Each of the sentences below has two of three blanks along with five options. You have to choose the option that provides the correct set of words that fits all the blanks and makes them meaningful and grammatically correct. Weeks after announcing that Indian migrant laborers would be ________ orange-colored passports instead of the usual blue, the government yesterday backed down after ________ criticism.

The first blank needs a word that fits the context of issuing new passports, and the word "issued" (choice A) makes sense in this context. The word "give" (choice B) doesn't fit the context as it's not typically used when referring to the issuance of passports. The second part of the sentence mentions that the government backed down after some kind of criticism. The word "sharp" (choice A) is often used to describe strong or severe criticism, making it the appropriate choice. The word "stinging" (choice B) is also related to criticism, but "sharp" is a more common choice in this context.