Question

Highlight any one basic difference between the democracy in Sri Lanka and the democracy in India.

Hint:

Think of how each country treated its minority groups.
India gave space to diversity, while Sri Lanka saw Sinhala dominance and Tamil alienation.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understand the question:
Both India and Sri Lanka are democracies, but their democratic experience differs. Only one basic difference is needed for 2 marks.

Step 2: The difference:
In India, democracy accepted the diversity of its people. Languages and communities got recognition, and linguistic states were formed.
In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala majority dominated politics. The Sinhala-only policy of 1956 ignored the Tamil minority.

Step 3: Meaning of the difference:
Because Tamil demands were not accepted, ethnic conflict grew in Sri Lanka and turned into a long civil war.
India managed its diversity through democratic accommodation.

Final Answer:
A basic difference is that India accommodated its diversity democratically, whereas democracy in Sri Lanka was dominated by the Sinhala majority, which led to a long ethnic conflict.