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Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System notes
Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Notes

Here, we are providing notes for Chapter 5 of Class 12 Political Science: “Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System.” This chapter examines the key features associated with the challenges faced by the Congress system and its subsequent restoration.

These notes will prove beneficial for students preparing for their board examinations this year. Crafted in simple and organized language, this material will aid in quickly revising the chapter and retaining the key points.

Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System notes, Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Notes

कक्षा 12 राजनीतिक विज्ञान अध्याय 5 के नोट्स हिंदी में, कांग्रेस प्रणाली चुनौतियाँ और पुनर्स्थापना notes

class 12 Political Science book 2 chapter 5 notes

The Succession Crisis After Nehru's Death

  1. With the passing of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, a leadership vacuum emerged in the country.
  2. A heated debate ensued within political circles regarding the question of who would succeed him as Prime Minister.
  3. Apprehensions began to be voiced that, in the absence of strong leadership, the nation could become unstable.
  4. The fear began to mount that the situation might spiral toward military intervention.
  5. Concerns regarding the weakening of democracy and the spread of disorder within the governance system also began to surface.

Who became Pandit Nehru's successor?

  1. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri became Pandit Nehru’s successor.
  2. Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri was a master compromiser, mediator, and coordinator.
  3. Shastriji coined the slogan “Jai Jawan – Jai Kisan” (Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer).
  4. Through his sagacity, Shastriji not only withstood Pakistan’s aggression in 1965 but also defeated Pakistan in the war.
  5. Through the efforts of the Soviet Union, an agreement was reached between India and Pakistan in Tashkent in 1966; it was in Tashkent, in that very year, that Shastriji passed away under mysterious circumstances.

Successor after Lal Bahadur Shastri

  1. Indira Gandhi succeeded Lal Bahadur Shastri.
  2. At the insistence of Morarji Desai, a vote was held for the position of Prime Minister, in which the majority of Congress leaders cast their votes in favor of Indira Gandhi.
  3. After becoming Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi gave impetus to the agricultural sector, announced programs for poverty alleviation, modernized the country’s armed forces, and conducted a historic nuclear test at Pokhran in 1974.
  4. In 1971, India defeated Pakistan in a war, leading to the emergence of a new nation named Bangladesh.

Why is the 1960s called the 'Dangerous Decade'?

  1. Nehru’s death in 1964 — a leadership crisis in the country.
  2. Shastri’s death in 1966 — increased political instability.
  3. Chinese aggression in 1962 — heavy losses for India.
  4. Pakistani aggression in 1965 — the pressure of two wars on the nation.
  5. Defense expenditure rose significantly.
  6. Consecutive droughts and poor monsoons.
  7. Severe food grain shortages; grains had to be imported.
  8. Devaluation of the Rupee and a shortage of foreign exchange.
  9. Rising inflation, unemployment, and poverty.
  10. Hindu-Muslim riots broke out in several places.
  11. Social tensions and regional disputes (related to language, states, and regions).
  12. The split within the Congress Party in 1969 — political instability.

The Fourth General Elections in India

  1. The fourth general elections in India were held in 1967.
  2. In these elections, Indian voters did not extend to the Congress the same level of support it had received in the first three general elections.
  3. Out of a total of 520 seats in the Lok Sabha, the Congress secured only 283 seats.
  4. Furthermore, the Congress faced defeat in eight state legislative assemblies.
  5. For the first time, a wave of “non-Congressism” swept across the country, and the Congress’s monopoly in the states was shattered.
  6. Many political analysts termed this outcome a “political earthquake.”

The Meaning of Non-Congressism

  1. A strategy wherein political parties of diverse ideologies united to challenge the hegemony of the Congress party and its policies. This concept was primarily championed by Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia.
  2. In light of the deteriorating political and economic climate of the 1960s, opposition parties became increasingly active.
  3. The opposition perceived Indira Gandhi’s inexperience—along with the internal strife within the Congress party—as an opportunity to oust the Congress from power.
  4. The socialist leader Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia believed that the Congress regime was undemocratic and was working against the interests of the poor.
  5. Lohia proposed that all non-Congress parties should unite to form a united front against the Congress, thereby strengthening democracy.
  6. This strategy—of bringing together various parties to challenge the dominance of the Congress—came to be known as “Non-Congressism.”

The Split in the Congress in 1969

Following the split in the Congress in 1969, two factions emerged:

  1. Congress (O) – The Syndicate
  2. Congress (R) – Indira Gandhi

Reasons for the split of Congress in 1969

1. Controversy over the Presidential Election:

Indira Gandhi was supporting V.V. Giri, while the Syndicate was in favor of Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. This very issue sparked a major confrontation.

2. The Syndicate vs. Indira Gandhi Conflict

The party’s powerful Syndicate sought to exercise control over Indira Gandhi’s decisions, whereas Indira Gandhi wished to function independently.

3. Right-wing and Left-wing Differences:

  1. Some Congress leaders wanted to contest elections alongside right-wing parties.
  2. Some leaders were in favor of an alliance with left-wing parties.

4. The Young Turks vs. The Syndicate

  1. The Young Turks (Indira’s supporters) were in favor of bank nationalization and the abolition of the princes’ Privy Purses.
  2. The Syndicate was opposing this.

5. Taking Back the Finance Portfolio from Morarji Desai

  1. Indira Gandhi took back the Finance portfolio.
  2. Morarji Desai resigned; the Syndicate protested.

other reason :-

  1. The Syndicate was accused of entering into a secret pact with right-wingers.
  2. Indira Gandhi was accused of siding with the communists.
  3. The Syndicate attempted to remove Indira Gandhi from office.

Results of the 1971 Lok Sabha Elections

When the results of the 1971 Lok Sabha elections were declared, Indira Gandhi received unprecedented support from the people. Her party, Congress (R), secured a massive majority, winning 352 out of the 518 seats in the Lok Sabha.

Seats secured by the major parties:

  1. Congress (R) – 352 seats
  2. Congress (O) – 16 seats
  3. CPI – 23 seats
  4. CPM – 25 seats
  5. Jana Sangh – 22 seats
  6. Loktantra Party – 8 seats

Reasons for Indira Gandhi's massive victory in the 1971 Lok Sabha elections

1. Indira Gandhi's Strong Leadership

  1. Indira Gandhi’s charismatic leadership capabilities captivated the public.
  2. She nationalized banks and abolished the Privy Purses of the princes.
  3. Several developmental policies bolstered her image.

2. Socialist Policies

  1. Indira Gandhi promoted socialist ideas.
  2. In election rallies, she garnered public support by speaking about equality and social justice.

3. The Slogan "Garibi Hatao"

  1. This slogan became immensely popular and directly impacted the underprivileged sections of society.
  2. Indira Gandhi’s slogan resonated with public sentiment, whereas the opposition’s “Remove Indira” slogan did not appeal to the people.

4. Indira Gandhi's Grip on the Congress

  1. Following the party split of 1969, she established complete control over the Congress (R).
  2. No leader within the party could openly oppose her decisions.

5. A Weak and Divided Opposition

  1. The opposition parties were not united, and they lacked a strong, consensus-based leader.
  2. On the other hand, Indira Gandhi formulated her policies by understanding the public sentiment, which garnered her immense support.

GRAND ALLIANCE

  1. Prior to the 1971 elections, several opposition parties joined forces to form an alliance aimed at defeating Indira Gandhi, which came to be known as the Grand Alliance.
  2. This alliance comprised major opposition parties such as the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the Swatantra Party, the Bharatiya Kranti Dal, and the SMP.
  3. During the election campaign, these parties raised the slogan “Indira Hatao” (Remove Indira).
  4. However, the public rejected this slogan, and the Grand Alliance met with bitter disappointment in the elections, while Indira Gandhi secured a massive majority.

Meaning of Defection

  1. Defection refers to a situation where an elected representative, having won an election under the symbol of a specific political party—the very party on whose ticket they were elected—abandons it to join another party.
  2. Following the elections of 1967, Gaya Lal, a Congress legislator from Haryana, switched parties three times within a mere fortnight. This is widely regarded as the most prominent example of political defection.
  3. Based on this very incident, the famous political coinage “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” gained currency, serving to characterize the tendency of constantly switching political allegiances.

What is "Aaya Ram Gaya Ram"?

  1. “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram” is a symbolic phrase in Indian politics referring to political defection.
  2. It is used to describe a leader who frequently switches political parties.

How was this phrase formed?

  1. In 1967, Gaya Lal, a Congress MLA from Haryana, switched parties three times within a span of just 14 days (a fortnight).
  2. He would join the Congress, then defect to another party, and subsequently return to the Congress.
  3. Commenting on this incessant party-switching, Rao Birender Singh—a prominent leader of that era—jokingly remarked, “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram.”
  4. Since then, this phrase has become famously associated with political defectors in Indian politics.

SYNDICATE

  1. An informal group comprising certain influential, senior, and powerful leaders within the Congress party was known as the ‘Syndicate.’
  2. This group exerted a profound influence on the party’s key decisions, policies, and organizational activities.
  3. There was even a time when the Syndicate was perceived to hold absolute control over the Congress, effectively determining the party’s direction.

Syndicate leaders and the state

  1. K. Kamaraj – Madras (Tamil Nadu)
  2. S. K. Patil – Bombay (Mumbai)
  3. K.S. Nijalingappa – Mysore (Karnataka)
  4. Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy – Andhra Pradesh
  5. Atulya Ghosh – West Bengal

PRIVY PURSE

When the princely states were merged into the Indian Union, the government assured the then-rulers of those states that they would be granted certain special privileges.

These primarily include:

  1. It included the right to hold private property, as well as a fixed annual allowance provided by the government.
  2. This allowance and property were determined based on the size, revenue, and economic capacity of the princely state. This system was known as the ‘Privy Purse’.
India’s external relations
Class 12 Book 2 Chapters 4 Notes
in Hindi
This Chapter in Hindi Medium
लोकतान्त्रिक व्यवस्था का संकट
Class 12 Book 2 Chapters 6 Notes
in Hindi

ncert Class 12 Political Science book 2 Chapter 5 Notes

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Class 12 Political Science Chapter 5 Notes, Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System notes
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