7. How did your school celebrate the Constitution Day on November exercises 26th? Prepare a brief report.
Solution:
- On Constitution Day, our school started the celebration with the speech of our principal about the unknown facts and features of our constitution.
- Then students of the senior classes presented an act showcasing social problems of our society like inequality, lack of harmony, etc.
- Then a speech was given by students about the members of the first constituent assembly.
- Students on Constitution Day were instructed to wear the costumes of any one member of the first constituent assembly.
- It was a fun, exciting, and knowledgeable day.
8. Here are different opinions about what made India a democracy. How much importance would you give to each of these factors?
(a) Democracy in India is a gift of the British rulers. We received training to work with representative legislative institutions under the British rule.
(b) Freedom Struggle challenged the colonial exploitation and denial of different freedoms to Indians. Free India could not be anything but democratic.
(c) We were lucky to have leaders who had democratic convictions. The denial of democracy in several other newly independent countries shows the important role of these leaders.
Solution:
(a) Before the arrival of Britishers, India predominantly had a monarchial way of administration. The arrival of the Britishers and centuries of oppression in their hands led to the generation of solidarity and increased the Indian understanding of the concept of Democracy.Therefore no, democracy is not a gift to India from the British rulers; it is a hard-earned laurel earned by the sweat and blood of numerous nationalist Indians. At the same time, it also needs to be acknowledged that it was the British rule that gave Indians the first taste of how legislative should work, so yes there is a contribution technically.
(b) The freedom struggle and the choice of democracy are two nearly exclusive topics. There are several examples in the world history like Pakistan, where the country even after earning freedom with difficulty eventually turned into non-democratic. It was the efforts and insight of the leaders of the time of independence that Democracy was chosen as the best legislative model.
(c) The leaders at the time of the Indian Independence were surely insightful and virtuous to ensure that Democracy is adopted. This insight was because they had the firsthand experience of the oppression under the British rule. They made sure that their descendant nationals do not face the same fate as them, thus they protected India from slipping into a frame that was undemocratic. So yes, we were lucky in that matter.
9. Read the following extract from a conduct book for ‘married women’, published in 1912. ‘God has made the female species delicate and fragile both physically and emotionally, pitiably incapable of self-defence. They are destined thus by God to remain in male protection – of father, husband and son – all their lives. Women should, therefore, not despair, but feel obliged that they can dedicate themselves to the service of men’. Do you think the values expressed in this para reflected the values underlying our constitution? Or does this go against the constitutional values?
Solution:
The given paragraph does not reflect the underlying value in our Constitution. It refers to the patriarchal views and endorses the thought of inequality in genders.
It goes against the constitutional values because in the paragraph women are shown as inferior, unequal as weak and fragile who should serve men. However, the Constitution has provided equal rights to women. They enjoy the right to vote, can take up any job, and are paid equal wages for the same work.
10. Read the following statements about a constitution. Give reasons why each of these is true or not true.
(a) The authority of the rules of the constitution is the same as that of any other law.
(b) Constitution lays down how different organs of the government will be formed.
(c) Rights of citizens and limits on the power of the government are laid down in the constitution.
(d) A constitution is about institutions, not about values
Solution:
(a) Not True
Constitution is the supreme law. It describes how government elects and their powers, rights of citizens and their protection. This is totally different than any other law.
(b) True
Constitution defines the role of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary and how they should be formed and by whom.
(c) True
Constitutional setup limits the power of government through dfferent institutions and also talks about the right of citizens.
(d) Not True
The Constitution contains all the values which the institutions have to promote. The Preamble to the Constitution is a shining example of this and states clearly that justice, liberty, equality and fraternity have to be promoted. Secularism has to be followed and socialism and democracy should be the basis of the government.
