DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
Question 1. What are rights?
Answer:
Rights are reasonable claims of persons over other fellow beings over the society, and over the government
recognized by society and sanctioned by law.
Question 2. “Right to Constitutional Remedies is a very special right”. What is so special about this right?
OR
Dr Ambedkar called the Right to Constitutional Remedies, “the heart and soul of our constitution”. Give
reason.
Answer:
• It is through this Right that all other Fundamental Rights are safeguarded and arbitrary action of the state is
checked.
• Under this Right, a citizen is entitled to move the Supreme Court or any High Court or any other courts so
authorised, if his/ her Fundamental Right (or Rights) is encroached upon, abridged or snatched away by the
State, an individual or a body of persons. The courts are empowered to issue orders, directions and writs to the
concerned to protect the rights of the complainant.
Question 3: What was the Amnesty International’s report regarding the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay?
State the condition of prisoners according to the report of Amnesty International in Guantanamo Bay.
Answer:
Amnesty International which is an international human rights organisation, collected information in Guantanamo
Bay and reported:
• Families of prisoners, media or even UN representatives were not allowed to meet these prisoners. The US army
arrested them, interrogated them and decided whether to keep them there or not.
• There was no trial before any magistrate in the US. Nor could these prisoners approach courts in their own
country.
• The prisoners were being tortured in ways that violated United States Laws.
• They were being denied the treatment that even prisoners of war must get as per international treaties.
• Prisoners were not released even after they were officially declared not guilty.
Question 4: “Saudi Arabia is not a democratic country”. Justify. Mention any two rights which are
enjoyed by the Indian citizens but not by citizens of Saudi Arabia.
OR
Compare the situation of India and Saudi Arabia in terms of right to freedom in both the countries.
Answer:
• The country is ruled by a hereditary king and the people: have no role in electing or changing
their rulers.
• The king selects the legislature as well as the executive. He appoints the judges and can change any of their
decisions.
• Citizens cannot form political parties or any political organisations.
Rights enjoyed by Indians but not by Saudi Arabians-
• There is no freedom of religion. Every citizen is required to be Muslim. Non-Muslim residents can follow their
religion in private, but not in public.
• Women are subjected to many public restrictions. The testimony of one man is considered equal to that of two
women.
Question 5: What was the background in which the ethnic massacre took place in Kosovo?
Answer:
(i) Kosovo was a province of Yugoslavia before it split. In this province, the Serbs were in minority and
Albanians were in majority, while it was the other way round in the rest of the country.
(ii) A narrow-minded Serb nationalist Milosevic had won the elections. His government was hostile to the
Kosovo Albanians.
(iii) He wanted the Serbs to dominate the country. Many Serb leaders thought that ethnic minorities like the
Albanians should either leave the country or accept the dominance of the Serbs.
Question 6: How can citizens exercise their freedom to hold rallies and demonstrations?
Answer: (i) Citizens have the freedom to hold rallies and demonstrations in our country guaranteed by the
constitution.
(ii) But such meetings have to be peaceful.
(iii) They should not lead to public disorder or breach of peace in society.
(iv) Those who participate in these activities and meetings should not carry weapons with them.
(v) Citizens can also form associations like workers in a factory can form a workers’ union to promote their
interests.
