PDF-Paper-4-Determinants-of-Politics-of-Maharashtra-munotes

Page 1

1 1
POLITICAL ECONOMY OF
MAHARASHTRA
Unit Structure
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction – What is Political Economy?
1.2 Business and Politics
1.2.1 Nexus between Business and Politics
1.2.2 Evolving pattern of the relation between Business and Politics
in Maharashtra
1.2.3 Chambers of Commerce and Industry
1.2.4 Concluding remarks
1.3 Politics of Co -operatives
1.3.1 What are Co -operatives?
1.3.2 Origins of Sugar Co -operatives in Maharashtra
1.3.3 Sugar Co -operatives and Politics in Maharashtra
1.3.4 Concluding remarks
1.4 Land Issues – Urban and Rural
1.4.1 Land Issues – Urban Area
1.4.2 Land Issues – Rural Areas
1.4.3 Concluding remarks
1.5 Summary
1.6 References
1.0 OBJECTIVES The unit aims to make you understand the P olitical Econo my of
Maharashtra. After studying this unit, you may be able to –
 Know about the nexus between politics and business organizations in
the state of Maharashtra.
 Understand the Politics of Co -operatives in Maharashtra with special
reference t o Sugar Co -operatives.
 Assess the Land issues in Maharashtra in Rural and Urban areas.
1.1 INTRODUCTION – WHAT IS POLITICAL ECONOMY? Political Economy studies the relationship between politics and
economics. It deals with those power relations associated with the
production, consumption, and distribution of resources. Political and munotes.in

Page 2

2 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
2 economic interests are interlinked especially in the governance and
decision -making process. The study which constitutes all these
components is known as Political Economy. Th is module spec ifically talks
about the political economy of the state of Maharashtra. It covers business
and politics in Maharashtra, the relationship and the nexus between the
two, the politics of sugar co -operatives, and several land issues in the
urban and rural sect ors. Let‟s look at all these aspects one by one.
1.2 BUSINESS AND POLITICS 1.2.1 Nexus between Business and Politics :
The relationship between business and politics is one of the most critically
examined areas in Indian politics. The bus iness class ha s become
hegemonic in nature mainly due to the evolving nature between the two.
Initially, the business class worked as an interest group. Their primary role
was to influence the decision -making process. But, gradually it has started
assertin g its power. I t became so influential that it has achieved the status
of virtual decision -maker. Politicians started falling prey to their demands.
Over the period, business class has become an important part of the
policy -making program of the government. Today, the st ate has come
under the influence of the dominant class i.e. the business class.
Nowadays, the political class is dependent on the business class. It raises a
critical question on the autonomy of the state and its functioning. The
increasing dependence of the political class on the business class can be
evident in the adoption of the liberal democratic model in the country.
Elections are an important component of a democratic system of
governance. It is an expensive affair that requires a lot of finance. Fi nancer
is always ready to provide the required money in politics but only on the
terms suited to their interests. In this way, the nexus between business and
politics has evolved over the years. This nexus resulted in the
marginalization of t he masses. Peo ple have protested against it. But, such
protests were only occasional due to which the nexus is growing even
stronger.
Traditionally speaking, business class constitutes people engaged in trade,
commerce, and industry. Now, even the catego ry of professi onals has been
added to the business class. The informal sector in the economy is
growing rapidly. The mafias involved in these sectors are powerful and
enjoy the patronage of the political class. So, now the business class
involves people fr om organized, unorganized, informal as well as criminal
sectors. They have all the financial resources and therefore control a
proportionate share of power. They exert their influence on the political
class thereby becoming a hegemonic class.
1.2.2 Evolving pattern of the relation between Business and Politics in
Maharashtra :
Before India‟s independence, Indian National Congress was a mass
movement to achieve India‟s independence. This movement was led by munotes.in

Page 3

3 Political Economy Of Maharashtra M.K. Gandhi. Civilians have contributed in th eir capacity to the funds
required for the movement. This method of collecting the funds has helped
mobilize people at large and also helped in imbibing nationalistic
sentiments among the people. However, this does not mean that the
traditional business c lass has no conn ection with the Indian National
Congress. It has been evident that the Indian Chamber of Commerce is
linked with the Indian National Congress since 1907. The industrial class
has always been supportive of Congress. Congress has advocated fo r the
“Swadeshi” i.e. the use of local products and a ban on foreign goods. This
has helped the business community to a great extent.
The Chamber of Commerce has participated in the presidential address of
Congress. They have always extended their support to the national
movement. Business organizations such as Birla and Bajaj had close
connections with the INC. But, they never tried to misuse Congress. Even
INC never allowed the business class to make use of them. So, in the Pre -
Independence era, the relat ionship between the business class and the
political class was cordial. This relationship has evolved over the years.
Let‟s try to understand the evolution with the following heads:
Business class as an Interest Group:
The decision taken by the government affects various sections of society.
Not every section of society gets equal benefits from the government.
Therefore, each tries to exert its influence to safeguard its interests. A
business class like any other section of society tries to articulate its
interests to the political class. They form pressure groups/ Interest groups
to achieve their objective. With the help of such organized grouping, they
try to influence the decision of the government. Moreover, they
encompass a lot of resources which enable s them to that c apability to
influence the decisions of the government.
The relationship between the business and political class started
developing when the Congress government introduced the five -year
planning system in India. It became closed by the s econd five -year plan
which focused more on industrial development in the country. Here,
business class as an interest group played an important role to influence
the policy -making process. They were successful in promoting and
protecting their interests i n this era.
Busi ness class as a political Party:
In the Post -Independence era, the Congress government adopted several
policies favoring the poor people in India. They have also started with the
process of land reforms. This has disturbed the former rule rs of the
princely states and rich landlords. Specific business enterprises were
advocating for the laisses -faire state i.e. non -intervention of the state in the
economy of a country was against such an approach of the government.
There were differences of opinion in the co ngress party too which led to
the faction in the party. C. Rajagopalachari left Congress and formed his
own „Swatantra Party‟. Here, the Business community remained out of
this and played the role of an Interest group. But, some of them w ere munotes.in

Page 4

4 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
4 interested to join Swatantra Party. The party remained active till the
1970s. Its electoral performance was too poor and it lost its distinct
identity after the formation of the Janata party in 1977.
Some business enterprises were associated with the Congress, som e
supported the Bharatiya Janata Party. It‟s significant to note that the
business class preferred to influence the election by supporting a political
party from outside rather than forming their political party and contesting
elections. Because they were completely aware of the fact that they lack
the numerical strength required to win the elections. Co -operative
Capitalists in Maharashtra have captured control over financial
institutions. They started exerting their influence over the su gar belt in
Mahara shtra. In a way, they have become very influential as far as
Maharashtra Politics is concerned.
Business Class as a Political Financer:
Even the field of politics has not been left without the use of money
power. The use of money power i s visible at the t ime of elections. It aims
to influence the election results. The academic sphere has always
discouraged this practice. But with every passing year, elections are
becoming more and more expensive in nature. The elections held
immediately a fter the independe nce of India did not involve such a large
extent of the use of money power. Congress has fairly managed the
situation without the use of money power. But, since the first general
elections, the population of our country has been on the ri se continuously.
To deal with the continuously increasing levels of the population the
previous methods of raising finance were found to be inadequate. Party
managers were struggling to deal with the issues of political finance.
Before 1967, political fund s were collected b y the parties from authorized
people. Even the candidates were chosen if they could finance themselves.
But, from 1967 onwards there emerged new strategies to deal with this
issue and the 1971 elections institutionalized the new culture o f political
financ e. Candidates were chosen not based on their financial viability but
on their ability to win the elections. This has resulted in a decrease in the
percentage of candidates who can finance themselves in elections. Now,
the party started fi nancing their cand idates if they can win the election.
This led to an increase in the demand for political finances. Congress party
has also started looking at this issue very critically. It no longer remained a
party for small contributors. The funds for the congress party come from
three main sources: Businessmen who get some favours in return, then
some traditional industrial enterprises donate to the party based on
goodwill, and some businessmen prefer congress as they don‟t want to see
any political ch ange since it is h armful to the profitable business.
After the fall of one-party dominance system in India, new political parties
started emerging on the political front. They were relatively new in ruling
as well as in fundraising activity. They started using government s ervants
to raise political finances. Later, one more significant change observed
was political parties started raising funds not from individual companies, munotes.in

Page 5

5 Political Economy Of Maharashtra but from the federating units. It was time saving and efficient method to
raise th e political financ es. As time progressed, even the MNCs started
coming into the picture of political finances. They have started emerging
as a primary source of funding for political parties. This is how the
business class has been playing a significant ro le in financing po litical
parties.
The Hegemony of Business Class:
At the time of India‟s independence, the Political class functioned on the
values of equity, social justice, freedom and democracy, the welfare of
people, and providing services to the poor, etc. The bu siness class never
used to interfere in course of action of the political class. The goal of
polity was to achieve economic development by considering the equity
aspect. But, post -1967, the political class started succumbing to the
busine ss class. They sta rted considering the interests of the business class
more than the welfare of people at large. The business class has emerged
as a hegemon. Even the state started acting more like a corporate capitalist
in nature. The introduction of the new economic polic y in 1991 was an
indication of the emergence of a new form of the state which was far from
the welfare state and more like a corporate capitalist state.
In this way, the business class has evolved from merely playing the role of
an inter est group to becom ing the hegemon of Indian polity.
1.2.3 Chambers of Commerce and Industry :
In the above section, we have understood that the business class favored
acting as an influencer in the field of politics rather than forming a
political party to govern the state . So, they started organizing themselves
in the 19th century. In 1936, the Bombay Chamber of Commerce was
established to organize to represent the interest of British businesses and
also the interests of the provincial government. The ch amber has cordial
relations with the government and the government took the advice of the
chamber on many key issues of public importance. The chamber was
mainly concerned with economic issues and preferred to stay away from
politics till the end of the 19th century.
The Bombay and Bengal chambers were used to represent British
interests. Therefore, the Indian business community felt the need for
representation. They organized themselves to secure their interests.
Accordingly, the Bengal National Chamb er of Commerce and Indian
Merchants Chamber was established in 1887 and 1907 respectively. The
nationalistic sentiments inspired the working culture of the chambers of
commerce. This was mainly because important nationalistic leaders such
as Dadabhai Naoro ji, Dinshaw Wacha P urushottamdas Thackerdas, etc.
had good relations with the trading community. The chamber fully
supported the Swadeshi Movement started by the government. They
sought to make people aware of the economic issues. During the Gandhian
era, many members of the chamber participated in the agitations led by
Gandhi. munotes.in

Page 6

6 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
6 Apart from the above -mentioned chambers there exists Marwari Chambers
of Commerce, Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce, Maharashtra Chamber of
Commerce, etc. Various trade associations suc h as the cotton mil l
association, Bombay and Ahmedabad Mill owners‟ association, etc. we‟re
functioning efficiently. The British government recognized their
significance and started giving them representation. It was in 1861, the
then-Bombay governor appoint ed a member of th e Bombay Chamber of
Commerce to the legislative council. Then the Indian Council Act of 1909
and 1935 sought to increase the representation of these chambers in the
legislative machinery of the country.
But, post -independence, the Indian government stoppe d this practice of
providing representation to the business community in the legislative
organ. As a result, the business community lost its privilege to be a part of
the legislative organ. They again started organizing themselves.
Maharas htra has numerous such organizations as it is one of the highly
industrialized states. Moreover, it has various industry and trade
associations, export promotion councils, etc. The government always takes
into consideration their views. Many of them have b een appointed as a
member of advisory committees such as the sales tax advisory committee,
central excise advisory committee, etc. They suggest a certain change in
the policies prepared by the government through continuous interaction
with government agenc ies. The chambers resort to various strategies for
influencing the government. For instance, newspaper campaigns,
organizing seminars, mobilizing public opinion, etc. The important point
to note is that these business organizations preferred to remain apol itical.
They avoi d promoting a particular candidate or a political party. But, they
have a significant influence on the functioning of the government.
1.2.4 Concluding remarks :
Business and Politics have always had cordial relations with one another.
Initially, the bu siness class has acted as an interest group to serve their
interest. But, as time progressed, they started interfering much in the
political sphere. They tried to be with the political party and even played
the role of political financers. Ultimately, they have acquired an influential
position in the state politics of Maharashtra so much so that they started
acting like a hegemon. In this section, we have noted the chambers of
commerce in Maharashtra, their relations with the political part ies, and
their in volvement in state politics. This is how business and politics have a
nexus between them.
Check Your Progress
1) Describe the nexus between the business class and politics. munotes.in

Page 7

7 Political Economy Of Maharashtra 1.3 POLITICS OF CO -OPERATIVES 1.3.1 What are Co -operatives?
It's a firm join tly run by its members. Members will get their share of the
profit as per their capital contribution. They enjoy significant control over
the business. There are many cooperative institutions in the state of
Maharashtra. Sugar co -operative is the most infl uential among all. The
members of these cooperative institutions play an influential role in the
state politics of Maharashtra.
According to the report on the Congress working committee which was
prepared by C. Subramanyam in 1967, congres s has played domi nant
status in Maharashtra politics, and its credit lies in the active participation
of the party in the cooperative sector. Congress has always encouraged the
cooperative sector in Maharashtra. Because of political patronage, these
cooper ative elites have a strong hold over the Panchayati raj institutions of
the state and the state machinery too. The cooperative leaders are actively
participating in the state politics of Maharashtra.
1.3.2 Origins of Sugar Co -operatives in Maharashtra :
Several factors are responsible for the existence of the sugar co -operative
in Maharashtra. Let's understand them :
In Maharashtra, there exists a rich peasant class. They are numerically
strong as well as wield enormous political power. They usually cultivate
sugarcane. The e xtensive canal irrigation has contributed to these farmers'
large -scale cultivation of sugarcane. The financial institutions are already
in place in the form of cooperative credit infrastructure to fulfill the credit
requirements of these farmers. Sugarcan e gets processed into sugar which
has a high value in the market. As a consequence, peasants are highly
attracted to take this crop. Moreover, the political patronage of the rich
peasants makes them powerful. Therefore, sugarcane producti on is higher
in the state of Maharashtra.
One thing to note here is that peasants preferred to process the sugarcane
into sugar rather than into jaggery. Because the amount of sugar that gets
processed from a unit volume of sugarcane is twice that of the amount of
jaggery gets produced from the same amount of sugarcane. Hence,
processing sugarcane into sugar is very profitable to the peasants. The rich
peasants thought that the best way would be to organize themselves and
form cooperative institutions. Bec ause they were co mpletely aware of the
fact that it would be difficult for the individual peasant to raise money to
process their canes. The required conditions for the establishment of a
sugar cooperative were already in place. Therefore, the first sugar
cooperative „Prav aranagar Sugar Cooperative was established in 1949 at
Loni in Maharashtra. It was established by Vitthalrao Vikhe -Patil under
the Co -operative Society‟s Act of 1904.
munotes.in

Page 8

8 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
8 Sugar Co -operatives and Politics in Maharashtra :
Maraths started ca pturing power at the local levels of government in
western Maharashtra by the late 1920s. There was a clear shift in the
composition of assemblies from 1936 onwards. Now, instead of the urban
upper caste, the rural middle caste has started entering into th e political
spher e. Marathas occupied nearly 40% of the rural middle caste. This
change has been reflected in the importance given to the cooperative
sector. The government has provided Rs. 6 lakhs as share capital for the
establishment of the first sugar cooperative in th e state. The cooperative
leaders raised Rs. 2 lakhs on their own and took a loan of Rs. 20 lakhs.
The important point to note here is that for the loan, the state itself played
the role of a guarantor of that money. It was visible that the state
guaranteed around 90% of the total cost of establishing a sugar
cooperative. This is how the cooperative sector has been politicized. Rajni
Kothari rightly pointed out, “There is a politicization of cooperative and
institutionalization of politics i n rural Maharasht ra”.
Growth of Sugar Cooperative:
It was observed that power was getting consolidated among the rural elites
at the state government level after the first general election in 1951 -52.
The congress ministry in the state started recommendi ng grants of
industrial licenses to the central government. Interestingly, they
recommended only the sugar factories set up by the peasants
“cooperatively”. These rural peasantries took full advantage of the
situation and established three more sugar facto ries in Ahmednaga r. Now,
more sugar factories started getting established in other parts of
Maharashtra. The number of sugar cooperatives in the state increased to
52. This expansion of sugar factories in the state led to the creation of the
“Sugar Lobby1”. The sugar lobb y in the state has acquired the most
influential status among all other cooperatives.
For the political class, this sugar lobby acts as both a money bank as well
as a vote bank. The renowned political scholar namely V.M. Sirsikar has
made a comparison bet ween the sugar lobby in the state and feudal lords
of Europe. According to him, feudal lords were very influential in specific
territories of Europe. Similarly, the sugar lobby has acquired control over
many talukas and tehsils. It was obs erved that around 74% of the leaders
of sugar cooperatives were elected as MLAs and MPs from 1952 to 1972.
State politics is of utmost importance to these cooperative leaders as the
state has the ultimate control over them. Therefore, the majority of the
time cooperative l eaders support the ruling party. They use interest group
strategies to influence the policies of the government in their favour.
To wield control over state politics, the sugar lobby was formed in the
state under the leadership of Vasantd ada Patil in 1968 -69. They wanted
that the laws governing the cooperatives should not to be changed in such
a way that it would cause loss to them. In 1974 -75, V.P. Naik the then 1 Lobby is group of people who at tempts to influence the policies of the
government to suit their interests. munotes.in

Page 9

9 Political Economy Of Maharashtra chief minister of Maharashtra tried to end the hold of the sugar lobby in
the state. Hence, th e members of the lobby revolted against him and
successfully removed him in 1975. Then S.B. Chavhan became the state
chief minister. He was also the biggest critic of the sugar lobby. He was
also removed by the lobby and this time Dada Pat il, the leader of the sugar
cooperative became the chief minister of Maharashtra. This was nothing
but a huge success for the sugar lobby in the state.
But, the Congress party suffered a split. It resulted in a split in the sugar
lobby too. Dada Patil was ousted and a non -congress government was
formed. Sharad Pawar became the chief minister leading the progressive
democratic front in 1978. In 1980, Sugar lobbyists realise that they need
Congress to suit their interests. Therefore, the sugar lobby came bac k to
the Congress party and again established its influence in the state.
Concluding remarks :
To conclude, Sugar cooperatives play a significant role in the state politics
of Maharashtra. The vital decisions of the cooperative sector are taken by
the gov ernment. Such as granting permission to establish a processing
unit, finalizing the location of the sugar factory, and the like. The
management of the cooperatives is regulated by the government. The
government has the authority to keep a check on the mana gement and
remove its board of directors if found any inefficiency. Financial control
over the cooperatives also lies in the government. Therefore, the
cooperative sector is highly dependent on the political party. But, the
mismanagement of such institutio ns and misuse of funds has led to the
existential crisis of these cooperatives. Moreover, in today‟s globalized
world, even the government thinks twice before providing patronage to
such cooperative institutions. This has led to the closure of many such
institutions. Now, the cooperative sector will have to resort to professional
management strategies for its survival.
Check Your Progress
1) Explain the politics of Sugar Co -operatives in Maharashtra.
1.4 LAND ISSUES – URBAN AND RURAL Introduction :
Land has a solid s tructure with a three -dimensional dynamic body. It
supports life. Its areas are fixed. Therefore, the land gets used
continuously which results in its degradation. When we talk about the land
in terms of the political economy of Maharashtr a, it is very sca rce. Its
prices have increased tremendously because of its limited supply.
Maharashtra is an urbanized state. The rising level of urbanization means munotes.in

Page 10

10 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
10 there have to be provisions for housing and civic amenities in equal
proportion.
There is a shortage of hou sing amenities in urban areas which led to the
establishment of slum habitat. This increased level of urbanization has
decreased the amount of land available for agricultural purposes.
Therefore, the prices of agricultural land have increa sed. Consequently ,
the production of agricultural products has declined and the prices of the
agricultural output have increased. In this way, land has caused multifold
issues in both the urban and rural spheres of a country.
1.4.1 Land Issues – Urban and Rural :
Land degradation is the most common issue of land. Land degradation can
be physical degradation or it can be chemical degradation too. It can
happen at the same time also. Chemical degradation of land is generally a
phenomenon related to areas where the c limate is humid a nd it is subject
to heavy rainfall. Whereas, physical degradation of land can occur in any
place of humid as well as arid/semi -arid climate. Land degradation can
take place both naturally as well as due to manmade reasons. But, the
degrad ation of land due to manmade reasons is precarious. The use of
pesticides is profitable for the production of a crop, but it harms the land
and creates an imbalance in the environment. Also, the use of technology
to increase agricultural output has caused land degradation to a greater
extent. In rural areas, land degradation takes place mainly due to the extra
use of fertilizers and pesticides whereas in urban areas it occurs due to a
lack of proper sewerage system, household, and industrial waste, plastic,
etc.
Another p eculiar problem related to the land is soil degradation. This
occurs simultaneously with land degradation. Soil erosion by water is one
form of soil degradation. It also involves salinization lateralization and
alkalization. Etc. Even natu ral disasters suc h as tsunamis, volcanoes, and
floods can lead to soil degradation. It may also cause due to several man -
made activities such as inadequate treatment of sewerage, industrial
wastewater, etc.
Then the Land Degradation in the sugar belt of Maharashtra is a highly
concerning issue. There are a lot of microorganisms present on land which
is helpful for the sustainable growth of a crop. But, it has been observed
that the presence of such microorganisms is decreasing because of the
practice of not using chemica l fertilizers properly and the wrong
application of irrigation techniques to the crops such as sugarcane in
Maharashtra. Therefore, Salinity is one of the main concerns in the sugar
belt of Maharashtra. This has resulted in the deteriorati on of soil struct ure
and its texture. Because of this issue, the productivity of the crop has also
declined over the years. Earlier the land was popular for its fertility. The
farmers could grow sugarcane even if the rainfall is not adequate. But, the
degradation of land h as multiplied the issues tremendously.
Soil Salinity is an increasing concern. It has been occurring especially in
the post -green revolution phase. During this era, a lot of emphasis was put munotes.in

Page 11

11 Political Economy Of Maharashtra on using chemical fertilizers for increasing c rop production. B ut, the
overdose of chemical fertilizers has caused the issue of soil salinity. This
has affected the productivity of the land to a greater extent.
So, these were some of the issues related to the land in Maharashtra.
Development of Navi Mumbai:
The Bom bay Metropolitan regional planning board prepared a plan to
build a similar city to decongest Mumbai in January 1970. The newly
planned city was known as Navi -Mumbai. The basic aim was to lessen the
burden on Mumbai. Consequently, to plan and develop the c ity of Navi -
Mumbai a „City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra
Ltd was set up in 1970. To develop this city, land near Panvel taluka
constituting 30 villages was acquired by the Government. There was a lot
of resistance t o this as many ac tivists opined that the compensation given
by the government is not adequate. The government did not give proper
rehabilitation facilities to the villagers affected by this project. Lands have
also been allocated to establish higher educat ional institution s. The Airport
Authority of India has decided to build the second international airport in
Navi Mumbai. Accordingly, the land has been acquired by the government
to fulfill its purpose.
Coastal Management Zone:
The Ministry of Environmen t and Forest rele ased the coastal management
zone notification in 2008. It replaced the coastal Zone regulations of 1991.
The new draft notification has classified the coastal zone into the
following four categories: a) Ecologically Sensitive Areas – such as
Mangroves, Cor al reefs, and sand beaches, b) Areas of Particular Concern
– such as Coastal Municipalities, Coastal Panchayats, c) Open Areas, and
d) Islands. This classification would be demarcated by the government by
taking into consideration several factors such as s ea level, geomorphology,
elevation, and the like.
Special Economic Zone:
The Special Economic Zone are industrial area aimed to boost export that
can be developed by any private party or government agency. The
activities taking place in the coastal regio n led to the large -scale
displacement of coastal communities. Therefore, the fishing community
has protested a lot against the special economic zones as their lives got
affected because of the forced land acquisition and destruction of the
shoreline to con duct developmental activities. Some activists have pointed
out that the democratic rights of displaced people will get violated because
of the creation of special economic zones. They opined that people are
getting landless due to this. Bu t, the plan was t hat the villages will
continue to exist within the SEZs and only agricultural land will be used
for SEZs. But people were questioning this too as they will not get their
right to rehabilitation. It‟s a fact that as the industry will grow, the demand
for al lied activities such as banking, insurance, hospitality, and shopping
centers will also increase. Therefore, a large proportion of the land will munotes.in

Page 12

12 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
12 also be used for this purpose under SEZs. In this way, SEZs have become
a much -debated issue r elated to the lan d.
1.4.3 Concluding remarks :
To conclude, Land is an important factor in the development of any
region. But as time is progressing its demand is increasing rapidly but the
supply is very limited. Because of this, technology has been used to ma ke
the fullest use of the available land. Again, this has created a lot of issues
such as land degradation, soil degradation, land salinity, soil salinity, etc.
Also, the CRZs and SEZs caused a lot of issues related to the land. Now,
we need to deal with those issues scien tifically and practically.
Check Your Progress
1) Evaluate the Land issues in urban and rural areas.
1.5 SUMMARY In this chapter, we have understood the nexus between the business class
and political class, and the evolution of the business clas s from being a
pressure group to becoming a hegemon. The growth and development of
chambers of commerce. In the next section, we studied the political
economy of Maharashtra with special reference to the cooperative sector,
the politics o f sugar cooperativ es in Maharashtra, and the significance they
have achieved in state politics. Lastly, we looked at the importance of the
land and several issues about the land in urban and rural areas of
Maharashtra.
1.6 REFEREN CES  Anandan, S. (2018). MAHARASHTRA MAXIM US- The State, Its
People and Politics. New Delhi: Rupa & Company.
 Editorial. (2012). A Bitter Harvest. Economic and Political Weekly .
 Express, T. F. (2004). Maharashtra’s business of politics. The
Financial Express .
 Jain, D. A. (2009). Political Processes in Maharashtra. Mumbai:
Sheth Publication.
 Kulkarni, U. T. (1995). Politics in Maharashtra. Mumbai: Himalaya
Publishing House.
 Sirsikar, V. M. (1995). Politics of modern Maharashtra. Mumbai:
Orient Longman Limited.

***** munotes.in

Page 13

13 2
POLITICAL PARTIES
Unit Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Indian National Congress
2.3 Bhartiya Janata Party
2.4 Nationalist Congress Party
2.5 Republican Party of India
2.6 Peasants and Workers Party
2.7 Shiv Sena (SS) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS)
2.8 Coalition Politics
2.9 Summary
2.10 Exercise
2.0 OBJECTIVE S  To understand the party politics in Maharashtra
 To learn the role of regional political party in state
 To understand the coalition form of government
2.1 INTRODUCTIO N The political party system in India plays a crucial role in shaping the
nation's democratic landscape. It serves as a platform for political
participation, representation, and the formulation of policies. This chapter
aims to provide an overview of the p olitical parties as determinants of
politics in Maharashtra, highlighting its significance, key features, and
challenges. Political parties in India are vital institutions that enable
citizens to participate in governance, express their views, and influenc e
decision -making processes. They provide a platform for individuals with
similar ideological, social, and economic interests to come together,
formulate policies, and contest elections. Political parties serve as a link
between the government and the peop le, ensuring representation and
accountability.
The Features of the Indian Political Party System:
a) Multi -party System:
India follows a multi -party system, characterized by the presence of
numerous political parties representing various regional, relig ious, and
ideological interests. This diversity reflects the country's rich social fabric
and ensures the representation of diverse viewpoints. munotes.in

Page 14

14 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
14 b) Dominance of National Parties:
While regional parties have a significant presence, national parties such as
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC)
play a prominent role in Indian politics. These parties have a wider reach,
span across multiple states, and often form national -level governments.
c) Coalition Politics:
Given the di versity of parties in India, coalition governments have become
common at the national and state levels. Parties form alliances based on
shared goals and ideologies, leading to a collaborative approach in
governance.
The political parties are the essential component of nations democratic
framework, providing a platform for political participation and
representation. While it reflects the diversity of the nation, challenges such
as regionalism, dynastic politics, and the influence of money and muscle
power pe rsist. Addressing these challenges requires efforts to strengthen
internal democracy, promote transparency, and enact comprehensive
campaign finance reforms. The regional and national parties play
important role in the construction of grassroot democratic framework in
federal structure. The political parties in Maharashtra are divided into two
major aspects in political nature, one is nationalist agenda which focus on
nation centric development and other is regional centric agenda like
language and regional centric development.
Prominent Political Parties in Maharashtra are National Parties: Indian
National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. Regional Parties:
Nationalist Congress party, Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena
2.2 INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRES S (I) The Indian National Congress (INC), commonly referred to as Congress
(I), is one of the major political parties in India. It is a direct descendant of
the original Indian National Congress that played a pivotal role in India's
struggle for independen ce. Congress (I) traces its roots back to the Indian
National Congress, which was founded in 1885. After India gained
independence in 1947, the original Indian National Congress transformed
into a political party. In 1978, following a split within the part y, Congress
(I) emerged as a separate entity led by Indira Gandhi. Prime minister
Indira Gandhi, became the face of Congress and served as the party's
president. Under her leadership, the party witnessed significant political
success, winning multiple elec tions and implementing key policies. Indira
Gandhi's leadership was marked by a strong centralization of power and a
focus on populist measures. Congress has historically been known for its
inclusive and secular ideology. It emphasizes social justice, secu larism,
and a mixed economy. The party has been associated with the promotion
of welfare programs, land reforms, and poverty alleviation measures. It
has advocated for policies aimed at reducing inequality and providing
equal opportunities for all. munotes.in

Page 15

15 Political Parties After I ndia's independence in 1947, the INC became the ruling party at the
national level. In Maharashtra, the INC also gained prominence and
formed the government in the state. After the Independence and before
formation of Maharashtra state the Indian national congress was led by
Morarji Desai a prominent leader of Bombay presidency. Later after
reorganisation of states, Yashwantrao Chavan, a stalwart of Maharashtra
politics, played a significant role in shaping the state's politics as a leader
of the INC. Mahar ashtra has always been a important state for INC in term
of national politics. Under the leadership of INC governments,
Maharashtra witnessed various social and economic reforms. The state
government focused on industrialization, promoting cooperative
move ments, and implementing land reforms to address agrarian issues.
Initiatives like the Green Revolution, the establishment of industrial
estates, and the development of public institutions contributed to the state's
progress. The INC in Maharashtra experien ced internal power struggles
and leadership changes over the years. Prominent leaders like Vasantrao
Naik, Shankarrao Chavan, Sharad Pawar, and Vilasrao Deshmukh
emerged as key figures within the party and held important positions in the
state government.
In the 1990s, Maharashtra witnessed the rise of regional parties like the
Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which challenged
the dominance of the INC. These regional parties gained popularity by
highlighting regional and local issues, lea ding to a shift in the political
landscape of the state. The rise of regional parties brought verity in
democratic process, such that establishing one party dominance or major
in state is difficult. Therefore, to stay in power INC made coalition with
regio nal parties. Coalitions have become a common feature in
Maharashtra politics, and the INC has engaged in alliances to form
governments. The INC has been part of coalition governments with
regional parties like the NCP, forming the Congress -NCP alliance (UP A),
which has alternated in power with other alliances over the years.
The INC in Maharashtra has focused on policies and programs for social
welfare, rural development, education, and healthcare. Initiatives such as
the Rajiv Gandhi Jeevandayee Arogya Yo jana (healthcare scheme) and the
Indira Awas Yojana (housing scheme) have been implemented to address
the needs of marginalized communities. In recent years, the INC has faced
challenges in Maharashtra politics, including electoral setbacks and intra -
party disputes and corruption. The party has been working on rejuvenating
its organization and reconnecting with the grassroots to regain its
influence and appeal among voters. Indian National Congress and
Nationalist congress party led coalition ruled in state government between
2004 to 2014, till the Rise of BJP at centre has collapse INC at any major
state. The INC came into power again 2019 election with coalition of
Maha Vikas Aghadi (Coalition between Shiv sena, NCP and INC) keeping
INC at third position o f Coalition. The MVA make congress into power
but destroyed its power image in state as national political party. Structural
imbalance and internal politics in party led the INC weaker party in
Maharashtra politics. munotes.in

Page 16

16 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
16 The INC has the history from pre -indepe ndence in Maharashtra, the party
have legacy and foundation in Maharashtra but struggling to re -establish
its legitimate place in contemporary politics of Maharashtra.
2.3 BHARTIYA JANATA PARTY The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is one of the major politica l parties in
India and has had a significant impact on Indian politics since its
inception. The party’s origin can be trace from the Bharatiya Jana Sangh,
which was founded by Indian Political and Nationalist Shyama Prasad
Mukherjee in 1951. After the Nati onal Emergency of 1975 -77, The
Bharatiya Janata Party was formed on April 6, 1980, through the merger
of Jana Sangh in the several political parties, Socialist party, Congress (O)
and Bharatiya Lok Dal. At its formation, the party was ideologically
rooted in Hindutva, a nationalist and culturally Hindu ideology. In the
1984 general elections, the BJP won only two seats in the Indian
Parliament. However, the party gained prominence in the late 1980s and
early 1990s, with its Ram Janmabhoomi movement, which s ought to build
a temple dedicated to Lord Ram at the site of the Babri Masjid in
Ayodhya. The movement brought the BJP into the national spotlight and
helped it mobilize support among voters.
In the 1990s, the BJP emerged as a strong political force and ga ined
electoral success in various states, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh,
and Uttar Pradesh. In 1998, the BJP -led National Democratic Alliance
(NDA) coalition came to power at the national level, with Atal Bihari
Vajpayee becoming the Prime Minister. Th e NDA government completed
a full term in office and was re -elected in 1999. In the early 2000s, under
the leadership of Narendra Modi, who served as the Chief Minister of
Gujarat from 2001 to 2014, the BJP focused on its development agenda
and governance record. In 2014, the BJP won a resounding victory in the
general elections, securing a majority on its own and Narendra Modi
became the Prime Minister of India. Re -election and Dominance: In 2019,
the BJP won a second consecutive majority in the general el ections,
further solidifying its position as a dominant political force in India. Under
Prime Minister Modi's leadership, the party has implemented various
economic and social reforms, such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST),
demonetization of currency to curb corruption and illegal hoarding of
money, Jan Dhan Yojana, Digital India etc.
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has played a significant role in
Maharashtra politics, both as a dominant force and as a key coalition
partner. Throughout its history, the BJP has emphasized nationalism,
Hindutva, and socio -economic development as its core ideologies. The
party has expanded its base and membership across India and has been
successful in establishing a strong presence at both the national and state
levels. BJ P establish itself in mainstream of state politics in coalition with
shiv sena led by Balasaheb Thackeray in 1988. The BJP -Shiv Sena
Alliance together contest election in 1989 of lok sabha as well as state
constituent assembly. The alliance formed a govern ment in Maharashtra
between 1995 and 1999. The Alliance was in opposition from 1999 to munotes.in

Page 17

17 Political Parties 2014. The Shiv sena called off the alliance before the election of 2014
with BJP and contest election. But witnessing the rise of BJP in state as
largest party the two h ad allied again between 2014 to 2019, until the Shiv
sena broke the alliance again and formed the new coalition with NCP and
INC as Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in 2019 putting BJP into opposition.
BJP has witnessed considerable electoral success in Maharashtr a. The
party has consistently increased its presence and vote share in the state
over the years. It has emerged as a major political force, challenging the
dominance of traditional parties like the Indian National Congress (INC)
and the Nationalist Congres s Party (NCP). The BJP has held the position
of Chief Minister in Maharashtra Notably when, Devendra Fadnavis
became the first BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra in 2014 after the party
won a majority in the state assembly elections. Fadnavis' tenure focuse d
on infrastructure development, attracting investments, and implementing
welfare programs.
The BJP has implemented various policy initiatives in Maharashtra,
focusing on key areas such as infrastructure development, urban
governance, agriculture, and so cial welfare. The party has emphasized the
importance of industrial growth, attracted investments, and promoted the
'Make in Maharashtra' campaign to boost manufacturing and job creation.
Moreover, the BJP -led government in Maharashtra has initiated severa l
welfare schemes, including affordable housing programs, farmer support
measures, and initiatives for women's empowerment and social justice.
The BJP has worked on expanding its organizational reach in
Maharashtra, strengthening its grassroots presence, a nd increasing its
membership base. The party has been proactive in conducting party
programs, rallies, and outreach campaigns to connect with voters and
mobilize support.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as a major political force in
Maharashtr a, with notable electoral success, Chief Ministership, and
policy initiatives. The party's role in Maharashtra politics has been shaped
by successful alliances, policy focus on development and welfare, and
efforts to expand its organizational base in the s tate. Recently Bharatiya
Janata Party formed its government with the help of Shinde group (rebels
from Shiv sena party under the leadership of Eknath Shinde) bring BJP
into power with Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) as Chief minister and
Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) as Dy Chief minister in august 2022.
2.4 NATIONALIST CONGRESS PARTY The National Congress Party (NCP) is a political party in India that was
formed in 1999 through a split from the Indian National Congress (INC).
Led by Sharad Pawar, the NCP h as had a distinct political journey and has
emerged as a significant player in Indian politics. The NCP's political
journey can be traced back to the late 1990s when differences within the
INC led to a split. Sharad Pawar, along with a group of senior lead ers,
formed the NCP, primarily due to disagreements over Sonia Gandhi's
leadership and her foreign origin, which raised questions about her munotes.in

Page 18

18 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
18 eligibility to become the Prime Minister of India. In its initial years, the
NCP positioned itself as a regional par ty with a strong base in the state of
Maharashtra, where Sharad Pawar has had a long and influential political
career. The party focused on issues related to agriculture, rural
development, and regional concerns. It forged alliances with other
regional par ties to strengthen its electoral prospects. In the 2004 general
elections, the NCP formed an alliance with the INC and other parties,
collectively known as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). This
alliance emerged as the majority coalition and formed th e government at
the centre, with Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister and Sharad Pawar
serving as the Minister of Agriculture. Pawar's tenure as Agriculture
Minister was marked by initiatives aimed at rural development,
agricultural reforms, and improving farmers' welfare.
The NCP continued to be a part of the UPA government during its second
term from 2009 to 2014. However, during this period, the party faced
criticism for corruption allegations and policy controversies. Several NCP
leaders, including Shar ad Pawar, were implicated in corruption scandals,
tarnishing the party's image. In subsequent years, the NCP faced mixed
electoral fortunes. It maintained its presence in Maharashtra and formed
alliances with other regional parties in the state. The party also expanded
its footprint in other states like Kerala, Goa, and Meghalaya, where it won
a few seats in state elections. However, at the national level, the NCP
struggled to make significant inroads outside of Maharashtra.
In recent years, the NCP has bee n part of various political formations and
alliances. It has been involved in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition
in Maharashtra, along with the Shiv Sena and the INC, which formed the
government in the state after the 2019 assembly elections. The NCP ha s
also sought to strengthen its position by actively engaging with other
regional parties and like -minded political forces.
The NCP's political ideology can be described as centrist with a regional
focus. It has emphasized issues such as farmers' welfare, rural
development, and social justice. While maintaining its regional identity,
the NCP has occasionally aligned with national -level parties to strengthen
its position and influence at the centre.
In conclusion, the National Congress Party (NCP) has had a distinct
political journey since its formation in 1999. From its origins as a
breakaway faction of the Indian National Congress (INC), the NCP has
evolved into a regional party with a strong base in Maharashtra. It has
been part of various political allian ces and coalitions at the national and
state levels, and while it has faced challenges and controversies, the NCP
continues to be an influential player in Indian politics, particularly in
Maharashtra.
2.5 REPUBLICAN PARTY OF INDIA The Republican Party of I ndia (RPI) is a significant political party in India
that emerged in the 1950s with the aim of championing the rights of munotes.in

Page 19

19 Political Parties marginalized and oppressed communities. Led by social reformers and
visionary leaders, the RPI has played a crucial role in advocating for social
justice, empowerment, and inclusivity within the country's political
landscape. The Republican Party of India was founded in 1957 by Dr.
B.R. Ambedkar, an eminent jurist, social reformer, and the chief architect
of India's Constitution. Inspired by Ambedkar's vision, the party aimed to
eradicate caste -based discrimination and ensure equal rights and
opportunities for all citizens. The RPI strongly believes in social justice,
secularism, and the empowerment of marginalized communities,
particularl y Scheduled Castes (Dalits), Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis), Other
Backward Classes (OBCs), and religious minorities. Over the years, the
Republican Party of India has been led by prominent leaders who have
fervently fought for the rights and welfare of oppre ssed communities.
Apart from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, leaders like Ramdas Athawale, Prakash
Ambedkar, and Jogendra Kawade have made significant contributions to
the party's growth and impact.
Ramdas Athawale, the current president of the RPI, has been an influen tial
voice in advocating for social justice and uplifting the marginalized.
Through his political activism and participation in the Indian Parliament,
Athawale has been instrumental in implementing policies and welfare
programs that directly benefit the so cially and economically disadvantaged
sections of society. Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar, has continued his grandfather's legacy by leading the RPI and
furthering the party's objectives. He has been actively involved in
challenging so cial inequalities, promoting education, and addressing the
socio -economic issues faced by marginalized communities. Jogendra
Kawade, a renowned Dalit leader and former president of the RPI, has
dedicated his political career to the upliftment of Dalits and other
oppressed sections. He has been vocal in demanding reservations, land
reforms, and the eradication of caste -based discrimination.
In Maharashtra, the RPI has played a crucial role in championing the
rights and welfare of marginalized communities. Th e party has been
instrumental in raising social issues, advocating for equality, and
challenging caste -based discrimination. The RPI has been successful in
mobilizing support from Dalit communities in Maharashtra, particularly
through its alliance with oth er political parties. Over the years, the party
has formed alliances with various political groups, including the Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena.
In recent years, the RPI has gained prominence through its involvement in
coalition politics. It has been part of the ruling alliances in Maharashtra,
contributing to the formation of government and policy -making. The
party's presence has given a voice to the concerns and aspirations of
marginalized communities in the state. Moreover, the RPI has a ctively
contested elections in Maharashtra, both at the state and national levels.
While its electoral success has been varied, the party has managed to
secure seats in the state legislature and has had members representing the
party in the Parliament. munotes.in

Page 20

20 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
20 2.6 PEASANTS AND WORKERS PARTY OR (SHETKARI KAMGAR PAKSHA) In Maharashtra politics, The Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWPI)
also known as Shetkari kamgar paksha is a left -wing political party that
primarily represents the interests of pe asants, workers , and the rural poor.
The Shetkari Kaamgar Paksha (SKP) is a political party in Maharashtra
that primarily represents the interests of farmers and agricultural workers.
Founded by Khairnar Anna Dattu in 1996, the party has played a notable
role in Maharash tra politics, particularly in advocating for agricultural
issues and the welfare of farmers. While the party has a presence in
Maharashtra, it is not as significant as some other political parties in the
state, the party has historically foc used on address ing agrarian issues,
workers' rights, and social justice. The party has been vocal about the
concerns of farmers, highlighting the need for land reforms, fair pricing
for agricultural produce, and access to basic amenities in rural areas.
Although the part y has contested elections in Maharashtra, its electoral
success has been limited. The party has struggled to secure significant
representation in the state legislature or win a substantial number of seats
in parliamentary elections. However, despite its li mited electoral success,
the party has maintained a presence in Maharashtra's grassroot political
discourse by raising critical issues and advocating for the rights of
peasants and workers. The party has often aligned with other left -wing an d
socialist par ties to amplify its voice and influence public policies.
One of the notable achievements of the Shetkari Kaamgar Paksha SKP
was its involvement in the massive farmers' movement in Maharashtra,
especially the Long March of Farmers in 2018. T he party played a
significant role in mobilizing farmers and highlighting their demands for
better agricultural policies, loan waivers, and drought relief measures. In
terms of electoral participation, the SKP has contested elections in
Maharashtra, primar ily focusing on constituencies with a significant
agricultural population. While its electoral success has been limited, the
party has managed to win a few seats in the state legislature, giving a
voice to the concerns of farmers within the political arena . the SKP has
also engaged in coalition politics by forming alliances with other political
parties. By joining hands with larger political entities, the party has sought
to amplify its influence and advocate for the interests of farmers at both
the state a nd national lev els.
2.7 SHIV SENA (SS) AND MAHARASHTRA NAVNIRMAN SENA (MNS) Shiv Sena:
The Shiv Sena is a prominent political party in Maharashtra, known for its
strong regional identity and advocacy for the rights and interests of the
Marathi -speaking peo ple. Its origin and subsequent role in Maharashtra
politics have significantly influenced the state's political landscape. The
Shiv Sena was founded on June 19, 1966, by Bal Thackeray, a charismatic munotes.in

Page 21

21 Political Parties leader who sought to address the concerns of the Marathi -speaking
popula tion in Maharashtra. The party's formation was driven by the
perception that the interests of Marathi -speaking people were being
neglected, leading to socio -economic disparities and a loss of cultural
identity. Initially, the Shiv Sena focus ed on issues re lated to job
opportunities for Marathi -speaking youth and the protection of Marathi
language and culture. The party drew support from various sections of
society, including the working class, middle class, and local businesses.
Over time, th e Shiv Sena exp anded its political agenda and took a more
assertive stance. It started advocating for a regional identity, demanding
preferential treatment for Maharashtrians in employment and education.
The party also adopted a pro -Hindutva stance, aligni ng itself with Hindu
nationalist ideologies. The party's ability to form alliances and mobilize
support has enabled it to play a significant role in shaping Maharashtra's
political landscape. Shiv Sena expanded its influence and emerged as a
significant po litical force i n Maharashtra. It won the Brihanmumbai
Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections in 1985 and started gaining
popularity among various sections of society. In 1995, Shiv Sena formed
an alliance with the BJP, called the "Shiv Sena -BJP alliance." T his
alliance pr ovided political stability and helped both parties gain power in
Maharashtra. Shiv Sena held the Chief Minister's position multiple times
in coalition governments with the BJP.
The Shiv Sena's role in Maharashtra politics has been character ized by its
ability to mobilize support and form alliances. It has been part of both
ruling and opposition coalitions, forming alliances with Bharatiya Janata
Party to gain political power and influence policies. The party had a long -
standing alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and played a
crucial role in the BJP's rise to power in Maharashtra. Throughout its
history, the Shiv Sena has been known for its assertive and sometimes
controversial methods of protest, including street agitations and st rikes.
However, the party has also been involved in grassroots initiatives and
social work, such as providing assistance to the poor and supporting local
causes.
However, in 2019, the Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP and formed a
coalition government wit h the Indian Na tional Congress (INC) and the
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as Maha Vikas aghadi (MVA) marking
a significant shift in the state's political dynamics. Uddhav Thackeray,
became the Chief Minister of the new coalition government of
Maharasht ra in November 2019. Shiv Sena's current political stand leans
towards regionalism, secularism, and a focus on Maharashtra's
development. Unfortunately, in June 2022, section of shiv sena party rebel
under the leadership of Eknath Shinde and separated from Uddav
Thackera y’s party, to form a new government in coalition with Bharatiya
Janata party. The Shinde group has also claimed and achieved the legal
rights of original Shiv sena its name and symbol through the right process
of law and justice.
munotes.in

Page 22

22 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
22 Maharasht ra Navnirman Se na:
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is a political party founded by
Raj Thackeray, the nephew of Bal Thackeray, who was the founder of
Shiv Sena. The party was established on March 9, 2006, with the aim of
advocating for the rights and welfare of the Marathi -speaking population
in Maharashtra. The MNS emerged as a breakaway faction of Shiv Sena,
representing a more aggressive and assertive approach to Marathi
regionalism.
The MNS played a significant role in the political landscape of
Maharashtra, part icularly in the mid -2000s. The MNS was formed as a
result of Raj Thackeray's dissatisfaction with the leadership of Shiv Sena,
led by his cousin Uddhav Thackeray. Raj Thackeray sought to create a
platform that focused on championing Marathi interests more
aggressively. The party's ideology revolves around Marathi regionalism,
including issues related to employment opportunities, language, and
cultural preservation. The MNS adopted a populist agenda, targeting
issues that resonated with the Ma rathi-speaking population. It vehemently
advocated for the rights of Marathi -speaking people, raising concerns
about job opportunities for locals and the alleged neglect of Marathi
culture. The MNS made a significant impact on Maharashtra politics,
particu larly during th e 2009 state assembly elections. It managed to secure
a substantial number of seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly,
emerging as the main opposition party to the ruling coalition at that time.
The party's strong performance showcased its ability to mobilize voters on
the basis of regional identity.
The MNS, through its aggressive rhetoric and street -level activism, often
dominated the public discourse in Maharashtra. Its actions, such as
protests against non -Marathi individuals in cer tain industries and its stance
on issues related to infrastructure development, attracted considerable
media attention and public scrutiny. While the MNS initially showed
promise, its influence gradually waned in subsequent elections. The party
faced chall enges in expand ing its base beyond Marathi -speaking regions
and struggled to maintain its early momentum. It faced electoral setbacks
in subsequent state assembly and parliamentary elections. Over time, the
MNS has undergone shifts in its political strateg y. It has attem pted to
broaden its appeal by addressing broader issues beyond Marathi
regionalism, including corruption and governance. However, it has
struggled to regain its earlier political prominence.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena emerged as a breaka way faction of Shiv
Sena, with a more aggressive approach to Marathi regionalism. It made a
notable impact on Maharashtra politics in the late 2000s but faced
challenges in sustaining its initial momentum. Despite its diminished
influence in recent years, the MNS remains a key player in the political
landscape of Maharashtra, particularly on issues related to Marathi identity
and regional interests.
munotes.in

Page 23

23 Political Parties 2.8 COALITION POLITICS Coalitions play a crucial role in Maharashtra politics due to the state's
diverse pol itical landscap e and the need for alliances to form a stable
government. A coalition is formed when two or more political parties
come together to collectively govern and share power. In Maharashtra,
coalition politics has been prevalent for several decade s. The state ha s
seen various political parties forming alliances to secure a majority in the
state legislature and effectively govern the state. Coalitions in Maharashtra
politics often involve regional parties, national parties, and sometimes
smaller par ties representi ng specific interests or communities. These
coalitions are typically formed before or after elections, based on common
ideologies, policy objectives, or the need for numerical strength.
The alliances formed in Maharashtra politics have playe d a significant role
in shaping the state's governance and policy -making. They have allowed
parties with diverse ideologies and support bases to come together and
provide a more balanced representation of the electorate's interests.
Coalitions in Maharasht ra have been in strumental in addressing regional
issues, ensuring the representation of various communities, and
accommodating diverse political ideologies. They have helped in the
formulation and implementation of policies related to agriculture,
infrastr ucture, social welfare, and development. Further, coalitions have
often been formed to counter the dominance of a single party or to prevent
the fragmentation of votes among multiple parties. These alliances aim to
provide a united front against a common p olitical oppone nt and maximize
the chances of forming a government. The coalitions in Maharashtra
politics are not without challenges. Managing the diverse interests and
ideologies of coalition partners can be complex and can lead to conflicts
and disagree ments. Balancin g power -sharing arrangements, distribution of
ministerial positions, and policy decisions can sometimes strain the
stability of the coalition.
In recent years, Maharashtra witnessed a significant political realignment
when the long -standing alliance betwee n the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
and the Shiv Sena came to an end. This led to the formation of a new
coalition government comprising the Shiv Sena, Indian National Congress
(INC), and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) as Maha Vikas Aghadi
(MVA) reflectin g the ever -evolving nature of coalition politics in the state.
In response, the BJP reclaim the government with the help of its original
ally shiv sena led by Shinde Faction (rebel group from shiv sena), The
Shiv sena led by Eknath Shinde cl aimed the party as original shiv sena as
major part and support of organisation belong to them.
In conclusion, coalition politics in Maharashtra has been a crucial aspect
of governance and political dynamics. It has allowed diverse parties to
come togethe r, address regi onal issues, and form stable governments. The
coalition era also brings to the end of one -party dominance in Maharashtra
politics. The largest party of the decade BJP has to be relied on coalition
partner to stay in the government. munotes.in

Page 24

24 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
24 2.9 SUMM ARY The Indian National Congress (INC), commonly referred to as Congress
(I), is one of the major political parties in India. It is a direct descendant of
the original Indian National Congress that played a pivotal role in India's
struggle for independen ce. The INC has t he history from pre -
indepe ndence in Maharashtra, the party have legacy and foundation in
Maharashtra but struggling to re -establish its legitimate place in
contemporary politics of Maharashtra.
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has played a significant role in
Maharashtra politics, both as a dominant force and as a key coalition
partner. Throughout its history, the BJP has emphasized nationalism,
Hindutva, and socio -economic development as its core ideologies.
the National Congress Party (NCP) has had a distinct political journey
since its formation in 1999. From its origins as a breakaway faction of the
Indian National Congress (INC), the NCP has evolved into a regional
party with a strong base in Maharashtra. It has been part of various
political allian ces and coalitions at the national and state levels, and while
it has faced challenges and controversies, the NCP continues to be an
influential player in Indian politics, particularly in Maharashtra.
The Republican party of India (R PI) has played a crucial ro le in
Maharashtra in championing the rights and welfare of marginalized
communities. Th e party has been instrumental in raising social issues,
advocating for equality, and challenging caste -based discrimination.
In Maharashtra politics, The Peasants and Wo rkers Party of India (PWPI)
also known as Shetkari kamgar paksha is a left -wing political party that
primarily represents the interests of pe asants, workers, and the rural poor.
The Shetkari Kaamgar Paksha (SKP) is a political party in Maharashtra
that pri marily represents the interests of farmers and agricultural workers.
Coalition politics in Maharashtra has been a crucial aspect of governance
and political dynamics. It has allowed diverse parties to come togethe r,
address regional issues, and form stable governments. The coalition era
also brings to the end of one -party dominance in Maharashtra politics. The
largest party of the decade BJP has to be relied on coalition partner to stay
in the government.
2.10 EXERCISE 1. Discuss the role of regional part y in state politics.
2. What are the important features of Political journey of Shiv sena in
Maharashtra politics.
3. Discuss about one party dominance to coalition politics in the state
of Mahar ashtra.
munotes.in

Page 25

25 Political Parties 4. Write a note on:
a) Maharashtra Navnirman Sen a
b) Republican Party of India
c) Peasants and workers’ party
5. Explain the importance of coalition politics.

*****

munotes.in

Page 26

26 3
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES AND
MOVEMENTS
Unit Structure
3.0 Objectives
3.1 Tribals in Maharashtra
3.1.1 Introduction
3.1.2 Tribal issues
3.1.3 Steps to Improve the Situation of Scheduled Tribes
3.1.4 Conclusion
3.1.5 Questions
3.2 Farmers movements
3.2.1 Nature of the farmers movements
3.2.2 Farmers movement in Maharashtra
i. The Shetkari Sangathana
ii. The Shahada Peasants' Movement
iii. The Kisan Long March
iv. Recent Farmers Movements
3.3 Forest Rights Act 2006
3.4 Summary
3.5 Questions
3.6 Reference s
3.1 TRIBALS IN MAHARASHTRA 3.1.1 Introduction:
Ethnically diverse groups are found all throughout the state of
Maharashtra. The religious variety of Maharashtra is representative of the
nation as a whole. The Maharashtrian tribal movement is seen as an effort
to uphold the rights and dignity of the tribal groups, who were oppressed
and mugged of their traditional legacy.
In India, the tribal people are known as the native residents. They are the
most vulnerable group in our society, maintaining their t raditional values,
practices, and beliefs while living in an unpolluted, natural environment,
remote from civilization. To define a tribe has been a topic of intense and
ongoing discussion among social scientists. According to Article 342 of
the Indian Con stitution, "Any tribe or tribal community, or part of or
group within any tribe or tribal community, are Scheduled Tribes." Thus,
Scheduled Tribes are defined as the communities that are included in the
President of India's Scheduled List. Because of this, tribes in Indian
culture are often referred to as Adivasi (original settlers), Girijan (hill munotes.in

Page 27

27 Contemporary Issues And Movements dwellers), Vanya jati (forest caste men), Adimjati (Primitive castes), and
Anusuchit Janjati (Scheduled tribes). Tribal settlements may be found in
plains, woods, hills, and inaccessible locations with a variety of ecological
and geoclimatic circumstances. The social, economic, and educational
development of tribal tribes varies.
There are 1, 05, 10,213 Scheduled Tribe members documented, with 53,
15,025 males and 51, 95,188 females, representing an increase of 19,
32,937 between 2001 and 2011. In Maharashtra, the ST population grew
by 22.5 percent between 2001 and 2011, and their share of the overall
population increased to 9.4 percent from 8.9 percent in 2001. Acc ording to
Census 2011, there are 69.3 percent more members of the Scheduled Tribe
in Nandurbar than in Gadchiroli, 38.7 percent, Dhule, and Nashik
combined. Male population increase in the scheduled tribe is 22.2 percent,
compared to female population grow th of 22.8 percent.1
In Maharashtra, tribes are concentrated in only three of the state's historic
regions: the Sahyadri, Satpuda, and Gondwana. The Varlis, Kokanas,
Thakurs, Mahadeo Kolis, Malhar Kolis, Dhor Kolis, Katkaris, and other
tribal tribes may b e found in the Sahyadri area, which is made up of the
districts of Thane, Raigad, Nashik, and Pune. The primary tribal tribes in
the Satpudas area include the Korkus, which are concentrated in the
districts of Bhils, Kokanas, Dublas, and Dhankas in Nandurb ar, Dhule,
Jalgaon, Aurangabad, and Amravati. The primary tribal tribes present in
the Gondwana area include the Gonds, Madia Gonds, Korkus, Kolams,
Paradhans, and Andhs, among others. This region contains districts like
Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Y avatmal, and Nagpur.
There were also many issues faced by tribal. Not only was there a question
of possession of lands, but poverty, malnutrition, ignorance, ill health,
unemployment, drug addiction, superstition, exploitation, oppression of
women was maki ng their life difficult. The history of tribal movements
takes us back to the fourteenth century. From time to time tribals united
against Muhammad Tughluq, King of Bidar, Bahmani Sardars and
defended the lands and forts under their control.
3.1.2 Tribal I ssues :
The following issues are just a few that India's indigenous people must
deal with:
The Geographic Separation Issue :
The Indian tribals are somewhat physically isolated from the rest of the
population. Some of them reside in physically inaccessible r egions like
deep valleys, thick woods, hills, mountains, etc. They struggle to build
relationships with others, which keeps them socially aloof from the 1 A Study on Good Practices in Tribal Development (Livelihood Sector) in Three Indian
States . https://tribal.nic.in/re pository/ViewDoc.aspx?RepositoryNo=TRI28 -08-
2017110408&file=Docs/TRI28 -08-2017110408.pdf munotes.in

Page 28

28 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
28 developed world. Such physical and social confinement has a negative
impact on a number of other issues .
Cultural Issues :
The tribal way of life differs greatly from that of civilised people. The
tribal people are unable to comprehend the civilized people, their
traditions and practices, attitudes and beliefs, and so on. They have
misgivings about the deve loped world. They are tenaciously holding on to
their traditions and practices. various foreign Christian missionaries tried
to spread their faith in various tribal regions when Britain was in power,
especially in the North -Eastern provinces. Even so, they made an effort to
force their culture on them. Such an endeavor is still being made now. On
the other side, organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the
Ramakrishna Mission, and R.S.S. are promoting Hinduism in these places.
The tribal religion is no w being spread by a few tribal leaders. They are so
confused now as a result of all these varied propagandas.
Social Issues:
The indigenous peoples are likewise plagued by social issues. They are
conventional and individually bound. They are now the vict ims of
unhealthy habits, outdated and pointless practices, and superstitious
beliefs. There are still dangerous practices like child marriage, infanticide,
murder, animal sacrifice, exchanging women, black magic, and others
among them. They think that ghos ts and spirits exist. They are fiercely
committed to preserving both their unique tribal identity and all of these
customs in general. As a result, it is claimed that "tribals are tribesmen
first, tribesmen last, and tribes all the time."
Economic Issues :
The tribal economy is built on the most primitive kind of agriculture,
making the tribal people the economically impoverished people in India.
The majority of them live below the poverty line.
Following is a description of the indigenous people's primar y
economic issues:
As a result of the British policy, which privileged zamindars, landlords,
moneylenders, forest contractors, and excise, revenue, and police officers,
the tribal people had been subjected to cruel exploitation in many ways.
a. Exploitation : Outsiders take advantage of the indigenous people's
vulnerability, ignorance, and naivety.
b. Unprofitable Agriculture : A relatively small portion of the
population works in the secondary and tertiary sectors, while 90% of
the tribal population is involved i n agriculture. The tribals have
unprofitable holdings, which causes their crop production to be
extremely low. munotes.in

Page 29

29 Contemporary Issues And Movements c. The tribals demand that "Agricultural Indebtness Relief Acts" be put
into effect because they rely heavily on money lenders due to the lack
of ba nking facilities in tribal areas, which makes it possible for them
to enact legislation to recover their mortgaged land.
V. Issues with Education:
The indigenous people have a serious issue with illiteracy. Over 80% of
them lack basic literacy skills. The y now have a higher literacy rate than
they had in 1931 (0.7% vs. 11.30% vs. 16.35%). This demonstrates that a
majority of the indigenous people are illiterate. They don't have any
confidence in established educational institutions. Many of them have no
knowledge of education, institutions of higher learning, degrees, etc. They
have no motivation to educate their kids. Since the majority of indigenous
people are underprivileged, education seems to be a luxury for them.
When someone works in agricultural, th eir minor children work in
agriculture as well. The parents who lack literacy do not see it as their top
priority to provide for their children's education.
VII. Problem with Health and Sanitation :
Tribal people are illiterate and ignorant, making it dif ficult for them to
understand the contemporary concepts of health and sanitation. They don't
give much thought to their personal well -being. They think that evil spirits
and ghosts are to blame for illnesses. They use conventional treatments
that are uniqu e to them. Many of them become victims of illnesses
including skin conditions, jungle fever, typhoid, tuberculosis, leprosy,
malaria, venereal disorders, small pox, etc.
VIII . Separatism issue :
The British "divide and rule" strategy inflicted a lot of ha rm to India's
tribal population. The tribal people had lost access to their traditional ways
of engaging with others because the British had imposed their own
administrative structure in tribal territories. The "Criminal Tribes Act" that
the British had im plemented gave the impression that the tribal people
were either "criminals" or "anti -social beings," and the tribal people who
fought against the British were called "dacoits" and "robbers." These
actions, which continued for more than 200 years, alienate d many of the
tribal people and sparked separatist tendencies in them.
3.1.3 Steps to Improve the Situation of Scheduled Tribes :
Prior to independence, the British Government only discussed the issues
of tribal development and did little to address them; instead, they used
their "policy of indirect rule" to keep the tribals away from contact with
civilized people. Since independence, India has paid attention to the
problems of the scheduled tribes and has made efforts to address those
problems effectively.

munotes.in

Page 30

30 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
30 I. Community Level Welfare Programmes:
The tribals make up a sizable share of Indian nationals and hence 8.8% of
the country's overall population. The indigenous people are also taking
action in this area, although other nonprofit groups also believe th at their
wellbeing is crucial. The Indian Red Cross Society, the National Memorial
Trust, and Vishwa Hindu organisations like the Bhartiya A dim Jati Sevak
Sangh, the Bhil Seva Mission, the Rastriya Swayam Sevak Sangh, among
others, have all taken on this task. Other state governments have also
supported Mandal, the Kasturba Gandhi Parishad, and Ramakrishna
among the tribal people.
II. Government's initiatives for tribal welfare.
1) Constitutional Protections:
To protect the interests of the tribal people, c ertain provisions in the Indian
Constitution have been created.
i) Without exception, all Indian citizens —including indigenous
people —are given equal rights and opportunities under Article 15 of
the Constitution.
ii) Under Articles 16(4), 320(4), and 335, reserva tions are established for
tribal members in the job sector.
iii) According to Articles 330, 332, and 334, seats in the legislatures (the
Lok Sabha and State Vidhana Sabha’s) have been set aside for them.
iv) According to Article 19(5), tribe members are allowed to own
property and use it anywhere in the nation.
v) The "Consolidated Fund of India" may be drained of a sizable sum of
money in accordance with Article 275 in order to fund tribal welfare
initiatives.
vi) Article 338 grants the Indian President the authority to d esignate a
Commissioner to oversee tribal welfare initiatives.
vii) In accordance with Article 339(2), the Central Government may
instruct the States in the creation and implementation of plans,
initiatives, and programmes for tribal welfare.
viii) In accordance with Article 275(I), the Centre must provide grants -in-
aid to the States for tribal welfare programmes that have been
authorized.
ix) Article 164 gives state governments the authority to establish a
separate minister to oversee tribal welfare.
x) The provisions in Ar ticle 46 safeguard the tribals' economic and
educational interests. munotes.in

Page 31

31 Contemporary Issues And Movements xi) Article 224 directs the government to use extra caution in "Scheduled
Tracts" or "areas" to safeguard tribal interests.
xii) Article 342 allows the President of India the authority to designate
certain groups or communities as "scheduled tribes" upon the
governor's suggestion. It also provides information on the criteria
used to propose new entities as "scheduled tribes" that are eligible for
"all the constitutional benefits."
2) Economic Facilitie s and Programmes:
The vast majority of tribal people are severely impoverished and
uneducated. Numerous economic initiatives have been made to strengthen
their financial condition.
i) Development via spending : 172 crores and 257 crores,
correspondingly, on tr ibal welfare initiatives throughout the first,
second, third, fourth, and fifth five -year plans.
ii) The creation of credit : which are founded in tribal regions to provide
productive and unproductive loans, sell excess, and help the tribal
people buy basic co mmodities. These organisations provide modern
farming equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, insecticides, and better
seeds to the indigenous people. These organisations work to protect
the indigenous people from being taken advantage of by middlemen,
contr actors, and moneylenders.
iii) The 20 -point plan concentrated on the growth of the scheduled
tribes, helping the tribal families financially so they might rise beyond
the poverty line.
iv) Promotion of Crafts and Home Industries : Promotion of existing
Crafts and H ome Industries among the Tribes, as well as promotion of
similar new endeavors.
v) Making Agriculture Stable : By making agriculture their line of
work, the tribals are convinced to abandon their practice of "shifting
cultivation" and to settle down permanent ly in a location of their
choosing.
3) Educational Resources :
Measures to provide educational facilities that the Government has taken.
i. Some tribal communities have school buildings. About 4000 schools
were established in the tribal regions under the first Five-Year Plan
itself, and all levels of education up to and including the tenth were
rendered free for them.
ii. The students under S.T. are receiving a number of benefits, including
free tuition, stipends, scholarships, and the free provision of
textbooks, stationery, and other supplies. In certain locations, lunch is
also provided. Zero -cost boarding and lodging. munotes.in

Page 32

32 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
32 iii. They have access to amenities, including the S.T. and S.C. "Twenty
percent of the seats are earmarked for technical education, and there
are age and qualifying -marks relaxations
4) Medical Facilities:
To battle illnesses like malaria, leprosy, jungle fever, monkey fever,
typhoid, small pox, skin ailments, etc., several preventative and
therapeutic treatments are used. In tribal communities, medical c amps are
held to let the locals understand how important access to modern
healthcare is.
3.1.4 Conclusion :
The Sixth Plan document expresses concern that "three decades of
development have not had the desired impact on the socially,
economically, and educ ationally handicapped sections," despite the fact
that the Central and State Governments have shown a great deal of interest
in tribal welfare programmes, projects, and schemes.
The welfare schemes have not been successful because of weaknesses in
the adm inistrative apparatus, a lack of sensitive, trained management, a
general lack of readiness for major investments, a lack of procedural
accuracy in the accounting system, and a lack of adequate monitoring and
assessment. Even when the seventh plan was comp leted, nothing
drastically changed. The general betterment of the tribal peoples must get
the attention it deserves in the present plan and in the years to come.
3.1.5 Questions :
i. Comment on Tribals in Maharashtra.
ii. What are the issues and challenges faced by Tribals in Maharashtra
iii. Education and health challenges faces by Tribals.
iv. Describe the Steps to Improve the Situation of Scheduled Tribes
v. Government's initiatives for tribal welfare.
3.2 FARMERS MOVEMENTS 3.2.1 Nature of the Farmers Movements :
The agri culture sector dominates the Indian economy. The majority of
people work mostly in agriculture. India was a developing nation with
rudimentary agriculture prior to its independence. In addition, there was an
uneven distribution of the lands and feudal lord s held total control over
them. The government's agricultural policy developed a two -pronged
approach after independence. In order to enhance productivity and
modernize agriculture, it was necessary to implement a uniform ownership
structure as well. munotes.in

Page 33

33 Contemporary Issues And Movements New agricultural practices were widely adopted under the Green
Revolution banner at the beginning of the 1960s with the goal of boosting
productivity. The goals of the programmes were to provide landowners
financial assistance and, in exchange, improve their productivity by
guaranteeing access to all irrigational infrastructure. However, only
wealthy and middle -class farmers were able to get loans, make fertilizer
purchases, and buy high -yield variety seeds. The situation of small and
marginal farmers severely deteriorated as a result of the agriculture
policies' lack of consideration for the redistribution of agricultural
products. Furthermore, persistent exploitation and tyranny by the wealthy
farmers spread like wildfire.
Peasant movements are those that are carried out by peasants for
agricultural purposes. In peasant movements, the ideology of class
struggle also has a significant impact. Lenin, Fanon, and Mao all saw the
peasants as the heart of the revolution, in contrast to Karl Marx who saw
them as iner t (Rao, 2000. xviii). In his argument, Dipankar Gupta
contrasts the two types of agricultural movements in independent India.
First , the peasants' movement, which refers to those agrarian movements
carried out by impoverished agricultural workers and smal l-scale farmers.
Second , the so -called "farmers' movement" refers to agricultural
movements carried out by landowners.
The primary distinction between these two types of parties is that the
former represents the interests of the impoverished peasants, wh ile the
latter represents those of the landowners (Gupta, 2002.192 –195).
Governmental efforts to address the agricultural issue have been generally
failed. The community projects and land reforms intended to strengthen
India's capitalist foundation have on ly served to exacerbate the agricultural
crisis.
In addition to failing to provide assistance to the great majority of deficit
farmers and the agricultural proletariat, the Congress government's
agrarian policies have made their plight worse. The many Gove rnment
Evaluation Reports and non -official inquiries on the effects of welfare
policies on rural society have fully shown this. As a result, even after
independence, India's agricultural community remains rife with
dissatisfaction. Numerous peasant conflic ts have resulted as a result in
various parts of the Maharashtra.
3.2.2 Farmers Movement in Maharashtra :
i. The Shetkar Sanga Thana :
Founded in late 1970’s by Sharad Joshi. The main objective of the Sanga
Thana was to reconstitute the village community. Ec onomically, by
retaining within it the surplus; socially, by providing an employment
generating self -sufficient village community based on artisan production;
and Politically, by devolving power from the state to the traditional munotes.in

Page 34

34 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
34 Panchayats. Main Focus on t he issue of remunerative prices to farmers.
Prices of onion were increased by 25 -30%.Advance for purchase of
sugarcane was also increased. Farmers relieved of debts; prices close to
those demanded. Achievements: Remunerative prices. Succeeded in
getting co ncessions from the electricity department. A very strong
awareness can be seen amongst farmers regarding the prices of their
agricultural produce Benefits, Grant of easier loans at low rates of interest,
abolition of taxes on agricultural implements, etc.
ii) The Shahada Peasants' Movement :
The Shahada Peasants' Movement derives its name from the taluka
Shahada, in the Dhulia district of north -west Maharashtra, and began in
January 1972. Its aim has been to mobilize poor peasants and landless
laborer’s, g enerating much criticism and retaliation from landlords,
moneylenders, administration and police.
iii) The Kisan Long March :
led by All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) in Maharashtra captured the nation‘s
attention to the agrarian crisis in rural Maharashtra and forced the
government to agree most of the demands raised by them. Political parties
across the ideological spectrum supported the farmers demand ranging
from All India Kisan Sabha of CPI (M), which had conducted the march,
Congress, Nationalist Congress P arty, Aam Aadmi Party, Republican
Party, Samajwadi Party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and even
the Shiv Sena. Among their demands were the cancellation of farm loans,
fair compensation, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's
recommendations, a nd strict enforcement of the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
the expansion of numerous pension plans for underprivileged farmers and
agricultural employees, compensation for losses suffered by farmers as a
result of destructive insect infestations (like the pink bollworm on cotton)
and resistance to the purchase of peasant property for ostentatious and
elite schemes, such the Their demands ranged from the cancellation of
farm loans to the execution of the Swaminathan Commission's
recommendations to the strict enfo rcement of the Forest Rights Act
(FRA).
iv. Recent Farmers Movements :
Maharashtra farmers' foot march:
At present, the fall in onion prices has become a big problem for the
farmers as they are unable to secure even the minimum price for their
crop. Recent ly, several videos had surfaced on social media where farmers
were seen throwing onions on the roads or plowing them in the field. The
protesters are also demanding the implementation of the Old Pension
Scheme (OPS) for state government employees who joine d service after
2005. Ports and Mines Minister Dada Buse said the government will hold
a meeting with farmers' representatives and is expected to reach a
consensus on the issues raised by farmers and tribals. munotes.in

Page 35

35 Contemporary Issues And Movements To bring the government's attention to their mu ltiple requests, including
the reduction in prices of onions, soyabeans, cotton, and arh ar, as well as
requesting an immediate reprieve from agricultural damage brought on by
unseasonal rains, thousands of farmers are marching towards Mumbai. At
least 10,0 00 farmers and tribals are marching from the Nashik region of
Maharashtra towards Mumbai2. It has made it to Vasind town in the Thane
district, around 80 kilometers from Mumbai, in support of their demands.
A 12 -hour continuous electricity supply for farme rs, the cancellation of
agricultural debts, and assistance for onion producers at a rate of Rs 600
per quintal are among their requests3. Additionally, the demonstrators are
calling for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to be implemented for state
government wo rkers who started working after 2005.
3.3 FOREST RIGHTS ACT 2006 Scheduled Tribes And Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition Of
Forest Rights) Act, 2006
The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 recognizes the rights of the forest
dwelling tribal communit ies and other traditional forest dwellers to forest
resources, on which these communities were dependent for a variety of
needs, including livelihood, habitation and other socio -cultural needs. The
forest management policies, including the Acts, Rules and Forest Policies
of Participatory Forest Management policies in both colonial and post -
colonial India, did not, till the enactment of this Act, recognize the
symbiotic relationship of the STs with the forests, reflected in their
dependence on the forest as well as in their traditional wisdom regarding
conservation of the forests.4
The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition
of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, also known as the Forest Rights Act,
recognised the past injustice done to ST a nd OTFDs in its prologue. In
addition to establishing democratic community -based forest governance,
the act aims to protect customary rights over forest land and community
forest resources (CFRs).
According to a study published in November 2017 by the Comm unity
Forest Rights - Learning and Advocacy Group Maharashtra, the Adivasi
community in Maharashtra played a crucial role in the processes involved
in the drafting and enactment of the FRA. This community also made sure
that the push for its implementation began as soon as the Rules were
passed in January 2008. 2 2 News, I. T. (2023, March 15). Maharashtra News – India TV.
https://www.indiatvnews.com/maharashtra/maharashtra -drone -footage -shows -10000 -
farmers -tribals -marching -towards -mumbai -draw -attention -ops-shinde -govt-latest -news -
2023-03-15-854872
3 B. (2023, March 18). Maha: 58 -Year -Old Dead While Marching With Farmers’ Feet.
THE INDIA PRINT. https://w ww.theindiaprint.com/national -news -english/maha -58-
year-old-dead -while -marching -with-farmers -feet-436641 4 Samvaad, D. (2023, April 23). Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs - Government of India. https://tribal.nic.in/ munotes.in

Page 36

36 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
36 Research shows that indigenous tribes still do not have community rights
over the forest land in as many as 21 districts. With less than 33%
implementation, Nandurbar, Nasik, and Thane are considere d "poor
performing districts" (The Wire, 2018). This is due to a number of factors,
including scant forest land in certain locations and a shortage of laborer’s
to complete the task.
According to The Wire (2018), "The Forest Rights Act gives equal weight
to circumstantial and oral evidence to settle a claim in a tribal
community's favour." However, claims are frequently denied for
administrative reasons and incorrect interpretations of terms like
"cultivation" and "possession" used in the Act5.
Everyone l oves a good drought, as P. Sainath noted in his book, but it's
important to recognised that the landless farmers and marginalized framers
who make up 85 percent of India's impoverished don't buy food grains.
Price increases on groceries struck them particu larly hard. Food cost is
closely related to inflation. Therefore, it always has a negative influence
on these areas (Sainath, 1996).
3.4 SUMMARY Farmers become more involved in market production and investment.
Farmers becoming aware of their rights and co nsequently reduction in
their exploitation. Represent the united interest of all categories of farmers
that has taken the shape of the single biggest mass movement in India
today.
“Mahatma Gandhi said that agriculture is the foundation of the Indian
econom y fifty years ago. As we start a new century, the situation is still
the same, with agriculture serving as the foundation of the communities
and providing practically all of the economic support. Every single one of
us relies on agriculture for food in add ition to the economics.
3.5 QUESTIONS 1. Explain Nature of the Farmers Movements in Maharashtra?
2. Discuss The Kisan Long March - led by All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS)
in Maharashtra.
3. Comment on Farmers movements in Maharashtra.
4. Write importance of Forest Rights Act 2006.
5. Mention recent farmers movement of Maharashtra and its outcome?

5 https://thewire.in/agriculture/a -month -after-long-march -have -farmers -demands -been -
fulfilled munotes.in

Page 37

37 Contemporary Issues And Movements 3.5 REFERENCES  A Study on Good Practices in Tribal Development (Livelihood Sector) in
Three Indian States.
https://tribal.nic.in/repository/ViewDoc.aspx?RepositoryNo=TRI28 -
08-2017110408&file=Docs/TRI28 -08-2017110408.pdf
 (2023, March 18). Maha: 58 -Year -Old Dead While Marching With
Farmers’ Feet. THE INDIA PRINT.
https://www.theindiaprint.com/national -news -english/maha -58-year-
old-dead -while -marching -with-farmers -feet-436641
 Chandana, R. and Sidhu, M. J. (1980) Introduction to Population
Geography, Kalyani Publishers, 24, Daryaganj, New Delhi - 110002.
 Issues in Development, Environment and Society”, international
conference proceedings of Vidya Prasarak Mandal’s Joshi -Bedekar
college, Thane, Maharashtra.
 Jain, N. (1998). Tribals in Maharashtra State: A Report. In Vidyut
Joshi (Ed.): Tribal Situation in India, Issues in Development.
 Mukherji, D and Zarekar, U (2013) A Metamorphosed Tribal Society,
Paper Published in “Geography of Change: Contemporary
 News, I. T. (2023, March 15). Maharashtra News – India TV.
https://www.indiatvnews.com/maharashtra/maharashtra -drone -
footage -shows -10000 -farmers -tribals -marching -towards -mumbai -
draw -attention -ops-shinde -govt-latest -news -2023 -03-15-854872
 Rawat Publications, Jaipur. Inter India Publication.
 Samv aad, D. (2023, April 23). Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government
of India. Ministry of Tribal Affairs - Government of India.
https://tribal.nic.in/
 Statistical Profile of Scheduled Tribes in India, 2013
 Zarekar, U. ( 2017) “Tribes of Maharashtra: Spatial and Temporal
dimensions of their Socio -demographic profile”, Unpublised Ph.D
thesis, University of Mumbai.
 http://labour.nic.in/si tes/default/files/Unorganisedworkers_rules2_0.p
df
 http://tribal.nic.in/Content/DefinitionpRrofiles.aspx
 http://www.forestrights.nic.in/
 http://www.ilo.org/
 https://thewire.in/agriculture/a -month -after-long-march -have -farmers -
demands -been -fulfilled

*****
munotes.in

Page 38

38 4
CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES AND
ALTERNATIVE MODELS OF
DEVELOPMENT
Unit Structure
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Civil society - Concept and nature
4.2 Movements for the right to information in Maharashtra
4.3 Initiatives for protection of environment
4.4 Summary
4.5 Questions
4.6 References
4.0 OBJECTIVE  To understand the role of civil society as determinant of politics in
Maharashtra
 To understand the impact of social awareness and development model
4.1 CIVIL SOCIETY - CONCEPT AND NATURE Civil society is consi dered an instrument of political, economic and social
development and therefore this concept is one of the most common
expressions when discussing the problems of modern society. The fate of
modern society in the world is ultimately determined by the forma tion of a
established civil society. This is the cornerstone of the foundation of
democratic reforms.
The great revival of interest in the concept of "civil society" is especially
noticeable in the post -communist countries of Eastern Europe. Modern
ideas about civil society have developed as a result of a long evolution,
reflecting the evolution of political systems and social relations.
Therefore, the study of the history of the formation of the idea of civil
society is a necessary prerequisite for unders tanding its current state.
The concept of "civil society" goes back to ancient thought. Among
ancient thinkers, the concepts of "civil society", "political community",
"state" acted as synonyms and interchangeable terms. They covered the
most important ar eas of people's lives. The Greek polis is characterized by
the merging of the civil collective with the state.
Citizens of the policy are alien to the idea of inviolability of the private
sphere. Commitment to the spirit of civil collectivism was expresse d in the
fact that the general interests of the policy merged with the private munotes.in

Page 39

39 Civil Society Initiatives And Alternative Models Of Development interests of individual citizens, and in the event of a collision, priority was
undoubtedly given to the first.
"Civil society" is the third sector, which includes non -governme ntal, non -
profit organisations, when viewed narrowly and emphasizing the
significance of their participation in the processes of organising and
managing public life. foundations, unions of legal entities, creative
associations, charitable organizations and civil movements. It is known
that civil society arises and develops within the boundaries of a particular
state, based on the characteristics of the nationality of people and their
common identity. In this case, the presence of citizenship is emphasized,
which, according to many jurists, is a kind of means for realizing the
rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of members of civil society.
The characteristics of civil society includes:
Firstly , a fairly high degree of self -organization and structured society
(which implies the presence of a well -developed system of public
organizations and movements (including religious ones) independent of
the state that do not interfere in the state -power sphere, focused on
meeting the private (non -political) needs of people) ;
Secondly , a high degree of development of the general and legal culture,
which determines the civic activity of members of society (which is
expressed in the ability of citizens (members of society) to independently
achieve socially significa nt goals, as well as protect their own interests);
thirdly , the fixedness of the system of personal, socio -economic, spiritual
rights and freedoms of the individual;
fourthly , the presence of an effectively functioning mechanism for
protecting the (state ) rights and legitimate interests of citizens, including
from the state itself (which implies, first of all, the presence of a
developed judicial system).
In addition to these features, in the literature one can also find
characteristics of civil society such as: democracy, parliamentarism, the
social orientation of the state, etc.
4.2 MOVEMENTS FOR THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION IN MAHARASHTRA The voice from Rajasthan reverberated in Maharashtra, and the
Maharashtra Right to Information Bill was approved by the Maharashtra
legislature as a result of persistent pressure from social activist and
campaigner against corruption Anna Hazare. The Act included registered
societies (including educational institutions), cooperatives, and state
public sector organisations among the entities subject to its jurisdiction in
addition to government and semi -government agencies. For every day that
a public information officer delays in providing information, they may be
penalized up to Rs. 250. The appellate body hearing the case has the
jurisdiction to punish the information officer up to Rs. 2,000 for willfully munotes.in

Page 40

40 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
40 supplying false, misleading, or incomplete information. Additionally, he
or she can face internal disciplinary action. Another section called for the
establishment of a c ouncil to conduct public audits of the Act's operations
at least once every six months. Press representatives, senior government
officials, and Civil Society Organizations were to be represented on the
council. The number of exclusion clauses was lowered to 10 at most.
The law aims to make it possible for the citizen to acquire information
within a certain time frame, including copies of the document in which it
is recorded. Additionally, it stipulates that a government official who fails
to provide inform ation on time would be fined Rs. 100 every day of delay.
It suggests creating separate courts for appeals that must resolve
complaints in two months. It suggests giving the Gram Sabha the authority
to effectively take action against officials who are negli gent in providing
information at the village level.
The Right To Information Act, 2005 (India), has steadily grown to be seen
as part of the "national movement" and has served as a powerful
proclamation in support of other rights -based laws. The following sections
of this Act went into effect on June 15, 2005: Sections 4(1), 5(1), 5(2), 12,
13, 15, 16, 24, 27, and 28. The other provisions went into effect on
October 12, 2005.
Movement against corruption in Maharashtra gave rise to a similar
awareness of the public's right to information as The Mazdoor Kisan
Shakti Sangathan's experience in Rajasthan. The Right to Information
movement in Rajasthan even welcomed prominent anti -corruption
activists from Maharashtra at the height of its agitation, including form er
Bombay Municipal Commissioner Khairnar and Marathi author Pushpa
Bhave, for assistance. They came back having seen first -hand what the
conflict in Rajasthan was like and how crucial access to information was
for the public in their fight against corrupt ion, among other things.
The significance of the MKSS -led Rajasthan freedom to information
campaign has now effectively spread to Maharashtra. So much so that the
fight against corruption in Maharashtra had evolved to include a demand
for the right of the people to information.
Anna Hazare, the face of Maharashtra's anti -corruption campaign,
distributed copies of this draught law in Marathi to activists at the district
and taluka levels who had assembled for a state conference at Ralegan
Siddhi, in Ahmadna gar district. Hazare spent a lot of time at the
conference discussing the Rajasthan right to information campaign, which
was spearheaded by the MKSS. In order to affect complete change and
fight corruption, he emphasised the need of the right to informatio n. He
urged the activists to learn more about this right and to study as much as
they could on the numerous court rulings, laws, and movements that had
affected it. He regretted that both the general Maharashtrian people and
anti-corruption campaigners hav e failed to recognize the significance of
consistently exercising their fundamental right to information. munotes.in

Page 41

41 Civil Society Initiatives And Alternative Models Of Development At the moment, anti -corruption committees have been in charge of leading
the fight against corruption at the district and taluka levels. Information i s
used by these committees and the state -level corruption campaign.
However, this information was acquired through official means rather than
via an informal request for information, which would have meant
exercising one's right to information.
In the seco nd part of the same year (2011), Hazare predicted a significant
campaign against corruption and for the right to information. He urged the
activists to be ready for this, saying he planned to lead a Pad yatra of
roughly 25 –30 people from Pune's Kasturba Me morial to Delhi's Rajghat
in October to raise awareness of the twin problems of corruption and the
right to information. He said that money was required for this reason, but
he issued a warning against receiving huge or bogus gifts.
He said that the right to information must be used at the district, taluka,
and village levels in order to conduct a legitimate campaign. Before the
Pune -Delhi pad yatra was started, he wanted a group of dedicated
employees to travel the state. Seminars and boot camps should be held all
around the state, he suggested, to educate grassroots activists on their right
to information.
Unfortunately, while Anna Hazare disbanded all of the district and taluka
level anti -corruption committees, the Ralegan Siddhi conference on April
4 als o exposed some flaws in the Maharashtra campaign. Anna Hazare's
protest in Anandi near Pune in 1996 marked the beginning of the current
phase of the anti -corruption movement in Maharashtra. And by 1998,
there were committees in existence in 259 out of 300 talukas and 16 out of
31 districts in Maharashtra. The activists gathering at Ralegan Shindi were
surprised by the unexpected collapse of these committees. When
announcing the committees' dissolution, Hazare said that the individuals
who, despite losing th eir positions, continued to work hard for the cause
would inevitably become the movement's leadership and the new
committees that would follow form.
Although Hazare did not provide a clear explanation for the dissolution of
the committees, he did mention a few instances of blackmail carried out
by individuals posing as movement activists and using committee
letterhead and identity cards in response to a request for identity cards for
committee members.
Ashok Ramesh Sabbal, a prominent activist and leader o f the Ahmednagar
district committee, the movement's most active unit, attributed the
dissolution of these committees as being due to the fact that only around
one-third of the district and taluka committees were really active. Another
activist said that ju st two office bearers from each district committee were
invited to the Ralegan meeting, which was intended to be attended by
around 30 individuals. But just a small portion of those invited showed up;
instead, around 200 more activists showed up. This act, which revealed the
apathy of many committee members and the passion of many people
outside of them, made it necessary to reorganize the committees. munotes.in

Page 42

42 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
42 At the top level, there are some differences in leadership as well. Although
the Trust leading the anti -corruption movement, Bhrashtrachar Virodhi
Janandolan Nyas, was not disbanded, its senior members, including
veteran trade union leader from Pune Baba Adhav, longtime socialist G.P.
Pradhan, and Marathi writer and well -known women's rights activist
Pushpa Bha ve, confessed to a cooling of the f of relationship between the
Trust members. Although there is ambiguity over the future makeup of the
Trust and the disbanded committees, the differences do not impede the
movement since they are solely over approaches an d not the fundamental
need to combat widespread corruption in politics and governance. Former
IAS and Trust member Avinash Dharmadhikari had already quit because
he planned to run as an independent in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. The
Trust's bylaws forbid its members from running in elections.
The right to information is a priority in the future agendas of all the
prominent figures active in the fight against corruption in Maharashtra,
regardless of how differently they approach the issue. Avinash
Dharmadh ikari's Citizen's Action Committee has created a 12 -point
citizen's manifesto that places a high focus on the right to information. He
claims that the Action Committee is interested in collaborating with the
anti-corruption movement on the right to informa tion and corruption -
fighting issues. Pushpa Bhave and Baba Adhav are eager to advance the
right to information. They are planning gatherings around the state and, if
possible, a Jan Sunwai, or public hearing, which Bhave especially
cherished in Rajasthan.
Together with Dharmadhikari, G.P. Pradhan was heavily involved in the
effort to have Pune Municipal Commissioner Arun Bhatia reinstated.
The campaign's focal point was the right to information. The campaign
had first called for information on three charge s relating to the
encroachments that Bhatia had attempted to clear up and that eventually
led to his expulsion. The three inquiries were whether the owners of the
affected buildings requested authorization before to construction, if they
received the compl etion certificate, and whether they had received a notice
of encroachment. The Bhatia campaign's three key demands were to bring
Bhatia back, remove the influential encroachments, and provide the right
to information. Beyond the short -term goals of the Bha tia campaign,
Pradhan wants to carry on the fight for the access to information. In fact,
one of Bhatia's first acts after taking office as Pune's municipal
commissioner was to make all of his office's files accessible.
When the new chief minister of Mahar ashtra expressed his gratitude to
Anna Hazare, the anti -corruption activist requested that he pass a state
legislation protecting the right to information. Hazare has also written to
the prime minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, urging him to swiftly pass a
national law on the issue. He claims that individuals from the states of
Karnataka, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh have contacted
him about a right to information campaign. He recognised the potential for
a larger national network on the topic, one that might connect to the
Rajasthan movement as well. He emphasizes that as a result of his social munotes.in

Page 43

43 Civil Society Initiatives And Alternative Models Of Development work in Ralegan Siddhi, which transformed the village with the support of
the inhabitants, he had contributed to the development of the Gram Sabha
as a f orum for accountability and transparency. He said that as part of his
Adarsh Gaon strategy, he was attempting to duplicate this in 50 more
communities. He regretted having to separate himself from the
government's Adarsh Gaon project for 300 villages since his collaboration
with the Maharashtra government had failed in this area.
4.3 INITIATIVES FOR PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT The environment is a complex system with several components
functioning concurrently, all living things of all sizes and behaviours ma y
coexist in it. Environmental protection initiatives begin with a knowledge
of this internal connection and end at a point when. It is crucial to manage
internal resources sustainably in order to maintain environmental stability.
The creation of resources must thus be prioritized in order to lessen the
requirements of diverse living things, particularly humans.
The NGO is crucial in identifying internal relationships, determining
resource needs, organising resource management, and creating alternative
resource generating plans.
Why should we safeguard the environment?
The practice of protecting the environment involves conserving the natural
world and its resources so that both the environment and humanity may
benefit. Protecting our local surroundings i s necessary for a healthy
lifestyle. To have a healthy life, we need clean air, lots of clean water,
food, a favorable environment, and other living creatures around.
The Need for Environmental Protection, which is essential for maintaining
human health a s well, A healthy environment is the key to better existence
on earth. If we want to live healthily, we need to protect the environment.
Growth is causing our ecosystem to rapidly deteriorate; as a result, we
must start taking action to preserve it for our own benefit.
Government's function: The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, the
Biological Diversity Act of 2002, the Environment (Protection) Act and
Rules of 1986, the Environment (Protection) Second Amendment Rules of
2004, the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980, as amended in 1988, and the
Forest (Conservation) Rules of 2003 are just a few of the Acts and Rules
that the government is using to protect the environment through various
departments.
All of our country's natural resources are evaluated and saf eguarded by
several agencies, including the Department of Forests, the State
Biodiversity Board, the Pollution Control Board, the Geological Survey of
India, the Zoological Survey of India, and the Botanical Survey of India.
The combined efforts of these o ffices and groups seek to safeguard the
environment and promote conservation. munotes.in

Page 44

44 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
44 It is difficult to maintain or care for such resources in the greatest possible
way for anybody other than governmental entities. At this moment, Civil
Society Organizations en ter the scene. Civil Society Organizations are
groups of individuals who are committed to achieving certain goals and
who operate the Organisation. They focus on issues including analyzing
resource requirements, planning resource management, and
comprehen ding the internal relationships between distinct natural
resources. They also assist the government in gathering pertinent data to
support and facilitate the execution of significant environmental projects.
Environmental awareness and enforcement are more important than ever
before, and they must be done immediately. In order to conserve the
environment, Civil Society Organizations and the general public need to
be aware of its significance. These Civil Society Organizations are in
action for environmental protection include raising public awareness,
developing resources and documentation, introducing alternative
livelihoods, coordinating with different governmental agencies, managing
and restoring habitat, etc. Numerous Civil Society Organizations are
working for the aforementioned cause on a global, national, and regional
scale.
Examples of CSO’s / NGO’s working for protection of Environment.
I. MGVS or Marathwada Gramin Vikas Sansthan : which was
founded in 1996, supports community -based development init iatives
in the fields of agriculture, sanitation, water and soil conservation, and
healthcare. Due to the likelihood of droughts in Maharashtra's
Marathwada region, water conservation in communities is a top
priority. The company collaborates with local st akeholders to extract
water, raise groundwater levels, build infrastructure for better
irrigation, and restore water bodies.
Another crucial area the agency works in the area is soil conservation.
In order to address the region's environmental issues ho listically,
MGVS also collaborates closely with governmental institutions.
II. A nonprofit organization called Pruthvi Molachi Foundation : This
was set up in August 2020 in accordance with Section 8 of the
Companies Act of 2013. They are using sustainabl e and creative
methods to work towards the development and protection of many
environmental, wildlife, and rural challenges. For which they have
created the 3E strategy (Environment, Education, and Employment) to
help us identify long -term fixes for a vari ety of conservation -related
issues.
We, a group of social and environmental enthusiasts, joined together
and founded the NGO to accelerate the process of development and munotes.in

Page 45

45 Civil Society Initiatives And Alternative Models Of Development conservation after reviewing different barriers to achieving the
Sustainable Developm ent Goals1.
III. AWAAZ Foundation's main areas of concern include noise pollution,
toxic heavy metals, and air pollution. Compelled State of Maharashtra
changes its sand mining policies. Sensitive places, alternative
technology -enabled infrastructure emplo ying natural and recycled
sand.2
IV. Malhar Kalambe, 21, is the founder of the youth -focused nonprofit
organization Beach Please . Malhar won a UN award for starting the
beach clean -up initiative in September 2017. Through a WhatsApp
message to his friends, he had just begun this campaign, which has
now grown to include over 100 volunteers who have so far collected
over 360 tons of trash.
V. The Aarey Conservation Group (ACG), a new age project of Vinoba
Bhave's Chipko Movement, works with the Muse Foundatio n,
Greenline, and Agni. It is a group of individuals from all across the
Mumbai metropolitan region who are dedicated to preserving,
enhancing, and promoting Aarey as a green, natural leisure place for
the citizens of this metropolis.
They are aiming to c reate Aarey a popular vacation spot for residents
of Mumbai and tourists alike, a beautiful green, lush location for
family activities. Additionally, ACG is dedicated to promoting and
protecting all of the city's other natural gems, including its beaches,
roadside trees, parks, and mangroves. The Aarey Conservation Group
(ACG), a new age project of Vinoba Bhave's Chipko Movement,
works with the Muse Foundation, Greenline, and Agni.
It is a group of individuals from all across the Mumbai metropolitan
region who are dedicated to preserving, enhancing, and promoting
Aarey as a green, natural leisure place for the citizens of this
metropolis. They are aiming to create Aarey a popular vacation spot
for residents of Mumbai and tourists alike, a beautiful green, l ush
location for family activities.
VI. Earth5R located in Andheri. In order to fill a gap in the community -
based plastic recycling process, Earth5R has also brought together
locals, ragpickers, and recyclers.
VII. Vanashakti is a nonprofit organization whose main focuses include
the preservation of forests, mangroves, and wetland ecosystems,
environmental education in urban and rural schools, sustainable
livelihoods for populations dependent on the forest, and scientific
research into local environmenta l deterioration. This was one of the
campaign's most successful outcomes. 1 About Us | Pruthvi Molachi Foundation. (n.d.). Pruthvi Molachi Foun.
https://www.pruthvimolachi .org/about -us 2 https://awaaz.org/awaaz -foundation/ munotes.in

Page 46

46 Determinants of Politics of Maharashtra
46 4.4 SUMMARY to make the country go from a representative to a participatory democracy,
where all levels of government and the people they serve are directly
accountable to the people for their acts and inaction, strengthening the
foundations of the biggest democracy in the world. In the next years, a lot
more will need to be done to realize this promise. When there is a fight for
dominance and control, there is really no time to spend . If they don't stick
together and keep trying to reclaim the authority that is rightly theirs,
those in power with vested interests will push them and take advantage of
the weak points in the general population.
4.5 QUESTIONS 1. Explain the concept & nature of civil society.
2. What do you understand by right to information in Maharashtra?
Explain.
3. Discuss Movements for the right to information in Maharashtra with
reference to Anna Hazare.
4. Comment on Initiatives for protection of environment by various
NGOs / Civil society organizations.
4.6 REFERENCES  Civil Society: History and Possibilities. (2001). United
Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
 Mitlin, D. (2001). Civil Society in Action: Transforming
Opportunities for the Urban Poor - 9048iied. United K ingdom: IIED.
 Peter Hogg and Ors.,The World´s First Freedom of Information Act –
Anders Chydenius´ Legacy Today(2nd edn, Anders Chydenius
Foundation) 6.
 Shekhar Singh, The Genesis and Evolution of the Right to
Information Regime in India" in India,51.
 Sude sh Vasudeva, The Role of Judiciary in the Creation of a "Right
To Information" in India, International Conference on Trends in
Economics, Humanities and Management(2014) 1.
 The State of Wildlife and Protected Areas in Maharashtra: News and
Information from the Protected Area Update, 1996 -
2015. (2019). India: Duleep Matthai Nature Conservation Trust.

*****
munotes.in