CBSE Class 9 Social Science Democratic Rights Assignment

Question : Which of the following is not an instance of an exercise of a fundamental right?
(a) Workers from Bihar go to the Punjab to work on the farms
(b) Christian missions set up a chain of missionary schools
(c) Men and women government employees get the same salary
(d) Parents’ property is inherited by their children
Answer : (d) Parents’ property is inherited by their children

SUMMARY

Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognized by society and sanctioned by law. Rights are necessary for the very sustenance of a democracy. Right to equality, Right to Freedom, Right against Exploitation, Right to Freedom of Religion, cultural and educational rights to the minorities and ‘Right to Constitutional Remedies. National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) set up by law in 1993. Like Judiciary, the commission is independent of the government. The Commission makes independent and credible inquiry into any case of violation of human rights and presents its findings and recommendations to the government or intervenes in the court on behalf of the victims of human rights violation. Amnesty International- An organization of volunteers who campaign for human rights. 

Question : What is "Amnesty International‟?
Answer : An international organization of volunteers who campaign for human rights. This organization brings out independent reports on the violation of human rights all over the world.

Question : Describe the human rights violation of the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay by the US Government.
Answer : 1. About 600 people were secretly picked up by the US forces from all over the world and put in a prison in Guantanamo Bay. The American Government said they were enemies of the US.
2. The US arrested them, interrogated them and decided to keep them there or not. There was no trial before any magistrate in the US.
3. In most cases the governments of their countries were not asked or even informed about their imprisonment.

Question : Point out the Citizens Rights in SA.
Answer :
1. A hereditary king rules the country and the people have no role in electing the rulers.
2. The king selects the legislature, executive and judiciary
3. Citizens can’t form Political parties or any political organizations.
4. Women are subjected to many public restrictions.

Question : Describe how the Serbian majority denied the Albanian minority of their rights in Kosovo.
Answer :
1. Kosovo was a province of Yugoslavia before its split and as of 2007 it was a part of Serbia. Kosovo has an Albanian majority but in the entire country Serbs were in majority.
2. Milosevic, the then President of Serbia was hostile to Albanians in Kosovo and he wanted Serbians to dominate the country.
3. Many Serb leaders thought that Albanians should leave the country or accept the dominance of Serbs. Working under Milosevic who came to power by democratic election, Serbian military massacred thousands of Albanians in Kosovo.
4. (Now Kosovo is an independent country.

Question : What are "rights‟? Explain. 
Answer : 1. Rights are reasonable claims of persons recognized by society and sanctioned by law.
2. A right is possible when you make a claim that is equally possible for others. We can’t have a right that harms others. The claim we make should be reasonable.
3. Rights acquire meaning only in a society. Every society makes certain rules to regulate our conduct. What is recognized by the society as rightful becomes the basis of rights.
4. When the socially recognized clams are written into law, they acquire real force. When law recognizes some claims they become enforceable.

Question : Why do we need rights in a democracy? Or „Rights are necessary for the very sustenance of a democracy‟ Justify the statement.
Answer :
1. In a democracy, every citizen has to have the right to vote and elect a government. For participating in a democratic election, it’s necessary that citizens should have the right to express their opinion and form political organizations.
2. Democracy is often called the rule of the majority. Rights protect the minorities from the oppression of majority and ensure that majority can’t do whatever it likes.
3. Sometimes the elected governments may not protect or even may attack the rights of their own citizens. That’s why some rights need to be placed above the government, so that the government can’t violate the rights.

Question : What do you understand by the term‟ Rule of Law‟?
Answer :
a) Rule of Law means that the laws apply in the same manner to all, regardless of a person’s status.
b) Rule of law is the foundation of any democracy. It means that no person is above the law.
c) There can’t be any discrimination between political leader, government official and an ordinary citizen.

Question : What is the Significance of „Fundamental Rights‟?
Answer :
1. Fundamental Rights are guaranteed against the actions of the legislature, the executive and any other authorities instituted by the Government.
2. There can be no law or action that violates the fundamental rights. If any act of the legislature or the executive that takes away or limits any of the Fundamental Rights, it will be invalid.
3. The courts are responsible for enforcing the Fundamental Rights against private individual and bodies. The Supreme Court and The High Courts have the power to issue directions for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights and also to award compensation to victims and to punishment to the violators.

Question : Explain Right to equality. OR Explain the right to equality enjoyed by the citizens of India. What is its importance?
Answer :
1. The constitution of India says that the government shall not deny any person in India equality before the law or equal protection of the laws.
2. The government shall not discriminate any citizen on grounds of religion, caste, ethnicity, sex or place of birth. Every citizen shall have access to public places, cinema halls, etc.
3. All citizens have equality of opportunity in matters relating to employment to any position in the government.

Question : Why reservations for physically challenged people, socially and economically backward classes are not a violation of right to equality? Or Point out the limitations of Right to equality.
Answer :
1. The government of India has provided reservations for scheduled castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Women, poor or physically challenged people in government jobs.
2. Equality doesn’t mean giving everyone the same treatment but giving everyone an equal opportunity to achieve whatever one is capable of.
3. Some times its necessary to give special treatment to someone in order to ensure equal opportunity. The constitution says such reservations are not violation of the Right to Equality.

Question :  Point out the rights of an Indian citizen if arrested by the police.
Answer :
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 defense.

Question : How does "Right against exploitation‟ protects and prevents weaker sections of the society from exploitation?
OR Discuss the provisions included in the Right against Exploitation.
OR What does Constitution say about child labour?
Answer :  The Indian Constitution provides certain provisions to prevent exploitation of the weaker sections of the society and mentions three specific evils and declares them illegal.
1. The constitution prohibits ‘Human Traffic’ .ie. Selling and buying of human being is illegal in India.
2. The constitution prohibits the forced labour or beggar in any form. Begar is a practice where the worker is forced to render service to the master free of charge or at nominal wages. It is also called bonded labour.
3. The Constitution also prohibits child labour. No one can employ a child below the age of fourteen years.

Question : Assess the „Right to Freedom of Religion‟.
Answer : The Constitution of India assures Right to Freedom with certain limitations.
1. India is a secular state and every person has the right to profess, practice and propagate the religion. A person is free to change religion on his or her own will.
2. Every religious group is free to manage its religious affairs and run religious and educational institutions.
3. The government is neutral and impartial in dealing with all religions.

Question : Point out the provisions made in right to religion to prevent its misuse.
Answer : The Constitution of India prohibits the following practices under right to religion:
1. A person can’t be converted to another religion against his or her will.
2. Animal and Human sacrifices to Gods or supernatural forces is not a ‘right to religion’
3. Religious practices which teat women as inferior or that deprives the freedom of women are not allowed.

Question : What is a secular state? Examine the peculiar feature of secularism in India.
Answer :
1. A secular state is one that doesn’t establish any one religion as official religion. The state has to be neutral and impartial in dealing with all religions.
2. India is a secular state, as it doesn’t have any one official religion. It does not confer any favour on any particular religion nor discriminate people on the basis of religion.
3. The government can’t compel any person to pay taxes for the promotion of any religion or religious institution.
4. There shall be no religious instruction in government educational institutions. In private educational institutions, no person shall be compelled to take part in any religious instruction or worship.

Question : Why is protection of the rights of minorities necessary in a democracy? Point out any three provisions in „Cultural and Educational Rights‟ to protect the rights of minorities.
Answer : There are three types of minorities, Linguistic, religious and cultural. Democracy is the rule of majority. If the language, culture and religion of the minorities are not protected, they may get neglected or undermined under the impact of the majority culture, language or religion. The Indian constitution specifies the following cultural and educational rights to the minorities.
1. Any section of citizens with a distinct language or culture has a right to conserve it.
2. Admission to any educational institution maintained by the government can’t be denied to any one on the ground of religion or language.
3. All minorities have right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

Question : Explain "Right to Constitutional Remedies. Or Why is the Right to constitutional Remedies called the "Heart and Soul‟ of our constitution? 
Answer :
1. We have a right to seek the enforcement of the fundamental rights. This right itself is a fundamental right. This is called Right to Constitutional remedies.
2. It is possible that some times our rights may be violated by our fellow citizens, private bodies or by the government.
3. If it is a fundamental right that is violated the right to constitutional remedies gives us the right to approach the High court or the Supreme Court directly.
That’s why Dr. B. R. Ambedkar called it the ‘heart and soul’ of our constitution.

Question : Write a short note on "National Human Rights Commission‟.
Answer :
1. This is an independent commission set up by law in 1993. Like Judiciary, the commission is independent of the government.
2. The NHRC makes independent and credible inquiry into any case of violation of human rights. It has wide ranging powers to carry out its inquiry.
3. The Commission presents its findings and recommendations to the government or intervenes in the court on behalf of the victims of human rights violation

Question : What do you understand by "Public Interest Litigation‟? (PIL)
Answer :
1. Any person can go to court against the violation of the Fundamental Right, if it is of social or public interest. This kind of litigation in public interest is called public interest litigation.
2. Under PIL any citizen or group of citizens can approach the Supreme Court or a High Court for protection of public interest against a particular law or action of the government.
3. One can write to the judges even on a post card. The court will take up the matter if the judges find it in public interest.

Question : "Over the years the scope of rights has expanded‟ Explain.
Answer :
1. Over the years the courts in India gave judgments to expand the scope of rights. Certain rights like right to freedom of press, right to information, right to education are the rights derived from Fundamental rights.
2. Recently the Supreme Court has expanded the meaning of the right to life to include the right to food.
3. Other than Fundamental Rights, there are constitutional rights that are enjoyed by Indian citizens.
4. For example, the right to property and right to vote are not Fundamental Rights, but they are Constitutional Rights.

Question : What are „Human Rights‟?
Answer : Human Rights are universal moral claims that may or may not have been recognized by law. With the expansion of democracy all over the world, there is greater pressure on governments to accept these claims.

Question : Mention the rights recognized by International covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Answer : International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights recognizes many rights that are not a part of the Fundamental Rights of Indian Constitution.