Class 8 Civics Chapter 1 Question Answers - Social and Political Life - III

Q1: What provision has been made by the government to follow religious equality in government spaces, schools and offices?
Ans: In India, government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or promote any one religion. Government schools cannot promote any one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious celebrations.

Q2: How Indian concept of secularism is different from United States?
Ans: There is one significant way in which Indian secularism differs from the dominant understanding of secularism as practised in the United States of America. This is because unlike the strict separation between religion and the State in American secularism, in Indian secularism the State can intervene in religious affairs.

Q3: What is secularism in Indian context?
Ans: The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their religious beliefs and practices as they interpret these. In keeping with this idea of religious freedom for all, India also adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion and the power of the State. Secularism refers to this separation of religion from the State.

Q4: What are the three objectives of a secular State?
Ans: The three objectives of a secular State are:

• One religious community does not dominate another;
• Some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community;
• State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.

Q5: Site some historical examples of discrimination.
Ans: Historical examples of discrimination are:

• Jews were persecuted in Hitler’s Germany.
• Jewish State of Israel treats its own Muslim and Christian minorities quite badly.
• In Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church etc., and nor can they gather in a public place for prayers.

Q6: “The government cannot force Sikhs to wear a helmet while driving two wheelers.” Give reason.
Ans: This is because the Indian State recognises that wearing a pugri (turban) is central to a Sikh’s religious practice and in order not to interfere with this, allows an exception in the law.

Q7: When does discrimination occur?
Ans: Discrimination occurs when members of one religious community either persecute or discriminate against members of other religious communities. These acts of discrimination take place more easily when one religion is given official recognition by the State at the expense of other religions.

Q8: Why government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival?
Ans: The celebration of the religious festival within the school would be a violation of the government’s policy of treating all religions equally. Government schools cannot promote any one religion either in their morning prayers or through religious celebrations. That’s why government schools are not allowed to celebrate religious festival.

Q9: When was law passed by French government banning religious symbols in school? What was its impact?
Ans: In February 2004, France passed a law banning students from wearing any conspicuous religious or political signs or symbols such as the Islamic headscarf, the Jewish skullcap, or large Christian crosses. This law has encountered a lot of resistance from immigrants who are mainly from the former French colonies of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.

Q10: Why is it important to separate religion from the State?
Ans: It is important to separate religion from the State because of the following reasons:

• To prevent the domination of one religion over another.
• To protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, embrace another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently.