Challenges after Independence
- Challenges of Nation building -> Unity
- Establishing Democracy-> Practices
- Economic growth and poverty eradication
Challenges of Nation Building
- Partition
- Integration of Princely State
- Internal Reorganisation
Partition
- Principal of Religious Majority
- Problem
- No single area with Majority -> East and West
- Not all Muslim Majority area wants to be in Pakistan -> Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan-> NWFP-> “ Frontier Gandhi"
- Bengal and Punjab had non-Muslim majority area -> partition at district level
- Minorities
- Consequence of Partition
- Migration , Violence
- Gandhiji's Role
- No Participation in independence celebration
- In Kolkata -> maintaining Communal harmony -> keeping fast
- Situation improved
Integration of Princely States
- British India
- British Indian Provinces
- Princely States
- Princely states -> If accept British Supremacy -> control over internal affairs -> British Paramountcy or Suzerainty
- 1/3rd Land and 25% population
- As the British Paramountcy Lapsed -> Problems
- First Travancore announced Independence -> next day Nizam of Hyderabad
- Nawab of Bhopal-> Not join CA
- Sardar Patel -> Deputy PM , HM , Key role in integration
- Approach -> Give autonomy to integrate
- Signed Instrument of accession
- Difficult Cases -> Hyderabad , Manipur , Junagarh and Kashmir
- Junagarh -> Plebiscite
- Hyderabad
- Nizam wanted independence
- Standstill agreement in 1947
- People movement started
- Peasant movement in Telangana
- Communist and Congress in Front
- Paramilitary troops -> Razakars -> Atrocities
- Army action
- Manipur
- Maharaja of Manipur , Bodh Chandra Singh signed IoA before independence on assurance of Autonomy
- June 1948 election -> Manipur was the first to conduct -> UAF -> Constitutional Monarchy
- Merger agreement signed in sept 1949 , without the consent of legislative assembly
Reorganisation of States
- Under British -> either administrative convenience or just coincided with territory they occupied
- But for Indians , it is the matter of Culture and plurality
- Nagpur session 1920 -> Congress organised on linguistic lines -> provincial congress committees
- Nehru Report -> linguistic State
- But after independence -> Experience of partition -> focus on Unity
- First protest begun in Madras -> Telugu speaking people demanded separate state -> Visal Andhra movement
- Potti Sriramalu -> Congress leader and Veteran Gandhian -> Died after 56 day fast -> Protest intensified
- Dec 1952 -> Andhra was given
- Committees
- June 1948 -> SK Dhar Commission -> administrative rather than Linguistic
- JVP Committee ( Nehru , Vallabh Bhai Patel , Pattabhi Staramayya ) -> Rejected language
- December 1953 -> Fazal Ali Commission -> K M Punekar and H N Kanzu
- Accepted language as factor -> but rejected One language one state principal
- 4 factors
- Unity & Integrity
- Linguistic and Cultural Homogeneity
- Financial , economic and administrative
- Planning and promotion of welfare of people
- State reorganisation act 1956 and 7th CAA -> 14 states and 6 UT
- See how further states evolved from Laxmi
- Democratic way Indian choose to handle linguistic aspiration -> maintained Unity -> Contrast with Sri Lanka and Pakistan
Challenge of Building Democracy
- Newly independent countries choose non-democratic ways -> Because democracy might bring conflict
- Indian leaders -> choose Democracy
- Interim govt at the time of adopting constitution -> need election machinery
- January 1950 -> Election Commission established -> Sukumar Sen ( 1st CEC)
- Even No voting rights to Women in Some European countries and India going for UAF -> Many countries thought India will fail
- First election -> October 1951 to Feb. 1952 ( 1952 election )
- Avg 4 candidate per seat
- More than 50 pc Voter turnout -> successful
- Congress dominance in first 3 general elections
- 52, 57 , 62 ( at centre as well as state )
- CPI
- Supported Britisher in 2nd WW
- largest opposition in First election ( 16 seats)
- A. K. Gopalan, S.A. Dange, E.M.S. Namboodiripad, P.C. Joshi, Ajay Ghosh and P. Sundarraya were among the notable leaders of the CPI.
- NC in J&K
- First defeat in Kerala in 1957 -> Communist party formed govt at state level ->removed in 1959 under 356
- Congress socialist Party
- 1934 as part of Congress
- But separate in 1948 -> no dual membership allowed
- 1955 -> Congress declared its goal as socialist pattern of society -> existential
- Ram Manohar Lohiya ,Acharya Narendra Dev , JP Narayana , Ashok Mehta , Achyut Patwardhan
- Reason for Congress dominance
- Legacy of National Movement
- Rainbow like Coalition -> factions within -> Social and ideological coalition -> Congress system
- Bhartiya Jan Sangh
- Formed in 1951
- SPM-> Founder president
- DDU-> Founder
- Swatantra Party
- C Raj Gopalachari , KM Munshi , NG Ranga , Minoo Masani
- Established in 1959
- Supported private sector
- Against dominance of Public sector and state intervention and Socialist policies
Challenge of Economic Growth and Poverty Eradication
● Biggest Challenge -> Growth Vs Development -> Both are important
● Development = Growth + Social Justice
● Social justice = equal opportunity …..Rights ….etc
● Why adopted Planning approach
○ Private sector do not have any capital to invest
○ Idea of Social justice
○ Great Depression of 1930ʼs in Liberal economies
○ Economic growth of Soviet Union
○ Bombay Plan by Private industrialist in 1944 , in favour of planned economy
● March 1950 PC Established with Executive resolution -> Now replaced by NITI
● Five year plan -> govt will decide long term priority -> Plan vs non plan budget
● December 1951 -> 1st FYP -> 1956 ( 2nd )-> 1961( 3rd ) -> 66,67,68 ( 3 plan holiday ) -> 69
(4th) ….1989-91( no plan) ….92-97( 8th FYP) …..12th FYP (2012-17)
● Indian Economic development ( Class 11th NCERT )-> At last look at the topics ->
Chapter 2 on planning
● 1st FYP
○ Focus on Agriculture
○ Big dam project -> Bhakra Nangal
○ Land reforms -> Land distribution limits Agriculture Productivity
○ Economist K.N Raj
● 2nd FYP
○ 1955-> Avadi session of Congress -> Socialist pattern as aim
Import Substitution -> Increasing import tariff
○ Focus on Heavy industry -> Steel , electricity , machinery
○ Industrialisation
○ P.C Mahalanobis
○ Food shortage and technological shortage
○ 3rd Plan was similar
○ Share for agriculture declined
● Economic -> Land Reform and Green Revolution
Land Reforms :
● History
○ Stagnated Agriculture due to Faulty British Policies
■ Eg Zamindari System -> High rent -> Landlord culture -> no incentive to
invest in Land
● Aer independence , Land Reform was started with Major Goal as
○ Poverty Eradication
○ Improve agriculture productivity
○ Redistribute land to promote social Justice
● 4 Types of Land reform at that time
○ Abolition of Zamindari
■ Laws were passed to abolished Zamindari
■ Laws were Challenged in Court
To give immunity to these laws , 1st CAA in 1951 was passed
■ 31(B) and 9th Schedule act -> Immunity from Judicial Review ( Both
Central and State laws )
■ 2007 -> IR Coelho Case -> no immunity aer 24 April 1973
■ Judicial review is past of BS
■ Most effective Reform
■ Although Landlordism persist
○ Land Consolidation
■ Still going on
■ Avg performance
○ Tenancy Regulation
■ Either abolish or regulate rent and give security of tenure
■ Most radical restructuring in Kerala and West bengal ( Most successful )
■ Not successful everywhere because laws were not implemented
○ Land Ceiling
■ To Limit land holding -> Confiscate extra land and redistribute
■ Limit depend upon productivity and other factors
■ Laws evaded by Benami and divorce
■ Not successful
○ Bhoodan movement
■ Also known as Land gi movement
■ Started by Acharya Vinood Bhave in 1951in Telangana
■ Gandhian approach of appealing the conscience
Operation Barga
■ Land reform in West Bengal started in 1978
■ Legal backing in 79 and 80
■ Bargadars means sharecropper
■ Aim is to make bargadars as landowner
■ Successful
● Still Land reform going on
○ Improve soil quality
○ Land record modernisation
○ Land leasing laws
Green Revolution
● Why food Shortage in 60ʼs
○ 2nd FYP -> focus on industry
○ 1962 and 65 war-> Resource diversion
○ 65 -67 -> Draught
○ Zoning Policy -> Famine like situation in Bihar
● Food import from USA under PL-480 Scheme -> Threat to strategic autonomy
● LBS -> Jai Jawan , Jai Kisan
● IG -> GR->Modern technology ( in 1960ʼs later half )
○ HYV Seeds , Pesticide , insecticide , fertiliser
● Introduced in areas where assured irrigation facility was there
PN, HR , Western UP , Coastal Andhra and Tamil Nadu
● Focus on Wheat and Rice
● Assured Market -> FCI , MSP , PDS , TPDS and Food security laws ->
● Attained self Sufficiency in Food
● Negative social and environmental Outcome
● M.S Swaminathan - Viability and sustainability in 2nd GR
White Revolution
● Varghees Kurian -> Anand in Gujarat -> dairy cooperative -> Rural development and
Poverty reduction
● 1970 started operation Flood
Indiaʼs External Relations
● World was divided in Two camps -> one by USA and other USSR
● Non-aligned movement
○ Not isolationism
○ Not aloofness
○ We will take stand as per our own national interest
○ Finally India signed Treaty of Peace and Friendship with USSR in 1971
● Afro Asian Unity
○ Asian Relation Conference -> March 1947
○ Bandung Conference -> 1955 -> Afro-Asian Conference
1961 -> NAM -> First meet in Belgrade -> Nehru was cofounder
● India -China
○ Started with Hindi-China bhai bhai
○ India recognised communist China
○ April 1954-> Panchsheel
○ 1959-> India gave asylum to Dalai Lama
○ 1957-59-> China captured aksai-chin and built strategic road
○ 1962 War
● India-Pakistan
○ Wars-> 1947 , 65 and 71
○ 1965-> Tashkent agreement btw LBS and Get Ayub Khan
○ 1971 -> Shimla agreement btw IG and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (July 1972)
● Nuclear Diplomacy
○ NPT 1967-> Not signed
○ CTBT 1995 -> not signed
○ 1974 first nuclear test
○ 1998 Nuclear power
India after Nehru
● LBS ( 1964 -66)
○ Jai Javan , Jai Kisan
○ Tashkent Agreement
● 4th General Election ( 1967)
○ Economic Crisis and Protest
○ Political Earthquake
○ Majority at centre but lowest seats and vote share since 1952 for congress
○ Lost majority in 7 states and couldnʼt form govt in other 2 , due to defections ->
1967 ( Aya ram , Gaya ram)
○ Tamil nadu-> DMK
○ West Bengal and Kerala
○ Indira Gandhi became PM -> Challenge from Syndicate grp within Congress
○ IG Policies
■ Socialist -> Garibi Hatao
■ Bank Nationalisation
■ General Insurance Nationalisation
■ Ceiling on Urban Property and income
■ Public distribution of food grain
■ Land reform
■ House for Rural Poor
■ Abolition of Privy Purse (*)
■ Grant to families of erstwhile Princely states
Not consonant with principal of equality
■ Indira Gandhi abolished it but Stuck down by SC
■ Electoral issue in 1971
■ CA aer 1971 victory
○ Conflict with Syndicate
■ Presidential Candidate
■ Syndicate supported N. Sanjeeva Reddy ( Lok Sabha Speaker )
■ Indira Gandhi Supported V.V Giri ( Then VP)
■ Finally V.V Giri won
■ Defeat of official Congress Candidate -> Split in Congress
○ 1971 Election
■ Record Victory to Indira Gandhi -> Largest ever
■ Bangladesh Liberation
■ Environmentalism -> Stockholm Conference in 1972
Crisis of Democratic Order
● Situation in 1970ʼs
○ Economic Crisis
■ Inflation , Unemployment , , Poverty etc
■ Bangladesh War
■ USA stopped aid to India
■ Oil Crisis
Opposition was able to mobilise popular protest
○ Also Naxalite movement
○ Conflict Btw Parliament and Supreme Court
● Gujarat Movement ( January 1974)
○ Congress Govt
○ Protest on issue of Price rise and Corruption
○ President Rule imposed
○ Morarji Desai lead the Protest -> Demanded fresh elections
○ Finally Congress was defeated
● Bihar Movement ( March 1974)
○ Issue of Price rise , Unemployment and Corruption
○ Jai Prakash Narayan agreed to lead the protest -> Non violent and not limit to
Bihar
○ Demanded resignation from Congress govt in Bihar
● Movement extended to other parts of India
● Total Revolution call by JP
● Parliament March
● Railway Strike in 1974
● Naxalism
○ 1967 -> Peasant Uprising in Naxalbari area of Darjeeling hill district of West
Bengal
○ Charu Majumdarr -> founder of CPI-ML
Conflict with Judiciary
○ Issue of Parliamentʼs power to amend constitution
■ Finally settled in Kesavananda Bharati case -> BS doctrine
○ Issue of appointment of Chief Justice
■ IG appointed AN Ray by superseding 3 senior most judges (gave anti govt
ruling )
■ Gave a call for Committed judiciary and Bureaucracy
○ Allahabad HC declared the election of IG Void on 12 June 1975
■ Petition by Raj Narain -> she had taken the support of govt Machinery
■ Stay granted by SC on 24th June
● Large scale political protest led by JP , to demand resignation of IG
● She responded by Imposing National Emergency on 25th June , under A -352 ->
Internal disturbance
● Suspension of Federal consti
● FR can be suspended
● Cabinet was informed next day
● Newspaper ban or prior permission -> electricity cut -> Censorship
● Leaders arrested -> Preventive detention
● Strikes ban , RSS Ban
● Right to life and liberty gone-> ADM Jabalpur case
● Awards Given back
● Election of PM , President and PM -> cant be challenged in court
● 42nd CAA
Shah Commision in 1977 to enquire upon need of emergency -> Many Excess were
committed
● CPI supported govt in Emergency -> International Conspiracy against India
● IG brought 20 point pro poor prog during Emergency
○ Land Reforms , Land Redistribution
○ Review of agriculture wages
○ Eradication of Bonded Labour
○ Workers participation in Management
● Sanjay gandhi taking Control
○ Population Control
○ Relocation of poor
● Lessons from emergency
○ Importance of Civil Liberties
○ Litmus test for democracy
○ Constitutional Changes -> 44th AA
● March 1977 Election
○ Janta Party Came to power
Congress lost mainly in North India
● Leadership Conflict in JP -> MD, Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram
● Again election in January 1980 -> IG came to power again
● Emergence of Regional parties
Rise of Popular Movement
● Discontent from democratic Govt
● Popular protest in the form of Civil Society Unrest Begins
● Chipko movement
○ 1973 Begins in UK
○ Against Felling of Trees
○ Finally Govt banned the Felling of Tress
○ Women Participation
● Dalit Panther
○ Late 1970ʼs in MH
○ 1988 -> Prevention of Atrocities To SC/ST act
● Peasant Protest under Bhartiya Kisan Union
○ In Late 1980ʼs in North India
○ Against WTO policies
● Anti-Arrack Movement
○ Against Desi Liquor
○ By Women in Andhra -> 1992
● Narmada bachao andolan
○ Narmada River -> Big dam project
○ 1989
○ National rehabilitation policy 2003
Regional Aspirations
● State reorganisation in 1956
● Demands Persist
● 1966-> PN and HR
● 2000ʼs UK and CH
Punjab
● Violent movement -> Bindrawala
● Khalistan Movement
● 1984-> Operation Blue Star
● Indira Gandhi Assassination
States reorganisation
● 1956 State reorganisation
● 1960 MH & GJ
● Goa-> 1961
● Dadra and Nagar Haveli -> Portuguese ruled-> liberation in 1954
● Read Union and territory Chapter
Recent development
● Aer 1989 -> end of Congress System -> beginning of Coalition politics
● Mandal Issue -> 1989 -> OBC Reservation
● Economic liberalisation in 1991