NEW DELHI: Toppling of government at the center communal violence agitation by students against government’s reservation policy and the oil shock were the highlights of 1990 a year of political social and economic unrest for India.
The national front government at the center collapsed barely 11 months after coming into power as the BJP withdrew its support on October 23.
This was followed by a split in the Janata Dal on November 5 with Chandra Shekhar and Devi Lal supporters forming Janata Dal (socialist) and joining hands with the opposition Congress-I to form a government.
The crisis at the center had impact on states with Janata Dal-
The crisis at the center had impact on states with Janata Dal BJP coalitions collapsing in Rajasthan and Gujarat and dissidents forming Janata Dal socialist in Maharashtra Gujarat Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The dispute over the controversial site in Ayodhya town which the Hindus believe is the birthplace of Ram and Babri Mosque was revived this year with BJP president L K Advani’s chariot procession from Somnath in Gujrrat to Ayodhya to mobilise support for constructing a temple at the disputed site on October 29.
Despite Advani’s arrest in Samastipur in Bihar on October 23 hundreds of volunteers thronged the disputed site and made a futile attempt to begin temple construction which triggered off communal violence in the state
Violence later spread throughout the country claiming hundreds of lives and army had to be called out in several parts of Uttar Pradesh Rajasthan Bihar Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat
The year also witnessed the worst ever student’s unrest sparked off by the government decision on August 7 to implement the Mandal commission recommendations by reserving additional 27% seats in government jobs for the socially backward classes.
The students organized road blockades and rallies to protest against the reservation policy but failed to change the government’s stand.
The protest which began in Delhi intensified and spread to other states with students taking harsh steps like self-immolation.
The state governments like that of Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim rejected the report but the agitation continued for over a month and subsided only after October.
Amidst violence and agitation at home their was crisis in the gulf with Iraq’s annexation of Kuwait on August 2 which hit oil supplies to the country forcing government to increase petroleum prices which led to an increase in prices of essential commodities.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 4, 1991
