Which of the following Fundamental Rights is available only to citizens of India and not to foreigners?
- A.Equality before law (Article 14)
- B.Protection of life and personal liberty (Article 21)
- C.The six freedoms of speech, assembly, movement and others (Article 19)
- D.Freedom of religion (Article 25)
Show answer
Correct answer: C. The six freedoms of speech, assembly, movement and others (Article 19)
Explanation
The correct answer is the six freedoms of Article 19. Article 19 opens with the words "All citizens shall have the right", so its freedoms of speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession belong only to citizens of India. The other rights available only to citizens are Article 15 (no discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth), Article 16 (equality of opportunity in public employment), Article 29 (protection of language, script and culture) and Article 30 (minority educational institutions).
The other three options are available to every person, including foreigners, except enemy aliens. Article 14 speaks of equality before law for "any person", Article 21 protects the life and personal liberty of "any person", and Article 25 gives freedom of religion to "all persons". A quick check in the exam is to look at the wording: Articles that say "citizen" are for citizens only, while those that say "person" cover foreigners too. The full list of citizens-only rights is 15, 16, 19, 29 and 30.