What was not the political and economic context of the fourth general…

What was not the political and economic context of the fourth general elections?

Answer & explanation

Correct answer: option 4

The correct answer is Option (4) → The government saw protests as the expression of people’s aspirations.

Option (1) The grave economic crisis Part of the context (Incorrect). It came from failed monsoons, drought, food shortage and the depletion of foreign exchange reserves.

Option (2) There was drop in industrial production and exports. Part of the context (Incorrect).

Option (3) Frequent call for Bandhs and Hartals Part of the context (Incorrect).

Option (4) The government saw protests as the expression of people’s aspirations. Not the context (Correct). The government saw the protests as a law and order problem and not as expressions of people’s problems, which further increased public bitterness.

NCERT (2025-26): “Context of the elections … In the years leading up to the fourth general elections, the country witnessed major changes. Two Prime Ministers had died in quick succession, and the new Prime Minister, who was being seen as a political novice, had been in office for less than a year. You will recall from the discussion in Chapter Three and in the previous section of this chapter that the period was fraught with grave economic crisis resulting from successive failure of monsoons, widespread drought, decline in agricultural production, serious food shortage, depletion of foreign exchange reserves, drop in industrial production and exports, combined with a sharp rise in military expenditure and diversion of resources from planning and economic development. One of the first decisions of the Indira Gandhi government was to devaluate the Indian rupee, under what was seen to be pressure from the US. Earlier one US dollar could be purchased for less than Rs. 5; after devaluation it cost more than Rs. 7. The economic situation triggered off price rise. People started protesting against the increase in prices of essential commodities, food scarcity, growing unemployment and the overall economic condition in the country. Bandhs and hartals were called frequently across the country. The government saw the protests as a law and order problem and not as expressions of people’s problems. This further increased public bitterness and reinforced popular unrest.…”