Note4Students: 

Mains: Polity;  Indian Party System;

Mentor comments: Recent campaigning gathers pace for the 2024 general election, distant seem the days when the world hailed our elections as a wondrous and clamorous affair that reaffirmed our greatest achievement: being the world’s largest democracy. But in the past decade, Part Democracy has diminished in the eyes of Global countries, and to some extent our own, to an “Electoral Autocracy”. There is a palpable sense that in this election, we are fighting to save our democracy itself.

Let’s learn

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Why in the News?

As Indians wait to elect their 18th Lok Sabha, at stake are not only 543 seats but also the ‘India’ and ‘Bharat’ of the Constitution.

History Associated with “Bharat” & “India”:

• The word “India” and its variant, such as “Hind” in Arabic, have foreign origins. These names were historically used by outsiders to refer to the ‘Land of South’ and ‘East of the Indus’ or ‘Sindhu River’.
  • Under Afghan and Mughal dominion, the term “Hindustan” frequently denoted the northern territories of the Indian subcontinent. 
  • Subsequently, European colonial forces, notably the British, adopted “India” to encompass not just the northern expanse but the entirety of the subcontinent, viewing it primarily as a geographical delineation.
• Effect of Renaissance and Nationalism: The Indian Renaissance was pivotal in fostering the awareness that the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent formed a unified nation.
  • Advocates of this movement aimed to trace Indian Nationalism back to its Ancient origins and rejected the notion of adopting a name bestowed by outsiders as unacceptable.
  • They preferred the term “Bharat” and its variations in different languages.
• Controversy: The Muslim League voiced reservations regarding the designation “India” for the recently emancipated Nation.
  • They contended that “India” should denote the Hindu-majority territories, while the Muslim-majority regions ought to be acknowledged as a distinct nation, Pakistan.
  • This name dispute reflected the deep-seated religious and political divisions during the partition.
• Amalgamation: Leaders like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose advocated for a syncretic word, “Hind,” which could be acceptable to a wide range of people, including those from different faiths.

How Indian Democracy has evolved through Elections?

• Evolution of Democracy: Over the span of 70 years since India’s first general election, significant changes have occurred in the perception and appreciation of democracy.
  • The passage suggests that as time passes, the audacity and significance of that democratic experiment are increasingly taken for granted.
• Transformation in Conditions: It implies that conditions have changed over time, perhaps becoming less challenging compared to the post-colonial era.
• Progress in Nation-Building: India has made progress in nation-building since its first general election. Previously, India has dealt with the aftermath of Partition, rehabilitating refugees, and integrating Princely States.
• Advancements in Governance: The drafting of India’s Constitution and the passage of significant Legislation like the Representation of the People Act, 1950, demonstrate advancements in governance and Legal Frameworks. These changes indicate a maturation of Indian Democratic Institutions.
• Demographic Shifts: The demographic composition of eligible voters has likely changed over the years. Around 85% of eligible voters were illiterate in 1950, improvements in education and literacy rates have altered this Demographic profile.

Conclusion: India’s constitutional balance between “Bharat” and “India” is maintained through official publication in English and Hindi, recognition of both versions, constitutional amendments allowing Hindi use, and Article 1(1) emphasizing both names.