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ASSIGNMENT SOLUTIONS GUIDE (2014-2015)

B.P.S.E.-212
Government & Politics in India
Disclaimer/Special Note: These are just the sample of the Answers/Solutions to some of the Questions given in
the Assignments. These Sample Answers/Solutions are prepared by Private Teacher/Tutors/Auhtors for the help
and Guidance of the student to get an idea of how he/she can answer the Questions of the Assignments. We do
not claim 100% Accuracy of these sample Answers as these are based on the knowledge and cabability of Private
Teacher/Tutor. Sample answers may be seen as the Guide/Help Book for the reference to prepare the answers of
the Question given in the assignment. As these solutions and answers are prepared by the private teacher/tutor so
the chances of error or mistake cannot be denied. Any Omission or Error is highly regretted though every care
has been taken while preparing these Sample Answers/Solutions. Please consult your own Teacher/Tutor before
you prepare a Particular Answer & for uptodate and exact information, data and solution. Student should must
read and refer the official study material provided by the university.

Answer questions in each category. Write the answers in your own words.

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SECTION-I

Q. 1. Discuss the impact of globalisation on the nature of Indian bureaucracy.

Ans. After the independence the political leaders set an agenda for Bureaucracy. The Prime Minister
Jawahar Lal Nehru who was the leader of the Congress Party has committed India to be democracy, socialism, secularism and non-alignment. Bureaucracy was set up to implement these policies. Some of the bureaucrats were exhibited from high standards of professional and personal conduct.
1967 State Assembly Elections: A Watershed

In the year 1967 there was a great change in the politics of India. The Congress Party who was
predominant at the time of Independence had by 1967 shed up. In the year of 1967 the Congress Party first
time lost her power in different assembly elections. The non-right anti-Congress forces were joined together
by the late Prime Minister Chawdhary Charan Singh. This had a great impact on national politics of India.
After that an attempt was made to give fair representation in the bureaucracy. Setting up Mandal Commission
Recommendation proves that there is a great recognition of the growing power of socio-political forces.
Churning within the Congress Party

There was great churning taking place within the Congress. In 1966 Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhis
position became weak. In order to strengthen her position, she took serious steps to change Indias political
situation and civilian bureaucracy. In 1969 the split of Congress Party took place. Mrs. Indira Gandhis
policy of nationalization of Banks and the abolition of privy purses of the Indian Princes helped Mrs.
Gandhi to become popular once again. Her slogan of Garibi Hataoand victory in the Indo-Pak war helped
the Congress to win in the Lok Sabha elections.
The Idea of a Committed Bureaucracy

Bureaucrats were committed to the policies and programmes of the political party in power. The
individual of Bureaucrat had full commitment towards politicians holding power. The Congress Partys
position became weak in 1967. One of the reason was that the civil bureaucracy had not faithfully delivered

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on the partys programmes. Later bureaucracy had become the part of Indian public administration. Individual
who worked on an independent line based on professional opinion were punished. The punishment were in
the form of transfers or suspension from service. Individual who were loyal to the political masters were
rewarded. As the time went on politician bureaucrat grew into powerful force and develop the friendly
citizen administration. This was Politicisation of the bureaucracy.
Bureaucrat-Politician-Businessman Nexus
Not always, but sometimes the development of the businessman is combination with politician and the
civil servant are unholy.
After independence it was essential for setting any small or big business Government licence was
required. The power was rested with the bureaucrat, it was for them it could grant the permission or withhold
the permission, but ultimate sanctioning authority was the politician. This policy completely led down the
socialist pattern of development. The planning process, the mixed economy, all got off track because of the
corrupt track of the officer-politician-businessman.
In 1990s there was a great change in the world of Indian bureaucracy, just as the 1967 elections had
done.
Globalization and reservation policy which affect the nature of Indian bureaucracy.

Liberalization and Indian Bureaucracy

By liberalization of the economy is meant freeing a national economy from governmental control and
letting it run as per the market forces. In India it was increasingly felt that the democratic socialist model of
development had failed to deliver the goods.Once liberalization of the economy was accepted, changes in
the bureaucracy were inevitable. In India in the last more than twenty years, there has been a slackening of
governmental rules and regulations, which certainly has been a welcome development.
When liberalization first set up, the bureaucrats were openly against it and felt that the governmental
control would led them down and their importance would be shattered. In the last few years Indian media
held that bureaucrats had friendly citizen administration. Many younger bureaucrats has come into existence
and many new ideas had developed. As the matter of corruption it is difficult to conclude whether it has gone
up or down or remained at the pre reform level.
Reservation and Indian Bureaucracy

History of reverse discrimination in government jobs and education for weaker section of society. It is
important to note that as regards recruitment to bureaucratic positions in India, there is provision for reservation
of a certain percentage of posts for deprived sections of society. Thus, from the onset of independence,
22.5% of posts have been reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). In addition,
since the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations, an additional 27% of posts have
been reserved for the Other Backward Castes (OBCs). Also, the various state governments have their own
state-wise quotas for government jobs. Some of the Southern Indian States Karnataka and Tamil Nadu for
instance have always had very high quotas for which there have been historical and socio-political reasons.
The policy of reservation which is based on the principle of affirmative action has been controversial from
the beginning. While it has always found favour with the sections for whom it is meant, the others have not
been too well disposed towards it. While this section some how reconciled itself towards reservation for the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, it found it difficult to accept a similar treatment to the OBCs after
the announcement of the Mandal Commission recommendations. This is because it was felt that the OBCs
really do not have a history of religion-sanctioned social oppression the way SCs and STs and especially, the

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SCs have. There is merit in this argument, but as of today the recommendations have come to stay and the
possibility of a change in the status quo is extremely remote, if not impossible. In fact, since government
jobs are increasingly being reduced in the wake of globalization, there has been now talk of reserving jobs
in the private/corporate sector for the marginalized sections of society. This demand, though not concretised
as yet, has further widened the split between those benefitted by reservation and those outside the reserved
slot.
Q. 2. Discuss the characteristics of dalit movement in India during the 1970s-1980s.
Ans. This phase of 1970s and 1980s was marked the combination of class and caste struggles. Movement was launched in various parts of the country against caste and class exploitation.
Dalit Panther Movement
An educated young Dalit set up an organisation, Dalit Panther in 1972 which aimed rejecting the caste
system based on the Brahminical Hinduism. The ideas were spread by media and communication network,
discussion and debates took in the public places.
The high middle class people wanted to stop the issue of Sadhna in reaction of this Dalits holds a
defence march having a red on black Panther flag. Young Dalits named their organisation Dalit Panther.
These young Dalits were first educated generation whose parents were very poor.
The movement of Dalits fought against the problems of women, rejection the principles of Brahmins
such as purity and pollution, political and economical exploitation. Soon this movement proved to be a
failure due to personality difference of its leadership. Raja Dhale and Namdev Dhasal were two leaders of
RPI movement had their differences on ideological ground. Raja Dhale formed a separate group of Dalit
Panther. They formed a new organisation Bhartiya Dalit Panther. This organisation worked for education,
facilities to the Buddhists converts, renaming the Marathwada University: nationalisation of basic industries
etc. Hence RPI was divided into Ambedkarites and Marxists.

Naxalite Movement in Bihar

At the end of 1960s Dalits of Bihar initiated in political movement. In Bihar landlords formed their
caste senas or private army in order to protect their class interests. Koeri Jagdish Mahto backward class
leader made the first attempt to mobilise the Dalits of Arrah district and influence the ideologies of Marxism
and Ambedkarism. He started the paper called Harijanistan in Arrah district, raised the issue of low wages of
the workers, protection of izzat of Dalit women and social honour. In order to protect the interest of Dalits he
applied violent methods such as murder or the landlords. Ultimately in 1971 Koeri Jagdish Mahto was
murdered.
In 1980 private army were organised. For example landlords had Bhoomi Sena; Rajputs had Lorik
Sena labourers formed Lal Sena, Naxalites made an attempt to unite the middle caste and middle caste
peasants. Organisations were set up like liberation, Party Unity in Patna and Jehanabad districts. Party
Unity set up a public organisation Mazdur Kisan Sangram Samiti (MKSS). MKSS with the help of another
organisation Bihar Pradesh Kisan Sabaha (BPKS) formed the armies against the landlords. In 1983 the
liberation group formed The Indian Peoples Front (IPF). In 1985 the IPF contested the election. This
showed the change of the naxalite groups from agrarian revolution to taking state power.
Dalit Movement in Karnataka

Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) was organized by Dalits in Karnataka. It was founded in 1973 and
during the period of 1974 and 1984 it raised the issues relating to wages of the agricultural labourers,
devdasi and reservation.

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Phase III (1990s onwards)

Kanshi Ram mobilised Dalits under two organisations:
(a) BAMCEF
(b) DSU.
The formation of BSP Kanshi Ram changed the social and cultural organisation into a political party. The
BSP exclude the high castes such as Rajputs, Baniyas and Brahmins, it aimed to mobilise majority sections
which were consisted of Dalits and backward people . The BSP was of the view the minority high class was
using the votes of the majority communities or the Bahujan Samaj (Dalits, backward class, religious minority).
Bahujan Samaj would no longer be used as vote banks, it should had leadership or be the rules. With this view
BSP contested the elections in various parts of the country.
BSP was able to retain its position among Dalits due to electoral alliances and the public policies. BSP
made first alliance with Mulayam Singh Yadav and continued till the BSP withdrew support from the Mulayam
Singh Yadav. BSP had made alliances with the major political formulations like Congress, the BJP and the
Samajwadi Party in UP or the Akali Dal and Congress in Punjab.
Mayawati became the first Minister woman of Dalit. Mayawati declared that her party serve the Sarva
Samaj (shifted from Bahujan Samaj). It started to give the tickets to higher castes such as Rajputs, Banias
and Kayasthas: gave them the representation as minister into her government. Special policies for Dalits had
been introduced by Mayawati such as Ambedkar village programmes, naming the public institutions after
the low caste historical personalities.

BSP led coalition governments in UP, 2002 in assembly election it was noted maximum numbers of
MLAs belongs to the higher castes. These high castes candidates were given tickets by the BSP. Thus we
can say BSP could not maintain the unity of the Bahujan Samaj, because of the electoral strategy of the BSP.
Rights of Dalits as human rights

Dalit rights is kind of Human rights which have been defined to include all aspects of dignified human
existence, social, economical, political etc, which make every human being an equal member of the human
family. Examples of such rights are the right to life, freedom from slavery and freedom from torture. Human
dignity is the essence of human rights. It is the wide understanding of this aspect and appreciation of the
range of dignity of the individual which defines the true scope of human rights. The Center for Dalit Human
Rights (CDHR) with the help of PUCL, working Dalit rights in Rajasthan is an important example.
SECTION-II

Answer any four of the following in about 250 words each.

Q. 3. Discuss the relationship between elections and social changein India.

Ans. According to Upendra Baxi (1991) the growth of environmental jurisprudence is confined to a few
activist judges, lawyers, law academics and senior citizens. There is no such chapter in the Constitution of
India which protects the citizens from air and water pollution, deforestation, destruction of wild life etc.
Later on when there was continuous protest the 42nd Amendment Act was introduced which instruct the
state to make efforts for protecting citizens from water pollution, air, deforestation, destruction of wild life,
etc. The state also made an effort of protecting and improving there environment, forest and wild life.
Fundamental duty includes to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers
and wild life.

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Courts had began to seek protection regarding the environment. Courts creative interpretations and
courts ruling in many cases providing environmental justice and compensation expanded the role of judiciary.
Environment and Human Rights
Environment constitutes a very important part of our life. Environmental deterioration could eventually
endanger life of present and future generations. Therefore, the right to life has been used in a diversified
manner in India. It includes, inter alia, the right to survive as a species, quality of life, the right to live with
dignity and the right to livelihood. In India, this has been expressly recognized as a constitutional right. It is
apparent that environmental and human rights are inextricably linked. As we increasingly recognize the
serious impact of a degraded environment on human health and well being, we are better placed to adjust our
policies and cultural practices to reflect our enhanced understanding. As a result, we should be able to
protect human rights and human dignity within its broader social, economic and cultural context by drawing
from and contributing to those who are actively engaged in the environmental and public health arenas. This
should also facilitate those who are working in the elvironmental and conservation fields to develop a better
working relationship with those in the human rights arena. This will eventually lead to the articulation of a
more integrated approach to dealing with socio-economic and environmental problems, encouraging the
development of a sustainable model for the preservation of biological resources and natural ecosystems, for
the use and enjoyment of both present and future generations. People more and more started to see that a
clean and healthy environment is essential to the realisation of fundamental human rights. Such as the right
to life, personal integrity, family life, health and development. Because each human being depends on
protecting the environment as the resource base for all life. And where it started with mere linking
acknowledged human rights to cases of environmental disruption, like the Bhopal and Chernobyl disasters,
it has become more acknowledged over the years that human rights and the environment are so inherently
interlinked that (a clean and healthy). Environment is a Human Right.

Q. 4. Identify the main challenges to the unity of womens movement in India.

Ans. Communalism and Casteism: All India Womens Conference (AIWC) in 1930 took the issue
of communalism. Protest was made against the reservation of seats for women in the legislature. Organisation raised the demands of uniform civil code which implies their should be same laws for all
women of India and women should not be laid down or tortured by religious dictums and caste obligations. During the period of 1940s there was the communial tension between Muslim League and Congress, most of the women left the organisation due to the partition of India and Pakistan. The women
who went to Pakistan formed All Pakistan Womens Conference.
Communalism and casteism together convert the country in horrible situation. Violent action was
taken throughout the country. Oppress women who were treated badly in the name of religious and lower
castesthe these women emerged in masses in protest and self- defence. Concentration of wealth in the
hands of few also inspires the women to protest movement in India.
Daily Encounters with Oppression

1. Against Alcohol: Women raised their voice against alcohol. The reason behind it men spend lots of
money in buying Alcohol thus his income were waisted. He beats wife and children and family violence
took place. In 1972 Bhil women were first to raise the voice against alcohol, pots were broken. After that
many women became the follower of anti-alcohol drinks. In Andhra Pradesh at Nellore Anti-Arrack movement
was launched.

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2. Against Dowry: In 1975, at Hyderabad first time the organisation of women was made in order to
go against dowry system. Their demonstration and anger spread to Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat, Punjab, Bengal etc. For solving this matter Mahila Dakshata Samiti was set up in Delhi. The Samiti
was concerned womens oppression and subjugation.
3. Against Sexual Abuse: The agitation against rape first time started against police rape, when
Ralmmeza Bi was raped in police custody. Association and organisations were formed to raise the voice
against the rape cases and sexual abuse. Shakti Shalini, Susbala Mahila Sangha, Janvadi Mahila Samiti
were some of the organisations who worked against sexual abuse. Womens bodies for example Mahila
Samata Sainik Dal was of the view that women were enslave because of mens base desire for sexual
pleasure. Men were told it was their duty to protect and care for their women.
Environmental and Livelihood
In pre-Independence women used to break the laws of forest because from the day of human existence
women had been the food gatherers and food providers. Environmental degradation and indiscriminate
robbing of nature were charged on women. Self-Employed Womens Association (SEWA) was set up which
united women workers under its organisation. This organisation influenced the international league of
organisation and demanded the protection to the home-based workers. Bangladesh Grameen Bank tries to
protect the womens economic independence.

Q. 5. Discuss the factors which led to the rise of new classes during the colonial period in India.
Ans. There were various factors responsible the emergence of new classes. New land relation, commercial exploitation by the capitalists world, introduction of a new administrative arrangement, modern education and industries establishment were largely responsible for the emergence of new classes. Creation of
private property in land by the permanent and Ryotwari settlements this was responsible to the emergence of
the Zamindars and peasant proprietors. Class of tenants and sub-tenants emerged with the creation of the
right to lease land. The right to employ labourers to work on land created classes of absentee landlord and
agricultural labour. There was also the emergence of moneylenders.
Under the colonial states industrial and agricultural became the market. There were import and exports
of goods outside and inside India. This lead the emergence of new class, these people were called the
merchants. The rise of textiles, mining and other industries owned by Indians led the native capitalist class.
The colonial states introduced new social, economic system in which they needed professionals in field of
law, technologies, medicines, economics, etc. So education system was introduced. People who studied
medicinewent in Government hospitals and medical colleges. Professional class was absent in the preBritish India.
SECTION-III

Q. 6. Dominant Party System

Ans. India has a large number of political parties without a well-developed party system. The party
system during the first two decades were described as the Single Dominant Party System. The main
characteristics were :
(1) One Party Dominance System: According to Rajni Kothari Indian party system as one party
dominance system. The Congress party was based on broad agreement or consensus and able to handle
opposition within its fold. The opposition parties worked outside the Congress and used the factional leaders
of the Congress Party to influence its policy. These parties acted as a pressure groups and created informal

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alliances with the opposition leaders of the ruling party. The Congress system showed a great flexibility and
leading one party system in India. One party system prevails during Nehrus and Indira Gandhis leadership
of Congress.
(2) A multi-Party System: After the disintegration of the Congress system in 1967, the Indian parties
came into the category of multi-party system. Since 1967 a multi-party situation had emerged both in the
centre and the state. At the state level the dominance of the Congress Party was frequently contested by
regional and local parties.
(3) Weakness of the Non-Congress Parties: The main weakness of the non-Congress was that it has
been divided and weak. It was not one opposition, but many oppositions consisting of many groups and
independent individuals.
(4) Reliance on Powerful Personalities: Although the parties had built organisational structure, they
depend on certain charismatic and powerful personalities. For example, the ADMK in Tamil Nadu cling to
M.G. Ramachandran and the Telugu Dessam in Andhra Pradesh to N.T. Rama Rao, despite their serious
ailments. The parties depend on leaders for their existence.
(5) Lack of Ideological Commitment: Political parties in India were ready to capture power. For that
they were willing to sacrifice on ideology commitment for which they were emphasising. Since 1971 elections
were won not on the basis of the inherent strength of the ideology of a political party, but on the basis of
immediate concern to the electorate.

(6) Emergence of Regional Parties: Several all India parties, had suffered in strength due to regional
parties have grown in number and influence. For example, Punjab is dominated by the Akali Dal; Assam has
been ruled by AGP. These parties defend a regionally-based ethnic or religio-cultural identity.
(7) The Common Socio-Economic Background of Party Leaders: Most of the leaders of the nonCongress parties who left the Indian National Congress belongs from the same backgroundeducational
background; same experience of the freedom movement originated from upper or middle class.
(8) Distinctive Party Systems in the States: Each state in Indian union has its own party system.
Some have two-party system or multi-party system.
(9) The Use of Extra Constitutional Means of Power: Some of the political parties try to exploit
political or social discontent to their advantage. They do not hesitate to use such non-parliamentary means
as civil disobedience, strikes and protest rallies to embrass the party in power and some of these tactics may
become violent. All this they do in order to capture a maximum number of seats in public offices.
Centrality of Congress

Congress party was known to be the central institution of Indian politics because of the unique position
of dominance of the Congress Party. The party was based on a consensual model.
(1) Congress Party not permitting other parties to challenge its position of power in the centre and
the states. It occupied the central space of electoral politics.
(2) Though Congress represents the diverse interests of society, but it remained the formal mediating
institutions of the state. It provided the crucial space for political negotiations and bargaining.
(3) Another reflection of the Congress centrality was that it had space for all kinds of ideological
groups. It contained ideological viewpoints of the left and right.

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Q. 7. Gandhi-Ambedkar debate
Ans. During the colonial period M.K.Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar tried to solve the problems of
Dalits.
According to Gandhiji untouchability was a corrupt form and could be solved by moral reforms of the
Hindus.
Harijans or Dalits or untouchables were the people of God and they should be treated as other high
castes. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar also tried to eradicate the problems of Dalits, he launched the movement of
temple entry made Dalits to enter into temple for which Dalits were forbidden. In 1927, Mahad Satyagrah in
Maharashtra, Ambedkar led a large number of Dalits to enter into the Chewdar water tank which was forbidden
by the Orthodox Hindus. The reaction of this incident was Orthodox Hindus forced Ambedkar to burn the
Manusmriti. He then suggested that untouchability or caste discrimination could only be removed either
abolition of Hinduism or conversion of Dalits into other religion.
At the provincial level various movements were launched which aimed the self-reform in the rituls,
advancement of Dalits education, jobs under states etc. Some of the movements were: Nadars Pulayas
Ezhavas in South, Namsudra Movement in West Bengal, Adi Dharm Movement led by Mangoo Ram etc.
These movements were held in different parts of the country.

Social reforms which took place in early period of century, for example Arya Samaj, Dalit leaderships
responded to the social reform. Chamars of Madhya Pradesh (Chhattisgarh) were influenced under the
Satnami Movement since 18th century.
In the early period of 20th century there were differences between Congress and Ambedkar. Dr. Ambedkar
was of the view that social issues would be given property over the political issues because political rights
cannot be enjoyed without social equality while Congress was of the view that political rights would be
given priority over social issues because once political rights would be given to the people social equality
would itself established.
Separate electorate for the depressed classes were demanded by Ambedkar by the second round table
conference of 1931. In 1932 Gandhiji set on fast unto death against the separate electorate which Britishers
had advocated. To avoid the situation Gandhiji and Ambedkar entered into pact which was known as Poona
Pact. According to the Pact separate electorate would be removed and reservation was introduced in the
legislative bodies for the ubntouchables castes.

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