the Indian subcontinent Since 1947: The Legacy of Independence

1. the Indian subcontinent Since 1947: The Legacy of Independence

2. Last Viceroy: Lord Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten

3. Border problems • India Split: • India (Hindu Majority) • East and West Pakistan (Muslim Majority These two nations would have a huge influence on the region from 1947 on…

4. Political Leaders of India Since Independence

5. Jawarlal Nehru • Ally of Gandhi. • 1st Prime Minister of India, 1947-1964. • Advocated Industrialization vs. Gandhi’s rural emphasis • Promoted increased agriculture… Taken up by his daughter, Indira (who was best know for it) • Mixed Economy  Socialism coming up in a minute! • Nonaligned Movement.

6. Nehru Leads India Jawaharlal Nehru becomes the first prime minister of independent India Rules for 17 years; pushes for economic and social reforms Leads alliance of countries that were neutral in Cold War

7. NEHRU • FIVE YEAR PLANS • SOCIALIST ECONOMY • NEUTRAL IN COLD WAR • LEFT BRITISH-TRAINED CIVIL SERVICE INTACT • INDIA A “ONE-PARTY DEMOCRACY” – Nehru was very popular and respected • Prime minister 1948-1966, when he died

8. Non-Alignment Movement

9. Indira Gandhi • Nehru’s daughter. • Prime Minister of India, 1966-1984. • Continues Nehru’s policies. Especially the Green Revolution • Faced internal rebellion from the Sikh (a group that blends Hinduism and Islam) separatists. • Control Population!

10. Indian National Congress • Indira Gandhi • created a top-down structure • party leaders appoint party officials • some limited party elections • left-of-center, pro-poor political platform

11. A FAKE “EMERGENCY” – INDIA REMAINS A DEMOCRACY • INDIRA GANDHI TRIES TO GAIN DICTATORIAL POWERS WHEN SHE’S ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION IN 1975 • JANATA DAL PARTY DEFEATS CONGRESS IN ELECTIONS IN 1977, RESTORES FULL DEMOCRACY AND CIVIL RIGHTS – First time Congress party is defeated. • DESPITE ITS PROBLEMS, INDIA REMAINS COMMITTED TO POLITICAL DEMOCRACY

12. India’s persecution of the Sikhs (a group that blends Hinduism and Islam) Push for Independence

13. Resentment follows partition of the Punjab between Pakistan and India.

14. Sikh nationalists demand their own nation called Khalistan.

16. 1984: Sikh seperatists take over the Golden Temple. The Indian army attacks the temple.

18. Over 600 die in the attack.

19. Troubled Times Nehru’s daughter, Indira Gandhi, rules much of the time from 1966-1984. She faces opposition from Sikhs, and is assassinated by Sikh bodyguards.

20. Mrs. Gandhi assassinated! Mrs. Gandhi lying in state. 1984

21. INDIRA GANDHI • NEHRU’S DAUGHTER • NOT RELATED TO MAHATMA GANDHI • POPULAR BUT ECONOMY DID POORLY IN 1970s • P.M. 1966-1977, 1980-84. ASSASSINATED BY A SIKH BODYGUARD.

22. 1985: Sikh terrorists blow up Air India plane flying out of Toronto, Canada, killing 329.

23. Sikh nationalism continues, but lacks any force

24. Rajiv Gandhi • Indira’s son. • Prime Minister of India, 1984-1989. • Some reform of economy and government. Privatization! • Also faced rebellion. • Assassinated in 1991 while campaigning by Tamil Tigers (a separatist group).

25. RAJIV GANDHI • INDIRA’S SON • POPULAR • INTERVENES IN SRI LANKA CIVIL WAR • P.M. FROM 1984 UNTIL ASSASSINATED BY TAMIL SEPARATISTS IN 1991

26. A foreigner joins the family • Italian-born Sonia Maino married Rajiv 1968. • She moved into the house of mother-in- law, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

27. Mrs. Sonia Maino Gandhi • 1983  Indian citizen. • 1984  first lady when her husband, Rajiv Gandhi, succeeded his assassinated mother as Prime Minister.

28. Troubled Times Her son Rajiv Gandhi becomes prime minister, but is assassinated in 1991.

29. 1991  Tragedy struck the Gandhifamily again when Rajiv was killed by a suicide bomber.

30. Sonia Gandhi remains Roman Catholic, but follows Hindu and Indian traditions. • With her children, she scattered Rajiv's ashes in the Ganges.

31. MORE GANDHIS • Indira’s other son, Sanjay, died in a plane crash in 1980. • Rajiv’s widow, Sonia, is Italian-born. She is president of the Congress party. • Controversy about whether she should run for higher office.

32. After Rajiv's death Sonia shied away from the spotlight. In 1998, she agreed to start her own career as a “Gandhi” again and became an important political leader.

33. Sonia's son Rahul and daughter Priyanka have also become politically active.

34. “The Jewel turns down the crown!” • When her party won in the recent elections, she was asked to be Prime Minister. • She decided not to accept the position.

36. ECONOMIC REFORMS – 1991 – THE BIG CHANGE • MANMOHAN SINGH becomes finance minister in 1991 • Engineers major reforms to loosen up government control of the economy • Economic takeoff in past 17 years. • Singh is currently Prime Minister • Member of Congress Party

37. Manmohan Singh • May 2004  he held up a letter from India's president authorizing him to form a new government as prime minister. • He stood next to Sonia Gandhi, the candidate for the post who stunned the country when she declined the office.

38. Current Prime Minister • Manmohan Singh • He is the first Indian Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. • He is also the first Sikh to hold the post. • Earlier, during his tenure as the Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996, Singh was widely credited for carrying out economic reforms in India in 1991 which resulted in the end of the infamous Licence Raj system and the opening up of the Indian economy.

39. May 2004 India Swears in 13th Prime Minister and the first Sikh in the job.

41. Politics of India Political Institutions & Parties

42. Republic of India • A federal republic with a parliamentary system of government • capital: New Delhi

43. Political System • A federal parliamentary multi-party representative democratic republic modeled after the British Westminster System. • Like the United States, India has a federal form of government, however, the central government in India has greater power in relation to its states. • At the federal level, India is the most populous democracy in the world. While many neighboring countries witness frequent coups, Indian democracy has been suspended only once. • Indian politics is often described as chaotic. More than a fifth of parliament members face criminal charges.

44. A federal system • 26 states and 6 centrally administered Union Territories • 2 states are partially claimed by Pakistan and China

45. Federal system • Relatively centralized • federal government controls the most essential government functions • defense • foreign policy • taxation • public expenditures • economic (industrial) planning

46. Federal system • state governments formally control • agriculture • education • law and order within states • dependent on central government for funds

47. Federal system • Balance of power between central and state governments • varies by time and place • state power was constrained • during the rule of Nehru and Indira Gandhi • state governments have more room to maneuver • when central government is weak • since 1998

48. Parallel state structure • Formal political structure of the states parallels that of the national government • national state • President Governor • Prime Minister Chief Minister • Parliament Assembly • Supreme Court High Court

49. The legislature • Parliamentary system of government • the executive authority is responsible to the Parliament

50. The legislature • bicameral Parliament • Rajya Sabha (Council of States) • Lok Sabha (House of the People)