Class 12 Political Science Notes Chapter 9 (Recent developments in indian politics) – Political Science-II Book

Alright class, let's delve into Chapter 9, 'Recent Developments in Indian Politics'. This is a crucial chapter as it covers the period that shaped contemporary India, moving away from the one-party dominance era into a more complex, multi-polar political landscape. Understanding these developments is vital for any government exam dealing with Indian polity.

Chapter 9: Recent Developments in Indian Politics - Detailed Notes

I. Context of the 1990s: A Period of Profound Change

The late 1980s and early 1990s witnessed significant shifts that fundamentally altered India's political trajectory. Five key developments stand out:

1. End of Congress Dominance (Decline of the 'Congress System'):

   • The 1989 Lok Sabha elections marked a definitive end to the Congress party's long-held dominance. It emerged as the single largest party but failed to secure a majority, leading to the formation of a non-Congress government.
   • Reasons for Decline: Weakening central leadership post-Indira Gandhi, rise of powerful regional leaders and parties, corruption scandals (like Bofors), failure to manage internal factionalism, and growing assertiveness of diverse social groups.

2. The Mandal Issue and the Rise of OBC Politics:

   • Background: The Second Backward Classes Commission, headed by Bindheshwari Prasad (B.P.) Mandal, was appointed in 1978 and submitted its report in 1980.
   • Key Recommendation: Advocated for 27% reservation in central government jobs and public sector undertakings for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
   • Implementation: The National Front Government led by Prime Minister V.P. Singh announced the decision to implement the Mandal Commission recommendations in August 1990.
   • Consequences:
     • Triggered widespread, violent anti-Mandal protests, particularly among upper-caste youth in urban areas.
     • Simultaneously led to the consolidation and political mobilisation of OBCs, who saw it as a step towards social justice.
     • Intensified caste-based politics and contributed to the rise/strengthening of regional parties representing OBC interests (e.g., Janata Dal factions, SP, RJD).
     • Polarised society, often framed as 'Mandal versus Mandir'.

3. New Economic Reforms (Liberalisation, Privatisation, Globalisation - LPG):

   • Context: Facing a severe Balance of Payments crisis in 1991, India approached the IMF and World Bank for loans.
   • Initiation: The minority Congress government led by P.V. Narasimha Rao, with Dr. Manmohan Singh as Finance Minister, initiated structural economic reforms in 1991.
   • Core Policies (LPG):
     • Liberalisation: Reducing government regulations, dismantling the 'License Raj', opening up sectors to private players.
     • Privatisation: Selling off shares of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) to private entities.
     • Globalisation: Integrating the Indian economy with the global economy, reducing tariffs, encouraging foreign investment.
   • Impact: Marked a significant departure from the earlier state-led, mixed economy model. Led to higher economic growth rates but also faced criticism regarding rising inequality, impact on agriculture, and job creation. Crucially, these broad policies gained acceptance across the political spectrum over time.

4. The Ayodhya Dispute and Rise of Communal Politics:

   • Issue: Long-standing dispute over the site in Ayodhya housing the Babri Masjid (built in the 16th century), which some Hindu groups claimed as the birthplace of Lord Ram (Ram Janmabhoomi).
   • Political Mobilisation: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) adopted the demand for constructing a Ram temple at the disputed site as a major political plank in the late 1980s. L.K. Advani's Rath Yatra (1990) significantly mobilised support for this cause.
   • Demolition: On December 6, 1992, the Babri Masjid structure was demolished by 'Karsevaks' (volunteers).
   • Aftermath:
     • Led to widespread communal riots across India (e.g., Mumbai, Surat).
     • The Central government dismissed BJP-led state governments (UP, MP, Rajasthan, HP).
     • Intensified the debate on secularism vs. communalism in India.
     • Contributed significantly to the electoral rise of the BJP, consolidating the 'Hindutva' vote.
     • The legal dispute continued until the Supreme Court verdict in November 2019.

5. Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi (May 1991):

   • The former Prime Minister was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber during the Lok Sabha election campaign in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
   • Impact: Caused widespread shock and grief. Led to a postponement of the remaining phases of polling. The subsequent voting saw a sympathy wave benefiting the Congress, helping it emerge as the single largest party and form a government under P.V. Narasimha Rao.

II. The Era of Coalition Governments (1989 - c. 2014)

The inability of any single party to secure a majority led to an era dominated by multi-party coalition governments at the Centre. This required negotiation, compromise, and often resulted in political instability.

• Key Governments & Alliances:
  • National Front (NF) (1989-1990): Led by Janata Dal; PM: V.P. Singh. Supported from outside by BJP (Right) and Left Front (Left). Fell after BJP withdrew support following L.K. Advani's arrest.
  • Chandra Shekhar Govt. (1990-1991): Supported by Congress; short-lived.
  • Congress Minority/Coalition Govt. (1991-1996): PM: P.V. Narasimha Rao. Started as a minority government, later gained a majority. Notable for initiating economic reforms and completing its term.
  • United Front (UF) (1996-1998): Coalition of regional parties and Janata Dal factions; supported by Congress from outside. PMs: H.D. Deve Gowda (1996-97) and I.K. Gujral (1997-98). Marked by instability due to withdrawal of Congress support.
  • National Democratic Alliance (NDA) (1998-2004): Led by BJP; PM: Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
    • 1998-1999: Short-lived (13 months), fell after AIADMK withdrew support.
    • 1999-2004: Formed government after fresh elections. First non-Congress coalition to complete a full 5-year term. Key events: Pokhran-II nuclear tests (1998), Kargil War (1999).
  • United Progressive Alliance (UPA) (2004-2014): Led by Congress; PM: Dr. Manmohan Singh.
    • UPA-I (2004-2009): Supported by Left parties from outside (until 2008 over Indo-US Nuclear Deal). Focused on social welfare legislation (MGNREGA, RTI, Forest Rights Act).
    • UPA-II (2009-2014): Congress improved its tally. Faced significant challenges due to corruption scandals (2G spectrum, Coal allocation etc.) and economic slowdown.

III. Emergence of a New Consensus

Despite the fragmented political landscape and intense competition, a broad consensus emerged among most political parties on key policy matters by the late 1990s/early 2000s:

1. Economic Policies: General agreement on the desirability of New Economic Reforms (LPG) for higher growth, though differences remained on specifics, pace, and impact on the poor.
2. Acceptance of Backward Caste Politics: Recognition of the political and social claims of OBCs and acceptance of reservation policies for them. Parties across the spectrum sought OBC support.
3. Role of Regional Parties: Acceptance of state-level parties as integral players in national governance and coalition formation. Their importance in government formation became undeniable.
4. Pragmatism over Ideology: A shift towards pragmatic considerations and power-sharing arrangements in forming alliances, often overlooking strict ideological differences.

IV. Lok Sabha Elections 2004 and Beyond

• 2004 Elections: NDA, riding on a 'India Shining' campaign, was expected to win but faced a surprise defeat. UPA, led by Congress, formed the government. This election underscored the importance of governance issues and agrarian distress.
• 2009 Elections: UPA returned to power with an increased mandate (UPA-II).
• 2014 Elections: Marked a significant shift. BJP won a majority on its own (the first party since 1984) under the leadership of Narendra Modi, forming the NDA government. This indicated a potential return towards a dominant-party system, although within a coalition (NDA) framework. Key campaign themes were development, governance, and nationalism.
• 2019 Elections: BJP further increased its own majority, consolidating its dominant position.

Key Takeaways for Exams:

• Remember key dates (1989, 1990, 1991, Dec 6, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2014).
• Know the full forms and leaders of major alliances (NF, UF, NDA, UPA).
• Understand the core issues: Mandal, LPG, Ayodhya.
• Recognize the key figures associated with major events (V.P. Singh, P.V. Narasimha Rao, L.K. Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, Narendra Modi).
• Be clear about the concept of the 'Era of Coalitions' and the 'New Consensus'.

Now, let's test your grasp of these developments with some Multiple Choice Questions. Focus on the specific details and timelines we've discussed.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. The National Front government under V.P. Singh decided to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission in which year?
   a) 1980
   b) 1989
   c) 1990
   d) 1991

2. The policy of Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation (LPG) was formally initiated in India primarily under the Prime Ministership of:
   a) Rajiv Gandhi
   b) V.P. Singh
   c) P.V. Narasimha Rao
   d) Atal Bihari Vajpayee

3. Which event is associated with December 6, 1992, in the context of recent Indian politics?
   a) Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
   b) Implementation of Mandal Commission Report
   c) Pokhran-II Nuclear Tests
   d) Demolition of Babri Masjid

4. The term 'Era of Coalitions' in Indian politics prominently refers to the period starting from:
   a) 1977
   b) 1984
   c) 1989
   d) 1996

5. Atal Bihari Vajpayee headed the first non-Congress coalition government at the Centre to complete a full five-year term between:
   a) 1996-1998
   b) 1998-1999
   c) 1999-2004
   d) 2004-2009

6. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was led by which major political party?
   a) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
   b) Janata Dal (United)
   c) Indian National Congress (INC)
   d) Communist Party of India (Marxist)

7. Which commission recommended 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in central government services?
   a) Kaka Kalelkar Commission
   b) Sarkaria Commission
   c) Mandal Commission
   d) Shah Commission

8. The 'New Consensus' that emerged among Indian political parties by the early 2000s included broad agreement on:
   a) Reverting to a state-controlled economy.
   b) The necessity of single-party rule for stability.
   c) Acceptance of market-oriented reforms and claims of backward castes.
   d) Banning regional parties from national politics.

9. The National Front government (1989-90) led by V.P. Singh was supported from outside by which two ideologically opposed groups?
   a) Congress and AIADMK
   b) BJP and Left Front
   c) Akali Dal and DMK
   d) Shiv Sena and Muslim League

10. The Lok Sabha elections of which year marked a significant shift with the BJP winning a majority on its own, potentially ending the classical era of unstable coalitions?
    a) 1999
    b) 2004
    c) 2009
    d) 2014

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c) 1990
2. c) P.V. Narasimha Rao
3. d) Demolition of Babri Masjid
4. c) 1989
5. c) 1999-2004
6. c) Indian National Congress (INC)
7. c) Mandal Commission
8. c) Acceptance of market-oriented reforms and claims of backward castes.
9. b) BJP and Left Front
10. d) 2014

Go through these notes carefully. This period is complex but understanding the interplay of these events is key to cracking questions on modern Indian politics. Good luck with your preparation!