How do public or social movements in India strengthen democracy? What are its limitations?

Social movements in India helps to strengthen democracy as they are essential for rectifying the problems that couldn’t be solved by the routine democratic functioning.

It gives many socially backward groups an opportunity to represent their problems and demands that are sometimes left unanswered during party politics.

It makes different people with similar interests and demands come together and unify for their common goal and help broaden the public participation in democratic government by making people realise their rights and expectations they should have from the government.

Limitations of social movements –

• Real-life impact of social movements is sometimes very limited because most of the movements focus on a single issue and represent interests of only a single section of society.

• A broader alliance between different disadvantaged social groups is not possible under the leadership of such movements.

• Such movements operate in a very restrictive manner and relationships between political parties and social movements have grown weaker in current years.