Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Rise and fall of Rajiv Gandhi - General Elections 1984 - Emergence of communal politics in large scale

Rajiv Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi

In our earlier posting, we wrote about the rise and assassination of Indira Gandhi.  After Indira Gandhi's assassination, Rajiv Gandhi, her eldest son was sworn in as Prime Minister by the President of India.  In the anti sikh riots, thousands of people were killed.  As per the advise of new Prime Minister Raji Gandhi, President of India dissolved the 7th Lok Sabha and ordered General Elections.


8th General Elections 1984

8th General Elections were held for 515 constituencies only.  The elections for Punjab and Assam were held later due to law and order problem Voter turnout was 63.4%.  The elections were held on 24, 27 and 28th December 1984.  

Due to sympathy over the assassination of Indira Gandhi, Congress alliance (Congress and AIADMK) secured 416 seats (50.7% vote share).  Congress alone got 404 seats with 49.01% vote share.

The second largest party was Telugu Desam Party (TDP) led by N T Ramarao with 30 seats (4.3% vote share).  Janata Party could secure 10 seats with 6.9% vote share.  

Rajiv Gandhi sworn in as PM

Rajiv Gandhi was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India.  Rajiv Gandhi remains as the youngest PM in the history of Independent India.  

As the young Prime Minister, he took lot of initiatives to modernise and improve the telecom sector, education sector, technology sector.  He improved the relationship with US.  He also wanted to improve the relationship with neighbouring countries and to reduce the tension.  He wanted to reduce the License Raj regime. He was trying to get Mr Clean image in the governance. When he started his job as PM, he brought lot of hopes to the Indians.

Some of the major challenges and controversies

As the young PM, he had to face major challenges like Bhopal Gas tragedy, Coup in Maldives, anti sikh riots, Srilankan Tamil issue, etc. 

He was accused of allowing Warren Anderson, to leave the country after the Bhopal Gas tragedy (Dec 1984).

He sincerely attempted to resolve Srilankan Tamil probems through Rajiv Gandhi - Jayawardane accord and by despatching Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka to maintain peace.  Later he landed in a controversy and became victim.  He was assassinated in 1991 by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). 

V P Singh, then Finance Minister in his cabinet accused Rajiv Gandhi with Bofors scandal, involving around Rs.60 crores of rupees.  He was accused of favouring Ottavio Quattrocchi, an Italian business man close to the family of his wife Sonia Gandhi (an Italian by birth).  Bofors scandal brought down his Mr Clean image drastically.  V P Singh was dismissed from the cabinet in 1988.  VP Singh resigned from Congress and started the Janata Dal party.  

Beginning of major communal politics - reversing the Supreme Court judgement in Shah Banu case

Shah Banu Photo courtesy: The Hindu
Shah Banu Photo courtesy: The Hindu
In the case Mohammad Ahmed Khan vs Shah Banu, the 5 Judges full bench of Supreme Court ruled in 1985 that Shah Banu (60), the divorcee was entitled for the compensation from her erstwhile husband under Sec 125 of Cr PC.  Though, originally Rajiv Gandhi  supported this judgement in the Parliament,  later at the pressure of Islamic leaders, he agreed to pass an Act to nullify the Supreme Court Judgement and to enforce Shariat Law for Muslim women even under Criminal Penal Code.  

His approach was criticised by the Hindu leaders as an  'appeasement of Muslim community'.  They objected to any modification of SC ruling on the basis of religion.  They argued when the Indian Constitution envisaged 'uniform civil code' for Indian citizens, the approach of Rajiv Gandhi to amend the criminal law was a communal politics amounted to an appeasement.  They further argued that there cannot be different criminal law for different religions.  However, Rajiv Gandhi wanted to introduce a new Act to nullify the SC ruling.

Ayodhya issue

Though Rajiv Gandhi started his term of office as PM with a great hope, he caught himself in the communal politics.  To avoid displeasure with Hindus, due to his efforts to please the Muslim community, he found an answer in one of the civil cases in the Faizabad Court, a town close to Ayodhya, the temple town.

Ayodhya is considered as the birth place of Lord Ram.  There was a dispute in one of the sites popularly known as 'Ram Janma Bhoomi- Babri Masjid'.  Hindus believed that this was the birth place of Lord Ram and Babar one of the Moghul Kings destroyed the original temple and constructed the Babri Masjid.  The dispute was in existence for several years.  Till 1949, the place was not used for worship either by Hindus or by Muslims.  A case was filed in 1949 in Allahabad High Court by some Hindus to declare the structure as Ram Janma Bhoomi.  

Meanwhile, way back in 1950, a Ram Lala (Ram deity) was placed in the mid night by some persons.  When it was objected by the Muslim community then PM, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted to remove the Ram idol from the place.  Since it was an highly sensitive issue, the Congress Government in UP at that time did not oblige Nehru and did not remove  the Ram idol.  To avoid law and order problem and worship by public, without any official orders, the building was closed with a lock.  Public were not allowed to worship, but priests used to go inside and conduct poojas.  That was the position till 1985.

Umesh Chandra Pandey - Photo courtesy: Wall Street Journal
Umesh Chandra Pandey - Photo courtesy: Wall Street Journal
One Umesh Chandra Pandey filed a case during Jan  1986 in Faizabad Court to unlock the Ram janma Bhoomi and to allow the devotees to worship Lord Ram.  This case came up on 1st Feb 1986 for hearing.  Since there was no order for locking the Ram janma Bhoomi years back, the judge  ordered the lock to be removed.  Ram janma Bhoomi was opened for worship of Lord Ram.  This was widely publicised through All India Radio and Doordarshan. The unlocking was done with the consent of Rajiv Gandhi to please Hindus. 

According to Mani Shankar Iyer (now a senior Congress leader and Rajiv's close friend), Rajiv Gandhi received this information when he was at Maldives. (see Wall Street Journal article).

Now back to Muslims

Having pleased Hindus with the unlocking of Ram Janma Bhoomi, Rajiv Gandhi passed  an Act known as 'THE MUSLIM WOMEN (PROTECTION OF RIGHTS ON DIVORCE) ACT, 1986ACT NO. 25 OF 1986 on 19th May 1986. This act nullified the SC ruling given in Shah Banu case.  According to this Act, the divorcee woman is entitled for maintenance from her husband only during Iddat Period (maximum 3 months).  

Now back to Hindus

Hindu organisations like Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) were campaigning for building a Ram temple at Ayodhya. They had covered 2.75 villages and 60 lakh people. 

In June 1989, BJP in their National Executive Meeting endorsed the views of Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to build a Ram temple at Ram Janma Bhoomi.   The resolution highlighted the callous unconcern of Rajiv Gandhi on resolving the dispute of Ram Janma Bhoomi.  BJP was not a main opposition party at that time (2 MPs)  and  VP Singh was the main threat to Rajiv Gandhi.  Since the elections were to be held soon, his advisors encouraged him to co-opt the same issue to get re-elected.  In view of this, he even started his 1989 Election Campaign later from Ayodhya promising 'Ram Rajya'.  (See Wall Street Journal article).

Shilanya November 1989 - Photo courtesy Wall Street Jounral
Shilanya November 1989 - Photo courtesy Wall Street Jounral
VHP wanted to perform Shilanya (Kar Seva) with the bricks collected from the devotees.  Rajiv Gandhi allowed Hindus to perform Kar Seva in November 1989 in the adjoining site of Ramjanma Bhoomi.  He even deputed Buta Singh, then Home Minister to participate in the Kar Seva.  

Playing with Hindu and Muslim sentiments 

Even in the earlier regimes,  Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, played communal politics to woo voters in the name of 'secularism'.  But during Rajiv Gandhi's time, communal politics was played openly to woo the Hindu and Muslim voters simultaneously.

Because of the frequent changes in the appeasement, both Hindu and Muslim voters did not trust Rajiv Gandhi.  Probably because of his young age, he was misguided by his coteries.  

In the process, he lost heavily the 1989 elections and could not form the Government.  He became the opposition leader.  BJP which had only 2 seats in 1984, gained 85 seats in 1989. V P Singh with the support of Left parties and BJP formed the Government. 

In the next article, we will see the rise and fall of V P Singh and the beginning of caste politics in India.


Saturday, September 21, 2013

Rise and fall of Indira Gandhi - General Elections 1980

Indira Gandhi

In the earlier posting, we saw how Janata Party rose to power with sweeping majority in 1977 and got split into various factions within two years.  Charan Singh, the Deputy Prime Minister, who had an ambition of becoming PM, was wooed by Indira Gandhi to come out of Janata Party and to form the Government with outside support of Congress.  

Accordingly, he withdrew from Janata Party Government along with 64 of his erstwhile members of Lok Dal.  Bharatiya Jan Singh (BJS) component of Janata Party led by Vajpayee and LK Advani also withdrew the support to form Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  Morarji Government lost the confidence vote in  Lok Sabha and submitted his resignation.

Chaudhary Charan Singh (Present Cabinet Minister Ajit Singh's father) claimed to become the PM with the outside support of Congress led by Indira Gandhi. Charan Singh had only 64 Members on his side.  He was sworn in as 7th Prime Minister of India on 28th July 1979.  Even before he could prove his majority in the Lok Sabha, Indira Gandhi withdrew her support to Charan Singh.  President of India dissolved the Lok Sabha and ordered fresh elections.

That was the end of the first Non-Congress Government formed by multiple parties with different ideologies.  The first experiment of coalition Government failed in India.

Political analysts feel that the manipulative and cunning tactics of Indira Gandhi divided her enemies to her advantage.  We will see later in this article, how her manipulative tactics created problems in Punjab, leading to her assassination.  

7th General Elections - Jan 1980

7th General Elections were held on 3rd and 6th Jan 1980.   59.6% of the voters participated in the General Elections.

Since the Janata party got split into various factions due to their internal fight and political ambition, people got frustrated with the instability of the Government.  Not withstanding the emergency excesses and agonies, people voted Indira Gandhi back to power.  Congress and her alliance parties won 374 seats.  Congress alone got 353 seats (42.7% vote share), as against 189 seats (41% vote share) in 1977.  Though the vote share of Congress has marginally increased only by 1.7%, because of the split of opposition parties, Congress could bag 353 seats.

Janata Party and its allies got only 34 seats.  Janata party individually got ony 31 seats (19% vote share), as against 295 seats (41.3% vote share) in 1977.  The reduction of vote share has happened due to the split of Janata Party into various factions.  Left parties bagged 53 seats.

Interestingly, DMK who was with Janata Party, because of the sufferings of Emergency, shifted its support to Indira Gandhi in 1980.  AIADMK led by MG Ramachandran, who was earlier with Indira Gandhi, shifted his support to Janata Party.

With the sweeping majority of 353 seats, Indira Gandhi became the 8th Prime Minister of India on  14th January 1980.

P V Narasimha Rao (who became PM later), R Venkatraman (who became President of India later) and Zail Singh (who became President of India later) were the cabinet ministers in the Indira Gandhi cabinet.  

Operation Blue Star

Bhindranwale with his body guarants at the Golden Temple Photo courtesy: sikhmuseum.com
Bhindranwale with his body guarants at the Golden Temple
Photo courtesy: sikhmuseum.com
Indira Gandhi ordered a military operation code worded 'Operation Blue Star' in Jan 1984.  Around 10000 jawans from Indian Army, CRPF, BSF and Punjab Police were involved in this operation to kill the extremists headed by Bhindranwale, who were hiding in the Golden Temple at Amritsar.  The army men entered Golden Temple and conducted the operations.  In the process Bhindranwale and 140 militants were killed inside the Golden Temple.  Golden Temple is the holiest place for Sikh Community.  Thousands of civilians also died in the operation both inside and outside the Golden Temple.  

Though official figure indicated the death of 492 civilians, media reported estimated death of more than 5000 civilians.  During the time of Operation Blue Star no media was permitted for nearly 14 days. 

Bhindranwale was promoted by Indira Gandhi

Earlier in 1982, to reduce the supremacy of Akali Dal (who were with Janata Party in 1977), Indira Gandhi encouraged and helped Bhindranwale to become the head of the radical wing of Akali parties.  Unfortunately, it got backfired and he became a powerful messiah and Punjab's big religious leader.  One of the foreign journalists wrote,  "Indira Gandhi created a monster, which she could not control'.  Indira Gandhi became the victim of her own manipulative tactics.  She had to order 'operation blue star' to eliminate all the militant groups led by Bhindranwale, who were living in Golden Temple.  

Damaged Akali Takht (Golden Temple)
Damaged Akali Takht (Golden Temple)
The entry of army personnel into  Golden Temple and damaging their holy place created anger among the Sikh Community worldwide. Many Sikh people resigned army and Government jobs.  Though Sikh Community is less than 2% of the population, the military cannot function without their support.  They are known for their bravery and commitment.  

Indira Gandhi visiting Golden Temple on 23rd June 1984
Indira Gandhi visiting Golden Temple on 23rd June 1984
To assuage the hurt feelings of the Sikh Community, Indira Gandhi visited the Golden Temple on 23rd June 1984.  She also ordered reconstruction of damaged portions of the Golden Temple during the operation blue star.  

Indira Gandhi assassinated

Rajiv Gandhi near the body of Indira Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi near the body of Indira Gandhi
Since the operation blue star had hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community, some people had developed vengeance against her.  On 31st October 1984, when she was walking on the  foot path of her residence, two of her body guards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh assassinated her by firing bullets on her chest.  

Rajiv Gandhi sworn in as Prime Minister

Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi never took interest in politics.  But Indira Gandhi wanted him to enter into politics.  When Indira Gandhi was assassinated, Rajiv Gandhi was in Calcutta. On his arrival, then President of India Zail Singh made him as the Prime Minister of India.  

Anti-Sikh riots

Burning shops in the anti sikh riots at Delhi

After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, riot broke throughout India.  Sikh community was targetted.  In Delhi alone more than 3000 Sikh community people were killed by anti-social elements.  It is estimated that throughout India more than 6000 people might have been killed.  In spite of Congress leaders encouraging communal riot, many of the Sikh families were protected by Hindus throughout India.   Even now, many of the Sikh community people who witnessed 1984 riot, would explain how they were protected by other community people, from the anti-social elements.  

Jagadish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, HKL Bhagat, the senior Congress leaders were reported to have been responsible for this riot, mass killing and genocide.  Though cases have been booked against them in 1984, till date, nobody has been punished.  
Rajiv Gandhi's comment on genocide and mass killing
Rajiv Gandhi's comment on genocide and mass killing
To add fuel to  fire, Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister said, "When a big tree falls, the earth below shakes a little".  This statement created fury among the people and it was largely criticised.  

7th Lok Sabha dissolved and fresh elections ordered

At the request of the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, President of India dissolved the Lok Sabha and ordered fresh elections.

Fresh elections were held in December 1984.  due to sympathy wave, Rajiv Gandhi secured 416 seats out of 515 seats, for which elections were held. (Elections were not held in Punjab and Assam)  He formed the Government in Dec 1984.  

In our next posting, we will look at the rise and fall of Rajiv Gandhi.

By Prime Point Srinivasan

Rise and fall of Indira Gandhi - General Elections 1980

Indira Gandhi

In the earlier posting, we saw how Janata Party rose to power with sweeping majority in 1977 and got split into various factions within two years.  Charan Singh, the Deputy Prime Minister, who had an ambition of becoming PM, was wooed by Indira Gandhi to come out of Janata Party and to form the Government with outside support of Congress.  

Accordingly, he withdrew from Janata Party Government along with 64 of his erstwhile members of Lok Dal.  Bharatiya Jan Singh (BJS) component of Janata Party led by Vajpayee and LK Advani also withdrew the support to form Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  Morarji Government lost the confidence vote in  Lok Sabha and submitted his resignation.

Chaudhary Charan Singh (Present Cabinet Minister Ajit Singh's father) claimed to become the PM with the outside support of Congress led by Indira Gandhi. Charan Singh had only 64 Members on his side.  He was sworn in as 7th Prime Minister of India on 28th July 1979.  Even before he could prove his majority in the Lok Sabha, Indira Gandhi withdrew her support to Charan Singh.  President of India dissolved the Lok Sabha and ordered fresh elections.

That was the end of the first Non-Congress Government formed by multiple parties with different ideologies.  The first experiment of coalition Government failed in India.

Political analysts feel that the manipulative and cunning tactics of Indira Gandhi divided her enemies to her advantage.  We will see later in this article, how her manipulative tactics created problems in Punjab, leading to her assassination.  

7th General Elections - Jan 1980

7th General Elections were held on 3rd and 6th Jan 1980.   59.6% of the voters participated in the General Elections.

Since the Janata party got split into various factions due to their internal fight and political ambition, people got frustrated with the instability of the Government.  Not withstanding the emergency excesses and agonies, people voted Indira Gandhi back to power.  Congress and her alliance parties won 374 seats.  Congress alone got 353 seats (42.7% vote share), as against 189 seats (41% vote share) in 1977.  Though the vote share of Congress has marginally increased only by 1.7%, because of the split of opposition parties, Congress could bag 353 seats.

Janata Party and its allies got only 34 seats.  Janata party individually got ony 31 seats (19% vote share), as against 295 seats (41.3% vote share) in 1977.  The reduction of vote share has happened due to the split of Janata Party into various factions.  Left parties bagged 53 seats.

Interestingly, DMK who was with Janata Party, because of the sufferings of Emergency, shifted its support to Indira Gandhi in 1980.  AIADMK led by MG Ramachandran, who was earlier with Indira Gandhi, shifted his support to Janata Party.

With the sweeping majority of 353 seats, Indira Gandhi became the 8th Prime Minister of India on  14th January 1980.

P V Narasimha Rao (who became PM later), R Venkatraman (who became President of India later) and Zail Singh (who became President of India later) were the cabinet ministers in the Indira Gandhi cabinet.  

Operation Blue Star

Bhindranwale with his body guarants at the Golden Temple Photo courtesy: sikhmuseum.com
Bhindranwale with his body guarants at the Golden Temple
Photo courtesy: sikhmuseum.com
Indira Gandhi ordered a military operation code worded 'Operation Blue Star' in Jan 1984.  Around 10000 jawans from Indian Army, CRPF, BSF and Punjab Police were involved in this operation to kill the extremists headed by Bhindranwale, who were hiding in the Golden Temple at Amritsar.  The army men entered Golden Temple and conducted the operations.  In the process Bhindranwale and 140 militants were killed inside the Golden Temple.  Golden Temple is the holiest place for Sikh Community.  Thousands of civilians also died in the operation both inside and outside the Golden Temple.  

Though official figure indicated the death of 492 civilians, media reported estimated death of more than 5000 civilians.  During the time of Operation Blue Star no media was permitted for nearly 14 days. 

Bhindranwale was promoted by Indira Gandhi

Earlier in 1982, to reduce the supremacy of Akali Dal (who were with Janata Party in 1977), Indira Gandhi encouraged and helped Bhindranwale to become the head of the radical wing of Akali parties.  Unfortunately, it got backfired and he became a powerful messiah and Punjab's big religious leader.  One of the foreign journalists wrote,  "Indira Gandhi created a monster, which she could not control'.  Indira Gandhi became the victim of her own manipulative tactics.  She had to order 'operation blue star' to eliminate all the militant groups led by Bhindranwale, who were living in Golden Temple.  

Damaged Akali Takht (Golden Temple)
Damaged Akali Takht (Golden Temple)
The entry of army personnel into  Golden Temple and damaging their holy place created anger among the Sikh Community worldwide. Many Sikh people resigned army and Government jobs.  Though Sikh Community is less than 2% of the population, the military cannot function without their support.  They are known for their bravery and commitment.  

Indira Gandhi visiting Golden Temple on 23rd June 1984
Indira Gandhi visiting Golden Temple on 23rd June 1984
To assuage the hurt feelings of the Sikh Community, Indira Gandhi visited the Golden Temple on 23rd June 1984.  She also ordered reconstruction of damaged portions of the Golden Temple during the operation blue star.  

Indira Gandhi assassinated

Rajiv Gandhi near the body of Indira Gandhi
Rajiv Gandhi near the body of Indira Gandhi
Since the operation blue star had hurt the religious sentiments of the Sikh community, some people had developed vengeance against her.  On 31st October 1984, when she was walking on the  foot path of her residence, two of her body guards Satwant Singh and Beant Singh assassinated her by firing bullets on her chest.  

Rajiv Gandhi sworn in as Prime Minister

Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira Gandhi never took interest in politics.  But Indira Gandhi wanted him to enter into politics.  When Indira Gandhi was assassinated, Rajiv Gandhi was in Calcutta. On his arrival, then President of India Zail Singh made him as the Prime Minister of India.  

Anti-Sikh riots

Burning shops in the anti sikh riots at Delhi

After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, riot broke throughout India.  Sikh community was targetted.  In Delhi alone more than 3000 Sikh community people were killed by anti-social elements.  It is estimated that throughout India more than 6000 people might have been killed.  In spite of Congress leaders encouraging communal riot, many of the Sikh families were protected by Hindus throughout India.   Even now, many of the Sikh community people who witnessed 1984 riot, would explain how they were protected by other community people, from the anti-social elements.  

Jagadish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, HKL Bhagat, the senior Congress leaders were reported to have been responsible for this riot, mass killing and genocide.  Though cases have been booked against them in 1984, till date, nobody has been punished.  
Rajiv Gandhi's comment on genocide and mass killing
Rajiv Gandhi's comment on genocide and mass killing
To add fuel to  fire, Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister said, "When a big tree falls, the earth below shakes a little".  This statement created fury among the people and it was largely criticised.  

7th Lok Sabha dissolved and fresh elections ordered

At the request of the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, President of India dissolved the Lok Sabha and ordered fresh elections.

Fresh elections were held in December 1984.  due to sympathy wave, Rajiv Gandhi secured 416 seats out of 515 seats, for which elections were held. (Elections were not held in Punjab and Assam)  He formed the Government in Dec 1984.  

In our next posting, we will look at the rise and fall of Rajiv Gandhi.

By Prime Point Srinivasan

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Post Emergency scenario - Rise and fall of Janata Government

Elections declared


On 23rd Jan 1977, Indira Gandhi announced elections to the Lok Sabha.  Emergency was lifted on 23rd March 1977, after 21 months.  After the declaration of elections, all the leaders were released from jail.  

Formation of Janata Party

When the leaders came out, they did not have money or organisational structure.  The workers were also in prison.   Four major political parties Congress (O), Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal and Socialist party were merged to form 'Janata Party'. All of them contested under the same symbol of ‘chakra-haldhar’.  Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan brought all the leaders together to fight against Indira Gandhi.

6th General Elections - 1977 - Janata Government formed

TOI report on Janata party victory and resignation of Indira Gandhi
Times of India report on Indira Gandhi resignation
victory of Janata Party
In the General Elections, Janata Party and its allies swept the polls by getting 345 seats out of 542 in the Lok Sabha. This constituted 51.9% of polled votes.  60.5% of voters participated in the elections. The newly formed Janata Party alone secured 295 seats (41.1% vote share).

Congress and other alliance parties could win only in 189 seats (41% vote share), that too in the four states of South India.  In the North India, Indira Gandhi got only 2 seats.  Both Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi were defeated.  Indira Gandhi apologized for the emergency excesses and atrocities. 

Morarji Desai, the 4th Indian Prime Minister

Janata Party leaders pleding unity
Janata Party leaders
pledging unity
After the Elections, the first non-Congress Government after Independence was formed with Mr Morarji Desai as the 4th Prime Minister of India on 24th March 1977.  Babu Jagjivan Ram and Chaudhary Charan Singh were designated as Deputy Prime Ministers.  Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani and many senior leaders were the Cabinet Ministers.  This cabinet is still considered as one of the best cabinet with eminent persons and expertise.  

Before the swearing in ceremony, all the leaders of the newly formed Janata Party pledged at Mahatma Gandhi Samadhi, in the presence of Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan to run the Government with unity.  

Morarji Desai
Morarji Desai
During the emergency days, Indira Gandhi made a constitutional amendment (known as 42nd amendment) crippling the constitutional powers.  But after Janata Party came to power, they reversed all the amendments, to restore the supremacy of the Constitution. (popularly known as 44th amendment).

Appointment of Shah Commission by Janata Government

Janata Party formed the Government under the Prime Ministership of Morarji Desai. They appointed a Commission under the Chairmanship of Justice Shah to enquire into the atrocities and excess committed during the Emergency period.  Justice Shah also submitted his report in August 1978.

In September 1977, Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi were arrested for various charges.  This arrest event created more sympathy to Indira Gandhi.

Fall of Morarji Government

Due to infighting among the merged parties, the Janata Government could not remain in power for the full term.  Charan Singh, who was the Deputy Prime Minister, was lured by Congress to get the Prime Minister's post.  He broke away from Janata Party with 64 members of erstwhile Lok Dal party, along with Raj Narain.  Meanwhile, Bharatiy Jan Sangh also withdrew support to Morarji Government and broke away from Janata Party, to form the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  Morarji Desai lost the confidence vote in the Lok Sabha and resigned from Prime Ministership.

Charan Singh sworn in as PM

Charan Singh was sworn in as 5th Prime Minister on 28th July 1979 with the promised outside support of Indira
Charan Singh
Charan Singh
Gandhi.  Charan Singh with his 64 members formed the Government.  After the formation of the Government, but before the Confidence motion in Lok Sabha, Congress withdrew the support.  Hence, Charan Singh resigned the PM's post.  President of India dissolved the Lok Sabha and ordered fresh elections.  

Charan Singh remained in office till 14th January 1980.  He is the only Prime Minister in India, who never faced Parliament and remained in power for several months.

Very unfortunately, the Janata Government which came to power with the slogan 'democracy or dictatorship', could not continue for long, due to the internal differences and personal ambitions  of the leaders. 

Janata Party  got split into various parties, like Janata Dal, BJP, Samajvadi Party, etc.  Presently, Dr Subramaniam Swamy is the lone leader who  remained  in the original Janata Party.  Now Janata Party is also merged with BJP.  The party which ruled the nation once is no longer existing. 

Post emergency era witnessed lot of political instability, with the emergence of various small parties holding regional powers.  In the elections held in 1980, Indira Gandhi came back to power with more seats.  In the next posting, we will look at her re-emergence and her assassination.  

By Prime Point Srinivasan


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Indian democracy came to a grinding halt in 1975 - Part III

Shah Commission Report – Lost and Regained

Shah Commission Report lost and regained
The entire 21 months dark period of Indian democracy was burried under carpet. Mr Era Sezhiyan, a well known Parliamentarian and a Member of Parliament during the Emergency period had one copy of the Shah Commission Report in his library.  He is now at 91.  Now the report has been reprinted and published.  I have taken an interview with Mr Sezhiyan about the Shah Commission Report. Please listen to an exclusive interview with Mr Era. Sezhiyan on Shah Commission Report. 


The interview can also be watched from Youtube http://goo.gl/QrPH8 

Forgotten history and heroes

The martyrs have been forgotten in the history.  Attempts were made to erase this part of the history.  Because of the ignorance of this great struggle, even Anna Hazare team calls their movement as 'second freedom movement'.  Calling Anna Hazare movement as second freedom struggle will amount to belittling the sacrifices made by Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan and other great leaders.  More than 1,40,000 leaders spent their time in prison during emergency days. 

Let us salute those UnSung Heros who fought to restore the democracy back to India.  

Abu Abraham’s popular cartoon in Indian Express dt. 10.12.1975


abu_abraham_cartoon_10121975-indianexpress
Abu Abraham cartoon 10 12 1975-indianexpress
Abu Abraham’s (A well known Indian Cartoonist) cartoon in  Indian Express  showing Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signing the Emergency declaration from his bathtub. 

In this cartoon, President Fakruddin Ali Ahamed tells PM’s emissary, “If there are any more ordinances, just ask them to wait”.

This cartoon is the most popular cartoon published by Indian Express with courage during the emergency days.

Shankar’s weekly – Last cover 31st August 1975

shankars weekly 31081975 cover last issue
Shankars weekly 31 08 1975 cover last issue
Shankar’s weekly, the most popular cartoon magazine of India, started in 1948, exclusively for cartoons was forced to shut down in 1975 after introduction Press Censorship during Emergency.  

After 27 years of publication, Shankar’s Weekly published their last edition on 31st August 1975.  The cover page carried the words, "Parting – Not without sorrow”. 

In the Editorial of the last edition, Shankar Pillai, the Editor wrote, “Dictatorships cannot afford laughter because people may laugh at the dictator and that wouldn’t do. In all the years of Hitler, there never was a good comedy, not a good cartoon, not a parody, or a spoof. From this point, the world and sadly enough India have become grimmer.”

By Prime Point Srinivasan
Reproduced from the ezine PreSense June 2012 issue

Indian democracy came to a grinding halt in 1975 - Part II

Emergency days – Four pillars of democracy crippled

George Fernandes handcuffed
George Fernandes
hand cuffed
Nearly 1,40,000 leaders were arrested during this period.  Of this, around 40,000 were from Sikh community.  Even some of the senior leaders were handcuffed (See photo of George Fernandes in a handcuff).

Sycophants surrounded Indira Gandhi.  Many excesses were committed.  Sterilizations were done forcibly.  Huts were removed through police force.  Many officers were 'more loyal to the kingdom than the king himself'.  Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi was accused of all the excesses. (Now Sanjay Gandhi's wife Menaka and son Varun are in BJP).

Powers of the Courts were removed.  There was acute 
Sanjay Gandhi and Indira Gandhi
Sanjay Gandhi and Indira Gandhi
press censorship.  Only Doordarshan and All India Radio were giving out Government based news.  Print Media had to show their news item to the Censor Officer in all the Regions to get approval.  Hence, the people were not getting correct information.  Only handful of papers showed courage at that time.  We have to appreciate the courage shown by Indian Express and Thuglak (Cho Ramaswamy) at that time, to fight against the emergency.  Indian Express as a mark of protest against ‘censorship’ published a ‘blank editorial’.  
Blank editorial of  Indian Express
Blank editorial of
Indian Express
Through this ‘blank editorial’, they conveyed a powerful message to their readers, more than what could have been communicated through a well written editorial.

When the papers were asked to bend, many of the national papers started crawling.  Historically, the so called 'big brands' of today, crawled during the emergency days, to save their skin. 

Dr Subramaniam Swamy was a Member of Parliament then.  The Government wanted to arrest him.  Every time, he used to show his head in Parliament and within few hours he would surface in some other foreign country.  He was giving a tough fight against the emergency. 

Rashtriya Suyam Sevak Sangh (RSS) was banned.  Their leaders were arrested.  Many of them went underground.  They were working against emergency in disguise.    Even many of the Communist leaders were arrested.

End of Emergency – All records destroyed

Elections declared

On 23rd Jan 1977, Indira Gandhi announced elections to the Lok Sabha.  Emergency was lifted on 23rd March 1977, after 21 months.  After the declaration of elections, all the leaders were released from jail.  

chakra-haldhar
Chakra-haldhar
When the leaders came out, they did not have money or organisational structure.  The workers were also in prison.   Four major political parties Congress (O), Bharatiya Jan Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal and Socialist party were merged to form 'Janata Party'. All of them contested under the same symbol of ‘chakra-haldhar’. 

In the General Elections, Janata Party and its allies swept the polls by getting 330 seats out of 542 in the Lok Sabha.  Indira Gandhi could win only in 154 seats, that too in the four states of South India.  In the North India, Indira Gandhi got only 2 seats.  Both Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi were defeated.  Indira Gandhi apologized for the emergency excesses and atrocities.  

During the emergency days, Indira Gandhi made a constitutional amendment (known as 42nd amendment
Morarji Desai
Morarji Desai
) crippling the constitutional powers.  But after Janata Party came to power, they reversed all the amendments, to restore the supremacy of the Constitution. (popularly known as 44th amendment).

Appointment of Shah Commission by Janata Government
Janata Party formed the Government under the Prime Ministership of Morarji Desai. They appointed a Commission under the Chairmanship of Justice Shah to enquire into the atrocities and excess committed during the Emergency period.  Justice Shah also submitted his report in August 1978.

Very unfortunately, the Janata Government could not continue for long, due to the internal differences of the leaders. Thereafter, the Janata Party also got split into various parties, like Janata Dal, BJP, Samajvadi Party, etc.  Presently, Dr Subramaniam Swamy is the lone leader who  remained  in the original Janata Party.  Now Janata Party is merged with BJP.

Indira back to power

Indira Gandhi came back to power in 1980.  After her coming back to power, all the copies of Shah Commission Report were removed from the libraries, including from the Parliament and National libraries.   Not even one single copy of the report was available after that time. 

In the next part, we will explain as to how the history was suppressed and how regained recently.  

By Prime Point Srinivasan
Reproduced from the ezine PreSense June 2012 issue

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