Regional Aspirations
Regional Aspirations is the Chapter of Political science of Class 12 CBSE covering complete syllabus of the chapter Regional Aspirations along with important Previous years questions highly beneficial for Board appearing students and for competitive Exams
Regional Aspirations
Regional Aspirations is related demand of different regional autonomy outside the frame work of Indian Union. 1980 was the era of rising regional aspirations, demand of autonomy armed assertion by people etc
Indian Approach as Regional Aspirations:
India adopted the democratic approach in which political expression of regional aspiration cannot be treated as anti – national so the Political parties and groups are allowed to address the issues of the people on the basis of regional aspirations, identity and specific regional problems so that adequate attention can be accommodated in policy making process .
Aera of Tension and Conflicts as Regional Aspirations:
After independence India faced the problem of partition, Intergration of princely states, reorganisation of states etc as Regional Aspirations some problematic issues are
a)Kashmir issue have been the problem between India and Pakistan since Partition and it has emerged as political Regional Aspirations of people in form of political autonomy living in the region.
b)Tension in North East region like in Nagaland, Mizoram in the form of Separatist Movement as Regional Aspirations
c)Some group from Dravid Movement in the south India as a separate movement.
d)Regional Aspirations as Mass Agitation on the basis of language in some states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka , Maharashtra
e)Imposition of Hindi as official language in Tamil Nadu was the cause of protest and protest for Hindi as official language in the northern states
f)In the late 1950 the Punjabi speaking people demanded for separate states as Regional Aspirations as this demand was fulfilled by dividing Panjab into Punjab and Haryana in 1966. I the same way states like Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand due to demand of autonomy.
Jammu and Kashmir Issue as major Regional Aspirations :
The Jammu and Kashmir is Comprise of three regions i) Jammu Region comprise of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs speaking different languages ii) Kashmir region comprise of Kashmir Valley inhabited by majority of Muslims and few Hindu with Kashmiri speaking iii) Ladakh Region is mountainous region with less people major Buddhist and some Muslims
Main Cause of the Problem:
In fact Jammu Kashmir was the Princely State before Independence ruled by Raja Hari Singh who did not want to merge his state neither to India nor Pakistan, He wanted the independent state as the majority of the population was Muslim due to this Pakistan felt that the state should come under them and People of Kashmir led the issue of regional aspiration of KASHMIRYAT so the popular movement was led by Sheikh Abdullah of National Conference and wanted to get rid of Maharaja.
In October 1947 Pakistan sent tribal infiltrators to capture Kashmir region , Maharaja got afraid and went to seek the Support of India. The Indian got ready to support on the condition if Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession he did so than Indian Army pulled out infiltrators. The part of Kashmir was occupied by Pakistan and this issue was raised in UNO they recommended three step as Regional Aspirations First Pakistan had to withdraw from Kashmir Region, Secondly India needs to reduce it’s military Forces to maintain law and order Thirdly a plebiscite was to be conducted in free and impartial manner. No progress was made under this resolution in March 1948 Sheikh Abdullah took over as PM of J&K and India agreed to grant provisional autonomy to the state under Article 370.
Disputes in Regional Aspirations of Kashmir;
a) External Dispute :Pakistan has always claimed that Kashmir Valley should be the part of Pakistan . It sponsored the tribal invasion of the state in 1947 which brought one part of the state under the control of Pakistan , India claimed it to be illegal occupying of Pakistan. Pakistan describes it as Azad Kashmir so it has become the major issue between India and Pakistan. b) Internal Dispute : As Regional Aspirations there is the dispute about the status of Kashmir within Indian Union . Kashmir was granted a special status by Article 370 in Indian Constitution which gives greater autonomy to J&K as compared to other states of India and having their own Constitution and all provision of the Indian Constitution are the not applicable to state.
The Kashmir Issue: After Independence Kashmir have been the burning subject for Indian Union the problem became more complex after giving the special status by article 370 and 35A which give special power to state the separate constitution, Constituent Assembly, and Flag . New kind of naming Chief Minister addressed as Prime Minister and Governor as Sadr-e- Riyasat is the example of Regional Aspirations .There was non enforcement of most of the union law in the state and citizen of J&K has special Citizen Rights such as buying of property only by Kashmiris.
Some people think Article 370 and 35A as Constitutionally recognized separation. On 5th August 2019 NDA government presented the Jammu and Kashmir reorganization bill in Rajya Sabha to abolish Article 370 and 35A which was passed with majority , the same was passed in Lok Sabha on 6th August 2019. the President gave the assent on 9th August 2019 the section 370 and 35A were repealed and Jammu and Kashnir was divided in two union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Politics on Kashmir Since 1948 : When Sheikh Abdullah became the PM of J&K he commenced the land reforms and many other policies for the good of people but difference between the Central Government Of India and J&K government were increasing and Congress Party was influencing the politics of the state during the period of 1953&1974 National Conference without Sheikh Abdullah remained in power with the support of congress later on it merged in Congress. From 1965 there was the change in the provision of Constitution in which PM of J&K was then designated as the chief minister of J&K . Ghulam Mohammad Sadiq of INC was the first Chief Minister. In 1974 Indira Gandhi had an agreement with Sheikh Abdullah and became the Chief Minister. He revived the National Conference got elected with majority in1977 but died in 1982 than his son Farooq Abdullah became the CM ,dismissed by Governor which created resentment among Kashmiris.
Insurgency in J&K : The Election were held National Conference with the alliance of Congress won with majority and Farooq Abdullah again became the Chief Minister side by side in 1989 the militant movement were started for the demand of separate Kashmir Nation and Pakistan was backing them for that unreasonable demand due to insurgency activities the President Rule was declared and Indian Army were deployed.
Since 1990 J&K has been facing violence and army action . Again in 1996 the election were held National Conference came in power with Farooq Abdullah as CM with the demand of reginal autonomy but 2002 he failed to have majority People Democratic Party (PDP) came in power with the help of Congress Mufti Mohammad became the CM for 3 years as per the agreement with Congress than Ghulam Nabi Azad of INC became the CM of J&K after that 2009 election Omar Abdullah the son of Farooq Abdullah became CM alliance of National Conference and INC again in 2014 election with the highest voters turn over PDP and BJP alliance formed the government as Mufti Mohammad after the demise of Mufti Mohammad his daughter Mahbooba Mufti became CM as first women CM of J&K in April 2016.In 2019 9 th August the Indian government revoked the Article 370 and 35A made J&K. Ladakh as two separate Union Territory . In 2024 again with the alliance of Congress and National Conference Omar Abdullah became the CM.
Punjab Problem as Regional Aspirations :
During 1980 Punjab was the major development state of India. There was great social composition even after partition than after division into Punjab and Haryana in1966. In Regional Aspirations Akali Dal as a political wing of Sikhs was established in 1920 and led the movement of formation of Punjab Suba, After the reorganisation of states in 1966 the A formed the Akali Dal formed the coalition Government in 1967 and 1977 but they did not have certain political status because i) Centre dismissed their Government in the Mid way term ii)Did not have strong support of Hindus iii) There were internal division in the Sikh community on the basis of cast and creed and Congress were having more support of Hindus and Sikh Dalits than Akali’s .In 1970 some section of Akali’s demanded political autonomy for their region. The resolution was passed in Anandpur Sahib in 1973 for regional autonomy and redefine the relation with Centre Government, the resolution were to make federalism more powerful but it was wrongly interpreted as a plea of separate Sikh State.
Anandpur Sahib Resolution had limited appeal to common people. Akali Dal Government was dismissed so they launched the movement regarding the distribution of the water to the neighboring state. Some Religious leaders raised the question of autonomous Sikh State as Khalistan.
Leadership of Akali movement shifted to Regional Aspirations with Akali extremist elements with armed insurgency with was identical to terrorism involved in violent terrorist activities . They made their headquarter the holy Shrine Golden Temple of Amritsar as fortress so Government of India carried the Operation Blue Star in June 1984 but in response of that operation PM Indira Gandhi was assassinated on 31st October 1984 which created hue cries for Sikhs in all over Northern India
Path to Peace :The new PM of India Rajeev Gandhi initiated the discussion to bring normalcy in the relationship between Centre Government and Akali’s . In July 1985 Rajeev Gandhi – Longowal Accord (Punjab Accord) was signed between Rajeev Gandhi and Harcharan Singh Longowal the president of Akali Dal on the points i) Chandigarh would be transfer to Punjab and Commission would be appointed to resolve the border dispute with Haryana ii) Tribunal set up to decide the sharing of Ravi Beas river water among Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana iii) It was agreed to provide compensation to and better treatment of those affected by the militancy in Punjab and withdrawal of the application of armed forces special power act in Punjab.
North East Region : This region consists of 7 Sisters comprising of 4% of Indian population. The small corridor of 22 connects this region with India and touches the boundary of China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Tripura, Manipur and Kashi hill Of Meghalaya created in 1972 the Princely states merged with India after Independence rose to Regional Aspirations . Nagaland was created in 1963 Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh came up in 1987 . After the partition North East region was reduced to land locked region which affected the economy and was neglected by the governments for its development so kept politically isolated but they had demanded the autonomy , movement of succession and opposition to outsiders.
Demands For Autonomy as Regional Aspirations:
The State of Assam was comprised of entire region except Manipur and Tripura when Assam Government was imposing Assamese language on non Assamese than they demanded the political Autonomywhich was another form of Regional Aspirations. The Government faced major protest, riots in whole of state for demand of separate state was presented by tribunal communities leaders. Eastern India Tribal Union was formed which later became All Party Hill Leaders Conference in 1960 formation of tribal states from Assam was demanded
Than Indian Government reorganised and created Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh from Assam than after Tripura and Manipur was upgraded from Assam in 1972.oStill there were the demands for autonomy has been rising by Bodo’s, Karbi’s Dimassas Communities.
Reasons For The Demand : As people of the aera felt discriminated by more resourceful region in economic, social cultural as well as politically, their region is not having proper representation in the political institutions in the state and government takes the decisions about them without the involvement of their representatives. In Regional Aspirations There were the secessionist movements for the autonomy of North East region in Mizoram and Nagaland
Mizoram : The people of Mizo hills believed in Regional Aspirations Asthat they had never been the part of British India so after Independence they must have separate union so they launched the movement against the government. The movement was speedup when Assam Government failed to respond to great famine in 1959 this movement gave the birth to MIZO NATIONAL FRONT in 1966 under the leadership of Laldenga they started the armed Campaign. They fought the guerrilla war against Indian Army and got the support of Pakistan . Indian Army repress the movement with heavy hands in which common people had to suffer which create more anger and alienation among the people. Negotiations were made between India and MNF leader Laldenga after coming from exile in Pakistan. In 1986the peace treaty was set up between PM Rajeev Gandhi and Laldenga and he became the Chief Minister of Mizoram than normalcy was set up.
Nagaland : A section of Nagas under the leadership of Angami Zepha Phizo declared Independence from India in 1951 .As Regional Aspirations Indian government offered many proposal for negotiations but all of them were turned down so The Naga National Council took the arms for the sovereignty of Nagas. After lots of struggle they signed the agreement with Indian Government on the other hand did not accept the agreement so still struggling for their autonomy.
Assam Movement: In 1979 All Assam Student Union (AASU) was formed the anti foreigner movement which was against the illegal migrants, denomination of Bengalis and other outsiders and faulty Voters register was also the form of Regional Aspirations . They demanded that all outsider should be turn out who migrated in Assam after 1951. All section of Assamese were involved and many violent incidents leading the loss of property and lives. After the six year of turmoil Rajeev Gandhi Government took the initiative to set up normalcy so they had an agreement with AASU in 1985 that the Bangladeshi migrants during Bangladesh war would soon be deported than AASU formed the Political Party Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) came in power in1986 to resolve the foregin problem and built Golden Assam.
Read More : The Crisis of Democratic Order
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