Class 9 Democratic Rights Civics NCERTClass 9 Chapter 6: Democratic RightsVery Short Answer Type Questions. [1 Mark]1. What is the spirit behind thinking about rights?Ans. The spirit behind thinking about rights is that we want a system where at least a minimum is guaranteed to everyone – powerful or weak, rich or poor, majority or minority. 2. What type of rights should be given to arrested persons?Ans. If someone is arrested, he or she should have a fair chance to defend himself/herself. 3. When is the right possible?Ans. A right is possible when you make a claim that is equally possible for others. 4. What is meant by right?Ans. Claims of a person over other fellow beings, society and the government. 1. What was the reason given by America for imprisoning people at Guantanamo Bay?Ans. America considered them as enemies and linked them to the attack on New York on 11th September 2001. 1. What can be done in case of infringement of the rights in a democracy? Ans. In case of infringement of the rights in a democracy people can approach either High Courts or Supreme Court. 2. What did Dr Ambedkar refer to the ‘Right to Constitutional Remedies’?Ans. The heart and soul of our constitution. 3. What is meant by the term ‘writ’? Ans. A writ is a formal document containing an order of the court to the government. 4. When was the NHRC established?Ans. In 19935. One of the forms of exploitation, as mentioned in the constitution, is ‘traffic’. What does it mean?Ans. Buying and selling of human beings. 6. India is a secular state. What does the word ‘secular’ mean?Ans. The state has no religion of its own. 2. Which body exposed to the world that prisoners at Guantanamo Bay were being tortured in ways that violated the US laws?Ans. Amnesty International3. What is the position of women in Saudi Arabia?Ans. Women are subjected to many public restrictions. 4. What was Milosevic’s attitude towards the Albanians?Ans. (i) His government was hostile to the Kosovo Albanians. (ii) He wanted Serbs to dominate the Albanians. 5. How was the massacre of Albanians finally stopped?Ans. Several countries intervened to stop the massacre. Short Answer Type Questions. [3 marks]1. What was the background in which the ethnic massacre took place in Kosovo?Ans. Kosovo was a province of Yugoslavia before it split away. In this province, the population was overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian. But in the entire country, Serbs were in the majority. A narrow-minded Serb nationalist, Milosevic, had won the election and became the President of Yugoslavia. His government was very hostile to the Kosovo Albanians. He wanted that ethnic minority like Albanians should either leave the country or accept the dominance of the Serbs. The massacre was carried out by the army under the direction of the government. 1. Why do we need Rights in a Democracy?Ans. (i) Rights allow citizens to express their views freely, form parties and take part in political activities.(ii) Rights are guarantees when things go wrong. They do not allow the majority to dominate the minority. (iii) Some rights are placed higher than the government so that the government does not violate them. 4. What is the role of National Human Rights Commission in securing human rights? How does it work?Ans. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) focuses on helping the victims secure their human rights. These include all the rights granted to the citizens by the constitution. For NHRC human rights also include the rights mentioned in the UN-sponsored international treaties that India has signed. The NHRC cannot by itself punish the guilty – that is the responsibility of the courts. The NHRC makes an independent and credible inquiry into any case of violation of human rights. The commission presents its findings and recommendations to the government or intervenes in the court on behalf of the victims. Like any court, it can summon witnesses, question any government official, demand any official paper, visit any prison for inspection or send its own team for on-the-spot inquiry. 5. Give some examples with regard to the expansion of the scope of rights for the citizens.Ans. Certain rights like the right to freedom of the press, right to information, and right to education are derived from the Fundamental Rights. Recently school education has become a right for Indian citizens. Parliament has passed a law giving the right to information to the citizens. Under the direction of the Supreme Court, the right to life now includes the right to food. Right to property is not a Fundamental Right but it is a legal right. Right to vote in elections is an important constitutional right. 6. Explain the ‘Right to Equality’ enjoyed by the citizens of India. What is its importance?Ans. All citizens irrespective of caste, colour, region, religion, ethnicity, sex or place of birth are equal before the law. There shall be no discrimination against any citizen. All citizens shall have equal opportunity in matters of employment. This is what the ‘Right to Equality’ means. 7. Describe in detail the cultural and educational rights of the minorities as provided in the Indian constitution.Ans. The language, culture and religion of minorities need protection otherwise they may get neglected or undermined under the impact of the language, culture and religion of the majority. All minorities have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. 8. The ‘Right to Constitutional Remedies’ is called the heart of the constitution. Explain. Ans. This ‘Right’ makes other ‘Rights’ effective. If sometimes our rights are violated by fellow citizens, private bodies or by the government, we can seek a remedy through courts. It is a Fundamental Right that we can directly approach the Supreme Court or the High courts of a state. That is why Dr Ambedkar called it “the heart and soul” of our constitution.