Question

Analyse any two major problems of Indian politics from 1989 to 1999.

Hint:

To capture the essence of Indian politics in the 1990s, remember the term Coalition Dynamics combined with the dual social forces of Mandal (caste-based identity politics) and Mandir (religion-based identity politics).

Answer 1

Step 1: Extreme Political Instability and the Rise of Coalition Governments The decade of 1989--1999 marked the collapse of the single-party dominant system (the "Congress System") and the onset of the coalition era in India. No single political party was able to secure an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha. This resulted in highly fragile coalition governments (such as the National Front, United Front, and early NDA coalitions) supported by regional parties with divergent agendas. The political landscape was plagued by frequent government collapses, defections, and five general elections within a single decade (1989, 1991, 1996, 1998, and 1999), severely undermining long-term policy formulation and administrative stability.

Step 2: Deep Social Polarization and the Rise of "Mandal" and "Mandir" Politics This decade witnessed intense social and communal polarization that permanently altered the electoral map of India: [noitemsep]
• The Mandal Issue: The implementation of the Mandal Commission Report in 1990, which reserved $27\%$ of central government jobs for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), sparked massive protests, counter-protests, and deep caste polarization, leading to the rise of regional, caste-based political parties.
• The Mandir (Ayodhya) Dispute: The mobilization surrounding the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, culminating in the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, triggered widespread communal riots and initiated intense debates over secularism, nationalism, and minority rights in Indian democracy.