Key Points
Key Points: From Legal Proceedings to Amicable Acceptance
- Conflicts in a diverse democracy are resolved through the due process of law.
- The Ayodhya dispute was addressed through hearings, mediation, and legal procedures.
- November 2019, the Supreme Court delivered a unanimous verdict.
- The site was given for the Ram temple, and land was allotted for a mosque elsewhere in Ayodhya.
- Consensus-building and democratic maturity.
Key Points: Emergence of a New Consensus
- Decline of Congress dominance and the rise of the BJP.
- Congress and BJP emerged as the two main competitors.
- Combined vote share of Congress and BJP exceeded 50%.
- Coalition-based competition around these two poles.
- A new political consensus emerged with bipolar competition.
Key Points: Lok Sabha Elections (2004–2019)
- 2004 Elections: NDA was defeated and the Congress-led UPA government came to power with Left parties’ support.
- UPA Government (2004–2009): Congress increased seats and completed its term despite Left withdrawal in 2008 over the nuclear deal.
- 2009 Elections: Congress improved its performance; Dr. Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister for the second time.
- 2014 Elections: BJP under Narendra Modi won a clear majority (282 seats) and formed the NDA government.
- 2019 Elections: BJP won 303 seats, marking a strong single-party majority while coalition politics remained important.
Key Points: Growing Consensus
- Most political parties agree on many important national issues.
- New economic policies are supported by most political parties.
- Parties accept the political and social demands of backward classes.
- Reservation in education and jobs is supported by all major parties.
- Political parties support adequate representation for OBCs.
- State-level parties play an important role in national politics.
- Coalition politics focuses more on practical alliances than ideology.
- Indian democracy continues through debates on justice, development, and rights.
Key Points: Context of the 1990s
- The 1989 Lok Sabha election defeat of Congress ended the long-standing Congress system, though Congress remained important.
- The Mandal issue (1990) brought OBC reservations into focus and reshaped national politics through protests and debates.
- India adopted new economic reforms (liberalisation) from 1991, changing the direction of the economy.
- The Ram Janmabhoomi movement strongly influenced politics and debates on secularism.
- The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 led to leadership change in Congress, with Narasimha Rao becoming Prime Minister.
Key Points: Decline of Congress
- The defeat of Congress after 1989 ended its long-term dominance in Indian politics.
- Unlike earlier phases, Congress could not restore its predominant position in the 1990s.
- No single party replaced Congress as the dominant party.
- India entered an era of a multi-party system with several parties sharing power.
- This led to coalition governments at the Centre.
Key Points: Alliance Politics
- The 1990s saw the rise of regional parties representing Dalits and OBCs.
- These parties became crucial in forming governments at the Centre.
- The United Front governments (1996–97) were supported by Congress to keep BJP out of power.
- Political alliances were unstable, showing frequent shifts in support.
- The BJP emerged as the largest party in 1996 but could not form a majority government alone.
- Coalition politics became the norm after the 1989 elections.
- Major coalitions included National Front, United Front, NDA, and UPA.
- By 1999, the NDA under Atal Bihari Vajpayee completed a full term, marking coalition stability.
Key Points: Central Governments in India since 1989
|
Period |
Prime Minister |
Party / Coalition in Government |
|
Dec 1989 – Nov 1990 |
V. P. Singh |
National Front (supported by Left Front & BJP) |
|
Nov 1990 – Jun 1991 |
Chandra Shekhar |
Samajwadi Janata Party (supported by Congress) |
|
Jun 1991 – May 1996 |
P. V. Narasimha Rao |
Congress (supported by AIADMK & smaller parties) |
|
May 1996 – Jun 1996 |
Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
BJP (minority government) |
|
Jun 1996 – Apr 1997 |
H. D. Deve Gowda |
United Front (supported by Congress) |
|
Apr 1997 – Mar 1998 |
I. K. Gujral |
United Front (supported by Congress) |
|
Mar 1998 – Oct 1999 |
Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) |
|
Oct 1999 – May 2004 |
Atal Bihari Vajpayee |
NDA (completed full term) |
|
May 2004 – May 2014 |
Manmohan Singh |
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) |
|
May 2014 – present |
Narendra Modi |
NDA (BJP-led) |
Key Points: Mandal Implemented
- Late 1980s, the Janata Dal mobilised political groups with strong OBC support.
- National Front government (1990) decided to implement the Mandal Commission recommendations.
- This led to a nationwide debate and protests over OBC reservations in government jobs.
- The issue strengthened OBC political identity and increased their mobilisation in politics.
- Raised questions of political power, representation, and social justice for OBCs.
Key Points: B. P. Mandal
- Social justice leader and MP from Bihar.
- Chaired the Second Backward Classes Commission (Mandal Commission).
- Reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Key Points: The Mandal Commission
- The Mandal Commission (1978) was the Second Backward Classes Commission, chaired by B. P. Mandal.
- Studied the social and educational backwardness of communities and identified OBCs.
- The Commission submitted its report in 1980.
- It recommended 27% reservation for OBCs in government jobs and educational institutions.
- In 1990, the National Front government.
- The decision led to nationwide protests but was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1992.
Key Points: Political Fallouts
- The 1980s saw the rise of Dalit political mobilisation in India.
- BAMCEF was formed to organise SC, ST, OBC, and minority employees.
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) under Kanshi Ram.
- BSP achieved major breakthrough in Uttar Pradesh in the 1989 and 1991 elections.
- Dalit politics grew as an independent political force, often competing with OBC politics.
Key Points: Kanshi Ram
- Founder of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
- He began with BAMCEF and promoted Bahujan empowerment.
- He viewed political power as the key to social equality and led the rise of Dalit politics.
Key Points: Ayodhya Issue
- The Ayodhya issue is a long-standing socio-political dispute over the birthplace of Lord Ram.
- A three-domed structure was built at the site in 1528, showing both Hindu and Islamic features.
- The issue led to frequent conflicts and became linked to national pride and identity.
- Structure was sealed in 1949.
- Court ordered the unlocking of the structure for Hindu worship.
- In 1992, the structure was demolished, intensifying communal tensions.
- In 1992, the structure was demolished, intensifying communal tensions.
Important Questions [21]
- The decade of 'Third Democratic Upsurge' in India was ______.
- Study the above cartoon carefully and answer the following questions:- Who was head of the Government formed by the National Front in 1989? Why was the government formed by him called a puppet government? Identify the puppeteers pulling the strings and the political parties they belong to?
- Which Two Political Parties Were the Major Partners in the Ruling Alliance After the 1971 General Election to the Lok Sabha.
- Which two diametrically opposite political groups supported the National Front Government in 1989?
- Explain Any Three Elements of Consensus Which Have Emerged Among Most Political Parties After the Lok Sabha Elections of 2004
- Name the Two Alliances/Fronts that Formed the Government at the Centre in 1989 and 1996 Respectively.
- In What Way Do the Coalition Governments Prove to Be More Democratic than the Oneparty Governments?
- Political equations in coalition governments are unstable. How was this concept reflected in the formation of National Front Government in 1989 and United Front Government in 1996?
- Highlight any three issues that affected Indian politics after 1989.
- Highlight any three factors that are responsible for the rise of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) as a strong political party after 1991.
- What was the time period of 'First Democratic Upsurge' in India?
- Highlight any three factors that you think are responsible for the victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2019 election continuously for the second time.
- Highlight any three factors that led to a multi-party alliance system in Indian politics since 1989.
- Identify and name any two Prime Ministers of India who remained in power for less than a year.
- Why are coalition governments formed? Explain.
- The decade of ______ was the period of 'second Democratic Upsurge' in India.
- How are the three recommendations of the Mandal Commission an effort to solve the problems of the ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs)? Analyse.
- Analyse any three factors that led to the rise of ‘Other Backward Classes’ (OBCs) in Indian Politics?
- Arrange the following in chronological order: Implementation of recommendations of Mandal Commission. Appointment of Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister for the first time.
- Who among the following introduced a policy of reservations for OBCs for the first time?
- Why was the judgement in the Shah Bano case challenged? Explain.
Concepts [10]
- Participatory Upsurge in 1990s
- Rise of the JD and the BJP
- Increasing Role of Regional Parties and Coalition Politics
- Coalition Governments - NDA (1998 - 2004) UPA (2004 - 2014) NDA (2014 Onwards)
- Context of the 1990s
- Era of Coalitions
- Political Rise of Other Backward Classes
- Communalism, Secularism, Democracy
- Emergence of a New Consensus
- Overview of Recent Developments in Indian Politics
