Read the passage and answer the questions:
India’s response to the regional aspirations.
In studying the Indian Constitution and the process of nation-building we have repeatedly come across one basic principle of the Indian approach to diversity - the Indian nation shall not deny the rights of different regions and linguistic groups to retain their own culture. We decided to live a united social life without losing the distinctiveness of the numerous cultures that constituted it. Indian nationalism sought to balance the principles of unity and diversity. The nation would not mean the negation of the region. In this sense the Indian approach was very different from the one adopted in many European countries where they saw cultural diversity as a threat to the nation. India adopted a democratic approach to the question of diversity. Democracy allows the political expressions of regional aspirations and does not look upon them as anti-national. Besides, democratic politics allows parties and groups to address the people on the basis of their regional identity, aspiration and specific regional problems. Thus, in the course of democratic politics, regional aspirations get strengthened. At the same time, democratic politics also means that regional issues and problems will receive adequate attention and accommodation in the policy making process.
What does the Indian nation not deny?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → The rights of different regions and linguistic groups to retain their own culture.
Option (1) The right to impose emergency in states where constitutional failure takes place. — Incorrect. Emergency is a power the Union uses over a state, while the passage is about the rights the nation leaves to regions and linguistic groups: the right to keep their own culture.
Option (2) The right to a region to use its vernacular language as the only official language of the state. — Incorrect. The right the passage names is to retain their own culture. Keeping one’s culture does not mean shutting out every other language; the Indian approach seeks a united social life in which many cultures live together.
Option (3) The rights of different regions and linguistic groups to retain their own culture. — Correct. The Indian nation shall not deny the rights of different regions and linguistic groups to retain their own culture.
Option (4) The right to secede from India when a plebiscite decides on it. — Incorrect. Secession would break the nation, while the Indian approach is to live a united social life without losing the distinct cultures; it balances unity and diversity and grants no right to leave.
NCERT (2025-26): “Indian approach … In studying the Indian Constitution and the process of nation-building we have repeatedly come across one basic principle of the Indian approach to diversity – the Indian nation shall not deny the rights of different regions and linguistic groups to retain their own culture. We decided to live a united social life without losing the distinctiveness of the numerous cultures that constituted it. Indian nationalism sought to balance the principles of unity and diversity. The nation would not mean the negation of the region. In this sense the Indian approach was very different from the one adopted in many European countries where they saw cultural diversity as a threat to the nation. India adopted a democratic approach to the question of diversity. Democracy allows the political expressions of regional aspirations and does not look upon them as anti-national. Besides, democratic politics allows parties and groups to address the people on the basis of their regional identity, aspiration and specific regional problems. Thus, in the course of democratic politics, regional aspirations get strengthened. At the same time, democratic politics also means that regional issues and problems will receive adequate attention and accommodation in the policy making process.” |