Post Independence History
Ethics Case Studies
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06-06-2023

12:15:PM

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“While the national political parties in India favour centralization, the regional parties are in favour of State autonomy.” Comment. [UPSC-2022]

Approach:

  1. Introduction: Define centralization and state autonomy
  2. Main body: State the possible reasons as to why the national political parties in India favour centralization, while the regional parties are in favour of State autonomy.
  3. Conclusion: Conclude by stating the imperative in a huge and diverse country like India.


Introduction:

Centralization is the concentration of power at the centre, while state autonomy is associated with decentralization and devolution of power. Federalism is a balance of power between the centre and the states. 


Main body:

While the national political parties in India favour centralization, the regional parties are in favour of State autonomy. The possible reasons are:

  • National parties like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC) have broad spatial presence, so they can take regional issues to the national realm. Same is not the case with regional parties such as the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) etc. and they require power to solve local issues at local level.
  • National parties are more interested in addressing the national issues and having same party government in states makes coordination easier in case of centralization, thus, addressing local issues is not a cumbersome for states due to easy accessibility to funds and resources. 
  • This might also be exemplar for people of other states which may try to bring the said national party in their respective states in the hope for accelerated development, thus providing a future prospect and lesser opposition to the national party.
  • But the national parties are not as sympathetic towards regional issues and the mutual struggle drives for preference to state autonomy.
  • Regional parties are politically benefitted by playing a greater role in local issues, which is evaded in case of centralization.
  • The interference of High command of National parties in the regional politics reduces efficiency. Thus regional parties prefer state autonomy.


Conclusion:

However, the situation is not universal and even regional parties also have national aspirations. Also, national party in power prefers centralization, and not all national parties. Yet, a diverse and large country like India requires a proper balance between the six pillars of federalism- autonomy of states, national integration, centralisation, decentralisation, nationalisation, and regionalisation. Extreme political centralisation or chaotic political decentralization can both lead to the weakening of Indian federalism. 

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