- Controversy over Official Language: The Official Languages Amendment Act of 1967 established English as an associate language for official work at the central level.
- Politics of Reorganization: Potti Sriramulu’s Fast unto Death led to formation of andhra pradesh. The Fazl Ali Commission (1955) accepted language as the basis for the reorganisation of states.
- Effective Electoral Factor: notably reflected in the agitation against the imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu and the Assamese-Bengali language conflict in the northeast.
- Religious and Communal Politics: In states like Uttar Pradesh, language often intersects with religious and communal politics, with Hindi symbolizing Hindu identity and Urdu representing Muslim identity, leading to communal tensions and political movements.
- One Nation, One Language Debate: Debates surrounding Article 351 highlight the tension between promoting a common national language and preserving linguistic diversity.
- Demand by various linguistic groups for inclusion in 8th schedule → E.g. recent demand for rajasthanti
- The NEP’s emphasis on mother tongue-based education reflects the recognition of linguistic minorities’ rights and cultural diversity.
Thus language created a great problem in the post-independent era and continues to be one of the heavy weights on a country’s political system.
Caste is a crucial determinant in Indian politics.
- Political Mobilization and Voting Patterns: Parties consider caste composition when distributing election tickets. Voters often consider candidates’ caste. The Congress party’s initial success came from its “coalition of castes” support base.
- Caste-Based Political Parties: The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), founded in 1984, has a strong Dalit base and is influential in states like Uttar Pradesh.
- Impact on Political Representation: Caste dynamics have increased representation of marginalized groups (Dalits, OBCs) in legislative bodies through political reservations.
- Secularization and Politicization of Caste: Caste identities are mobilized for political gains, breaking traditional rigidities and promoting social mobility. Rajni Kothari noted that caste is politicized, not politics impacted by caste.
Challenges and Criticisms
- Caste-based politics has increased participation but also exacerbated caste violence and conflicts.
- Focus on caste can overshadow critical issues like economic development, health, and education.
