
New York on 11 September 2001.

3. Families of prisoners,media or even United Nations representatives were not allowed to meet
them.

4. There is no trial before any magistrate in US, nor could these prisoners approach courts in their
own country.

5. They were being denied the treatment that even prisoners of war must get as per international
treaties.

6. Prisoners were not released even after they were officially declared not guilty.

Q.2 What is the condition(position) of citizens of Saudi Arabia ?

Ans. 1. The country is ruled by a hereditary king and the people have no role in electing or
changing their rulers.

2. The king selects the legislature as well as the executive. He appoints the judges and can change
any of their decisions.
3. Citizens cannot form political parties or any political organisation. Media cannot report
anything that the monarch does not like.

4. There is no freedom of religion. Every citizen is required to be Muslim. Non- Muslims can
follow their religion in private but not in public.

5. Women are subjected to many public restrictions. The testimony of one man is considered
equal to

that of two women.

Q.3 What was the background in which the ethnic massacre took place in Kosovo?

Ans. 1. Kosovo was a province of Yugoslavia before its split. Serbs were in majority and Albanians
were in minority.

2. A narrow minded Serb nationalist Melosevic had won the elections. Its government was very
hostile to the Kosovo Albanians.

3. They wanted the Serbs to dominate the country. Many Serb leaders thought that ethnic
minorities like Albanians should either leave the country or accept the dominance of the Serbs.

Q.4 What happened in Kosovo in 1999 ?

Ans. 1. A massacre was being carried out by the army of their own country, working under the
direction of a leader who came to power through democratic elections.

2. This was one of the worst instances of killing based on ethnic prejudice in recent times.

3. Finally, several other countries intervened to stop this massacre.

Q.5 Why do some rights need to be placed higher than the government?

Ans. Some rights need to be placed higher than the government because-

1. Things may go wrong when some citizens may wish to take away the rights of others. This
usually happens when majority wants to dominate those in minority.

2. The government should protect the citizens' right in such a situation but sometimes elected
government may not protect or may even attach the rights of their own citizens.

3. This is why some rights need to be placed higher than the government, so that the government
cannot violate them.

Q.6 Explain the important features of "Right to Equality".

Ans. 1) Rule of Law or Equality before law : Every citizen from the Prime Minister to a small
farmer in a remote village,is subjected to the same laws. The government shall not discriminate
against any citizen on the ground only of

religion,caste,sex or place of birth. (Under Article 14)

2) Social Equality : Every citizen shall have access to public places like shops, restaurants, hotels
and cinema halls.

Similarly there shall be no restriction with regard to use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads,
playgrounds and places of public resorts maintained by government or dedicated to the use of
general people.(Under Article 15)

3. Equality of opportunity : All citizens have equality of opportunity in matters relating to

by law. (Under article 17)

5. Abolishment of titles : Any type of titles are not provided to any Indian such as in British times
sir,lord or knight etc.

Q.7 which procedure must be followed for the proper legal justification in any arrest?

Ans. 1. A person who is arrested and detained in custody will have to be informed of the reasons
for such arrest and detention.

2. A person who is arrested and detained shall be produced before the nearest magistrate within
a period of 24 hours of arrest.

3. Such a person has the right to consult a lawyer or engage a lawyer for his defence.

4. A child under the age of 14 and women can't be called at the police station only for
questioning.

5. Any confession made in police custody can't be used as an evidence in the court.

Q.8 Explain about right against exploitation.

Or

Which specific evils are declared illegal by constitution?

Ans. The constitution makers thought it was necessary to write down certain clear provisions to
prevent

exploitation of the weaker section of the society. The constitution mentions three specific evils
and declares these illegal.

1) Trafficking in Human being - traffic here means selling and buying of human beings, specially
women for immoral purposes.

2) Force Labour or Begar - Begar is a practice where the worker is forced to render service to the
master free of charge or at a nominal remuneration. When this practice takes place on a lifelong
basis, it is called the practice of bonded labour.

3) Child Labour - No one can employ a child below the age of 14 to work in any factory or mine or
in any other hazardous work, such as railways and ports using this as a basis many laws have
been made to prohibit children from working in industries such as Bidi making, fireworks,
matchbox, printing and dying.

Q.9 Explain about right to freedom of religion.

Or

What is secularism? How does Indian constitution make India a secular state?

Ans. Secularism is based on the idea that the state is concerned only with relations among
human beings, and not with the relations between human beings and God.

1) A secular state is the one that does not establish any one religion as official religion.

2) Indian secularism practices an attitude of principled and equal distance from all religions.

3) The state has to be neutral and impartial in dealing with all religions.

4) Every person has a right to profess, practice and propagate the religion he or she believes in.

5) Freedom to practice religion does not mean that a person can do whatever he wants in the
name of religion.
6.) There shall be no religious instructions in the government educational institutions.

Q.10 What does Indian constitution specify regarding cultural and educational rights of
minorities?

Ans. The constitution specifies that

1) Any section of citizens with the distinct language or culture have a right to conserve it.

2) Admission to any educational institution maintained by government or receiving government

3) All minorities have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their
choice.

4) Here, minority does not mean only religious minority at the national level.

In some places people speaking a particular language are in minority; people speaking in
different language are in a minority.

Q.11 Why right to constitutional remedies is called the heart and soul of Indian constitution ?

Or

Explain about right to constitutional remedies. (Article 32)

Ans. 1) We have a right to seek the enforcement of the fundamental rights mentioned in the
constitution. This is called the right to constitutional remedies. This right makes other rights
effective.

2) It is possible that sometimes rights maybe violated by fellow citizens, private bodies or by the
government. When any of our rights are violated we can seek remedy through courts.
3) It is a fundamental right, we can directly approach the supreme court or the high court of a
state. That is why Dr. Ambedkar called the Right to Constitutional Remedies, "The Heart and Soul
of our Constitution".

Q.12 Which new rights have been given by South African government to citizens?

Ans. 1) Right to privacy, so that citizens or their home cannot be searched, their phones cannot
be trapped,their communication cannot be opened.

2) Right to live in an environment that is not harmful to their health or well being.

3) Right to have access to adequate housing.

4) Right to have access to health care services,sufficient food and water;no one may be refused
emergency medical treatment.

Q.13 List any four characteristics of fundamental rights.

Ans. Four characteristics of fundamental rights are-

1) Fundamental rights are the promotion and enhancement of human rights.

2) Fundamental rights protect individuals from any arbitrary action of the state. But some rights
are enforceable against individuals for eg. The constitution abolishes untouchability and prohibits
begar.

3) These rights are not absolute and uncontrolled and are subjected to reasonable restrictions.

4) Fundamental rights are universal, justiciable and comprehensive.

• Universal means they are for all the citizens without any discrimination.

• Justiciable means individual can move to the court if his or her rights are violated.
• Comprehensive means these rights are safeguard of our social, economic, cultural & religious
interest.