Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law Punjab, Patiala
PROJECT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE ON POLITICAL SCIENCE: INTERDISCIPLINARY IN TERDISCIPLINARY RELEVANCE Submitted to: Ms. Shveta Dhalival
Submitted by: Group I First Year, B.A. LL.B LL.B (Honours) Ashutosh Mishra-836 Navneet Kaur-860 Kaur-860
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to our Political Science teacher, Ms. Shveta Dhalival for her guidance and motivation which was a huge factor in our enthusiasm towards pursuing the project. We also thank the library authorities as well as all the seniors who helped us in collecting and organizing matter. We would also like to thank our parents, friends and God Almighty without whose blessings and wishes we would never have been able to complete complete this project properly.
Group I First Year, B.A. LL.B (Honours)
Ashutosh Mishra-836 Navneet Kaur-860 Kaur-860
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction…………………………..……………………………………………………4 2. Need for Interdisciplinary Relevance……………………………………………………..6 3. Relation of Political Science with other Disciplines………………………………………9 4. Politics of International Law……………………………………………………………..17 5. Blue Star Operation………………………………………………………………………1 9 6. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….24
INTRODUCTION Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government,
and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state.
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It deals extensively with the theory
and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior. Political scientists "see themselves engaged in revealing the relationships underlying political events and conditions, and from these revelations they attempt to construct general principles about the way the world of politics works."[2] Political science intersects with other fields; including economics, law, sociology, history, anthropology, public administration, public policy, national politics, international relations, comparative politics, psychology, political organization, and political theory. Although it was codified in the 19th century, when all the social sciences were established, political science has ancient roots; indeed, it originated almost 2,500 years ago with the works of Plato and Aristotle. Interdisciplinarity involves the combining of two or more academic disciplines into one activity
(e.g. a research project). It is about creating something new by crossing boundaries, and thinking across them. It is related to an interdiscipline or an interdisciplinary field, which is an organizational unit that crosses traditional boundaries between academic disciplines or schools of thought, as new needs and professions have emerged. This approach to teaching requires planning that looks at the foundational objectives of a number of curriculum areas. Connecting curriculum in the interdisciplinary approach is an efficient way to help teachers deal with knowledge that grows at exponential proportions (Jacobs). A unit of study that uses the interdisciplinary approach enables teachers to teach the whole student and make links between disciplines. One goal for this approach is to give students a more relevant, less fragmented, and stimulating experience the interdisciplinary approach has become an important and challenging technique in the in the modern curriculum. The interdisciplinary approach synthesizes more than one d iscipline and creates teams of teachers and students that enrich the overall educational experience. Many researchers find many advantages, as well as disadvantages, o f interdisciplinary studies. Student education has suffered the inferior pedagogy of traditional methodologies that concentrate specifically on only one discipline. The interdisciplinary approach provides many benefits that
develop into much needed lifelong learning skills that are essential to a student’s future learning. The Interdisciplinary approach has been used in many ways and at all levels of Education. From early childhood to graduate school, interdisciplinary studies are becoming more and more popular. The Interdisciplinary approach has been used in many ways and at all levels of Education. From early childhood to graduate school, interdisciplinary studies are becoming more and more popular. The purpose of this approach is to dissolve the boundaries of areas of study and encourage learning across the curriculum. Educators must develop a plan where they can see the natural areas for integration and develop thematic units. Student learning outcomes should include a well-rounded education where critical thinking and transfer of knowledge is evident with the school and the outside world. A constructivist approach to learning where creative thinking processes are developed within a meaningful context will enhance the student's education and encourage lifelong learning. This approach is one of the many approaches used to study political science in the modern era. It deals with the relationship of political science with the other social sciences like economics, sociology, history etc. and helps us understand the subject in a better way. The intermingling of various disciplines with one helps us understand how different fields of study are affected by politics and vice versa. This project is an approach to understand and elaborate this concept of interdisciplinary approach to ourselves by studying the theoretical as well as practical aspects of the approach in the modern world.
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NEED OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY
The field of physical sciences is absolutely definite and delimited. The field of social sciences, on the other hand, is neither definite nor delimited. Besides, the subject matter of social sciences is much more complex. For example, economics studies the economic aspect of man, while psychology studies the psychological studies the psychological aspect. Again, beside the view point, each social science has a method peculiar to it, which distinguishes it from other sciences. In other words, different aspects of these social problems may be studied in different social sciences.
Need for interdisciplinary study
Nowadays one finds more and more use of of interdisciplinary approach in social sciences. In fact, some studies are not possible without such an approach. The following are the main reasons of the need of inter-disciplinary approach:
Mutual relationships of different sciences
Though each science is considered as distinct, most of the sciences are interconnected. As such social science is directly or indirectly concerned with a man, it is obvious that they may be interrelated. Therefore, studies and researches in one science are bound to influence other sciences. Hence, the need of inter-disciplinary approach is obvious.
Imperfection of science
No social science is co mplete or perfect in itself. For example, economics cannot solve all the social problems nor can medicine relieve all the tensions. Each social science is concerned only with a limited aspect of society. Therefore, in order to study the total society one will have to
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take resource to several sciences. Therefore, the interdisciplinary approach is utilized in such cases.
Several aspects of social phenomenon
Social phenomena are complex. Each social phenomenon has several aspects. The physical, economic, political, psychological and other factors influence social phenomena. No social phenomenon can be completely free from external influences. In such a situation, in order to know the social phenomenon, it is necessary to find out different factors determining them. Now, in order to know all these factors lying in the fields of different sciences, an interdisciplinary approach is required.
Need of objectivity
In spite of all precautions it is difficult to claim objectivity in social sciences. Therefore, the need to increase objectivity requires that the same problem should be studied b y various aspects. Thus, in order to make social research more objective and successful, an interdisciplinary approach is required.
Types of Inter-disciplinary approach
Inter-disciplinary approach is used in social sciences in various ways. In these uses, the form of method also changes. As a general rule, the following types of inter-disciplinary approach are more prevalent these days: 1. In inter-disciplinary approach various sciences coordinate. A type of this method is such that in it the social investigator himself conducts research and seeks help from other sciences wherever required. This help is secured in the form of expert advice from the researchers of other sciences. Sometimes the help is secured by the study of the survey reports in other social sciences. 7
2. In a different type of inter-disciplinary approach, different experts of different sciences conduct researches in their own field. They study a problem independently and themselves prepare plan of study in their own field. However, they meet from time to time and hold discussion. In the end, all of them send reports of their studies to the central office where all these reports are coordinated to arrive at some sort of interdisciplinary approach.
3. The third type of inter-disciplinary approach is somewhat different from the above mentioned types. In it, the investigators from different sciences work in collaboration right from the beginning to the end. They work as members of a research group or team in which the functions are divided and every member is responsible to fulfill his function.
Process of Interdisciplinary Study
Inter-disciplinary approach is a complex method of research, since in its one is required to kind methods of several sciences. Interdisciplinary approach requires a wider knowledge and deeper insight. The main steps in the process o f inter-disciplinary approach are as follows: 1. Construction of the main plan of research : - First of all, a chief committee for research is organized. The main function of this co mmittee is to determine the problem of research. It delimits area of social research and clear ly defines its aims and objectives.
2. Determination of required social sciences:
After the clarification of their problem,
field and aims and objectives of research, it is decided as to which science, the limits of their cooperation are fixed.
3. Determination of roles of different social sciences: After the determination of required sciences, the roles of different sciences are different. For example, if a particular social research requires the collaboration of geography, then it is necessary to determine the role of each of these social sciences in the particulars social research.
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4. Coordination of results: In inter-disciplinary approach, different scientists study a problem from their own view points and arrive at different conclusions. These conclusions provide knowledge limited to a particular aspect of a social problem. Therefore, in order to achieve an integral knowledge of the problem, the different conclusions must be coordinated. This function is very important and requires a lot of precautions. Therefore, it should be entrusted only to the chief investigator.
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RELATIONSHIP OF POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH OTHER SOCIAL SCIENCES
Politics has wider approach in the modern society. It is not just limited within the boundaries of the functioning of a government and a state but also various other disciplines which effect social life. These social sciences include sociology, economics, history; geography etc. there is a tinge of politics in all these subjects and all these social sciences effect political science. There is a close interrelation between these subjects. Political science does not stand alone as it is not the only science which concerns itself with man in organized society. Being one of the many sciences dealing with the relations of man to man, it has its close connections with other social sciences. Thus Paul Janet remarks that political science is ‘closely connected with political economy or the science of wealth; with law, either natural or positive, which occupies itself principally with the relation of citizens to one another; with history, which furnishes the facts of which it was need; with philosophy, and especially with morals, which gives to it a part of its 1
principles . A brief look at these relationships is as under.
Political Science and Sociology
Political Science and Sociology are no doubt, intimately connected. Both the sciences are mutually helpful. Political activity is only a part of social activity. Thus, Political Science is regarded as the branch of social science. The political activities influence and are influenced by the social life of man. Political activities will have no meaning outside the social content. Political Science gives Sociology facts about the organization and functions of the State and Government. Sociology studies various political institutions, associations and organizations by the help of Political Science. Political Science studies the present social problems through Sociology. Moris Ginsberg writes, "Historically, Sociology has its main roots in politics and philosophy of History."
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Green, T. H. Lectures on the priciples of political obligation. London, Longmans
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The State in its early form was more a social institution than a political one. Moreover, a political scientist must be also a sociologist. The laws of the State have a great influence upon society. The laws are largely based on customs and traditions. Thus, Paulzannet says, "Political Science is a part of Sociology. Sociology borrows Political Science and Political Science borrows Sociology." It is rightly said that society is the mirror of political life of the country. Both are the two sides of the same coin. Sociology is concerned with what happened or does happen; and not with what ought to happen. 2
Political science, at least in one of its aspects, is concerned what ought to be do ne.
Political Science and History
The relationship between Political Science and History is very close and intimate. John Seeley expressed this relationship in the following couplet —“History without Political Science has no fruit, Political Science without History has no root.” Seeley’s emphasis seems to be rather exaggerated, yet no one can discount the dependence of the two disciplines on one another. The State and its political institutions grow instead of being made. They are the product of history and in order to understand them fully one must necessarily know the process of their evolution: how they have become what they are, and to what extent they have responded to their original purposes. All our political institutions have a historical basis as they depict the wisdom of generations. History furnishes sufficient material for comparison and induction, enabling us to build an ideal political structure of our aspirations. In the absence of historical data, the study of Political Science is sure to beco me difficult. The writings of historians, in brief, form a vast reservoir of material which a student of Political Science can analyze into meaningful patterns and guide him in understanding the present and outlining the future. Moreover, with its chronological treatment, history offers a sense of growth and development thereby providing a base or an insight into the social changes.
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Taking the opposte point of view, Heymans, quoted by Kranenburg, writes: “the objection that sociology can offer us nothing but bare facts, instead of ideals, and uniformities instead of values, can be an swered in a single sentence: ‘ Not so; the ideals in fact live and act uniformly within us’.”
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Robson is of the opinion that some knowledge of History is clearly indispensable for Political Science and cites the explanation offered by Professor R. Solatu at the Cambridge Conference (from 6 to 10 April, 1952). Professor Solatu said, “That he had been baffled all through his teaching career, especially during the 20 years he had spent in the Middle East, about how to teach the history of political philosophy to students whose historical background is usually inadequate, and often limited to purely political theory since the French Revolution.” Where Political Science is not approached through History, he remarked, “The student may easily get a confused outline, in which most historical allusions are lost on him, supplemented by a slight acquaintance with a few classical texts of political philosophy, the background of which he scarcely understands.” Moreover, knowledge of History is particularly necessary in the sphere of Comparative Government. History, in its turn, has much to borrow from Political Science. Our knowledge of history is meaningless, if the political bearings of events and movements are not adequate evaluated. The history of the nineteenth-century Europe, for example, is an incompletely narration of facts unless full significance of the movements, like nationalism, imperialism individualism, socialism, etc., are brought out. Both Political Science and History are contributory and complementary. So intimate is the affinity between the two that Seeley maintained: “Politics is vulgar when not liberalized by History, and History fades into mere literature when it loses sight of its relation to Politics.” Separate them, says Burgess, and the one becomes a cripple, if not a corpse, the other a will-o’the-wisp. The conclusion, then, is that political science must make use of history only to transcend it. The 3
historian’s task is not to pass moral judgements , but the political scientis is bound to make such judgements. It is there that political science joins hands with ethics and parts company with economics and sociology.
Political science and Economics
Political science and economics are social sciences. Political science is the study of politics in theory and practice, while economics is the study of how resources are produced, allocated, and 3
In the words of Sidwick, history cannot determine the ultimate end and standard of good and bad, right and wrong, in political institutions.
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distributed. As well as dealing with subjects that often relate to one another in everyday life, political science and economics are commonly seen as sister subjects in academic terms. Political science deals with a variety of topics related to politics. This includes differing political philosophies about how society should operate. It also includes the way po litical systems work to produce laws and government. Economics deals with two main areas. Microeconomics is the study of how individual consumers and businesses make production, purchasing, investment, and saving choices. Macroeconomics looks at how an entire economy works and the way policies can affect the combined effects of microeconomic decisions. It can be argued t hat economics is a social science rather than a pure science, because it is based around resolving an irresolvable dilemma: how to meet people's unlimited wants with limited resources. The most prominent link between political science and economics is in the practicalities of government. For example, there may be a connection between whether a politician considers himself left-wing or right-wing, within the context of the country concerned, and whether the politician puts more weight into fiscal economics, which aims to stimulate the eco nomy through government spending, or monetarist economics, which aims to stimulate the economy by influencing the price and availability of credit. There are many topics in which stances can have both a political and economic element, such as whether a government should attempt to reduce inequalities across society, work towards equalities of opportunity, or avoid any interference wherever possible. Taken as a whole, political and economic views can't always be simplified into two camps; for example, some politicians consider themselves economically conservative but socially liberal. One of the most common crossovers between political science and economics is rational choice theory. This is the study of, and attempt to model, the ways in which individuals make choices. It could be argued that rational choice theory is an economic theory that is contradicted by political reality that is harder to objectify. For example, an economist would use rational choice theory in assuming that a consumer will always choose the cheapest supplier among those offering identical goods. Politics might explain why some consumers will instead choose to pay a higher price to get the goods from what they see as a more ethical supplier.
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Political Science and Geography
It is maintained by certain writers that geographical and physical conditions greatly influence t he character, the national life of the people, and their political institutions. Aristotle was of the opinion that without geography neither political nor strategically wisdom can go far. Bodin was the first modem writer who dwelt upon the relationship between Political Science and Geography. Rousseau tried to establish a relationship between climatic conditions and forms of government. He argued that warm climates are conducive to despotism, cold climates to barbarism and moderate climates to a good polity. Montesquieu, another French scholar, also emphasized the influence of physical environments on the forms of government and liberty of the people, but Buckle excels all. In his History of Civilization, he maintained that “the actions of men, and therefore of societies, are determined by reciprocal interaction between the mind and external phenomena.” He asserted that the actions of the individual and societies are influenced by the physical environments, particularly climate, food, soil, and the “general aspects of nature.” In short, Buckle repudiates the generally accepted idea that the free will of man determines the action of the individual and society. It is axiomatically true that geographical location is an important factor in mouldings the destiny of every State, and it greatly influences its national and international policies and political institutions. And to fathom the actual impact of geographical factors on the political life of a nation, particularly in relation to its foreign policy, a new discipline of Geopolitics has developed. Thus, an island nation may readily become a moral power whereas a nation with rich natural resources may become more powerful in world politics. The nation controlling the Suez Canal or the Panama Canal becomes by that very extremely important to other nations. The geographical position of Germany, located as she is in the centre of Europe and without natural boundaries, is a compelling reason for her to remain a great military power. “Our historic political destiny,” wrote Professor Hintze, “lies in our geographical position.” It is really no exaggeration to say that geographical conditions always influence in considerable measure the determination of national policies and to some extent the character of the political institutions. Bryce has aptly said that “in any country physical conditions and inherited 14
institutions so affect the political institutions of a nation as to give its government distinctive character.” The obvious reference is to Great Britain and Switzerland.
Political science and Psychology
Psychology is a comparatively new science and its advocates are trying to apply psychological methods to every part of man’s and individual and social life. There can be little doubt that the psychological approach to politics upon much insistence is placed these days is very valuable. We cannot go very far in our study of political science without understanding the way in which human beings behave as individuals and as members of society when subjected to various kinds of stimuli. ‘Government to be stable and really popular must reflect and express the mental ideas and moral sentiments of those who are subject to its authority; in short, it must be in harmony with what Le Bon calls the “mental constitution of the race”.’
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A study of psychology, particularly social psychology, is of inestimable value to the student of political science. It shows him clearly that men in general are not moved as much by ideas and ideals, by theories, and the logic of facts as by their preconceived notions, and dispositions, and their fear and prejudices. Man is more sub-rational and irrational than rational. L. Lipson argues that “while political science must embrace a theory of what the state ought to be, the latter (ethics) must respect the limits of the possible”.
Political Science and Law
The State is both a social phenomenon and a legal institution and any attempt to explain the State in its entirety must include both these points of view. From the legal standpoint, the State is a person in the sense that it is subject of rights and duties. Jurisprudence may be defined as the science of law. Constitutional law defines the organs of the state, their relations to one another, and the relations of the state to the individual. International law regulates the relations of states to one anot her.
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Garner J. W., Introduction to Political Science, London, American Book Supply co. Ltd.
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Stoicism and Roman jurisprudence have made much contribution to the development of western law. It is no coincidence that lawyers in India have made a great contribution to the development of political institutions and the freedom movement in India. A study of law in some of its phases is indispensable to a student of constitutions and public administration. Such concepts as fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy impinge as much law as on ethics and politics.
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POLITICS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
The idea of an international Rule of Law has been a credible one because to strive for it implies no commitment regarding the content of the norms thereby established or the character of the society advanced. It was possible for 19th-century European powers to start thinking of their relationships in terms of legal rules because they formalized inter-sovereign relationships and no sovereign needed to feel that his substantive policies were excluded by them i t It was possible for the UN General Assembly to accept by consensus the Declaration on the "Decade for International Law" for precisely those same reasons. This is strikingly highlighted by the fact that the Decade contained no substantive programme. The declaration merely calls for the promotion of respect for the principles of international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes and for the encouragement of the development and dissemination of international law. For what purpose the law was to be put or what kinds of rules it should promote is not addressed by it. Modem international law is an elaborate framework for deferring substantive resolution elsewhere: into further procedure, interpretation, equity, context, and so o n. The 1982 Law of the Sea Convention is the typical example: in place of a list of do 's and dont's it establishes a framework for delimiting sovereign powers and allocating jurisdictions - assuming that the substantive problems of the uses of the sea can be best dealt with through allocating decision-power elsewhere, into context and usually by reference to "equitable principles."80 The success of international law depends on this formality; this refusal to set down determining rules or ready-made resolutions to future conflict. Though there is a distinctly legal "process" - and in this sense a relatively autonomous and coherent system which can be abstracted in academic treatises - there are no determining legal standards. Let me explain this somewhat schematically. The Rule of Law constitutes an attempt to provide communal life without giving up individual autonomy. Communal life is, of course, needed to check individualism from leading either into anarchy or tyranny. Individualism is needed because otherwise it would remain objectionable for those who feel that the kind of community provided by it does not meet their political criteria. From their perspective, the law's communitarian pretensions would turn out as totalitarian apologies. The law aims to fulfil its double task by becoming formal: by endorsing neither particular communitarian ideals nor particular sovereign policies. Or, conversely, an acceptable legal rule, argument or doctrine is one which can explain itself both from the perspective of enhancing 17
community (because it would otherwise seem apologist) as well as safeguarding sovereignty (because its implications would otherwise remain totalitarian). The problem is that as soon as any of these justifications are advanced to support some particular kind of communal existence or some determined limit for sovereign autonomy, they are vulnerable from an opposing substantive perspective. So, while an advocat e justifies his preferred substantive outcome by its capacity to support community, it becomes simultaneously possible for his counterpart - not sharing the same communal ideal - to challenge the very justification as totalitarian. Correspondingly, a rule, principle or solution justified by resource to the way it protects sovereignty may - for someone drawing the limits of "sovereignty" differently - be objected as furthering egoism and anarchy.
The United Nations was formed to keep all the nations of the world together and treat them as equals. But looking at the current state it seems that world politics is being dominated by only few countries of the world and others have to blindly follow. The laws passes in UN resolutions are such that it favours developed countries. The veto power is a boon or bane one can never tell. USA has a lot of say in the working of the United Nations as it funds most of the programmes and this is used as a weapon to target other nations. The president of the World Bank is mostly American. Whys is that? Is USA the only country in the world or can no other country handle money. The war on Iraq could not have happened but the USA has its way to make other countries agree. It seems that the world is being run by just one country. Even it is a notion that the president of the USA is the most powerful person on the planet. Why is that? The USA is trying to dominate the world completely and other countries are letting it do so. An organisation which was started to promote equality is being dominated by the nation which promoted this notion. It is purely politics and the aim is to g ain social power. It can thus be seen that politics is inter related with every aspect of the society and even at the international level and it shows the relevance of the interdisciplinary approach without which the study of political science would have been limited.
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BLUE STAR OPERATION – RELEVANCE OF POLITICAL SCIENCE WITH SOCEITY
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WITH SOCEITY Operation Blue Star was code given to the attack on Golden Temple. Most of the people and political parties were against this operation led by Indira Gandhi. Operation Blue Star is considered as monstrous event in the history of independent India by the Indian army to the Golden Temple at Amritsar in the first week of June, 1984. A few days before the action Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Home Minister P.C. Sethi had been assuring members of both the houses of Parliament that the Government had no intention of ordering the police to enter the Temple; at the same time it was evident that the Army had been practising with models of the Temple on how to besiege it. A 36 hour curfew was clamped on the entire state of Punjab. All air, road, rail traffic was suspended.
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According to Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer, ‘Indira Gandhi attacked Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) to present herself a great hero for the forthcoming elections’. The operation was carried out by the Indian Army with tanks. Army used seven Vijayanta tanks in this operation. After the action, the Government started telling public through All India Radio and Doordarshan network that there was no choice left to the Government except to send in the army; that Bhindrawale( Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale , son of a local Akali) intended to proclaim an independent state of Khalistan( a separate state for Sikhs demanded by Nirankaris and the National Council of Khalistan) and was in contact with foreign governments which would give it immediate recognition. Army commanders patted each other for having done a good job in very adverse circumstances with minimum loss of life and damage to property. In the words of Khushwant singh, ‘a few days after ‘Blue Star Operation’, Rajiv Gandhi stated in Kanpur that the army had lost over 700 men (He promptly denied having said so), but he did not give any explanation for dead Sikhs. Even no explanation was given why it was necessary to assault the Temple on the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjun Dev, the builder of the Temple, where 10,000 to 20, 000 pilgrims were present and why priceless manuscripts, handwritten copies of Granth Sahib were set on fire after resistance had overcome.’Some his torians compare Blue Star Operation with Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Relevance of Blue Star operation with society
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Harminder Kaur, Blue Star over Amritsar, published by Corporate Vision(2006)
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‘I realised what Jews must have felt like in Nazi Germany. The killing assumed the proportion of genocide of the Sikh community. For the first time I understood what words likepogrom, holocaust and genocide really meant. Sikh housesand shops were marked for destruction in much the same way as those of Jews in Tsarist Russia or Nazi Germany.’
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Restlessness
According to Khuswant Singh, the fact is very ironic that while a foreign government yielded to popular demand for a high-powered non-official enquiry into the Jallainwala Bagh massacre in which 381 lives were lost and published the commission’s report censuring General Dyer for excessive zeal , the government of independent India felt no compunction to hold an enquiry into “Blue Star Operation” in which it deployed its army to fight their own countrymen and loss of life was more than thirteen times than it was at Jallianwala Bagh. This sort of insensitivity had persuaded young Sikhs to believe that they would get no justice from government unless they turn to terrorism. This frustration explains the dastardly murder of Mrs. Gandhi and General A.K. Vaidya, former Chief of Army Staff and the wicked killings of innocent Hindus. Even today impact of Blue Star Operation can be seen from attack on K.S. Brar. ‘One unpunished crime generates another’.
Anti-Sikh Riots
‘As we were standing just near the house, where I was being sheltered, we saw a child of about ten, dressed in a salvar-kameez, who was moving on the road. The child was walking quite normally down the street. He was actually ayoung boy in the process of fleeing to safety and had been dressed as a girl. Something about the child’s appearancemade the mob suspect that the child was a boy and someoneshouted ‘sardar ka ladka hoga (it must be the son of a Sardar - a Sikh).’ The child panicked and started running but the mob pursued him and caught him. They asked him where the othermembers of his family were. The boy was really frightened andhe pointed in a certain direction and said that his father waslying there and that he was dead. To my horror the mobdragged the boy up to the father’s body, threw
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Khushwant Singh , My Bleeding Punjab (1992), p 93.
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the child on himand burnt him saying ‘yeh sap ka b achcha hai, ise bhi khatamkar do (This is the son of a snake, finish him off also).’ 7Anti-Sikh riots were taken place after the assassination of Indira Gandhi
Discrimination against Sikhs
Sikhs have faced discrimination for long time. Following are the quotes of Indian personalities that show the discrimination against Sikhs: “To preserve the unity of India, if we have to eradicate 2 -karor (20 million) sikhs, we will do so” (Balram Jhakhar, Member of Indian Parliament & friend of former Prime Minister Narsimharao) “I don’t give a damn if the Golden Temple and the whole of Amritsar is destroyed, I want Bhindranwale dead” (Indira Gandhi, communicating to General Vaidya during operation Blue star) Restrictions on the recruitment and promotion of Sikhs in the armed forces were imposed. This was an insult as Sikhs being 2% of India’s population counted for the majority of sacrifices in the freedom struggle against the British. •
Relevance with economics
Farmers in Punjab paid higher prices for their agriculture inputs, but were offered lower prices for their produce in comparison with neighbouring states. The Central Government assumed complete control over prices. Farmers were not allowed to cross state boundaries to get higher prices for their labours in the next state. Electricity generated by the Hydroelectric Bhakhra Dam on the Punjab borders was costlier and provided in smaller amounts in Punjab than in its neighbouring states.
In my view, Operation Blue Star was major step according to that scenario. It cannot be justified as it has
led to social disturbance, but I do not defend Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale. In fact it was him who brought disgrace o the name of Sikhs and Khalsa Panth by using hateful things about Hindus. Even today it is
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- Nandita Haksar and Uma Chakravarti Interview with Gurmit Singh Gill, ‘THE DELHI RIOTS’ 22
seen that some young Sikhs are inspired by the thoughts of Bhindrawale, which is very painful to see. Describing him a martyr is even more painful. Even statements given by politicians like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi cannot be justified. In secular country like India, they cannot ignore the interests of any community and utter hateful statements about Sikhs. This operation led to killing of innocent people. Anti-Sikh riots which were a consequence of Blue Star Operation were even more painful. There was threat to life of Sikhs at that time, but the more threat was to baptise Sikhs. There were mass rapes. Sikhs were burnt alive. Even no mercy was shown to children. Attack on Lieutenant General Kuldeep Singh Brar, who led Operation Blue Star against Sikh militants holed up inside the Golden Temple in 1984, in London shows the restlessness among Sikhs even today because of Blue Star Operation. When Hindus were killing Sikhs in Anti-Sikhs riots, they were also Hindus who saved their neighbour Sikhs’ life by giving them shelter in their home and telling others as their relatives.
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CONCLUSION The interdisciplinary approach of study is not only related with various subjects we study. It also takes into account various aspects of life like religion, castes, race etc. The Babri Majid demolition was an event that started as a conflict of two religions but later this reference was used by the political parties to gain votes. The demolition itself was a dirty politics of the political party in power. In India the conflict between religions has always been used as a tool to gain political power. Starting from the British rule where the britishers used the policy of divide and rule to remain in power to the present time where still the vote bank is focussed based on religion. The partition of India and Pakistan i.e. the formation of two states was also based on religion politics. Caste politics is also not far behind as can be seen in the case of Uttar Pradesh where the BSP counts the Dalits as its vote bank and SP focuses and muslims and the yadav caste in Hindus. The politics of religion is not limited to the national level but to the international level too. The case of Ireland is an example of this where the conflict between the two sects of Christianity is still prevailing. The splitting of Sudan is also a recent example. The racial discrimination factor is also used in politics. America getting its first black president after almost after 200 years of independence shows it all that in spite of the claim that there has been no racial discrimination, it still exists. The discussion of the Blue Star Operation was a reason to explain how various factors influence politics. The rising inflation is being used as a tool by the opposition government to overthrow the current government. The government in power uses the tool of giving reservation to muslims to still remain in power shows how different disciplines of life are used to ru n politics. The relevance of the interdisciplinary approach cannot be explained just in theory but looking at the examples around us. It tells us that this approach of study gives to us wider scope of study of the subject and without it the study of political science would be limited which is not desirable as politics effects our lives in one way or the other every day and to improve our lives we need to improve the politics and the interdisciplinary approach of study presents to us this opportunity to promote the greater good.
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REFERENCES Books
Poltical Theory, Dr. Eddy Asirvatham & K. K. Mishra
Research methodology: Tools and Techniques, B. L. Kothari
Blue Star over Amritsar, Harminder Kaur
Article
The politics of Internation law, Martti Koskenniemi
Websites
www.google.co.in
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