12 Class Political Science – II Chapter 8 Regional Aspirations Notes
| Textbook | NCERT |
| Class | Class 12 |
| Subject | Political Science 2nd book |
| Chapter | Chapter 8 |
| Chapter Name | Regional Aspirations |
| Category | Political Science |
| Medium | English |
Class 12 political science chapter 8 regional aspirations notes here we will be learn about Rise of regional parties. Punjab Crisis. The Kashmir Issue, Movements for Autonomy etc.
Regionalism : –
🔹 Regionalism is to raise political economic and developmental demands on regional basis.
Separatism : –
🔹 The feeling of a region being separated from the country or raising its demand.
Main reasons for the Regionalism : –
- Religious Diversity
- Cultural Diversity
- Geographical Variation
- Political Self Interest
- Unbalanced Development
Regional aspirations : –
🔹 Regional aspirations can be understood as , specific demands made by people of a particular region on the basis of their specific language , religion , culture , geographical features.
Cultural diversity : –
🔹 Cultural diversity in the countries of Europe is considered a threat to the nation. but to meet the challenge of diversity in India , the internal boundaries of the country has been and all group of individuals have the right to maintain their culture.
🔹 In India , the 1980s is seen as the decade of autonomy , many times because of narrow interests , foreign encouragement , the spirit of the country takes the path of autonomy , it becomes a serious challenge to national unity and integrity.
Areas of tension and conflicts : –
- Issues that emerged after Independence of India were partition , displacement , integration of Princely States , reorganisation of state , etc. Some areas of tensions and conflicts also emerged which are discussed below : –
🔹 The issue of Kashmir emerged not only due to conflict between India and Pakistan. It also emerged due to the political aspirations of people in the form of political autonomy living in the region.
🔹 Tensions in North – East region like in Nagaland and Mizoram emerged in the form of strong separatist movements.
🔹 In Southern part of India , some groups from the Dravid Movement also believed to emerge as a separate nation.
🔹 Regions like Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , Maharashtra and Gujarat emerged due to the mass agitations on the basis of language.
🔹 Protests were evident in Tamil Nadu region when Hindi was made the official national language of India. On the other hand , in North region agitations were going on for Hindi to be made as the official language.
🔹 In the late 1950’s , Punjabi speaking people agitated for a separate state. This demand was fulfilled with the creation of Punjab and Haryana in 1966.
🔹 The states of Chhattisgarh , Uttarakhand and Jharkhand were later created due to their demands for autonomy. Thus , to meet the challenges of diversity the internal boundaries of the country were redrawn by the then government.
Jammu and Kashmir : –
🔹 Jammu and Kashir comprises 3 social and political regions :
- Jammu
- Kashmir
- Ladakh
🔹 The heart of the Kashmir region is the Kashmir valley. The Kashmir issue is not just dispute between India and Pakistan. This issue has external and internal dimension. It involves the issue of Kashmiriyat known as Kashmiri and the aspiration of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for political autonomy. A part of Kashmir is still under Pakistan and Pakistan has illegally transferred the part of kashmir to China.
Reason of contovertial politice of Jammu Kashmir : –
- Three socioeconomic areas of kashmir.
- Kashmir invaded by Pakistani army as Kabalio people.
- Article 370 gave Special Status to kashmir.
- Matter of Slave Kashmir and of Aksai China.
- Seeking Separation of Economic Autonomy.
- The approach of separatists.
- Pakistan promoting terrorism.
Roots of the Problem : –
🔹 Jammu and Kashmir was a Princely State before 1947. It was ruled by Hindu ruler Hari Singh who didn’t want to merge with India or Pakistan. He wanted to have an independent status of Kashmir.
🔹 The majority of the population in Kashmir was Muslim due to which Pakistan felt that the state belonged to Pakistan. On the other hand , people of the state are Kashmiris who led the issue of regional aspiration known as Kashmiriyat.
🔹 In the state , popular movement was led by Sheikh Abdullah of the National Conference as he wanted to get rid of Maharaja Hari Singh. He was also against the notion of joining Pakistan. The National Conference was a secular organisation which was associated with the Congress .
🔹 In October 1947 Pakistan sent tribal infiltrators from its side to capture Kashmir this forced the maharja to ask for Indian military help India extended the military support and drove back the infiltrators from Kashmir valley but only after the maharaja had signed an instrument of accession with the Government of India it was also agreed that once the situation normalised the views of people of Jammu Kashmir will be ascertained about their future.
🔹 Due to the militant behavior of Pakistan and the separatists of Kashmir , this area remains turbulent. Here are three main strands of separatists.
- Kashmir should be made a separate nation.
- Kashmir should be merged with Pakistan.
- Kashmir should remain part of India but should be given more autonomy.
🔹 Since its integration with the Union of Iandia , Kashmir has remained one of the burning issues in post – independence India . The problem became more complicated when it was accorded a special status in the Constitution through Article 370 and Article 35A – the former giving it special powers like having its separate Constitution / Constituent Assembly / Flag , new nomenclature for Chief Minister as Prime Minister and Governor.
Later Developments After 2002 : –
🔹 Mufti Mohammed headed the state government for the first three years as per the Coalition agreement succeeded by Ghulam Nabi Azad of Indian National Congress ( INC ) who could not complete his term due to President Rule in July 2008.
🔹 After the next elections , Omar Abdullah came into power in 2009 with a Coalition Government composed of National Conference and INC. However , the state still witnessed disturbances in his tenure led by the Hurriyat Conference. In 2014 elections , the state witnessed highest voter turnout in 25 years.
🔹 A coalition government was formed led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed ( PDP ) with BJP. After the demise of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed , his daughter Mahbooba Mufti became the first women Chief Minister in April 2016. The President’s rule was imposed in June 2018 after BJP withdrew its support to the State Government.
Sections 370 and 35A were repeal : –
🔹 It was against this backdrop that current NDA Government presented the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill in Rajya Sabha on 5 August 2019 for the abolition of Section 370 and 35A from Kashmir , which was passed by a majority.
🔹 The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on 6 August 2019. After the President’s assent on 9 August 2019 , Sections 370 and 35A were repealed and Jammu and Kashmir got divided into two Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Punjab : –
🔹 The akali dal which was formed in 1920 as the political wing of the six had let the movement for the formation of a Punjabi suba. Social composition of the state changed first with partition and later on after the carving out of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh while the rest of the country was reorganized on linguistic lines in 1950 , Punjab had to wait till 1966 for the creation of a Punjabi speaking state.
Punjab Crisis : –
🔹 During the 1970 is a section of akalis began to demand political autonomy for the region. A resolution was passed at their conference at Anandpur Sahib in 1973. The ANNADPUR SAHIB RESOLUTION asserted regional autonomy and wanted to redefine centre state relationship in the country.
🔹 The resolution also spoke of the aspirations of the Sikh community and declared its goal as attending the bolbala ( dominance ) of the sikhs. The resolution was a plea for strengthening federalism but it could also be integrated as a plea for a separate Sikh nation.
🔹 A section of the religious leader raissd the question of autonomous Sikh identity. The more extreme started advocating sucession from India and the creation of Khalistan.
Operation Bluestar : –
🔹 The militants made their headquarters inside the Sikh holy shrine the golden temple in Amritsar and turned it into an armed fortress in June 1984. The Government of India carried out operation Blue Star code name for army action in the golden temple in which the government could successfully flush out the militants but it also damaged the historic temple and deeply hurt the sentiments of the Sikhs.
🔹 A large proportion of Sikhs in India and abroad saw the military operation as attack on their faith and this gave further impetus to military militant and extremist group . Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31st Oct. 1984 outside her residence by her bodyguards who Sikhs and wanted to take revenge for operation Bluestar.
Punjab Accord : –
🔹 The new prime minister Rajiv Gandhi initiated the dialogue with moderate akali leaders in July 1985. He reached an agreement with Harchand Singh longowal , then the president of the akali dal. punjab Accord was a step towards bringing normalcy in Punjab.
🔹 It was agreed that Chandigarh would be transferred to punjab a separate commission would be appointed to resolve the border dispute between Punjab and Haryana and a tribunal would be set up to decide the sharing of Ravi Beas river water among Punjab , Haryana and Rajasthan The agreement also provided for compensation to and better treatment of those affected by the miliancy in Punjab and the withdrawal of the application of armed forces special power act in Punjab.
THE North EAST : –
🔹 This region consists of seven States also referred to as the seven sisters. The region has only 4 % of the country’s population but about twice as much share of its area a small corridor of about 22 kilometres that connects the region to the rest of the country.
🔹 otherwise the rigion shares boundaries with China , Myanmar and Bangladesh and serves as India’s gateway to south east asia. The vast international border and weak communication between the northeast and the rest of India have added to the delicate nature of politics there.
🔹 Three issues dominate the politics of North East : –
- Demands for autonomy
- Movements for seccession and
- Opposition to outsiders
Movements for autonomy : –
🔹 At the time of independence , the whole area except Manipur and Tripura was called Assam , in which many linguistic tribal groups lived , these communities demanded separate states to preserve their uniqueness.
Reasons for the demands of autonomy : –
🔹 The demands for autonomy in the region were raised as people felt discriminated by the more resourceful regions in economic , social , cultural or political aspects.
🔹 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.
Secessionist movements : –
🔹 The demands for autonomy are under the provisions of Constitution but the difficulties arose when states started demanding a separate country. There were secessionist movements for autonomy in North – Eastern regions of Mizoram and Nagaland which are discussed below.
Mizoram : –
🔹 This separatist movement emerged after the Assam government failed to manage the famine that came in the Hill region of Assam in 1959. In 1966 , the Mizo National Front ( MNF ) led an armed campaign under the leadership of Laldenga in 1986. Peace Agreement between Rajiv Gandhi and Laldenga Was signed and Mizoram became a full state.
Nagaland : –
🔹 A Section of Nagas declared independence from India way back in 1951. Phizo turned down many offers of negotiated settlement.
🔹 The NAGA NATIONAL COUNCIL ( NNC ) Iaunched an armed struggle for sovereignty of nagas. After a period of violent insurgency , a section of Nagaland signed an agreement with the Government of India but this was not ac ceptable to other rebels. The problem in Nagaland still awaits a final resolution.
Movements against outsiders : –
🔹 The large scale migration into the North East gave rise to a special kind of problem that pitted the local communities against people who were seen as outsiders or migrants.
🔹 This issue has taken political and sometimes violent form in many states of the northeast The Assam movement form 1979 to 1985 is the best example of such movement against outsiders.
🔸 Assam movement : –
🔹 In 1979 the all Assam student union AASU student group , not affiliated to any party led an anti foreigner movement.
🔹 The movement was against illegal migrations against domination of Bengalis and other outsiders and against faulty voters registers that included the names of lakhs of immigrants.
🔹 The movement demanded that all outsiders who had entered the state after 1951 should be sent back.
🔹 Eventually after 6 years of turmoil the Rajiv Gandhi led goverment entered into negotiations with the aaus leaders leading to the signing of an Accord in 1985 ( Assam ) but it did not solve the problem of immigration.
🔹 The issue of the outsiders continues to be a live issue in the politics of Assam and many other places in the North East.
Dravidian movement : –
🔹 This was one of the first regional movements in Indian politics. Some sections of this movement had ambitions of creating Dravid nation but the movement did not take to arms. It used democratic means like public debates and the electoral platform to achieve its ends. The Dravidian movement led to the formation of Dravid kazhagam ( DK ) Under the leadership of Tamil social reformer E.V ramaswami Periyar.
🔹 The organisation strongly opposed the brahmins dominance and affirmed regional Pride against the political , economic and cultural domination of the north. Initially the Dravidian movement spoke in terms of the whole of South India however lack of support from other states limited the movement to Tamil Nadu.
🔹 The DK split and the political legacy of the movement was transferred to DMK ( Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ). Later the DMK split into two parties the DMK and the all India Anna DMK ( ALADMK ) That claimed Dravidian legacy. Both these parties have dominated politics in Tamilnadu for the last four decades.
Sikkim merger : –
🔹 At the time of independence Sikkim was a Procter state of India. It meant that while it was not a part of India it was not fully sovereign country also. Sikkim defence and foreign relations were looked after by India while the power of internal administration was with the Chohyal , ( Sikkim , s Monarch ).
🔹 Chogyal was unable to deal with the democratic aspirations of the people. An overwhelming majority of Sikkim population was Nepali but the chogyal was seen as perpetuating the rule of a small Elite from the minority lepcha-bhutia community. The anti chogyal leaders of both the communities sought and got support from the Government of India.
🔹 The Sikkim assembly sought the status of associate state and then in April 1975 passed a resolution asking for full integration with India this was followed by a hurriedly organised referendum that put a stamp of popular approval on the assembly request. The Indian parliament accepted this request immediately and Sikkim became the 22ad state of the Indian union.
Freedom of GOA : –
🔹 Although the British Empire in India came to an end in 1947 Portugal refused to withdraw from the territories of Goa Diu and Daman which were under its colonial rule since the 16th century.
🔹 After India’s independence the Indian government tried very patiently to per suade the Portuguese government to withdrow there was also a strong popular movement within Goa for freedom they were strengthened by socialist satyagrahis from Maharashtra finally in December 1961 the Government of India sent the army which liberated these territories after two days of action Goa Diu and Daman became union territory.
🔹 In January 1967 the central government held a special opinion poll in Goa asking people to decide if they wanted to be part of Maharashtra or remain separate. A referendum like procedure was used to ascertain peoples wishes on this issue. The majority voted in favour of remaining outside of Maharashtra. Thus Goa continued as a union territory . Finally in 1987 Goa became a state of the Indian union.
Reasons why it is necessary to control regionalism for the success of Indian democracy : –
- Constraints in the balanced development of the country.
- Bitter Relations between the Central and State Governments.
- Cracks in the mutual relations of states.
- Promote violent movements.
- Hinder economic progress.
Lessons learnt from regional aspirations that have emerged since independence : –
🔹 Regional aspirations are an integral part of democratic politics. Instead of suppressing regional aspirations , it is better to adopt democratic dialogue.
🔸 Understanding the importance of power sharing : It is not sufficient to have a formal democratic structure . Groups and parties from the region need to be given share in power at the state level.
🔸 Understanding the importance of power sharing : It is not sufficient to have a formal democratic structure . Groups and parties from the region need to be given share in power at the state level.
🔹 The federal system adapted by India is a flexible arrangement Politics in india has succeeded in accepting regionalism as part and parcel of democratic politics.
Related Chapters
Challenges of nation building
Era of one party Dominance
Politics of Planned Development
India’s External Relations
Challenges to and restoration of the congress system
The Crisis of Democratic Order
Rise of Popular Movements ( Deleted )
Regional Aspirations
Recent Developments in Indian Politics