Wonder why Indira Gandhi ended the emergency and declared an imminent election? Many reasons are given. It was the advisors, spiritual gurus, a forecast of victory and so on.
The suggestion that it was 'conscience' is generous! More likely it was her strategy to take the opponents by surprise! She knew them and had played her cards well earlier!
"Congress President Kamaraj orchestrated Mrs. Gandhi's selection as prime minister because he perceived her to be weak enough that he and the other regional party bosses could control her, and yet strong enough to beat Desai [her political opponent] in a party election because of the high regard for her father... a woman would be an ideal tool for the Syndicate."....
Indira Gandhi did not read the mood of the people right and lost the election.
It was Jayaprakash Narayan, the inspirational Gandhian activist, who corralled the unlikely alliance .... peculiar but briefly potent political force. ...
While we appreciate the sarcasm, whether the politicians acted like sheep or cattle, the joke is always on us, the people.
 |
| India Today cartoon by Ponappa on Indira Gandhi's political isolation. |
India Today is prudently polite .. 'The astonishing plasticity of political personalities and alliances first seen in the Janata victory still pulses in the coalitions of extremes that have since become a familiar feature of Indian elections.'
Light That Failed:
The choice of PM was left to Jayaprakash Narayan and Acharya Kripalani... Their choice of Morarji Desai was a bitter pill for some, but earlier in the day, wheel-chair-bound JP had led the Janata MP's in an oath of unity at Raj Ghat.
They could have had an election! It is disappointing, but not surprising to learn about the infighting amongst the elected leaders.
Swatantra Party formed earlier by Rajaji in 1959 was a break away from congress. It faded away after Rajaji's death. Rajaji did have valid differences with the Nehru's policy!
A pity that our countrymen cannot get away from being bhakths of gurus, leaders and movie stars! Real issues take a back seat!
I remember giving Rajaji a guard of honor near cubbon park while I was still a school kid. Have forgotten the other details! He spoke to each one of us.
Incidentally he studied in Central college, Bangalore. My college too and he too was an Iyengar! A brahmin who was progressive. But his government's prohibition of alcohol is debatable!
....There was a blunder by All India Radio, they mistakenly announced JP's death, Parliament was adjourned......but PM Desai declined to declare national mourning.
I had overheard Mr. HVR Iyengar, ICS and as Governor of Reserve Bank had maintained that he was not part of finance ministry and took independent decisions!
Arun Shourie was quoted in these pages.."They killed his promises and now they are bent on killing him as well."
.... Morarji Desai's government, reduced by defections and resignations, would last only till July 15.......JP died on October 8.
Dramatic persona of the opponents.
JayaprakashNarayan, /Jagjivan_Ram, Morarji Desai , Madhau Dandavate, H N Bahuguna, Nandini Satpathy, Choudhary Charan Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee
The Comeback.
Mrs Gandhi would not live to see the end of the tempestous decade that unfolded since her declaration of Emergency in 1975....
..Growing sympathy for her and frustration at the ego wars of the Janata netas...
.In 1979, when PM Charan Singh sought her support for his government. When he refused to drop the charges against her and and her son Sanjay, she brought his government down. ..Revenge served cold.
Did this type of ridiculous politics continue in future?
This decade however was full of challenging events ....
The operation blue star. Mrs Gandhi's assassination, Attack on Sikhs, Mass conversion of Tamil dalits, anti-outsider agitation in Assam, the Bhopal gas leak tragedy..Double Murder by Ranga and Billa, Bhagalpur Blindings....
There were good things happening too..
Maruti car manufacture, The rise of Angry Hero, Entry of small screen, video invasion, miracle at Lord's, 1982 Asian games performance, panther-like grace of Padukone and hockey had its last hurrah!
My personal memories. My niece Nanda was taken from her school to wait at the hospital where Inndira Gandhi was fighting for her life. Nanda had the same type of rare blood as the PM.
My chat with Prakash Padukone years later at BGC as we waited for an interview for membership. He was absolutely graceful and polite! Whoever saw him as they walked in would stop to say hello!
Happy Independence day.
5 comments:
Took me back to middle ,high school & college years ! Many incidents I recall quite clearly . And we subscribed to many magazines including India Today !
Hi Nidhi - I liked the article, some of it took me back in time. I didn’t know that Nanda had the same unique blood type as Mrs Gandhi. A t the end of it all did she give her blood?
Wasn’t 1975 the second emergency the first was sometime in the mid to late 60’s I maybe wrong nevertheless
🇮🇳🇮🇳 Happy Jana Gana Mana 🇮🇳🇮🇳
Thank you Nidhi for putting so many mile stones both national
And personal in a blog! Happy Independence Day!!
It gives you a sense of pride and a deep belonging when you see or hold the tri colour flag.
Just a piece of coloured cloth? A mere symbol?
No, it represents our own sense of belonging and pride to the land and culture that we are a part of and call it “our own”.
Let’s go on the create and live in that “Land of Glory”.
परं वैà¤à¤µं नेतुमेतत् स्वराष्ट्रं समर्था à¤à¤µà¤¤्वाशिषा ते à¤ृशम् ||
।। à¤ारत माता की जय ।।
Really nice rambler. It’s really unclear why the emergency ended. In fact I was in England during that period. The media there were all praises for that action. They thought that at last some order had been imposed on the chaos that was India. When I landed back end May 1976 I noticed that the middle class had adjusted to the change. In fact having been raided was a prestige point. The more raids the higher the standing! However the country was seething at the excesses particularly the forced vasectomies. It was the ground level Indian who chafed. IG wasn’t in touch with this. She wanted to circumvent the international criticism by getting an electoral cloak. Thanks to the Election process it backfired.
The subsequent period has been well covered. Rest as they say is history.
Raghunath
Post a Comment