Identity Politics and Democratic Participation in India
This paper provides an analysis of the complex relationship between identity politics and democratic participation in India, highlighting how the mobilizations based on caste, religion, region, and language have reshaped the political landscape of the country. The study also examines how these identities influence grassroots political consciousness and voter turnout. The "darker side" of this mobilization, which is marked by the emergence of competitive "vote-bank" politics, communal polarization, and the fragmentation of the voters into sectional interests, is also critically evaluated. The paper provides a conclusion that the future of democratic stability in India will be determined by the state’s ability to balance group -specific claims and the more general ideals of constitutional secularism and economic equality.
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