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This dissertation has been microfilmed exactly as received 70-2339 SÜKHWAL, Bheru Lai, 1929- POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE INDIAN REPUBLIC: AN EVALUATION OF CHANGING PATTERNS SINCE INDEPENDENCE. The University of Oklahoma, Ph,D., 1969 Political Science, general University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan © COPYRIGHT 1970 Bheru Lai Sukhwal 111 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE INDIAN REPUBLIC; AN EVALUATION OF CHANGING PATTERNS SINCE INDEPENDENCE A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fiü.fillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY BHERU LAL SUKHWAL Norman, Oklahoma 1969 POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE INDIAN REPUBLIC: AN EVALUATION OF CHANGING PATTERNS SINCE INDEPENDENCE APPROVED BY £ f ) R j ^ y i r t n \ DISSERTATION COMMITTEE TO MY PARENTS; Late Shri and Shrimati Bhuri Lai Sukhwal, who are no longer in this world but whose blessings have guided my path since they left me in my early childhood, and TO MY FAMILY: Wife, Lilawati, who is a constant source of inspiration to me, son Aditya and daughter Archna, the hope of the future. IV ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author is proud to have been the first student to receive the Ph.D. degree under the guidance of Dr. Arthur H. Doerr, Chairman of the Department of Geography, whose personal interest and enthusiasm has made this endeavor a gratifying experience. The author expresses his sincere thanks and heart felt gratitude to Dr. Doerr for his guidance, assistance, and patience which contributed to the realization of this task in its completed form. Whatever merit this dissertation may have, can be directly attributed to the inspirational guidance and aid provided by Dr. Doerr. The author also wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Ralph E. Olson, for his untiring interest and patience in editing the manuscript of this dissertation at various stages with corrections in style, help ful suggestions, and comments. Dr. John W. Morris has the author's sincere appreciation for his helpfùl advice as chairman of the author's graduate study program. Dr. Rufus G. Hall, Jr. and Dr. îferry E. Hoy, who kindly consented to serve on the dissertation committee have the author's gratitude for reading the manuscript as well as offering sug gestions for improvement. The author extends his thanks to Dr. Robert D. Hodgson, Office of the Geographer, Department of State, the staff of the Information Service, Embassy of India, Washington, D. C., and Miss Opal Carr, V Librarian of the History, Government, and Geography section of the University of Oklahoma, for their generous help in providing valuable source materials. Appreciation is due the Graduate College and the Department of Geography of the University of Oklahoma for financial assistance on various occasions during the preparation of this dissertation. The author is also highly obliged to Mr. and Mrs. Jai Dev Sharma and Dr. and Mrs. A. N. Bhattacharya for continuous encouragement and moral support in seeking his Ph.D. degree in the United States. Thanks is likewise due to Mr. and Mrs. Edgar W. Brewer and Professor Balfour S. Whitney, whose parental affection has helped the author and his family to adjust to a social and physical environment different from their own. Finally, the author wishes to express his sincere gpratitude to his wife, Lilawati, for her understanding, moral encouragement, and especially for her patience during the preparation of this dissertation. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES......................................... ... LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS................. xi Chapter I. INTRODUCTION............................ 1 II. PHYSICAL SETTING. .......... ............ 7 The Himalayas . .......... 7 Isolation from the Continent of Asia............. 11 Strategic Location........ 11 Pass Routes ........... ............ 12 Climatic Influence. .............. 14. Catchment Area for Rivers .......... 14- The Great Plain of Northern I n d i a ............... 15 Concentration of Population......... 15 Center of Political Power .................... 16 The Unity of the Nation ..................... 17 Southern Peninsula........ 17 Coastal Plains. .............................. 19 The Drainage. ............ 20 Strategic Role of the Seas. ............ 23 The Climatic Conditions ................ 24. Soils .......... 29 Vegetation. ........ 30 III. ECONOMIC RESOURCES. .......................... 33 Agricultural Resources. ......... 34- Mineral Resources....................... 44- Power Resources ................. 50 vii Chapter Page III. ECONCMIC RESOURCES— Continued Industrial Development and Distribution............. 55 Transportation and Communication. ............... 64 Foreign Trade ................. 70 Demographic Analysis............................... 73 IV. im?ERlIAL POLITICAL SITUATION.......................... 84 Integration of Indian States........................ 84 Reorganization of States on Linguistic Basis........... 91 The Kashmir Problem ... .104 Northeast and Assam Area............ 123 Foreign Possessions............ ; ................ 131 Offshore Islands.................................. I40 V. PATTERNS OF POLITICAL PARTIES....................... 147 Patterns of Lok Sabha Elections.............. .148 Patterns of State Assemblies..................... .171 Analysis of Political Parties......................197 Causes of Defeat of the Congress Party.............. 199 Factionalism in Congress......................... 201 Unity Among the Opposition Parties.............. .202 Defection of the Legislators from the Congress P a r t y ....................................... 203 Opposition by the Youth ................ 205 Active Participation by the Youth ................ 206 Caste and Communalism......... 207 Linguistic and Regional Differences « ............. 209 Rural-Urban Disparity................ 210 Effects of Altered Patterns on Indian Economy and Politics..................................... .212 VI. EXTERNAL RELATIONS: INDIA'S BORDERS AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS.............. 216 The India-China Border............................ 216 The Ihdo-Pakistan Boundary......................... 245 The India-Burma Boundary. ....................... 252 viii Chapter Page VII. INDIA'S RELATION WITH HER NEIGHBORS AND THE WORLD .... 256 India's Relations with China....................... 257 India and Pakistan................................. 262 India and Nepal ................................... 266 India and Sikkim................................... 269 India and Bhutan. .......................... 271 India and Burma ................................... 274. India and Ceylon................................... 274 Relations with Other Countries...................... 278 India and the United States .................. 278 India and the Soviet Union....................... 281 India and the United Kingdom. .............. 284 The People of Indian Origin Abroad................... 284 VIII. CONCLUSIONS........................................ 290 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................... 299 APPENDIX................................................... 312 ix LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. India; Statewise Growth Rates (Conçound) of Agricultural Production, Area, and Productivity 1951-52 to 1964-65, ............................ 37 2. Present Regional Production and Future Potentialities of Land Resources in India....................... 33 3. Present Regional Production and Future Potentialities of Mineral Resources in India ................... 43 4. Present Regional Production and Future Potentialities of Industrial Resources in India.................. 53 5. Large Iron and Steel Plants Established after Independence................................... 61 6. Percentage Share of the Sources of Revenue............. 115 7. Foreign Possessions in India and Their Integration. 135 8. General Election, 1952 Lok Sabha.................... I52 9. General Election, 1957 Lok Sabha.................... 153 10. General Election, 1962 Lok Sabha.................... 163 11. Allocation of Seats and Strength of Parties in Parliament....................................... 163 12. General Election, 1952: Vidhan Sa b h a ................. 173 13. General Election, 1957: Vidhan Sa b h a ................. 177 14* General Election, 1962: Vidhan Sa b h a ................. 130 15. Allocation of Seats and Strength of Parties in State Legislatures................................ 134 16. Changing Power Politics in the Various StateAssemblies Since the Fourth General Election, 1967 ........... 139 17. Mid-term Elections of February, 1969................ 195 13. Indians Overseas.....................................235 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. India and the World................................ 8 2. India: Physiographic Regions....................... 9 3> Strategic Passes of the Chumbi Valley.................. 13 Lf. India: Administrative Divisions with Major Rivers . 22 5. India: Variability of Rainfall............. 27 6. Average Annual Rainfall.............................. 28 7. The Pattern of All-India Future Power G r i d ............. $6 8. India: Principal Manufacturing Regions................. 60 9- The Indian Transportation System...................... 67 10. Imports, Exports and Balance of Trade...................74 11. India: Age and Percentage Distribution of Population. 77 12. Population Density.................................. 79 13. India before Integration............................. 85 14* Kashmir and Western Indian State Agency................. 89 15. India