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Federalism in India during the Nehru and Post-Nehru Periods

In the present context of rejuvenation of ethnicity the world over, states in India having become more autonomous due to changes in party system, democratic mobilisation and globalisation, and some states operating in violation of the letter and spirit of the Constitution while dealing with minorities. The article analyses the nature of federalism as adopted in India in the peculiar situation of post-independence and partition, its working during Nehruvian and later periods and the changes it has witnessed both in terms of centralisation and decentralisation. The argument is that while federalism is an important device to manage diversity and to an extent has done well in India in that respect, it is not the panacea for justice to minorities. It can also be, and has been, used by majority groups as a tool for disempowering national minorities. What is therefore required is to understand federalism not merely in terms of centre–state relations or in legal and constitutional terminology, but in the context of economic, social, political and cultural forces. What is required is a multi-layered, democratic and non-hegemonic federal system that is responsive to both external and domestic pressures and serves the interests of minorities both territorially concentrated and spread over.