Daily Quiz- 419

Q1. Which of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution specifically protects the rights of minorities to conserve their distinct language, script, or culture?

1. A) Article 19
2. B) Article 25
3. C) Article 29
4. D) Article 32

Q2. The term 'Hindutva' as a political philosophy was most prominently articulated by:

1. A) Mahatma Gandhi
2. B) B.R. Ambedkar
3. C) V.D. Savarkar
4. D) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Q3. In the S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) case, the Supreme Court ruled that:

1. A) States can declare religious emergencies independently
2. B) Secularism is a basic feature of the Constitution
3. C) Cultural nationalism is constitutionally protected
4. D) Minority institutions can receive full state funding

Q4. Which of the following best describes India's model of multiculturalism as envisioned by its Constitution?

1. A) Melting pot — all identities merge into one national identity
2. B) Assimilation — minorities adopt the majority culture
3. C) Mosaic — diverse identities coexist while contributing to a shared civic life
4. D) Segregation — communities develop independently without interaction

Q5. Which movement in medieval India best exemplifies the syncretic tradition of Hindu-Muslim cultural exchange?

1. A) The Arya Samaj Movement
2. B) The Bhakti-Sufi Movement
3. C) The Brahmo Samaj Movement
4. D) The Aligarh Movement

Answers & explanations

Q1. ✅ Answer: C — Article 29

Article 29 grants any section of citizens the right to conserve its distinct language, script, or culture. Article 25 deals with freedom of religion, while Article 30 separately gives minorities the right to establish and administer their own educational institutions.

Q2. ✅ Answer: C — V.D. Savarkar

V.D. Savarkar's 1923 pamphlet Hindutva: Who is a Hindu? laid out the ideological framework of Hindutva, defining a Hindu by geography, race, and culture rather than religion alone. It remains the foundational text of Hindu nationalist political thought.

Q3. ✅ Answer: B — Secularism is a basic feature of the Constitution

This landmark judgment held that secularism is part of the Basic Structure of the Constitution, first established in the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973). The court ruled that a state government acting against secular principles can be validly dismissed under Article 356.

Q4. ✅ Answer: C — Mosaic

India's constitutional vision protects minority cultural rights through Articles 29 and 30, while simultaneously building a shared civic identity through Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. This makes it a mosaic model — diverse pieces retaining their colour while forming one larger picture — rather than a melting pot that demands assimilation.

Q5. ✅ Answer: B — The Bhakti-Sufi Movement

The Bhakti and Sufi movements, represented by saints like Kabir, Mirabai, Bulleh Shah, and Amir Khusrau, transcended religious boundaries through devotional poetry, music, and shared spiritual philosophy. They created a common cultural space that became the very foundation of India's composite and syncretic cultural identity.