New Farmers Movement

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New Farmers Movement

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘New Farmers Movement’

 

  • Farmer’s movements burst onto the National political stage in 1980 with the road and rail roko agitation in Nasik, Maharashtra led by the Shetkari Sangathana of Sharad Joshi. Sharad Joshi articulated the ideology of the movement in terms of India V/s Bharat, industrial V/s rural.

 

  • In 1986, in Muzaffarnagar, U.P. Mahendra Singh Tikait, presided over a gathering of lakhs of villagers before which the CM of UP had been forced to appear in person to announce his acceptance of their demand for reduction of electricity charges to the old level.

 

  • In the 1980’s emerged widespread grassroots mobilization of rural dwellers like in
    • Tamil Nadu led by Viva Sayigal Sangam
    • Karnataka led by Rajya Ryothu Sangha
    • Punjab and Haryana led by Bhartiya Kisan Union
    • Gujarat led by Kisan Sangh
    • Maharashtra led by Shetkari Sangathana

These above mentioned New Farmers Movements especially in 1980s have attracted much media and political attention and focused mainly on

  • demanding remunerative prices for agricultural produce
  • lowering or elimination of government dues such as canal water charges, electricity charges, interest rates and principal of loans, etc

Dalit Movements

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Dalit Movements 

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Dalit Movements’

 

Based on Rajni Kothari’s studies , various phases in Dalit Movement in India are as follows :-

Pre-Independence

These can be divided into two parts

    • Reformative : They never questioned the Caste System. All they wanted was  , discriminatory aspects of Caste System should be reformed . Eg : Harijan Movement of Gandhi
    • Alternative : Create alternative socio-cultural system where there is no place for caste system . Eg : Religious Conversions etc

 

Post Independence

1950-60s
  • Congress was manipulating Dalits as vote bank but they were not given any leadership role. To challenge it ,
        • Republican party of India formed
        • Mass conversion of Dalits to Buddhism
  • But Republican Party wasn’t able to sustain itself due to Marxist vs Ambedkarite ideology . Ambedkarites were  in favour of gaining political power and use it for social upliftment of their community. But Marxist wanted to annihilate socio-political structure and create completely classless society.

 
1970s

Dalit Panther Movement

  • Inspired by Black Panthers Movement of USA
  • It was aimed at generating awareness among people regarding the plight of the dalits
  • It was carried out by educated students and methodology included public debates, pamphlets , plays etc . Students of other sections of society apart from Dalits were also participating
  • They defined Dalits in holistic way consisting of  “all those who are exploited politically, economically and in the name of religion.”

 
1980s Rise of Bahujan Samaj Party

  • In democracy , majority rules .
  • They wanted to take power out of the hands of elites especially Brahmins , Rajputs and Baniyas .

Environmental Movements

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Environmental Movements 

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Environmental Movements’ which happened in India after independence.

 

 

Introduction

Ecological and environmental conflicts in India are claims over depleting resources of forests, land water, fisheries etc. These conflicts have been a challenge to the development of the country.

 

Chipko Movements

  • Location = Central Himalayas ( Uttaranchal)
  • Reason: forest department refused permission to villagers to fell ash trees for making agricultural tools and allotted the same patch of land to sports manufacturer for commercial use. The villagers demanded that local communities should have effective control over natural resources like land, water and forests.
  • Novel Aspect : Women’s active participation (Gaura Devi=Prominent figure) + Villagers in general, and women in particular thwarted commercial falling of trees by hugging the trees to prohibit their cutting
  • Movement achieved a victory when  government issued a ban on felling of trees in the Himalayan regions for fifteen years, until the green cover was fully restored.

 

 

Narmada Bachao Andolan

  • Ambitious developmental project was launched in the Narmada valley of central India in early 80’s consisting of 30 big dams, 135 medium sized and around 3000 small dams to be constructed on the Narmada and its tributaries . Sardar Sarovar Project in Gujarat and Narmada Sagar Project in MP were two most important
  • Project required relocation of about 2.5 lakh people and 245 villages were expected to get submerged.
  • Initially locals demanded proper relocation and proper rehabilitation. It was during late 80’s that the issue strengthened under the banner of Narmada Bachao Aandolan. NBA demanded
    • proper cost benefit analysis of the major developmental projects completed in the country so far.
    • social cost should be calculated too with respect to such projects. Social cost meant forced settlement of project affected people, serious loss of means of livelihood and culture, depletion of ecological resources.
  • Because of constant struggle, Right to rehabilitation has been recognized by the government and judiciary.
  • NBA used every available democratic strategy to put forward its demands like Pradarshan, Dharna, Gherao, Rasta Roko, Jail Bharo Aandolan, Bhook Hartal etc.
  • Prominent face of the movement was Medha Patkar, a social activist.

 

 

Silent Valley Movement

  • Aimed at the protection of silent valley an evergreen forest in the Palakkad district Kerala.
  • Reason : Announcement of  dam construction on Kuntipuzha river, in silent valley
  • Movement was started in 1973 and Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad (K.S.S.P)  aroused the public opinion to save silent valley.
  • Protesters were successful in 1985, when the then PM Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated silent valley National Park and the park was designated as the core area of Nilgiri Biosphere Deserve.

 

 

Fisheries Movement

  • Livelihood of small fishermen worker was threatened, when the government permitted entry of mechanized trawlers and technologies like bottom trawling for large scale harvest of fish in the Indian seas. To protect their interests and livelihood, the fishermen came together on a national level platform as a National Fishworkers Forum (NFF).
  • NFF achieved their first success against Indian government’s move to open the entry of commercial vessels including of MNCs in deep sea. In July 2002, NFF called for a nationwide strike to oppose the move of government to issue licenses to foreign trawlers as well.

 

Point to Note : In India , Environmental Movements were bottom up movements started by common people whereas in Europe and western nations, Environmental Movements were basically Elitist / Intelligentsia / Top Down Movements

 

Coalition Politics

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Coalition Politics 

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Coalition Politics’.

 

  • During 4th General Elections to Lok Sabha and State Assembly, Congress started to lose popularity . Challengers started to come from states and they lost mandate in many states . Reasons
    • People unhappy with corruption and lavish lifestyle of party members
    • Rapid erosion in party discipline
    • Power struggles within the party
    • Blow to Syndicate as large number of Congress Stalwarts lost
    • Coming together of opposition parties from 1967
    • Start of politics of defection (1967-1970 => 800 MLAs defected)

 

  • First Coalition Government at Centre came in 1977 of Morarji Desai heading four party Janata Government for about two years (1977–79). But due to aspiration of power and position the Janata Coalition collapsed like a house of cards in July 1979. After the collapse of Janata Government, India had another coalition government headed by Charan Singh. But this government too remained for a very short time. Later for almost a decade India had a stable one party government at the centre under Congress’s leadership. People were unhappy with earlier two coalition governments.

 

 

Era of Constant Coalition Governments

  • After a decade old stable government by the congress, there was a return of coalition politics. Elections in 1989 led to the defeat of the Congress Party but didn’t result in majority for any other party. This defeat of 1989 of the Congress Party marked the end of Congress dominance over the India Party System. Hence an era of multi-party system began. This new evolution in multi party system meant that no single party secured a clear majority of seats in any Lok Sabha elections held since 1989 until BJP got majority in 2014.  The nineties also saw the emergence of powerful parties and movements that represented the Dalit and backward castes. With the elections of 1989, a long phase of coalition politics began in India.
  • In this phase, any government could be formed only with the participation or support of many regional parties.

 

Land Reforms

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Land Reforms

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Land Reforms’.

 

 

Introduction

Land reform was a Government program to promote socio-economic equality in the rural setup by dealing with the deficiencies of British Era land tenure system.

 

Objectives

  • Socio-Economic Development
  • Social Justice
  • Increasing agricultural productivity
  • Improving the standard of living

 

Colonial Legacy
The British rule had a devastating impact on Indian agriculture where despite of commercialisation and differentiation, it didn’t led to the emergence of Capitalist Agriculture. Reasons were

  • Extraction of Surplus from Peasantry
  • Transfer of Surplus from India to Britain
  • Creation of Rentier landlord class instead of class of rich peasants

 

 

Features of Indian Agriculture during Colonial Rule

  • Colonial State made a very high tax demand on agriculture . Eg : Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari System
  • Growth of Landlordism and rack renting .
  • In addition to the rent, landlords resorted to illegal exactions (bonded labour, begar etc) . Hence, land owners preffered to give their land on tenancy instead of going for capitalistic mode of agriculture
  • Hence, petty commodity production with traditional technology rather than large scale modern capitalist farming was the typical production pattern in colonial India .

 

At the time of Independence, Indian Agriculture due to long term stagnation was facing food shortages and famine conditions. Hence, multi-pronged approach was the need of the hour. Eg (based on recommendations of Kumarappa Committee , 1949 & Nagpur resolution, 1959)

  • Abolition of Zamindari
  • Land ceiling
  • Distribution of surplus land via cooperatives
  • Prevention of fragmentation of land holdings to make force labour illegal
  • Remunerative prices for agriculture produce

 

 

Questions : To what extent land reforms were able to alter the socio-political fabric of rural India ?

 
It can be broadly divided into two parts

Pre 1960s Institutional Reforms

  • Abolition of Zamindari
  • Tenancy Reforms
  • Land Ceiling
  • Bhoodan and Gramdan Movement
  • Cooperatives

 
Post 1960s Technological Reforms

  • Green Revolution

 

 

Abolition of Zamindari
  • It was the first provision to be launched
  • To ensure Judicial implementation of Zamindari abolition ,  Government of India passsed First Amendment Act

 

 

Issues wrt Zamindari Abolition Act’s implementation

  • Absence of adequate land records
  • Resentment by the Zamindars
  • Zamindars allowed to retain land which were declared to be under their personal cultivation. It was followed by large scale eviction of less secure small tenants.
  • Land is in State List , only the formulation of Policy was in hands of Union while implementation was in hands of state. Eg : In J&K , it was success because presence of Sheikh Abdullah
  • Filing petitions in the Judicial courts
  • Zamindars – Revenue Officials nexus

 

However, out of all the land reforms , abolition of Zamindari met with the maximum success .  Despite resistance by the landlords , the process was completed in democratic manner because Zamindar as a class became socially isolated during National Movement.

 

Outcome

  • Emergence of Dominant Caste (Superior Tenants who got land in lieu of Zamindari abolition)
  • Rise of Rural Middle Class
  • Agricultural productivity got enhanced
  • Common villagers got access to common village resources which was earlier under control of Zamindars

 

 

 

Tenancy Reforms

Issue of Oral and Unrecorded Tenancy continued even after abolition of Zamindari.

 

There were three aspects regarding Tenancy Reforms

  • Security of Tenure to tenants who have cultivated a piece of land continuously for a fixed number of years.
  • Reduction of rents paid by Tenants to a fair level
  • Tenant’s Right to acquire ownership of land subjected to certain restrictions

 

 

There were two fold purpose of the tenancy reforms

  • To improve the condition of tenants
  • To maintain the balance between the interest of the owner and tenant

As a result , Right of Resumption for the purpose of self cultivation was introduced. However, this provision led to large scale eviction of tenants.

 

 

Failure

  • Right of Voluntary Surrender was also given to the tenants . However, it was misused and led to largescale eviction
  • Issue of Farm Servant
  • Issue of Conversion to Share-Croppers : Sharecropper were not given protection under Tenancy Legislation as they didn’t pay a rent in cash but a fixed produce as rent.

 

 

Operation Barga

  • To address the concerns of Sharecroppers , Operation Barga was launched in 1977 in  West Bengal. The objective was time bound registration of Share croppers so as to ensure permanent occupancy and hereditary rights and the crop division in the ratio 1:3
  • Issues with Operation Barga
    • Lack of Political Will
    • Ethically indefensible in context of Landlords with very small land holdings
    • Due to skewed land-man ratio , landlords often rotated leased land among two or more sharecroppers . Hence, registering all of them was economically unviable

 

 

Limitation of Tenancy Reforms

  • Security of Tenure to all the tenants met with only limited success
  • Adverse  man-land ratio led to high rents
  • In most of the states where Green Revolution was success , rent was as high as 70% due to increase in land value.
  • Ownership Rights of Tenants were partially achieved
        • Right to Resumption by land owners
        • Legal or illegal eviction
        • Voluntry surrender
        • Shift to Oral or Concealled Tenancy

 

According to Daniel Thorner, despite the loopholes Land Reforms succeeded in creation of progressive cultivators making investment and improvement in productivity

 

Land Ceiling

  • Objective : making Land distribution more equitable

 

  • During the First Five Year Plan, the government accepted the Kumarappa Committee Report, which recommended the ceiling of 3 times the Size of Economic Land Holding but stated that exact upper limit would be fixed by respective states and redistribute the surplus land among the landless

 

  • However due to improper implementation , it was declared in 1959 that the ceiling should be fixed by all the states and the surplus land should be vested to Panchayats and managed through Cooperatives consisting of Landless Labourers.

 

 

Lacunae in Land Ceiling

  • The ceilings fixed by the states  were very high
  • Ceilings were imposed on the individuals and not on the family households
  • Large number of exemptions were given by many states to promote capitalist farming
  • Exemption to the lands held by Cooperatives was also misused by transferring lands to bogus Cooperatives
  • Long delays in the implementation of ceiling provisions defeated the purpose as it led to Benami Transfers .

 

 

It didn’t meet success but the laws definitely discouraged concentration of land ownership beyond ceiling levels

 

Bhoodan and Gramdan Movement
  • It was an attempt at land reform through a movement and not by Government Legislation.
  • Vinoba Bhave organised the Sarvodaya Samaj to take up the task of Social Transformation.
  • It  was based on idea that each family should give 1/6th of their land by accepting poor member as part of their family.
  • Although it wasn’t a political movement but it had the support of many mainstream politicians .
  • It started from Telegana and later spread to North India . However post 1956, the movement lost it’s momentum and the substantial part of land given was either unfit for cultivation or was under litigation.
  • Meanwhile , the movement took a new form of that of a Gramdan which was based on premise that land belongs to God and it is equally and collectively owned . The movement started in Orissa and was successful in villages where class differentiation was yet not emerged and there was little if any disparity in the ownership of land

 

 

Positives

  • It popularised the idea that land is a gift of nature and belongs to all
  • It was a voluntary movement
  • It created atmosphere for political propaganda and agitation for redistribution of land and development of Cooperatives

 

 

UPSC Question : Critically discuss the objectives of Bhoodan and Gramdan movement started by Vinoba Bhave and their success.

 

Kargil War

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Kargil War

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Kargil War.’

 

Introduction

Line of Control (LoC) at Shimla Declaration was defined till NJ 9842 . Both India and Pakistan interpreted LoC beyond that point in their own way

  • India : LoC is along Saltoro Ridge (ie entire Siachen lies in India)
  • Pakistan : It is along line joining NJ 9842 to Karakoram Pass

 

 

Chronology

Operation Meghdoot(1984)
  • Siachen Glacier was occupied by India

 
Nuclear Test / Pokharan (1998)
  • India conducted Nuclear test
  • Weak later Pakistan also tested Nuclear Bomb

 
Lahore Declaration (1999)
  • As both countries were now nuclear powers, situation became tense .
  • Lahore Declaration was signed in Feb 1999 that conflict related to Kashmir will be peacefully resolved

 
Operation Badr (1999)
  • In April 1999, Pakistan occupied crucial positions on Siachen Glacier
  • The aim was to sever the link between Kashmir and Ladakh causing Indian forces to withdraw from Siachen and forcing India to negotiate a settlement on Kashmir Issue. Pakistan believed that any tension in the region would internationalize the Kashmir issue and help it to secure speedy solutions.

 
Operation Safed Sagar (1999)
  • Part of Operation Vijay to re-conquer Siachen Glacier

 
Operation Talwar (1999)
  • Part of Operation Vijay to re-conquer Siachen Glacier

 

Rajiv Gandhi Era

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Rajiv Gandhi Era

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Rajiv Gandhi Era .’

 

Events during his tenure

  • Panchayati Raj
  • IT Revolution : Literacy Mission + White Revolution + Immunization + Drinking Water Mission + Edible Oil Mission + One telephone in each village
  • Computerization
  • Operation Blackboard (providing basic infrastructure to primary schools) + Navodaya Vidyalayas
  • Sri Lankan Crisis
  • Peace Accords : Assam Accord
  • Shah Bano Judgement
  • Women Perspective Plan for Woman: Dowry Prohibition Act, Health and education among women promoted & reservation in seats for women in Panchayats
  • Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (52 days job / predecessor of MGNREGA)
  • Protection of Environment : New ministry of environment was created + Mission to Clean Ganga launched + Proposal for Planet Protection Fund started
  • Cleaning Politics : Anti-Defection Law
  • Concept of Lok Adalats

 

 

Foreign Policy Initiatives

  • Action Plan for Nuclear Disarmament
  • AFRICA Fund (Action for Resisting Invasion, Colonialism & Aparthied)
  • Played important role in ensuring Namibian Independence
  • Relationship of India with Nepal deteriorated : Rajiv Gandhi’s Government shut the trade routes with Nepal which had a devastating impact on Nepal’s economy. Reason = Nepal’s growing bonhomie with China (China card)

 

 

Sri Lankan Crisis
Factors leading to Ethnic Crisis in Sri Lanka in 1980s

  • In 19th century,  Britishers had taken more than 10 lakh Tamil labourers from different parts of Madras to Sri Lanka in the lure of good employment opportunities in plantations. For over 100 years, these Tamils laboured for the prosperity of Sri Lanka . However, 1948 the government passed Ceylon Citizenship Act which deprived them of their Citizenship Rights.
  • In 1956, Sinhala was declared as the only Official Language which was considered as a delibrate attempt of cultural, linguistic and economic domination.
  • During 1960s, there was a pact which was signed between India and Sri Lanka known as Sirimavo – Shastri Pact. According to this pact, 5 lakh Tamils were to be brought back to India and remaining were to be conferred Citizenship in the span of 15 years. However, Government of SL kept on extending the time limit
  • In 1970s, policy of standardisation was introduced wrt admission in the educational institutions.
  • State sponsored colonialisation of traditional Tamil areas by Sinhalese peasants.
  • Preference given to Buddhism in the Sri Lankan Constitution.
  • Banning of import of Tamil literature

All these factors led to emergence of ethno-nationalism among the Tamilians in Sri Lanka . However, it was the Operation Liberation which Sri Lankan Government launched in 1978 to attack Jaffna which became the precipitating factor culminating in start of Civil War.

 

Under the pressure from South, Indian government was providing the necessities to the people in Jaffna.

 

 

Indo – Sri Lanka Accord

In the wake of continuing Tamil Insurgency, an accord was signed known as Indo-Sri Lanka Accord .

 

Features

  • Northern and Eastern Province of Sri Lanka would be merged into single province
  • Substantial devolution of power
  • LTTE would be dissolved and arms would be surrendered
  • Indian Army would come for the aid of Sri Lanka if required

Accord failed to materialise as LTTE refused to surrender and the Indian Government got involved in the messy situation as they faced ridicule from their people as well as Sri Lanka . It finally ended with murder of Rajiv Gandhi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kashmir Issue

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Kashmir Issue 

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Kashmir Issue .’

 

Introduction

  • Immediately after Kashmir’s accession to India in 1947 , India offered to conduct plebiscite under International auspicies . But UN has placed the rider that first Pakistan had to withdraw it’s troops. Till 1953 , India was ready to abide by the results of plebiscite but it wasn’t conducted . Hence, by the end of 1956, India made it evident to Pakistan and International Community that Kashmir’s accession to India is a settled fact

 

  • J&K was granted special status under Article 370. However, through successive Presidential Orders , the autonomy was diluted which led to the emergence of resentment among the people of Kashmir .
  • Secondly , due to land reform initiatives taken by Sheikh Abdullah and Delhi Agreement led to the emergence of Praja Mandal led by Prem Nath Dogra in context of Jammu (people of Jammu started a movement demanding full accession to India , greater share for  Jammu in Government services and separation of Jammu and Kashmir) . The movement was provided a national colour by Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. As a result, the entire movement acquired a communal colour and Sheikh Abdullah lost his faith in Indian secularism and demand for independence of Kashmir surfaced .

 

 

Chronology

1953 Dismissal of Sheikh Abdullah and Ghulam Mohammad Bakshi was made new leader. However , he ruled J&K with heavy hand and was accused of high scale corruption

 
1971 1971 War gave a severe jolt to secessionists – plebiscite front and Sheikh Abdullah adopted concilliatory approach towards the government

 
1975 Sheikh Abdullah became CM

 
1982 Farukh Abdullah succeeded him

 
1984 There was a coup against Abdullah and Ghulam Mohammad Shah was made new CM

 

Because of his desire to construct Shah Masjid within premises of Hindu Temple in Jammu followed by Communal speeches led to a series of communal violence against the Kashmiri Pandits

 
1987 Farukh Abdullah won the election however failed to manage state polity and administration .

 

Reason –

  • Movement for secession stepped up in the valley
  • Hizbul Mujahidin & other fundamentalist groups resorted to violence
  • Jammu Kashmir Libration Front (JKLF) (due to lack of inability to gain power during elections) resorted to separatist means culminating in exodus of Kashmiri Pandits.

 

 

 

Way forward

  • From early 1950s , people of J&K felt alienated because of the absence of good administration, corruption and nepotism, Pakistan sponsored terrorism , violation of Human Rights, presence of army and political instability.
  • Following can be done
    • Socio-Economic Development and Job creation to channelise energy of youth in constructive way
    • Devolution in true sense
    • Perception management to drive away the mistrust

 

The extent of local autonomy is a contentious issue but needs to be resolved keeping in mind the sentiments of local people.

Punjab Crisis and Khalistan Issue

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Punjab Crisis and Khalistan Issue

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Punjab Crisis and Khalistan Issue .’

 

 

Pre 1966 Phase

During 1980s , Punjab was engulfed by a separatist movement. The genesis of the problem lies in the initial development of post-independence period

  • Akalis asserted that religion and politics couldn’t be separated as two were essentially related in Sikhism. According to them , Sikhs were always subjected to discrimination, oppression and persecution etc and Hindus were accused of imposing Brahmanical tyranny. As a result, the demand for separate Punjabi speaking state was created during 1953 All India Akali Politics
  • Another significant feature of Akali politics was use and manipulation of institution and symbols of Sikh religion to harness religious sentiments .

 

There were two major issues

Linguistic
  • To divide Punjab into two linguistic zones – Punjabi and Hindi
  • The purpose of division was Punjabi as language for Official work and Educational instruction given in schools and colleges

 
Regional
  • Demand for Punjabi Suba
  • Denied by State Re-organisation Commission (SRC) since there is not much difference between two languages

However, Akali Dal’s demand for separate state after several opposition was finally accepted in 1966 when Sant Fateh Singh assured the central leadership that

  • Demand is solely on linguistic lines and not religious
  • Even the major political and social organisation in the Hindi speaking region also demanded a separate state

 

 

Post 1966 Phase

Post the creation of Punjabi Suba , Akali leaders didn’t have any issue which could have helped them to sustain. Hence, they started to move towards separatism.

 

Secondly , acquiring power through democratic means was a problem. Hence, Anandpur Sahib Resolution was put forward.

 

In 1980s election, when Akali politics and ideology was rejected by majority of Sikhs, they began to intensify the communal content of their politics. This was followed by Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala who gave a call for separation and armed struggle against the Indian state . He was fighting for political & ideological hegemony over people of Punjab. As a result, Operation Bluestar was launched followed by Assasination of Indira Gandhi and signing of Accord between Rajiv Gandhi and Sant Longowal.

 

Features of Accord

  • Transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab
  • Sharing of water through Tribunal between Punjab , Haryana and Rajasthan
  • Compensation to those who suffered from militancy
  • Revocation of AFSPA

 

Khalistan Issue

Causes

  • Partitioning of India on Religious lines => some Sikh factions raised voice for Khalistan
  • After formation of Punjabi speaking state PUNJAB,  Akali Dal was left with no issue
  • Socio-economic inequality aggravated by the Green revolution led to grievances, which were utilized by communal forces like Akalis and Khalistanis.
  • Rise of Niarankari sect
  • Role of Pakistani agencies post Bangladesh formation
  • Emergence of Khalistani ideology under Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala who took the path of terrorism, thus resulting in the peak of Punjab crisis.

 

Handling of the crisis

  • In the initial years, Indira Gandhi’s policy hovered between that of appeasement and tactical maneuvering instead of boldly confronting the communal and separatist challenges. Important in this respect was the failure of the government to act at the time of AS Atwal’s murder in 1983, which left the people of Punjab outraged and militancy grew by leaps and bounds.
  • After meeting with a dead end with respect to political approach, the government took to military action, code-named Operation Blue Star which turned into a full scale battle. It can be said that the operation was hastily conceived and poorly executed without any proper planning.
  • However, despite its negative repercussions, Operation Blue Star had established that Indian state was strong enough to deal with secession and terrorism.
  • In later years, government also resorted to negotiations and appeasements, but a hard policy towards terrorism was followed from mid 1991 onwards and by 1993, Punjab was virtually freed from terrorism. The Punjab experience is quite relevant to the country as a whole as it could efface similar in futures in other parts of it.

 

 

Assam Crisis

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Assam Crisis

In this article , we will  deal with topic titled ‘Assam Crisis post independence .’

 

 

Reasons

  • Underdevelopment of  Assam : Assamese had this persistent grievance that unfair treatment had been meted out to them by the center in terms of – allocation of funds, location of industrial and other economic enterprises, depriving Assam of it’s due share of revenues from crude oil, tea etc and control of its economy and resources by the outsiders
  • Historical Reason : Since the Colonial times, many Bengalis had settled in Assam and occupied position in Government services. Predominance of Bengalis in education and middle class jobs posed a threat to Assamese language and culture . Hence, a movement was started for making Assamese as the sole official language and medium of instruction
  • Illegal Migration : Demographic Profile of Assam underwent a change due to large-scale illegal migration from Bangladesh.
  • Assamese felt that the development and consolidation of wider Assamese identity was prevented by government’s decision to separate tribal areas from Assam

=> Hence, due to fear of reduction to minority, subordination of their language and culture , loss of control over economy and politics, loss of identity etc created the grounds for Assam Crisis of 1979-85

 

 

The people urged the Government to seal the Assam border and deport the illegal migrants. However, when the conditions weren’t met, there was large scale unrest.

 

Hence , with passage of Assam Accord, 1985 , the political turbulence came to an end

 

 

Assam Accord

Between Assam Gana Parishad and Rajiv Gandhi Government

  • All the migrants who have entered
    • before or between 1951-61 were to be given full citizenship rights
    • Between 1961-71 , although given other rights but denied voting rights for 10 years
    • Post 1971, all those who have entered to be deported
  • Package for economic development of Assam was announced
  • Central Government to provide legislative and administrative safeguards to protect cultural , social and linguistic identity of Assamese people