Question 1.
Citizenship as full and equal membership of a political community involves both rights and obligations. Which rights could citizens expect to enjoy in most democratic state today? What kind of obligation will they have to their state and fellow citizens?
Answer:
Citizenship refers to a full and equal membership of a political community, i.e. a political identity to an individual by its state. A citizen in a democratic state can enjoy the following rights:
- A support and protection from state to travel anywhere in the state.
- Some political rights to vote, to contest elections, to hold public offices, etc.
- Civil rights like freedom of speech and expression.
- Social-economic rights, i.e. equal opportunities, right to education, right to minimum wage, etc.
- Along with the exercise of certain rights the citizens are supposed to fulfill some obligations
also towards state and its fellow citizens as:
- Citizenship involves some obligations towards state and its fellow citizens.
- These obligations are the outcomes of considerations to be inheritors and trustees of culture and natural resources of the country.
- These obligations do not include only the legal obligations provided by the state but these expect some moral obligations to participate, contribute and to share the life of community, etc.
Question 2.
All citizens may be granted equal rights but all may not be able to equally exercise them. Explain.
Answer:
- The full and equal membership refers to all citizens either rich or poor should be granted certain basic rights along with a minimum standard of living by the state. But all of them may not be able to exercise them equally due to poverty, like illiteracy or social -economic conditions, etc.
- As the problem of a large population of slum-dwellers and squatters in urban areas, though they may do some necessary and useful work at low wage’s they may be balanced for straining the resources of the area or to expand crime and diseases.
- The authorities in cities hardly spend any amount on slum dwellers for their betterment. Though some NGOs are taking initiatives for them, i.e. a national policy was also framed in January 2004 on urban street vendors.
- The slum dwellers are also becoming aware of their rights but still, they are not able to exercise even their basic political rights, i.e. right to vote because it requires a permanent address which is not possible for them to provide.
- The other groups are the tribal people and forest-dwellers because these people are dependent on access to their natural resources and they face a threat to their livelihood.
- Governments are struggling with the problem how to protest the problems of tribal people and their habitat without hampering the development of country.
- To ensure equal rights and unities for all citizens cannot be a simple matter for any government. If the purpose is not just to make policies to apply, in the same way but to make people more equal, the different needs and claims of people would have to be taken into account when framing policies.
Question 3.
Write a short note on any two struggles for full enjoyment of citizen rights which have taken place in India in recent years. Which rights were being claimed in each case?
Answer:
- The Constitution of India has made an attempt to provide equal membership to the groups which are different, i.e. Dalits, ST’s, and women, etc.
- Even the efforts have been made to cover some remote communities in Andaman and Nicobar Islands who had little contact with modern civilization.
- The various movements have taken place for the groups mentioned above, i.e. women, SC’s, ST’s, people displaced due to developmental projects of the government and 33% seats have been reserved for all of them.
- In a democratic state, the demands of marginalized people have been negotiated, i.e. 27% reservation has been provided for OBC’s in all educational institutions.
- The women have also demanded the reservation of 33% seats in state legislative assemblies and Lok Sabha.
Question 4.
What are some of the problems faced by refugees? In what ways could the concept of global citizenship benefit them?
Answer:
Refugees face the following problems:
- Inspite of restrictions, and creating fences, considerable migrations of peoples takes place.
- Refugees may be forced to live in camps or illegal migrants.
- People may be displaced by wars or Tsunamis, famine or earthquakes, etc. and no state is willing to accept them and they cannot return to their home state also.
- Refugees cannot work legally or educate their children or acquire property.
- To sort out the problems of refugees, the United Nations has appointed a High Commissioner for refugees to support them.
The concept of universal citizenship has benefited to the refugees:
- It might make it easier to deal with the problems to be extended across national borders.
- It may need cooperative action by the people and government of various states.
- It can find an acceptable solution on the issues of migrants.
- It can ensure some basic rights and protection regardless of the country in which they are living.
Question 5.
Migration of people to different regions within the country is often resisted by the local inhabitants. What are some of the contributions that the migrants could make to the local economy?
Answer:
- Migration takes place from time to time cities, regions or nations.
- If jobs and medical facilities and facilities provided by the state are limited along with natural resources it may restrict the entry of outsiders even in the case of fellow citizens.
- Many similar struggles also have taken place in different parts of the world, i.e. Mumbai for Mumbaikars, etc.
These migrants are supportive to the local economy in the following manner:
- Slum-dwellers contribute to economy through their labour as hawkers, petty traders, plumbers, workers, mechanics, petty traders, etc.
- Migrants perform and do necessary and useful works often at low wages.
- Small business, i.e. tailoring, textile printing, etc. can also be developed in slum areas.
Question 6.
“Democratic citizenship is a project rather than an accomplished fact even in countries like India which grant equal citizenship”. Discuss some of the issues regarding citizenship being raised in India today.
Answer:
- People displaced by war (in 1971 and afterwards from Bangladesh) or famine or internal or external disturbances (from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Burma, Myanmar, etc.). These people were forced to become refugees in their own or neighboring countries.
- India prides itself on providing refuge to the prosecuted people, i.e. Dalai Lama and his followers in 1958 entry of people from neighboring countries has taken place along all the borders of states of India and process continues.
- These may be people from Asia and Africa who provide paid agents to smuggle them into India for terrorist work or for smuggling drugs.
- Many refugees remain stateless for many generations living as an illegal migrants. And only a relatively few are granted citizenship.
- Such problems are a challenge in front of democratic citizenship where the rights and identities should be available to all equally
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