Identity Politics in India: Evolution and Forms

2.1 Caste as the Primary Identity Axis

Caste in India is not merely a social phenomenon — it is the fundamental unit of political mobilisation. The Mandal Commission (1980), chaired by B.P. Mandal, recommended 27% reservation for OBCs in central government jobs (on top of existing SC 15% + ST 7.5%).

When the V.P. Singh government implemented this in 1990, it triggered three major consequences:

• Reservation agitation: Anti-Mandal protests including self-immolations by upper-caste students
• Counter-mobilisation: OBC political consolidation; SP, BSP, RJD emergence as OBC/Dalit vehicles
• BJP's Hindutva counter: BJP responded with Ram Mandir movement, seeking to unite Hindu identity across castes as a counter to Mandal's caste divisions

Caste Arithmetic in Elections

Every Indian election involves elaborate caste calculations:

• UP politics: Brahmin-Thakur-OBC-Muslim-Dalit quadrangular competition
• Bihar: MY (Muslim-Yadav) coalition vs. EBC (Extremely Backward Class) + upper caste counter
• Rajasthan: Jat-Gujjar-Meena-OBC arithmetic alongside BJP-Congress two-party competition

The Jat Question in Rajasthan

Jats (12% of Rajasthan's population) are the pivotal caste community — historically BJP-leaning but demanding reservation under OBC category. Their political assertion influenced both 2013 and 2018 Rajasthan elections. Jat agitations of 2015–2016 (Haryana-Rajasthan) highlighted how identity-based demands can turn violent and disruptive.

2.2 Religious Identity Politics

Hindutva as political ideology was articulated by V.D. Savarkar (1923 pamphlet "Hindutva") — defining Hindu identity as racial, cultural, and civilisational rather than merely religious. The RSS-BJP ideological framework deploys Hindutva for political consolidation:

• Ayodhya movement (1984–1992): Ram Janmabhoomi campaign built BJP from 2 Lok Sabha seats (1984) to 88 (1989) to 120 (1991)
• Babri Masjid demolition (6 December 1992): Triggered nationwide Hindu-Muslim riots; Supreme Court (2019) awarded the disputed site to Ram Lalla; Ram Mandir consecrated on 22 January 2024 — major BJP event before 2024 elections
• Uniform Civil Code (UCC) debate: BJP's commitment to UCC (Article 44 DPSP) is an identity marker; Uttarakhand became the first state to implement UCC in 2024

Muslim Political Mobilisation

India's 200 million Muslims (14.2% population) have been politically mobilised through parties like AIMIM (Asaduddin Owaisi), Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind political support for Congress/SP, and All India Muslim League in Kerala. The "Muslim vote bank" concept has been both a political reality and a political construct.

2.3 Linguistic and Regional Identity

Language-based political mobilisation produced India's linguistic states (1956 onwards). Tamil identity politics (Dravidian movement), Kannada/Marathi assertion, and Bengali pride all manifest in regional political parties (DMK, Shiv Sena, TMC).

The Official Language controversy (1965 Hindi imposition attempt, Tamil Nadu protests) and the three-language formula represent political management of linguistic identity.

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