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Conservatism in India refers to expressions of conservative politics in India. Conservative-oriented political parties have included the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress Nationalist Party, [1] and the Uttar Pradesh Praja Party. In addition, a number of figures within the Indian National Congress, such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel were conservative. [2]
A Pew research survey conducted between late 2019 and early 2020 found that India is a largely conservative country. [3]
Modern Indian conservatism arose as a reaction to colonialism under European powers and the subsequent loss of sovereignty and political power-it harkened back to a glorious Hindu past before the time of foreign invasions.Social and cultural changes laid the groundwork for Hindu revivalism as well as traditionalism. [4]
All-India Muslim League was a political party formed as a response to Hindu opposition(supported by Congress party)to Bengal partition of 1905.It aimed to safeguard the interests of Muslims.This along with the creation of a separate Muslim electorate under Morley-Minto reforms in 1909 consolidated the Hindu Right, resulting in formation of Hindu Mahasabha. [5] Later Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was started by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar [6] after being disillusioned by the participation of INC in the Khilafat Movement.
Conservatism manifested under the aegis of Indian National Congress as well in early to mid 20th century. [7]
Madan Mohan Malaviya along with Madhav Shrihari Aney split away from the party in 1934 in protest of the Communal Award (announced in 1932). They began Congress Nationalist Party afterwards. [8]
Syama Prasad Mukherjee started Bharatiya Jan Sangh in 1951 as a nationalistic alternative to Congress after he left Hindu Maha Sabha. [9]
The Swatantra party was formed by right-leaning congress members in response to the socialistic turn of INC after the Nagpur resolution of 1959.They stood for free markets and dismantling of dirigiste policies prevalent at the time.
Later another conservative faction known as the Indian National Congress (Organisation) also split from INC in 1969 due to the left-wing economic policies of Indira Gandhi, like bank nationalisations. [10]
The Swatantra party later merged into Bharatiya Lok Dal in 1974.
Conservative political parties had very limited success in the national arena even in the late 1970s. [11]
Congress(O) and Jan Sangh merged into the Janata Party in 1977. The big tent arrangement led to a government whose foreign policy led India towards closer relations with the United States. But it also caused the exit of several multinational companies from the Indian market due to economic nationalism under the Janata rule. [12]
Eventually the coalition rule collapsed due to infighting among members of different ideologies and subsequent economic deterioration. [13]
The electoral misfortune of political conservatism changed with the formation of Bharatiya Janata Party and its later adoption of Ram janmabhoomi campaign which ultimately resulted in BJP going from two seats in 1984 to leading government at the central level in 1996 and 1998.
BJP retained power after the success of Kargil war in 1999 elections but lost 2004 polls in spite of its India shining campaign.
RSS was the ideological mentor of BJP but Vajpayee couldn't push key issues like building Ram temple (in Ayodhya), Abrogation of Article 370 (in Kashmir), implementing Uniform Civil Code (for adherents of all religions) since his government was dependent upon coalition support.
As a result, there were reports on January 2000 that hard-line BJP leaders along with RSS were threatening to restart Jan Sangh, the predecessor of BJP.
[14]
In December 1999, terrorists hijacked Indian Airlines IC 814 flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi. The government later accepted their demands to exchange terrorists in prison for the passengers.
[15] Two years later, a group of terrorists stormed the Parliament building in Delhi and killed several security guards before being stopped.
[16]
The
Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002 was subsequently passed in March 2002.
Vishva Hindu Parishad held the government in a standoff between December 2001 and March 2002 by trying to perform a foundation stone laying ceremony at Ayodhya.
[17]
[18] The ceremony was later moved to a location a kilometer away and thus ended without further incidents. However Vajpayee was later accused of doing nothing to stop violence during 2002 Gujarat riots. He reportedly wanted to remove the then-CM of Gujarat, Narendra Modi but decided against doing so after party members discouraged him.
Vajpayee later admitted that the situation was mishandled and that not removing Modi was a mistake.
[19]
During late 2002 and 2003, the government pushed through economic reforms, increasing privatisation, foreign investment and modernisation programmes. This resulted in GDP growth exceeding 7% between the years 2003 and 2007. [20] [21] [22]
Later BJP returned to power with larger mandates in the 2014 and 2019 elections [23] and is currently leading opinion polls for 2024 election as well. [24]
Shiromani Akali Dal was formed in 1920 as a vehicle for Sikh conservatism in Punjab. [25]
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen was founded in Hyderabad in 1927 as a party which wanted setting up of a separate dominion instead of integration with India. [26] [27]
Indian Union Muslim League is the successor of All-India Muslim League in post-independence India. Its first council was held on 10 March 1948 in Madras (now Chennai), adopting a constitution on 1 September 1951. [28] The party is primarily active in Kerala.
Uttar Pradesh Praja Party was formed in the state of Uttar Pradesh to oppose the abolition of the zamindari system on April 5-6 1951.But the party soon disappeared after 1951-52 Lok Sabha elections. [29] [30]
On 19 June 1966, Mumbai-based cartoonist Bal Thackeray founded Shiv Sena as a Marathi nativist organisation. [31]