Indian Politics: Two Decades

Overview of the Chapter

• Chapter presents a synoptic view of the last two decades of politics in India, noting the complexity and unanticipated outcomes.
• New developments were difficult to foresee and remain controversial with deep conflicts that are too close to the current events.
• Key questions are raised about the implications of coalition politics, Mandalisation, the Ramjanambhoomi movement, the Ayodhya demolition, and the rise of a new policy consensus.
• The chapter provides information and tools for understanding these questions, emphasizing the importance of studying India's post-Independence political history to make sense of the present.

Context of the 1990s

• Rajiv Gandhi led the Congress to a massive victory in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections, following Indira Gandhi's assassination.
• The 1980s witnessed five key developments that had a long-lasting impact on Indian politics.

The End of the Congress System

• The defeat of the Congress party in the 1989 elections marked the end of the "Congress system".
• The Congress' Lok Sabha seats reduced from 415 in 1984 to 197 in 1989, though it later improved and returned to power in 1991.
• Congress remained an important party and ruled the country more than any other party since 1989.
• It lost the kind of centrality it once enjoyed in the party system.

The Rise of the Mandal Issue

• The National Front government's 1990 decision to implement the Mandal Commission's recommendations led to the rise of the "Mandal issue."
• implementation reserved government jobs to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and triggered violent protests.

Economic Policy Shift

• The economic policies of various governments took a radically different turn, initiating structural adjustment programs of the New Economic Policies.
• The changes first became visible in 1991, radically changed the direction of the Indian economy since Independence.

Communalism and the Ayodhya Dispute

• Events culminated in the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya (Babri Masjid) in December 1992 triggered debates about Indian nationalism and secularism.
• The demolition is associated with the rise of the BJP and the politics of 'Hindutva'.
• The Faizabad district court ordered the Babri Masjid premises to be unlocked in February 1986, allowing Hindus to offer prayers there.
• The Babri Masjid was constructed in the 16th century by Mir Baqi, a general of Mughal emperor Babur.
• Some Hindus believe it was built after demolishing a temple for Lord Rama.

The Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi

• Rajiv Gandhi's assassination in May 1991 led to a leadership change in the Congress party.
• He was assassinated by a Sri Lankan Tamil associated with the LTTE during an election campaign tour in Tamil Nadu.
• The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the 1991 elections.
• Following Gandhi's death, the party chose P.V. Narasimha Rao as the Prime Minister.

Era of Coalitions

• The 1989 elections did not result in a majority for any single party.
• The Congress, despite being the largest party, decided to sit in the opposition.
• The National Front, an alliance of Janata Dal and regional parties, received support from the BJP and the Left Front.
• The National Front formed a coalition government, without the BJP and the Left Front joining it.

Decline of Congress Dominance

• The defeat of the Congress party marked the end of its dominance in the Indian party system.
• The Congress under Indira Gandhi re-established its position in politics in the late sixties .
• The 1990s was another challenge, without any single party filling its place.
• An era of multi-party systems began; several parties contested elections.
• No single party secured a clear majority in any Lok Sabha election from 1989 to 2014.
• It initiated an era of coalition governments led by regional parties.

Political instability

• The BJP got a clear majority in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
• The nineties also saw the rise of powerful parties representing the Dalit and backward castes (OBCs).
• Parties representing regional assertion played an important role in the United Front government.
• The United Front government (1996) was supported by the Congress.
• In 1989, the Left and the BJP supported the National Front Government to keep the Congress out of power.
• In 1996, the Left continued to support the non-Congress government, now supported by the Congress.
• This shows the unstable political equations.

Governmental Instability

• Government (May 1998 to June 1999), Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister in the NDA governments and completed its full term in 1999.
• Elections of 1989 created a long phase of coalition politics in India;there have been eleven governments at the Centre.
• They were coalition or minority governments supported by various parties.
• Governments can only be formed via support of regional parties.
• Examples include the National Front in 1989, the United Front in 1996 and 1997, the NDA in 1997.

Rise in Political Representation

• This trend changed in 2014.
• Congress party itself was a 'coalition' of different interests and socio-economic groups.
• Gave rise to the term ‘Congress system'.
• Various sections had been leaving the Congress forming separate parties.
• Developments weakened the Congress party, but, no single party filled its place.

Mandal Implemented

• In the 1980s Janata Dal similar combination of political groups provided support to the OBCs.
• The Mandal Commission recommendations further helped in shaping the politics of 'Other Backward Classes'.
• In August 1990, the National Front government decided to implement the Mandal Commission pertaining to reservations for OBCs.
• Sparked violent protests in many cities of north India; the decision was challenged in the Supreme Court .
• In November 1992, the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the government, and, the policy of reservation for OBCs now has major support.

The rise of Kanshi Ram.

• The 1980s also saw the rise of political power for the Dalits.
• In 1978 the Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation was formed supporting all socio-economic groups.
• Bahujan Samaj Party emerged under the leadership of Kanshi Ram.
• In 1989 and the 1991 elections, it achieved a breakthrough in Uttar Pradesh from dalit support.
• Constitution derived from the fact that the Bahujans were the majority of the population, and a formidable political force due to the numbers.
• However this often causes competition between different cultural communities like the OBC.

Issues with Rising Politics.

The other long-term development during this period was the rise of politics based on religious identity.

• Led to a debate about how secularism.
• In the aftermath of the Emergency the Jana Sangh joined the Janata Party.
• In 1980 supporters of the Jana Sangh formed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
• Initially, adopted ‘Gandhian Socialism' as its ideology, after1986 the party emphases the Hindu nationalist to mobilize the Hindus.

Hindu-ness.

• Originated by V. D. Savarkar, to become members of it required those people to accept India in what he referred to as fatherland and "holy Land".
• Also build a strong nation based on the Hindu culture alone.
• Two developments around 1986 became central to the politics, and this was the Shah Bano case in 1985.
• In this case a 62-year old divorced Muslim woman, had filed a case for maintenance on a fair life.
• The orthodox Muslims saw it an issue.
• On the demand of some Muslim leaders, the government passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights of Divorce) Act, which, the BJP criticised.
• In February 1986 to allow Hindus to offer prayers, became a major national question and led to tensions which the BJP helped further.
• In December 1992, the organisations supporting the construction had organised services for the Ram temple.
• The state failed to protect it and aftermath led to several issues throughout the country.

Modern Political Events

• Ayodhya led to dismissals of multiple parties and has cause debate over secularism.
• Was India continuing to go in a direction where religion and community would be favored.
• Or allow each and everyone equal rights.
• India's politics is based on this agreement and allows parties to join and use their freedoms.
• Commnal atmosphere and violence from the Hindu's started to become a challenge;
• This cause scale violence in Gujarat and became a threat to democracy.
• Showed government machinery susceptible to sectarian tension and alerts the dangers.

Declining in Political Stability

• The period after 1989 is seen sometimes as the period of decline of Congress; the complex system is to compare elections and votes.
• Since election of 1989 the votes polled by the parties do not add to above 50%.
• The seat won as well is like this .
• Political competition during the nineties is divided now.
• In elections 2004 the parties entered as the congress got into place as a new coalition.
• Congress won for the first time since 1991.
• It has changed from the parties.
• Shows emergence in four different groups that are in coalition, parties will now diverge from different ideologies.

Issues in Modern India

• However, a broad agreement has emerged among most parties.
• First, agreement on new economic policies - while many parties are in support of the new economic policies.
• Second, acceptance of the political and social claims of the backward castes. As a result, all political parties now support reservation of seats for the socio-economic groups.
• The third, acceptance of governance from the center to parts under states ,and this distinction has become less important.
• State level parties are sharing power nationally for the last 20 years and show no sign of decline.
• Emphasis no alignment or ideologies will be the future , so all types of peoples are heard and taken into account for the next 20 years.