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Mohandas Gandhi Leader of the Indian independence movement and advocate of nonviolent resistance. After being educated as a lawyer in England, he returned to India and became leader of the Indian National Congress in 1920. Known still as a peaceful man.
Jawaharlal Nehru He succeeded Mohandas K. Gandhi as leader of the Indian National Congress. He negotiated the end of British colonial rule in India and became India's first prime minister (1947-1964) believed strongly in secularism for India
Muhammad Ali Jinnah Served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the inception of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, and then as the Dominion of Pakistan's first governor-general until his death.
Dr. BR Ambedkar an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer, who inspired the Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards the untouchables (Dalits). Part of Scheduled Caste Federation.
Indira Gandhi daughter of Nehru who served as prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977 (1917-1984). Socialist who also was ….
Sanjay Gandhi an Indian politician and the son of Indira Gandhi. Widely expected to succeed his mother as head of the Indian National Congress, but following his early death in a plane crash his elder brother Rajiv became their mother's political heir.
Jayaprakash Narayan Leader of JP movement who called for total revolution against Indira Gandhi, including her resignation after 1971 election corruption.
Rajiv Gandhi Indira's son (nehru's grandson) and was prime minister of india 1985-1989. Had some reform of eonomy and gov't but also faced rebellion and was assassinated by Tamil Tigers.
Congress Party Major political party in India
-Designed to be as inclusive as possible
-Main task was to rule India until a new constitution was written
-Significant in helping Indian Society
Muslim League an organization formed in 1906 to protect the interests of India's Muslims, which later proposed that India be divided into separate Muslim and Hindu nations
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) A hindu social organization created in 1925 preserve and promote Hindu traditions, values, and interests. Together with the VHP, it helped mobilize support for the BJP. Responsible for the assassination of Gandhi
Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS) -Indian nationalist political party that challenged the secular nature of the Indian state
-Promoted Hindu culture, religion, and tradition Wanted to unite Hindus, were mostly anti-Muslim
-Right-Wing communalist Hindu party
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is one of two major political parties in India, along with the Indian National Congress. A right-wing party, and its policy has historically reflected Hindu nationalist positions. It has close ideological and organizational links to the much older Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
Swatantra Party Conservative party in opposition to Nehru and Congress Party's transition to more socialist policies. Favored market-based economy, not laissez-faire.
Communist Party of India (CPI) the oldest communist party in India and one of the eight national parties in the country. Was founded in Kanpur on 26 December 1925.
Socialist Party Main supporters- Jayprakash Narayan, Acharya Narendra Deva, Merged with the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party led by J.B. Kripalani
-Wanted to help minorities (peasants), very far left
-However, some believe that this weakened the congress party by separating two far left positions.
Akali Dal Party A regional political party, as approved by the Election Commission of India. Its mass base is primarily in the state of Punjab. Operates on the political position of far-right, with a political ideology of Sikhism.
Jammu and Kashmir The northernmost Indian state with mixed Hindu and Muslim populations. A disputed territory between India and Pakistan.
Liberalization the goal of making the economy more market and service-oriented and expanding the role of private and foreign investment. Goal to modernize India's economy.
Zamindari abolition Capped amount of land that could be owned; land over that amount would be redistributed. The first important agrarian reform after the independence. Money goes straight to government now.
Community Development process of helping individuals improve the conditions of their lives by increased involvement in the social and economic conditions of their communities
Panchayati Raj (1950s and 1990s) Instituted village local government that plays a significant role in the development of villages especially in areas like primary education, health, agricultural developments, women and child development and women participation in local government, etc.
Communists in Kerala refers to the strong presence of communist ideas in the Indian state of Kerala. In addition to Kerala, the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura have had multiple democratically elected Marxist governments, and change takes place in the government by regular multiparty electoral processes.
Hindu Code Bill Tried to limit discrimination against women, lower castes. Ambedkar = big proponent
1955-56: the Hindu Marriage Act, Hindu Succession Act, Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, and Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act.
Communalism A term, usually associated with India, that placed an emphasis on religious rather than national identity.
Scheduled Castes (Dalits, Hariyan, Untouchables) Hierarchy of Indian society.
-Dalits: Terminology of lowest class favored by people ("oppressed")
-Hariyan: Terminology used by Gandhi ("Children of God")
-Untouchables: The lowest caste class that was oppressed
Green Revolution Agricultural revolution that increased production through improved seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation;
JP Movement A movement initiated by students in Bihar in 1974 and led by the veteran Gandhian socialist Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, against misrule by and corruption in the government of Bihar.
Emergency Rule Law invoked by Indian national government to suspend the constitution by declaring martial law
Janata Coalition (1970s) a political party that was founded as an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the Emergency that was imposed between 1975 to 1977 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of the Indian National Congress.
Became the first non congress party in power
Mandal Commission A mandate to "identify the socially or educationally backward classes" of India.
-considered the question of reservations for people to redress caste discrimination, and used eleven social, economic, and educational indicators to determine backwardness
Reservation of Seats The centralized government reserved seats for both scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes. Allows for more representation in the Congress.
Mandir Issue./Babri Mosque (Raj Temple) one of the biggest political, historical and religious debate in India. This dispute is centered on a 2.77 acres plot of land in the city of Ayodha in Faizabad district in Uttar Pradesh. That particular piece of land is considered as the birthplace of Lord Ram among the Hindus.
Shah Bano Case & Response Seen as one of the legal milestones in battle for protection of rights of Muslim women. While the Supreme Court upheld the right to alimony in the case, the judgment set off a political battle as well as a controversy about the extent to which courts can interfere in Muslim personal law. The case laid the ground for Muslim women's fight for equal rights in matters of marriage and divorce in regular courts
Lok Sabha The lower house of parliament in India, where all major legislation must pass before becoming law. (house of people)
Hindutva Fundamentalist Hindu movement that became politically important in India in the 1980s by advocating a distinct Hindu identity and decrying government efforts to accommodate other faith groups. Hindu nationalism in India.
Punjab state in northwestern India with a largely Sikh population
Tribal Areas Refers to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in Pakistan by the Afghan border. Seven areas of Pashtu tribes have control of the region by agreement with the central government.