Chapter 3: India’s Internal Challenges Class 9 • Maharashtra Board
📚 Introduction
Independent India has faced serious internal challenges that affect unity, peace and development: separatist movements, North-East issues, Naxalism, Communalism, and Regionalism. This chapter explains their background, course and remedies.
🕌 The Unrest in Punjab
Political demands for autonomy and resources escalated into militancy; decisive operations restored order.
- Akali Dal & Anandpur Sahib Resolution (1973): Demands — Chandigarh to Punjab; merger of Punjabi-speaking areas; more Sikh recruitment in Army; greater state autonomy.
- 1977: Akali Dal in power; sought larger river-water share and ‘holy city’ status for Amritsar.
- 1980: “Independent Khalistan” movement rose. Leaders included Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal (Akali) and Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (militant support grew).
- 1981–83: Violence escalated; Bhindranwale arrested (case of Lala Jagat Narayan’s murder); President’s Rule (1983). Followers fortified Golden Temple–Akal Takht.
🛡️ Operation Blue Star (3–6 June 1984)
- Task led by Maj. Gen. Kuldeep Singh Brar to evict armed militants from the Golden Temple complex.
- Indian Army acted with restraint; Bhindranwale and key militants were killed; complex cleared.
🛡️ Operation Black Thunder (1986)
- Follow-up operation against militants at the Golden Temple.
- Helped accelerate the peace process in Punjab.
⛰️ Issues Concerning North-East India
North-East comprises Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura. The region is ethnically and linguistically diverse and shares international borders. Post-1947 policy aimed at development with cultural preservation.
- NEFA (1954): North-East Frontier Agency formed for frontier/tribal areas on the Sino-Indian border; cultural respect with development (VI Schedule safeguards).
- 1965: Administration shifted to Ministry of External Affairs; North Eastern Council Act (1971) to advise Centre on economy, transport, power, flood control.
🌾 Mizoram
- Famine (1959) → rise of Laldenga; Mizo National Front (1961).
- 1966: MNF declared independent Mizoram; movement suppressed by PM Indira Gandhi.
- 1972: Mizo-majority area granted Union Territory status.
- 1985: Accord with MNF under PM Rajiv Gandhi → Statehood; Laldenga became CM.
🛡️ Nagaland
- NNC (1946) led by A. Z. Fizo sought independence; 1954—declared independent federation.
- Skirmishes with Assam Rifles (1955); Centre held talks.
- 1 Dec 1963: Nagaland statehood (Naga-majority areas + part of Tuensang).
🏞️ Assam
- 1983: AASU & Assam Ganasangram Parishad agitation over Bangladeshi infiltration.
- 1985: Assam Accord signed by PM Rajiv Gandhi, HM Shankarrao Chavan, and Prafullakumar Mahanta.
- 1986: AGP won; Mahanta became CM; democratic process aided peace.
🌄 Arunachal Pradesh
- NEFA renamed Arunachal Pradesh in 1972.
- Statehood: 20 Feb 1987.
🗓️ Quick Timeline – North-East & Punjab
| Year | Event | Region |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | NEFA formed | North-East |
| 1963 | Nagaland statehood | Nagaland |
| 1972 | Mizo UT; NEFA renamed Arunachal Pradesh | Mizoram/Arunachal |
| 1984 | Operation Blue Star | Punjab |
| 1985 | Mizoram Accord; Assam Accord | Mizoram/Assam |
| 1986 | Operation Black Thunder | Punjab |
| 1987 | Arunachal statehood | Arunachal Pradesh |
🚩 Naxalism
From land-rights mobilisation to a violent, anti-state insurgency challenging internal security.
- Origin: Naxalbari, Darjeeling (1967) — small farmers and landless labourers seized lands; “red flag” zones.
- Initial Objectives: Action Committees, end landlord exploitation, confiscate & redistribute land.
- Later Drift: Turned to terror tactics, obstructed welfare schemes, rejected democracy; built a parallel system.
- Spread: West Bengal → Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari), Telangana (Karimnagar), Chhattisgarh (Adilabad*, Bastar, Rajnandgaon, Sukma), Maharashtra (Gadchiroli, Bhandara, parts of Chandrapur), MP (Balaghat, Mandla), Odisha (Koraput). *Adilabad now in Telangana
- Organisation: People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) formed to retain influence.
🕊️ Communalism
Excessive religious pride → bigotry → fanaticism → mistrust & violence — undermines national unity.
🔎 Nature & Effects
- Seeds sown during colonial rule; when pride becomes fanaticism, people see other faiths as enemies.
- Leads to riots, loss of life, property damage; breaks social trust.
- Prejudiced lens colours economic/social issues; fuels a sense of political injustice.
🛠️ Countering Communalism
- Promote interfaith mixing and shared celebrations.
- Assess economic, political, historical causes rationally—do not communalise issues.
- Accept good practices across communities; rebuild mutual trust.
🗺️ Regionalism
Natural regional pride is healthy; superiority-based pride causes division. The root: development imbalance.
- Post-independence, States like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Tamil Nadu advanced faster; others like Odisha, Bihar, Assam lagged.
- Backward areas feel deprived (education/jobs/amenities); advanced regions may look down upon others and resist sharing benefits.
- Both dynamics fuel regionalism, weakening national unity.
🧠 Quick Revision (Exam-Ready)
| Topic | Essentials | One-Line Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| PUNJAB | 1973 Resolution; 1983 President’s Rule; Ops Blue Star (1984) & Black Thunder (1986) | Autonomy demands → militancy → security ops → peace path |
| NORTH-EAST | NEFA (1954), NEC (1971), Mizoram Accord (1985), Nagaland (1963), Assam Accord (1985), Arunachal statehood (1987) | Development with cultural respect stabilised the region |
| NAXALISM | Naxalbari 1967; spread across central-eastern belt; PLGA | Shifted from land rights to insurgency |
| COMMUNALISM | Pride → bigotry → riots; trust breaks | Answer: trust, inclusion, rational analysis |
| REGIONALISM | Development gaps cause resentment/superiority | Balanced growth is the antidote |
✅ Conclusion
Internal challenges—Punjab unrest, North-East issues, Naxalism, Communalism, Regionalism—test India’s social fabric. The answer lies in democratic processes, balanced development, inclusive policies and rebuilding trust.
📝 Chapter 3: India’s Internal Challenges – Exercises with Answers
1. Answer the following questions in detail
(1) Which demands were put forward through the ‘Anandpur Sahib Resolution’ by the Akali Dal?
- Chandigarh to be made part of Punjab.
- Punjabi-speaking areas in other States to be merged with Punjab.
- Greater autonomy for the State of Punjab within the Union.
- Higher recruitment of Sikhs in the Indian Army.
- (Later political demands also stressed a larger share of river waters and holy city status for Amritsar.)
(2) What can we do to end communalism?
- Rebuild trust: encourage daily interfaith interactions, joint celebrations and community work.
- Think rationally: analyse social/economic/political issues on their merits—avoid viewing them through a religious lens.
- Respect and learn: accept good practices and ideas across religions; promote constitutional values.
- Counter fanaticism: reject hate speech, rumours and stereotyping; support law-based action against violence.
- Civic education: teach history and civics that highlight pluralism, equality and national unity.
(3) When does regionalism become strong?
- When regional imbalances in development persist—backward regions face poor education, jobs and amenities.
- When developed regions develop a superiority complex and resist sharing benefits.
- When backward regions respond with excessive regional pride, over-glorifying local traditions to assert uniqueness.
- When these attitudes break inter-state understanding, harming national unity.
2. Write short notes on
(1) Communalism
Communalism arises from narrow religious pride turning into bigotry and fanaticism. It breeds mistrust among communities, fuels riots, destroys public peace, causes loss of life and property, and weakens national unity. The remedy lies in interfaith harmony, rational thinking about socio-economic issues, and nurturing mutual respect and constitutional values.
(2) Regionalism
Regionalism is excessive pride in one’s region that leads to a sense of superiority or grievance. It often stems from uneven development. Developed States may look down on others; backward regions may assert identity in reaction. The long-term solution is to reduce imbalances through inclusive growth, better education and civic amenities, and equitable sharing of opportunities.
3. Explain the following statements with reasons
(1) It became necessary to carry out the ‘Operation Blue Star’.
Reason: Militants led by supporters of Independent Khalistan had fortified the Golden Temple–Akal Takht complex with arms and sandbag barricades, disturbing peace and challenging the authority of the State. To evict armed militants and restore order at a sacred site, the Army undertook Operation Blue Star (3–6 June 1984).
(2) We should fight communalism with all our strength.
Reason: Communalism breaks mutual trust, triggers violence, destroys public property, and threatens national unity. Only by actively promoting interfaith harmony, rational analysis of issues, and inclusive citizenship can society safeguard democracy and peace.
4. Write the full forms
| Abbreviation | Full Form |
|---|---|
| MNF | Mizo National Front |
| NNC | Naga National Council |
| PLGA | People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army |
📌 Projects (Activity prompts)
- Prepare a timeline of key events: Punjab unrest (1973–1986), NEFA→Arunachal (1954–1987), Mizoram Accord (1985), Assam Accord (1985), spread of Naxalism.
- Make a case study poster on one North-East State (Mizoram/Nagaland/Assam): causes of conflict and steps to peace.
- Conduct a class debate: “Balanced development is the best antidote to regionalism.”
🧠 Quick Recap (Exam-Ready)
- Anandpur Sahib Resolution: Chandigarh to Punjab; merge Punjabi-speaking areas; more autonomy; higher Sikh recruitment.
- End Communalism: trust, interfaith mixing, rational thinking, reject fanaticism.
- Regionalism rises: due to development imbalances, superiority complex, grievance politics.
- Blue Star: to remove militants and restore peace at Golden Temple.
- Full Forms: MNF, NNC, PLGA.