Class 12 Political Science Chapter 14 Challenges to and Restoration of Congress System The answer to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse through different chapters Assam Board HS Class 12 Political Science Chapter 14 Challenges to and Restoration of Congress System and select needs one.
Class 12 Political Science Chapter 14 Challenges to and Restoration of Congress System
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VERY LONG ANSWER
- Explain any six factors which were responsible for the split of the congress in 1969.
Ans : The formal split in the congress took place in 1969 the issue of Presidential election, actually the factional rivalry between the Syndicate and Indira Gandhi came in the open in 1969 regarding the nomination of candidate for the President’s post. Following are the six responsible factor for the split of the congress in 1969.
(i) In 1967 election, the congress party got power but with a reduced majority. Factionalism within the congress developed and congress lost power in many states,
(ii) A syndicate was formed within the congress party and began to influence the decision of Indira Gandhi.
(iii) Despite Mrs. Gandhi’s reservations the syndicate managed to nominate her long time opponent and then speaker of the Lok Shabha N. Sanjeeva Reddy, as the official congress for the ensuring presidential elections.
(iv) Indira Gandhi retaliated by encouraging the then vice president V.V. Giri to file his nomination as an independent candidate.
(v) During election, the then congress president S. Nijalingappa issued a ‘whip’ asking all the congress MPs and MLAs to vote in favour of Sanjeeva Reddy.
(vi) On the other hand, after silently supporting V.V. Giri, the Prime Minister openly called for a conscience note to vote the way they want.
And, the election ultimately resulted in the victory of V.V. Giri and of defeat of Sanjeeva Reddy. The defeat of the official congress candidate therefore formalised the split.
2. State which of these were reasons for the defeat of the Congress in 1967. Give reasons for your answer :
(a) The absence of a charismatic leader in the congress party.
(b) Split within the congress party.
(c) Increased mobilisation of regional, ethnic and communal groups.
(d) Increasing unity among non-congress parties.
(e) Internal differences within the congress party.
Ans : The reasons for the defeat of the Congress Party were the increasing unity among non-congress parties and the internal differences within the congress party. But that time the parties opposed to the congress had realised that it was the division of their votes which was keeping the congress party in power. Thus, parties that were opposed in their programme and ideologies to the congress got together to form anti-congress fronts in some states and entered into electoral adjustments of sharing seats in others.
They also felt that the inexperience of the new Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and the internal factionalism within the congress party provided them an opportunity to topple the congress. The socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia, agave this strategy the name of non congressism. He also said that the congress rule was undemocratic and opposed to the interests of ordinary poor people. Thus, the coming together of non-congress parties was necessary for saving democracy in the country.
As a result of the above situation the congress was able to get a reduced majority (283 seats) in the Lok Sabha. But in state elections, congress lost majority in seven states. Besides in other two states, defections prevented it from forming the government. These nine states where the congress lost power were – Punjab, Haryana, U.P., Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Madras (Tamil Nadu) and Kerala. In Madras, DMK, a regional political party got an absolute majority on its own formed the government. In other states, coalition governments consisting of different non-congress parties were formed.
Q. 3. Why is the decade of sixties labelled as a ‘dangerous decade’ ?
Ans : The decade of sixties was labelled as a dangerous decade “be cause in the 1960’s the country faced several problems like poverty, inequality, communal and regional divisions etc. Indian democratic system faced serve challenges and also integration of the country was in danger. Aster Nehru’s death it was feared whether new leadership would be able to manage democratic aspirations of the people. In this decade defection was quite prominent. Many MP’s and MLA’s tried to change their political party and join some other political party. The constant shifting of political loyalties in this period gave rise to the expression ‘Aya Ram Gaya Ram’.
In the decade 1960’s India faced some grave economic situation like – failure of monsoons, widespread drought, decline of agricultural production, decline in food storage, depletion of foreign exchange reserve etc.
There was also split of the congress party because of internal differences between Indira Gandhi faction of the congress and syndicate faction. When the presidential election took place in 1969, then the two factions Supported two different persons for the post of presidentship.
The decade also experienced two wars between India and China in 1962 and India and Pakistan in 1965. In the first war, India was defeated whereas in the second military conflict India was winner.
Q. 4. List the two challenges faced by Indira Gandhi after the 1967 election, Mention her strategy towards the challenges.
Ans : The two challenges faced by Indira Gandhi after the 1967 election was given below :
(i) After the 1967 election Indira Gandhi face the challenge of defection in the making and unmaking of governments in the states. Defection means an elected representative leaves the party on whose symbol he/she was elected and joins another party. After the 1967 general election, the breakaway congress legislators played an important role in installing non-congress governments in three states – Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. The constant realignments and shifting political royalties. in this period gave rise the expression “Aya Ram, Gaya Ram.’ this period not came
(ii) The real challenge face by Indira Gandhi in from opposition but from within her own party. She had to deal with the ‘Syndicate’ a group of powerful and influential leaders from within the congress. The Syndicate had played a role in the installation of Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister by ensuring her election as the leader of the parliamentary party and they expected that Indira Gandhi follow their
Thus Indira Gandhi faced two challenges. She needed to build her independence from the Syndicate. She also needed to work towards regaining the ground that the congress had lost in the 1967 elections. She adopted a very bold strategy. She converted a simple power struggle into an ideological struggle. She launched a series of initiatives to give the government policy a Left orientation and got the congress working committee to adopt a Ten point programme in May 1967. Slowly and carefully, she sidelined from the Syndicate and chose her trusted group of advisors from outside the party.
Q. 5. What does the term syndicate mean in the context of the congress party of the sixties. What role did the syndicate play in the congress party ?
Ans : Syndicate refers to a group of powerful and influential leaders within the congress party. It was an informal name given to a group of Congress party leader who controlled the party’s decision making.
Syndicate played a very important role in the congress party. It played as influential role in the formation Cabinet under Indira Gandhi prime ministership. It also played a decisive role in policy formulation and implementation.
Q. 6. How was the Congress(O) different from Congress(R).
Ans : Congress (0) and congress (R) are the two opposition political party within congress both are originated after the congress split in 1969. They are differ from each other like following manner.
(i) By November 1969, the congress group led by the Syndicate leader came to be referred to as the congress (O or organisation).On the other hand the group led by Mrs. Indira Gandhi came to be called the congress (R or Requisitionists).
(ii) In the time of presidential election of 1969, the leaders of congress (O) supported Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy as Presidential Candidate.While Indira Gandhi and congress (R) supported V.V. Giri as presidential candidate.
(iii) Congress (0) was conservative in nature. But congress (R) was a socialist type of political party.
(iv) Congress (0) was more concerned of the rich section of society. While congress (R) was greatly concerned of poor section of people in the society.
(v) In the 1971 Lok Sabha election Indira Gandhi’s congress (f) won 352 seats with about 44 percent of the popular votes on its own. Contrast this with the performance of the congress (O) the party with so many stalwarts could get less than one fourth of the votes secured by Indira Gandhi’s party and win merely 16 seats.
Q. 7. Briefly discuss the nature of New Congress (R) Party.
Ans : The new congress (R) party was the new creation of Mrs Indira Gandhi. This Indira Gandhi dominated party occupied a similar position in terms of its popularity as in the post. But it was a bit different kind of a part, It relied entirely on the popularity of the supreme leader. It has a some what weak organisational structure. This party accommodate all kinds of opinions and interests. While it won elections, it depended more on some social groups, the poor, the women, Dalits, Adivasis and the minorities. Thus it is a new political party reinvented by Mrs. Indira Gandhi with its new character and Nature.
Q. 8. In what ways Indira Gandhi re-invented her party Congress (R) ?
Ans : In many ways Mrs. Indira Gandhi re-invented the party congress (R). Her re-invention we can mention the liked manner :
(i) The party occupied a similar position in terms of its popularity as in the past. But it was a different kind of a party,
(ii) It relied entirely on the popularity of the supreme leader. It had a somewhat weak organisational structure,
(iii) This congress party did not have many fraction, thus it could not accommodate all kinds of opinion and interests.
(iv) While it won elections, it depended more on some social groups, the poor, the women, Dalits, Adivasis and the minorities.
This was a new congress that had emerged. Thus Indira Gandhi restored the congress system by changing the nature of the congress system itself .
Q. 9. What were the factors which led to the popularity of Indira Gandhi’s Govt in the early 1970s ?
Ans : Same as Ans of Q. No. 4. (Long Answer)
Q. 10. Was the Congress split in 1969 avoidable? If the split had not taken place, how could it have influenced the course of events in the 1970s ?
Ans : Same as Ans of Q. No. 2. (Long Answer)
Q. 11. How did the Fourth General Elections (1967) in India change the dynamics of Indian politics ?
Ans : The features of 4th general elections were :
(a) Context of the elections :- The 4th general elections were fought in a very fragile political and economic environment. There was severe price rise of essential commodities, food scarcity, growing unemployment and the overall economic condition in the country. Bandhs and hartals were called frequently across the country. The government saw the protests as a law and order problem and not as expressions of people’s problems. This further increased public bitterness and reinforced popular unrest.
(b) Non-Congressism :- The opposition parties of Congress came together to form anti-Congress fronts in the fourth general elections. This coming together of anti-Congress opposition parties is called the strategy of non-Congressism. Parties opposed to the Congress realised that the division of their votes kept the Congress in power. Thus, parties that were entirely different and disparate in their programmes and ideology got together to form anti-Congress fronts in some states and entered into electoral adjustment of sharing seats in others.
(c) Electoral Verdict :- The electoral verdict of 1967 jolted the Congress Party. The Congress in 4th general elections was facing the electorate for the first time without Nehru. The Congress did manage to get a majority in the Lok Sabha, but with its lowest tally of seats and share of votes since 1952. Half the ministers in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet were defeated. The political stalwarts who lost in their constituencies included Kamraj in Tamil Nadu, S.K. Patil in Maharashtra, Atulya Ghosh in West Bengal and K. B. Şahay in Bihar.
(d) Coalition form of Government :- The elections of 1967 brought into picture the phenomenon of coalitions. Since no single party had got majority, various non-Congress parties came together to form joint legislative parties. That is why these governments came to be described as Samyukta Vidhayak Dal governments. In most of these cases the coalition partners were ideologically incongruent. The SVD government in Bihar, for instance, included the two socialist parties SSP and the PSP alongwith the CPI on the left and Jana Saugh on the right. In Punjab it was called the ‘Popular United Front’ and comprised the two rival Akali parties at that time -Sant Group and the Master group — with both the communist parties – CPI and the CPI(M), the SSP, the Republican Party and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh.
(e) Defection :- Another feature of the politics after the 1967 election was the role played by defections in the making and unmaking of governments in the states. Defection means an elected representative leaves the party on whose symbol he/she was elected and joins another party. After the 1967 general election, the breakaway Congress legislators played an important role in installing non-Congress governments in three states namely Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, The constant realignments and shifting political loyalties in this period gave rise to the expressions ‘Aya Ram, Gaya Ram.’
Q. 12. What is meant by Privy Purses ? Why did Indira Gandhi insist on abolishing them in 1970 ?
Ans : After, independence of India, most of the princely state were integrated with India. The rulers of princely states were given privy purse for their maintenance. Nehru wanted to abolish this system became it was not in conformity with the principle of equality and justice as laid down in the Constitution of India. Indira Gandhi also supported the fact that privy purse should be abolished. The government of India issued an ordinance to to abolish privy purse. However Supreme court of India struck down the ordinance. Later on in 1971 the constitution was amended with a view to remove legal obstacles for abolishing ‘Privy purse’.
13. How did the outcome of 1971 elections help in the restoration of Congress ?
Ans : Same as Ans of Q. No. 8.
14. What is “Kamraj Plan” ? Write in detail about K. Kamraj ?
Ans : K. Kamraj was the leader of syndicate within the Congress Party. Syndicate refers to a group of powerful and influential leaders within the Congress Party it controlled the party’s decision making. It played a decisive role in policy formulation and implementation,
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