Chapter 9: Struggles for Equality

Intext Questions:

Question 1 : What do you think is meant by the expression ‘power over the ballot box’? Discuss.

Answer:

• The expression ‘power over the ballot box’ means all adults in India have the equal right to vote during elections.
• This ‘power over the ballot box’ has been used by the people to elect or replace their representatives.

Question 2 : Can you think of one person in your family, community, village, town, or city whom you respect because of their fight for equality and justice?

Answer:Yes, Mohan, my elder brother in the family, Rameshwari in the community, Aadil in my village, Radhe Shyam in a town nearby my village are few people whom I respect because of their fight for equality and justice.

Question 3 : What issue is the Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) fighting for?

Answer:The Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) is fighting for the rights of the displaced forest dwellers of the Satpura forest in Madhya Pradesh.

Question 4 : Why did villagers set up this organization?

Answer:The villagers set up the Tawa Matsya Sangh to protect their rights to continue fishing for their livelihood.

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

Answer:Yes. The large-scale participation of villagers has contributed to the success of the TMS.
Because of villagers’ participation in protests organized by TMS, the government created a committee that recommended that fishing rights be granted to villagers.
As a result, in 1996, the Madhya Pradesh government decided to give displaced fishing rights of the reservoir to the people.

Question 6 : Can you think of an incident in your life in which one person or a group of people came together to change an unequal situation?

Answer:I can think of one incident in my 6th class. One of my classmates was being harassed by my senior 7th class student Anand then one person from 9th class saw it unfair and rushed to the incident place and gave a serious warning to Anand that he's doing wrong.
He also explained him what is the ethical way of living in society and how to treat the junior people.

Question 7 : What is your favourite line in the song given on page 108?

Answer:My favourite line in the song given on page 108 is ‘My hunger has the right to know Why grain rots in godowns While I don’t even get a fistful of rice’.

Question 8 : What does the poet mean when he says, “My hunger has the right to know”?

Answer:When the poet says, “My hunger has the right to know” he means that his hunger has the right to know why grain rots in godowns.

Question 9 : Can you share with your class a local song or a poem on the dignity that is from your area?

Answer:

DIGNITY

You get dignity,
when you stop thinking wrong,
when you do what you learn right.

you can live dignified,
when you live a lifestyle,
that matches your vision.

you can get dignity,
when you renounce the " ego of individual
" And rejoice ups and downs of life.

There is dignity,
when you have good thoughts,
in your heart and mind.

Question 10 : What role does the Constitution play in people’s struggles for equality?

Answer:

• The Indian Constitution recognises the equality of all persons. This is the reason that movements and struggles for equality in India continuously refer to the Indian Constitution.
• For example, the fish workers in the Tawa Matsya Sangh (TMS) hope that the provisions of the Constitution will become a reality through their participation in the movement for equality.

Question 11 : Can you make up a social advertisement on equality? You can do this in small groups.

Answer:

“This is a public park. We can play here as you play.”

Raghu (a poor boy with his two brothers and one sister) replied to Ranveer (a rich boy).