CONFRONTING MARGINALISATION

Q.1 Write down the constitutional provisions that gave social justiceagainst discrimination.
Ans: Some of the constitutional provisions that provided social justice against discrimination
are as follows—
I. Article 14: Right to equality
II.Article 15): It prohibits discrimination against any citizen in terms of religion,caste, race
gender, or place of birth.
III. Article 16: It promotes equality in getting an opportunity.
IV. Article 46 promotes education and economic interest of the
lower sections ofthe society
V. Article 17 It bans untouchability and punishes those who practice this offense.
VI. Article 41: It provides security to write, work, get public assistance, andeducational
facilities.
VII. Article 325 and 326: It includes political rights for citizens.

Q2

Q3 On whom did the marginalised groups rely on to protectthemselves from continued

exploitation by other groups?
Ans marginalised groups relied on the constitution of India andthe judiciary system to
protect them from continued exploitation by other groups.

Q 4. how did the act support Rathnam?

Ans the act supported Ratnam by calling of the age old ritual inwhich a member of the dalit
community washed the feet of allthe priest and then to bath in the water used for this on
the occasion of a ceremony head once in 5 years

Q 5. Give an argument in favour of the reservation policy.

Answer: The laws which reserve seats in education and government employment for Dalits
and Adivasis are based on an important argument- that in a society like ours, where for
centuries sections of the population have been denied opportunities to learn and to work in
order to develop new skills or vocations, a democratic government needs to step in and
assist these sections.

Q 6. How does the reservation policy work?

Answer: Governments across India have their own list of Scheduled Castes (or Dalits),
Scheduled Tribes and backward and most backward castes. The central government too has
its list. Students applying to educational institutions and those applying for posts in
government are expected to furnish proof of their caste or tribe status, in the form of caste
and tribe certificates. If a particular Dalit caste or a certain tribe is on the government list,
then a candidate from that caste or tribe can avail of the benefit of reservation.

Q 7. How did the Dalits assert themselves?

Answer

The Dalits asserted themselves and sort the help of law to fight discrimination
• In the late 1970s and 1980s in parts of South India the Dalits asserted themselves by
refusing to perform their so-called caste duties and insisted on being treated equally.
• Adivasi people successfully organised themselves and demanded equal rights, and for their
land and resources to be returned to them.
• Dalit groups demanded new laws that would list the various sorts of violence against Dalits
and prescribe stringent punishment for those who indulge in them.

Q 8. What are the ways in which marginalized communities tried to overcome the
discriminations they faced?

Answer

The marginalized communities tried many ways to overcome the discrimination they faced.
They are:-
• Religious solace
• Armed struggle
• Self improvement
• Education
• Economic progress

Q 9. What are the seven rights stated in the Indian constitution?

Answer

The seven fundamental rights are:

1. Right to equality
2. Right to freedom
3. Right against exploitation
4. Right to freedom of religion
5. Cultural and educational rights
6. Right to constitutional remedies
7. Right to Life and personal liberty.

Q 10 Mention a few crimes listed in the Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989.

Answer

The Prevention of Atrocities Act 1989 lists several levels of crimes. Some of them are

I. Modes of humiliation
• Force a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe to drink or eat any inedible or
obnoxious substance
• Forcibly removes clothes from the person of a member of a Scheduled Caste or a
Scheduled Tribe or parades him or her naked or with painted face or body or commits any
similar act which is derogatory to human dignity

II. Actions that deprive Dalits and Adivasis of their possessions

• wrongfully occupies or cultivates any land owned by, or allotted to, a member of a
Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe or gets the land allotted to him transferred

III. Crimes against Dalit and tribal women

• Assaults or uses force on any woman belonging to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe
with intent to dishonour her.

PICTURE BASED [CASE STUDY]

1. What did the Safai Karamchari Andolan file a PIL in 2003?

Answer

In 1993, the government passed the employment of Manual Scavenger’s and Construction
of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act. This law prohibited the employment of manual scavengers
as well as the construction of dry latrines. So, the Safai Karamchari Andolan filed a PIL in
2003.

2. How did the Act support Rathnam?

Answer

The Act supported Rathnam by calling off the age old ritual in which a member of the Dalit
community washed the feet of all the priests and then took path in the water used for this
on the occasion of a ceremony held once in five years.
Q 11 Write a note on ‘Manual Scavenging’.

Answer

Manual scavenging means doing the scavenging work by hand. Manual scavenging is the
practice of removing human and animal waste or excreta using brooms, tin plates and
baskets from dry latrines and carrying it on the head to the disposal grounds some distance
away. A manual scavenger is the person who does the job of carrying this filth. This job is
mainly done by Dalit women and young girls. Manual scavengers are exposed to subhuman
conditions of work and face serious health hazards. They are constantly exposed to
infections that affect their eyes, skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. They get very
low wages for the work they perform. In 1993, the Government passed the Employment of
Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act. This law prohibits the
employment of manual scavengers as well as the construction of dry latrines.

Q 12 What is Article 15?

Answer: Article 15 of the Constitution notes that no citizen of India shall be discriminated
against on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

Q 13. What is Article 17 of Indian constitution?

Answer: Article 17 of the Constitution states that untouchability has been abolished – what
this means is that no one can henceforth prevent Dalits from educating themselves, entering
temples, using public facilities etc.

Q 14 Why do Adivasi activists, including C.K. Janu, believe that Adivasis can also use this
1989 Act to fight against dispossession? Is there anything specific in the provisions of the
Act that allows her to believe this?
Answer: The 1989 Act is important as Adivasi activists refer to it to defend their right to
occupy land that was traditionally theirs. This Act merely confirms what has already been
promised to tribal people in the Constitution – that land belonging to tribal people cannot
be sold to or bought by non-tribal people. In cases where this has happened, the
Constitution guarantees the right of tribal people to re-possess their land
WORKSHEET

MCQS

Question 1
Which is the Article of Constitution that states that untouchability has been abolished?
(a) Article 16
(b) Article 18
(c) Article 28
(d) Article 17
Answer

Question 2
Who wrote the poem on untouchability?
(a) Poet Chokhamela
(b) Poet Surender Sharma
(c) Poet Maithali Sharan Gupta
(d) Poetess Soyrabai
Answer

Question 3
How does government ensure to end the inequity in the country?
(a) Through laws
(b) Through reservations
(c) Both A and B
(d) None of them
Answer

Question 4
What term means to exclude or banish an individual or a group?
(a) Dalit
(b) S.C.
(c) Ostracise
(d) None of these
Question 5
What do you understand by manual scavenging?
(a) Work of scavenging by machine
(b) Work of scavenging by hand
(c) Work of scavenging by power
(d) None of these
Answer

Question 6
When did the Supreme Court ban the practice of manual scavenging?
(a) 2001
(b) 2002
(c) 2004
(d) 1993
Answer

Question 7
The forest or tribal people living in their aboriginal state the lifestyle are known as
(a) Invoke
(b) Dalits
(c) Adivasis
(d) None of these
Answer

Question 8
Which Act is important for Adivasis?
(a) Act, 1989
(b) Act, 1990
(c) Act, 1991
(d) Act, 1996
Answer

Question 9
Who needs to constantly work to bring equality and dignity for all?
(a) Government
(b) People
(c) None of them
(d) Both of them
Answer

Match the following: Q10

Column A Column B

(а) Untouchability (i) Face to face

 (b) Priest (ii) Work to earn money

(c) Occupation (iii) Scavenging by hand

(d) Confront (iv) Temple

(e) Manual scavenging (v) Not touchability

Answer

Q 11
Column
Column A
B

(i) SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act (a) 2006

(ii) Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry

(b) 2003
Latrines (Prohibition) Act

(iii) PIL filed by Safai Karamchari Andolan (c) 1993

(iv) Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers

(d) 1989
(Recognition of Forest Rights) Act

1. 2
1. There are specific……………. and……….. for the marginalised in our country.
2. Rathnam filed a case in the local police station under the………………..
3. Manual scavengers are exposed to………………..conditions of work and face
serious hazards.
4. The job of manual scavenging is mainly done by………….women and young
girls.
5. The government provides for free or…………………. hostels for students of Dalit
and Adivasi communities.

13 State true or false:

6. Rathnam united with other Dalit families of his village to fight against
discrimination.
7. The reservation policy of the government is for Dalits and Adivasis.
8. Adivasis usually live in or near the forest and mountainous tracts.
9. Kabir was an upper caste Brahmin.