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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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