Since the security of the individual is a basic human right (and a fundamental condition of the social contract underpinning society), the protection of individuals is a fundamental obligation of the state. In recent years, however, the measures adopted by states to counter terrorism have themselves sometimes been found wanting in terms of compliance with human rights norms. The means and methods adopted by the state have posed serious challenges to human rights and the rule of law, and often this is on account of the zeal of the law-enforcement agencies to give a commensurate response to the terrorists.
The state cannot legitimately respond by resorting to mechanisms that overstep the limits of the law.
Thus, a reason why it is important for the state to ensure that none of its measures transgresses the limits of the law is any transgression may have the effect of eroding both its legitimacy and the rule of law, thereby fomenting further unrest and erosion of faith in the Constitution. In the name of combating extremism, repressive measures are also used to stifle the voice of human rights activists, advocates, minorities, indigenous groups, journalists and civil society. There is another dimension: by being able to build up a perception of threat, the state may be able to get away with channeling
the funds normally allocated to social programmes towards strengthening the police force and the army. The talked-up threat perception of terrorism (and a few 'encounters') may well be used to justify the acquisition of more weapons. As Professor Simon Bronitt of Australian National University has summed up, "… there is almost a new genus of law: post 9/11 law. Although 9/11 has become
a significant force in justifying these laws, the truth is that there is an element of opportunism (by some law-enforcement and state agencies) behind these claims of necessity for new powers and offences". While militarization and the strengthening of police forces are important in their own right, it is equally necessary to understand the genuineness of the 'security reasons' presented by the state as a ground for abridgment of human rights, many of which are fundamental. Frisking, for example, which used to be considered a grave intrusion upon one's privacy at one point of time, is today normalized and we are all fine with being frisked everywhere.
Little or no attention is paid to the true causes of resorting to violent methods. It is as if the deafening sound of explosions and landmines is used to attract the attention of the state to existential realities. There are grim realities of existence as tribals in this country, and the unfortunate aspect is that their unheard voices fail to make a din in the power corridors. From their perspective, extremism, violence and terrorism become a means to attract the attention of the state. Governments have been non-responsive to peaceful protests and have, in fact, come down heavily on peaceful protesters as they did at India Gate when they relentlessly beat up women protesting in the aftermath of last December's gang rape in Delhi. The state turns a blind eye to the violence committed by state actors, or private actors in connivance with state actors, which results in irreversible psychological damage.
1. What, according to Professor Bronitt, is true about post 9/11 law?
1) This law is a must to counter terrorism.
2) Some law-enforcement agencies as well as state agencies use this law as a shield against their misdeeds.
3) This law has become obsolete now.
4) This law is effective not only in the USA but also in many other European countries.
5) None of these
2. Which of the following is/are true about the measures adopted by the states to counter terrorism?
A) In a civilized society like ours there is no justification for an eye for an eye.
B) The state governments are compelled to take stern action against the terrorists because in absence of that they will engulf the entire democratic set-up of the states.
C) The means and methods adopted by the state have posed serious challenges to human rights on account of the overenthusiastic and repressive attitude of the law enforcement agencies.
1) A, B and C
2) Only A
3) Only B
4) Only C
5) Only B and C
3. Why is it important for the state to ensure that none of its mechanisms crosses the specified limit?
1) Because in absence of any control, there is a fear that the concerned agency will erode both its legitimacy and the rule of law.
2) Because a state is bound to maintain law and order within its territory.
3) There will be complete chaos and unrest in the society and people will lose faith in the Constitution if the state lets the mechanism act freely.
4) Only 1 & 2
5) Only 1 & 3
4. What do the States usually do in the name of combating terrorism?
A) The states usually use repressive measures to suppress the voice human rights activists,
advocates and civil society.
B) The state more often than not diverts funds allocated to social programmes towards strengthening the police force and army by creating a perception of threat among the people.
C) In the name of threat of terrorism they justify the acquisition of more weapons.
1) A, B and C
2) A and B
3) B and C
4) A and C
5) Only A
5. Which of the following is/are the most appropriate reason(s) for turning the tribals into extremists?
1) Their wild natured & illiteracy
2) The violence and cruelty inflicted on them by the police
3) Depriving them of their right to live in the woods
4) The non-responsive attitude of the state government towards their genuine demands
5) All the above
Directions (Q. No. 6 - 7): Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning to the word given in bold as used in the passage.
6. Aftermath
1) Cause
2) Result
3) Consequences
4) Conclusion
5) Event
7. Abridgement
1) Elongation
2) Stretch
3) Enhancement
4) Deduction
5) Retaliation
Directions (Q. No. 8 - 10): Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage.
8. Transgression
1) Infringement
2) Violation
3) Conversion
4) Movement
5) Slip
9. Indigenous
1) Intrinsic
2) Inherent
3) Natural
4) Assiduous
5) Native
10. Grave
1) Inscribe
2) Sculpture
3) Serious
4) Burial
5) Graveyard
Directions (Q. No. 11 - 20): Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical or
idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence, the number of that part is the answer.
If there is 'No error', the answer is (5). Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.
11. For them, running the team is a business and (1)/ they are driven by profit and aren't obliged (2)/ to have the larger goods (3)/ of the game at heart. (4)/ No error (5)
12. Initiation and assessment of development projects are done (1)/ most by those who see the exercise (2)/ as purely economic in nature - profit and loss (3)/ in money terms. (4)/ No error (5)
13. The employees of the grounded Kingfisher Airlines, who were (1) / on a hunger strike, called it up last evening (2),/ though airline chairman Vijay Mallya expressed his inability (3)/ to pay up salary arrears. (4)/ No error (5)
14. Rajneesh was in the middle (1)/ of a telephone conversation, but broke off (2)/ to say goodbye to her daughter(3)/ who was just leaving. (4)/ No error (5)
15. This car is going (1)/ so much better since (2)/ the mechanic had (3)/ tuned the engine up. (4)/ No error (5)
16. When they reached Sheela's house, (1)/ Shekhar read out the instructions (2)/ on the box carefully and (3)/ the dyeing process begun. (4)/ No error (5)
17. When there was no answer (1)/ he took out a cluster of keys, (2)/ found the right one, and (3)/ let himself into the house. (4)/ No error (5)
18. The very existence of National Security Agency (NSA) (1)/ was not revealed for more than two decades (2)/ after its establishment and even now (3)/ its structure and activities remain largely unknown. (4)/ No error (5)
19. Perhaps no other chain of events in the recent (1)/ past has had a more direct (2)/ and substantial impact on the life of human beings (3)/ across the world than acts of terror. (4)/ No error (5)
20. Study establishes that (1)/ absolute deprivation by (2)/ the state has a (3)/ psychological impact on its people. (4)/ No error (5)
Directions (Q. No. 21 - 30): In the following passage, some of the words have been left out, each of which is indicated by a number. Find the suitable word from the options given against each number and fill up the blanks with appropriate words to make the paragraph meaningfully complete.
Virendra Singh Randhawa alias Vindoo Dara Singh claimed police were not ___ (21) some politicians and their sons who ___ (22) IPL bets. The IPL betting racket suspect, granted bail, spoke briefly to media on his way out of the Mumbai Police Crime Branch ___ (23), where he had gone to record his attendance as per his bail condition. Vindoo said, "If you want to stop betting in India, ___(24) hold of bookies and not people who bet. I think they __(25) committed ___(26) crime, but because of this, you get interrogated for ___ (27). There are so many politicians and their sons who place bets. Why don't they (the police) catch them?" Speaking ___ (28) Rajasthan Royals owner Raj Kundra, who was questioned by the Delhi Police, Vindoo said, "Raj Kundra is also my friend, I know him very well. He is a very nice ___(29)." Vindoo said he knew a lot of cricketers, and was friends with many but had never ___(30) to them about cricket.
21. 1) searching 2) exploring 3) verifying 4) discussing 5) probing
22. 1) played 2) placed 3) kept 4) involved 5) enjoyed
23. 1) head offices 2) headquarters 3) zone 4) area 5) officers
24. 1) tighten 2) bring 3) arrest 4) catch 5) intercept
25. 1) hadn't 2) haven't 3) didn't 4) never 5) nevertheless
26. 1) any 2) some 3) the 4) little 5) a few
27. 1) none 2) so much 3) so long 4) uselessly 5) harassment
28. 1) on 2) for 3) against 4) to 5) about
29. 1) bookie 2) people 3) citizen 4) man 5) public
30. 1) spoken 2) talked 3) whispered 4) mumbled 5) screeched
1) 2; 2) 4; 3) 5; 4) 1;
5) 4; 6) 1; 7) 3; 8) 2;
9) 5; 10) 3; 11) 3; 12) 2;
13) 2; 14) 5; 15) 3; 16) 4;
17) 2; 18) 1; 19) 5; 20) 1;
21) 5; 22) 2; 23) 2; 24) 4;
25) 2; 26) 1; 27) 3; 28) 5;
29) 4; 30) 1.
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