Pressure groups in India

A. Bhartiya Kisan Sangh:-

1. Areas of activity: Bhartiya Kisan Sangh had expanded in the
entire nation within a short while. Even within this short time
interval, Bhartiya Kisan Sangh had spread in all the states of the
country. In several states, every district is having activities of
Bhartiya Kisan Sangh. In some districts, there is an activity of the
organisation in every tehsil.
2. Aims and Objectives: Bhartiya Kisan Sangh awakens the
creative power of farmers-
● On one hand, to protect their interest and to attain their powers
it generates a revolutionary spirit,
● On the other hand, to develop create and sustain their counter
responsibility towards the national society which awakens the
patriotism.
To make stable economic conditions for farmers, important activities such
as- imparting agriculture training to eliminate loss, and to make
them wise about the various consumer protection acts- are in
progress. Along with cooperation, co-thinking, and creating mutual
trust through various exercises for social reconstruction, happy and
prosperous village life can be changed. This is the basic concept and
ideology of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh.
3. Influence on Politics:
● On March 2005, the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh urged the
Government of India to set up a $20-billion fund for the
development of agriculture infrastructure in the nation.
● In 2007, the BKS showed resentment with the ruling Bhartiya
Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat. Dissatisfied with
the prevailing cotton prices, it led to farmers' agitation in
Saurashtra.
● In 2012, BKS was leading the State-wide farmers' agitations
and constantly slamming the State government's “anti-
farmer” policies. On May 7, the 20th day of the agitation to
demand speedy procurement of their produce, the BKS led
4,000 farmers from Raisen district to protest the shortage of
 jute bags, blaming the State government, and not the Centre,
for the delay in procurement.
4. Methods to Achieve Their Goals: Bhartiya Kisan Sangh
uses many practices to achieve their goals like:
● Organising study groups, study tours, exhibitions,
symposiums, discussion rounds, rallies, training programmes
etc. So as to facilitate solutions to various problems and
difficulties faced by the Kisan and to encourage and help in
carrying out such activities.
● Collecting, experimenting, innovating, improving and
publicising the centuries-old practices in the agriculture field
so as to benefit others as well as to protect the same from
being patented.
● Combining or joining the various institutions at National as
well as International level, having the same objectives and
programmes, so as to facilitate the work.
● Taking help from various labour organisations, Co-operatives
and Educational institutions, as well as financial, social and
cultural organisation.
5. How Far Have They Been Successful: The Kisan Kranti
Yatra, where hundreds of North Indian farmers marched from
Haridwar in Uttarakhand to Delhi from September 23, has just
ended. The leaders of Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, claim they have been
successful in sensitising the Central Government on key issues
facing the farmers and Indian agriculture, such as:-
● Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops: the farmers have
always considered it to be inadequate, and have always been
complaining that they were not getting even the government
approved MSP in real market conditions. The government has
acknowledged the problem, but there cannot be an easy
solution.
● GST cut on farm implements: Farmers want agricultural
implements to be tax-free, or less taxed. The government has
agreed to take the matter to the GST Council, the decision-
making body.
● Minimum Income Support: The agitators had demanded that
small and marginal farmers above 60 years of age should be
 assured a minimum monthly income of Rs 5,000 as a pension.
The government was not willing to take up any additional
commitment that involves a financial burden.
6. Views Regarding Their Influence: Bhartiya Kisan Sangh is an
interest group for farmers so all of their policies and its
implementation is for improving the economic conditions of farmers.
Since India is an agrarian country with around 60% of its people
depending directly or indirectly upon agriculture, BKS has had a
healthy influence for the upliftment of farmers.
B. All India Muslim Personal Law Board:-
1. Areas of Activity: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board are
the highest decision making body on Muslim affairs. As of 2018,
there are 40 Sharia courts in Uttar Pradesh, and they plan to open
Darul-Qaza in all districts of the country to resolve issues in line with
Islamic laws. They have received proposals from various parts of the
country to open 10 Sharia courts, out of which five have been
approved and will be opened soon. On July 22, a Sharia court will be
set up in Surat, Gujarat, while on September 9 one will be set up at a
place in Maharashtra, one on November 20 and the fifth one will be
set up by the end of 2018.
2. Aims and Objectives: In conformity with the Resolutions
adopted at the All India Muslim Personal Law Convention, Mumbai,
27-28 December 1972, the aims & objects of the AIMPLB are as
follows:-
● To take effective steps to protect the Muslim Personal Law in India
and for the retention, and implementation of the Shariat Act.
● To promote good-will, fraternity, and the feeling of mutual
cooperation among all sects and schools of thought among
Muslims, and to generate the spirit of unity and coordination
among them for the common goal of safeguarding the Muslim
Personal Law.
3. Influence on Politics:
● On September 20 2018, the legal committee of the All-India
Muslim Personal Law Board deliberated on the proposed
ordinance banning instant triple talaq. Some board members are
 also considered a legal recourse to contest the ‘criminality clause’
in the ordinance.
● On April 15 2018, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board
(AIMPLB) and the Imarat Shariah held a ‘Deen Bachao, Desh
Bachao’ conference in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. This was a clarion
call to save Islam. Quite misleadingly, a political ‘rally’ was being
called a ‘conference’.In Jaipur, Malegaon, Godda, Darbhanga and
various other places, such mobilisations have already been done.

4. Methods to Achieve Their Goals: AIMPLB uses many

practices to achieve their goals like:-
 promoting awareness among Muslims about the laws and
teachings of, and rights conferred and duties cast by Shariah in
the sphere of their family and social life, and to publish and
disseminate literature for that purpose.
 publishing and popularizing the personal laws of Muslims as
laid down by Shariah and preparing a comprehensive
framework for their implementation and observance by the
Muslims.
 setting up an ‘Action Committee’ as and when needed, for
safeguarding the Muslim Personal Law through which
organised countrywide campaign is taken up in order to
implement decisions of the Board.
 setting up delegations and study teams; organizing
conferences, seminars, symposia, public meetings and
undertaking tours and to publishing and disseminating suitable
literature, as and when needed, to bringing out newspapers,
periodicals, and newsletters and to performing all other acts as
may be necessary, for achieving the aims and objectives of the
Board in general.
5. How Far Have They Been Successful: The AIMPLB claims
that it speaks on behalf of every Indian Muslim, but it has not been
very successful in proving its claim:-
 On the practice of triple talaq there are varying positions, many
who are wary of the unspecified uniform civil code still agree
that the triple talaq is both un-Islamic and unconstitutional, in
fact, the Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan have taken a stand
 on the invalidity of the law. But, the AIMPLB continues to
support the practice of triple talaq.
 The same AIMPLB has been audaciously demanding an
amendment to the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act to exempt
Muslim girls from it. Under the Shariat Application Act,
marriage is one subject where the Sharia should be applicable,
as per the board. Clearly, the board is in favour of child
marriages, which may also be termed as forced marriages of
minors.
So, the AIMPLB is in the support of a male-dominated society
.i.e patriarchy, which is successful for their agenda in spreading
religious-based policies.
6. Views Regarding Their Influence: The constitution of India
has given complete freedom to the followers of all faiths to practice
their religion. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is a group by
Muslims to defend the Muslim Personal Law. It comprises mostly of
male members and doesn't have a lot of women representation. They
may be necessary for the portrayal of Muslims in India but they lack
equality. So, for having a better and healthy influence over people
they need to hear out everyone who belongs in their community.
C. Naxalite:-
1. Areas of Activity: Naxalite groups generally have claimed to
represent the poorest and most socially marginalized members of
Indian society (notably tribal peoples and Dalits [formerly
untouchables]) and to adhere to the Maoist doctrine of sustained
peasant-led revolution. Naxalite groups have come to control large
territories in many of the states of eastern India—notably Andhra
Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, and West Bengal—
and their influence has spread even wider beyond those areas.
2. Aims and Objectives: The name Naxalite is derived from the
town of Naxalbari in far northern West Bengal state in northeastern
India, which was the centre of a tribal peasant uprising against local
landlords in 1967. Their aims are:-
 To seize/capture political/state power through protracted
armed struggle. All the other demands are meant to achieve
 this goal. The major demands include rights over water,
forests, land and mineral wealth
 Re-distribution of agricultural land equally among all those
engaged in agricultural production, particularly among the
landless, i.e. spread communism.
3. Influence on Politics:-
 By 2009, Naxal-related violence was estimated to have spread
up to 180 administrative districts. was estimated that there
were about 20,000 armed cadres. The most significant
challenge in all this was the open threat by Maoists to prevent
or severely disrupt the holding of elections. Much of the
infrastructure that we needed, schools and other government
buildings to set up poll stations, was badly damaged; several
roads, bridges and mobile towers had been blown up.
 On November 11 2018, A BSF personnel was killed when Naxals
detonated an IED, while a Maoist was gunned down in an
encounter with police in separate incidents in Chhattisgarh on
November 11, a day ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls
in the state. This is the fourth IED blast triggered by Naxals in
Chhattisgarh in the last 15 days.
4. Methods to Achieve Their Goal:
 Representing the most oppressed people in India and make
Adivasis, Dalits and landless labourers their followers.
 Using guerrilla warfare to ambush landlords, industrialists and
traders -- who control the means of production.
 Using assault on politicians, police officials, forest contractors
to overthrow of the present political system.
5. How Far Have They Been Successful: Naxalism is
considered to be one of the biggest internal security threats India
faces at the moment. Every year, many security personnel are killed
in various attacks perpetrated by Naxalites. They threaten national
security by:-
 Destroying govt undertaking welfare measures as officials are
hesitant to serve in these areas and causing loss of life and
already existing infrastructure.
  Making the whole Red Corridor belt unstable which acts as a
hindrance for any investments to come up in these regions
thus creating little to none avenues for employment.
 Preventing people from participating in the democratic
processes, thus threatening their political rights and
consequently political security.
Their agenda to declare war against the nation was started
because alienation of people from the mainstream
development process, and because of that, they have been
very successful in fulfilling their agenda.
6. Views Regarding Their Influence: The purpose of the
Naxalite movement was pure when it started, justice. But, in the
current scenario, we see Naxals as people filled with rage, vengeance
and hatred which they seek to vent out as soon as they capture any
of their exploiters. They are now considered to be a spontaneous
violent group who use abominable methods like assassinations,
murder, robbery, etc. They are now just a threat to the national
security and political system of our country.