CHAPTER 18 : Recent Developments in Indian Politics NCERT SOLUTION CLASS 12TH POLITICAL SCIENCE | EDUGROWN NOTES

Very Short Answer Type Questions:

Q1. Who was the chairperson of Mandal Commission? State any one recommen¬dation made by him/her.
Answer: Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal was the chairperson of Mandal Commission set up in 1978 to investigate the extent of educational and social backwardness among various sections of society and recommend ways to identify these classes.
The Mandal Commission gave its recommendations in 1980:
1. The commission advised that backward classes should be understood to mean backward castes since many castes other than the SCs were also treated as low in caste hierarchy
2. Reservation 27% seats in educational institutions and government jobs for these groups.
3. It recommended land reforms to improve the condition of OBCs.
4. Hence, Mandal commission made recommendations in economic and occupational structures.

Q2. State any two major political happenings of 1984 in India.
Answer: 1. Assassination of Indira Gandhi
2. Lok Sabha elections were held.

Q3. What was change in electoral performance of Congress party and BJP from 1984¬2004?
Answer: 1. In the elections of 1989, Congress secured 197 seats but did not get majority. Therefore, it decided to sit in opposition.
2. The National Front under V.P. Singh came to power supported by left front and BJP from outside.
3. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 led to emergence of Congress as the single largest party and formed the government supported by AIADMK.
4. In 1996, BJP minority government was formed for short period. Later in June 1996 United Front with the support of Congress formed the
Government and H.D. Deve Gowda became Prime Minister and after 11 months I.K. Gujral came to power to rule till March 1998.
5. From March 1998 to October 1999, BJP and other parties formed alliances NDA (National Democratic Alliance) under the leadership of Atal Behari Vajpayee and regional parties demanded more share in government to extend its support.
6. In the elections of May 2004, Congress and its allies formed UPA (United Progressive Alliance) and came to power and Manmohan Singh became Prime Minister.

Q4. When was India’s New Economic Policy launched? Who was its chief architect?
Answer: It was launched in 1991 as the structure adjustment programme and it was started by the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao:
1. India’s New Economic Policy was launched by the then Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
2. The economic changes first became visible in 1991 and radically changed the direction that Indian Economy had pursued since independence towards liberalised and open economy.

Q5. What happened to the state government after demolition of Babri Masjid?
Answer: 1. The BJP state government was dismissed.
2. Alongwith that, other states where the BJP was in power, were also put under President’s rule.
3. A case against Chief Minister of U.P. was registered in Supreme Court.

Q6. What led to the serious debate over secularism?
Answer: The demolition of disputed mosque at Ayodhya on December 6,1992, by Karseva, led to a serious debate over secularism:
1. Most political parties condemned the demolition and declared it to be against secularism.
2. A debate took place about using religious sentiments for electoral purposes.

Q7. List the four groups to be emerged in 1990s.
Answer: 1. Parties in coalition with Congress— UPA (United Progressive Alliance).
2. Parties in alliance with BJP—NDA (National Democratic Alliance).
3. Left front parties (Left Parties).
4. Other parties not to be part of the rest (Others).

Short Answer Type Questions:

Q1. Describe any four major developments in the Indian politics since 1989.
Answer: In the midst of severe competition and many conflicts, a consensus appears to have emerged among most parties. This consensus consists of four elements:
(i) Agreement on new economic policies: While many groups are opposed to the new economic policies, most political parties are in support of the new economic policies. Most parties believe that these policies would lead the country to prosperity and a status of economic power in the world.
(ii) Acceptance of political and social claims of the backward castes:
Political parties have recognised the social and political claims of the backward castes need to be accepted. As a result, all political parties now support reservation of seats for the ‘backward classes’ in education and employment. Political parties are also willing to ensure that the OBCs get adequate share of power.
(iii) Acceptance of the role of state level parties in governance of the country: The distinction between state level and national level parties is fast becoming less important. State level parties are showing power at the national level and have played a central role in the country’s politics of last twenty years or so.
(iv) Emphasis on pragmatic consid-erations rather than ideological positions and political alliances without ideological agreement:
Coalition politics has shifted the focus of political parties from ideo-logical differences to power sharing arrangements. Thus, most parties of the NDA did not agree with the ‘Hindutva’ ideology of the BJP. Yet, they came together to form a govern¬ment and remained in power for a full term.

Q2. When and why did a long phase of coalition politics begin in India?
Answer: The era of coalitions could be seen after 1989 elections onwards. The Congress was the largest party but did not achieve a single majority, hence it decided to act as opposition party. This led to National Front (Alliance of Janata Dal and other regional parties). It received major support from BJP and left front. BJP and left front did not join the government but gave support from outside. The coalition era had many PMs and some of them held office for short duration.

Q3. “Coal ition government helps in consensus building”. Do you agree with the statement? Give arguments in support of your answer.
Answer: In the midst of severe competition and conflicts, a consensus appears to have emerged among most parties consisting of following four elements:
1. Most political parties were in support of new economic policies to lead the country to prosperity and a status of economic power in the world.
2. All political parties supported , reservation of seats for backward
classes in education and employment and even to ensure the OBCs to get adequate share of power.
3. Role of state level parties was accepted in the governance of country.
4. Coalition politics has shifted the focus of political parties from ideological differences to power sharing arrangements. Hence most of the NDA did not agree the Hindutva ideology of BJP, still they came together to form a government and remained in power for full term.

Q4. Write a note on Hindu-Muslim Riots in Gujarat.
Answer: 1. The Anti-Muslim Riots took place at a station called Godhara in 2002.
2. A fire took place on a bogey full of leorsevakos returning from Ayodhya.
3. The hand of Muslims was suspected behind this fire.
4. Widespread violence took place against muslims in which nearly 1100, mostly muslims were killed.
5. Human Right commission criticised Gujarat government’s role in failing to control violence and provided relief to victims.
6. Gujarat riots show that the government machinery also becomes susceptible to passion and alert us the danger involved in using religious sentiments for political purposes.

Long Answer Type Questions:

Q1. In 2014 elections, people have voted for a stable government at the Centre. Do you think that the era of coalition has ended? Support your answer with suitable arguments.
Answer: After Independence, Congress party came in power. It ruled over the country as a democratic government till 1977. One after the other the government was represented by the Congress Prime Ministers like Nehru, Shastri and then Mrs. Indira Gandhi. It was due to some political upheaval; a state Emergency was declared in 1975. During Emergency all the opposition leaders were jailed and their constitutional powers were seized. It made all the opposition leaders unite and form first united party in the name of Janata Party which came in power in 1977. The general election held soon after the Emergency. Though it couldn’t last long, but it started a new concept of rule in India. One after the other, India saw many governments ruled by alliance group, except a few single-party-led government. But with the elections of 1989, a long phase of coalition politics began in India. Since then there have been nine governments at the centre all of which have either been coalition government or minority government supported by other parties which did not join the government. The National Front government in 1989, the United Front government in 1996 and 1997, the NDA government in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and then UPA government in 2004 and 2009 and again BJP-led NDA government in 2014 have been the coalition governments in India. In none
of these governments any one single party had the number enough to form the government at its own. But in 2014, there was a change in the pattern. BJP could gain 284 seats in the Lok Sabha election which was sufficient to form the government at its own -which required to only 272. But as the election was fought with a pre-poll alliance by NDA led by BJP. So the present government was formed with Narendra Modi, the leader of BJP.
This election shows that people are again turning to the single party government at the centre which may be stable. People have experienced the lack of stability, lack of policy decision and lack of proper development in the government ruled by the coalition group.

Q2. In the midst of severe competition and many conflicts in 1989, a consensus appeared to have emerged among most parties. Explain any three points.(or)
Examine growing consensus over the crucial issues.
Answer: In the midst of severe competition and conflicts, a consensus appears to have emerged among most parties consisting of following four elements:
1. Most political parties were in support of new economic policies to lead the country to prosperity and a status of economic power in the world.
2. All political parties supported reservation of seats for backward classes in education and employment and even to ensure the OBCS to get adequate share of power.
3. Role of state level parties was accepted in the governance of country.
4. Coalition politics has shifted the focus of political parties from ideological differences to power sharing arrangements. Hence most of the NDA did not agree with the Hindutva ideology of BJP, still they come together to form a government and remained in power for full term.

Q3. What was Mandal Commission? Did it try to solve the problems of other Backward classes? State any two arguments in support of your answer?
Answer: Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal was the chairperson of Mandal commission set up in 1978 to investigate the extent of educational and social backwardness among various sections of society and recommended way to identify these classes.
The Mandal commission gave its recommendations in 1980:
1. The commission advised that backward classes should be understood to mean backward castes since many castes other than the SCs were also treated as low in caste hierarchy.
2. Reservation 27% seats in educational institutions and government jobs for these groups.
3. It recommended land reforms to improve the condition of OBCs.
4. Hence, Mandal commission made recommendations in economic and occupational structures.
The government of India accepted recommendations in 1990:
1. 27% jobs reservation has been made in central and state government.
2. Many Welfare Schemes have also been launched as Swarnima National Backward classes Finance and Development Corporation.