Question

Examine the impact of any three political developments that India witnessed between the periods 1989 to 1999.

Answer 1

1. First, the most crucial development of this period was the defeat of the Congress party in the elections held in 1989. The party that had won as many as 415 seats in the Lok Sabha in 1984 was reduced to only 197 in this election. The Congress improved its performance and came back to power soon after the midterm elections held in 1991. But the elections of 1989 marked the end of what political scientists have called the 'Congress system‘.
2. The second development was the rise of the 'Mandal issue' in national politics. This followed the decision by the new National Front government in 1990 to implement the commendations of the Mandal Commission that jobs in central government should be reserved for the Other Backward Classes. This led to violent 'anti-Mandal 'protests in different parts of the country.
3. The economic policy followed by the various governments took a radically different turn. This is known as the initiation of the structural adjustment program or the new economic reforms. Started by Rajiv Gandhi, these changes first became very visible in 1991 and radically changed the direction that the Indian economy had pursued since Independence.
4. A number of events culminated in the wake of the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya (known as Babri Masjid) in December 1992. This event symbolised and triggered various changes in the politics of the country and intensified debates about the nature of Indian nationalism and secularism.
5. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 led to a change in leadership of the Congress party. He was assassinated by a Sri Lankan Tamil linked to the LTTE when he was on an election campaign tour in Tamil Nadu. In the elections of 1991, Congress emerged as the single largest party. Following Rajiv Gandhi’s death, the party chose Narsimha Rao as the Prime Minister.