Assignment Code: BPSC-104/ASST/TMA/2021-22

Course Code: BPSC-104

Assignment Name: Political Process in India

Year: 2021-2022

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

Answer all questions in the three Assignments and submit them together.

Assignment – I

Answer the following in about 500 words each.

1. Discuss the role and significance of regional political parties in India. 20

Ans) The role and significance of regional political parties in India:

Since the 1960s, the regional political parties have been playing influential role in politics of several states. Indeed, on several occasions, they have been partners in running national governments through coalition politics. There is not a singular pattern for the emergence of regional parties in north, south, east, and West. Regional parties are reflection of certain developments in society. These developments are the formation of the linguistic state, a decline of Congress system, uneven economic development, mobilisation, ethnicity, entry of new groups into politics and politics of recognition.

Emergence of these parties varies from North to South. Regional political parties represent aspiration of regional identities in terms of culture, social groups, development patterns, leadership, patterns of mobilization and other issues. Emergence of regional parties and their support bases in different regions also indicate nature of social transformation in those regions. Impact of land reforms, green revolution in the 1950s-1960s, and later impact of reservation for backward classes and farming communities resulted in emergence of regional leaders and political parties in north India. The most important examples of such leaders include Charan Singh, Karpoori Thakur, Mulayam Singh, Laloo Yadav or Nitish Kumar in UP and Bihar. They formed or led regional parties known by different names – BKD/BLD, LD, SP, RJD, JD(U). These parties articulated demands of farming communities and backward classes.

These parties along with the regional parties from other states played decisive role getting reservation introduced for backward classes at national level in government jobs and admission in public academic institutions. It was done according to the recommendations of Mandal Commission Report. Leadership Political Parties in India of such parties belong to the backward classes and farming communities. There are 36 recognized state parties active in different states in India. In this subsection, you will read about the programmes, leadership, social bases, patterns of mobilization and ideologies of some regional parties existing in different regions of India.

The Congress’s defeat in the elections and split in it weakened the party. This happened with the simultaneous rise of regional parties. It marked the rise of multiple parties in India. Although multiple parties had existed during the era of Congress’s dominance, in comparison to the Congress, they played marginal role in Indian politics.

Emergence of multiple parties in several states was result of changes which had occurred in the society. The rise of new issues and regional leaders in different states show such changes. These leaders formed regional political parties. Rise of leaders such as Charan Singh in UP, Rao Virendra Singh in Haryana, Biju Patnaik in Odisha, Bal Thakre in Maharashtra in the 1960s and 1970s who formed regional parties are some of the early examples marking multiplication of political parties in India.

Their number further multiplied in coming decades. The rise of BSP and SP in north India, TMC in West Bengal and BJP in Odisha in the 1980s and 1990s, and several such examples show presence of multiparty system in India. Multiple parties exist at the national as well as local levels. Such parties reflect the social, economic, cultural, and political diversity of India. An important aspect of the multiple party system in India is formation of multiple alliances of political parties not only based on policies, programmes, and ideologies but also political expediency. Different parties enter alliances in which one party seems to become a nodal party. Such alliances show the existence of multi-polar parties. Multi-party system exists in the form of multi-polar systems.

2. Critically examine the role of caste as a determinant of voting behaviour in India’s electoral politics. 20

Ans) Role of caste as a determinant of voting behaviour in India: Caste is among the most researched determinant in studies of voting behaviour. Although caste has been one of the most effective determinants of voting behaviour in elections in the post-Independent India, it has become more spectacular since the 1990s. The main reason for this has been the impact of Mandal Commission which was introduced by the VP Singh government giving reservation to the OBCs in the central government institution and rise of the parties such as the BSP, the SP and the RJD in north India. These parties have been identified with Dalits, OBCs or the peasant classes. Prior to their rise, the Congress party represented a coalition of various castes. Emergence of these parties underlined the significance of the marginalized castes playing decisive role in electoral politics. Their rise also increased competition among different castes. In election studies in India, caste has become parameter of assessing the level of democracy in India. Some scholars have argued that increasing participation of various castes, especially the low castes, Dalits and OBCs are indicative of democratic upsurge or a silent revolution in India.

Politicisation of caste has made caste an agent of democratic aspiration for the weaker sections. Political parties take caste into consideration while formulating their manifestos, programmes, and agendas. Caste also impacts in policy making. Parties consider the caste of candidate while nominating him/her to contest election. The candidates contesting elections in constituency generally belong to a limited number of castes, but the number of castes which vote are more than the number of castes of such candidates. In such cases, castes vote for candidates of other castes than theirs. Does it mean that significance of caste as a determinant gets diminished? It does not mean so because even in this case, voters vote for candidates of other castes. Generally, caste group decide to vote for a candidate who does not belong to their caste. In comparison to the urban areas, caste is more determining factor in elections in the rural areas. The caste factor not only affects the party formation but also the affiliation of caste with the national party. As Pushpendra mentions in an article, during 11th Lok Sabha election the upper caste particularly in northern India deserted Congress party and chose to rally behind BJP. The rise of regional parties and backward castes, despite inter and intracaste divisions and conflicts have found strong political representation in the form of different regional parties and vote support base.

But on several occasions, a section of such castes supports other parties than their usual choice. This happens because sometimes some sections of the castes get dissatisfied with their usual choice. For instance, in UP, in the 1990s, many OBCs had supported the BJP prompting some scholar to state that it was “mandalisation” of the BJP. Or in the first decade of this century, several high castes – Brahmins and Rajput, supported the BSP and the SP. According to Shah, parties accommodate various castes in distributing party tickets. In elections during the 1950s, caste associations were able to maintain their unity and promoted their supporters to vote for their caste fellows, irrespective of their party affiliation. Despite the trend among caste members to vote for a particular party, there is never end bloc caste voting. Despite adoption of democratic values which conceive of a society free from casteism, caste continues to characterise politics in India and voting factors of populace.

Assignment – II

Answer the following questions in about 250 words each.

3. Explain the reasons separate Telangana state movement 10

Ans) The state of Telangana was carved out of the state of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Prior to becoming a separate, the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh had an identity which was different from the other two regions of Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra. During the regime of Hyderabad Nizam, Telangana was part of Hyderabad state and Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra were part of Madras Presidency. The Congress and the Communist Party of India had demanded formation of a state Andhra consisting of Telangana, and Rayalaseema and Coastal Andhra regions, based on a common language spoken in these regions. In 1953, Potti Sriramulu, a Gandhian, died sitting on hunger strike demanding a creation of Andhra state consisting of Telugu speaking districts of the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Telangana region in Hyderabad state.

The formation of Andhra Pradesh was received with the apprehension in the Telangana region that Andhra region would be placed in dominant position in the new state due to its superior economic position and higher literacy rate than those in Telangana region. The apprehension prevailed despite the commonness of Telugu language spoken in the different regions. An agitation took place against the formation of the Andhra Pradesh State. As a result, with the purpose of safeguarding the interests of Telangana region within the new state, an agreement was signed between the Congress leaders of Telangana and Andhra and Rayalaseema regions in 1956. It was known as the Gentleman’s Agreement. Among others, the Gentleman’s Agreement had two important assurances: One, a regional committee would be constituted to investigate the regional grievances and recommend measures to resolve them; and two, if chief minister of Andhra Pradesh belonged to one region, the deputy chief minister would belong to the other regions. Within a few years of the signing of the Gentleman’s agreement, there was resentment in the Telangana region that the promises made in the agreement were not fulfilled.

5. Write a note on Multy-Party System. 10

Ans) Since 1967 elections, Indian political system has undergone changes. The Congress’s defeat in the elections and split in it weakened the party. This happened with the simultaneous rise of regional parties. It marked the rise of multiple parties in India. Although multiple parties had existed during the era of Congress’s dominance, in comparison to the Congress, they played marginal role in Indian politics. Emergence of multiple parties in several states was result of changes which had occurred in the society. The rise of new issues and regional leaders in different states show such changes.

These leaders formed regional political parties. Rise of leaders such as Charan Singh in UP, Rao Virendra Singh in Haryana, Biju Patnaik in Odisha, Bal Thakre in Maharashtra in the 1960s and 1970s who formed regional parties are some of the early examples marking multiplication of political parties in India. Their number further multiplied in coming decades. The rise of BSP and SP in north India, TMC in West Bengal and BJP in Odisha in the 1980s and 1990s, and several such examples show presence of multiparty system in India. Multiple parties exist at the national as well as local levels. Such parties reflect the social, economic, cultural, and political diversity of India. An important aspect of the multiple party system in India is formation of multiple alliances of political parties not only based on policies, programmes, and ideologies but also political expediency. Different parties enter alliances in which one party seems to become a nodal party. Such alliances show the existence of multi-polar parties. Multi-party system exists in the form of multi-polar systems.

Assignment – III

Answer the following questions in about 100 words each.

6. Distinguish between Insurgency and Terrorism. 6

Ans) Insurgency is often assumed as identical with terrorism, although there are differences between them. The insurgent tends to use similar kind of violent activities as terrorist do. However, unlike terrorism, insurgency movements generally involve or require material or moral support from some section of the population in order to justify their existence and to erode the legitimacy of the government. In this regard, insurgent groups normally carry out information and psychological warfare for propaganda and mass political mobilization. Terrorist groups, on the other hand, do not enjoy popular support. The goal of an insurgency is to challenge the existing authority with an attempt to bring political change for the control of its territories or a part of it. But the terrorist groups do not attempt to bring political change. Instead, they used violence even against the civilian targets to instil fear and alter public perception on the effectiveness or legitimacy of the government.

7. What are the issues raised by caste organisations? 6

Ans) The issues raised by caste organizations centre around the dignity and self-respect, human rights, redistributive justice through share in employment opportunities and resources, political representation, and internal problems within the castes. While Dalit and OBC organisations attempt to defend the existing reservation in public institutions and demand its extension to the private sector, several high caste organizations are also demanding extension of reservation to them. In response, the 124th Constitutional Amendment sought to recommend 10 percent reservation to the economically backward classes including the high castes. According to Rudolph and Rudolph the caste association are playing a democratic role by empowering castes. Although all kinds of castes – high castes, Dalits and the OBCs have formed caste organizations, the caste organizations of Dalits and backward classes play more empowering role in the sense that they empower the castes which traditionally suffered caste-based humiliation and discrimination.

8. What is Karpoori Thakur Formula? 6

Ans) The provisions for reservation for the OBCs have limitations. The principal among these is as follows. As the OBCs is a group of castes having unequal levels of social, economic, educational, and political standards. The OBCs consist of politically and economically influential farming communities as well of socially and economically marginalized castes who had traditional occupations associated with Jajmani system. The latter are also known as the MBCs or the EBCs. Although they consist of large number of castes, singly they have smaller number in comparison to the landed OBCs. The MBCs allege that due to their dominant positions, the landed middle castes OBCs have been able to appropriate larger share of reservation meant for the OBCs.

9. What are the features of autonomy movements in India? 6

Ans) The features of autonomy movements in India are:

1. These are raised in the areas where people feel discriminated by the more resourceful regions in economic, social, cultural, or political aspects.

2. These demands are generally raised by articulate sections of the society – middle classes, students, civil society organizations, political parties.

3. The supporter of autonomy demands generally allege that their region has become “internal colony” of the developed regions; their natural resources are exploited by outsiders, and they are not paid back royalty or allowances in equal proportions of usage of their resources.

4. Their region is not given adequate representation in political institutions in the state, and decisions about them are taken by the governments without their involvement.

5. Their language and culture are not given due recognition, and, in several cases, the dominant language is imposed on them.

6. The autonomy movements have some political context. While these are the commonest factors which cause the autonomy movements in India, their impact may vary from case to case.

10. What were the causes of insurgency in Punjab?

Ans) Punjab witnessed insurgency which began in the late 1970s and reached its peak in the first half of the 1980s. This insurgency is also known as Khalistan movement for the establishment of an independent Sikh state called ‘Khalistan.’ Various reasons have been given in academic literature for the rise of insurgency in Punjab: political, social-cultural, and economic. Citing political reasons, Atul Kohli argues like other self-determination movements, Punjab insurgency happened because of centralization and intervention in the state politics by the central government, and lack of accommodation of self-determination by the central leadership. One stream of argument about the political reason underlines that the Khalistan movement emerged from the competition between the Congress and Akali Dal to dominate political space in Punjab. Those who argue that Social and cultural, and economic reasons led to the rise of Punjab insurgency emphasize that green revolution and changing customs caused economic crisis and erosion in Punjabi culture. These created anxiety among people. Supporters of Khalistan movement understood that establishment of Independent Khalistan state would help to address the social, cultural, and economic crisis in Punjab.