Important Questions: Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System | Political Science Class 12 - Humanities/Arts PDF Download

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: In which year was the Fifth General Elections to Lok Sabha held? Imp.
Ans: The Fifth General Elections to Lok Sabha was held in 1971.

Q2: After which General Election in India did the Congress party lose its dominance for the first time at the center?
Ans: After the General Election of 1977, the Congress party lost its dominance for the first time at the center.

Q3: Name the two main contenders who contested the election for the post of President of India in 1969.
Ans: Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy and Sh. V.V. Giri.

Q4: Which two political parties were the major partners in the ruling alliance after the 1971 General Elections to the Lok Sabha?
Ans: Congress (R) and the Communist Party of India were the two political parties who were the major partners in the ruling alliance after the 1971 General Elections to the Lok Sabha.

Q5: Who represented Congress (O) and Congress (R) after the split of the Congress Party?
Ans: Congress (O) was represented by the Syndicate under Morarji Desai and Congress (R) was represented by Requisition under Indira Gandhi.

Q6: Assess the role played by ‘defections’ on Indian politics.
Ans:

• Due to defections, the political system becomes unstable.
• Due to defections, corruption increases in the political system.

Q7: Explain briefly the term ‘defection’.
Ans: Defection means leaving one’s party or leader, under whose symbol or leadership one has found a berth in the legislature, not on grounds of principles or due to split in the party but in the quest for individual power or personal disillusionment or disgust.

Q8: What do you know about Lai Bahadur Shastri?
Ans: Lai Bahadur Shastri was the country’s Prime Minister from 1964 to 1966. He participated in the freedom movement since 1930. He gave the famous slogan: ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’. After signing the Tashkent Agreement, Prime Minister Lai Bahadur Shastri suddenly expired in Tashkent on 10 January 1966.

Q9: Which major factor was responsible for the dramatic victory of Indira Gandhi in 1971 elections? 
Ans: Although the Congress’s position was very weak in the electroal contest of 1971, it had something that its big opponents lacked—it had an issue, an agenda and a positive slogan: Garibi Hatao in contrast to opposition’s Indira Hatao. This proved to be a major factor responsible for the dramatic victory of Indira Gandhi.

Q10: Who represented Congress (O) and Congress (R) after the split of Congress Party? 
Ans: Congress (O) was represented by K. Kamraj, former Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and the then President of Congress Party whereas Congress (R) was led by Indira Gandhi.

Q11: What is meant by term ‘Congress Syndicate?
Ans: ‘Congress Syndicate’, implied a group of powerful and influential leaders within Congress to be known as Old Congress.

Q12:  In 1966, who contested against Indira Gandhi for the post of Prime Minister from among Congress MPs?
Ans: Morarji Desai, earlier Chief Minister of Bombay State.

Q13: What was the Slogan of Indira Gandhi during the elections of 1971?
Ans: ‘Garibi Hatao’.

Q14: After the death of Lai Bahadur Shastri which two leaders of Congress Party contested against each other to become leader of Congress parliamentary party?
Ans: Morarji Desai and Indira Gandhi.

Q15: Name the leaders who gave the following slogans.
1. Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan
2. Garibi Hatao
Ans: 
1. Lai Bahadur Shastri
2. Indira Gandhi

Q16: Which theoretical argument did Ram j Manohar Lohia give in defence on non- Congressism?
Ans: “Congress rule was undemocratic and opposed to the interest of ordinary poor people, therefore, the coming together of the non-Congress parties was necessary for reclaiming democracy for the people”.

Q17: The results of which, elections were called j “Political Earthquake”?
Ans: February 1967, Fourth General Elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Q18: When and where was the first non- j Congress state government formed after India’s independence?
Ans: Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in 1967.

Q19: Why are the results of 1967 elections in India called Political Earthquake?
Ans: Because it jolted the Congress at both the central and state levels as Congress did not get majority in Congress ruled states.

Q20: What challenges were faced by India between 1964 to 1966 during Prime- ministership of Lai Bahadur Shastri?
Ans: 1. Economic crisis due to Indo-China War 1962 and Indo-Pak War 1965.
2. Failed Monsoons, drought, serious food crisis presented a grave challenge.

Q21: What do you mean by SVD?
Ans: SVD stands for Samyukt Vidhayak Dal i. e. Joint Legislative Parties formed by various non-Congress parties called as coalitions after fourth general elections.

Q22: Why were 1960s, called as the dangerous decade?
Ans: Due to some unresolved problems like poverty, inequality, communal and regional divisions led a failure of democratic projects or disintegration of country.

Q23: What does ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ stand for in Indian politics?
Ans: 

• The phrase ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ implied frequent floor crossing by legislators in the party which was developed by Haryana MLA Gaya Lai in 1967.
• He changed his party thrice in fortnight from Congress to United Front back to Congress and then within nine hours to United Front again.
• This incident later became a political joke and develop the culture of defection in Indian politics to create instability among the political parties.
• Now, the Constitution has been amended to prevent this practice under ‘Anti Defection Law’.

Q24: Why did senior Congress leader support Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister after the death of Lai Bahadur Shastri?
Ans: Because:

• Indira Gandhi was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru and she had been Congress president in the past and had also been Union Minister for Information in Shastri Cabinet.
• The senior leaders presumed that her administrative and political inexperience would compel her to dependent on them for support and guidance.

Q25: What is meant by Grand Alliance?
Ans: Grand Alliance was an electoral alliance of all the major Non-communist, non-Congress opposition parties. The SSP, PSP, Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Swatantra Party and the Bharatiya Kranti Dal came together under this Umbrella.

Q26: Why did Indira Gandhi government devalue the Indian Rupee in 1967?
Ans: Indira Gandhi government devalued Indian rupee to check economic crisis of 1967. Consequently, one US dollar could be purchased for less than  5 after devaluation, it cost more than 7.  

• The economic situation triggered a price rise. 
• People started a protest against the increase in prices of essential commodities and unemployment etc.  
• The Communist and Socialist parties launched struggle to avail greater equality.

Q27: How did Congress face challenge of political succession second time?
Ans: The Congress party faced the challenge of succession for second time in 1966 after the death of Lai Bahadur Shastri:

• This challenge started with an intense competition between Morarji Desai and Indira Gandhi to be resolved through a secret ballot.
• Indira Gandhi defeated Morarji Desai by securing support of more than two-third of the party’s MPs.
• Thus, a peaceful transition of power despite intense competition for leadership was seen as a sign of maturity of India’s democracy.

Q28: What was the status of SVD in the new era of coalition?
Ans: The elections of 1967 brought the coalitions when no single party got the majority and joint legislator parties called ‘Samyukt Vidhayak Dal’ came together to form government to support non-Congress government:

• The SVD government in Bihar included two socialist parties—SSP and PSP along-with CPS on left and Jana Sangh on right.
• In Punjab, it was called the popular United Front and comprised the two rival Akali Parties at that time.

Q29: ‘1960s were labelled as the dangerous decade’. Explain.
Ans: Due to some unresolved problems like poverty, inequality, communal and regional divisions and the was speculations that all these could lead to a failure of the democratic project or even disintegration of country.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q30: Assess the economic situation of India before the general election of 1967.
Ans:

• Before the general election of 1967 the economic situation of India was very poor due to successive failure of monsoons and widespread drought.
• There was a decline in agricultural production causing a serious food shortage.
• It caused a drop in industrial production and exports. At the same time, there was a sharp rise in military expenditure. All this resulted in the depletion of foreign exchange.
• Government was forced to devaluate the Indian rupee under the pressure from the U.S.

Q31: Analyze the consequences of the defeat of the official Congress candidate in the presidential election of 1969.
Ans: The grand Alliance political manifested itself openly at the time of the election of the President in 1969. In the Congress Parliamentary Board, Mrs. Indira Gandhi proposed to name Jagjiwan Ram for presidentship which was opposed by the Syndicate group. Instead, Mr. Morarji Desai proposed the name of Sanjiva Reddy who was selected. She disapproved of the choice and left the meeting in anger saying “You will have to bear the consequence of this.” In opposition to the official candidate of the Congress, V.V. Giri Independent candidate was elected President of India due to Mrs. Indira Gandhi. This led to the split in the Congress party.

Q32: The phrase ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ signifies which concept? Explain its impact on the Indian political system.
Ans: The phrase ‘Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram’ signifies the concept of defection. Defection has greatly affected the Indian Political System. Prime Minister Morarji Desai had to resign in July 1979 as many members left the Janata Party. In January 1980, Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lai joined Congress (I) by leaving the Janata Party along with 35 members. The Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shanta Kumar had to resign in February 1980 because of heavy defection. Defections took place abundantly before and after the Lok Sabha elections in 1980 and it was all in favor of the Congress.

Q33: How did the factional rivalry between the syndicate and Indira Gandhi result in the split of Congress in 1969?
Ans: The rout of the Congress in the 1967 general election in which congress emerged in low morale catalysed the process of open confession of factionalism. The Syndicate member began to ally themselves with Swatantra, Jan Sangh, and S.S.P. which later on emerged as Grand Alliance. The grand Alliance political manifested itself openly at the time of the election of the President in 1969. In the Congress Parliamentary Board, Mrs. Indira Gandhi proposed to name Jagjiwan Rani for presidentship which was opposed by the Syndicate group.
Instead, Mr. Morarji Desai proposed the name of Sanjiva Reddy who was selected. She disapproved of the choice and left the meeting in anger saying ‘You will have to bear the consequence of this.” In opposition to the official candidate of the Congress, VN. Girl Independent candidate was elected President of India due to Mrs. Indira Gandhi. This led to the split in the Congress party.

Q34: Why was the general election of 1967 called a political earthquake for congress? Examine any four reasons.
Ans: Due to the following reasons, the general election of 1967 called the political earthquake for congress.

• In the fourth general elections, the Congress party was defeated in many states due to the absence of a charismatic leader. Congress lost the majority in seven states.
• Groupism and factionalism within the Congress party were mainly responsible for its defeat.
• With the election of 1967, the phenomenon of coalition government began. In many states, United Fronts were formed.
• After the 4th general election, the importance of ‘Syndicate’ increased within the Congress party. The syndicate was a group of leaders who controlled the Congress party.

Q35: Explain any two reasons for the popularity of Indira Gandhi during 1971 elections.
Or
Analyse any three factors which enhanced popularity of Indira Gandhi in the early 1970s.
Ans: Because:

• Indira Gandhi campaigned to implement land reforms legislations and land ceiling legislation during elections.
• She ended her dependence on other political parties by strengthening her party’s position and recommended the dissolution of Lok Sabha in December 1970.
• The crisis in East Pakistan and Indo- Pak war to establish Bangladesh as an independent one, also enhanced the popularity of Indira Gandhi.

Q36: What does ‘defection’ stand for in Indian politics? Highlight any two demerits of this practice?
Ans: Defection refers to an elected representative leaves the party on whose symbol he/she is elected and joins another party. This culture developed in Indian Politics after 1967 elections.
 Its two demerits were as follows:

• It played an important role in making and unmaking of government frequently.
• The constant realignments and shifting political loyalties in this period gave rise to the expression “Aaya Ram, Gaya Ram”.

Q37: Why was the year 1967 considered a landmark year in India’s political and electoral history? Explain.
Ans: The fourth general election was held in 1967 for the first time without Nehru:

• The election verdict was not in favour of Congress and results jolted the Congress both at the national and state levels.
• Half the ministers in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet were defeated including K. Kamraj in Tamilnadu, S.K. Patil in Maharashtra, Atulya Ghosh in West Bengal, K.B. Sahay in Bihar.
• Congress did not lose majority in seven states only but two other states also prevented it to form government due to defections.
• For the first time any non-Congress party secured majority in any state and in other eight states different non-Congress parties formed the coalitions.

Q38: These election results were called as a ‘Political Earthquake’.4. How can we see re-emergence of Indira Gandhi to power in 1971?
Ans: Congress (R) under Indira Gandhi had an issue, an agenda and a positive slogan which was lacked by its opponents. The ‘Grand Alliance’ had only one common i programme ‘Indira Hatao’:

• In contrast to this, Indira Gandhi put forward a positive slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’.
• By this, she generated a support base among poor, minorities, landless labourers, dalit, women and unemployed youth.
• Except it, she focused on the growth of public sector, imposition of ceiling on rural land holdings and urban property, removal of disparity etc.
• Thus, the slogan of Garibi Hatao and programmes became the part of Indira Gandhi’s political strategy of building an independent nationwide political support base during the electoral contest of 1971.

Q39: What is meant by ‘Privy Purses’? Why did Indira Gandhi insist on abolishing them in 1970?
Ans:‘Privy Purses’ was the form of grant in heredity given to the rulers and their families:

1. The grant or ‘Privy Purse’ was measured on the basis of extent revenue and potential of the merging state in the assurance given at the time of integration of princely states.
2. Privy purses were criticised, the privileges given to princely states at the time of accession, integration and consolidation were protested.
3. Hence, some leaders like Indira Gandhi insisted on abolishing the privy purses because hereditary privileges were not constant with the principle of equality, social and economic justice laid down in the constitution.
4. Hence in the elections of 1971, Indira Gandhi made this a major election issue and got a lot of public support and alongwith massive victory in 1971 election, the constitution was amended to remove legal obstacles for abolition of privy purses.

Q40: How did the outcome of 1971 elections help in restoration of Congress?
Ans: Congress (R) under Indira Gandhi had an issue an agenda and a positive slogan which was lacked by its opponents. The ‘Grand Alliance’ had only one common programme ‘Indira Hatao’:

• In contrast to this, Indira Gandhi put forward a positive slogan ‘Garibi Hatoa’.
• By this, she generated a support base among poors, minorities, landlors labourers, dalits, women and unemployed bye youth.
• Except it, she focused on the growth of public sector, imposition of ceiling on rural land holdings and urban property, removal of disparity etc.
• Thus, the slogan of Garibi Hatao and programmes became the part of Indira Gandhi’s political strategy of building an independent nationwide political support base during the electoral contest of 1971.

Q41: Write a short note on:
(a) Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan
(b) Garibi Hatao
(c) Indira Hatao
(d) Grand Alliance
Ans: 
(a) Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan
(i) A slogan given by Lai Bahadur Shastri in 1965.
(ii) To symbolise to resolve country’s challenge of food crisis and external threat.
(b) Garibi Hatao
(i) A slogan given by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1970 to symbolise removal of poverty.
(ii) Through this slogan, Indira Gandhi generated a support base among women, unemployed youth, minorities, landless labourers, dalits, etc.
(c) Indira Hatao
A slogan given by Grand Alliance alongwith one programme of‘Indira Hatao’ only i.e. remove Indira Gandhi from Political arena.
(d) Grand Alliance
(i) An alliance formed by non-communist and non-Congress parties to be formed against Congress (R)
(ii) It did not focus on multiple strategies of development rather included only ‘Indira Hatao’.

Q42: Read carefully the passage given below and answer the following questions:
The New Congress had something that its big opponents lacked—it had an issue, an agenda and a positive slogan. The Grand Alliance did not have a coherent political programme. Indira Gandhi said that the opposition alliance had only one common programme ‘Indira Hatao’. In contrast to this, she put forward a positive programme captured in the famous slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’.
1. Which Congress is being referred to as ‘the New Congress’?
2. Highlight any two steps taken by Indira Gandhi to remove poverty.
3. How far is it justified to call the ‘opposition alliance’ as the ‘Grand Alliance’?
Ans:
1. Congress (O) is being referred to as the ‘New Congress’.
2. (i) She focused on the growth of the public sector.
(ii) She focused on the removal of dis-parities in income and opportunity.
 3. It is justified to call the ‘opposition alliance’ as the ‘Grand Alliance’ because it came into existence to make matters worse for Indira Gandhi.

Q43: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:
The defeat of the official Congress candidate formalised the split in the party. The Congress President expelled the Prime Minister from the party; she claimed that her group was the real Congress. By November 1969, the Congress group led by the ‘syndicate’ came to be referred to as the Congress (Organisation) and the group led by Indira Gandhi came to be called the Congress (Requisitionists). These two parties were also described as Old Congress and New Congress. Indira Gandhi projected the split as an ideological divide between socialists and conservatives, between the pro-poor and the pro-rich.
1. What formalised the split of Congress?
2. Mention two groups created after the split.
3. How did Indira Gandhi project the split?
Ans:
1. The defeat of official candidate during presidential elections in 1969.
2. Congress (O) i.e. Organisation led by syndicate known as old Congress, Congress (R) i.e. requisitionists led by Indira Gandhi known as new Congress.
3. Indira Gandhi projected the split as an ideological divide between socialists and conservatives, between pro-rich and pro-poor.

Q44: Read the passage given below carefully and answer the questions:
But does it mean that the Congress system was restored? What Indira Gandhi had done was not a revival of the old Congress party. In many ways she had re-invented the party. The party occupied a similar position in terms of its popularity as in the past. But it was a different kind of a party. It relied entirely on the popularity of the supreme leader. It had a somewhat weak organisational structure. This
Congress party now did not have many fanctions ,Thus it could not accommodate all kind of options and interests .While it won elections,it depends more on some social groups: the poor, the women,Dalits, Adivasis and the minorities.It was a new congress system by changing the nature of the congress system itself.
1. Had Indira Gandhi revived Congress?
2. How did Indira Gandhi restore the Congress system?
3. Why did Congress not have all kinds of opinions and interests?
Ans:
1. No, whatever had been done by Indira Gandhi, was not a revival of old Congress system but it was a re-invention of party.
2. Indira Gandhi restored the Congress system changing the nature of Congress system itself, to be dependent more on poor, women, dalits, adivasis and minorities.
3. It had a somewhat weak organisational structure and it did not have many factions also to accommodate all kinds of opinions and interests.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q45: Analyze the circumstances that favored Indira Gandhi to become Prime Minister after the death of Lai Bahadur Shastri. Mention any four achievements of Indira Gandhi that made her popular as a prime minister.
Ans: After the sudden death of Mr. Lai Bahadur Shastri, Mrs. Indira Gandhi was elected the leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party and Mr. Morarji Desai was defeated. Mrs. Indira Gandhi became the leader of the Congress Party because she was wholeheartedly supported by the syndicate. The Syndicate had played an important role in the formation of Mrs. Gandhi’s first Council of Ministers. The leader of the Syndicate expected Mrs. Indira Gandhi to follow their advice. But Mrs. Indira Gandhi gradually started asserting her position within the Government and the party.
Following are the achievement of Indira Gandhi that made her popular as a prime minister.

After the death of Prime Minister Lai Bahadur Shastri, Smt. Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India in 1966. In the beginning Smt. Indira Gandhi was not a very strong and popular Prime Minister. But with the passage of time, she became very popular.
The following factors were responsible for the popularity of Indira Gandhi’s Government in the early 1970s :

• Charismatic Personality. Smt. Indira Gandhi became very popular due to her charismatic personality. Like Jawaharlal Nehru, Smt. Indira Gandhi possessed an unparalleled personality. According to Frank Morris, “Mrs. Gandhi’s was not only the undisputed leader of the Congress party, but it was her party and she could dominate it in a way which none else had done. She was free to choose her colleagues who were her agents or assistants and in her presence tremble and obey.” In the elections to the Fourth Lok Sabha, held in 1971, people voted for the Congress on account of the fact that it was being led by Mrs. Indira Gandhi.
• Socialistic Policies of Indira Gandhi’s Government. The Socialist policies of Indira Gandhi’s Government made her very popular among the masses. Mrs. Indira Gandhi launched a series of initiatives to give the Government policy a left orientation. Smt. Indira Gandhi pursued a vigorous policy in 1969 of land reform and placed a ceiling on personal income, private property, and corporate profits. In 1969, she ordered the nationalization of India’s fourteen largest banks. It was in fact a very bold step that made her very popular among the people. Mrs. Indira Gandhi supported the demand that the Government should abolish privy purses. But Morarji Desai called this move morally wrong and amounting to a breach of faith with the princes. However, ultimately privy purses were abolished.
• Garibi Hatao. The fifth general elections to the Lok Sabha were held in February 1971. Mrs. Indira Gandhi gave a very popular slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’. By this slogan, she got the support of backward classes, Adivasis, unemployed youths, minorities, women, and Scheduled castes, and Scheduled tribes.
• Strong Hold of Party. Smt. Indira Gandhi had a stronghold on her party.
• Polarisation of Votes in 1971. The polarization of votes in the 1971 fifth general election went in the favour of Smt. Indira Gandhi.
• Weak Opposition. Another reason for the popularity of Indira Gandhi was that the opposition was weak.

Q46: Assess any three challenges that the Congress Party had to face during the period from 1964 to 1971.
Ans:

• Problem of a Successor. The first challenge that Congress Party had to face was the loss of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. It was a huge blow to the Congress Party. After the death of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, Mr. Lai Bahadur Shastri became the Prime Minister.
  After the death of Prime Minister Mr. Lai Bahadur Shastri, Mrs. Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India. But there was a contest for prime ministership between Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Mr. Morarji Desai. The contest was resolved through a secret ballot among the congress MPs. Mrs. Indira Gandhi defeated Mr. Morarji Desai by securing the support of more than two-thirds of the Congress MPs.
• The results of the Fourth General Elections (1967) jolted The Congress at both the national and state levels. Though the Congress secured a majority of seats in the Lok Sabha, it was its lowest tally of seats since 1952. In seven states, the Congress lost its majority, while in two other states, defections prevented it from forming the government.
• Split in the Party. The rout of the Congress in 1967 General Elections in which Congress emerged in low morale catalyzed the process of open confession of factionalism. The Syndicate members began to ally themselves with Swatantra, Jan Sangh, and S.S.P. which later on emerged as the Grand Alliance. The Grand Alliance manifested itself openly at the time of presidential elections in 1969.

In The Congress Parliamentary Board, Mrs. Indira Gandhi proposed the name of Mr. Jagjivan Ram for presidentship which was opposed by the Syndicate group. Instead, Mr. Morarji Desai proposed the name of Mr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. She disapproved of the choice and left the meeting in anger saying, “You will have to bear the consequence of this.’ In opposition to the official candidate of the Congress, V.V. Giri, an independent candidate was elected as the President of India with Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s support. This led to a split in the Congress Party.

Q47: Analyze the issue Indira vs the Syndicate: What type of challenges did the issue pose before Indira Gandhi?
Ans: In the Indian National Congress, there was a group of leaders which was known as the ‘Syndicate’. This Syndicate controlled the organization of the Congress party. This group was led by K. Kamraj, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and then the President of the Congress party. The syndicate included powerful state leaders like N. Sanjeeva Reddy of Andhra Pradesh, S.K. Patil of Bombay, Atulya Ghose of West Bengal, and S. Nigalingappa of Mysore. After the sudden death of Mr. Lai Bahadur Shastri, Mrs. Indira Gandhi was elected the leader of the Congress parliamentary party and Mr. Moraji Desai was defeated.
Mrs. Indira Gandhi became the leader of the Congress party because she was wholeheartedly supported by the syndicate. The Syndicate had played an important role in the formation of Mrs. Gandhi’s first Council of Ministers. The leader of the Syndicate expected Mrs. Indira Gandhi to follow their advice. But Mrs. Indira Gandhi gradually started asserting her position within the Government and the party. Ultimately, she sidelined the syndicate. The Syndicate members began to ally themselves with Swantantra, Jan Sangh, and S.S.P. which later on emerged as the Grand Alliance.
In Congress Parliamentary Board, Mrs. Indira Gandhi proposed the name of Chaudhary Jagjiwan Ram for the post of President which was opposed by the Syndicate group. Instead, Mr. Morarji Desai proposed the name of Sanjeeva Reddy as the official Congress candidate. In opposition to the official candidate of the Congress, Mr. V.V. Giri, an independent candidate was elected as the President of India because of the support of Mrs. Indira Gandhi. This led to the split in the Congress Party.

Q48: Describe any four steps taken by Indira Gandhi to implement the Garibi Hatao program.
Ans: The fifth general elections to the Lok Sabha were held in February 1971. Mrs. Indira Gandhi gave a very popular slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’. By this slogan, she got the support of backward classes Adivasis, unemployed youth, minorities, women and Scheduled castes and Scheduled tribes.
Following are the four steps taken by Indira Gandhi to implement the ‘Garibi Hatao Programme’.

• Indira Gandhi focused on the growth of the public sector.
• She imposed a ceiling on the rural landholding and urban property.
• She stressed the removal of dissipates in income and opportunity.
• she abolish the privy purse or Princely privileges.

Q49: Analyse any three major factors which led the popularity of Indira Gandhi’s Government in the early 1970s.
Ans: 
(i) The fifth general elections to Lok Sabha were held in February 1971. The electoral contest appeared to be loaded against Congress (R). After all, the new Congress was just one faction of an already weak party. Everyone believed that the real organizational strength of the Congress Party was under the command of Congress (O). To make i matters worse for Indira Gandhi, all the major non-Communist, non Congress opposition parties formed an electoral alliance known as the Grand Alliance. Yet the new Congress had something that its big opponents lacked — it had an issue, an agenda and a positive slogan. The Grand Alliance did not have a coherent political programme. Indira Gandhi said that the opposition alliance had only one common programme Indira Hatao (Remove Indira). In contrast to this, she put forward a positive programme captured in the famous slogan: Garibi Hatao (Remove poverty).
(ii) Indira Gandhi focussed on the growth of the public sector, imposition of ceiling on rural land holdings and urban poverty, removal of disparities in income and opportunity, and abolition of princely privileges. Thus, the slogan Garibi Hatao and the programmes that followed it were part of Indira Gandhi’s political strategy of building an Independent nationwide political support base. As a result, she won 352 seats with about 44 per cent of the popular votes on its own in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971.
(iii) Soon after the 1971 Lok Sabha election, a major political and military crises broke out in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The 1971 elections were followed by the crisis in East Pakistan and the Indo- Pak war leading to the establishment of Bangladesh. These events added to the popularity of Indira Gandhi. Even the opposition leaders admired her statesmanship.

Q50: Examine the three main reasons responsible for the split in Congress during 1969.
Or
Describe the various aspects of presidential election of 1969.
Ans: The formal split in Congress took place in 1969 on the issue of nomination of the candidate during presidential elections:

• Despite, Indira Gandhi’s representatives, the syndicate nominated Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, as the official Congress candidate for ensuring presidential elections.
• Indira Gandhi retaliated the situation by encouraging Mr. V.V. Giri, the then Vice President, to be nominated as an independent candidate.
• During election, the then Congress president S. Nijalingappa issue a ‘Whip’ asking all Congress MPs, MLAs to vote for N. Sanjeeva Reddy.
• On the other hand, after silently supporting V.V. Giri, the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi openly called for a conscience vote to vote the way they want.
• Elections went in favour of V.V. Giri due to this diplomatic effort and N. Sanjeeva Reddy was defeated.
• The defeat of N. Sanjeeva Reddy, the formal Congress candidate, formalised the split of party into two:
  (a) Congress (0) i.e organisation led by Syndicate, known as Old Congress.
  (b) Congress (R) i.e. requisitionists led by Indira Gandhi, known as New Congress.

Q51: Which six factors contributed to the popularity of Indira Gandhi’s government in the decade of 1970s?
Ans: Because:

• Socialist credentials became main projects during this period.
• Indira Gandhi campaigned to implement land reform legislation and land ceiling legislations.
• She ended her dependence on other political parties by strengthening her party’s position and recommended the dissolution of Lok Sabha in December 1970.
• The crisis in East Pakistan and Indo- Pak war to establish Bangladesh as an independent one, also enhanced the popularity of Indira Gandhi.
• Indira Gandhi and her government was not accepted only as a protector of the poor and under privileged but as a strong government also.
• Congress became popular among different social sections and restored dominance again.

Q52: Examine the grave economic crisis prior to fourth general election of 1967. Assess the electoral verdict also.
Ans: Indira Gandhi government devalued Indian rupee to check economic crisis of 1967. Consequently, one US dollar could be purchased for less than ? 5 after devaluation, it cost more than ? 7.

• The economic situation triggered a price rise.
• People started protest against increase in prices of essential commodities and unemployment etc.
• The Communist and Socialist parties launched struggle to avail greater equality.

The fourth general election was held in 1967 for the first time without Nehru:

• The election verdict was not in favour of Congress and results jolted the Congress both at the national and state levels.
• Half the ministers in Indira Gandhi’s cabinet were defeated including K. Kamraj in Tamilnadu, S.K. Patil in Maharashtra, Atulya Ghosh in West Bengal, K.B. Sahay in Bihar.
• Congress did not lose only majority in seven states but two other states also prevented it to form government due to defections.
• For the first time any non-Congress party secured majority in any state and in other eight states different non-Congress parties formed the coalitions.
• These election results were called as a ‘Political Earthquake’.

Q53: Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. What is meant by ‘Keep Right, No Left Turn”?
2. In the picture what does the following stand for:
(а) LD 
(b) BKS
(c) SSP 
(d) BKD
3. What is a hung assembly?
Ans:
1. United Front Party was formed on the basis of non-Communist ideology and supposed to follow the ‘rightist’ only.
2. 
(a) Lok Dal
(b) Bihar Kranti Sabha
(c) Samyukt Socialist Party 
(d) Bharatiya Kranti Dal
 3. It is dominated by coalition government where no single party gets majority and this is very uncertain also.

Q54: Study the picture given below and answer the questions that follow:
1. Which year is being referred by cartoon?
2. Who is being commented by the phrase ‘Aya Ram Gaya Ram’?
Ans:
1. 1967
2. Haryana’s MLA ‘Gaya LaP who changed the party thrice in a fortnight from Congress to United Front, back to Congress and then within nine hours to United Front again.

Q55: Study the picture given below and answer the questions
1. What does the cartoon represent?
2. Identify the lady in the cartoon and give reason for her pleasure.
3. Identify the person wearing garland in winning position.
4. Who is lying on the ground?
Ans:
1. Presidential elections of 1969.
2. Indira Gandhi on winning of her candidate V.V. Giri in presidential elections.
3. V.V. Giri.
4. N. Sanjeeva Reddy