Situating social justice in the Indian political process: U.P.,1930-1980s

Abstract

Uttar Pradesh has always played a significant role on the political map of newlineIndia. It is called the heart in the body politic of the country and there have taken place in this state event, so momentous, as have changed and revolutionized the course of political history of the whole country. Throughout Indian history, starting with the Mauryas, through the Guptas, the Sultanat, the Mughals and lastly the British, this region remained the nucleus of Indian politics. It has largest population of any Indian state and as a consequence it sends the largest number of Members to the Indian Parliament. British government brought revolutionary changes in the Indian politics in late colonial era (1930-1947), which marked the development of Provincial autonomy and the introduction of limited franchise to the Provinces. During 1937-39 popular ministries were formed and attention was paid for the upliftment of lower castes, but the question of OBCs and Minorities was not tackled by the popular ministries and British administrators simultaneously, even no powerful leaders come forward to launch any strong movement and to raise the question of OBCs among Hindus and Muslims at the national level before partition. In late colonial period during 1930- 1947, caste question among the Muslims was not raised in Uttar Pradesh, because of the communal problems and the demand of the Muslim League for the partition of the country was at that time quite prominent, thus Muslim leaders focused their whole attention on the partition and the problem was remained intact until it was raised by Momin Conference under the leadership of Abdul Qaiyum Ansari (1905-74) and later on implementation of the Mandal Commission (1990). The lower caste movement in the Southern and Western India started much before independence. Polarization of caste affiliations was easier in the south, given the absence of a complex caste middle order in the region. Also, the anti-brahmin movement coincided with an anti-Aryan movement.