Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Social And Political Life Chapter 9

Important Questions Class 7 Social and Political Life Chapter 9

The study of Social and Political Life incorporates social, political and economic life along with the democratic government institutions and functioning.

The ninth chapter of Class 7 Social and Political Life is about“Struggles for Equality”. Students will study the struggles individuals in India have faced in obtaining their right to equality in this chapter. The chapter discusses the causes of inequalities in India as well as some of the well-known movements for equality, including the women’s movement and the Tawa Matsya Sangh. Chapter 9 Class 7 Social and Political Life Important Questions help students to understand the inequality faced by the Dalits, Adivasi and Muslims, how women fought for equality, the formation of Tawa Matsya Sangh and poor man’s struggle for justice and equality. To learn more about the struggles for equality, you may sign up at Extramarks and easily access all this and more..

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Important Questions Class 7 Social and Political Life Chapter 9- with Solutions

Social Science experts at Extramarks have curated an entire list of Important Questions Class 7 Social and Political Life Chapter 9 from different sources. In this chapter, students will get to know more about the challenges people in India have experienced in their struggle to fight for their right to equality. The chapter discusses some of the well-known movements for equality, such as the women’s movement and the Tawa Matsya Sangh, as well as the factors contributing to treatment disparities in India. These questions and solutions help students better comprehend- Struggles for Equality.

Mentioned below are a few Important Questions Class 7 Social and Political Life Chapter 9 and their solutions: 

Question 1. What role does the Constitution play in people’s struggle for equality?

Answer 1. The constitution significantly influences the fight for equality among the people. It makes sure that everyone is treated equally and fairly. Everyone is equal in the eyes of the constitution. No one can be discriminated against because of their religion. . It guarantees that everyone has the same legal rights. It guarantees that everyone has access to fundamental rights.

Question 2. What may the primary causes of inequality in India be?

Answer 2. With a population of over 130 million, India is a rather large nation. The nation has a wide range of distinctions. Language, caste, religion, location, and culture play a significant role in the variances. There are misunderstandings because these individuals do not get along well together. Every individual leads a distinct kind of lifestyle. . These disagreements might occasionally cause a commotion and differences between them. There are several clauses in the Indian constitution designed to address these discrepancies and bring everyone to the same level of equality.

Question 3. What do you think is meant by the expression ‘power over the ballot box? Discuss.

Answer 3. The ability to cast a ballot represents the power of the general public, who have access to the right to vote in every election.

They are any nation’s true source of power as it creates a feeling of equality between them. Without a doubt, they control the government and how the system functions.

Question 4. How does the constitution help individuals exercise their basic rights?

Answer 4.  The Indian constitution is a collection of laws created for the welfare of Indian citizens. . Legislative, executive and judicial power are the three pillars of Indian democracy.  The Indian Constitution, which guarantees the inhabitants of India their fundamental rights,  functions with three branches of the Indian constitution.

The main feature of a democracy is that people have the power to elect their leader, right to vote, it guarantees equality to all citizens and forces the government to take action on many social issues for instance the success of Tawa Matsya Sangh is one example. People contribution to equality can be achieved through social movement as well as creative ways such as songs, poems, literary work to fight for equality.

Question 5. Do you think that the large-scale participation contributed to the success of the TMS? Write two lines on why you think so.

Answer 5. The government developed a committee to examine the matter in response to The Tawa Matsya Sangh(TMS) widespread objections due to the displacement of people. The committee suggested giving the locals fishing rights so they could support themselves. The Madhya Pradesh government decided to grant fishing privileges for the reservoir to those displaced by the Tawa dam in 1996. Two months later, a five-year leasing arrangement was signed.

People from 33 Tawa villages rang in the new year, with the first catch on January 2, 1997. The TMS took over the fish, and the workers could boost their pay significantly. Thus, it can be claimed that the villagers’ widespread protest drove the government to reassess the situation in their favour because they came up with a solution that was in favour of all parties.

Question 6. Describe the Indian Constitution in terms of a living document.

Answer 6.  Considering the Indian Constitution as a living document. It has following features: 

  • The underlying principle of all movements for justice, motivation, and all poetry and songs on equality is an acceptance of human equality.
  • The Indian Constitution affirms the equality of every individual.
  • To argue for equality and justice for everyone, movements and fights for equality in India sometimes use the Indian constitution.This is the core of the struggle for equality in democracy
  • The Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS), a group of fish workers, hopes to make the Constitution’s provisions a reality through their involvement in this campaign.
  • By referring to it frequently, they utilise the Constitution as a “living document” or something that has practical significance in our daily lives.
  • In a democracy, groups and individuals are constantly working to broaden the concept of democracy and promote equality on both old and new concerns. It promotes equality and ensures the dignity and self-respect of every individual.

Question 7. What issue is Tawa Matsya Sangh fighting for?

Answer 7. Private contractors received permission from the government to fish in the Tawa reservoir in 1994. After driving the locals away, these contractors intimidated those who remained by sending in hoodlums.

The villagers came to a consensus that it was time to organise an organisation and take action to defend their rights. They established the Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS), which organised protests and rallies in support of their desire to be able to protect their rights and continue  fishing for their livelihood.

Question 8. How did Tawa Matsya Sangh accomplish its mission of fishing right?

Answer 8. The Tawa Matsya Sangh accomplished their fishing right by following methods: :

A Chakka jam (road roadblock) was organised by the recently established Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) to demand the right to continue fishing as a source of income.

  • The government established a committee in response to their objections.
  • The committee suggested giving the locals fishing rights so they could support themselves.
  • A five-year lease was agreed upon.
  • The fish workers significantly raised their wages when the TMS took over because they established a cooperative that fairly compensated them for their catch.
  • This is transported by the cooperative and sold in markets where they may sell it for a profit.
  • They started earning more money.
  • Additionally, the TMS has started providing loans to the fishermen for net replacement and maintenance.
  • The TMS has demonstrated that when people’s organisations receive their rights to livelihood, they can be effective managers by managing to earn greater pay while maintaining the fish in the reservoir.

Question 9. Why did the villagers set up this organisation?

Answer 9. The villagers established this organisation to safeguard their way of life and their land. They also intended to draw attention to the government to fight for their right to continue fishing to support their livelihood.

Question 10. How did the Tawa Matsya Sangh come to be?

Answer 10. Tawa Matsya Sangh’s establishment:

  • The Mahadeo hills in the Chindwara district are where the Tawa River originates..
  • Before joining the Narmada in Hoshangabad, it passes through Betul.
  • The construction of the Tawa dam started in 1958 and was finished in 1978.
  • Large tracts of woodland and farmland were inundated.
  • The inhabitants of the forest were left with nothing.
  • Some of the displaced individuals made settlements around the reservoir.
  • In addition to their meagre crops, they also found work in fishing.
  • They were paid poorly.
  • The government gave private contractors permission to fish in the Tawa reservoir in 1994.
  • These contractors evicted the locals to get inexpensive labour from elsewhere.
  • They started using unfair means to intimidate the residents, who resisted and were forced to leave.
  • The villagers came together and decided to form an organisation and take action to defend their rights. The Tawa Matsya Sangh was subsequently founded. .

Question 11. How do some individuals strive to destroy inequality in society?

Answer 11. Following are some methods  individuals use  to abolish inequality:

  • Certain individuals are well-known and revered for their efforts in the struggle for equality worldwide—in every hamlet, village, city, and town.
  • These individuals protested the discriminatory conduct that they experienced or saw.
  • They are trusted because they respect everyone and treat them with dignity and respect.
  • They are asked to help the neighbourhood with problems.
  • Because they have the support of many people who have come together to fight a specific issue, these individuals frequently gain more recognition.
  • People have united to fight for causes they deem essential in several conflicts in India.
  • Women founded the women’s movement to address the issues of inequality.
  • Another example of individuals united to fight for a cause is the Tawa Matsya Sangh in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
  • Agricultural labourers, slum residents, beedi workers, fishermen, and other groups are also engaged in similar battles for justice in various ways.
  • Cooperatives and other collective initiatives to give people more control over resources are also being formed in large numbers.

Question 12. Why does the voting booth’s sense of equality not enter most people’s lives?

Answer 12. The majority of people’s lives do not reflect the sense of equality that the voting booth offers. This is due to various reasons. They are as follows: 

  • Most impoverished individuals, like Kanta, Hakim Sheikh, and Aman, find it challenging to get high-quality treatment due to the growing privatisation of healthcare services and the underfunding of public institutions.
  • A small juice vendor lacks the financial means to compete with all the big businesses that market their branded products through expensive advertising.
  • Farmers like Swapna must borrow money from the dealers to cultivate their crops since they lack the resources to grow cotton. They are compelled to sell their cotton for less as a result.
  • Melani, like the millions of domestic workers employed nationwide, is compelled to put up with the abuse and tribulations of her job because she lacks the means to support herself.

Question 13. What is recognised by the Indian Constitution? What does it state?

Answer 13. The Indian Constitution recognises the following :

  • All Indians are recognised as being equal before the law by the Indian constitution.
  • It declares that no one may be subjected to discrimination based on religion, sex, caste, or wealth.
  • Election voting rights are equal for all adults in India.
  • People can utilise this “power over the vote box” to elect or oust their representatives.

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Q.1 What is environmentalism?

Ans

Environmentalism emerged as a revolt against industrialisation in 19th century . Environmentalism is a social and political theory that advocates environment conservation and demands action to conserve the environment.
Today, environmental movements have become a world-wide phenomenon with thousands of environmental groups pressurising the government to modify developmental policies.

Q.2 What are some of the creative methods used by groups struggling for equality?

Ans

While some people join protest movements to fight inequality, others use their pen, or their voice, or their ability to dance to draw attention to issues of inequality. Writers, singers, artists and dancers have all made their contribution in fighting inequalities in society. Often poems, songs and stories are written to inspire people and make them join the cause.

Q.3 Why has our Constitution provided special privileges to the weaker sections of the society?

Ans

Our Constitution provides some special privileges to protect the interests of certain weaker sections of the society, who have been historically marginalised.

For instance, the Scheduled Castes (Dalits) and the Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis) have been given some special privileges. Some seats are reserved in government educational institutions and public employment for these sections. Also during the election some seats are reserved for the representative of the Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes (Dalits) and Tribes (Adivasis).

Q.4 How does the Constitution of India establish the Social Equality in India?

Ans

(i) Indian Constitution states that there shall not be any discrimination against a citizen on grounds of religion, sex, caste, colour or religion.
(ii) The same article provides that all the citizens shall have equal access to the public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment, etc.
(iii) However, nothing in this article shall prevent the state from making any special provision for women and children.

Q.5 What do you mean by the expression ‘power over the ballot box’? Discuss.

Ans

India is a democratic country. Every person of 18 years or above has the right to vote without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed and religion. They practise their right to vote during elections and this power over the ballot box is used by the people to elect or to replace their representatives.
The ballot box provides for political equality, because the vote of one person is as good as that of another.

Q.6 What role does the constitution play in people’s struggle for equality?

Ans

The Constitution is the source of our fundamental rights. Movements and struggles for equality in India continously refer to the Indian Cosntitution to make their point about equality and justice for all. Right to livelihood forms part of right to life. This right was denied to fishworkers of the Tawa region, who made it the rallying point in their struggle for equality.

Q.7 What issue was the Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) fighting for?

Ans

The Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) was fighting of local people for fishing rights in Tawa reservoir. Their demand was to let them continue fishing for their livelihood. They won their struggle in 2-01-1997, when the government decided to give the people displaced by Tawa Dam the fishing rights for the reservoir.

Q.8 How can we protect the rights of tribal people with regard to environment?

Ans

We can protect the rights of the tribal people, firstly, by giving the local community the right to forest management. Secondly, by making forest diversion and afforestation subject to a democratic process, including the consent of the local community as recommended by the standing committee on environment and forests.

Q.9 Define Displacement.

Ans

Displacement refers to forced removal of people from their original habitat, which results in loss of livelihood and increases impoverishment. People may be displaced due to war, cosntruction of mega dams, conversion of forests into wildlife sanctuaries.

Q.10 What is the constitution?

Ans

The constitution is a body of law by which a country is governed. It lays down the basic rules and regulations for people and the government in the country to follow. All the institutions of the government derive their powers from the Constitution.

Q.11Name two environmental struggles from India.

Ans

a) Chipko movement to protect the Himalayan forests.
b) Beej Bachao Andolan in Uttarakhand.

Q.12 How can gender equality be improved in schools?

Ans

Indian Government is focused primarily on increasing female access and enrollment in schools by providing provisions like transport facility to school, giving scholarship to girls, providing free mid-day meal etc. These efforts have resulted in greater number of enrolment of girls in schools. However, gender equality in school education is yet not achieved. Gender equality can be improved at school if –
I. the school becomes a place where girls and boys feel safe.
II. every student, whether a boy or girl, is respected and valued.
III. the school recognises values of educating girls and is committed to practices that reflect gender equality.
IV. all students have an access to effective and rewarding education.
V. girl students should be given equal opportunities to participate in events conducted by schools.

Q.13 Why did the villagers set up Tawa Matsya Sangh?

Ans

In 1994, the government gave the rights for fishing in the Tawa River to private contractors. The contractors drove local people away and got cheap labour from outside. The villagers stood united and decided to set up an organisation to protect their rights. The newly formed Tawa Matsya Sangh organised rallies and road blockade, demanding their rights to continue their fishing right in Tawa reservoir for their livelihood. Finally, a committee set up by the government recommended that fishing rights should be granted to the villagers for their livelihood.

Q.14 Define ballot box.

Ans

It is a box where voters deposit their marked ballot. Ballot is the paper on which the voters indicate their choice of candidate/political party.

Q.15 What was the method of protest adopted by the Narmada Bachao Andolan?

Ans

Narmada movement led by Medha Patkar adopted non-violent and peaceful methods of resistance like ‘jal samadhi’ and fasting.

Q.16 How did the Tawa Matsya Sangh put pressure on the government to redress their problem?

Ans

The Tawa Matsya Sangh organised rallies and chakka jam (road blockade), demanding their right to continue fishing for their livelihood.

Q.17 When is World Environment Day celebrated?

Ans

World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.

Q.18 Where do all the movements, poems and songs draw their inspiration from?

Ans

All the movements, poems and songs draw their inspiration from a point that all people are equal.

Q.19 Name any two leaders of the Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Ans

Baba Amte and Medha Patkar led the Narmada movement. Both were honoured with Right to Livelihood Award in 1991.

Q.20 Highlight two issues of inequality from Indian society.

Ans

The two issues that pose a challenge to the idea of equality in India are – privatisation of health services and increasing control of business houses on the media.

Q.21 How can dignity and self respect of each and every person be realised?

Ans

The dignity and self-respect of each person can be realised if they have adequate resources to support and nurture their families and if they are not discriminated against.

Q.22 What was the impact of building of Tawa dam on the life of the locals?

Ans

The Tawa dam was built between 1958 and 1978. It submerged large areas of forest and agricultural land. The forest dwellers were left with no means of livelihood. Large number of people were displaced.

Q.23 Give a successful example of local people’s struggle for equality.

Ans

One successful example of local people’s struggle for equality is the struggle led by Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) – a federation of fish worker’s cooperatives. TMS fought for the rights of the displaced forest dwellers of the Satpura forest in MP. Through the efforts of the TMS, the local people became managers of local resources.

Q.24 Name one organisation seeking equal rights for dalits.

Ans

The National Conference of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) is a growing movement of grass-root dalit organisations. It is active in Bihar, MP, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and UP.

Q.25 Which government body is responsible for formulating policies for the adivasis/tribes in India?

Ans

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs is the nodal Ministry for the overall policy, planning and coordination of programmes for development of Scheduled Tribes.

Q.26 Name a political party of the dalits in India?

Ans

A popular political party of the dalits in India is the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Its current president is Mayawati and the base of the party is Uttar Pradesh.

Q.27 What is a cooperative?

Ans

A cooperative is an organisation formed by a group of individuals for mutual benefits. There are cooperatives of farmers, fish-workers and rural women.

Q.28 What is people’s jury?

Ans

People’s jury is a jury made up of common people who are sworn in to give justice based on the evidences produced. It is entrusted with the task of resolving conflicts, in order to reach a consensus.

Q.29 When was the last census conducted in India?

Ans

The census of India is conducted every 10 years. The last census was conducted in 2011.

Q.30 Define census.

Ans

Census is an official count or survey, especially of a population.

Q.31 State two causes for displacement of rural population in India.

Ans

When dams are built or forest areas declared sanctuaries for animals, thousands of people are displaced. Whole villages are uprooted and people are forced to live elsewhere.

Q.32 Give two examples of successful cooperative societies from India.

Ans

(a) Amul – A cooperative in Gujarat was formed in 1946 and is one of the oldest and successful dairy cooperatives.(b) Mother Diary is a cooperative formed in 1974.

Q.33 Why are people treated unequally in our society?

Ans

Poverty, discrimination on the basis of caste, religion, sex and lack of resources continue to be key reasons for inequality in Indian society.

Q.34 What was the point that contributed to the success of Tawa Matsya Sangh?

Ans

The success of Tawa Matsya Sangh is attributed to community cooperation and oneness. Through their combined efforts, the forest dwellers were successful in putting pressure on the government and regaining their right to livelihood.

Q.35 What is an ideal model of development?

Ans

An ideal model of development is the one that is sustainable, equitable, ecologically sensitive and democratic, based on meaningful participation of all groups in the society.

Q.36 Define Right to Livelihood.

Ans

Right to Livelihood means that every individual must have a means of earning a living. This right is an important part of right to life, since basic conditions of life – food, shelter and clothing are available only if a person is economically stable.

Q.37 What are the advantages of forming cooperatives?

Ans

People form cooperatives to pursue their common interest. They help the members to meet their common socio-economic and cultural needs. Cooperatives are democratically governed as every member is treated equally. They may be supported and organised by the government to generate employment and reduce exploitation of labour.

Q.38 Name any two anti-mining movements from India.

Ans

Mining in recent times has become an important environmental issue.
(a) Protest against the mining project of Vedanta Alumina Limited (VAL) in Niyamgiri hills of South Orissa.
(b) POSCO Pratirodh Sanghrsa Samiti (Anti-POSCO People’s Movement) by the tribes in Orissa. POSCO is an integrated steel, mining and port project.

Q.39 What does Right to Information mean?

Ans

Right to Information is a law enacted by the Parliament of India in 2005 to provide a system for citizens to access information or records from public authorities. The act applies to whole of India including Jammu and Kashmir (came into force on 20 March 2009).

Q.40 State the success of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA).

Ans

NBA gave impetus to several anti-dam movements across the country. The point made by the NBA about right to rehabilitation was recognised by the government and the judiciary. As a result, a National Rehabilitation Policy was formulated by the government in 2003.

Q.41 Name two environmental movements led by women.

Ans

Two successful environmental movements that gained international recognition are – Chipko Movement (women tree huggers) in Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand and Green Belt Movement led by Waagari Mathai in Kenya. Both the movements aimed at environmental restoration by saving the trees.

Q.42 List the challenges faced by beedi workers.

Ans

In India, majority of beedi workers are women. Unhygienic conditions of work and constant inhaling of tobacco causes health hazards such as TB, cancer and skin diseases.

Q.43 Mention two recent initiatives aimed at speedy justice in India.

Ans

(a) Mediation centres can play a crucial role in speeding justice to common people. It will not only solve the problem but also save valuable time, energy and resources.

(b) E-court initiatives such as e-filing at Supreme Court, online case status, online judgments and online case lists have started, but e-court initiative still has a long way to go.

Q.44 What is a rehabilitation or relocation policy?

Ans

It is a policy framed for the people displaced due to varied reasons like dam construction, mining, environmental disasters and war. The policy aims to resettle displaced groups with proper habitat and livelihood sources with good health and education facilities.

Q.45 Discuss Chipko’s ecological policy.

Ans

Chipko movement began in 1970s in Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. The movement was launched against rapid deforestation in the region. Chipko’s ecological policy has three features:
(a) To preserve natural forests.
(b) Chipko declares water to be the main product of forests.
(c) Chipko advocates local community power over forest management.

Q.46 What are the challenges faced by indigenous people as a result of development?

Ans

Indigenous people are the original inhabitants of an area. These include native people and tribals. They are forest dwellers and their economic livelihood and cultural practices depend on the forest. Development has affected the lives of indigenous people in the following ways:
(a) Destruction of valuable agrarian land due to construction of dams and industry.
(b) Deforestation to extract timber has led to the destruction of forest resources that are of high economic and cultural importance to the indigenous people. Loss of land and forest means the loss of livelihood for these people.

Q.47 Name an organisation of the farmers in India and highlight the issues raised by them.

Ans

Bharatiya Kisan Union is an organisation working for protecting the interests of farmers. The BKU protested against anti-farmer policies of the Indian government. The union protested against:
(a) the withdrawal of minimum support price for most of the commodities.
(b) the setting up of private mandis by multinational companies.
(c) government approval for acquisition of agricultural land for industries.

Q.48 How did the government react to the protest led by Tawa Matsya Sangh?

Ans

In response to Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) protests, the government created a committee to address the issue. The committee recommended that fishing rights be granted to the villagers for their livelihood. In 1996, Madhya Pradesh government decided to give fishing rights for the reservoir to the people displaced by the Tawa dam.

Q.49 For the economically poor in India, the right to vote only exists in principle, not in practice. Why?

Ans

The right to vote of the poor has been taken away by force or material incentives at the time of elections. Sometimes, the poor are not allowed to vote. At other times, their votes may be cast by someone else. And in some situations, their votes are purchased. Reality does not conform to the principle of one-person-one-vote. The poor do not have the power and resources to assert their rights.

Q.50 Why is the Indian constitution called a ‘living document’?

Ans

The Indian Constitution is referred as a ‘living document’ as it has been termed as something that has real meaning in our lives. The Indian Constitution is also a living document because it is dynamic in nature, open to interpretations and has ability to respond to the changing circumstances. The provision for amendment makes our Constitution a “living document”. Amendment of the Constitution is the process of making changes to the Constitution by due process of law.

Q.51 Discuss the success of Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS).

Ans

Under the leadership of TMS, the fish workers were able to increase their earnings. This was because they set up the cooperative which would buy the catch from them at a fair price. The cooperative also arranged for transport facility and selling goods in the market at a fair price. The TMS also began giving the fish workers loans for repair and buying of new nets. By managing to earn a higher wage as well as preserving fishing rights in the reservoir, the TMS proved that when people’s organisations get their right to livelihood, they can be good managers.

Q.52 ‘In a democracy, there are always communities and individuals trying to expand the idea of democracy and push for a greater recognition of equality……’ Discuss.

Ans

The equality that the ballot box provides does not extend to most people’s lives. Poverty and lack of control over resources continue to be a key reason for inequality. Tribes are one such group who are victims of unequal treatment. Tribes are often evicted from their traditional habitat and displaced. This not only results in loss of shelter but also loss of livelihood. With increasing industrialisation, mining activities by private sector leading to deforestation and environmental degradation, the community life and culture of tribes are threatened. They have waged various struggles to seek equal rights, but with no success.

Q.53 How did the Supreme Court restore the rights of slum dwellers?

Ans

In 1985, a petition was filed against the Bombay Municipal Corporation for the rights of slum dwellers. The petition claimed the right to live on pavements or in slums because there was no alternative accommodation available close to their place of work. The petition argued that if the slum dwellers were forced to move, they would lose their livelihood as well. The Supreme Court said that “Article 21 of the constitution which guaranteed the Right to Life included the Right to Livelihood” and therefore, slum dwellers could not be removed without proper rehabilitation.

Q.54 How does population census help the government in policy formulation?

Ans

Population census helps to know the number of people across different regions (rural and urban), religions, languages and sex ratio. This information guides the government in policy making. For example, if a particular region has large rural population and the main economic activity is industry, the people there will not be able to benefit from industrial development as they may not have the required skills to work. Thus in such a region, government should launch vocational colleges and industrial training programs.

Q.55 Who exercises power over the ballot box in India and how?

Ans

India is world’s largest democracy. People’s participation is central to representative democracy practiced in India. The government is elected by the people at regular intervals and acts in accordance with people’s will. If the government is unresponsive, corrupt and inefficient, people can vote it out. So, in India it is the people who exercise power over the ballot box.

However, participation of people in democratic governance is still not impressive in India. The average voter’s turnout in 2009 general elections was only 59.7%.

Q.56 Do you think that protests and struggles should be banned as they lead to disruption?

Ans

Right to protest is an aspect of freedom of expression guaranteed in our Constitution. Citizens are free to influence public opinion and government policies by holding demonstrations, using the media, appealing to political parties. While protests as a means of venting grievances may be permitted under law, disrupting public services by blocking traffic are not justified. Freedom of expression is not without limits, no one shall encroach on the freedom and rights of others. If a public protest in a city turns violent, it may conflict with the freedom of movement of others who are restricted to travel or move in their city freely.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

There are several struggles for equality, as detailed in the chapter. Numerous injustices and inequalities exist in Indian society due to poverty and prejudice. In reality , there were numerous calls for equality and fair treatment from marginalised groups and communities not only in India, even across the world. Women’s rights movements call for gender equality and work to eradicate all types of discrimination against women. Similarly, Indian fishermen have established cooperatives to protest  against the government choices and policies that endanger their way of life. To get a better hold of this concept, students can refer to Extramarks Important Questions Class 7 Social and Political Life Chapter 9.

The study of the significance of equality and the many fights for equality are covered in Chapter 9 of Social Science Civics Class 7—Struggles for Equality. The chapter covers poverty, lack of privilege, and prejudice as the main reasons  for social inequality. Even though the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to equality, it has not yet been fully implemented. The chapter dives deeply into the campaigns and battles to advance equality, including the efforts for women’s rights, fishermen’s rights, and agricultural labourers’ rights. To learn  more about this particular chapter, students can refer to Extramarks Important Questions Class 7 Social and Political Life Chapter 9.