In the following question, the given sentence is in Direct speech. Choose the option that correctly expresses the same meaning in Indirect speech:\n\nFather says, "Kashmir is the heaven on earth."

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of converting a sentence from Direct speech to Indirect speech while preserving the sense of time and the general truth expressed in the statement. The reporting verb here is says, which is in the simple present tense. The reported part is a statement about Kashmir being the heaven on earth, which is treated like a general observation or general truth. Therefore, the tense of the reported clause should usually remain in the present.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Direct speech: Father says, "Kashmir is the heaven on earth."
• Reporting verb: says, in simple present tense.
• Reported clause: Kashmir is the heaven on earth.
• The sentence expresses an opinion treated like a general truth.

Concept / Approach:
When the reporting verb is in the present tense, we generally do not change the tense of the reported speech. Also, for universal truths, habitual facts, and widely accepted statements, the tense in the reported clause usually remains present even if the reporting verb is in the past. The structure for Indirect speech in such a case is: Father says that Kashmir is the heaven on earth. The conjunction that is introduced between the reporting clause and the reported clause for formal correctness.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Keep the reporting verb in the present as in the original: Father says. Step 2: Introduce the conjunction that after the reporting verb: Father says that. Step 3: Preserve the present simple in the reported clause because it is a general truth: Kashmir is the heaven on earth. Step 4: Combine all parts to get the full Indirect speech sentence: Father says that Kashmir is the heaven on earth.

Verification / Alternative check:
Ask whether the converted sentence can be turned back into the original Direct speech. From Father says that Kashmir is the heaven on earth, you can reconstruct Father says, "Kashmir is the heaven on earth." with no loss of meaning. The statement continues to sound like a timeless remark rather than a past event tied to one specific moment.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A uses Father said and has been, which not only changes the reporting verb to the past tense but also modifies the sense of a general truth into something more like a completed state. Option B, Father is saying that Kashmir is the heaven on earth, uses the present continuous, which suggests an ongoing act of speaking and slightly changes the nuance. Option D, Father says that Kashmir was the heaven on earth, wrongly shifts the reported clause into the past, suggesting that Kashmir is no longer like heaven on earth, which is not implied in the original statement.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners mechanically change the tense of the reported clause whenever they convert to Indirect speech, even when the reporting verb is in the present or when the original statement is a general truth. Others forget to add the conjunction that, leading to a slightly informal or incomplete structure in examination settings. Recognising general truths and the role of the reporting tense is crucial for such questions.

Final Answer:
The correct Indirect speech form is Father says that Kashmir is the heaven on earth.