We are providing you with the short notes of Class 9th Civics Chapter 5 Democratic Rights along with the ncert solutions to help the students with the answers. This lesson will give you an idea about rights and what will happen if a person has no rights. We in this lesson will understand what rights mean with examples.
Life Without Rights
We have three examples that would help you to understand the rights and their importance.
1) Prison in Guantanamo Bay
The American government picked up about 600 people and put them in a cell in Guantanamo Bay in charge of the attack on New York on 11 September. They said these have a link with that attack some or the other way.
2) Citizens’ Rights in Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, the position of the citizens concerning their government is as mentioned below:
- 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.
- Citizens cannot form political parties or any political organizations.
- There is no freedom of religion.
- Women are subjected to many public restrictions.
3) Ethnic Massacre in Kosovo
Before split Yugoslavia was a small province and Serbs were in majority. Narrow-minded Serbs had won the election and wanted to dominate the country. They wanted minorities like Albanians to accept or leave the country.
Rights in a Democracy
All of us want to live happily, without fear, and without being subjected to bad treatment. For this we expect others to behave in such a way that does not harm us or hurt us. Equally, our actions should not also harm or hurt others.
- A right is possible when you make a claim that is equally possible for others.
- A right comes with an obligation to respect others’ rights.
What is recognized by society as rightful becomes the basis of rights. That is why the notion of rights changes from time to time and from society to society.
Any claim can be called a “Right” if it has the following 3 qualities:
- The claim should be reasonable
- The claims should be recognized by society
- The claim should be sanctioned by law
Why Do We Need Rights in Democracy
Rights protect minorities from the oppression of the majority. Rights are guarantees which can be used when things go wrong.
Rights in the Indian Constitution
1) Right to Constitutional Remedies
The right to constitutional remedies empowers the citizens to move to a court of law in case of any denial of the fundamental rights.
2) Right to Equality
The Constitution says that the government shall not deny to any person in India equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws. It means that the laws applicable in the same manner to all, regardless of a person’s status. This is called the rule of law, which is the foundation of any democracy. It means that no person is above the law.
- The government shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
- Every citizen shall have access to public places like shops, restaurants, hotels, and cinema halls.
- There shall be no restriction concerning the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads, playgrounds, and places of public resorts maintained by the government or dedicated to the use of the general public.
- All citizens have equality of opportunity in matters relating to employment or appointment to any position in the government.
3) Right to Freedom
Under the Indian Constitution, all citizens have the right to:
- Freedom of speech and expression
- Assemble in a peaceful manner
- Form associations and unions
- Move freely throughout the country
- Reside in any part of the country
- Practice any profession or to carry on any occupation, trade, or business
You cannot exercise your freedom in such a manner that violates others’ right to freedom.
4) Right Against Exploitation
Every citizen has a right not to be exploited. The Constitution has clear provisions to prevent the exploitation of the weaker sections of society. The Constitution mentions 3 specific evils as mentioned below and declares them illegal.
- The Constitution prohibits ‘traffic in human beings. Traffic means the selling and buying of human beings, usually women, for immoral purposes.
- Our Constitution prohibits forced labor or begar in any form. 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 life-long basis, it is called the practice of bonded labor.
- The Constitution prohibits child labor. Under this, no one can employ a child below the age of 14 to work in any factory or mine or any other hazardous work, such as railways and ports.
5) Right to Freedom of Religion
Every person has a right to profess, practice, and propagate the religion he or she believes in. India is a secular state which means India does not establish any one religion as the official religion. Freedom to practice religion does not mean that a person can do whatever he wants in the name of religion. For example, one cannot sacrifice animals or human beings as offerings to supernatural forces or gods.
6) Cultural and Educational Rights
Indian Constitution specifies the cultural and educational rights of the minorities:
- Any section of citizens with a distinct language or culture have a right to conserve it.
- Admission to any educational institution maintained by the government or receiving government aid cannot be denied to any citizen on the grounds of religion or language.
- All minorities have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
How can we secure these Rights?
Right to Constitutional Remedies makes the other 5 Fundamental Rights effective. When any of our rights are violated we can seek a remedy through courts. That is why Dr. Ambedkar called the Right to Constitutional Remedies, ‘the heart and soul’ of our Constitution.
- Fundamental Rights are guaranteed against the actions of the Legislatures, the Executive, and any other authorities instituted by the government.
- There can be no law or action that violates the Fundamental Rights.
- If any act of the Legislature or the Executive takes away or limits any of the Fundamental Rights it will be invalid.
Expanding Scope of Rights
Fundamental Rights are the source of all rights, our Constitution and law offer a wider range of rights. Over the years the scope of rights has expanded. From time to time, the courts gave judgments to expand the scope of rights.
- Certain rights like the right to freedom of the press, right to information, and right to education are derived from the Fundamental Rights.
- Now school education has become a right for Indian citizens. The governments are responsible for providing free and compulsory education to all children up to the age of 14 years.
- Parliament has enacted a law giving the right to information to the citizens.
- The Supreme Court has expanded the meaning of the right to life to include the right to food.
The Constitution provides many more rights, which may not be Fundamental Rights. For example, the property right is not a Fundamental Right but is a constitutional right. The right to vote in elections is an important constitutional right.
NCERT Solutions For Class 9th Civics Democratic Rights
1. Which of the following is not an instance of an exercise of a fundamental right?
(a) Workers from Bihar go to 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
2.Which of the following freedoms is not available to an Indian citizen?
(a) Freedom to criticize the government
(b) Freedom to participate in armed revolution
(c) Freedom to start a movement to change the government
(d) Freedom to oppose the central values of the Constitution
Answer:
(b) Freedom to participate in armed revolution
3. Which of the following rights is available under the Indian Constitution?
(a) Right to work
(b) Right to an adequate livelihood
(c) Right to protect one’s culture
(d) Right to privacy
Answer:
(c) Right to protect one’s culture
4. Name the Fundamental Right under which each of the following rights falls:
- Freedom to propagate one’s religion
- Right to life
- Abolition of untouchability
- Ban on bonded labor
Answer:
- Right to freedom of religion
- Right to freedom
- Right to equality
- Right against exploitation
5. Which of these statements about the relationship between democracy and rights is more valid? Give reasons for your preference.
(a) Every country that is a democracy gives rights to its citizens.
(b) Every country that gives rights to its citizens is a democracy.
(c) Giving rights is good, but it is not necessary for a democracy.
Answer:
The most valid statement is (a).
This is because every country that is democratic is a system wherein the government is elected by the people. Therefore, it needs to provide rights to its citizens.
6. Are there restrictions on the right to freedom justified? Give reasons for your answer.
- Indian citizens need permission to visit some border areas of the country for reasons of security.
- Outsiders are not allowed to buy property in some areas to protect the interest of the local population.
- The government bans the publication of a book that can go against the ruling party in the next elections.
Answer:
- This statement is justified as the citizens are protected from loss of life or property.
- This statement is not justified as it infringes on citizens’ right to freedom from other parts of the country.
- This statement is not justified as it violates the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Conclusion
We have penned down in this article the short and detailed summary of Democratic rights along with the ncert solutions to help the students to be able to solve the back exercise and get an idea as to how to write answers in the examination.
