Question 1.
List two Fundamental Rights in the Constitution that Dalits can draw upon to insist that they should be treated with dignity and as equals.
- Right to Equality (1st Fundamental Right).
- Right against Exploitation.
Question 2.
Re-read the story on Rathnam as well as the provisions of the 1989 Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Now list one reason why you think he used this law to file a complaint.
- Rathnam used the law to file a complaint because he was forced to leave the village along with his mother and other members of his family.
- He filed the complaint against the domination and violence of the powerful castes of the village.
Question 3.
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?
The Adivasi activists including C.K Janu believe that Adivasis can also use this 1989 Act to fight dispossession because this Act guarantees the tribals not to be dispossessed from the land and resources forcibly. Their land cannot be sold or bought by non-tribal people. The Constitution also guarantees the right of the tribal people to repossess their land.
Question 4.
The poems and the song in this Unit allow you to see the range of ways in which individuals and communities express their opinions, their anger and their sorrow. In class, do the following two exercises:
(a) Bring to class a poem that discusses a social issue. Share this with your classmates. Work in small groups with two or more poems to discuss their meaning as well as what the poet is trying to communicate.
(b) Identify a marginalised community in your locality. Write a poem, or song, or draw a poster, etc. to express your feelings as a member of this community.
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(a) Frame a poem of your own and do the activity which this question asks you to do.
(b) Yes. Marginalised community in our locality is the scheduled caste community. Now frame a poem or song or draw a poster, etc. to express your feelings as a member of this community.
Hints: A Poster
- An SC member wants to enter a Hindu Temple.
- The Priest asks him not to do so.
- Visitors to the temple belonging to Hindu powerful people beat the SC member and throw him away out of the gate of the temple.