Describe any three areas of tension which are yet to be solved to retain unity in diversity in India.
Three areas of tension are:-
i) Jammu & Kashmir- insurgency, separatism, terrorism etc.
ii) North-East states – demand for autonomy, secessionist movements
iii) Demand for the formation of states based on linguistic and regionalism in different parts
of India.
What is meant by non-party movements? Describe the main features of such movements.
Non-Party Movements: Many of the politically active groups lost faith in existing democratic institutions and electoral politics. They, therefore chose to step outside party politics and engage in mass mobilization for registering their protest. Because of the voluntary nature of their social work, many of these organisations came to be known as voluntary organisations or voluntary sector organizations. Most of these groups believed in politics and want to participate in it but not through political parties.
Hence, these movements organised by them are called, ‘Non-party Movements’.
Their features:
(i) They remain outside party politics.
(ii) They do not contest elections.
(iii) They continue to work in rural and urban areas.
(iv) Of late, many of them are funded by external agencies including international service agencies.
(v) Ideals of local initiatives is weakened by the availability of external funds on a large scale to these organizations.
Or
In 1979, the All Assam students‟ Union (AASU), a students’ group not affliated 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’ register that included the names of lakhs of imigrants. The movement demanded that all outsiders who had entered the state after 1951 should be sent back. This agitation followed many novel methods and mobilized all sections of Assamese people, drawing support across the state. It also involved many tragic and violent incidents leading to loss of property and human lives. The movement also tried to blockade the movement of trains and the supply of oil from Assam to refineries in Bihar.
The provisions: According to the agreement with Rajiv Gandhi, those foreigners who migrated into Assam during and after the Bangladesh war and since, were to be identified and deported.
Study the passage given below carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The best way to respond to regional aspirations is through democratic negotiations rather than through suppression. Look at the situation in the eighties- militancy had erupted in Punjab; problems were persisting in the North-East; students in Assam were agitating; Kashmir Valley was on the boil. Instead of treating these as simple law and order problems, the Government of India reached negotiated settlement with regional movements.
Questions:
(i) How are regional aspirations dangerous for the unity of the country?
(ii) What is meant by democratic negotiations?
(iii) Who was leading the agitation in Assam?
(iv) What steps were taken by the Government of India to respond to the regional aspiration?
OR
Study the passage given below and answer the question that follow.
In fact, the BSP under Kanshi Ram‘s leadership was envisaged as an organization based on pragmatic politics. It derived confidence from the fact that the Bahujans (SCs, STs, OBCs and religious minorities) constituted the majority of the population and were a formidable political force on the strength of their numbers.
Questions:
(i) Which organization was formed by Kanshi Ram?
(ii) Give the full form of BSP?
(iii) Name any two religious minorities?
(iv) Why are the Bahujans considered a formidable political force?
(i) Many a times regional aspiration become a threat with unity when the agitation based on them either go out of the control of the organisers or violence is resorted to as means to achieve the goal.
(ii) It means peaceful negotiation between the organisers of the movement and the union government/ state government within the constitutional frame work.
(iii)All Assam Students Union (AASU) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP)
(iv) Various accords were reached at from time to time. For example:
(a) Between Rajiv Gandhi – AASU leaders in 1985.
(b) Accord between Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Denga in 1986 (Mizoram).
Or
(i) The Backward and Minority Classes Employees Federation (BAMCEF).
(ii) Bahujan Samaj Party.
(iii) Buddhist and Jains
(iv) The Bahujans constitute the majority of the population and are a formidable political force on the strength of their numbers.
Read the passage carefully given below and answer the questions that follow:
The Assam Movement from 1979 to 1985 is the best example of such movements against 'outsiders'. The Assamese suspected that there were huge numbers of illegal Bengali Muslim settlers from Bangladesh. They felt that unless these foreign nationals are detected and deported, they would reduce the indigenous Assamese into a minority. There were other economic issues too. There was widespread poverty and unemployment in Assam despite the existence of natural resources like oil, tea and coal. It was felt that these were drained out of the State without any commensurate benefit to the people.
(i) Name the group that led the movement against outsiders in 1979.
(ii) Why did the Assamese seek the detection and deportation of the outsiders?
(iii) What were the economic issues taken up as part of the movement?
(i) All Assam Students’ Union (AASU).
(ii) Because they would reduce the indigenous Assamese in minority.
(iii) The widespread poverty and unemployment in Assam despite the existence of natural resources like oil, tea and coal.
Describe the story of Goa’s liberation from the Portuguese to its becoming a state of the Indian Union.
(i) Goa was under colonial rule since the 16th Century. During their rule, the Portuguese suppressed the people of Goa, denied them civil rights and carried out forced religious conversions.
(ii) After independence in Goa also, there was strong movement for freedom, which was strengthened by satyagrahis from Maharastra.
(iii) In December 1961, the Indian Government sent the army which liberated Goa, Daman and Diu and it was made a Union Territory.
(iv) One section of the people of Goa desired that Goa, as a Marathi speaking area should merged with Maharashtra but many Goans were keen to retain a separate identity and culture particularly the Konkani language.
(v) The Central Government held a special opinion poll in Goa asking people to decide about their choice.
(vi) A referendum – like procedure was used. The majority of the people decided to remain separate i.e. outside Maharashtra. Thus Goa continued as Union Territory. Finally in 1987, Goa became a State.