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FOCUS ON INDIA’s
CORDIAL RELATIONS

WITH

PAKISTAN, SUDAN,
DECEMBER 7, 1974 HUNGARY, G. D. R.
60p. CZECHOSLOVAKIA

The Congress President, Shri Dev

Kanta Borooah inaugurated the
National Forum of Teachers at
New Delhi on November 29 as part
of the Central Campaign Commit
tee's programme for involving the
intelligentsia in the counter-offen
sive against the rightist and fascist
challenge. Shri Jagiivan Ram,
Chairman of the Committee is at
extreme right. (Report on Page 9)

CONGRESS NMOVES
IN NEW
DIRECTIONS

Shri Yashpal Kapur, Convener, cen

tral Campaign Committee, speak
ing at the inaugural function of
the National Writers’ Association
at New Delhi on November 28.
The Congress President and Shri
Jagjivan Ram can be seen near
the banner. In the foreground is
the poet Shri Anand Mohan
“Gulzar” Zutshi Secretary of the
Association.

[.
-

DEMOCRACY a socialism º SECULARISM º NON-ALIGNMENT


CONGRESS PRESIDENT*S LETTER
NARORA CAMP:
FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMME
The Congress President, Shri Dev Kanta
Borooah, has addressed the following letter dated
November 26 to all Presidents of PCCs, TCCs and
DCCs, all Congress MPs and all Congress MLAs.
Dear friend:
Since I wrote to you last on October 23, 1974,
the political climate in the country has begun to
undergo a dramatic change. Massive mass rallies
have been held by the Congress at Ranchi, Patna and
Jaipur in each of which lakhs of people participated
demonstrating their resolve to defend democracy
and to stand by the Congress and the leadership of
the Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
A new wave of enthusiasm and a new sense of
confidence can be seen amongst Congressmen of all
ranks. It is in this setting that we had our Central
Training Camp at Narora from November 22 to 24,
1974.
In this Camp all Congressmen and women, irres
pective of the position they hold, lived together, ate
together and discussed in depth the current challen
ges facing the country. This camp was attended by
Members of Congress Working Committee, Congress
Chief Ministers, PCC Presidents and others. It was
unanimously decided that the Congressmen must fight
uncompromisingly and defeat anti-democratic agita
tions in Bihar and elsewhere.
Our mass movement against subversion of de
mocracy has to be expanded and intensified continu
ously till such time as the Congress emerges com
pletely victorious.
We should have no confusion about anti-demo
cratic forces which are trying to thwart our basic
policies and programmes and we must combat them.
Leaders of anti-democratic movements should be
treated as any other political leader and fought as
such.
Democracy and independence of our country are
one and the same thing and, therefore, anybody
striking at democracy strikes at our independence.
All Congressmen must, therefore, join hands to de
feat this onslaught on democracy.
Simultaneously, the Congress organisation and
the Congress Governments must also take steps to
help, even in a modest way, the masses, specially the
most suppressed sections of the people of all politi
cal parties, the Congress is the nearest to the poor
people and therefore must do all that it can, to ameli
orate their difficulties.
Therefore, with a view to strengthening our
SOCIALIST INDIA
Party and to take steps towards redeeming our
pledges, a 3-month programme was adopted at
Narora. I am enclosing with this letter a copy of
that programme. I urge you to take immediate and
concrete steps to ensure that this programme is
implemented and the units of our Party actively as
sociate in its implementation. It will be wrong to
leave the implementation of this programme only in
the hands of the administration. Governmental action
must be backed up by active participation of Con
gress organisation.
In this context, I specially draw your attention
to the Crash Programme for distribution of non
alienable house-sites to the Harijans and landless
labour in the rural areas by the February 15, 1975.
The responsibility for monitoring this programme has
been entrusted to me.
The DCCs should take active interest in helping
the administration to prepare lists of Harijans and
to ensure that house-sites are made available to them ...
in public functions on fixed dates. Congress members
of Parliament and State Legislatures should visit
their respective constituencies, get in with the DCCs
and local administration and extend to them fullest
cooperation in the implementation of this programme.
Friends, our biggest strength is the faith of the
people that we do what we say. We must not allow
this credibility to be eroded.
I am fully confident that all of us who have the
privilege to belong to the largest democratic party
in the world, wedded to bring about socialism in our -
country of sixty crores by peaceful and parliamen
tary means, will rise to the occasion and ensure suc
cessful implementation of this programme fully.
With fraternal greetings,
- Yours sincerely,
(Sd.) D. K. Borooah
Congress President
THE 3-MONTH PROGRAMME
FOR CONGRESS PARTY AND
CONGRESS GOVERNMENTS
A—Political
1. Training Camps at State-level by December
31, 1974 and District-level Camps by the February
15, 1975. -
2. Youth Congress Training at Central, State
and District level, followed by Youth Rallies for de
fence of democracy and under guidelines issued by
the Congress President.
3. Conference of agricultural workers in all Dis
tricts.
4. Reorganisation and strengthening of Con
gress Seva Dal (CSD) with a view to having 5,00,000
trained CSD volunteers. ~.
B—Economic
5. A Crash Programme for distribution of non
alienable house-sites to Harijans and landless labour
Continued on Page 30
DECEMBER 7, 1974
 Weekly of the Indian
National Congress pub Vol X No. 1
lished every Saturday contents
from AICC Camp Office, December 7, 1974
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Road, New Delhi 110001.
'Phone: 388521.
'Grams: SOCIALIST Congress President on the Narora Follow-up
Editorial
Stop Press—News Items
EDITORIAL BOARD
Party News
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Indo-Czech Protocol: Profile of
(Chairman) Dr. Lubomir Strougal
Horst Sindermann Lauds India's Role
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA

BOARD
O
OF MANAGEMENT
Indo-Pakistan Trade Accord
Congress President Inaugurates Forum
for Teachers
Assam PCC's Scheme for Procurement and
Distribution
:
Dharmidhar Das 1()
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR
1974: A Momentous Year for Indo-Soviet
(Chairman) Cooperation
Shri I. K. GUJRAL B. Natarajan 11

Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA Hungarian P. M. in India 12

Miscellany 13
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA The New Deal for Agricultural Labour in Kerala
Shri P. C. SETHI G. Gopinath Nair 14
The Political Situation—II 15
Promoting Family Planning through Panchayats
Gopalji Mehrotra 17
Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAv Nehru's Foreign Economic Policy—III
|r
Dr. R. K. Pandey - 19
Fxecutive Editor: JAG MOHAN
1
Fascinating Book on India * - - - -

Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Neelima Jag Mohan 23

for and on behalf of the All-India Congress The Davis Cup and South Africa
K. Ramachandran 25
Committee and printed at National Herald Press, President Nimeri in Delhi 28
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. Parliament
J. M. Deb - 31
Press Review
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Gobind Rajah - 32
Memo to P.M. from Gujarat Congressmen 33

a considerable amount of preparatory work mot only

on the part of the External Affairs Ministry, but of
EDITORIAL several other Ministries. And, the Prime Minister,
who was at the centre of all these negotiations, took
everything in her stride. What is more, a fabulous
series of protocols, agreements, conventions and
laudable Initiatives For pacts have been signed and joint communiques have
been issued, which will have a bearing on the future.
A Better Future It has been most reassuring indeed that Presi
dent Gaffar Mohammad al Nimeri of Sudan, Prime
Minister Jeno Fock of Hungary, Prime Minister
It was certainly a fortnight about which the Horst Sindermann of the German Democratic Repub
Ministry of Externai Affairs ought to feel proud. For, , lic, and Prime Minister Lubomir Strougal of Czecho
the speed and efficiency with which it handled the lovakia should have given their unstinting support
**its of one President and three Prime
-
Ministers to our stand on various matters.
ºf friendly countries and to cap it all managed a All of them lauded India's efforts towards nor
º delegation from a neighbour also was amazing malisation in the sub-continent. Interestingly enough,
º say the least. during the same fortnight the delegation from Pa
kistan led by Mr. Eijaz Ahamad Naik was also here
-
Apart from protocol and diplomatic conventions
- -
and after discussions with our Commerce Minitsry
tº: VIPlaunched
visitors regarding which Jawharlal officials decided to lift the decade-old embargo on
* * *" a tradition and to which we trade between the two countries. The protocol has
adhered to zealously, these visits necessitated
been signed and it will be followed up by the trade

pact—and this is one more proof of the continuation
of the Simla spirit.
The VIP visitors from abroad endorsed India's
stand about Indian Ocean being a zone of peace and
India's intention of using nuclear energy purely for
peaceful purposes. The words and sentiments expres
sed by them deserve special thanks from us.
That these visits were much more than courtesy
calls was apparent. These visits enabled the leaders
to lay the foundations for short and long-term rela
tions with India in multi-dimensional fields. Two-way
trade between India and Hungary, the GDR and
Czechoslovakia will increase by leaps and bounds in
the coming years. And since these Socialist coun
tries deal in rupees and predominantally with the pub
lic sector, it is all to the good of our country. The
setting up of a Joint Commission with the GDR and
the trade pacts with the other countries will ensure
continuing cooperation in economic, technical and
scientific fields. With Sudan too, a five-year agree
ment has been signed which can open new vistas.
In the coming days and weeks, the External Affairs
Minister is going to be busy meeting the Prime Mi
STOP PRESS
INDO-CZECH ACCORDS
India and Czechoslovakia have entered into a number of
bilateral agreements envisaging cooperation in fields of
economy, trade and technology. The agreements were signed
in New Delhi on December 4 at the end of the Czech
Prime Minister Dr. Strougal's visit to this country.
Among the agreements are a portocol on economic,
t"ade and technical cooperation, a five-year trade and pay
ments accord and an agreement on planning. The agreement
on trade and payments and the protocol on economic, trade
and technical cooperation were signed by the Commerce
Minister Shri D. P. Chattopadhyaya, and the Czech Minis
ter for Foreign Trade, Mr. Ing Andrej Barcak.
The agreement on Planning was signed by the Union
Minister of State for Planning, Shri V. C. Shukla, and the
Teputy Chairman of the State Planning Commission of
Czechoslovakia. Mr. Zdenek Sedivy.
The two countries also signed a consular convention, the
second to be signed by India. The only other country with
which she has consular convention is the Soviet Union.
While the trade and payments accord provides for an
immediate 60 per cent increase in the annual trade turnover
of the two countries, the protocol envisages cooperation in
fields of sophisticated industries, science and technology as
also joint ventures in third countries.
The accord on planning provides for the establishment
of an Indo-Czech study group of experts for the mutual
exchange of experience and knowledge in areas concerning
planning.
The consular convention defines consular functions, and
the privileges and immunities enjoyed by consular officials
in either country.
All the agreements were signed in the presence of the
Trime Ministers of the two countries. (Please turn to Page
6 for more news).
INDO-GDR COMMUNIQUE
India and the German Democratic Republic have called
for elimination of all foreign military bases in the Indian
SOCIALIST INDIA - DECEMBER 7, 1974
-
nister of Nepal Mr. Nagendra Prasad Rijal in
and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rehman when hº
*:::
visits Dacca. Next month, Mr. Mario Soares, th
Foreign Minister of Portugal, will be here amidst ul.
to re-establish diplomatic relations. Meanwhile thººk
Portuguese constitution would be amended to con.
cede the sovereignty of India over Goa, Daman;
Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. All these add up to
an impressive record of laudable initiatives that relea
quire implementation, º
In this context, the Opposition leaders should-ºr
be wise enough to realise that gheraos, dharnasº
strikes, sit-ins and such counter-productive activiº
ties will not take this country an inch forward. Pro ºs:
duction and more production—that is what is need ºn
ed. India has made commitments to its people tº
fight inflation and also to friendly countries in alsº
continents to fulfil the pacts and agreements. India's tº
must forge ahead and not wallow in stagflations:
JP's movement is not going to take us anywhere
Nor all the furore over the licences. The Opposition
leaders need to transform their outlook radically sº
Otherwise they will be doing great injustice to their-i
motherland if not positive harm. s:
* "-
Ocean. In a communique issued in New Delhi on December
3 at the end of GDR' Prime Minister Mr. Horst Sinder.’’
mann's visit to this country, the two countries condemned” ..
the proposed expansion of the Anglo-US base in Diego Garcial: ,
They reiterated their opposition to proliferation of nuc + .
lear armaments and called for complete disarmament unde
effective international control. The communique welcome -
the trend towards detente in Europe and elsewhere. º
; (The two sides noted with satisfaction the identity os
views of the two countries on various world affairs. Thº...
GDR Prime Minister endorsed India's stand on the peace, sº
ful uses of nuclear technology. He also appreciated the ini.
tiatives taken by India to normalise her relations with ,
Pakistan in accordance with the terms of the Simla Agree. '"
ment. -->
Smt. Indira Gandhi expressed India's appreciation o
“the consistent and principal support” given by the GRF, -
to India's efforts to bring about peace and stability in the
region. º,
On bilateral relations, the two sides committed them. *
selves to evolving new forms of cooperation in various tº
fields. (Please turn to Page 7 for more news). º
‘s
MANIPUR sº
~
At the time of going to the press, the situation in Mani-8,
pur arising out of the withdrawal of Congress support from ..."
Shaiza Ministry continues to be fluid. The two AICC, ob-,
servers Shri Tombi Singh, MP, and Shri I. Tompok Singh “s
MP, who were sent to Imphal met the Manipur Governorº,
Shri L. P. Singh on Dec. 4 and urged him to dismiss the
Shaiza Ministry as it had been reduced to a minority follow-º's
ing the withdrawal of Congress support. They requested º.
him to allow Shri Dorendra Singh, the leader of the newly
formed Dermocratic Legislature Party, to form an alterna
tive government. -
Meanwhile, the All-India Congress Committee in a press
release, issued in New Delhi on December 4, explained the s
circumstances which led to the withdrawal of Congress.
support from the Shaiza Ministry. The release said that
Shri Shaiza had sometime ago requested the Congress to .
join the Ministry. But when the Congress sugges--
ted the names of its nominees for inclusion in these
Ministry, Shri Shaiza refused to accept them. The Cong
ress, the release added, was therefore left with no option
but to withdraw support from the Ministry. -
. The preliminary verification by the Governor confirms
the Congress stand that it enjoys majority in the 60-member
Manipur Assembly. >
\
 **-º-º: *—º_*-r riºr"
PARTY INEVAVS
CENTRAL CANAPAIGN
COMMITTEE
As part of its efforts to involve
the intelligentsia—writers,
thers, lawyers and doctors—in the
fight against the forces of Reac
ton, the Central Campaign Com
mittee of the Congress has launch
, d a National Writers' Association
and two separate national forums
for lawyers and teachers. A forum
'ºr doctors, young entrepreneurs
and small businessmen will be for
ºed soon.
The Urdu wing of the National
Writers' Association headed by
the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Mil
-a, Dr. Masud Hussain, was in
lugurated by the Congress Presi
ent Shri D. K. Borooah in New
*lhi on November 28. A mushaira
Fis held at Aiwane Ghalib on the
ºasion. The Chairman of the
'impaign Committee Shri Jagji
ran Ram presided. The Association
cºnsists of eminent writers
Hindi, Urdu and regional langua
Sts.
The National Forum for Tea
cters was inaugurated by the
Congress President in the capital
In November 29.
The forum for lawyers is hea
ded by Shri Jaisukhlal Hathi and
tas three Vice-Presidents—Sar
ºnshri R. M. Hajarnavis, D. D.
Chawla and Basuwanlingappa. Shri
Withal Gadgil, MP, is its General
ecretary. Among its members
are lwayers of the Supreme Court,
High Courts and District Courts.
Earlier. announcing its prog
imme of action Shri Yashpal Ka
ºor Convener of the Campaign
ºmmittee said in New Delhi that
*rime Minister would inaugurate
* seminar of young entrepreneurs
* New Delhi on December 8. He
31d newsmen that apart from the
, orth Zone Conference of Kisans
'o be held in Haryana some time
is month, a conference of small
ºaders will be held on December
5. And December 28 will be ob
ºrved as the Congress Day.
*CIALIST INDIA
ºr
The Congress would observe four
national weeks next year the birth
day of Subhas Chandra Bose (Jan.
23), Republic Day (Jan. 26), and
Gandhi's death anniversary (Jan.
30), A National Awakening Week
will be observed from April 6 (Salt
Satyagraha Day) to April 13 (Jal
lianwala Bagh Day). A freedom
week will be observed from August
9 to 15 and Nehru Week from
tea Nov. 14 to 20.
YOUTH CONGRESS
EXECUTIVE MEETS
The National Executive of the
Youth Congress, at its two-day
meeting at Mandu (near Indore)
on December 1, decided to change
its constitution and model it exac
tly on the pattern of its parent
body the Congress Party.
The President of the Youth Con
gress, Shri Priya Ranjan Das Mun
shi, told newsmen that it would
now have a national executive si
milar to the AICC and would hold
at least two sessions every year.
He also said that it was decided
to introduce a three-tier card sys
tem for its members. The active
in
party workers would be identified
by the colour of their cards.
Giving details of the card sys
tem, Shri, Munshi said that the
“freshers” who are office-bearers
and members of the executive from
block to district level committees
would be given green cards. Mem
bers of the national council and
the State executive white card
each. Members of the national ex
ecutive and office-bearers of the
national council would be given
orange cards. Shri Munshi added
that details of uniforms to be
prescribed for Youth Congress
Workers were being finalised.
CONGRESS PRESIDENT
IN 3ANGALORE
The Congress President, Shri
Dev Kanta Borooah, said in Ban
galore on December 2 that the
Congress Party was not against
electoral reforms provided it did
not affect adult franchise. He was
addressing members of the Sche
duled Castes, Scheduled Tribes
* -5
and backward classes and the Mi
nority Cell of the Karnataka Pra
desh Congress Committee.
He said democracy meant not
only rule by majority but accep
tance of the majority rule by the
minority. He said people who wan
ted to perpetuate their advanta
ges were trying to destroy democ
racy.
Referring to the Bihar situa
tion, Shri Borooah deplored the
move to stop students from atten
ding schools and colleges. This
would deprive the students, espe
cially those from families of Adi
vasis, Scheduled Castes and Sche
duled Tribes of the opportunities
for higher education.
The Congress President said
education had been the monopoly
of the higher classes which had
advanced because of historical rea
sons and because of their coope
ration with the Britishers. It was
for the first time after indepen
dence that a large number of Sche
duled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and
minorities, including Adivasis, were
getting educational opportunities.
On December 3 Shri Borooah
inaugurated a State-level training
camp organised by the KPCC at
Doddaballapur, 35 kilometres from
Bangalore.
CONGRESS MEETING
AT SHAHDARA
The Congress President, Shri
Dev Kant Borooah, said in Delhi
on December 2 that those who
were trying to attack democracy
through one garb or the other
were in fact attacking the rights
of the people and would only wea
ken the country. He said Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi was fight
ing a big battle against the reac
tionary and vested interests and
communal elements and the battle
against them could succeed only
by resolute determination and sup
port of the people.
The Congress President, who
was addressing Congress workers
at Shahdara, said that unity and
strength of the Indian people
would achieve socialism the same
way as it has succeeded in stabilis
ing democracy in the country.
DECEMBER 7, 1974

INDO-CZECH
PROTOCOL
SIGNED
India and Czechoslovakia have
signed a protocol to further ex
pand areas of cooperation between
the two countries. Under the
protocol, signed in New Delhi on
November 28, the two sides agreed
to expand the scope of various
existing agreements particularly
those covering manufacture of
radar equipment, enlarge trade in
electronic components and to ex
pedite utilisation of Czech credit
committed to India under earlier
economic accords.
The protocol lays down con
crete programme of cooperation
in science and technology for the
next two years beginning January
next. According to the protocol,
the two sides agreed to pay special
attention to collaboration in com
puter peripherals and consider
utilisation by the Czech side of
the facilities available at Bombay's
Santa Cruz electronic export pro
cessing zone. This will enable
Czechoslovakia to set up units for
manufacturing electronic equip
ment in India for export purposes.
Czechoslovakia has also sought
collaboration in enzyme engineer
ing.
The protocol also envisages
diversification of joint ventures
into new areas. Among the areas
identified for collaboration are :
building science, fibre glass, viro
logy, medical entomology and
microbiology, artificial fibres and
leather research.
Speaking on the occasion, the
Union Minister of Commerce, Prof.
Chattopadhyaya, stressed the need
for follow-up action to accelerate
the volume of trade between the
to countries.
ween the two countries are
expected to be signed during the
visit of Dr. Strougal. These
include a new five-year trade and
payments agreement, a consular
agreement and agreements between
radio and TV networks of both
countries.
These agreements will deal with
the problems emanating from the
expanding trade and industrial
relations. In so far as trade goes,
a doubling of trade from the
present Rs. 100 crore two-way
exchange is envisaged. During the
last five years, the trade quantum
has already increased by about
75 per cent and its further growth
will imply an all-round enrichment
of this exchange.
DR. LUBOMIR STROUGAL: A PROFILE
Dr. Lubomir Strougal the Czech
Prime Minister who arrived
Delhi on December 2 was born
on October 19, 1924 at Veseli nad
Luznici in the family of a worker.
His father—member of the Com
munist Party of Czechoslovakia
since 1921—was sentenced for the
participation in the anti-Fascist
resistance in the period of Nazi
occupation and perished in a Nazi
prison.
After graduation from the
secondary school, he worked as
a worker until the end of the
Second World War. He joined
the ranks of the Communist Partv
of Czechoslovakia immediately
after the liberation of Czechoslo
vakia by the Soviet Army.
Dr. Strougal has been a member
the Faculty of Law of the Charles
University in Prague and, during
the years when Czechoslovakia took
to socialism, he was associated
with the party in various capacities
in the South Bohemian Region. In
1957, he was elected Head Secre
The Czechoslovak Ambassador
in New Delhi Dr. Zidenek Trhlik
told reporters on November 30
that there was great demand in
his country for non-traditional
Indian items like flourescent
lamps, hand knitting machines,
garage tools, valves for power
stations and equipment for sugar
mills. He said that if certain res
trictions in the licensing system
were removed, the flow of goods
between the two countries would
be smoother.
Czechoslovakia is India's second
biggest trading partner among
the Socialist countries. The total
trade turnover between the two
countries this year was Rs. 100
crores. This is likely to be doubl
ed in the next five years.
to the highest legislative body of
in the Czechoslovak Socialist Re
public and has been a member of
the Czechoslovak Federal Assem
bly ever since. In 1965, he
returned again to Party work.
He worked as Secretary of the
Central Committee of the Czecho
slovak Communist Party until
1968 when he was appointed
Deputy Prime Minister of the
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.
He was appointed Prime Minis
ter of the Czechoslovak Socialist
Republic in 1970.
For his many years of work in
important Party and State func
tions he was awarded a number
of high Czechoslovak and foreign
decorations.
READ

The Deputy Minister of Techno

tary of the South Bohemian
Regional Party Committee.
Dr. Strougal has been a member
SOGILIST
logy of Czechoslovakia, Dr. A.
Mrazek, who signed the protocol on
behalf of his country expressed
of the Central Committee of the
Czechoslovak Communist
since the Eleventh
Party
Czechoslovak
|N||||
the hope that the protocol would Communist Party Congress in
go a long way in expanding mutual 1958 and has held various impor
cooperation in various fields. tant State posts. REGULARLY
A number of agreements bet In 1960, he was elected Deputy
SOCIALIST INDIA -- - - }ºs. ... (3 DECEMBER 7, 1974
: GDR PRIME MINISTER
: | Horst Sindermann
lauds India’s
:
º
Role
The foundations for long-term
cooperation between India and the
GDR in the fields of economy, edu
cation, science, technology and
culture were reinforced during the
i two-day talks (November 29-30)
between the Prime Ministers of
the two countries in New Delhi.
A comprehensive agreement set
ting up a Joint Commission for
Econoomic. Scientific and Techni
cal Cooperation was initialled in the
presence of the two Prime Minis
ters on December 1.
Apart from envisaging further
increased cooperation in other
fields, the agreement is aimed at
doubling the trade turnover be
tween the two countries from the
present level of Rs. 640 crores in
the next five years.
The initialling ceremony was
held in the Ashoka Hall of Rash
trapati Bhavan. While Shri Bipin
Pal Das. Deputy Minister for Éx
termal Affairs signed the agree
ment on behalf of India, the GDR
state Secretary for Planning
Board, Dr. Karl Gruenheir, signed
it for his country.
Earlier on his arrival on the five
day visit to this country on Nov
ember 29, the GDR Prime Minis
GDR TO SUPPLY
4 MORE SHIPS
The GDR has agreed to con
sider India's request for sup
plying four to five more ocean
going vessels in the next five
years and change the pattern
of its imports from India from
raw materials to processed
goods. This assurance was
given by the GDR State Sec
retary for the Planning Board,
Dr. Gruenheid during discus
sions with the Commerce Min
ister, Shri Chattopadhyaya in
New Delhi on November 30.
- Affairs, Shri Y. B.
80CIALIST INDIA
The GDR Prime Minister, Mr. Horst Sindermann was given a Civic
Reception at the Red Fort by the Delhi Municipal Corporation. Here
he is seen with Shri R. C. Amar, Acting Mayor.
ter, Mr. Horst Sindermann, was
warmly received at the Palam air
port by Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi, her Cabinet colleagues,
members of the diplomatic corps
and other eminent citizens. The pre
sence at the airport of the Ambas
sador of the Federal Republic of
Germany, Dr. Guenter Diehl—and
also of the Chinese Charge
d'Affaires, Mr. Ma Mu-ming—was
noted by observers as an eloquent
demonstration of the world-wide
detente.
Later in the day, Mr. Sinder
mann had two-hour long talks with
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
After the talks he told reporters
that there was “complete identity
of views” on all the issues discus
sed by them.
Smt. Indira Gandhi, he said, had
given details of the steps taken by
India for a peaceful settlement of
regional problems. He, in turn,
acquainted the Indian Prime Min
ister with the progress made to
wards convening a conference of
European Security and Coopera
tion.
The Minister for External
Chavan, the
7 DeCEMBER 7, 1974
Minister for Planning, Shri D. P.
Dhar, the Minister for Commerce,
Shri D. P. Chattopadhyaya and the
Deputy Minister for External
Affairs, Shri Bipin Pal Das were
also present at the talks. The
GDR Prime Minister was assisted
by the GDR Deputy Minister for
Foreign Affairs, the Deputy Minis
ter for Trade and the State Secre
tary for Planning Board.
In their dinner speeches the
same evening, the two Prime Min
isters underscored the importance
of peaceful coexistence which pro
vided the only means of survival
in the world. They propounded
the theory of new internationalism
for promoting better understand
ing and cooperation among na
tions through increased inter
dependence.
While Smt. Gandhi stressed that
nations owed responsibility not to
themselves alone but to all man
kind, Mr. Sindermann said that this
lofty objective could be achieved
only by consolidating and extend
ing the present process of detente
to all regions of the globe. The
two leaders emphasised the need
for creating a climate of trust and
Continued on Page 84

Indo-Pakistan
Trade Accord
The Indo-Pakistan trade proto
col signed in New Delhi on Nov
ember 30 puts an end to the ten
year old embargo on trade between
the two countries. The protocol,
which will come into force from
December 7, was signed following
talks between the representatives
of India and Pakistan last week.
The Pakistani trade team was
headed by Pakistan's Comerce Sec
retary Mr. Ejaz Ahmed Naik. Shri
Y. T. Shah, India's Commerce Sec
retary, led the Indian delegation.
With the conclusion of the agree
ment, India and Pakistan have ful
filled a substantial part of Para
graph Three of the Simla agree
ment which envisaged step-by-step
normalisation of relations between
the two countries. It may be men
tioned that the initiative for nego
tiations on resumption of trade
talks as also restoration of air and
communication links was taken by
India.
According to the trade protocol,
the two countries will extend the
most-favoured-nation treatment to
each other in accordance with the
provisions of the General Agree
ment on Trade and Tariffs
(GATT). The trade, to be conduct
ed in hard currency, will initially be
on a government-to-government
level.
MUTUAL TRADE
The protocol identifies areas
where there are immediate possi
bilities for mutual trade. These
are: cotton, engineering goods, jute
manufactures, iron ore, railway
equipment, rice and tea. The list
may be expanded when an Indian
delegation visits Pakistan early
next year to sign a formal trade
agreement. While experts of the
two countries will meet some time
this month to work out details on
shipping, the resumption of road
and rail links will be taken up at a
mutually convenient time.
Addressing newsmen after sign
ing the agreement, the leaders of
GGGRA:RST INDIA
the two delegations hailed the pro
tocol as one more step towards
normalisation of relations as envi
saged in the Simla agreement.
They described the talks which led
to the accord as “useful and cons
tructive”.
Shri Shah and Mr. Naik who ad
dressed the press conference joint
ly expressed their happiness that
the two sides had succeeded in
breaking the deadlock. They said
that at the moment there was no
proposal to set up trade missions in
either country. The existing dip
lomatic channels would be used
for the purpose.
The following is the text of the
trade protocol:
Recalling the provision of the
Simla agreement of 1972 to pro
gressively restore and normalise
relations between the two coun
treis, reaffirming the desire of their
respective governments for re
sumption of trade and cooperation
in economic and other agreed
fields, resolving toexplore the pos
sibilities of establishing channels
of trade on a mutually beneficial
basis, realising the significant
opportunities arising out of econo
mic growth in the two countries,
and desiring to develop and extend
the commercial relations between
their two countries on the basis of
equality and mutual benefit, the
delegations of India and Pakistan,
which met in New Delhi from De
cember 26 to 30 have agreed as
follows:
1. The necessary steps will be
taken by both countries to lift the
embargo on trade between the two
countries from December 7.
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
--- * **
-
2. Trade will be conducted on
the basis of free convertible cur |
rency in accordance with the for
eign exchange regulations in force
from time to time in each country.
3. Trade between the two coun
tries will be on the basis of the
most-favoured-nation treatment in
accordance with the provisions and º
decisions of the GATT.
4. To begin with and unless
otherwise agreed, trade will be
conducted on a government-to-gov
ernment basis or through govern
ment-controlled trade corporations
of the two countries for which pur
poses representatives of the con
cerned organisations will meet
from time to time.
In this connection, the imme
diate possibilities of commencing
trade in these commodities was
noted: cotton, engineering goods,
jute manufactures, iron ore, rail
way equipment, rice and tea.
5. Keeping in view the import -
ance of immediate restoration of
direct shipping services between
the two countries for facilitating
º
º
the movement of goods and trade,
it was agreed that experts of the º
!.t
two countries should meet in De
cember to work out details in this
regard. Likewise, discussions will
be arranged at a mutually conveni
ent time for the restoration of the w
rail links to serve mutual trade.
º
6. A trade agreement will be
concluded between India and Pak º
istan in the near future for which
purpose a delegation from India
will visit Pakistan in the first week
of January.
This protocol will come into
force on the date of signing.
pºcºMBER 7, 1976.
 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with the members of “Little Angels'
Children's Ballet Troupe” of Korea when they called on her in New
Delhi recently.

through democratic means with the masses involved

Congress President
Inaugurates Forum
For Teachers
The Congress President, Shri Dev Kanta
Borooah, inaugurated on November 29 in New Delhi
the National Forum of Teachers (University and
Colleges) with a call to the teaching community to
put their heads together to reach lasting solutions
to the problems of teachers and students. The pre
sent unrest among the students, he said, was prob
ably because of the inherent ills in our system of
education.
Shri Borooah regretted that education had re
mained a privilege of a few and said that education
had to be expanded without affecting the standards
There was no contradiction in the expansion of edu
cational facilities and quality. Many countries in the
West, especially Socialist countires, had proved this
point. They had been able to take education to the
poorest in the land, at the same time keeping the
standards. t urge the young to shed prejudices of caste, religion
Obviously referring to the movement launched
by Shri Jayaprakash Narayan in Bihar, the Congress
President observed that whatever anybody wished to
do should be done in a democratic manner. He, how
over, pointed out that anybody who takes the law
into his own hands, strikes at the root of democracy
and the parliamentary system in this country. Shri
Borooah said that India achieved independence
80CIALIST INDIA
in the freedom struggle. After independence, we
chose the parliamentary system for the country. He
said the roots of the democracy could be strengthen
ed only by providing equal opportunities—education
al, economic and social—to every citizen.
In his presidential remarks, the Union Minister
for Agriculture and Irrigation and Chairman of the
Central Campaign Committee of the AICC, Shri Jag
jivan Ram, expressed great faith in the teaching
community and described them as “makers of the
destiny of the country.” He told the gathering
what shape and form the country should take de
pends entirely “on you.”
Shri Jagjivan Ram said when the Forum was
formed it was rumoured that it was for soliciting the
support of the teachers for the Congress in the com
ing elections. But it was not so. The purpose be
hind the formation of the Forum was to have close
contacts with the intelligentsia. The Congress want
ed teachers not committed to it but to the Constitu
tion. He hoped the Forum would soon assume an
all-India stature and contribute to the building of
the nation.
In a message the Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi said teachers, even more than parents, “can
and language, to overcome the undesirable traits of
chauvinism and to learn tolerance and above all to
become self-reliant.”
She said traditionally Indian society had res
pected learning rather than money. “Some values
have changed but the influence of teachers remains.”
She expressed the hope that the Forum would pro
mote national solidarity “at this time of challenge.”
DECEMBER 7. 1974

Assam PCC’s Scheme For Procurement
And Distribution-l
The author is the Chairman of
the Sub-Committee on Public Pro
curement and Distribution System,
set up by the Assam Pradesh Con
gress Committee. The following is
the introductory portion of the
“Outline of the Scheme" prepared
by the Sub-Committee. In the next
issue of SOCIALIST INDIA Salient
points of the scheme will be given.
It is needless to say that there
is no alternative to the Public Pro
curement and Distribution System
in meeting the challenge of the cri
tical food situation, which has been
the most vital concern of the com
mon people living below subsist
ence level.
Food must be made available to
them at reasonable prices that may
be within their reach, before the
situation becomes explosive. People
cannot be left to the interplay of
demand and supply and at the
mercy of the speculative trading
class.
The crying need of the hour is
to strengthen the Public Procure
ment and Distribution System
with the active participation of
the people to procure and distri
bute foodgrain. Last year's ex
perience in the matter may provide
a guideline for our action this
year.
In the last joint meeting of the
PCC and the ACLP Executives,
the matter was thoroughly discus
sed on the basis of a note submit
ted by the Chief Minister. After
prolonged deliberations it was
decided to constitute a Sub-Com
mittee with Shri Dharanidhar Das,
M.P., as Chairman and the follow
ing as Member:
Chairman: Shri Dharanidhar
Das, M.P.
Secretary: Shri Lakhi Saikia,
MLA
Members:
1. Shri Rajen Phukan, MLA.
SOCIALIST INIMA *-i- .
DHARNIDHAR DAS, M. P.
2. Shri Lila Kanta Das, Deputy
Minister
. Shri Md. Idris, Minister
. Shri Deban Bora Minister of
State
. Shri Ramesh Saharia MLA
::.
Shri Golok Patgiri, MLA
The Sub-Committee met on Octo
ber 20, 1974 and suggested various
measures for ensuring success to
the drive of procurement and dis
tribution. All these suggestions
have been incorporated in the “Out
line of the Scheme”.
What is worth noting is the
emergence of a new co-operative
structure with 633 Gaon Pancha
yet level Co-operative Societies
organised on the basis of mass
membership that may well serve
as the democratic foundation for
reorganising the rural economy on
socialist line by involving the mas
ses at the grass-root level of pro
curement and distribution. The
nationalised banks which have the
same objectives to achieve have
decided to finance these Co-opera
tives.
Now it is the task of the Party
to give a radical leadership to the
masses of the people through these
co-operatives and make the work
of procurement and distribution a
task of the people to be performed
by themselves to serve their own
interests. Thus, procurement and
distribution must be given the
shape of a mass movement to take
the entire trade of essential com
modities in the hands of the peo
ple through their own Co-opera
tives, which must serve as a means
to socialism in the villages uniting
the rural poor, particulary the pea
santry, against the classes of vest
ed interests.
Precisely this is the task of the
Congress Party which is commit
ted, that is to sociailsm through
the cooperative movement and
nationalisation, the Party Organi
sation acting as the spokesman
10
and leader of the masses involving
the latter at different levels and
the Government acting as the in
strument to help it protecting the
peoples’ interests against the vest .
ed interests, the anti-social forces,
the smugglers, profiteers and the
like.
The Scheme, therefore, assigns
the main role to the Non-Official
Committees with statutory power
to direct and conduct the move
ment of procurement and distri
bution as a people's movement. The
Government will act in consulta
tion with the Committees in enfor
cing the Scheme.
The State level Committee will
deal with policy matters and co
ordinate, supervise and guide the
movement. The Sub-divisional level
Committees will have to bear the
greater burden of procurement
and distribution drive. Though not
mentioned, there should be Gaon
Panchayat level Committees to im
pelment the Scheme at the mass
level. The Sub-divisional Commit
tees may constitute them.
The Congress organisation will
have to function as the hard core
through these Non-official Commit
tees, which should be used to em
brace all progressive forces and
mass organisations including Par
ties supporting the Scheme in order
to impart it the character of a
truly all-embracing mass move
ment. -
As to the working of the Scheme,
scope should be left for its further
improvement, as the movement
gathers momentum drawing in its
fold the poorer strata of people,
peasantry in particular.
This is the task from which the
Congress cannot escape if it were
to get the people with it in this
period of grave national crisis,
of which food crisis is the most
crucial one. Food is occuping the
core of Indian politics, gaining
precedence over all other things.
More so in Assam devastated by
successive floods.
The Assam Congress Organisa
tion and the Assam Government
started a year ago the implemen
tation of the AICC decision on the
public procurement and distribu
tion of foodgrains through the
Co-operative Organisation.
Continued on Page 34
DECEMBER 7, 1974

1974: A Momentous Year For
Indo-Soviet Cooperation
Any assessment of the various
developments that have taken
place in the mutual relations bet
ween India and the Soviet Union
since the historic visit of Mr. L. I.
Rrezhnev to this country has to
be made in the light of the pheno
menal progress achieved in econo
mic cooperation and trade rela
tions.
The main direction of economic
growth in India has been towards
a self-reliant and self-generating
economy. In line with this national
goal the main stress was laid on
the strengthening of the basic,
strategic industries and on the
consolidation of the Public Sec
tor of the economy with the help
of the Soviet Union.
Viewed from this angle, Indo-
Sºviet economic cooperation has
signal achievements. It has helped
to lay the foundations of the basic
industries and consolidated the
Public Sector as a significant fac
tor of the economy.
SUCCESS STORY
About 80 industrial and other
projects have been established so
far in India with Soviet economic
and technical cooperation and of
the total production these projects
account for over 30 per cent of
India's total steel production, 35
per cent of India's oil production,
20 per cent of India's electric power
generation, 80 per cent of India's
heavy machine-building and 60 per
cent of India's heavy electrical
equipment. These helped India in
no small measure to devotion the
infrastructure for self-reliance
While the history of Bhilai ex
emplifies the success story of Indo
Soviet economic cooperation and
the development of the Indian eco
nomy, the growth of the steel giant
at Bokaro, almost an indigenous
plant, shows the measure of ad
vanre in India'n self-reliana'a, To
social fºr Nola -- . . . .. .
Dr. B. NATARA JAN
gether they are expected to pro
duce 17 million tonnes of steel not
in the distant future.
A significant event of the year
is the second meeting of the Indo
Soviet Joint Commission in Sept
ember last which apart from other
things, decided to give assistance
to the Heavy Machine-Building
Plant at Ranchi, the Mining and
Allied Machinery Plant at Durga
pur and the Heavy Electrical
Equipment Plant at Hardwar, thus
strengthening the core sector of
the economy.
Soviet cooperation is playing a
crucial role in the development of
the oil industry in this country.
The present energy crisis has
brought an urgency to the prob
- elms and the Soviet Union is ac
tively engaged in many aspects of
this industry to augment oil pro
duction rapidly. After the protocol
was signed in January last the
Soviet Union has sent specialists
to India to carry out joint work
in the prospecting of oil and gas
reserves in the various sedement
ary basins in India, seismic sur
veys and exploratory drilling. It is
also providing new technologies
and technical assistance for bet
ter extraction and refining. By
providing assistance to set up two
refineries — Koyali and Barauni—
the USSR helped the Public Sec
tor to enter the refining sector.
And the Mathura Refinery, the
latest to come up with Soviet as
sistance is the biggest of them all
with 6 million tonne capacity.
MUTUAL BENEFIT
The Indo-Soviet trade conti
nues to grow to the mutual bene
fit. The 1974 trade protocol en
visaged a 35 per cent growth in
the trade turnover this year. The
specially beneficial feature of the
1974 protocol was the Soviet
Union's proposal to supply four
times more raw materials in n
* -------- {{ - -"
number of cases to meet the in
dustrial requirements of the Fifth
Five-Year Plan, such as for kero
sene, fertilisers, copper, asbestoes,
newsprint and others.
In order to balance its higher
exports the Soviet Union has ag
reed to increase and diversify its
imports like footwear, ready made
garments, detergents, medicines,
and semi-processed materials along
with the traditional items like
tea, coffee, spices, tabacco, cash
ew, etc. The new protocol ensures
that Soviet Union will continue to
occupy the first place in the ex
port trade of India.
The coordination of the planning
process of the countries, both for
development and trade, is expec
ted to double Indo-Soviet trade by
the end of the Fifth Plan. Signi
ficantly enough, the products of
India's young industry have al
ready constituted a significant
part of its exports to the Soviet
Union.
In the field of agriculture, Indo
Soviet cooperation has taken firm
roots. Besides cooperation in the
development of seed farms, supply
of tractors and assistance to set
up a tractor plant in the private
sector, the USSR has become a
significant partner in joint agri
cultural research. Under the new
agricultural protocol, the Soviet
Union has agreed to set up three
sheep-breeding farms, which are
expected to give a boost to fine
wool production.
Of late, cooperation between the
two countries in the development
of science and technology has been
steadilv gaining ground and a
broader pattern of cooperation is
expected to emerge after the sig
ning of a new five-year protocol
for cooperation in science and te
chnology. The significance of this
cannot be minimised in view of
India's dependence on foreign sour
ces for technology and our desire
to reach self-reliance in this field.
Thus the events that mark the
Indo-Soviet economic cooperation
during last year once again have
proved to be a great example of
how relations between States can
be established on the basis of
equality, sovereignty and mutual
nºvantage,
*Rex;Mºkº tº 1974

HUNGARIAN
P.M. IN INDIA
The six-day visit of the Hun
garian Prime Minister, Mr. Jeno
Fock to India last week gave the
leaders of the two countries an
opporutnity to exchange views on
bilateral issues...Mr. Fock, who had
wide-ranging talks with Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi and other
Indian leaders, described the talks
as “a success”.
Mr. Fock had a 50-minute meet
ing with Smt. Indira Gandhi soon
after his arrival in New Delhi on
November 21. Apart from bilate
ral affairs, the two leaders dis
cussed the international situation.
developments on the subcontinent,
Indian Ocean and the world eco
nomic situation with particular re
ference to the oil crisis. Later, he
met the Planning Minister Shri
HD. P. Dhar.
At a banquet given in honour
of the visiting Prime Minister,
Smt. Indira Gandhi referred to In
dia's efforts to normalise rela
tions with her neighbours, parti
cularly those on the Indian sub
continent. She said: “Harmony on
the sub-continent is an integral
part of our efforts for peace
throughout the world.”
THE DISCUSSIONS
The Hungarian Prime Minister
paid a tribute to the “untiring”
efforts of India to safeguard world
peace and to promote social pro
gress. He said: “On our part, we
would like to see that India would
fully utilise her international pres
tige for stabilising peace and se
curity....”
The two leaders expressed the
hope that Mr. Fock's visit would
further strengthen politcal, econo.
mic and cultural ties between In
dia and Hungary.
The pace of normalisation of re
lations on the sub-continent and
detente in Europe figured in the
discussions Mr. Fock had with the
External Affairs Minister Shri Y.
B. Chavan on Nov. 22. Shri Chavan
reiterated India's determination
to pursue a policy of peace in
world affairs. The two leaders also
socialist India
-
discussed international situation India has no intention to make
and hoped that the detente in atomic weapons for war against
Europe would contribute to world her neighbours or against any
peace. body else.” He said that his talks
In his talks with the Minister
with Indian leaders had borne out
the identity of Indian and Hunga
of Heavy Engineering, Shri T. A. rian views on many bilateral and
Pai, and the Planning Minister international issues.
Shri Dhar, Mr. Fock underlined
|
the need for widening the scope During his stay in New Delhi,
of mutual cooperation in the Mr. Fock was given a civic recep
fields of trade and industry. tion on November 22, Welcoming !&
the Hungarian Prime Minister,
Mr. Fock and Smt. Gandhi had
Delhi's Acting Mayor Shri Ram
a final round of talks on Novem Chand Amar recalled the historic
*.
ber 23. First they met without ties between the two countries.
aides. Later, other members of the Mr. Fock. was presented sandal
two delegations also joined. Mr. wood idols of Lord Krishna and
Fock also had talks with the Radha. Madame Fock received a
Union Commerce Minister Shri D.
Banarasi stole and a matching
P. Chattopadhyaya. purse.
Talking to newsmen after the Speaking on the occasion, Mr.
conclusion of the talks on Novem
Fock said there was “great admi
ber 23 the Hungarian Prime Min ration all over the world” for In
ister said that they contributed to dian people. He said that Hunga
“further widening of our political, rian cultural life had imbibed
economic relations and cultural much from the “cultural achieve
and technical cooperation.” He ments” of India.
welcomed the improvement in in Among other things, the Hunga
ternational situation but regretted rian Prime Minister visited the
that China had not favourably “samadhis” of Mahatma Gandhi,
responded to India's initiative for Jawaharlal Nehru and Lal Baha
normalisation of Sino-Indian rela dur Shastri and laid wreaths.
tions.
They also visited Taj Mahal and
About India's nuclear test, Mr. other historical monuments at
Fock said: “We are convinced that Agra. -
TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
LEGALISED
Send Patients Only To District Hospitals
for
SAFETY SURETY SECRECY
Only Certified Doctors And Not All Registered
Practitioners can Terminate PREGNANCY
Repeated Termination of Pregnancy Is Harmful
SERVICES AVAILABLE IN ALL DISTRICT
HOSPITALS.
Him Lok Sampark
DECEMBER 7, 1974
----- ---- - - - ------
— ``
MISCELLANY
DOUBLE-DECKER
BRIDGE ON
THE GODAVARI
The President, Shri Fakhruddin
Ali Ahmed, inaugurated on Novem
ber 20 the “double-decker” rail
cum-road bridge across the Goda
vari on the Calcutta-Madras Na
tional Highway. Constructed at a
cost of Rs. 12.22 crores, the 2.9
kilometre long bridge is said to be
the biggest in Asia. It took ten
years to complete the construction
of the bridge.
The bridge will fulfil the traffic
needs of the area and will reduce
the transport bottlenecks on the
arterial trunk route from Madras
to Howrah, one of the busiest
trunk routes of the Indian Rail
ways.
The work on the bridge was
started in October 1964. The exist
ing railway bridge on the Godavari,
constructed in 1900, had started
giving anxiety with the result that
speed restrictions had to be im
posed for traffic on the bridge
and, under high flood conditions,
the speed limit had to be kept at
as low as 10 kilometres per hour.
Sometimes the traffic had even to
be suspended. In case of a traffic
bottleneck on the existing bridge,
the alternative diverted route bet
ween Howrah and Madras had
been about 750 kilometres longer.
The new bridge consists of 27
spans of 100 ft and seven spans
of 150 ft. It is designed to carry
a single broad gauge track at the
bottom deck and a double line
roadway conforming to the na
tional highway standards at the
top deck. Footpaths of 5 ft. width
have also been provided on either
side of the roadway to connect
the two important towns Kovvur
and Rajahmundry.
Initially it was conceived as a
rail bridge for the second track
as part of the doubling of the
East Coast Line. The bridge was
BOCIALIST INDIA
altered in design during the con
struction to carry a road deck so
as to meet the insistent demand
of the people of the area. This
change upset the time schedule of
the construction of the bridge.
The other main reason for the
delay in the project was the diver
sion of materials, once in 1969 for
restoring through rail communica
tion after breeches near Ongole
and again in 1972 for rebuilding
the war-damaged Hardinge bridge
in Bangladesh.
The project has been a joint
venture of the Railways and the
Andhra Pradesh Government. The
bridge is entirely indigenous in
design and construction, with
unique reinforced concrete road
deck carried over special steel gir
ders of the railway bridge.
The President drove by car from
Rajahmundry on the top deck
across the river to Kovvur and
he returned by train to mark the
opening of the nation's spirit to
march forward with courage,
determination and faith, and com
plemented the engineers, techni
cians and workers for an excellent
job.
President Ahmed expressed the
confidence that the bridge would
not only remove century-old tra
ffic bottleneck and bring in an era
of propserity to the area but also
strengthen the bonds between the
people of the north and the south.
NATIONALISED “LEAF
OF GOLD” YIELDS
DIVIDENDS IN M.P.
Prophets of doom have - proved
wrong. Within two years of ra
tionalisation, the Kendu Leaf
business in Bihar has achieved
new heights. Against the initial
anual revenue of Rs. 50 lakhs to
Rs. 60 lakhs, the State Govern
ment in the very first year earn
ed a net revenue of about Rs. 2
crores which is likley to increase
further this year.
The Kendu Leaf has been right
ly called the “Leaf of gold” that
has corrupted generations of po
liticians and bureaucrats in some
States. The Kendu Leaf scandal
13
of Orissa is still fresh in the
minds of the people. While the
paper content of cigarettes is
considered to be a health hazard,
the tobacco wrapped in the “leaf
of gold” offers harmless bidis to
teeming multitudes in India and
abroad. Moreover, the sweet
Kendu fruit offers a welcome nou
rishing subsistence during summer
months to poor Adivasis living in
areas surrounded by jungles.
After Madhya Pradesh, and
Orissa, Bihar is considered the
third largest kendu-growing State
in the country. Madhya Pradesh
has been earning an anual revenue
of Rs. 10 crores from the “leaf
of gold" and it is strongly felt
that Bihar could quite easily earn
an anual revenue of Rs. 4 crores
from it if the State-managed trade
is properly handled.
Orissa was the first State to
realise the potentiality of Kendu
Leaves as a marketable commo
dity and to put on its Statute
Book the first Kendu Leaf Con
trol Act in India. Bihar was among
the last States to take up this
measure. Even then, when in 1972,
the State Government promulgat
ed the Bihar Kendu Leaves (Con
trol of Trade) Ordinance and later
took steps to regularise it through
legislation, in the context of
Orissa's Kendu Leaf scandal, ap
prehension was voiced both on the
floor of the Legislature and out
side that as in case of other
State undertakings, nationalised
Kendu Leaf trade might also re
sult in loss to the State Exchequer
and result in corrupt practices.
However, the Bihar Government
went ahead with the measure.
The essential feature common
to the Kendu Leaf Acts now in
force in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,
Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is that
the State Government has indirect
ly become the wholesale trader in
Kendu leaves collected by agents
at rates fixed by the Government
and sold to the highest bidder. The
entire forest area has been divided
into a number of units and kendu
leaf prices are fixed by the Gov
ernment on the recommendations
of the Advisory Committee set up
for the purpose. A marked de
gree of efficiency in operating this
process is apparent.
DECEMBER 7, 1974
 t-----' *—. !----------------a
AGRICULTURAL LABOUR BILL :
A New Deal For Agricultural
Labour In Kerala
-
In the context of the renewed
interest in agricultural labour, this
article is of topical interest since
Kerala among all the States has
blazed a trail.
With much pride and enthu
siasm, the Congress Minister in
the coalition ministry, Shri Vakkom
Purushothaman presented the Ag
ricultural Labour Bill, “the Magna
Carta” of the downtrodden mass
of agricultural labourers, in the
Legislative Assembly of Kerala on
November 17, 1972. Since the bill
was the first of its kind in this
country it attracted wide atten
tion.
To give social security to all,
especially the weaker sections of
the society, is the responsibility of
all political parties who have
struggled for long to organise the
agricultural workers in the State.
Recently the bloody clashes bet
ween the labourers and owners of
land became acute in most parts
of the State. This naturally affect
ed badly the agricultural produc
tion and the society as a whole.
This bill has considerably lessened
the tension, and a peaceful and
healthy atmosphere has been creat
ed in the production centres.
EXPLOITATION
In Kerala, the agricultural sec
tor is composed of the big land
lords, small holders and labourers.
The small holders and labourers
form 82 per cent and the big land
lords only 18 per cent of the ag
ricultural population. But the
minority holds 75 per cent of the
total cultivable land. Thousands
of acres of paddy land in Kuttanad
and big estates of plantation crops
are owned by the minority. They
engage labourers at their own
whims and fancies. The labour
capitalist relationship here is the
same as in the industrial sector.
The small holders and labourers
SOCIALIST INDIA º ! --ºr -
—--------> --~~~~~~~~~~~~
G. GopinATH NAIR
are socially and economically back
ward. Harijans and Backward
Classes form the majority of them.
So these labourers are actually the
basic and most exploited class of
our social strata.
Even after quarter of a century
of independence, they are devoid
of the fruits of freedom. Consi
dering their pathetic condition the
Kerala PCC has favoured the Ag
ricultural Labour Bill. The main
aspects of the bill are:
1. Prescribed wages. 2. Security
of job. 3. Fixed working hours. 4.
Provident fund and other welfare
amenities. 5. Provision for arbitra
tion in case of disputes.
NOTABLE FEATURES
These labourers are given only
nominal wages. The bill gives the
Government statutory powers to
prescribe wages for different ope
ration in the field. Agricultural
labourers have only seasonal work.
The landowner can refuse work to
anyone. Also, the workers have no
right to permanency. The situa
tion has been misused by land
owners and certain trade union
leaders. The Marxist leaders have
often forced the landowner to eng
age more workers than actually
needed. The Government has to
check this.
The bill states that the land
owner should engage the required
number of workers from the list
of workers who had worked in the
last three sessions of operation.
Additional workers may be engag
ed only after employing the work
ers from the list. A notable fea
ture of the bill is that it does not
allow a landowner to refuse work
to a permanent worker unless he
is proved unfit. Retrenchment also
barred.
The most heartening part of the
bill is the provision for provident
14
fund and other welfare amenities.
According to its provisions, five
per cent of a worker's wages is to
be contributed by the landowner
and another five per cent by the
worker. It provides for the cons
titution of a board for the manage
ment of the fund. The retirement
age is fixed at 65 for men and 60
for Women.
Other provisions of the bill are:
If a landowner refuses any of the
rights of the workers it can be
brought before a conciliation offi
cer. Disputes can also be raised
before an arbitrator. If a land
owner refuses the statutory rights
of a worker he can be legally
punished with imprisonment. The
bill is considered as the first step
towards making the tillers the
real owners and land.
All the progressive parties in
the State have welcomed the bill.
The bill is an achievement for the
agricultural labourers who have
been struggling for long.
The bill, it is hoped, will go a
long way in ameliorating the lot
of agricultural labour. Shri A. K.
Antony, the KPCC Chief, has des
cribed the bill as a progressive
step.
SURSIDY FOR GOBAR
GAS PLANTS
The Central Government pro
poses to give 25 per cent subsidy
to farmers on the capital cost ºnf
the first 20,000 Gobar Gas Plants
to be set up as a “seeding pro
gramme.” This was stated in the
Rajya Sabha on November 27 by
the Minister of State for Agricul
ture and Irrigation, Shri A. P.
Shinde, in reply to a question by
Smt. Pratibha Singh and Smt.
Sushila Adivarekar.
Earlier, Shri S. R. Barooah, Fer
tiliser Commissioner in the Union
Ministry of Agriculture and Irri
gation, had told a press confer
ence in Bombay on October 12 that
the State Bank of India and other
nationalised banks had agreed to
finance a Rs. 6-crore programme
in the current year to estalbish
20,000 Gobar Gas Plants in differ
ent parts of the country to pro
duce enriched manure from cow.
dung as well as derive a conti
nuous supply of gas for cooking.
DECEMBER 7, 1974

The Political Situation—II
The following are some more excerpts from the
paper circulated at the Narora Camp:
The scene has been shifted to Bihar
where diverse groups, parties and interests have
coalesced under the leadership of Shri Jaya Prakash
Narayan once again to demand the dissolution of the
elected Assembly It is not the fate of one State As
sembly that is at stake. The entire democratic sys
tem hangs in balance. The basic question is whether
the process of social and economic political institu
tions or whether the veste dinterests would succeed
in thwarting the process of change by imposing their
will on the masses through extra constitutional me
thods.”
THE FORCES OF FASCISM
“It is in this context that the slogan of party
less democracy must be seen. No modern State can
function without political parties. Behind the facade
of partyless democracy lurk the dark and persistent
forces of Indian fascism, well organised and well
poised to destroy the democratic institutions and
impose their reign of terror. The Jana Sangh, the
RSS and the Anand Marg are the driving forces
behind the assault on the citadel of democracy. When
it falls, they will move in quickly to occupy the vantage
positions. The result can be predicted. A naked dic
tatorship of the propertied classes will come into
existence. It will appeal to the most retrogressive ten
dencies in our social and political life. Communalism,
regional chauvinism, fanaticism of all kinds and a
narrow life-denying cultural revivalism, will thrive.
“It is not accidental that these forces should
strive to challenge democracy at a time of grave
economic difficulties. Again it is not accidental that
in posing this challenge they should seek to confuse
the public mind by employing a variety of ruses.
such as the call to end corruption, the raising of the
issue of electoral reform etc. And finally it is not a
mere coincidence that the parties which have join
ed the campaign against democracy are simultaneous
ly opposing our whole concept of planning and the
Congress policy of friendship and cooperation with
Soviet Union and other Socialist countries.
ON CORRUPTION
“From this it follows that issues like corruption,
electoral reform, etc. would be raised in a purely
abstract fashion and in relation to individuals. What
ls sought to be carefully concealed are the social
roots of corruption; what is sought to be glossed over
* the behaviour and aim of social groups whose
Power poses a threat to the social and economic prog
*00LALIST INDIA
ress of the vast masses. Corruption, as the Prime Mi
nister pointed out once, is, in many ways, a product
of the capitalist system of production and distribu
tion. Similarly the role of money in elections is a
faithful reflection of the distortions in the pattern
of our economic growth and of the lopsided income
distribution in our society.”
THE BASIC STRATEGY
“The political problem is thus to resolve the
dichotomy between a highly evolved social and poli
tical consciousness of the broad masses and an in
stitutional structure of the economy which thwarts
a correspondingly rising level of social and economic
development. The democratic consciousness of the
Indian people has advanced by leaps and bounds,
thanks to the unique contribution of the Prime Mi
nister since 1969. But the simultaneous expansion
of the productive base of the economy has not taken
place to the required extent. It has not taken place
because the basic institutional reforms in land re
lations have not been implemented with necessary
zeal and vigour. Also the implementation of measu
res for raising the productive capacity of the small
and marginal farmers has been tardy.
“The recent policy directions set out by the Prime
Minister provide a firm basis for a vigorous resump
tion of the growth process beset at present by a
number of difficulties. The real political answer to
the present challenge is to implement vigorously
these policies which, in substance, are an economic
counterpart of the grand political strategy which led
the Congress to its historic victories.”
“The Congress has to fight with unflinching
determination and with the support of all democ
ratic and progressive elements in our political life,
the battle for preserving intact and for strengthen
ing the democratic institutions in the country. Such
institutions alone constitute a guarantee that the
socialist perspective of growth will not be sacrificed.
Equally, the Congress has to move forward to redeem
its pledges to the broad masses by vigorously imple
menting the basic programmes and policies of the
Fifth Plan.
ROLE OF THE CONGRESS
Millions of Congress workers, throughout the
length and breadth of our great country, have to
throw themselves into this struggle on whose out
come depends the future of our society. The Cong
ress organisation has to be activised at all levels;
hundreds of mass rallies and public meetings have
to be organised, personal and factional differences
have to be submerged for achieving the main objec
tive of meeting successfully the challenge of anti
democratic forces. The mass organisations of the
Congress, the INTUC, the Youth and students wings,
and the organisations representing women and the
intelligentsia, have to be activised and strengthened
to take their part in the nation-wide campaign for
democracy.
Continued on Pge 26
15 DECEMBER 7, 1974
 More than

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Promoting Family
º
Planning Through
Panchayats
GOPALJI MEHROTRA
Incharge, AICC
Panchayati Raj Cells
To commemorate the UN-sponsor
ed “World Population Year 1974”,
the All-India Panchayat Parishad
took the lead in organising the first
National Conference on Population
in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) from
November 8 to 10, 1974. The
writer attended the Sammelan.
Population is power—a power
unprecedented and a power par
excellence. But for us it has be
come a power unsurmountable and
a power condemned. It is this des
pite the fact that an enormous
amount of money has been drain
ed and Indian wisdom has been re
cognised across the sea and hill
borders. The power has turned
into a problem, massive indeed,
not only for its own country but
for the whole universe. Our valu
ed suggestions at the recent World
Food Conference apart, the “17
million couples” question still
lingers: Will the population prob
lem ever be solved at the present
speed?
The question how to convince 17
million couples throughout the
country to restrain from further
multiplying was discussed at the
three-day National Conference on
World Population-"Z4 at Lucknow
from November 8. Over 500 dele
gates from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pra
desh, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu
participated in the deliberations.
They included Ministers, incharge
of Panchayats, Panches, Sarpan
ches, Pradhans, BDOs as well as
other Government officials and ex
ponents of Panchayati Raj.
The chairman of the Reception
Committee Shri Baldev Singh
Arya, U.P. Minister for Commun
ity Development, sought in his.
SOCIALIST INDIA
welcome address active support of
Pradhans, and others in controll
ing population and popularising
family planning. He explained
that family planning did not
mean “no children but less child
ren”.
The Union Minister for Health
and Family Planning, Dr. Karan
Singh, in his inaugural address said
if the population continued to grow
unchecked at the present rate, des
pite maximising production in all
spheres and decision to integrate
family planning with the public
health as well as to seek the co
operation of Panchayati Raj insti
tutions, it might never be able to
remove poverty and the dream of
a new India would fade away. The
U.P. Minister for Food and Supply,
Smt. Rajendra Kumari Bajpai
appealed to the people, particular
ly political parties, not to make
family planning a political issue.
Shri Lal Singh Tyagi, President.
AIPP, said that his long-cherished
dream of seeing Village Pancha
yats representatives together at
one platform.
GROUP DISCUSSIONS
The conference was divided into
five following Groups with a Chair
man, a Convener and two Special
ists for each:
1. Problems of population in
India;
2. Challenge before panchayats:
3. Population control and pan
chayats;
4. Cooperation of Panchayati
Raj institutions in family planning
programmes; and
5. Means of contraceptive.
On the concluding day the
Groups submitted their reports in
Hindi, containing 76 recommenda
tions, separately for discussion in
the Plenary Session and adoption
of resolutions to be conveyed to
Panchayat Parishads and the State
Governments.
The following were some of the
main recommendations:
a. More powers to Panchayats:
Reorganisation of Panchayats on
Gujarat and Maharashtra patterns
to carry out overall development
work, incorporating the all impor
tant family planning programmes.
Change in Article 40 of the Indian
Constitution be effected.
17
b. Technical and Administrative
Aspects: While the technical and
clinical aspects be implemented
through Rural Health Centres, the
target fixation and its implementa
tion, educational and motivational
work to be made the charge of
Panchayats and planning workers
as well as officers to work under
the direct supervision and control
of Panchayati Raj institutions
with powers to send their reports
thereon to concerned officers.
c. Field Work: More emphasis
be laid on field work rather
than on paper work.
d. Women's Role: Increasing
number of married women be in
volved, especially old village wo
men folk, to help make the family
planning programmes more accept
able to younger ones,
e. Marriage Age: Minimum mar
riageable age be raised to 21 and
18 years for boys and girls res
pectively and the relevant law be
strictly followed.
f. Technical Terms: The word
“operation” be used for vasectomy
and tubectomy till their Hindi
equivalents are found as these
words conveyed wrong impression.
g. Administration and Pancha
yat: Both administration and
Panchayats should follow their
jobs entrusted to them.
The results of UP Zilla Parishad
elections, which revealed Congress
spectacular victories, brought
smiles on the faces of participants.
But it was not a matter of happi
ness to find only one female dele
gate participating in the confer
ence. However, all the partici
pants were very enthusiastic
about their valuable role.
P.M.’S LETTER
The message of family planning
has has already reached the re
motest corner of our vast and
varied land. A target of 17 mil
lion couples is to be achieved. If
we take into account the vast num
ber of 8.7 million villages, and
over 2 lakh Panchayats, the tar
get becomes too narrow. Family
planning has to be made a way
of life for the present and the
future generations.
The Prime Minister has sent a
personal letter to village leaders
calling upon them “to understand
Continued on Page 28
DECEMBER 7, 1974
 ||||—||
||

-
_^*

| A.
º
the-cowruvents of
with*** -
<sce- THE INDIAN IRON & STEEL CO., LTD.

80CIALIST INDIA - 1 -- --- 18 DECEMBER 7, 1974


Nehru's Foreign Economic Policy-III
Prior to independence, India's
trade relationship was very much
limited. The United Kingdom and
other imperial countries were the
main trading partners. Japan,
Germany, Italy and France could
enter the country's trade by sheer
force of their competitive strength
as most of the foreign trade of
the country was in the hands of
the Britishers.
After independence India under
the leadership of Nehru decided to
continue the membership of Com
monwealth and the Sterling Area
and to maintain Commonwealth
Preferences. A complete rupture
with the set trade channels and
the system of Commonwealth Pre
ferences was not considered desir
able, for such action might have
jolted the country's trade flow.
However, the attempts for bring
ing about diversification in the
export markets as well as sources
of import supply were initiated
right from the beginning. India
has proceeded on the path of di
versifying its trade relationship
through bilateral or tripartite ne
gotiations and agreements with
numerous countries, far and near,
developed and developing, cent
rally planned and free market
economy. The universalist app
roach and quite convincing and
DR. R. K. PANDEY
enlightening advocacy for interna
tional cooperation put forth by
Nehru fetched for the country un
precedented success on the front
of international cooperation for
trade and development.
TRADE AGREEMENTS
Within the first three
Year Plans period India entered
into trade agreements with about
38 countries. They included deve
loped-market-economy countries
like Austria, Federal Republic of
Germany, Finland, France, Italy,
Japan, Sweden and Switzerland,
developed socialist countries like
Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, German
Democratic Republic, Hungary,
Poland, Rumania, and the USSR;
developing socialist countries like
Korean Democratic Republic,
North Vietnam; and a number of
developing countries of Asia, like
Afghanistan, Burma, Sri Lanka,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Re
public of Korea, Nepal; of Africa,
like Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia,
Uganda, UAR ; of Latin America,
like Argentina, and of Europe,
like Greece and Yugoslavia.
The trade agreements with the
socialist countries and some of the
African and Asian countries have
been on bilateral rupee payment
agreements which tend to bring
about expansion in trade without
involving any strain on the foreign
exchange position of the country.
These agreements also ensure de
finite availability of some of the
essential items of import and
guaranteed outlet for specified ex
ports of the country. In some ag
greements like the tripartite agree
ment among India, UAR and
Yugoslavia, tariff concessions have
been exchanged. Thus these ag
reements, apart from fostering
closer relationship between India
and other partners to the agree
ment, have largely contributed to
Five the diversification of India's for
reign trade.
Large scale changes in direction
of India's imports and exports
after independence can be appre:
ciated by the figures shown in
the following table regarding
changes in the position of main
trading partners of the country.
As the figures in the
table evince, steep decline in the
share of the United Kingdom and
the United States of America, and
substantial rise in the share of
the USSR in imports and exports
of the country have been the most
conspicuous features of changing
direction of India's imports and
exports in the post-independence
period. The rise in the shares of
other countries in both the im
ports and exports speaks of diver
sion to non-traditional markets.
The export promotion and import
restriction measures adopted in
the country in the first two deca
des, which are likely to be con

DIRECTION OF INDIA'S IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

Imports Exports
Country 1938-39 51-52 64-65 70-71 72 1938–39 51-52 64-65 70-71 72-73 72-73
UK 29.9 17.6 12.1 7.8 12.7 34.3 25.9 20.5 11.1 8.8
USA 6.3 30.4 37.8 27.7 12.7 8.4 18.1 18.0 13.5 14.1
Canada 0.7 2.0 2.6 7.2 5.9 1.3 2.2 2.1 1.8 1.4
West Germany 10.9 3.0 8.1 6.6 9.0 5.1 1.3 2.2 2.1 3.2
Italy 1.0 1.9 1.7 1.8 2.0 1.6 1.1 1.2 0.9 2.5
France 0.8 1.2 1.3 1.3 2.1 3.0 1.6 1.4 1.2 2.4
USSR 0.1 0.1. 5.8 6.5 6.0 Neg. 0.9 9.5 13.6 15.5
UAR (Egypt) 1.4 4.2 1.3 2.4 1.6 0.7 0.9 1.7 3.7 1.6
Pakistan - 9.0 1.2 - - - 6.2 1.2 - -

Australia 1.3 1.8 1.9 2.2 1.8 1.8 6.5 2.5 1.6 1.3
Japan 9.9 2.6 6.7 5.1 9.6 8.7 2.0 7.5 13.3 11.1
Burma 15.7 2.4 0.7 0.6 0.1 6.5 2.7 0.8 0.9 0.2
Bangladesh - - - - - - - - Neg. 8.1
Others 31.9 23.8 22.2 30.8 36.5 27,8 30.6 31.3 36.3 29.8
Source: DCI&S quoted by Eastern Economist Annual Number, 1973, pp. 1,383 and 1,392.
SOCIALIST INDIA 19 DECEMBER 7, 1974
 Rich natural resources A stable Government with
EIGHT
mineral, agricultural and a positive approach to
forests—waiting to be ex wards industrial develop
ment of the State.
GOOD REASONS ploited.

Comparatively more peace

ful and cordial industrial

WHY relations.

A well developed infra A number of large in

structure including a string dustrial undertakings in

KA R N A T A K A the Central, State & the
of financial & development
agencies like KSIIDG Joint Sectors generating

KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. spread effect.

IS
A package of incentives
subsidy on project reports,
FAVOURABLE supply land, water & po
wer at concessional rates,

price preference etc.

FOR 15% Central subsidy for
Financial assistance to

educated unemployed, spe undertakings started in

the backward districts of
cially to unemployed en
INDUSTRIAL Dharwar, Mysore and
gineers and technicians
under special employment Raichur.

schemes.
LOCATION

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedhi, BANGALORE-1.
Issued by
The Director of Information & Publicity.

SOCIALIST INDIA - - - - - " 20 DECEMBER 7, 1976

tinued much more scientifically
in future, can further intensity the
trade diversification trend in the
next few decades.
INTERNATIONAL BODIES
Nehru's advocasy for accepting
the existing political, economic and
social set-ups in the world and all
possible efforts at the national
and international levels to maintain
and promote peace, progress and
prosperity, was largely reflected in
his addresses to the international
gatherings under the auspices of
various international institutions
bodies or organisations such as the
United Nations Organisation and
its various bodies, Commonwealth
Countries' Prime Ministers Confe
rence, Developing Counries' Con
ference, etc.
Stands taken and views expres
sed by Indian delegations at vii
rious meetings and conferences
organised under the auspices cf
Economic and Social Councils of
UNO, IMF. IHRD IDA, 3A IT
and UNCTAD refect Nehru's ap
proach to the problems of world
trade, payments and overall eco
nomic development. His emphasis
on individual nations' obligations
to the international community
and the imperative need of their
thinking and acting about national
problems in terms of international
requirements have been ventilated
in different forms on different oc
CaSiOns.
The principle of unilateral action
On the part of developed countries
to help expansion of trade, employ
ment, output and income of deve
loping countries as initiated by
Pandit Nehru in late 1940s while
elaborating the urgency of grea
ter cooperation among different
countries of the world for rapid
economic development. The modi
fication effected in the basic struc
ture of GATT to suit the needs
of developing countries in 1955
and again in 1964-65, abolition of
the principle of recir ſocity in ta
riff negotiations under GATT on
the eve of the Kennedy Round
ºf Trade Negotiation, pressure for
grant of unilateral tariff conces
sºns by the developed countries
* favour of exports of developing
ºntº, the developed countries'
*tion to pass ºn a nitnimum
ºutler nota
percentage of their national in
come to the developing countries
for financing their developmental
process, can be cited as some of
the outstanding results of Nehru's
efforts at the international level
in favour of trade, aid and growth.
The seeds of those develºpruents
Were SOWn inter alia by
Nehru and were properly nurtur
ed by Indian delegates in close co
operation with the fellow dele
gates from other developing coun
tries of Asia, Africa and Latin
America. Nehru's emphasis on
closer cooperation among the de
veloping countries and joining to
gether to constitute a forum of
Non-aligned nations has blossom
ed into a strong group of Non
aligned nations.
NEED FOR APPRAISAL
The aforementioned facts cata
logue a series of national and in
ternational developments which
may be said to be the outcome of
or to be fairly consistent with
Nehru's foreign economic policy.
But this can hardly be interpreted
as realistic assessment of its im
pact. Ideologically the framework
of the policy has been quite com
prehensive, based on the widest
possible circumspection of the
needs, potentials and aspirations of
a developing country in the chang
ing international context. In ac
tual implementation, however, the
organisational, administrative and,
in many cases, various subjective
factors have affected the full rea
lisation of the probable gains of
the policy. The actual results in
many cases have fallen much short
of the prospects envisaged.
For example, the international
attempts for closer cooperation
among various countries, develop
ed as well as developing, for trade
liberalisation might have helped
India in much better expansion
and diversification of trade, had
the domestic production system or
the administration of trade con
trols been streamlined. May be,
some other developing countries
with similar or even different
policy but better domestic base
have achieved much better results.
The same may hold good in res
pect ef the inflow of foreign capi
*1
tal, technology, industrial collabo
ration as well.
In order to convert all the op
portunities opened by Nehru's
foreign policy into a substantial
gain for the country, it is neces
sary to have a realistic appraisal
of the working of the policy in all
its facets with reference to various
forces operating at home and
abroad. Such appraisal may also
bring to the fore various internal
and international factors which are
trying to reverse the whole pro
cess of gains from the policy or
tending to obliterate some of its
vital aspects.
(Concluded)
E. S. I. BENEFITS TO
1,14,000 workBRS
The Employees' State Insurance
Corporation paid a sum of Rs.
98.595 as medical benefit to 4,428
factory workers in Punjab during
September this year.
In addition, a sum of Rs. 26,401
was paid as temporary disable
ment benefit and Rs. 49,338 as
permanent disablement benefit to
the workers who met with accid
ents while on duty. Another sum
of Rs. 18,180 was also given as
monetary help to the dependents
of the deceased workers during the
month.
The Employees' State Insurance
Corporation covers 21 centres and
provides cash and medical benefits
to 1,14,000 insured facotry workers
in the State.
Cº. IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
BECEMBER 7, 1978
 I

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CMei-sa

SOCIALIST INDIA
DECEMBER 7, 1974

BOOK REVIEW
* taken is a slow
FASCINATING
Book on INDIA
NEELIMA JAG MoHAN
THIS INDIA
Sheila Dhar
Publication Division
Rs. 10
I remember when I was
school, one always found pleasure
in handling the “foreign” books
because they were so much better
than those printed here. The
very look of a book makes all the
difference to the inspiration for
reading. This India by
Dhar is by far one of the most
appealing books for children which
have been published lately. But
the design and lay-out of the book,
though the most striking is not
the most important part of the
book.
Today there is no end of mis
understanding among the youth
and the elders, Misunderstanding
the politics and plans of the coun
try. Certainly the country has
not yet charged forward the way
it should have. But that does not
mean we have been where
were twenty-five years ago.
Droughts, famines, lack of rains
at the right time, and the falling
off of standard of moral character
among the people themselves are
factors which stunt the progress
of the nation.
In her book, Shrimati Sheila
Dhar had tried to explain to the
children that they should try and
understand their country. Under
stand that India is India—a coun
try with its own particular tradi
tion, beliefs, science and thought.
Understand that what our leaders
are trying to do is to combine
our tradition with progress in
science to develop a different na
tion from others in the world. We
80CIALIST INDIA *-
could have taken drastic steps,
spoilt our people with money and
then ultimately bred a nation like
America. Yes, the path we have
one, but it
bound to have long-lasting results
if we all work hard enough for it.
Throughout Smt. Dhar has tried
to show the readers (they could
be adults too!) that it is a proud
thing to be an Indian. Our past
culture tempted many foreigners
to come here. Slowly they took
to the ways of the country and
adapted themselves. But the Bri
tish kept their national individua
lity and caused a large rift bet
ween themselves and the people.
Side by side they were exploiting
the Indians for their own bene
in fits. The wealth of India became
less and less, and progress be
came slower and slower. They
were the major causes in keeping
India remain backward while the
world went forward in the mag
nificence of science.
Sheila
UNIQUE DISTINCTION
But the Indians could not remain
where they were. Slowly with the
spread of awareness we wended
our way to freedom. And we won
our freedom in a way no other
country had. Freedom came but
where are we now, what has kept
the country moving? How were
we going to do it? So, we made
plans. They have not worked out
as well as they should.
But the fact is that changes
we
have taken place. Where there
were no lights there is electricity.
Where there was no water supply
there are dams. That does not
mean that all villages have been
improved. But if one village has
developed a lot, the other may
have developed a bit less. What
we must understand is that things
have not remained at a standstill.
For these full of young blood, the
change may seem a slow process.
But in a country which is a
democracy, where every individual
is entitled to choose his or her
leader, rules cannot be made with
out the willing participation of
the people. And this takes time.
But at least the majority is kept
satisfied. Another reason why
23
the progress has been slow is that
with every increase in output
there is analarming rise in the
population. We have to grow more
is food and have less number of chil
dren.
Here is where our role in the
progress of this country comes.
We must not waste food. We
should be responsible in whatever
sphere of life we move. Each one
of us has to help India become
“colourful”. India is still a “child”.
Still in the formative years of its
life. And we are the ones who
have to mould it and shape it as
required. Each one of us has a
brush and we have to contribute
our share of strokes on the mas
sive canvas of India.
This is the perspective that Smt.
Dhar has chosen for the book. It
is interesting to note that the
book has already become a favou
rite with children. The very fact
that it has been prescribed as a
textbook speaks its success as a
book. But the fact that the stu
dents read this book before they
touch their other texts says much
more. Smt. Sheila Dhar has suc
ceeded in catching the attention
of the children.
Of course, A. Ramachandran's
design and lay-out have brought
more colour and a feeling of vita
lity with the bright colours and
bold figures. Only there seemed
to be a bit too much of colour and
figures, which could be cut out.
But maybe the children do not
mind this at all—and it is for
them, not for the grown-ups. T.
S. Nagarajan's photographs have
been exploited to the full—they
have been cut and trimmed and
placed almost perfectly. We must
congratulate the Publications Di
vision on bringing out such a clean
and “class” book. It is not often
in the past that we got a chance
to say a good word about a Gov
ernment of India publication or
book.
One only hopes that Smt. Dhar
is the trend-setter for a series of
good books for children. We need
them desperately—or we may have
another generation of average peo
ple.
DECEMBER 7, 1974
 * * : * ~ *_--------
-

“A visit to Punjab has always thrilled me because the pic

ture it presents strengthens my hopes of future India”:
—JAWAHARLAL NEHRU

PU NJAB
has perpetuated the memory of its beloved
late Prime Minister this year by celebrating
. NEHRU WEEK in several ways:
Jawaharlal Nehru Chair of Studies in Socia
list Thought is being set up in the Punjabi
University at Patiala.

A target oriented programme of forming

Young Farmers Clubs in all the 94.30 Pancha
yats of the State has been launched to create
healthy leadership amongst the Youth.

Applied Nutrition Programme has been star

ted in 52 development blocks in the State.
Balwadis are being opened in all the blocks.
Primary schools in Punjab are being equip
ped with libraries having books on Nehru
and other national leaders. A sum of Rs. 2

lakhs will be spent during the current finan

cial year.

LET US TRANSLATE INTO ACTION

The cherished IDEALS of our late Beloved

Prime Minister.

PRD74,78498

_-

SOCIALIST INDIA DECEMBER 1 tº s

*
\

* The Davis Cup
And S. Africa
K. RAMACHANDRAN
By deciding not to play against
South Africa in the Davis Cup fi
mals, India has adhered to her
noble and cherished policy based
on the dignity and protection of
human rights. The decision was in
consonance with India's consis
tent and well-known attitude of
total opposition to the reprehen
sible policy of Apartheid and in
support of United Nation's reso
lution condemning the racist po
licy of South Africa. India was
among the sponsors of the UN
resolution which covered not only
diplomatic, cultural and other
fields but also sports.
India has been among the front
liners in the fight against the
Apartheid policy adopted by South
African where race and colour of
the skin have become the bases
of practically every aspect of life.
India has repeatedly attempted at
all levels and at various world for
rums to bring an end to Preto
ria's shameful racist policies and
has succeeded to a great extent
in mobilising sanctions against
the South Africa's participation in
international sports.
However, efforts of India and
other like minded nations like the
USSR to debar South Africa from
international competitions could
not yield the desired result be.
cause of the manoeuvres of many
international sports bodies with
influential White majority. As a
result, one is often faced with an
unfortunate situation where an
Apartheid-ridden nation like
South Africa torments an inter
national competition by manipula
ting its entry into it and thereby
creating the danger of a boycott
ºf the competition by the anti
Apartheid nations like India.
India's decision to give South
Africa a walk-over in the Davis
Cup finals should not surprise
anybody. India's stand on the is
*CIALIST INDIA
sue of playing against South Af
rica, reinstated to the competi
tion after a two-year ban precipi
tated by Rumania's refusal to
play against them, in this years
Davis Cup competition was affir
med by All-India Lawn Tennis
Association Secretary, Shri R. K.
Khanna, even before the India
USSR semi-final was played at
Poona. Shri Khanna had also rei
terated at the International Laws
Tennis Federation meeting in Lon
don last. India's determination not
to play a racist country. Not only
countries like Russia, Rumania and
Czechoslavakia were cited among
those who would refuse to play a
racist country. Therefore, India's
refusal to play the final is very
much in consistent with her dec
lared stand and it is not correct
to say that her action was pre
mature as India had endeavoured
but failed to oust South Africa
from this year's competition.
WIDE SUPPORT
That India's stand has been
correct can be judged from the
fact that a large number of South
Africans, both White and Black,
have lauded India's decision to
boycott their national team in
Tennis. Mr. M. N. Rather, Sec
retary of the South Africans Ten
nis Union urged India to maintain
her stand regarding the Davis
Cup finals. He pointed out that
his Association had for years re
quested the White South African
Tennis Union to abolish racial ten
nis but in vain. Norman Middle
ton, President of the non-White
South African Soccer Federation
said, “Complete isolation of South
African Sport is the only guaran
tee that real change will take
place.”
Johannesburg's Rand Daily
Mail, in an editorial, pleaded for
integrated sports, which the edi
torial said, would make their
sportsmen achieve the internatio
nal recognition which they deser
ved. Mr. E. M. Ogbu, the Nigerian
Chairman of the UN Special Po
litical Committee has also justi
fied India's stand and pointed out
that it was in keeping with the
UN resolution calling for a boy
cott of the racially selected South
African teams.
83
India's stand received massive
support and applause at the UN.
And in India, several Africal or
ganisations have supported India's
action. The African National Con
gress of South Africa while wel
coming India's reiteration of her
basic stand against racist South
Africa, called upon the interna
tional community to follow India's
“consistent and principled attitude
to have no truck with Apar
theid”.
The Davis Cup Nations Com
mittee and the International Lawn
Tennis Federation cannot turn a
blind eye to these developments.
Like some of the other interna
tional sports organisations—the
Olympic organisers for instance—
they will have to take strong ac
tion to bring the Pretoria Govern
ment to heel. Even if it is granted
that the Davis Cup Committee
need not take notice of the politi
cal pressures and is not bound by
the UN resolution against South
Africa's racist policies, it cannot
justify the inclusion of South
Africa in the competition for Apar
theid as practised by South Africa
is the lowest form of human be
haviour striking at the very roots
of the olympic principle of non
discrimination in sports.
AGAINST THE GRAIN
What is at stake is not merely
South Africa's participation in
the competition but the survival
of the basic principles underlined
in the competition. After all, when
in 1900, Dwight Davis (after whom
the Davis Cup is instituted) had
the idea of establishing an inter
national tennis competition, it
was with a fundamental idea of
promoting friendship and good
will, both among the competing
players and their nations. How
can a country which continues to
measure a man's ability by the
colour of his skin and where near
ly 20 million people are regard
ded as sub-human merely because
they are not white in colour, be
considered to foster goodwill and
friendship?
A mere assurance by South
Africa without much substance
and honesty of purpose cannot
hide their conduct back in South
Africa all these years when in
DECEMBER 7, 1976
human policy of discrimination
based on colour were thrust on
the coloured people in all aspects
of their life and not merely con
fined to sport. The only solution
to the present stalemate before
the Davis Cup Committee and
ILTF is the one which guaran
tees participation by all countries
and can be brought about only by
expelling. South Africa from the
competition till she abolishes her
racist policy not only in sports
but other fields as well.
No doubt, the chances of mak
ing to the Davis Cup finals are
hard to achieve. And the thought
that India was within the reach
of winning the title for the first
time, cannot be easily removed
from the minds of the lovers of
the game in the country. But in
sports, as well as in other fields,
national interests and the concern
for approved national policies of
great significance, are of prime
importance and one cannot think
of compromising on fundamental
issues just for the sake of the
Davis Cup. What counts more in
sport is goodwill, friendship and
respect for human dignity and it
is for the violation of these prin
ciples South Africa has come un
der criticism. Having sponsored
the UN resolution against South
Africa and been committed to the
African nation's fight against the
racist policies in any form and
any part of the world, India can
not stick to its decision not to
send our team to play against
South Africa.
The All India Lawn Tennis
Association also cannot think of
any other action. And nothing
else could have lowered our spor
ting honour, prestige and self
respect, were we to play against
a racist country for the mere sake
of possessing the Davis Cup for
a year or so. High principles and
national self respect are far more
important than the winning of a
sports trophy, howsoever impor
tant.
India's present action was one
of the strongest moves so far
against South Africa in interna
tional sports. It has created a new
situation in the 74-year history
of the Davis Cup competitions by
the first final round default. But
there is no doubt that South
Africa, which has now taken the
Davis Cup by default, would be
led to more isolation in the world
of sports than ever before. World
opinion against their participa
tion in international competition
is sure to strengthen. These would
help not only to increase South
Africa's isolation from the world
community but also likely to
have a healthy impact on their in
ternal policies. Already there are
liberal English-speaking Whites
in South Africa who are having
fresh thoughts on their unfair
policy of racial discrimination in
sports under the pressure of in
ternational opinion. This is the
time for every nation to exercise
its moral pressure in eradicating
the evil of segregation in sports.

POLITICAL SITUATION accomplish this task, we would inflict a crippling

blow on the semi-fascist trends in our polity, not
Continued from Page 15 only today, but in future as well.
“The battle for democracy has to be waged both BATTLE FOR DEMOCRACY
inside and outside the legislative assemblies. For this “In this perspective, the obligations of Cong
purpose, it is essential to mobilise the support Of
ressmen become manifold. We have already made a
those strata whose future prosperity is indissolubly good beginning, but we have a long, long way to go.
linked with the functioning of democratic institu The Congress organisation has to provide the focus
tions. In the main these strata consist of the rural for people's efforts to preserve democracy. At the
poor, and the working masses in the urban and in same time, Congressmen and Congress Committees
dustrial centres. While considerable efforts have at all levels should implement numerous ligeslative
been made to organise the urban and industrial wor and administrative measures. The Central and State
kers, we have tended to neglect the agricultural governments have enacted for the welfare of the
landless workers, the small and marginal farmers, vulnerable sections in urban as well as rural areas.
the tribals and backward classes. They are the bed They should also effectively combat distortions in
rock of the rural economy. They have to be effecti economic and social life of our country. The Cong
vely organised. Only the Congress with its country ress organisation can do so only if Congressmen at
wide support among the rural masses can un all levels regard the strengthening of the party as
dertake this task. In the measure in which we their prime task.”

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SoCIALIST INDIA DECEMBER 7, 1974


PRESIDENT NINMERI
IN DELHI
A five-year agreement between
India and Sudan for economic,
scientific and technical cooperation
and another for cultural exchanges
was signed in New Delhi on Nov
ember 28 following talks between
the Sudanese President, Mr.
Gaffar Mohammed Nimeri and
Indian leaders during the former's
visit to India last week.
Mr. Nimeri, who arrived in New
Delhi on November 26 on a five
day visit to this country had wide
ranging talks with Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi, the External
Affairs Minister, Shri Y. B.
Chavan, the Education Minister,
Prof. Nurul Hasan and others. He
also met the President, Shri Fakh
ruddin Ali Ahmed.
At their first meeting soon after
the Sudanese President’s arrival,
Mr. Nimeri and Smt. Gandhi dis
cussed, among other things, the
situation on the Indian subcontin
ent, Indian Ocean and the world
situation. While President Nimeri
was assisted by his Foreign Min
ister, Dr. Mansoor Khalid, Shri P.
D. Dhar, Secretary to the Prime
Minister, assisted Smt. Gandhi.
The second round of talks, held
on November 27, was devoted to
identifying areas of cooperation in
various fields, particularly in in
dustry and agriculture. The two
sides expressed satisfaction with
the progress of the talks. Earlier,
the External Affairs Minister, Shri
Chavan called on President Nimeri.
The understanding reached
during the talks was formalised
with the signing of two agree
ments on November 28. The Suda
nese Foreign Minister, Dr. Man
soor Khalid signed the two accords
on his country's behalf. On India's
side, while the Foreign Minister,
Shri Chavan signed the agreement
on economic, scientific and techni
cal cooperation, the cultural ac
cord was signed by the Union Edu
cation Minister, Prof. Nurul
Hasan. Smt. Gandhi and Mr.
Nimeri were also present at the
signing ceremony.
SQCIALIST INDIA
The economic agreement among
other things envisages feasibility
studies being undertaken by India
on the possibilities of establishing
cement, sugar and textile indus
tries in Sudan.
The cultural accord provides for
exchange of scholars, antiques and
grant of scholarships to students
of either country.
Talking to newsmen after the
signing of the accords, Shri Chavan
said the talks revealed identity of
views of the two countries on many
international issues. He expressC'l
the hope that President Nimeri's
visit would strengthen the ties of
friendship between India and
Sudan.
During his stay in Delhi, Pre
sident Nimeri was accorded a civic
reception (Nov. 26). Speaking on
the occasion, the Sudanese Presl.
dent appreciated India's support to
the African and Arab cause.
In a joint communique issued
in New Delhi on December 1, Sudan
endorsed India's stand on peaceful
uses of nuclear energy. While call
ing for “a total ban on the use of
nuclear weapons and the destruc
tion of existing stockpiles of all
such weapons,” the communique
stressed the need to develop
nuclear energy for peaceful pur
poses.”
Following are excerpts from the
communique: “They called for uni
versal disarmament including a
total ban on the use of nuclear
weapons and the destruction of
existing stockpiles of all such wea
pons. They stressed the need to
develop nuclear energy for peace
ful purposes and for promoting
rapid economic development in all
countries.
”They stressed the continuing
validity of Non-alignment and re
affirmed their adherence to the
principles of peaceful coexistence.
“The called for the earliest set
tlement of the West Asia crisis.
They held that a permanent solu
tion was not possible without the
restoration of the legitimate rights
of the people of Palestine.
“The two sides concluded an
agreement on economic, technical
and scientific cooperation as well
as a cultural agreement. They ex
pressed their conviction that these
agreements would intensify coope
ration between the two countries.”
PNA's MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS TRAINEES
Following is the text of Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi's message
sent on Nov. 28 to the training
camp being organised by the Guja
rat Pradesh Congress Commauve
Mandwa—Chandod some time this
month. The message was addres
sed to Shri Narendrasingh Mahida,
member GPCC, Mandwa-Chandod:
“There is only one source of po
wer in a democracy and that is
people's trust. Whenever Congress
men have gone to the people to
explain the nation's problems and
the Party's policies in the over
all perspective, the people have in
variably given us their support.
For no people are more under
standing than our villagers. Even
in urban areas, the method of per
sonal discussion is the most ef
fective means of political persua
sion. At the same time, it is es
sential that active workers in our
Party should give up internal
quarrels.
“Gujarat has gone through a
great emotional crisis this year.
The Congress should shed its dif
fidence and again begin to play its
due role in organising the people
and removing their difficulties.
“Good wishes to the training
camp which is being organised by
the Gujarat Pradesh Congress
Committee, which is being held at
Mandwa-Chandod early next
month.”
FAMILY PLANNING
Continued from Page 17
the importance of the concept of
“Small Family, A Happy Family”,
and explain its true meaning to
the people in their area. As we
“have adopted the path of plan
ning in every field of life”, it is
but “right that we should do this
also in the management of our
own families”. However, she
warned that the “Government’s
endeavour in the family planning
movement is to promote, in a co
ordinated manner, all activities
which foster the health and pro
tection of mothers and children
and the welfare of all families”.
DECEMBER 7, 1974.
 Punjab Government
Punjab Government To The Rescue Of
Cares For
The Handicapped
The Needy Children Under the aegis of the Social Welfare
Punjab, handicapped
Department,
persons are enabled to stand
IF YOU KNOW OF ANY CHILDREN on their feet.
THROUGH
1. Who are orphans, having lost their earning 1. GOVERNMENT INSTITUTION FOR THE
parents. BLIND GILL ROAD LUDHIANA where children
of school going age are provided regular educa
2. Whose fathers are incapacitated to earn as a
tion upto Matric through Bharti Braille, besides
result of some physical or mental disability. free boarding, lodging etc.
3. Who come from broken homes, or 2. WORKSHOP FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDI
CAPPED GILL ROAD LUDHIANA where handi
4. Any other children who are in need of care, capped men are provided training in weaving,
protection or assistance. hosiery, cane work etc. besides free lodging and
a stipend of Rs. 40- P.M. each.
THEN
3. SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE ORTHOPAEDICALIY’
HANDICAPPED, BLIND AND DEAF & DUMB
Apply for Financial Assistance Rs. 50|- P.M. per STUDENTS for undergoing various educational
child (for children below 16 years of age) on pres and vocational courses.
cribed application forms available, free of cost, from
the offices of Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Special stippends are also provided to Panjabi
Officers (Civil) Tehsildars, Block Development and students studying in the Lady Noyce School for
Panchayat Officers, District|Tehsil Welare Officers Deaf & Dumb, New Delhi and the Schools for
and the undersigned. Deaf & Dumb at Jullundur and Patiala.
4. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF
IF THEY HAVE NO SHELTER THEN
CHRONIC DISEASES under which poor patients
suffering from chronic diseases or discharged
Children between 6 to 16 years can be admitted in from hospitals are granted help upto Rs. 100
Bal Bhawan, Rajpura, where separate arrangements P.M. each for the purchase of medicines and
exist for boys & girls. special diet.

AND
5. SUPPLY OF PROSTHETIC AIDS TO THE
ORTHOPAEDICALLY HANDICAPPED under
which full cost of artificial limbs to persons with
Boys, between 8 to 16 years are admitted in the an income upto Rs. 300|- P.M. and half the
Reception-cum-Observation Homes at Ram Colony cost. to persons with an income between Rs. 301|-
Camp, Hoshiarpur and Preet Nagar, Lower Mall and Rs. 500|- P.M. is given.
Patiala.
For admission to Institutions at Sr. No. 1 & 2,
Free boarding, lodging, educational facilities etc. are applications on plain paper may be submitted to
provided in the Institutions. The respective Superin the respective Superintendents. For assistance
tendents, may be contacted for admission with ap under the other schemes application forms are
plications on plain paper. available free of cost from the office of the
undersigned.
(H. G. Trighatia)
Director
(H. G. Trighatia)
Social Welfare Department, Punjab, Director
S.C.O. No. 49-51, Sector 17-C, Social Welfare Department, Punjab,
CHANDIGARH.
S.C.O. No. 49-51 Sector 17-C,
CHANDIGARH.

*OCIALIST INºra blºcentarr 7, 1974

NARORA CAMP FOLLOW-U.P. and other constructive activities by the Congress
Party and its allied organisations to help the slum
Continued from Page 2 dwellers and other vulnerable sections.

in the rural areas by February 15, 1975. On fixed
dates Ministers, Central Leaders and other impor
tant functionaries of the Congress should be present
in the districts and other important centres where
functions should be organised and title-deeds of
house-sites should be handed over to the Harijans
and landless rural labour.
(Implementation of this programme will be moni
tored personally by the Congress President and the
States will be required to send fortnightly reports
about the steps taken for implementation.)
6. Creation of separate agency for providing
credit to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and
other sections of the rural poor.
7. A Crash Programme of low-income housing in
important and selected urban areas as a step to
wards elimination of slums.
8. Government programme of slum improvement
along with steps to build temporary pre-fab accom
modation for construction workers and vigilance to
wards encroachment on government land and crea
tion of new slums, accompanied by cleanliness drive
9. Establishment of public distribution system
under a phased programme of coverage of identified
areas and identified sections by a target date for
supply of certain essential commodities.
10. Revision of scholarship for poor students.
11. Organisation of consumer resistance, de
hoarding drive, vigilance movement against black
marketeers etc.
12. Involvement of Congressmen, specially Youth
Congress, in helping INTUC in organising agricul
tural labour and rural poor.
13. Participation of Congressmen and allied or
ganisations in schools improvement programmes.
(Details can be obtained from Tamil Nadu).
(Implementation of these programmes will be
monitored by the A.I.C.C.)
In these programmes, Congress and allied or
ganisations should participate actively e.g. Youth
Congress can launch a drive for elimination of bogus
ration cards when the public distribtuion system is
strengthened in identified areas.

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stat uTrºteſtſ \

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gasatsit El Tatara gº afā #
writut as swim, stars asitan, J. afsala, Ratt, Făr
ſaquaté, stºria as qā arga, againſt qtaa, Fratrú,
gra FFTs ſaatuſ, afaāa sum ia aga a tº swim # sit
strait atta it was sq à agră ă
3ft. vitax tº seqtaa arrat a 3riº &ga ºr Hit #ua,
*Titsitz waſ a lºt, as it aatai sã as ºr asſà #
wrya Et Rs.8 s fearsii afafaai is attan a stat
witävän # Etat à ghti-gºtre ºut sit # ,
3TTg at a ſat wrºteinſ &Qarā

tagſ. Tya Trà wrºteit'ſ atti staffra-qī ostro & 8 ºux

SOCIALIST INDIA DECEMBER 7, 1974


-
ºnent
Morarji Makes
A Threat
J. M. DEB
The CBI report on the import
licences case has become a veri
table Pandora's box. For the
Opposition in both Houses of Par
liament, it has proved to be highly
tantalising, and therefore they had
been mounting a tremendous pres
sure on the Treasury Benches to
make this document public. Equally
determined was the Government
not to oblige them by accepting
what it considered was a politically
motivated demand. At the time
of writing the confrontation has
been on for well over a week.
In its desperate bid to do some
thing dramatic to get their de
mand accepted, the Opposition
brought on to the scene the tall
est among its ranks, Shri Morarji
Desai, to take the cudgel on its
behalf. The former Deputy Prime
Minister had long been practically
in political wilderness. Ever since
he left the Union Cabinet, his at
tendance in Parliament had be
come rare and his participation in
the proceedings rarer. When he
attends the Lok Sabha, he, like
Shri Kamaraj, quietly occupies a
seat in the last Opposition bench
almost unnoticed behind a pillar.
He, however, staged a come back
on Tuesday (Dec. 3). There was
an air of suspense as the eminent
Syndicate leader moved forward
and took a seat in the front row
in the Opposition.
At the stroke of the Zero Hour,
Shri Desai broke his stoic silence
to lend his powerful weight to the
Opposition demand for the CBI re
port. He spoke barely for five
minutes, with calm, dignity and
determination and was heard with
rapt attention. Apparently, this
respect was for his personality
and not for what he had said. This
was evident a few minutes later
when it was the turn of the Con
gress members to speak. Shri
Desai ended his brief dissertation
with an anti-climax. He warned
the House that if, as a follow-up
of the Speaker's previous ruling,
full report of the CBI investiga
80CIALIST INDIA -- -
tion into the licences episode was
not made available, the Opposition,
seemingly under his leadership,
would offer Satyagraha on the
floor of the House—a course of
action unheard of in the history
of the Indian Parliament.
There was more excitement in
the House when the Independent
member from Kashmir, Shri
Shamim Ahmed Shamim introduc
ed a new element into the whole
affair by announcing that he had
in his possession a copy of the
entire 360-page report of the CBI.
Normally, a member is entitlued to
place such a document on the table
of the House with his own authen
tication, but Shri Shamim, evident
ly in doubt about its authenticity,
suggested a novel method. He
wanted the Speaker himself, who
had seen the report (sent to him
earlier by the Home Minister), to
certify whether the report he was
prepared to present to the House
was genuine or not.
For a moment, there was com
plete silence and bewilderment in
the House following Shri Shamim's
‘sensational' disclosure. But the
members soon recovered as several
of the top Opposition leaders in
terrupted the Kashmir member to
insist on the Government itself
placing the report on the table.
The Congress members had so
long been keeping silent, but when
they got up, it was clear that not
only had they not agreed with
what Shri Morarji Desai had said,
but they were totally opposed to
his method of protest. The vola
tiie Shri C. M. Stephen, the lawyer
member Shri N. K. P. Salve who
could pull the Government chest
nuts out of the fire at odd mo
ments, Shri Vasant Sathe who is
always with the rule book in his
hand, the ever-alert Shri H. K. L.
Bhagat, and even Shri N. C. Para
shar who does not get easily per
turbed, got up to express their de
termination not to be intimidated
by the Opposition. They resented
the attempt to reopen an issue en
which the Speaker had already
given his considered ruling. To
threaten to hold the House to ran
some would, in their view, be
tantamount to subverting Parlia
mentary democracy.
Though by and large united in
demanding the CBI report, a crack
was nevertheless visible in the
31
Opposition ranks, especially in re
gar dto the Satyagraha threat.
The CPI leader, Shri Indrajit
Gupta, while agreeing with Shri
Desai about the report, did not
seem to toe his line of remedy.
When the question of performing
Satyagraha in the House came, he
declared, “We shall see”. He sug
gested two alternatives as a com
promise: either the CBI report
should be given to a small com
mittee of Parliament, or if the
Government agreed to place it on
the table, it should not be treated
as a precedent for the future.
Shri Gupta's tight-rope walking
provoked Shri Salve to comment
that the Communist leader was
running with the hares and hunt
ing the hounds. The basic issue
was not the report but whether
the rules and procedures and all
conventions of the House should
be allowed to be thrown to the
winds under sheer intimidation by
the Opposition.
The heated debate was postpon
ed for the day at lunch break.
The import licences issue had its
echo in the Rajya Sabha also
where several Opposition leaders,
like their counterparts in the Lok
Sabha, kept up their demand for
the report both on Tuesday (Dec.
3) and Wednesday (Dec. 4). This
followed Chairman Shri B. D.
Jatti's refusal to allow privilege
motions against the erstwhile
Home Minister, Shri Uma Shankar
Dikshit and the Commerce Minis
ter, Shri D. P. Chattopadhyaya.
The Chairman, however, subse
quently yielded and allowed a de
bate on it. But before the debate
started, the House was plunged
into a 70-minute acrimony when
some of the Opposition leaders
again pressed for the CBI report.
There was a striking similarity in
the arguments of the Opposition
in both Houses, namely, that with
out the report a debate would not
be meaningful. But it hardly cover
ed any new ground in justification
of the demand.
Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha had
aonther bout of angry exchanges
on Dec. 4—this time on the admis
sibility of a privilege motion
against the Railway Minister Shri
L. N. Mishra in connection with the
import licences issue. Tempers
ran high and there was virtually
a free-for-all for over an hour.
DECEMBER 7, 1974

PRESS REVIEW
The Narora Camp
Fall-Out
GC, BIND RAJAH
With the exception of two or
three papers, the dailies published
in Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and
Madras reacted to the Narora
Camp with an intriguing unani
mity of views. Leader-writers, Spe
cial Correspondents and resident.
editors were piqued that the Press
was barred and the proceedings
were held in camera. So these spo
kesmen of the jute press decided to
attack the Congress in every man
ner possible. Of course, they could
not use their pet words “jamboree”
and “mela”. Instead they resorted
to “conclave” and “get-together”.
They refused to get themselves
adjusted to the new concept of a
Central Training Camp for Cong
ress leaders which was what Na
rora was planned to be. In every
way feasible those who had fore
gathered there imbided the spirit
of a Camp by travelling in buses
to Narora and back, staying in
tents, eating simple food and dis
pensing away with personal assis
tants and private secretaries.
The “secrecy” aspect preoccu
ied the minds of many of the cri
tics in the Fourth Estate. Some
rationalised the right of a poli
tical party to conduct its meeting
in camera. But Tribune of Chan
digarh condemned the Congress
for its “fetish of secrecy” and in
dicated that “fear, conspiracy or
ulterior motives generally compel
secrecy and prompt suspicion.”
TIRESOME TIRADE
Some other papers, too, were on
the same wave length. But the
Congress was wise. It denied the
press the chance to portray it as
a divided house full of factions. In
a huge political party of the size
SOCIALIST INDIA
of the Congress, there would al
ways be a wide spectrum of opi
nion to be expressed by its mem
bers. But these opinions used to
be blown out of proportion and
hackneyed expressions like “lea
dership taken to task” and “have
a field day” used to be used. This
time they were denied the chance
to use them.
After the beat reporters and
Special Correspondents were brief
ed by the Congress President on
his behalf by two spokesmen, the
newspapers pounced on the 13-point
Crash Programme. For the States
man it was all a “string of empty
or misleading slogans.” The Eco
nomic Times indulged in word
play and described it as “Narora
Borealis" and a “return to garibi
hatao rhetoric.”
The Indian Express referred to
it as “discredited populist ap
proach” and student slogan-mon
gering. Of course, Motherland ban
died about words like “quackery”
and “rostrum”. For the Times Of
India it was “a repetition of old
slogans and shibboleths.” And so
on. The tirade went ad infinitum,
ad nauseum.
Some of the papers resorted to
sophisticated sophistry which was
nothing but kite-flying and wish
ful thinking which they were, of
course, free to do.
Thus Tribune alleged that the
campaigns against smuggling,
horading and blackmarketing were
a direct sequel of JP's movement
and that they were launched to
“take the wind out of his sails.”
But Tribune ignored the fact
that JP had long ago forgotten all
these anti-social elements. If only
he had concentrated on a follow
ing. Anyway the Government of .
India did not require any tip from
JP for evolving its strategy
against these anti-social activities.
The Prime Minister had decided
on the overall strategy due to
other compulsions. Why should
Tribune be so churlish to deny
what is due to her.
Shri Girilal Jain, Resident Edi
tor, (Delhi) Times of India resor
ted to some specious arguments
and haywire prognostications. For
instance, he elaborated about the
forthcoming snap-poll (which is
pure science fiction, if not hear
say) and then commented that
Shrimati Indira Gandhi would not
go in for that because she wanted
to divert JP's attention from the
movement he is leading in Bihar
and “compel him to take up the
virtually impossible task of build
ing a united front opposition par
ties.”
WISHFUL THINKING
Continuing the argumentative
gaffe, he went on to add that
“anyone in her position will do all
he or she can to keep the Oppo
sition divided so that the Cong
ress can convince a fairly signifi
cant section that an alternative to
it does not exist and that it can
once again romp home on the
strength of a minority vote.” Does
Shri Jain expect the Leader of the
Congress Party to abandon her
pragmatism and oblige him, JP
and the Opposition parties?
The Statesman went on better
in its editorial of November 27 in
which it averred that “such tac
tics as a gherao of Parliament or
attempts to prevent All India
Radio from functioning may only
make it easier for the Government
and the ruling party to fight the
movement by administrative and
political means.” Is the Govern
ment expected to keep quiet when
a law and order situation arises?
Why could not the Statesman give
some statesmanlike advice to JP
instead of talking glibly as to
what the Government would legi
timately do?
Most of the papers like one man
harped on the theme that not even
one point of the 13-Point Crash
Programme will be implemented.
But, by now they should be aware
that there has always been an
element of surprise in the imple
mentation of the Congress prog
rammes. Once it has made up its
mind it has carried out the prog
ramme, come what may. All this
loose talk is not going to dampen
the spirit of the Congress which
has now applied its political will
to the machinery of action.
DECEMBER 7, 1974

Memo To P.M.
From Gujarat
Congressmen
A memorandum, containing
about 1,000 signatures, was pre
sented to the Prime Minister, Smt.
Indira Gandhi, when she visited
Ahmedabad on November 8. The
memorandum urged upon the
Prime Minister “to safeguard peo
ple's interests by necessary, timely
and appropriate actions to fight
the menace of smuggling and cor
ruption.”
The memorandum was signed,
among others, by Shri Himmat
Sinh, MP, Shri Kantilal Vyas,
Shri Gangaram Rawal, Shri Amar
sinh Chaudhri, Shri Balbhadra
sinh Zala, Shri Jashwant Chauhan
and Shri Navin Shastri.
The following is the text of the
memorandum:
May we take this opportunity,
while welcoming you to Gujarat,
to express our feelings of deep
apprehension about the manner in
which those detained under MISA
for smuggling and other anti-so
cial activities are now being allow
ed to mis-utilise and exploit the
prevailing legal machinery to
escape from the clutches of your
Government's specific directives in
tended to eliminate such poten
tial dangers to our economic
security and our very survival.
For, the manner in which some
of the recent High Court judge
ments seek to release the detenus
reflects and betrays the total lack
of socio-economic awareness, and
flouts the very ethos behind the
common man's indignation against
the enemies of the people. The pre
sent welcome drive against smug
gling and corruption in response to
the declared popular urges there
fore requires to be strengthened to
overcome the new handicaps.
In Gujarat in particular where
the evils of smuggling, hoarding,
tax evasion, black money and cor
ruption have for long been most
rampant, and where the need for
curbing the same through irrever
sible progressive measures has
been the highest, we feel that un
less further timely action is taken
SC.7:ALIST INDIA
by you, the entire effort so aptly
initiated under your direct com
mand would be seriously under
mined if not nullified. This, in turn
is bound to shake
of the people when
the confidence
they see a lit
tle light of hope in the recent
lowering of prices in the context
of their unbearable existence due
to high costs of all necessities of
life which they have had to put up
with for so long.
Let it also be noted that the
High Court which could not con
tinue to hear a partly-heard case
of leftist political detenus be
cause of vacation, has, in case of
smugglers' petitions, sat in vaca
tion as a special case and released
them on November 5. It can also
not escape notice that the counsel
for smugglers was the very same
person who is the member of na
tional executive of the so-called
Citizens' Democratic Forum orga
nised to defend and promote Shri
Jayaprakash Narayan's anti-de
mocratic and anti-people movement
directed against our democratic
values and parliamentary institu
tions.
In these circumstances, we ear
nestly urge upon you to safeguard
people's interests by necessary,
timely and appropriate actions to
fight the menace of smuggling and
corruptions protected by ill-con- .
ceived legalism and by open and
camouflaged agents of vested in
terests.
CONCERN ABOUT
CIA’s ACTIVITIES
Twenty-one Congress members of
Parliament have charged that the
United States and its Central Intel
ligence Agency were “playing their
‘little' role in India in aiding their
“few friends' to influence a situa
tion.”
Though they did not name the
present JP-led movement in Bihar
and other parts of the country,
they implied that the movement
was getting help from the USA
and its agency to “upset the pro
cess of democracy" in the country.
In a statement issued on Novem
ber 29 in New Delhi they have
said: “Let the nation be warned.
We would also appeal to the Gov
crnment of Indin n-d other free
33
nations of the world to raise this
question in the United Nations
world forum.”
The joint statement referred to
the recent remarks of the CLA
Chief Mr. William Colby, in an
interview to a US magazine, about
the US right to carry on clandes
tine activities anywhere in the
world.
The statement also drew atten
tion to Mr. Colby's remarks jus
tifying the undercover “destabilis
ing' operations in Chile, and said
this exhibited total “die-onc rn
about the sovereign and inaliena
ble rights of a nation state.”
“Our respected leaders have in
the past more than once warned
the nation against US subversive
activities in India. We are a wit
ness today in India to a deep-laid
palm to upset the process of demo
cracy and of a motley gathering
of widely diverse and mutually
antagonistic elements to overthrow
a government elected by the peop
ple. We also know that in this
unholy combination are well-known
friends of the USA and domestic
reaction.”
The signatories viewed “with
deep apprehension” in this back
ground “Mr. Colby's reported re
marks that in certain situations ‘a
little discreet help to a few friends
of the US or a little help to a few
people espousing a certain policy
or programme in a foreign coun
try' can enable the US to influence
a local situation.”
“We call this a shamefaced and
blatant interference in the inter
nal affairs of a sovereign state and
we cannot but feel concerned at
the fact that the so-called ‘total
revolution' in India seeks to re
verse the nation's accepted policies
and turn back the clock of history.
The signatorios wore Shri Satpal
Kapur, Shri Harshdeo Malaviya,
Shri R K Sinha Shri Naval
Kishore Sharma. Shri Shashi
Bhushan Shri Amrit Nahata
Shri K. P. Unni Krishnnn, Shri
Vavalar Ravi. Shri S A Aora,
Shri R. K. Mishra, Shri Himmat
Sinh, Shri Amind Ali. Shri M. R.
Vvas. Shri R I, Bhatia. Shri B
K Dash Chaudhar, Shri Va-anth
Sathe, Shri K Lakknnna. Shri
Ponatlal Toshi. Dr Sanlºta Prasad,
Smt. Subhadra Joshi and Smt.
Lakshmi Kumari Ch'undawat,
DECEMBER 7, 1974
GDR PRIME MINISTER
Continued from Page 7
cooperation for generating greater
goodwill among nations.
“This new internationalism,”
Smt. Gandhi explained, “did not
mean abolition of nations. Rather
it should rest on the recognition
of the individual personality of
each people, the equality of all na
tions and the equal right of all to
their just portion of opportuni
ties. Progress to endure, must be
universal.” In his reply Mr. Sin
dermann also shared these feel
ings.
Before leaving for Agra on De
cember 1 by a special Indian Air
Force plane, Mr. Sindermann said
at the send-off ceremony that he
had wide-ranging talks with Smt.
Indira Gandhi. He said, “We have
laid the foundation for a long-term
cooperation in the fields of eco
nomy, education, science, techno
logy and culture. We have now a
greater understanding of the com
plex problems of South Asia and
the sub-continent.”
He said this would help
country to assist in an even better
way the peaceful policy pursued by
India and Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi towards its neighbours.
Mr. Sindermann said, “We leave
for home with very good sentiments
because here we have been given
very great attention. Our talks on
important bilateral matters and
international situation proceeded
in a very warm and cordial atmo
sphere.”
Mr. Sindermann and Mrs. Inge
Sindermann were seen off at the
airport by Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi, Shri D. P. Dhar, Shri Bipin
Pal Das, the Foreign Secretary,
Shri Kewal Singh, diplomats and
senior civil and military officials.
The FRG Ambassador, Dr. Diehl
and the Chinese Charge d’Affaires,
Mr. Ma Mu-ming, were also pre
sent.
The agreement which was con
cluded between the to countries
envisages annual consultations at
the ministerial level. The GDR is
the fourteenth country with which
India has signed an agreement for
a joint commission,
SOCIALIST INDIA
ehief of the daily “Freiheit” in
H. SINDERMANN: Halle. From 1954 to 1963 Horst
Sindermann headed the propa
A PROFILE ganda department at the SED
Central Committee.
Horst Sindermann had a deci
At the invitation of the Indian sive share in raising the efficiency
Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira of the socialist press and of the
Gandhi, the member of the Polit radio and television in accordance
bureau of the Central Committee with the growing needs of the
of the Socialist Unity Party (SED) socialist society.
and Chairman of the Council of
The fifth SED Congress elected
Ministers of the GDR, Mr. Horst
him candidate member of the
Sindermann paid an official visit
to India last week. Here is a SED Central Committee. The
sixth party congress in 1963
profile.
made him a Central Committee
member and Political Bureau can
Horst Sindermann was born in
Dresden on September 5, 1915. didate member of the SED Central
His father was chairman of the Committee.
Saxony branch of the German
In February, 1963, Horst Sinder
Social Democratic Party, and a
mann was elected First Secretary
member of the German Reichstag
of the Halle county SED execu
(Parliament).
tive. The seventh SED Congress
in 1967 elected him Political Bu
In 1929, Horst Sindermann
joined the Communist Youth Lea
reau member of the SED Central
Committee.
gue (KJVD). From 1932 to 1933 he
was chairman of the Dresden
Relying on the strength of the
branch of the League. When the Halle county SED branch, Mr.
fascist dictatorship took over, Sindermann concentrated his work
Horst Sindermann continued the
on the priority development of the
political work of the League under chemical industry. His name is
his ground. In 1933 he was arrested closely connected with the cons
and sentenced to nine months' truction of the Leuna-2 chemical
imprisonment. In 1935 fascist works.
judicial authorities sentenced him
, to six years' hard labour on On May 12, 1971, Mr. Sinder
charges of “plotting high treason.” mann was appointed First Deputy
Until 1945 Horst Sindermann was Prime Minister of the GDR. On
detained in Waldheim penitentiary October 3, 1973, the People's
and in the Nazi concentration Chamber (Parliament) elected
camps at Sachsenhausen and him Chairman of the Council of
Mauthausen. 1. Ministers. Since 1963, he has
been a member of the People's
Chamber of the GDR.
After the liquidation of Nazism,
Horst. Sindermann was one of the Horst Sindermann has been
activists of the first hour in his awarded high official decorations
in recognition of his merits.
home town of Dresden. Working
as editor-in-chief of “Saechsische
Volkszeitung,” organ of the Com ASSAM PCC’s SCHEME
munist Party, he actively promot
Continued from Page 10
ed the process of merging the
Communist Party (KPD) and the I appeal to the members of the
Social Democratic Party (SPD) APCC and all Congress workers
into the Socialist Unity Party of of Assam who were in the fore
Germany (SED). From 1946 to
1947 be was editor-in-chief of
front of all mass struggles for poli
tical freedom, now to address
Volksstimme. SED paper in themselves to this sacred task of
Chemnitz. As First Secretary of
achieving economic freedom and
the Chemnitz and later Leipzig prosperity for the masses through
district executive of the SED, he
the impelmentation of this scheme
actively supported the anti-fascist of Public Procurement and Distri
democratic transformation in these
bution.
important industrial centres. From
1950 to 1953, he was editor-in (To be Coneluded)
l DECEMBER 7, 1974
:F------------~~~~

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80CIALIST INDIA 35 DECEMBER 7, 1974
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 7-12-74 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

INDIA is GREAT
MAKE IT GREATER

BHEL’S EXPORTS
The success of Bharat Heavy
Electricals in securing Rs. 150
crore turnkey contract to set up
two 210 mw. power stations in
Iran shows that in every sense of
the term the giant enterprise has
come of age. This is not the first
such contract that BHEL has
secured: not too long ago it had
set up a power station in Malaysia
in record time. But it has secured
the Iranian order in vastly differ
ent circumstances and in the teeth
of fierce international competition.
Only those who are familiar with
the extraordinarily complex tech
nology involved in the fabrication
of equipment for a thermal power
station can fully appreciate
BHEL's feat. It will have to manu
facture as many as 3,000 com
ponents for the turbo-generator
set alone, not to mention others
required for the high pressure
boilers, the ancillary equipment
and the sophisticated instruments
for monitoring and control. What
is more, since the turbines must
run for four years continuously at
3,000 revolutions per minute, and
at a temperature of over 1,000
degrees F, only the highest stand
ards of precision engineering will
do. It is to the credit of BHEL
that it has trained its engineers to
attain such standards in record
time. One study in the United
Kingdom has shown that in firms
engaged in producing high-pre
cision, custom-built machinery, the
work force tends to be ten years
older than in other industries. This
An editorial from “The Times of India” of November 27, 1974.
gives a good indication of the
“learning curve” in companies like
the BHEL and HE (I) L. Actually
their workers have acquired the
requisite skill much faster.
While BHEL deserves praise for
securing the Iranian order the
mere fact that it is having to seek
- such contracts abroad at a time
when this country is in the grip
of a serious power famine is a
grave indictment of the way the
Central and the State Govern
ments function. BHEL is only now
attaining its peak production capa
city of around 3,000 mw. of gene
rating equipment per year. This
means that over the next five years
it will just about succeed in meet
ing the targets set in the Fifth
Plan. Any diversion of its produc
tion to other countries will only
mean a corresponding shortfall in
the installation of new equipment
at home. The management of
BHEL knows this well enough. If
it is still anxious to secure over
seas orders, it is plainly because it
cannot trust the State Govern
ments to place enough orders and
pay for the equipment promptly.
In view of their manifest inability
to clear overdues and take delivery
of new equipment, BHEL's scepti
cism is entirely justified. But by
improving the management of their
electricity boards and undertaking
a vigorous drive to collect latter's
unpaid bills from the consumers,
the States can still help fill BHEL's
order book as well as relieve the
prevailing power shortage.

THIS IS THE EIGHTH IN A SERIES OF ADVERTISEMENTS

DESIGNED BY “SOCIALIST INDIA” IN PUBLIC INTEREST
SOCIALIST DECEMBER 14, 1974
INDIA's RELATIONS WITH EEC,
GDR AND CZECHOSLOWAKIA
*

DR. B. D. NAG CHAUDHURI ON

INDIAN OCEAN
k
30p. NARORA AND AFTER

PRIME MINISTER CALLS FOR

UNITY AND DISCIPLINE
“We are against the concept of class con
flict. The entire spirit of Gandhiji's revolution
and Nehru's approach is to reject the doctrine of
class warfare. Unfortunately, a confrontation is
being developed precisely to challenge this ap
proach of cooperation. If the Congress and the
ideas for which it stands are weakened, class
conflict and general tension will increase in the
country and we may also fall a prey to interna
tional machinations. This is a moment when all
of the nation's strength and discipline and unity
are required to meet the challenge within the
country and the wider crisis on the global front”.
Prime Minister INDIRA GANDHI in her inau
gural address to the convention organised by the
Central Campaign Committee of the Congress,
the National Alliance of Young Entrepreneurs
and the Federation of Association of Small In
dustries.
(Please turn over for the text of the address).

DEMOCRACY O SOCIALISM © SECULARISM Q NON-ALIGNMENT


congress DERIVES ITs
STRENGTH FROM
THE SMALL PEOPLE
INDIRA GANDHI
The following is the edited text of Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi’s inaugural address at the Convention
of Young Fntrepreneurs held at Vigyan Bhavan,
New Delhi, on December 8, 1974.
Entrepreneurship is the ability to dare, to take
risks to act and to assume responsibility. An entre
preneur creates opportunity not only for himself but
for others and for society as a whole. We in our
country are in great need of this quality in the pri
vate sector, in the Public Sector and in all areas of
national life. Sometimes I feel that our situation is
somewhat similar to the one described in Coleridge's
famous poem in the line, “Water, water everywhere,
Not a drop to drink”. We have people, people every
where but so few who are innovators, so few risk
takers, so few who feel an urge to create, to build
and to take the country forward. Far too many of
our people feel that the only excitement possible is
in destruction or in cynicism. Modern studies have
shown that it is not merely the profit motive which
generates entrepreneurship.
In fact, recently there have been many confer
ences, big and small, where economists of all ranges,
not only the radical ones, have stressed on this point.
They pointed out that what is needed to be emphasis
ed is professional pride, the desire to help a group
or region to achieve excellence. There was a time
when unlimited profits were considered right even as
a General who killed off thousands was regarded as
a great warrior. But today there is revulsion against
such ideas. Profit has to be related to social pur
pose. Profiteers who take advantage of scarcities or
distress, people who make money through adultera
º: or spurious drugs and so on, command no res
pect.
MIXED ECONOMY
Ours is a mixed ecnomy. We have left wide
areas of our ecnomy open for private enterprise
and initiative. But we want private enterprise not
to be concentrated in a limited number of hands,
but to spread as widely as possible. That is why we
wish to give special encouragement to small indus
tries which offer good scope for young entrepre
neurs, and I will add, also to woman entrepreneurs.
There are still far too few women; there are some
but too few who take an interest in these matters.
The bigger firms and those who are well establish
ed in industry know the rules and therefore, find
it easier to get the various approvals necessary to
start an industry. For the young and the new
SOCIALIST INDIA
entrepreneurs the procedures are complicated and
they are frequently at a loss to know in which in
dustry they should invest and what are the chances
of success. Because of the hard mentality of entre
preneurs, there is also excessive investment in some
industries.
I have been stressing the need for better and
more integrated arrangements for counselling new
entrepreneurs. Some steps have been taken by
State Governments and financial institutions. but
I am not satisfied with what has been done. I have
asked our Minister of Industry, Shri Pai, to give
the most urgent attention to this question. At the
same time, I must point out how much we all regret
that some small industries are merely facades of
big ones and some are involved not in production,
but in cornering licences and in illegal trading in
scarce supplies. Such activities on the part of some
bring a bad name to all. The small-scale sector
must be rid of these evils which lead to severe
under-utilisation, high prices and affect the econo
mies of many units. Genuine entrepreneurs have
an important role to play in exposing such black
sheep.
I know that there are many genuine difficulties
in the path of many small entrepreneurs. Apart
from the traditional bureaucratic obstacles, we have
today acute constraint on resources and difficulties
in obtaining credit accommodation. We cannot
afford to relax these just now. Like the strict
regiment which must be followed during an illness,
we have to put up with this for some time so that
the economy can bounce back to health. But Govern
ment will do its best to give top priority to stream
line our procedures and to try in the removal of
the shortage of power and of industrial raw mate
rials as soon as we possibly can.
NEED FOR AUSTERITY
I welcome the point made just now about the
need for auster:ty in all walks of life. But this is
specially necessary in the business world. It is a
question of change in outlook, of steering away from
the expense account mentality.
There has been, from the very beginning of
Independence, intense propaganda against the po
licies of the Congress whether it is the question of
encouraging the Public Sector, or of giving the
State a dominant role in the economy. or many of
the other steps which we have taken. But as we go
along, it will be seen that all these steps were in
order to make the economy healthier, in order to
create a greater social and economic balance so
that future conflicts and tensions would be avoided
and even if they slow down the economy in some
ways, in the longer run it would add to faster
progress.
There is also the idea being propagated that
the Congress is a party of big farmers and big in
dustrialists. But if you look at the matter closely
and at the elections, you will find that there are
Continued on Page 31
DECEMBER 14, 1974
 Weekly of the Indian
–-H National Congress pub
lished every Saturday º Wol X No. 2
from AICC Camp Office, CONTENTS December 14, 1974
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Road, New Delhi 110001.
*Phone: 383521.
'Grams: SOCIALIST
Prime Minister's inaugural address
EDITORLAL, BOARD to Young Entrepreneurs
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Editorial

(Chairman)
Why Congress withdrew support
from Shaiza Ministry
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Prime Minister's Statement on
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Licences ISSue

BOARD
©

OF MANAGEMENT
Cadre Training Camps in the States
Narora and After
The USSR and the Third World—I
:
7
Arkadij Nekrassov
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR India and ECC's Scheme of
(Chairman) Generalised Preferences
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Hartirath Singh 9
Indian Ocean should be kept
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA Free of Conflicts
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Dr. B. D. Nag Chaudhuri 11
Shri P. C. SETHI Chandrajit Yadav visits Steel Plants 13
Changing Face of Iraq
© B. K. Joshi 14
Prime Minister's Tribute to Krishna Menon 16

tº chº
Editor: CHANDRAJIT
T YADA
YADAV MyV.Years in England
K. Krishna Menon " - 17
Fºxecutive Editor: JAG MOHAN Mr. Sindermann's visit Strengthens
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Indo-GDR Relations 21
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress #: to º: . to i :
- - - ndo-UZec ooperation to increase
Committee and printed at National Herald Press, Book Review: Indo-GDR Relations
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. J. M. Deb 27
Parliament: Opposition loses a “War”
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces- J.M.D. - - 29
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Bureau of Non-Aligned Countries to
discuss Indian Ocean Bases 31

platform strident voices have been heard, some

EDITORIAL
The Intelligentsia And
JP's Movement
Where do the men of intellect, creative writers,
academics, sociologists, scientists, technologists,
artists and others, who represent the intelligentsia
stand vis a vis JP's movement? This is a one-lakh
rupee question? At the moment a tentative answer
only can be given. But soon the real answer will
emerge when the members of the intelligentsia
align themselves either on the side of JP or on the
side of the Congress, depending on their predelic
tions, v2sted interests and ideological convictions.
For some time now. from the pross and the
socialist ºptA
supporting JP and others condemning him. In Se
minars and academic journals the debate has been
going on in muted voices and high falutin language.
The pros and cons have been discussed threadbare.
The distinctions between tweedledum and tweedle
dee have been determined. Amidst all this, several
intellectuals have chosen, as usual, to be on the
fence, waiting to see which way the situation is
developing. The armchair intellectuals in air-condi
tioned skyscraper towers have trained their tele
scopes on the offensives and counter-offensives.
But the situation cannot remain the same for
long. The battle-lines are being drawn up and the
intelligentsia will have to make its choice. Which
side will they choose? That need not be a million
rupee-question for the simple reason that the issues
at stake are transparently clear even now.
On one side is the Congress with a tradition
and history behind it. Thanks to the Congress, the
country is what is today with a superb demo
brºCEMBER 14, 1974
cratic political structure, a viable economy (much
better than in most of the countries) and a sound
foreign policy that has paid us dividends. If the
Congress has worked successfully what has now
come to be known as “the one-party democracy”
within the Westminster model, well that should be
hailed as an achievement of India. We have an open
society in which all the freedoms are guaranteed.
For 27 years since we attained Independence, and
for 19 years since we became a republic, we have
done well in spite of the machinations of those who
did not want us to be so successful. This does not
mean that everything is fine with us. But whatever
has gone wrong can be set right. And we have the
machinery to do that and to forge ahead.
On the other side is JP, a lone-wolfer, who has
unsuccessfully experimented with many isms and
who at last in a passionate bid to nullify his frus
trations has launched a movement in an opportunis
tic manner. The people he is keeping company with
these days are the people he would have been
ashamed of a few years ago. The persons support
ing him with men, money and resources are non
descript figures whose mystery will be unravelled
some time or the other. But it is very clear that
the disparate, disgruntled and disjointed Opposition
parties have found in JP a catalyst for their sur
vival. But can these parties remain together for
long with their inter-party ideological quarrels and
pressures? Will they be able to carry on the govern
ment in the States and at the Centre? Do they
have a valid alternative socio-economic programme
for the betterment of the masses about whom they
talk endlessly? No, no and emphatically no. The
unholy gang behind JP can only perpetrate the
“rape of the masses” as had been done in the past
in many parts of the world in the name of demo
cracy, in the name of justice, in the name of the
people.
Let us all beware of the situation that is evolv
ing and much too rapidly. The time has come for
the intelligentsia to exercise its dissent not against
the Establishment but against the madness that is
being unleashed in the country by the Opposition.
The intellectuals and the intelligentsia had to stand
by the side of the Spanish Republic, in the past
and by the side of Allende recently though they
represented the Establishment. In India too they
will have to stand by the Establishment, which in
other words means the Congress. Otherwise, they
will be swept away and there will be anarchy if
not nemesis. It is sincerely hoped that the intelli
gentsia will make up its mind and stand for the
continuance of this country as a modern nation and
not let it go under.

earlier approved by the State

Why Congress Withdrew Support
From Shaiza Ministry?
A two-member coalition Minis
try, headed by Shri R. K. Dorendra
Singh, Leader of the Manipur
Congress Legislature Party, was
sworn in at Imphal on December
6—and thus came to an end the
uncertainty that had gripped the
State politics for some time. Shri
Maibam Gourmani Singh of the
Manipur People's Party was sworn
in as a Minister of State. The
two-party coalition has been
christianed as the Democratic
Legislature Party. Soon after the
swearing-in ceremony, the Chief
Minister announced that both the
constituents of the coalition would
be equally represented when the
Ministry was expanded.
The Congress leadership has
been criticised in the press—and
outside—for withdrawing support
from the Shaiza Ministry. But look
ing at the developments during the
past nine months in that far-flung
State, the criticism seems not
only uncharitable but unfair also.
If the Congress leadership agreed
to participate in the Government,
it was because there was no option
left for it.
The Manipur People's Party
Manipur Hill Union combine had
won majority seats in the Feb
ruary elections to the Manipur
Assembly. Consequently a coali
tion Ministry, consisting of the
two parties, was inducted with
Shri Alimºddin as the Chief Minis
ter. This Government did not last
long because of defections.
On the fall of the Alimuddin
Ministry, a Progressive Democra
tic Front was formed consisting
of the Congress, Manipur Hill
Union and the Communist Party
of India and the new Ministry was
headed by Shri Y. Shaiza. Though
the Congress Party was a consti
tuent of the coalition, it was de
cided to support the Government
from outside and not join it.
Some time ago, Shri Shaiza met
the Congress President and urged
that the Congress Party should
join his Ministry and nominate its
representatives for inclusion there
in. After discussing various as
pacts of the matter, the Congress
President agreed to accept his re
quest. But when the Congress
High Command nominated Cong
ress representatives (who were
Congress), the Chief Minister re
fused to accept them.
Now, how much representation
there should be of the Congress
Party –- or of any other party—
in the Ministry may have to be
decided by the coordination com
mittee representing all the consti
tuents. But who should be the
Congress nominee is surely a mat
ter to be decided solely by the Cong
ress Party—not any one else. It
is all the more regrettable that
the Communist Party cf India
which had had electoral adjust.
ments with the Congress early
this year, should side with Shr
Shaiza and demand change of the
Congress nominees. Under the cir
cumstances the Congress was lef
with only two alternatives; eithe:
to delegate its decision-makins
authority to Shri Shaiza and CE
and accept the subordinate role
or to withdraw support from thº
Shaiza Ministry. Understandably
it decided in favour of the latter
The present strength of th
Congress-Manipur People's Part
coalition is 39 and five others hav
already expressed their suppor
to the Government. This is
comfortable majority in a Hous
of 60. Seemingly, there is rh
threat to the Ministry at the
moment,
 -
Prime Minister On The Licence Issue
The following is the text of
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's
statement on the licences issue
made in Parliament on Dec. 9.
For several days tempers have
run high in this House. It is neces
sary for us all to see the entire
matter in calmer frame of mind
and in the proper perspective. That
will be my endeavour in rising to
speak.
The House has spent many hours
debating the issue of making pub
lic the CBI report and in the pro
cess, a situation has arisen which
causes us the gravest concern and
is bound to have wide repercus
sions. It is, therefore, a matter of
Sorrow that a senior member who
was known to feel strongly about
upholding the proprieties and res
pect for the due processes of law,
should decide to use coercive me
thods to prevent the functioning
of the House.
Obstruction methods do not be
come less dangerous by using evo
cative terms like “satyagraha'.
While speaking of democracy, some
people are building up an atmos
phere of confrontation because
The feature on Assam PCC's
scheme for Procurement and Dis
tribution had to be held over for
want of space. It will appear next
week.
they are basically against fully
representative democracy, and
wish to undermine the people's
faith in parliamentary institutions.
The misguided report to satya
graha plays into their hands.
Satyagraha was used as a poli
tical weapon when no other way
was open to us to register the peo
ple's will. But our political system
affords the fullest scope for the
people's will to assert itself. The
persistence with which some mem
bers are obstructing the work of
the House does not augur well for
our parliamentary democracy.
In all seriousness I urge hon’ble
members not to bring about a dead
lock. As members of this august
House, it is our duty to see that no
group is allowed to subvert the
parliamentary process. The Oppo
SOCIALIST INDIA
*--_ -
sition also must recognise that the
work of the country should not be
thwarted.
Important and urgent legislative
business, especially the legislation
connected with the drive against
smuglgers and other vital econo
mic issues which are exercising
the minds of the people and have
a direct bearing on their well-be
ing, are getting inordinately delay
ed.
CLARIFICATION
My colleagues have already
given our reasons for not placing
the CBI report on the table of the
House. However, suspicion is
sought to be created in the public
mind and I should like to clarify
this matter. We have nothing to
hide, nor are we objecting to the
placing of the report on merely
technical grounds. The CBI is an
investigating authority. It would
run counter to the accepted princi
ples of our judicial process to
make public an investigating docu
ment at a time when the trial
against the accused is imminent.
Under the Code of Criminal Pro
cedure, the documents, which an
investigating officer is required to
maintain, are case diaries which
contain day-to-day records of the
investigations conducted by the
investigating officer. As soon
as the investigation is complete,
the investigating officer under Sec
tion 173 Cr. P.C. has to submit a
charge-sheet if any persons have
to be tried for any offences, or
a final report in the prescribed
form if the case has to be closed
for want of evidence, to the magis
trate having jurisdiction. No other
report is prescribed under the
Cr. P.C.
In the CBI, standing instructions
lay down that the investigating of
ficer should prepare a detailed re
port giving a summary of the oral
and documentary evidence which
has come on record during inves
tigation, and discussion of this
evidence. This report contains only
a summary of the statements of
witnesses and references to docu
ments relied upon by the prosecu
tion. Also, statement recorded dur
ing investigation are inadmissible
Continued on Page 30
5 DECEMBER 14, 1974
*.
PARTY INEVAVS
r
CADRE TRAINING
CANMPS IN THE
STATES
Most of the cadre training
camps, being organised in va
rious States by the Depart
ment of Political Training and
Cadre Building of AICC in col
laboration with the Pradesh
Congress Committees will be
over by the end of January.
Camps in three States—Kar
nataka, Haryana and Gujarat
—have already been comple
ted.
While dates for Manipur,
Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh,
Tripura, Delhi, Orissa, Pondi
cherry and Meghalaya are yet
to be announced, those for
other States have been finalis
ed as under:
Assam (Dec. 12-14), West
Bengal (Dec. 11-13), Rajas
than (Dec. 14-16), Chandigarh
(Jan. 18-19), Goa, Daman and
Diu (Dec. 20-22), Punjab
(Dec. 20-22), Himachal Pra
desh (Dec. 23-25), Madhya
Pradesh (Dec. 25–27), Bihar
(Dec. 27–29), Tamil Nadu
(Dec. 28–30), Kerala (Jan.
6-8), Jammu and Kashmir
(Jan. 1-3), Uttar Pradesh
(Jan. 1-3), Andhra Pradesh
(Jan. 7-9) and Maharashtra
(Dec. 24-26). The dates given
for Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar
Pradesh and Maharashtra are,
however, tentative.
The Congress President,
Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, has
been attending all the camps.
Those slated for addressing
the camps include, among
others, Shri R. K. Sinha, Shri
D. P. Dhar, Shri D. P. Singh,
Shri Chandrajit Yadav, Shri
Raghunatha Reddy, Shri Uma
Shankar Dikshit, Shri Baliram
Bhagat, Shri K. C. Pant, Dr.
Shanker Dayal Sharma. Shri
H. K. Singh and Shri Nawal
Kishore Sharma.

THE POLITICAL SCENE
Narora And
After
The major difference which
Narora has brought about in the
Congress is that it has for the
first time given leading Congress
men a coherent direction and socio
economic line of thinking which
might enable them to meet the
new challenge which the party
faces. The process of political co
hesion is nevertheless a long drawn
one and no magical trick can
transform the Congress scene sud
denly. The new ingredient in the
situation, however, is that the 13
Point Programme drawn up at
Narora is not “a subject for de
bate” but is being treated by the
party leadership as “a Program
me of Action.”
There has been expected cyni
cism with regard to the 13-Point
Programme and even those friend
ly to the Congress have joined
this cynicism. But if the earnest
ness with which Congress Presi
dent D. K. Borooah h;us started
coordinating the implementation of
the 13-Point Programme is kept
up, the general outlook might well
undergo a significant change. The
tenor of the communication ad
dressed by Shri Borooah to the
Congress Chief Ministers denotes
this new element. The detailed
scheduling for implementation of
the 13-Point Programme certainly
gives rise to some hopes. Perhaps,
the Congress leadership is begin
ning to realise that it can no longer
play with programmes, and the
time is overdue for bridging the
gulf between profession and prac
tice.
Another new ingredient which
Narora has introduced in the cur
rent political scene is the realisa
tion that the battle which the Con
gress has to fight is not going to
be a short-lived one. Shrimati
Indira Gandhi has herself set the
pace for the re-grouping of forces
for a protracted tussle by pointing
SOCIALIST INDIA
out that the challenge which Con their forces and replan their
gressmen face becomes formidable strategy.
because of the difficult economic
situation. By spelling out this pers Putting off the proposed na
pective at Narora and later, tional march to Parliament to the
Shrimati Gandhi has herself as next session by itself was an in
dication of their having reversed
sumed prime responsibility for
confrontation with the JP-led Op their earlier stipulations, particu
position, and has proved her met larly with regard to the calcula
tle. tion in the matter of the much
rumoured Parliament mid-term
poll.
The Opposition leaders' con
claves in Delhi have also shown The conclave also revealed many
that the tussle is going to be more things: While they were
rough and prolonged. The first agreed that JP alone can provide
gush of enthusiasm with which the necessary leadership in their
the conclave announced a massive fight for political revival, the main
“gherao” of Parliament by the end constituents were divided on many
of the current session has given other matters. The political par
place to more sober calculations. ties could not give up their res
The Opposition conclaves in Delhi pective claims and long-term aspi
in the midst and after the Narora rations, a point which struck a
camp was an effort to re-group Continued on Page 28
SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND
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WHERE SERVICE IS A WAY OF LIFE.
Head Office: R. K. PAI
Malºpal (Karnataka State) Managing Director
DECEMBER 14, 1974

The USSR And The
Third World–I
ARKADU MEKRAssow
The author is Assistant Secre
tary of the UN Economic and So
cial Council.
One of the salient features of,
and growing factors in, modern in
ternational economic relations is
the rapidly-increasing ecnomic
and scientific-technological
co
operation between the Soviet
Union and the developing coun
tries of Asia, Africa and Latin
America.
The economic co-operation of the
most advanced socialist country
with a great number of States
whose economies are lacking in
modern factories and trained spe
cialists provides opportunities for
the latter to catch up with the
level of technologically-advanced
countries in the shortest possible
period. At the same time, this co
operation helps them to strengthen
their national sovereignty and
raise the living standard of their
population. As a result of this co
operation, the developing countries
reinforce their standing as mem
bers of the international commu
nity. The achievement of economic
and social progress by more than
100 developing countries will have,
undoubtedly, far-reaching interna
tional consequences and will lead
to the elimination of archaic sys
tems based on inequality and ex
ploitation. Consequently, it will
strengthen international peace and
security.
EASTERN POLICY
The Soviet Union today plays an
important role in assisting the de
veloping countries to bring about
industrialisation, economic plan
ning. modernisation of agriculture,
training of personnel and diversi
fication of their foreign trade. At
present, the co-operation of the
Soviet Union with the developing
countries of Asia, Africa and Latin
America has a multi-sectoral and
complex nature involving economy,
policy, science and culture.
It was V. I. Lenin, the founder
of the Soviet Union, who confirm
ed the necessity of this complex
co-operation of socialist States
with backward nations. Lenin's
bidding that the oppressed peoples
of the East be helped ....“to poss
to the use of machinery, to the
lightening of labour, to democracy,
to socialism” became a high
priority task in Soviet foreign
policy.
Back in 1922, proceeding from
Lenin's teaching. Georgy Chicherin
(the first Soviet People's Com
missioner for Foreign Affairs) for
mulated the aims of the eastern
policy of the Soviet Government:
“Our eastern policy remains diame
trically opposite to the policy of
the imperialist countries. Our east
ern policy strives for the indepen
dent economic and political deve
lopment of the eastern peoples and
will give them every support in
this direction...”
Immediately after the Great
October Socialist Revolution, the
Soviet Government nullified all un
PROGRESS IN ALL FIELDS
Definite progress was re
corded in all fields identified
in the 15-year Indo-Soviet
Agreement for cooperative en
deavours during the year that
has passed since Mr. Brezh
nev's visit to India. This was
stated by Mr. A. I. Alikhanov,
Vice-Chairman of the Soviet
Committee for Foreign Econo
mic Relations in an interview,
released in New Delhi on Nov
ember 30.
The second session of the
Indo-Soviet Joint Commission,
held in Moscow in September
1974, marked an important
step forward in the implemen
tation of cooperative program
mes. Many specic measures
were agreed to for this
pur
pose.
During the past year the
Bokaro Steel Plant builders
have scored great successes.
The first two 100-ton conver
ters — which produce steel
from pig iron — were put into
operation. Work is now well
advanced on other projects,
including slabbing and rolling
mills, ----------
equal agreements, treaties and con
ventions which Tsarist Russia had
concluded with other nations.
Consequently, all economic privi
leges were waived and the peoples
of neighbouring States received
back all concessions, land and pro
perty owned by the Government
and private citizens of Izussia.
The Soviet Government relin
quished all rights on loans which
the Tsarist Government provided
to these countries. It was a new,
bold and imaginative policy which
laid down the grounds for new
relations between the Soviet Union
and the economically backward
countries of the East.
Guided by the noble and lofty
principles of socialist interna
tionalism, it was natural that, from
the very beginning, the Soviet
Union should try to establish new
relations based on full respect for
national sovereignty, equality, non
interference in internal affairs, and
mutual benefit.
One of the first countries with
which the Soviet Union established
Likewise, Bhilai — the first
major Soviet-aided project in
India — is being expanded
from 2.5 m to 4 m tons. The
expansion project involves the
addition of a converter shop,
a continuous casting facility
and a plate mill.
Two-thirds of the equipment
for Bokaro is being supplied
by Indian plants. Two out of
the five continuous casting
machines to be installed at
Bhilai are being built in India
along with 38,000 out of 58,000
tons of mechanical equipment
required for the plate mill.
The September meeting of
the joint commission discussed
the programmes of work at
these projects. It was agreed
to send Soviet experts to co
ordinate design work between
Soviet and Indian manufac
turers. Similarly, a Soviet team
is being sent to Ranchi plant
to study the possibilities of
increasing the range of its out
put to new, more sophistſeat
ed types of equipment,
--
tº CEMRºtº 14, 15??
a new kind of relationship was
Iran, the Soviet Union's southern
neighbour. On February 26, 1921,
the Soviet Union and Iran signed
a Treaty of Friendship whereby it
was confirmed that the relations
between those two countries should
be based on the following princi
ples: full equality, mutual respect
for sovereignty and national in
dependence, and non-interference
in the internal affairs of each
other. These progressive principles
were later incorporated into the
United Nations Charter and have
become a basis for modern inter
national relations.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION
Stressing the importance of the
Treaty of Friendship for Iran, the
Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza
Pahlevi, wrote recently: “...This
Treaty... helped Iran . . . in its
struggle to achieve legitimate
rights and to be liberated from
foreign influence and for the first
time made it possible to implement
new principles enunciated on in
ternational relations by Vladimir
Ilyich Lenin,” (Pravda, February
26, 1971).
factors, the developed capitalist
countries have been unable to pro
vide the developing countries with
all the required technology
capital for the purposes of indus
trialisation.
Striking examples of that atti
tude are the refusal of the United
States Government and private
companies of that country to assist
Egypt in the construction of the
Aswan Dam and to assist India
in building steel factories,
ever, in the latter case, the capi
talist countries did agree to
provide assistance in the build
ing of the steel plants, but only
after the Soviet Union had already
rendered assistance to India
this field. Many appeals from other
developing countries (Iran, Syria,
Indonesia and others) to developed
capitalist countries to assist in the
field of industrialisation have re
mained unanswered. The United
States Ambassador to India, Mr.
Daniel P. Moynihan, czplains
remarkable success of economic
co-operation between the Soviet
Union and developing countries by
“a degree of structural harmony
and technological ‘fit' that makes
agreements with other socialist
and economies relatively easy for the
planned economies of developing
Asia.”
In this regard, I would add that
“a political will” — a most popular
expression in the United Nations
phraseology — is also of great im
portance in order to achieve these
results. In its relations with deve
How loping countries, the Soviet Union
is guided not by concepts of profit
ability, political or economic
strings, or fear of competition, but
by the principle of “mutual inte
rest and mutual benefit”, which
in excludes any form of exploitation.
DEVELOPMENT POLICY
The basic principles on which
economic co-operation is based, and
its main directions, are as follows:
*The Soviet Union assists deve
the loping countries mainly in the
development of the productive
spheres of their national economy.
Continued on Page 26

Among countries which received

Soviet economic and technical
Total amount of soft-term
assistance in the 1930s were Iran,
Afghanistan and Turkey. credits offered by the USSR
Since the mid-fifties,
co-operation between the
economic
Soviet to developing countries:
Union and developing countries of (in percentages) (in millions of
Asia, Africa and Latin America roubles) *
has become an undisputed and
positive phenomenon of interna Industry and power economy 76.6 or 4,290
tional economic relations and has Agriculture 5.9 330
Transport and communications 7.6 426
proved to be of great value for
developing countries. The latter Geological prospecting 5.4 302
were quick to realise that Soviet Education, culture, health, housing, etc. 4.5 252 -
economic and technical aid was
given under favourable conditions Agriculture:
and in the most crucia] areas of 330million foubles
national development. In many !ndustry and power
cases, this aid represented an in economy; 4,280 million Transpºrt and
dispensable factor in their national roubles (estimates) communications:
426 milligarqubles
economies.
Geological prospecting:
The thirst of developing, coun 302 million roubles
tries for rapid industrialisation can
Educatiºn, tulture, health,
be translated into reality, to a housing, etc.:
great extent, only with assistance 252 million roubles
from economically advanced na
tions which possess modern-tech
nology and capital needed to con
struct factories and plants. Due * Approximate estimates made by the author.
to many political and economic
Tat-Maarºn re -a -- a--

INDIA AND EEC’s SCHENME OF
GENERALISED PREFERENCES
The Generalised Scheme of Pre
ferences for the manufactures
and semi-manufactures of the de
veloping countries, first introduc
ed in July 1971, was further de
veloped and refined in the current
year. The most important develop
ment was the announcement of
the European Economic Commu
nity's GSP for 1974, which embra
ces all the nine member-states of
the enlarged Community. And it
is a definite improvement on its
scheme for 1973 in four respects.
First, the base year for calcu
lating ceiling limits for duty-free
entry in the industrial sector has
been shifted from 1968 to 1971.
This has made for an upward re
vision in the ceiling limits.
Secondly, the list of sensitive
industrial items, where ceiling
limits are strictly adhered to, has
been shortened from 75 to 60. The
items of export interest to India,
which have been deleted from the
sensitive list are goat and kid
skin leather, man-made fabrics,
woollen carpets (other than hand
knitted), locks and padlocks, and
bicycles, including spare parts.
Thirdly, a few more agricultural
items such as unmanufactured
FCW tobacco, tea in packets,
shrimps, mushrooms and certain
tropical fruits and vegetables have
been included in the scheme.
Finally, certain textiles continue
to be in the EEC's GSP for 1974,
although they did not figure in
the British GSP for 1973. This
would help the export of Indian
Cotton textiles to the UK.
INADEQUACIES
Although the EEC's GSP for
1974 marks a step forward in the
developed countries' effort to give
better market access to the deve
oping countries, it continues to be
inadequate in certain respects. For
instance, ceiling limits are still
being maintained in the industrial
*00+A*fºr INDIA **** ----."
HARTIRATH SINGH
sector and also in regard to a
couple of products in the agricul
tural sector, the main item of ex
port interest to India being FCV
tobacco. The ceiling limits are in
adequate especially in regard to
the exports of a few items of our
cotton textiles.
In regard to most of the agri
cultural items included in the
GSP, tariff suspension is not com
plete. Apart from many important
agricultural products, a few impor
tant industrial products like cer
tain items of leather, granite and
natural steatite have also been
excluded from the GSP scheme.
Also no special dispensation for
handloom textiles has been envi
saged. It is in recognition of the
special characteristics of handloom
textiles that the Indo-US agree
ment on cotton textiles, signed in
Washington in August, envisages
exemption from quota restrictions
for handloom fabric of the cottage
industry or hand-made cottage in
dustry products made of such
handloom fabric.
The above inadequacies of the
Community's GSP should not blur
the fact that the concept of the
Generalised Preferences is not
static; with the passage of time,
it has been slowly evolving on the
basis of the experience gained and
the pulls and the counter-pulls of
a number of clashing interests and
opposing forces in both the deve
loped and the developing countries.
The Government of India is al
ready pursuing with the Commu
nity the question of further im
provements in its GSP. It would
not, therefore, be surprising if the
Community's GSP for the next
year sheds some of the restrictive
features of its GSP for 1974.
The inadequacies of the GSP
should not, moreover, stand in the
way of our exploiting the trade op
portunities it offers. . A realistic
and practical approach would be
to convert them to India's fullest
advantage and then to ask for
more. If we do not exploit them,
the other nations will fill the va
cuum, so our emphasis, in our own
interest, must be on its positive
aspects.
It may also be mentioned that
the EEC's GSP is not an end in
itself; it is rather a means to an
end, viz., higher exports of manu
factures and semi-manufactures
from the developing countries to
the developed ones. This end was
also pursued in the first meeting
of the Joint Commission, estab
lished under the Commercial Co
operation Agreement between the
EEC and India, in Brussels on
May 27-28, 1974.
JOINT COMMISSION
The Joint Commission then
adopted its Rules of Procedure
and agreed on its work programme
for 1974. It also set up two spe
cialised sub-commissions. The first
sub-commission deals with the
sectoral agreements on jute, coir,
cotton textiles and cottage indus
try goods (handicrafts and hand
loom fabrics), according to the
specific mandates approved by the
Joint Commission.
The Joint Commission also took
note of certain suggestions put
forward by the Indian delegation
to it for improving the functioning
of the different sectoral agree
ments and decided to refer them
to the competent authorities. It
was agreed that the proposal made
by India regarding cooperation in
the field of research and product
development for jute and coir pro
ducts would be followed up.
The second sub-commission was
given a mandate covering coopera
tion measures concerning a wide
range of activities foreseen in the
work programme such as efficient
utilisation of the Community's
GSP, possible liberalisation mea
sures including technical assistance
for trade promotion, and Joint
Research and Economic Coopera
tion with a view to encouraging the
development and diversification of
trade between India and the Com
munity. The sub-commission is
preparing a series of reports which
will inter alia form the basis of
the wark of the second meeting
bFCEMBER 14, 1074
of the Joint Commission to be held
in New Delhi shortly.
As a sequel to the first meeting
of the Indo-EEC Joint Commission,
a three-member EEC team led by
Mr. John Hansen, Chief of Divi
sion in the Directorate of External
Relations of the EEC Commission,
visited India from August 30 to
September 5 with a view to ex
ploring the possibilities of econo
mic cooperation linked with trade.
The EEC team held discussion
with representatives of the Minis
tries of Commerce and Heavy In
dustry and Development of Elec
tronics. The discussions covered
the possibilities of cooperation in
volving exports from India of
leather products, oil-cake|cattle
feed, engineering items, electronic
goods, etc. The EEC team also
visited Madras and Bangalore to
get a first-hand view of our leather
industry, handlooms, machine
tools, electronics and auto ancil
laries.
INDIA'S EXPORTS
Did the EEC's GSP for 1973
contribute to the expansion of
India's exports to the EEC in
1973-74? An objective answer
would call for comparison of our
were above the growth rate of our
world exports (26 per cent).
Figures of our exports to the EEC
in 1972-73 and 1973-74 and the
percentage increase in 1973-74 over
1972-73 are given in the table
below.
The impressive increase in our
exports to the EEC in 1973-74 has
given a flying start to India in
expanding its exports to the EEC
in future. Our Commercial Coope
ration Agreement (CCA) with the
EEC should lend strength to this
effort. It is because of the EEC's
global importance as a trading re
gion that 44 developing countries
—including all of black Africa and
the Carbibbean—have got a special
relationship with it and are now
negotiating with it for a compre
hensive agreement. Included in this
agreement would be the provision
of £1.5 billion in over five years,
a system of trade preference per
mitting duty-free entry to their
products, and a provision that if
their export returns for any pro
duct to the EEC fell in one year
below the level of the previous
three years, the EEC would make
good the difference.
Discussions are also taking place
Agreement. This formula assumes
for each member-country a “fair
share” of import on the basis of
various factors such as popula
tion and size of the domestic tex
tile industry. The percentage in
crease in imports, which the indi
vidual member-countries will be
expected to take, will be worked
out on the basis of utilisation of
the “fair share”.
For example, if a country is
taking 100 per cent of its fair
share, it would take only the
growth rate which the EEC gives
to the supplying country—in most
cases, six per cent. If the current
proportion is only 80 per cent of
the fair share, it would be obliged
to take perhaps a 12 per cent rise;
if only 30 per cent of the fair
share, a 40 per cent increase; and
so on up to a maximum of a 50
per cent increase where a coun
try is taking less than 25 per cent
of its fair share. Since cotton tex
tiles are covered by the EEC's
GSP and India is one of the ma
jor Third-World exporters of cot
ton textiles, export liberalisation
under the Multifibre Agreement
should give a powerful boost to
our cotton textiles exports to the
EEC. -

GSP exports to the EEC in 1973-74 with the Southern Mediterranean

with those in 1972-73. Since the countries — Algeria, Tunisia,
PROSPECTS FOR INDIA
figures of our GSP exports to the Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon
and Jordan — for similar agree The climate for a major export
EEC in 1973-74 are not yet avai
ments with them individually. breakthrough in the EEC markets
lable, we may as a general indi
Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri is this propitious, but the truth
cation depend on a comparison of
Lanka too are in the queue for is that India has not yet been able
our overall exports to the EEC in
1973-74 with those in 1972-73. entering into such agreements to take as much advantage of
with the EEC. The CCA with the the EEC's generalised preferences
Here we find a dramatic increase EEC in this context is for us a as some of the other developing
in our exports. As compared to a countries have done. While the
powerful plus point.
26 per cent increase in our world ceiling of the products in the sen
exports in 1973-74, our exports to Another such factor is the for sitive category have been touched
the EEC increased by 45.8 per mula of import burden-sharing by India only in respect of a few
cent. implicit in the GATT Multi-Fibre * : Continued on Page 28
This increase was caused to a INDIA'S EXPORTS TO EEC
large extent by the new entrant
to the EEC, viz., the UK, whose (Rs. lakhs)
offtake at Rs. 258 crores showed 1973-74 % increase (P) or
an increase of Rs. 86 crores or Country - - 1972-73 %decrease (–) in
about 50 per cent over the previ 1973-74 over 1972-73
ous year's level. In absolute terms Belgium and Luxembourg 3,013 4,386 P45.57
too, it represented a major part Denmark 568 1,290 P127.11
of the total increase of Rs. 187 France 4,590 4,859 P5.87
crores worth of goods to the Federal Republic of
“Nine” of the Community. The Germany 6,228 8,225 P32.06
UK's major contribution to the Ireland 695 909 P30.79
overall increase in exports to the Italy 4,885 6,837 P39.96
EEC notwithstanding, exports to Netherlands 3,540 7,086 P100.17
the other eight member-countries U.K. 17,254 25,839 P49.76
of the EEC, excepting France, tog
SOCIALIST INTPIA -- *-- -- ~~
10 - - --- DECEMBER 14, 1974

—
Indian Ocean Should Be Kept
Free Of Conflicts
Most of the littoral States of the
Indian Ocean have been deeply con
cerned with keeping the Indian
Ocean out of the big power con
flicts. While none of the littoral
nations is militarily powerful, the
nations have relations which vary
from close alliance to non-alliance
with the super powers and other
powerful nations. This makes most
of the nations quite sensitive to
influences and pressures that can
develop in the Indian Ocean The
interest of the nations of the In
dian Ocean to keep away from in
volvement in the big power con
frontations is not only understand
able but deeply related to their
own unhindered peaceful develop
ment and progress.
The Indian Ocean is rather the
only large body of water which is
almost landlocked unlike the Paci
fic and the Atlantic Oceans. In
that sense the Indian Ocean is a
unique body of water. Its uni
queness is defined by the three
continents of Africa, Asia and
Australia on its western, north
ern and eastern borders. The In
dian Ocean has been free, more or
less, in the past of major conflicts.
It is far enough from the major
powers to be strategically of less
consequence than the other
oceans. On the other hand, the bor
ders of Indian Ocean have been the
scene of sea traffic and trade over
a long period of human history.
LAW OF THE SEA
The law of the sea was a con
cept that was propounded by the
Romans and developed out of their
view of natural justice. The con
cept of the freedom of the seas,
therefore, is a development of this
old idea which formed the basis of
marine laws during the 17th and
18th centuries to combat piracy,
which had become quite a serious
problem at that time, and to en
sure unhindered sea traffic. It be
SOCIALIST INDIA
DR. B. D. NAG CHAUDHURI,
Vice-Chancellor,
Jawaharlal Nehru University
came necessary for nations who
were not willing to cooperate in
other matters, or were even at war,
to cooperate and combine together
to root out the pirates. The
marine laws regarding the freedom
of the seas and the criminality of
intefering with free transit
through the seas were formulated
to give legal basis to the fight
against the pirates. The maritime
nations could thus fight, capture
and bring them under the purview
of the law.
The concept of territorial waters
developed a little later mainly on
the basis of the range of guns of
those times. The range of the guns
defined the limit of control that a
littoral State could exercise on the
vessels moving in the seas close
to the coast. The enemy ships at
sea also could exercise a threat to
the coast to the extent of the
range of the guns, it was these
possibilities and apprehensions that
led to the development of the idea
of defining territorial waters which
has recently been extended at the
Caracas Conference from 3 to12
miles.
The third concept, that of re
sources from the sea also has its
roots in the growth of fishing and
whaling in the 18th and 19th cen
turies. While coastal fishing re
mained the prerogative of the lit
toral States which commanded the
sea front, the development of
fishing meant going much further
out on sea to the shoals of fish
to get increasingly large catches.
Fishes were available for catching
to those who could go to the seas
and catch them. More recently the
discovery of metallic noudles (co
balt and nickel deposits on the sea
bed, oil deposits under the sea bed
and possibility of other mineral
resources existing under the sea
bed) has given an impetus to ex
ploration and control of these re
Sources.
11
- * -
There are two main trends dis"
cernible in this. The interests of
the coastal States to protect these
resources for themselves and when
possible to exploit them in
their national interest. The
other concept is that the marine
and sea bed resources belong to
the entire human race--all having
a right to it. The currently deve
loped technology allows nations
which are technologically advanc
ed to exploit the sea bed in the
shallow areas of the continental
shelf which is somewhat dispara
tely distributed on the boundaries
of the littoral States.
MAIN TRENDs
This has led to proposals in the
United Nations to consider the
continental shelf areas as a part
of the national territory. The
discussion in International Law
Commission in 1956 and the UN
General Assembly in 1958 laid the
foundations of the legal and inter
national concepts in this matter.
The Conference at Caracas review
ed this 1958 convention and
many nations, particularly the de
veloping nations, found it unsatis
factory. This led to their propos
ing the 200-mile economic zone
which is now the subject of a
great deal of debate and discus
sion.
There is thus a conflict of views
in the concept of ownership of
marine resources between the in
terests of the coastal States and
the concept of international own
ership arising out of the Roman
concept of natural justice, and
equity. There is also a view that
has been expressed sometime that
the nations which have the tech
nology to exploit these resources
have somehow greater claims than
those who do not have the tech
nology or resources to do so.
The three basic concepts of the
freedom of the seas, the territo
rial waters and marine and sea bed
resources are, therefore, embedded
in recent human history and grew
out of the needs of the nations
as they conceived it and their con
cepts of sovereignty. The law of
the seas is thus basically no longer
the concept of natural justice that
the Romans advocated but rather
the concept of mutuality of the
nations of the world to come to
DECEMBER 14, 1974
 amicable arrangements to formu
late a code of behaviour which will
enable their various interests of
sovereignty and independence, sea
traffic and exploitation of marine
resources to be carried out with
minimum possibility of conflict.
PROCESS OF CHANGE
Technological developments dur
ing and after the World War II
began a process of change whose
full effects are still not perceived
but whose dimensions have now
taken a very large shape. The
growth of science and technology,
since the World War II has in
dicated that the oceans, the ter
ritorial waters and the ocean-bed
are repositories of valuable resour
ces for a nation. These resources
can be used only when a nation
has the technology to use it. In
creasing sea traffic, dumping of
bilge and other substances from
ships which become a hazard to
marine life, the insistence on the
ſfreedom of passage, rather than
innocent passage, the development
of long range submarines and in
tercontinental ballistic missiles
which can be launched from sub
marines, which travel the seas un
perceived have created an entirely
different strategic situation which
makes it difficult to think in terms
of the old concepts of the oceans
as a free and open area equally
accessible to all.
The Lagos session of the Afro
Asian Legal Consultative Com
mittee in January 1972 underlined
these devolpments and remarked
on the irrelevancy of the 3-mile
territorial waters concept and the
need to think in terms of a frame
work of a different and more equit
ble international law and practice.
Furthermore, the nations of the
world which are as yet sufficiently
advanced to develop an interest in
the marine resources, and the tech
nology to exploit it, which now .
seems to be more accesible than
a quarter of a century ago, are
concerned that while they do not
have the military power, their secu
'rity and future material interests
can be very easily jeopardised by
the actions of the militarily and
technologically strong powers,
over whom they would have very
little influence.
SOCIALIST INDIA -----,
There seems to be no other
course for the developing nations,
as well as the non-militarily de
veloped nations than to come to
gether in this area of ocean law
and act together on specific areas
of the ocean to safeguard their
current and long term interests.
This is the basis on which we of
the Indian Ocean area can get to
gether to enunciate, jointly with
other coastal States, a policy that
the Indian Ocean resources should
be exploited largely for the bene
fit of the littoral States and that
it is in the interest of the coastal
States to keep the Indian Ocean
area free from possible conflicts
of the super powers.
OCEAN EXPLORATION
The littoral States have un
doubted interest in marine and
sea-bed resources which they can
rightfully claim. They have also
interests in the potential resources
which are today inaccessible as
became clear in the UN Sea-bed
Committee discussions in 1973.
They are also concerned about safe
and unhindered movement of ves
sels and the maintenance of rich
marine life in the seas and in the
coastal waters. However, safe and
unhindered movement of vessels
can be counter-productive if no
distinction is made between ves
sels which increase the hazards of
conflict in the area and those
which do not.
Similarly the laws on sea-bed re
sources require further refining be
cause of the concept of common
heritage of mankind on the one
hand and the implied equality of
ownership by all nations of these
resources, and the 200-mile eco
nomic zone defined at Caracas Con
ference as the area of “partial na
tional jurisdiction” on the other.
It is because of these various
reasons that the littoral States
have a deep interest in keeping the
Indian Ocean free of conflict. To
keep an area free of conflict re
quires that even the risks of con
flict are avoided. The actions of
nations, particularly super powers,
which give rise to the risk of con
flict can easily affect the interest
of the littoral States of this re
gion and jeopardise the unhindered
- ** 13
movement of marine vessels. Al
lowing the movement of warships
and setting up of bases in the
area which promotes the chances
of conflict, inhibits the develop
ment of ocean exploration and its
exploitation by the nations of the
region. Military zones and bases
in this area substantially increase
these risks of conflict and hinder
free movement. The free move
ments of warships and submarines
create a zone of possible big power
confrontation.
The pressures on the coastal
States increase to side with one
super power or the other, creating
not only unbalancing factors but
tensions which can lead to provo
cative action thoughtlessly or
through escalation of very simple
situations of misundersting. The
concept of interest of the littoral
States in a body of water has
been developed through a series
of recent understandings and
treaties at UN discussions in
1970-71, the Lusaka Conference of
1971, UN Sea-bed Treaty Confer
ence 1972, Pacem in Mauritius
1970. The latest is the Statement
and the Resolution of the UN
Conference at Caracas held in
1974, which recommend the gene
ral extension of the limits of ter
ritorial waters to 12 miles from
the coast and define an economic
zone for the littoral States of 200
miles from the coast.
It has also reformed certain
other ideas about keeping the seas
free of conflict. However the legal
basis has yet to develop to take
into account the changed inter
national situation. What is needed
is not a confrontation between the
developed and the developing na
tions but a truly orderly progress,
towards harnessing the resources of
the ocean. This can only be achiev
ed if the Indian Ocean can be kept
free of conflicts or even the pos
sibility of conflicts in the future.
This is the basic argument for the
Indian Ocean to be accepted as a
Zone of Peace. Only as a Zone of
Peace can the Indian Ocean be a
suitable area for developing ma—
rine technology for the benefit of
the littoral nations and be an ins
trument in building good relation
ship of the coastal nations.
(See also Page 31)
DECEMBER 14, 1974
STEEL MINISTER

Chandrajit Yadav
Urges Workers
To Produce More

The Minister for Steel and

Mines, Shri Chandrajit Yadav,
visited four integrated Steel
Plants—Bhilai, Rourkela, Bokaro
and Durgapur—from October 30
to November 2 with a view to
getting himself acquainted with
the "problems and difficulties
which our plants are facing.” Shri
Yadav was accompanied by Shri
M.A. Wadud Khan, Secretary to
the Department of Steel and
Chairman of the Steel Authority
of India Limited (SAIL).
On the first leg of his tour on
October 30, Shri Yadav visited
Bhilai Steel Plant, which he des
cribed as a symbol of the Indo

WADUD KHAN ON
STEEL OUTPUT The Union Minister of State for Steel and Mines, Shri Chandrajit
Yadav, inspects tin plates at the Rourkela Steel Plant. By his
Steel production in the side are the Orissa Chief Minister, Smt. Nandini Satpathy, and
country has reached 5.04 mil the Chairman of the Steel Authority of India Ltd., Shri M. A.
lion tonnes and in spite of all Wadud Khan.
constraints, there will be no
cut in production. panied by, besides Shri Wadud
Soviet friendship and one of the
This was announced by Khan, by Smt. Nandini Satpathy,
Shri Wadud Khan, Union prestigious plants of India. The
Chief Minister of Orissa and
Steel Secretary, at a press plant, he said, did not only contri
conference in New Delhi on bute greatly to the country's steel senior officials of the plant.
November 29. production but also rendered a Addressing a public meeting at
good service in imparting training Rourkela, Shri Yadav announced
Shri Khan ruled out import to a team of engineers, who
of equipment because of that the Ferro-Vanadium project
further contributed to the building for Orissa would go ahead as
foreign exchange difficulties. of Bokaro.
He said the Government would scheduled. He said the financial
export steel items worth Rs. Addressing an assembly of the stringency would not effect the
40 crores—mainly rail bars, plant officials and workers, Shri proposed plan.
billets and torsteel. “But we Yadav commended the workers for
Addressing officials and workers
shall have to import upto their performance in keeping a of the Bokaro Steel Plant on
9.50,000 tonnes of steel worth high tempo of production and November 1, the Minister said
Rs. 150 crores which also maintaining cordial relations in that the Bokaro Plant was not
include spillover of the the plant. He called upon the only the biggest in India but
previous vear,” he added. officers and workers to put in
Shri Khan stated that would eventually be one of the
their best to augment production biggest steel plants in the world.
there was no proposal to in and concentrate their efforts to
He was happy that the plant was
crease selling price of steel wards achieving the goal of being built with indigenous talent
though our selling price was eliminating poverty and conserving and material. Shri Yadav urged
the lowest in the whole world the national wealth. the workers to develop a sense
which has resulted in Rs. 250
crores cummulative losses to The next day (October 31) Shri of participation and belonging in
Hindustan Steel. Yadav went round the Rourkela the building of the plant.
Steel Pºnnt, where he w-s - ~~om Continued on Page ºf
tº ECTMEER 14, 1974
80CIALIST INDIA ------------

Changing Face
Of Iraq
B, K., JOSHI
Every time you visit Iraq you
get a glimpse of life pulsating with
reconstruction. A few months back
I had been there in connection
with the July revolution celebra
tions and saw something of the
developmental activity that was
going on.
More recently I was again in
Iraq in connection with the inau
guration of autonomous legisla
tive council for the Kurd areas
and got some idea of the political
and economic problems facing a
country on the threshold of offence.
You go anywhere in Baghdad
and Basra, the two important cities
that I visited, and the changes
that are coming about become ob
vious. The best proof of this is
in the large-scale housing pro
jects. In almost every locality
new housing estates are coming up
replacing the old and ramshackle
houses of the past. The houses
are usually multi-storeyed inde
pendent units suited to climatic
conditions.
The change between the old and
the new is still more visible in
Basra where the number of old
houses is fairly large though they
are being fast pulled down and re
placed by new ones.
LIKING FOR “LASSI”
The second evidence of prospe
rity are the well-stocked shops in
Rashid Street and other major
bazars in Banghdad and the large
number of people who visit them.
The Iraqi men and women like to
live well and dress well and have
the income to buy what they need.
Sometimes the problem of short
ages does arise when items in de
mand fall short of requirements.
This is an index of the high pur
chasing power of the people.
The prices of foodgrains and
eereals have been kept low for the
consuñer through substຠºn.
&\\{\}\},\8'ſ INDIA
ports. You get eggs, meat,
vegetables, milk and milk products
aplenty. As a matter of fact, every
third or fourth stall, on some of
the main streets sell butter milk
and fruit juice. Salted lassi is as
popular a beverage in Baghdad as
it is among the Punjabis in Delhi.
All kinds of fruits particularly
grapes, apples, oranges are avai
lable in plenty. The date season
is now on and Iraq is famous all
over the world for its luscious
dates. The dry fruits like pis
tachios and almonds are bought
by people almost like groundnuts
in India. At any party the plates
of salted pistachios and almonds
are served.
As a general proposition it can
be said that because of a very high
rate of growth of national income,
largely owing to the oil revenues.
and an effective distribution pat
tern, the level of consumption has
improved for all sections of the
community during the last
years.
FARMERS, WELL-OFF
Moreover, because of the upward
revision of minimum wages, subsi
dised services offered by the Gov
ernment and enlarged opportuni
ties of employment resulting from
massive planned investments, the
average level of consumption of
the community as a whole has
substantially gone up. Iraq is no
more a poor country depending on
the bounty of foreign oil companies
who at times reduced their
royalty by cutting down produc
tion and the governments of the
past had been hard put to meet
their normal expenses.
An evidence of how well
people live was provided when a
small orchardist growing citrus
fruit some distance away from
Baghdad invited us for lunch.
was an all-male affair and was or
ganised in the compound outside
a spacious hall. As we were usher
ed in, we were served soft drinks
which gave us a much needed rest
after a long drive from the city.
The room was furnished simply
with chairs and benches. After a
wash we were taken to the lunch
table laden with food.
There were three sº Of
meat, f*, two to three vegetable
14
* -------. … • *
fish preparations, salad, rice, naans
and curd. It was a sumptuous
meal followed by fruits as a de
Sert.
It also gave us an insight into
the rural life nearby. While most
houses in the villages near about
were of bricks, there were some
neat mud houses also. They all
had open space with a surround
ing wall to give privacy. Agricul
tural implements, a pick-up or Oc
casionally a car was proof of the
social and economic status of the
farmer.
MIXED ECONOMY
Though Iraq has chosen a socia
list path of planned development,
the mechanism chosen to imple
ment the policies is not rigid. While
there are no opposition parties as
we understand them in India nor
newspapers owned by private en
terprises, policy decisions are taken
after a good deal of inter-party
deliberation. There is a progressive
few national and nationalist front Gov
ernment. Its main constituent is
the Arab Baath Socialist Party.
The Communist Party, the Kurdish
Democratic Party and other pro
gressive and nationalist elements
are other elements represented in
the front.
The economy is a mixed one.
There is a growing Public Sector
and it is dominant. The private
sector is allowed to function with
in the framework of the State
policy. For instance, in consumer
goods industries such as beer-ma
oil
nufacture, soft drinks, confection
ary and other consumer items, res
taurants and hotels, cinemas and
retail trade, the private sector
plays a significant part.
the
Many of the services, particu
larly transport and construction,
are privately owned. Actually since
Iraq recognises all Arabs as one
It nation, many Arab businessmen
from Beirut and Kuwait do profi
table business in Baghdad and
Basra.
Life is easy and night clubs and
restaurants are overflowing with
customers. On an evening on the
banks of Tigris in Baghdad, one
can see young men and women
gaily strolling arm-in-arm with
music wafted from river-side res
taurants, Well-dressed men walk
on the streets with tasvih (string
BECEMBER 14, 1974
of beads) in their hands. The res
taurants where common people
congregate, however, have still
their Oriental charm. People sit
for hours sipping tea or coffee and
gossipping or playing a kind of
dice.
The two issues which came up
repeatedly during the discussions
I had with the Iraqi leaders when
I visited Baghdad in October re
lated to the Kurdish question and
the problems with Iran.
Iraq is worried over massive
arms purchases by Iran and is ob
viously concerned over the deve
lopment. “Against whom are these
preparations meant?” was a com
mon question asked during the
talks. The disputes between the
two countries mainly arises from
unilateral abrogation of the 1937
treaty which gave the control of
the Shaat-el-Arab, the main out
let for Iraq to the Gulf to that
country. Iran wants half the water
way. The recent discussions bet
ween the representatives of the
two countries to find a peaceful
settlement of the dispute have not
borne fruit.
During my visit to Basra, we
were taken on a cruise down the
waterway. Some miles down
stream one could see the Iranian
oil city of Abadan and the Iranian
armed boats patrolling the water
way. Though no incidents have
taken place recently, the proxi
mity is too close to be comforta
ble.
Another charge against Iran is
that it is assisting Kurd insurg
ents with arms. According to Iraqi
leaders, Iranian forces have been
found on the side of Kurd rebels
led by Mulla Barzani.
The Kurdish issue is very sen
sitive. Iraq has launched an inte
resting experiment by granting re
gional autonomy to the Kurd mino
rity. The first legislative council
for the area was inaugurated only
two months ago. The Iraqi’leaders
are confident that the Kurds do
not want to secede. The Kurdish
population in Iraq is estimated at
1.55 million.
During the last four years, con
siderable progress has been made
in the development of Kurd areas.
Apart from economic development
for which special schemes have
been launched, it is in the field of
cultural development that signifi
cant advance has been made. A
university and a Kurdish academy
of sciences has been established,
as also directorates of Kurdish
culture and studies. Kurdish along
with Arabic has become the offi
cial language of the area.

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SOCIALIST INDIA DECEMBER 14, 1974

Prime Minister’s Tribute To
V. K. Krishna Menon
Following is the text of Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi's tribute to V. K. Krishna Menon at an all
party meeting of MPs held in the Central Hall of
Parliament to mourn the death of V. K. Krishna
Menon.
It is a little difficult to speak about Krishna
Monon in a few words. He was the most volatile per
son that I have ever known and yet the most constant
in his deep loyalties to the causes which he held dear.
I met him in the nineteen thirties as a student in
England. Even then, his personality was a towaring
one and he managed to rope in every student who
had any concern for India's freedom. I have no hesi
tation in saying that he made us work like slaves.
He had no regard to whether it was night or day,
whether it was time for food or anything else. If
something had to be done, it had to be done. It did
not matter how long one sat.
All of us young people (and not all were Indians;
there were a large number of Britishers and some of
other nationalities) did his bidding only too willingly
because he gave us the feeling that we really were
involved in a big cause. Whether what we did was a
small job or a big one, it was part of a great
struggle—the great struggle of projecting the Indian
people's struggle to England and Europe.
All of us here know of his sharp intellect, his
clear vision and the sheer ability of the man. At a
time when he was most unpºpular in some of the
countries of the West—and for a large part of the
time he was, though it was not due to any fault in
him but because of his strong advocacy of our cause,
which was resented by most people, his strongly
independent stand on India—even at that time, I
happened to meet someone who was fairly high up in
his country's affairs who said: “I hate your Krishna
Menon, but if I had any difficult problem to solve, he
is the person I will talk to”.
FRIEND AND PHILOSOPHER
He was known for finding solutions to any prob
lem of any country; and if it was rejected, he had
another solution straight away from another angle—
so that he was someone who was not only an advo
cate of India's freedom and nºir's independent
thinking and action, but he was a friend of all those
who were in a similar position, those who were newly
becoming independent and those who had to chart
a course. - * , , , , :*. ...'
-------- **** º daughters.
SOCIALIST INDIA - *.
He was a friend, philosopher and guide to all
those so-called developing countries. He of course.
played a very large part in shaping our foreign
policy and in projecting it in the different areas of
the world. Had the solution which he had proposed
on behalf of India in the 'fifties for the India-China
situation been accepted a great deal of hardship,
suffering and waste would have been avoided. For
many of the problems of the day, he had—as I said—
a solution and if it was not accepted, that was not
his fault.
Many years later, many of the things which he
had projected came to be accepted by the other coun
tries. One of them, for instance, is the Test Ban
Treaty. This again was something which he had first
projected. It was ridiculed almost by all the big
countries. But just a few years later, it was accepted
and we were one of the first to sign it.
He laid the basis of our self-reliance in defence
production and remained to the end a very strong
advocate of self-reliance of Indian and of all develop
ing countries.
In spite of his somewhat prickly exterior and
postures which were sometimes abrasive, he was an
exceedingly warm-hearted person inside, which was
shown by his great love and concern and understand
ing of children. I think that part of this abrasiveness
was due to shyness rather than any desire to be
contrary.
TOWERING PERSONALITY
India has lost a towering personality. To the
very end, in spite of great physical pain, he remain
ed very very clear-headed. In fact, just a week before,
he had sent for me—I got a note, it was very diffi
cult to read, saying that he wanted me for just a
few minutes but he kept me for one whole hour in
the hospital talking about international affairs,
domestic affairs and all kinds of problems, in a
very lucid manner and showing a great understand
ing of the forces at work, the dangers that lurked
as well as the opportunities which the situation
could offer to us and to others. We all have listened
to his oratory and I think we know of his pheno
menal powers of organisation. India has lost a re
markable son, a unique personality and I think the
void will be very difficult to fill.
Even in an era of great people, he stood out as
being different and a person who had the courage
to remain different. No matter how much the cir
cumstances change, no matter what the people
around him and those who did not take kindly to
his views said, he had this great courage to remain
what he was I think that his contribution to India’s
image abroad, to the respect which India enjoys,
was very great indeed.
I pay my homage to his memory. I can only
hope that India will produce more such sons and
DECEMBER 14, 1974

My Years In
England
V. K. KRISHNA MENON
This article was written by V. K.
Krishna Menon for “The Sunday
Times,” London, in 1963 at their
invitation.
The Sunday Times has been good
enough to ask me to write for his
Birthday Number! The question as
posed: “What you learned and
what are the main impressions of
your years in England?” is dif
ficult for me to answer. It would
be presumptuous for me to assess
the first. In regard to the second,
I find it difficult to single out “im
pressions” or to “frame” them. If
I tried, I would be like the four
blind men , one of whom said that
the elephant was like a pillar
having felt one of its limbs, and
the second that the animal was
like a broom, he having felt the end
of its tail. Of the two remaining,
one insisted that the elephant was
like a fan, having felt its ear, and
the other touched its trunk and
said it was like a fire hose!
I lived in England for 28 years
-—the greater part of my adult life!
I was already grown up and ma
ture when I went there and not
a school boy. Neither my mental
or emtoional self nor my life in
England itself made me lose my
overwhelming sense of national
identify or sentiment. I was, how
ever, well in rapport with my vari
ous environments. The fellowship
and the acceptance of me by most
of the people among whom I moved
in all the varied circumstances that
constituted my life there did not
alter this.
MUTUAL REGARD
No one tried to make me an
Englishman, no one expected or
hoped that I would become one!
This itself is part of my main im
pressions and characteristics of the
English people. The men, women
and children, with whom I came
in very close contact, or with whom
I lived as one of themselves did
not seek to be Indians either! This
was not a conscious play, nor an
SOCIALIST INDIA
expression of sensitiveness on
either side, but quite natural, and,
I can now say, normal. It was a
healthy relationship which more
than almost anything else made
an impression on me. If one must
rationalise it, it was an expression
of mutual regard, taking each
other as we were, and not merely
of “coexistence”, or of live and let
live.
I am old now. I have had a ful
ness and variety of experiences,
opportunities and occasions to re
member and even more to forget.
Old as I am, I am not yet aged
and not arrived at this state men
tally or physically to write me
moirs, or even to want to do so!
I can, however, think and speak
about some of them. They are not
to be catalogued as “main impres
sions” or what I learned”. I am
still a very unlearned person, and
very impressionable. To me the
present and the future are too
real and urgent to permit or want
to indulge in reminiscences.
In the first years of my stay in
England, not in London, I taught
English History to English chil
dren. They were bows and girls
from the ages of eight to fifteen
or so! No one, least of all the
children, thought it at all strange.
I may have felt it odd that I was
given this assignment. But the
children, voung or older, had no
such reaction. They put me well at
ease. I was happy and perhaps a
little flattered that they enjoyed
their history lessons and looked
forward to it. I did too.
I was not then a qualified tea
cher, but they helped me to qualify.
I learned a great deal from those
kids. They were among the best
of my friends. My colleagues were
not amused or surprised nor did
they think there was anything un
usual about my assignment.
In the school or in the house I
felt no strangeness, although I
started teaching a month or two
after my arrival. No one thought
that I needed to be helped out.
The children passed their examina
tions, both internal and external.
I have been often nostalgic about
that year. I learned no more Eng
lish History than I knew, which I
found was plentiful enough, thanks
to my education at home! But I
17
think I saw more in history, and
how human its teaching could be.
I was soon to find when a very
distinguished Professor of Man
chester, who was to examine me
for a London Teacher's Diploma.
and the model lesson was geo
graphy which I had not taught at a
London County Council School
and with children I had never seen
before, that he was not surprised
either. He said “you people are
just born teachers.”
BORN TEACHER
I began to feel consciously after
my first few days and months in
England, that humanity—people—
men, women and children are much
the same everywhere. I have heard
and read a great deal of national
characteristics, of the placid and
illogical English, of the logical
French, the high pressure Ameri
can, the sinister Russian and of
the spiritual Indian! Wise men,
some of the historians have made
these generalisations, but like all
generaralisations that are not true
to individual facts. I have found
the people—friends, aquaintances
or people as a whole, very much
like everywhere in the world. This
does not mean that one cannot
form an impression of a country
and people as a whole.
Soon after I reached England I
joined the British Labour move
ment as an ordinary member. I had
some familiarity with Labour and
Socialist ideas, both academically
and otherwise, in India. No one
persuaded me to join. I did it as
a matter of course. No one regard
ed me as a freak, nor my presence
unusual in the movement or at its
meetings. In the local units to
which I belonged at different times
I participated in the normal way,
not as a specialist on India or
only for projecting India. With
the Socialist movement, however,
India, the Empire, freedom, the
conditions of the working classes,
suppressed peoples, were normal
concerns in those days (1924). No
one expressed surprise that I look
part in local issues and in the
normal work of the local party. It
was taken for granted on all sides.
For 20 years I was actively asso
ciated, as Secretary with the India
League's educational and agita
tional work for India's freedom.
DECEMBER 14, 1974
The movement was Britain-wide.
It had ramifications in some rural
areas also ! In the main, how
ever, it found support and the de
sire for knowledge mainly in the
labour and trade union movement,
in religious organisations, in uni
versities and some of the so-called
intellectual circles.
My work for the India League
brought me in touch with all clas
ses of people, not excepting those
opposed to it and those who had
preconceived ideas. There were
some, mostly among the well-to-do,
who learned their India and the
rights and wrongs of freedom
movements from ex-Indian Offici
als! The majority of these latter
had learned little and forgotten
less! I was somewhat inspired to
see that few people outside official
and big business circles took them
seriously. They were to an extent
strangers in their own country
after their return. In the way of
creature comforts they were nos
talgic about India 1
CONTACT WITH MASSES
I realised more and more that
frontiers of liberty are not drawn
by race, wealth or stations in life,
but by the approach of and to peo
ple. For 20 years and since, the
Work for India's freedom in Bri
tain has had its essential roots in
the basic, though unostentatious
faith of the vast majority of her
people, that peoples should be
free.
With some of the more sophisti
cated, it may have been intellec
tual or moral conviction, or even
more, commonsense. The work for
India with which I was associated
soon became nationwide. In all
these 20 years it was accomplished
solely by voluntary workers. This
is so even now. The men and
women did not come from the
leisured classes either. The affec
tion, loyalty, dedication and the
readiness for hard and steady
work which became my environ
ment became also part of me. No
one could have wished or hoped for
anything better. The workers
were many and young, old, edu
cated and otherwise. They work
ed for their own living and gave to
Inida’s freedom their free time,
labour and money, latter often very
small amounts even.
SOCIALIST INDIA
I lived in the houses of miners
in Wales, amongst jute workers in
Dundee (who later chose me to be
their Parliamentary candidate),
among better-off people and not in
frequently even with the upper
classes. In my living and sur
roundings, personally I never suf
fered racial discrimination or dis
courtesy although I knew it exist
ed. Except in rare cases I was not
treated with special or stilted
consideration, in the houses or
localities where I was. Even the
children, and street urchins took
me for granted and always called
me by first name !
I personally knew well over 200
Members of Parliament and
later years most of the elder
statesmen. I rarely experienced
discourtesv anywhere though not
infrequently I encountered ignor
ance and prejudice, political and
personal. Our supporters belong
ed to different political views but
were mostly Labour which latter
itself however was a wide
varied complex " Some laughed at
or with me but few scoffed! Those
few in later vears became con
verts and stayed to “pray”. Inde
pendence changed the context of
the approach of those who thereto
were aloof or sceptical.
LONDON, A VII.LAGE
London like Madras, is an over
grown village, and homely. Though
a large city one does not get lost
in London. It continues to be the
homely place that it is even if you
have not visited it for long.
I spent ten years at the London
University, at the London School
of Economics and the University
College, I was also called to the
Bar. At the former place one be
came almot part of the stones and
mortar as it used to be said.
read under Professor Laski, a very
great teacher, and a wonderful
human man. Smaller minds than
his have projected their own dimu
nitiveness and sometimes said that
he was just merely amusing or
clever or well read. He was, how
ever, a profound scholar, thinker,
a sincere friend and guide.
He was also a great patriot who
rebelled against injustice of any
kind. It will be generations before
he is fully understood. He made
history and political science alive
18
and made us realise that social
sciences cannot be understood in a
Vacuum.
His place can never be filled ex
cept by the understanding of his
work. I was deeply moved and im
pressed by his approach to his stu
dents. He appeared to leave one
alone to work and yet one learned
a great deal. He was a most gene
rous person, and never thought
that a pupil was a lower being,
much less a sterile or a virgin
mind. I learned the value of
humility from him. He was not
afraid to say that his pupils were
not always at the receiving end 1
INDIA LEAGUE
in I was elected and reelected as
Councillor to the Borough of St.
Pancras by the votes of British
working men and women. I was
a member for 13 years. I knocked
at thousands of doors for my and
other people's elections. With odd
exceptions no one regarded it as
strange. I learned a great deal
and
from my participation in munici
pal government and with a very
few exceptions, my colleagues, on
either side of the Council Cham
ber, not only regarded me as part
of the normallity of the Council,
but some of them often embarassed
me by looking up to me for initia
tive or guidance. My colleagues
were all most well-meaning. I
learned more and more the value
of team work there and indeed ob
served it amongst my colleagues
everywhere and not least in the
men and women, the boy and girls
at the India League all over the
country.
The work for India's freedom, I
found, as accepted as natural and
expected. It was not regarded as
a matter for Indian initiative or
foreign inspired. Indeed it was
I
not so in fact. The India League
was an organisation in Britain to
work for India's freedom. The
workers of the League were both
British and Indian, mostly the for
mer. Its appeal was directed to
the British people who were then
responsible for the Government of
India. The greater part of the
work was done by British organi
sations. Members of Parliament
and societies whom we interested
and informed.
I came across a fair amount of
DECEMBER 14, 1974
hypocrisy during my stay in Eng
land, more particularly in the
later years, when I had become
“respectable". I have not found
this a British monopoly! It was
not however vicious, but often the
tribute that vice sought to pay to
virtue! Amongst my best memo
ries and friends are the people who
were with me at the London School
of Economics and at the India
League. They are still with me in
thought as I am with them. It is
a relationship which has made life
worthwhile and experience valu
able.
I have sought to give a few im
pressions. It is no doubt rambl
ing and perhaps disconnected.
There are also things in England
to which no one becomes accus
tomed. To name but three, they
are the London fog, the black-out,
and the heat wave!
I lived in London all through the
war and the air bombardment and
every day of the week shared by
work as an Air Raid Warden with
my fellow Wardens. I also had
my share of responsibility as one
of the four of five members of the
Emergency Committee of the
Borough Council which took the
place of the whole council for the
duration.
SUCHETA KRIPALANI
Sucheta Kripalani, a former
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh,
died in New Delhi on December 1
following a heart attack. She was
66. She is survived by her
husband Acharya Kripalani, three
sisters and a brother.
In a condolence message, the
Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira
Gandhi, described Sucheta Kripa
lani as “an outstanding woman of
modern India.” The message
said: “She left a mark on national
life through her dedication and
ability as organiser and adminis
trator.”
In a separate letter of condo
lence to Acharya Kripalani, the
Prime Minister said: “Sucheta
was a person of rare courage and
character and brought credit to
Indian womanhood. Her death is
a loss to the country.”
The President, Shri Fakhruddin
All Ahmed, the Vice-President,
Shri B.D. Jatti, the Prime Mimis
*961Altºr INDIA
Let me conclude. While I can
not claim to have “learend”, I had
the opportunity to learn tolerance.
humility, generosity and the reality
of deep and abiding friendship. I
became increasingly aware of the
character of restraint and determi
nation which was natural to the
people around me. The lack of os
tentatiousness of virtues and the
sense and the regard for nation
alism, both theirs and mine, was
part of normality. The innate
patriotism of the people, and their
respect of the same in others re
inforced me. I found that my
friends at various levels “took as
they gave” and amongst them all
great fortitude combined with
their never failing sense of hum
our which not infrequently saved
many minor situations.
GIVE-AND-TAKE
I have refrained from making
observations about my official
years after 1947. I may not do so
for reasons of propriety. In this
period, however, I came into con
tact with more statesmen and well
known individuals. I was agree
ably surprised to find that they
were much the same in many ways
as the people I knew. They were
both kind and as ill or well
informed as a great many others.
ter, Smt. Indira Gandhi, the Home
Minister, Shri Brahmananda Reddy
the Petroleum Minister, Shri K. D.
Malaviya and Smt. Aruna Asaf
Ali were among those who called
at her residence to offer condo
lences to the bereaved family.
Sucheta Kripalani was cremated
at Delhi's electric crematorium
the same day. Wreaths were
placed on the body on behalf of
the U.P. Governor, the Chief
Minister and others. The Congress
President, Shri D. K. Borooah and
the Communications Minister, Dr.
Shanker Dayal Sharma, were
among those who paid homage to
Sucheta Kripalani before she was
cremated.
Born in 1908 at Lahore in a
Brahmo family of Bengal, Sucheta
Kripalani was the daughter of the
well-known freedom fighter and
philanthrophist Dr. S.N. Majum
dar.
After her studies, which
alternated between Delhi and
Lahore, Sucheta Kripalani joined
the Panayas Hindu University as
**
I also found that abstract justice,
or abstract anything else, meant
less than the person-to-person re
lationship.
Today, as always in days past, I
can be in England for a day, an
hour or a year, and I will be
among friends, who take me as I
am. This too, I have found in re
cent years. The British read
newspapers, or at least take them,
but they make their own assess
ments of people whom they know.
This is my good fortune too!
When at the appropriate time it
was found possible, and although
there was much scepticism on both
sides for our two countries to re
main in friendly association in our
commonwealth I was happy to have
participated in what made for it
both over the 20 years of educa
tional and agitational work and at
the critical moment after we had
become independent and a Repub
lic.
I wish The Sunday Times many
years of publication. I wish also
that the traditional facility to see
in divergence the wealth of our
individualities which are the con
stituents of the richness of our
common heritage will grow from
more to more.
It is a rich treasure!
a lecturer in history in 1931—a
post she held till 1939. She did
outstanding work during the 1934
Bihar earthquake Two years
later, she married Acharya J. F.
Kripalani, who was then the
General Secretary of the Congress.
Her political career began when
she replaced the late Dr. Ram
Manohar Lohia as Secretary of
AICC's Foreign Affairs Depart
ment in 1939. In 1941, she became
the Secretary of Women's Depart
ment.
Sucheta Kripalani was elected
to the Constituent Assembly from
U.P. in 1946. The following
year, she was elected unopposed
to the U.P. Assembly. She was
a member of the Congress Working
Committee between 1948 and
1951.
Sucheta Kripalani left the
Congress in 1951 to form the
Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party with
her husband. It was later merged
with the Socialist Party to form
Praja Socialist Party. Elected to
Continued on Page 24
*}}.CFMBER 14, 1874
 EIGHT Rich natural resources A stable Government with

mineral, agricultural and a positive approach to

forests—waiting to be ex wards industrial develop
GOOD REASONS ploited. ment of the State.

Comparatively more peace

ful and cordial industrial
WHY relations.

A well developed infra A number of large in

structure including a string dustrial undertakings in
K A R N AT A KA
of financial & development the Central, State & the
agencies like KSIIDG Joint Sectors generating
IS KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. spread effect.

A package of incentives
subsidy on project reports,
FAVOURABLE supply land, water & po

wer at concessional rates,

price preference etc.

FOR
Financial assistance to 15% Central subsidy for

educated unemployed, spe undertakings started in

INDUSTRIAL
r
us
cially to unemployed
p en the backward districts of

gineers and technicians Dharwar, Mysore and

under special employment Raichur.
schemes.
LOCATION

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedhi, BANGALORE-1.

Issued by
The Director of Information & Publicity.

SOCIALIST INDIA 20 IDECEMBER 14, 1974


Mr Sindermann’s
Visit Strengthens
Indo-GDR
Relations
The recent five-day visit of the
GDR Prime Minister, Mr. Horst
Sindermann to this country has
reinforced the cordial relations
between the countries in various
fields. In their talks, Prime Min
ister Indira Gandhi and Mr. Sin
dermann expressed their “earnest
desire" to expand and further
widen bilateral cooperation.
A communique issued in New
Delhi on Dec. 3 at the end of the
talks said: “Both sides expressed
their belief that exchange of
visits would contribute signifi
cantly to a still closer understand
ing and more intensive cooperation
between them.”
The views expressed in the com
munique were also reflected in the
speeches the two leaders deliver
ed at several functions held
honour of the visiting dignitary.
Speaking at a banquet on Nov
ember 29, Smt. Indira Gandhi ac
knowledged the identity of views
of the two countries on many
issues, particularly those relating
to world peace. Stessing the need
for universal coexistence, which
Smt. Gandhi and Mr. Sindermann
earlier discussed in their talks, the
Prime Minister said: “Coexistence
provides the only means of sur
vival in a world in which stock
piling of weapons, nuclear and
conventional is continuing apace.”
Mr. Sindermann, in his reply,
reiterated his country's commit
ment to world's peace and said:
“We support all constructive efforts
aimed at achieving this objective.”
The two Prime Ministers ex
pressed the hope that Mr. Sinder
mann's visit would lend “a new
dimension to their bilateral rela
tions.”
Summing up the trend of the
talks Mr. Sindermann had with
Indian leaders, the communique
80CIALIST INDIA
(issued at the conclusion of the
GDR Premier's visit) said: “The
two Heads of Government review
ed with satisfaction the positive
growth of their bilateral relations
in different fields and reaffirmed
their resolve to develop them on
a long-term and stable basis.”
On bilateral relations, the com
munique noted: “They declared
their willingness to evolve new
forms of industrial cooperation in
selected fields keeping in view
mutual possibilities and require
ments. They noted the great pot
ential for joint collaboration in
third countries as well.”
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Referring to exchange of views
on international affairs, it said:
“Shrimati Gandhi and Mr. Sinder
mann welcomed the general trend
towards detente and called on all
countries to make this an irrever
sible process through their united
efforts . . . . They noted with satis
faction that the growing universal
acceptance of the principles of
peaceful coexistence between
States with different political and
social systems had strengthened
the prospects of world peace.”
in
The communique referred in
particular to the “positive deve
lopments in Europe” and said:
“The two Heads of Government
welcome the positive developments
in Europe and underlined the great
importance of concluding the
The GDR Prime Minister, Mr. Horst Sindermann, with Prime Minis
ter Indira Gandhi and others during his recent visit to New Delhi.
-
21
European Conference on Security
and Cooperation as soon as pos
sible.”
The Indian Ocean, the situation
in the Indian subcontinent, in West
Asia and parts of Africa with par
ticular reference to the process of
decolonisation were among other
subjects discussed between the
leaders of the two countries.
SIMLA AGREEMENT
The communique pointed out
that “the two leaders agreed tat
the Simla Agreement... provided a
firm basis for establishing good
neighbourly relations and building
up of durable peace in the Indian
subcontinent... Chairman Sinder
mann hailed India's various initia
tives for expediting the process
of normalisation of relations in the
subcontinent.”
Following are some excerpts
from the communique:
Indian Ocean: “The two leaders
reaffirmed their support to the
concept of the Indian Ocean as a
Zone of Peace. They called for
the liquidation of all foreign mili
tary bases in this area and strong
ly opposed the strengthening of
old bases like the one on Diego
Garcia.”
West Asia: “The two Prime
Ministers. ... reiterated their sup
port to the need for an early im
plementation of the United Na
tions Resolution 242 and 338 in
2. Continued on Page 23
DECEMBER 14, 1974

LETTER TO
THE EDITOR
JP Movement: How
To Combat it?
Sir, I read with interest Shri
Rajni Patel's article “The JP agi
tation in Bihar: Revolution in Re
verse” (Socialist India, November
23), and feel that he has put his
finger precisely on its essentially
regressive character by saying
that “Its aim is nothing short of
subverting the democratic organs
that we have assiduously built up
in the last 27 years...” Far more
important is his observation that
JP's agitation “has unleashed
forces that he or anyone else might
not be able to control.”
This precisely is the grievous
aspect of this movement. Though
its ostensible aim is to carry on a
struggle in people's interests it is
in reality reduced to an irrespon
sible invitation to anarchy: a
doubly dangerous trend because
of its unerringly insidious effect to
incite people to dissention among
themselves and by the impact of
violence so generated would have
a ruinous effect on their own pub
lic resources.
This type of agitation had a spe
cial place and relevance in the pre
independence days when the
Mahatma forged the potent instru
ment of non-violent non-coopera
tion directed against an alien op
pressive rule. And if by some un
fortunate freak the agitation deve
loped into violent manifestations
Gandhiji never hesitated to call
it off and go to the extent of mak
ing a frank admission of his Hima
layan blunder.
But it is a different story alto
gether in a free India when any
agitation, started ostensibly de
mocratically, degenerates into vio
lence. It is clear, therefore, that
JP's movement has turned into a
ludicrous caricature of the pre
freedom agitation started by Gan
80CLALIST INDIA
dhiji. It is, indeed, a “slur on demo
cratic socialism that a one-time
ardent socialist should lend his
mask of respectability to such a
campaign” as stated bluntly by
Shri Patel. The brittle character
of JP's following and its utter
ideological poverty is apparent
enough but I am unable to under
stand what Jayaprakash Narayan
is upto by whipping up the fear
psychosis that New Delhi might
suspend the Constitution and turn
dictatorial.
It would be next to impossible
to find either logic or reason in
JP's statements—so confused are
they in character. If JP is worried
about the suspension of the con
stitution what is the meaning of
his plea for a partyless democ
racy? Does he mean that the uto
pia of the Gandhian sarvodaya
has already dawned in India and
people are all agog for this se
cond coming of the kingdom of
God on earth? Or alternatively,
does he envisage setting up of an
other Constituent Assembly for an
other exercise in constitution
making? What will happen then to
his great fear of the stranglehold
of money power on parliamentary
democracy? Or, perhaps, he has
not sorted out the doctrinal back
ground of his agitation?
FEET OF CLAY
I am afraid JP's movement is
already betraying its feet of clay
by its explicit demand for funds.
Shri Narayan wants a sort of
partyless democracy to obviate
the election-corruption syndrome.
And who are the people who will
provide funds for JP's movement?
Not obviously from among those
two-thirds of the Indian masses
labouring under the poverty line?
And if these funds will be provi
ded by those political elements
prominent for their reactionary
politics would not that amount to
vitiating the movement at its
Source?
All the moral agitational fer
vour commanded by JP sounds
rather hollow because it is unfor
tunately silent on the purity of
means employed. And it is needless
to point out that the crux of the
Gandhian emphasis is that means
are as important as the end. One
should not be surprised therefore
if these very politicians of every
description who have found JP's
movement a convenient bandwagon
make somersaults when the next
polls arrive.
To make clear the sheer irrele
vance of the sterile debate of
partyless versus parliamentary
democracy I wish to quote an ex
tremely pithy observation of Pro
fessor Geoffrey Barraclaugh, Chi
chele Professor of Modern History
at the University of Oxford and a
Fellow of All Souls College, Ox
ford. Discussing the relevance of
democratic institutions to Asian
conditions he says:
“In countries where the contrast
between wealth and poverty is
still extreme, and where parlia
mentary institutions can be readi
ly manipulated in the interests of
the former, dictatorship may be
the only method — or at least the
only practical method immediately
available—of securing democracy
in the original sense of the word,
as used by Aristotle: that is, as
the antithesis of aristocracy or
plutocracy, or of the predominance
of any other class interest exerci
sing power on the basis of the
control of property. Asian demo
cracy in practice is apt to conform
to Stalin's description of democ
cracy for the propertied classes.”
(An Introduction to Contemporary
History, p. 225).
If this excerpt proves to be
rather allergic to democratically
nurtured minds because of its dic
tatorial overtones and the sugges
tion that parliamentary democracy
is a preserve of the propertied
elites I should like to refer to ano
ther significant observation of
the ecnomists Paul Baran Sweezy
in their book Monopoly Capital as
quoted in Before the Law: An In
troduction to the Legal Process,
edited by John J. Bonsgnore,
Lagal Studies Program, The Uni
versity of Massachussetts at
Amherst):
“The nation's (U.S.A.) Found
ing Fathers were acutely aware of
the latent contradictions in the
democratic form of government...
They recognised the possibility
that the propertyless majority
might, once it had the vote,
attempt, to turn its nominal sove
reignty into real power and there
by jeopardise the security of pro
DECEMBER 14, 1974
 Pºrty, which they regarded as the
very foundation of civilised society.
They therefore devised the famous
system of checks and balances, the
purpose of which was to make it
as difficult as possible for the
existing system of property rela
tions to be subverted...For these
and other reasons, the govern
mental institutions which have
taken shape in the United States
have been heavily weighted on the
: side of protecting the rights and
privileges of minorities: the pro
in the above quotation and one
can get a graphic description of
the predominantly property-orient
ed social and economic situation.
I agree with Shri Rajni Patel
when he says that it is a pity that
JP “with a revolutionary halo
round him, should, at the fag end
of his life, provide a cloak for a
counter-revolutionary conglome
ration of reactionary forces strug
gling to maintain status quo,” but
I wonder whether “the entire
nation is in the throes of a revo
inescapable conclusion that there
can be only one answer to the
type of counter-revolutionary agi
tation waged by JP and that is a
determined upsurge of socialistic
will to translate the promise of
Indian freedom into a decisive
package of revolutionary action.
The above quotations might appear
rather unpalatable to snugly com
placent so-called democratic minds
and even scandalise their delicate
ly nurtured liberal values.
what are values when their sub
But

perty-owning minority as a whole
against each other... The United
States became a sort of utopia for
the private sovereignties of pro
perty and business. The very
structure of government prevented
effective action in many areas of
the economy or social life...”
(P379).
Substitute India for the U.S.A.
lutionary upsurge” as further
observed by him because for the
life of me I cannot understand
why our political leadership is still
so chary of coming to terms with
the revolutionary situation by a
decisive display of political will.
I am afraid that the pitiless logic
of the Indian political and econo
mic situation leads one to the
ject-matter itself is in the melting
pot of transvaluation. I am convin
ced, therefore, that the test of
the Indian political situation and
its accredited leaders lies in their
ability to face up to its implica
tions.
–BAL PATIL
Bombay.

SINDERMANN'S VISIT Nuclear Energy: “The GDR India that India will use her nu
side noted with satisfaction the clear technology for peaceful pur
Statement of the Government of poses only."
Continued from Page 21

order to promote a just and peace

ful settlement in West Asia...
Both sides regarded the immediate
resumption of Geneva Peace Con
ference as essential.” TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY

Africa: “Both sides welcomed

the progressive changes in Portu LEGALISED
gal which had accelerated the
process of decolonisation in Af
rica...They welcomed the victory Send Patients Only To District Hospitals
of the freedom struggle of the
people of Mozambique and the for
understanding reached between
Portugal and Mozambique leading
to its eventual independence by SAFETY SURETY SECRECY
June 1975. Both sides also expres
sed their earnest hope for the
people of Angola and other re Only Certified Doctors And Not All Registered
maining colonies. They reiterated
their resolve to continue to work Practitioners can Terminate PREGNANCY
for ending racialism apartheid and
oppression in Namibia in Southern Repeated Termination of Pregnancy Is Harmful
Africa.”

Disarmament: “The two Prime SERVICES AVAILABLE IN ALL DISTRICT

Ministers supported the proposal

for an early convening of world HOSPITALS.
disarmament conference. They em
phasised the importance of taking Him Lok Sampark
effective steps to bring about gene
ral and complete disarmament,
particularly nuclear disarmament,
11nder effective international con
trol.”

EOCIALIST INDIA º:
DECEMBER 14, 1974
 YADAV VISITS SUCHETA KRIPALANI In 1963, Sucheta Kripalani be
STEEL PLANTS came the Chief Minister of Uttar
Continued from Page 19 Pradesh—first woman to hold such
Continued from Page 13 a post. Earlier she had been the
the Lok Sabha in 1957, she return State's . Labour and Community
Referring to the sensitivity of ed to the Congress in 1958 and Development Minister. Sucheta
certain executives who felt that was one of its General Secretaries Kripalani joined the Syndicate
they did not have any common till 1960. after the Congress split in 1969.
forum for contributing to the
development of the plant, Shri TENDER NOTICE
Yadav said that it would give Percentage rate tender for the works noted below are re-invited
him great pleasure “if we find on 20.12.74 at 3. P.M. from the L. & C. Societies P.W.D. Contrac
a forum where management people tors on the prescribed forms obtainable from the office of the under
signed on payment of Rs. 2.00 (Rupees two only) per tender form.
sit down with trade union leaders
These will be opened at the same time in the presence of contrac
and arrive at constructive con tors or their authorised agents who would like to be present.
clusions.”
S. Name of work App. Earnest Time
No. Amount Money Limit
Shri Yadav said a great many 1. Constr. of Chilling centre
changes had been effected in the at Village Chugial in
Ministry of Steel in the recent Bhunga Block, Distt. Rs. Rs. 6
past, notably during the tenure of Hoshiarpur. 2,00,000- 4,000- months

late Mohan Kumaramangalam CONHoj'TIONS

who, Shri Yadav said, had certain
basic ideas and wanted to give a
new shape and a new push to the
Ministry. SAIL was set up with
the idea that our steel projects
and plants did not become victims
of bureaucracy.
On November 2, Shri Yadav
visited the Durgapur Steel Plant
where he was received by
Begaram Tulpule, the General
Manager. Addressing the senior
executives of Durgapur Steel
Plant and Alloy Steels Plant, Shri
Yadav said the steel industry
faced many problems—such as the
problems of coal, raw material,
power shortage, industrial rela
tions, maintenance and coordina
tion. Some of these problems, he
said, had been solved while a
number of them still existed. Con
certed efforts would have to be
made to surmount them.
Shri Yadav stressed the
to boost production and remarked
that the recent slump in steel
prices was a good thing. “We shall
need much more steel; the pro
duction must increase,” he said.
The Minister advised that the
priority items should be attended
to on a priority basis.
Shri Yadav commended persons
who had joined the Public Sector.
He realised they would have en
joyed better prospects in private
sector but by joining the Publie
Sector they are rendering a rreat
service to the nation,
1. Conditional Tenders without earnest money will not be entertain
cd.
2. Other details of N.I.T. Drawing etc. can be seen in the office
of the undersigned on any working day during the office hours.
Sd/-
(Er. Jagir Singh)
Executive Engineer
Construction Division
P.W.D. B.&R. Branch
Hoshiarpur,
TENDER NOTICE
Shri
Sealed percentage rate tenders are invited on prescribed form ob
tainable on cash payment of Rs. 2.- (Rupees two only) for each form
from approved Registered contractors of Punjab PWD Public Health
Branch for the year 1974-75 for the following works. Tenders will be
received by the undersigned on the date and time noted below and
will be opened at the same time in the presence of the contractors
or their agents who may like to be present there.
Tender form will be issued only to the Contractor who produce
earnest money in shape of Trasury Challan having deposited in favour
of the Executive Engineer. Public Health Division No. 3 Bhatinda or
deposit at call receipt in favour of the undersigned of any Scheduled
Bank at Bhatinda in proof of having, deposited the requisite amount
of the earnest money in cash or by cheque. The telegraphic or condi
tional tender will not be entertained. The contractors will be required
to show the Govt. receipt vide which the enlistment fee has been
deposited by them.
Full particulars including contract schedule of rates contract spe
cifications. Estimate and drawing can be seen in the office of the
undersigned on any working day between 9.00 A.M. to 5.00 P.M.
need
Sr. Name of work Estimated Earnest Time Date &
No. cost Money Limit Time
1. Prov. WIS scheme for group
of villages Dan Singh wala
and Balhar Mehma Block
and distt. Bhatinda (Con
struction of storage and se
dimentation tank, high level
tank, Filter beds, Clear
Water Tank, suction and
scour well, Pump chamber, 17,9500/- 3,000/- 1 year 23.12.74
Staff quarters and other at
works contingent thereto). 3.00 p.m.
Sd/-
(S. S. Sangha)
Executive Engineer
Brd Public Health Division
Bhatinda,
- º- ---º-º-º-

social,ts'r twiłłA bºCEMBER 14, 1974

24
 cember 3 for cooperation between
the radio and television organisa
INDO-CZECH tions of the two Goyernments.
Under this agreement, the two
COOPERATION countries will exchange on a re
ciprocal basis programmes dealing
with social, economic, cultural,
TO INCREASE sports and educational subjects
Applications are invited for appoint
of common interest. These pro ment as House Surgeon at Rs. 2,325
grammes will be paid for on a fixed for the session from January,
Industrial collaboration between commercial basis within the frame 1975 to June, 1975 at Civil Hospital,
India and Czechoslovakia has made work of the existing agreements. Bhatinda. Applications should reach
the office of the undersigned on or be
a significant contribution to the
The long-term trade and pay fore 20.12.1974 with the following in
production capacity in India, Par formation:
ments agreement provides for the
ticularly of heavy engineering
development of balanced bilateral 1. Name & Father's Name:
items. This was stated in a joint 2. Date of birth:
trade with payments made in non
communique issued in New Delhi 3. Month and year of qualifying
on December 4 after the conclu convertible Indian rupees. It ex MBBS examination:
sion of the talks between Prime tends the terms of the existing
five-year trade agreement which 4. College from which qualified and
Minister Indira Gandhi and the marks obtained:
is due to expire at the end of this
Czechoslovak Prime Minister, Dr month for another five-year term 5. Number of attempts made for pas
Lubomir Strougal. with the avowed objective of doub sing the various professional MBBS
ling the volume of two-way trade examinations and marks obtained
Both sides agreed that in order in each:
to ensure in future sustained during this period by diversifying
growth of trade and industrial and extending Indo-Czech econo 6. Whether belonging to Scheduled
mic cooperation. Caste Backward Classes:
collaboration the perspective
should take into account the in 7. Registration number in the Pun
STUDY GROUPS jab Medical Council, Ludhiana or
creasing diversification and sophis in any other State:
tication in production capabilities The trade protocol spells out
in the Indian economy and the the course of future Indo-Czech 8. Whether bonded to servc the Pun
economic relations in the fields of jab Govt. on account of any agree
need to colloborate at advanced
ment or bond, if so give details
and contemporary technological trade, science and technology, thereof:
levels. electronics and industrial coope
ration. It provides for increased 9. Honours'Prizes Medals for acade
The two countries concluded mic or extra curricular activities:
trade both in traditional and non
four agreements on December 4. traditional products, supply of 10. Permanent home address and cor
The Agreements on trade and essential raw materials and indus respondence address:
payments and on the Indo-Czech trial intermediates on a long-term Application should be supported with
joint committee for economic, basis, and the identification of attested copies of the testimonials along
trade and technical cooperation scientific and technological fields with a character certificate from the
were signed by the Minister for Principal of College lastly uttended.
like mineral ores, building sciences,
Commerce, Shri D. P. Chatto cybernetics, agricultural and indus Interview will be held on 30.12.1974
padhaya and the Czechoslovak trial, chemical and medical re at 1100 A.M. at Civil Surgeon office,
Minister for Foreign Trade, Mr Bhatinda. All those who apply should
search and manufacturing pro come at their own expenses. Ne sepa
Andrej Bareak. The agreement jects. It also opens up the pros rate intimation will be given.
on planning was signed by the pect of concrete collaboration in
Minister of State for Planning, electronics and radar technology Selected candidates will be required
to deposit a sum of Rs. 50 - as security.
Shri V. C. Shukla and his Czech and the manufacture of special He will also be required to execute an
counterpart, Dr Zdenek Sedivy. materials, computer peripherals agreement-bond as under rules.
The consular convention was and components in these highly No candidate will be considered for
signed by the Secretary in the sophisticated spheres. house job until or unless his her name
Ministry of External Affairs, Shri has been registered with the Punjab
W. C. Trivedi and the Czechoslovak The accord between the Plann Medican Council.
Ambassador in India, Dr. Zdenek ing Commissions of the two coun
Trhlik. tries envisages the establishment Sd'-
of of Indo-Czech expert study Civil Surgeon Bhatinda.
MANIFOLD COOPERATION groups for the exchange of
Both sides were confident that experience in planning and econo
these agreements would give the mic forecasting methodology of
desired momentum to the deve short-term and longterm planning,
formulation and evaluation of
lopment of long-term trade and
economic cooperation. projects and programmes, assess
ment of material resources and
India and Czechoslovakia also planning of their allocation,
entered into an agreement on D2 Cºntinued on Page 28
kºtwar ºrcrº- ºrwarrara Qs
THE USSR AND THE
THIRD WORLD
Continued from Page 8
*Co-operation is aimed at deve
lopment of the Public Sector of
the Third World. All projects so
constructed become, without ex
ception, the national property of
the developing countries.
*As a rule, the developing coun
tries pay 2.5 per cent in interest
per annum on loans. This is con
siderably less than the rate charg
ed for loans made by capitalist
countries.
*USSR credits may be repaid
with traditional export commodi
ties, and, recently, with the pro
ducts of local manufacturing in
dustries. In some cases, loans are
repaid in the national currency
which is later used to purchase
goods on the markets of develop
ing countries.
*In accordance with inter-gov
ernmental agreements, the Soviet
Union, having built industrial pro
jects and installations, usually
turns over the technical documen
tation on favourable terms, charg
ing only for work that went into
the preparation of the documents.
Scientific and technical assistance
extended by the USSR covers geo
logical prospecting and survey de
velopment of natural resources,
project formulation and research,
assembly and setting up of equip
ment, furnishing documentation on
technological processes and send
ing experts to the developing coun
tries.
The total amount of soft-term
credits offered by the Soviet Union
to developing countries for pur
poses of economic, scientific and
technical development, for the
period 1963 to 1971, has almost
doubled and, by early 1974, it ex
ceeded 5,600 million roubles Soviet
credits and loans to developing
countries are earmarked for the
following purposes (shown in the
chart and diagram on prevous
page):
According to the chart, about 90
per cent of all loans provided with
in bilateral agreements have gone
into the building of industry which
produces the means of production,
and to manufacturing industry.
Up to 1973, the Soviet Union
concluded agreements on economic
co-operation with 45 developing
countries, in particular, with 20
Asian and 22 African States. It
is worthwhile underlining that the
number of countries which are
establishing economic ties with the
Soviet Union is constantly growing
and their geography is expanding.
For example, in the last few years,
more and more developing coun
tries of Latin America have receiv
ed or concluded agreements for
Soviet economic and technological
aid. They are being assisted in
exploring natural resources and in
training of local personnel. As a
latest event in this development,
the increased economic, scientific
and technological co-operation bet
ween the USSR and Argentina—
one of the largest countries in
Latin America — could be men
tioned.
(To be concluded)
Courtesy: Development Forum
of the UNDP.

Haryana Pulsating With Life

Six years ago, we had taken a pledge to pull the State
out of the morass of backwardness and to turn it into the
foremost progressive unit in the country.

During this short spell, Haryana has come to occupy a

place of pride in the national set-up, both in the fields of Agri
culture and Industry. The entire country-side has been elec
trified and life-giving waters have been provided to drought
stricken and parched areas. Haryana has set up high stan
dards of performance in all the fields of development e.g.
food-production, road construction, welfare of the backward
classes, education, health etc., of which we, the people of
Haryana, can be rightly proud of.

We are determined to improve upon this record during

the Fifth Five. Year Plan, which aims at the removal of
poverty, growth with social justice, economic self-reliance
and reduction of inequalities. I am confident that the people
will, as before, entend their whole-hearted cooperation in
reconstructing the economy of the State and support the Gov
ernment in combating anti-social elements who indulge in
blackmarketing, hoarding and corruption.

BANSI LAL
Chief Minister, Haryana
DPR-Haryana (D.319-72)
- -*_-_- Fººtºººººº-ºr-tº

*QGraLIST INºtA ºCEMBER 16, tºta


BOOK REVIEW | regard to colonialism, apartheid,
INDO-GDR
RELATIONS
J. M. DEB
25 YEARS G.D.R. (1949-1974)
JAG. MOHAN
Himala Publishers, A-145, Defence
Colony, New Delhi-110024
Rs. 4.00
The romantic story of the Ger
man Democratic Republic is indeed
fascinating. The history of how the
GDR rose out of the ruins and the
rubble of the Second World War,
how the big German Problem had
been gradually resolved amicably
and peacefully and how despite
many years' denial of the right to
live under the sun, this great coun
try fought its way up and even
tually found its rightful place in
the comity of nations is too well
known today to the students of
modern world history to need re
capitulations.
The post-war Gerrnan history
has undergone tremendous meta
morphosis — from fascism to de
mocracy, from the sordid era of
Hitler's concentration camps to a
new era of peaceful progressive
forces, from revanchism to soli
darity with the people of the world.
Today, the GDR is a stable, effi
cient and internationally respect
ed Socialist State, not only for its
impressive domestic achievements
but more especially for its exter
nal policy of peaceful purposes—
to be friendly to all and unfriend
ly to none.
CULTURAL RELATIONS
For India, these developments
are of special significance and plea
sure. It is indeed a happy augury
that the GDR is one of those coun
tries in the world, with which India
has the best of relations — diplo
matic, trade, cultural and other.
The close and intimate multi
dimensional relations took shape
and developed over the last 25
SOCIALIST INDIA
= -
years due primarily to identical
views in many fields. Whether in
exploitation of one nation by an
other or whether in regard to
world peace, the two nations found
themselves nearer to each other.
India has special reasons to be
happy over the GDR's progress.
This country gratefully remem
bers that when India was attack
ed by Pakistan on the Bangladesh
issue in 1971, the GDR was about
the first to announce its solidarity
with, and support to, us. As a
friend in need, the GDR has prov
ed to be a friend indeed.
Yet, Tridia's relations with the
GDR is no modern phenomenon.
One can recall with groat satis
faction the age-old ties of friend
ship between these two countries.
In the past Indians got inspira
tion from German literature and
art and the German scholars and
people took lºoen interest in the
study of the Indian literature and
many other asnects of our life.
Manv in Tndia feel thrilled by the
cultural German history fostered
by Goethe and Schiller, Tessing
and Herder, Peethoven and Goorge
Forster. Manv also in this country
know that hut for the snocial care
taken by Max Muller and other
German scholars to carefullv pre
serve and nromote the Sanskrit
literaturo in Germany, this anci
ent classic literaturo migrht have
unceremoniously gone with the
wind.
In this context of mutually
hannv relations, anv pºiblication
which deals with them as also
with the history of the recent de
velopment in the GDR is undoub
tedly welcome The 25 Years GDR
—1949-1974 by Jac. Mohan is.
therefore, timely and useful. And
he could not have possibly chosen
a better and more appronriate oc
casion than when the GDR is cele
brating the Silver Jubilee of its
foundation and the 20th anniver
sarv of establishing her relations
with India and also when India
herself is on the threshold of
celebrating her own Silver Jubilee
as a Ronublic.
Jag Mohan, has not only given
a bird's eye-view of GDR's achieve
ments during the last quarter of
a century, but also traced fairly
27
exhaustively the course of 20 years
of the Indo-GDR trade and dip
lomatic relations. As an experi
enced journalist, Jag Mohan has
the observant eyes to see and alert
ears to hear. And he is gifted
with a style that is at once attrac
tive and grips you from the begin
ning to the end.
NOTABLE FEATURE
A notable feature of Jag Mohan's
book is his special emphasis on
the people-to-people friendship bet
ween India and the GDR. The
highest value of the “25 Years
GDR'" will in fact be the substan
tial contribution it will make to
wards the consummation of this
objective.
The author got the inspiration
to write his book when a little
over two years ago he visited the
Museum of German History, the
history of two Germanys—one of
Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm, of
Krupps and the junkers of fas
cism and concentration camps and
the other of anti-fascist struggle,
of Einstein and Thaelmann, of
Brecht and Anna Seghers and
learnt the truth about the two
world Wars. The book would have
probably added to its wealth if
the author had given at greater
length his own impression of the
story of the German change over
which he must have noticed dur
ing his sojourn in the GDR, rather
than a historical narration of
events. The people in India and
elsewhere outside Germany would
certainly be interested to know
how the matrix of Marx and
Fngels, Karl Liebknecht and Rosa
Luxemburg was welded into the
modern cultural matrix of the
German history and how the new
Socialist State on the German soil
was created.
Nevertheless, Jag Mohan's study
of inter-relations between India and
the GDR has a historical perspec
tive and a projection into the
future. In any study and apprecia
tion of these inter-relations, Jag
Mohan's book will provide a valua
ble backgrounder about the 25
years of the GDR's foreign policy
and how it emerged out of its do
mestic policies and as a reflection
of these policies.
DECEMBER 14, 1974
 india AND EEc
Continued from Page 10
cases, these have been hit by Hong
Kong, South Korea, Mexico, the
Philippines, Yugoslavia and Bra
zil in most of the cases. Even in
respect of non-sensitive products
such as chemicals, engineering
products and leather, which we
might export to the EEC as much
as we can, our exports to the EEC
have not increased significantly.
According to an interim survey
on the effects of the GSP on the
Federal Republic of Germany's
imports, total imports from the
developing countries into the FRG
falling under the GSP category
increased by 50 per cent in 1973,
i.e. from DM 817 Mio to DM
1,230 Mio. Since the GSP Plafonds
for 1974 have again been increas
ed, the Federal Republic expects
a similar growth for preferential
imports during the current year.
Again, imports of manufactur
ed goods from developing coun
tries came to DM 3,860 Mio in
1973 compared to DM 2,890 Mio
in 1972. Thus,in 1973, 5.1 per cent
of the total German imports of
manufactured goods came from
the developing countries, whilst in
1972 the percentage was only 4.1.
The success of the developing
countries' GSP exports in penet
rating the Federal Republic of
Germany's market illustrates the
great possibilities of gain to India
from the now liberalised GSP of
the EEC, comprising nine develop
ed states.
It was because of India's pio
neering efforts and tireless advo
cacy that the idea of Generalised
Preferences for the products of
the developing countries in the de
veloped countries' markets was
first mooted and then gradually
accepted by the developed world.
Now that it has taken a concrete
shape, India too should utilise it
to its maximum advantage. Our
efforts should centre on gearing
up export production, oriented to
sophisticated markets abroad. The
trade concessions Brussels offers
are important; more important,
however, is the home work in
India in terms of a country-wide
effort in export production, selec
tivity in export units and export
products, and aggressive market
ing strategies.
SOCIALIST INDIA
NARoRA AND AFTER
Continued from Page 6
discordant note as between the
Jana Sangh and BLD. While the
BLD was prepared to go through
another liquidation with a view to
bring about an all-embracing non
Congress, non-Communist Opposi
tion party, the Jana Sangh re
mained suspicious of these moves.
The Socialists watched this BJS
BLD dialogue from thc ring-side
seat. In reverse, the Jana Sangh
proposal for a united parliament
ary bloc has not found favour with
the BLD since it is likely to bring
Jana Sangh to a dominating role.
Another important point which
has been a source of divergence
in the Opposition camp is in res
pect to the CPM. JP himself has
been keen to get the CPM in his
fold since that would help him.
give his movement a radical—and
revolutionary — flavour. At any
rate, it would be greatly benefi
cial in inducing the students, on
whom the movement depends a
great deal, that it is not exclu
sively based on the support of
parties such as the Jana Sangh
and the BLD.
There has, however, developed
a big snag. While the CPM leader
ship wants JP to add his move
ment a more specific programme
of socio-economic reforms, parties
like the BLD were repelled by
such proposals. JP has tried to
take the issue to the Bihar plane
in a bid to remove it from the
all-India scene. What has been even
more galling for JP's associates
is the CPM's refusal to be asso
ciated with Jana Sangh and BLD.
It remains to be seen whether a
compromise can be worked out by
a partial association of the CPM
with this agitation. The CPM in
turn hopes to gain by availing of
the JP-led movement to regain
power in Kerala and West Ben
gal — all in all a situation rid
dled with political contradictions
with exigencies as the main link.
INDO-CZECH
COOPERATION
Continued from Page 25
methods of increasing produc
tivity and other inter-related sub
28
jects. The two Governments have
signed this agreement in the be
lief that, in spite of there being
considerable difference in the con
cepts of the Indian and Czech
planning, there was enough scope .|
for sharing their expertise in this
highly specialised sphere.
The consular convention is the
second of its kind concluded by
India with a foreign country and
it is on the same lines as the one
signed last year with the Soviet
Union. It defines the consular
functions, the priviliges and im
munities of diplomatic personel,
and the exemption applicable to
other categories of consular em
ployees. The agreement conforms
by and large to the existing inter
national practices in terms of the
relevant Vienna conventions on
diplomatic relations.
The Czech Prime Minister, who
arrive in New Delhi on December
2 on a five-day State visit to India,
was present, along with Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi, when the
agreements were signed on De
cember 4. Shortly afterwards, Dr
Strougal left for Hyderabad.
RANM SUBHAG SINGH
JOINS CONGRESS
Dr. Ram Subhag Singh, a for
mer Railway Minister who had
switched over to the Syndicate
soon after the 1969 split, has re
joined the Congress with some of
his “associates”. Dr. Singh who
had been trying for the Congress
membership ever since he resigned
from the Syndicate in 1973 was
formally admitted to the Congress
in New Delhi on December 6.
Addressing newsmen in New
Delhi on December 7, Dr. Singh
said that Congress was in his blood
since childhood. He said that
among the six others to join the
Congress along with him was Dr.
Ram Kishen Gupta, a former Chief
Minister of undivided Punjab.
He said that his return to the
Congress would not affect the work
he had been doing for Khetihar
Sangh, a body devoted to organis
ing the farmers.
DECEMBER 14, 1974

PARLIAMENT
opposition Loses
A “War”
J. M. D.
The Democle's Sword that had
been hanging over Parliament for
well over a week happily disap
peared and the curtain was drawn
on the threat of Satyagraha on
its floor. In the process, the Op
position won the battle but lost
the War.
Shri Morarji dramatically an
nounced that he would go on
satyagraha unless the Government
placed before the House CBI re
port and other relevant documents
relating to the import licences
case, or in the alternative these
were made available to a commit
tee of Parliament under the chair
manship of the Speaker. These
the Opposition leaders eventually
got, and even the “case diary” of
the case, which normally is not
given even to the accused in a
court of law, was promised by
the Government to be shown to
them. But what they lost grie
vously was in achieving their
real objective of making political
capital out of the episode and
tarnishing the image of the Cong
ress Government before the coun
try.
IN A QUANDARY
They tried to exploit the initial
reluctance of the Government in
making public the CBI report and
other documents and to create an
impression that the Government
was wanting to shield some high
er-ups including ministers and
making Shri Tulmohan Ram a
mere scapegoat. This false pro
panda was completely demolished
by the Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, when she came forward
with a statement before the two
Houses of Parliament (See the
text of PM's statement on page
5.) Since tempers had run
high in the two Houses for
several days on this issue, she
explained the entire matter in a
SOCIALIST INDIA
calmer frame of mind and in its
proper perspective.
Smt. Gandhi's statement put the
author of satyagraha in a dilemma.
He could neither straightaway
accept it nor reject it. He got up
somewhat hesitatingly and then
made another demand—the right
of the Opposition to demand ac
tion against any member of Par
liament, should he be found by
the Opposition after scrutiny of
the documents, guilty or involved
in the licences case. They were in
in a quandary besause while the
Government agreeing to their
original demand should have
satisfied them normally, they did
not know how to achieve their poli
tical ends which was evidently
their main purpose. Shri Desai
shifted his ground on the excuse
that outside the House, a “certain
accredited” Cabinet Minister told
him that no action could be taken
against any body until after the
disposal of the criminal case
already before the court. He,
therefore, sought “clarification”
on this point from the Prime
Minister. Smt. Gandhi, however,
would not go beyond what she had
clearly declared in her statement.
For a whole day on Monday
(December 9) arguments and
counter-arguments went on and
the proceedings in the Lok Sabha
during the pre-lunch period were
marked by acrimonious exchanges
and noisy demonstration. The
turbulent Jana Sangh member,
Shri Hukumchand Kachawai,
thought that the moment to offer
satyagraha had come and he
should give a lead. He stood up on
his seat and later moved forward
near the table of the House and
offered what looked like “dhar
na”, shouting all the time for the
CBI report, as if it was refused
by the Government.
The Opposition's embarrassment
in the Lok Sabha in not accepting
the Government's offer was heigh
tened as their counterparts in the
Rajya Sabha had already accept
ed the same. There was, there
fore, a series of formal and in
formal behind-the-scenes confabu
lations. Eventually, they had se
cond thoughts overnight and their
spokesman, Shri Morarji Desai,
next day announced his acceptance
of the Prime Minister's offer with
, 29
one small stipulation, to save
face, that his acceptance was
without prejudice to their right
to demand probal action against
members of Parliament if any
was found involved “consistent,
of course, with secrecy.”
Who had prevented the Opposi
tion from raising such a demand
subsequently? The Prime Minister
only made one condition that the
documents should be treated as
secret. This certainly had not de
barred the Opposition leaders to
raise privilege motions or demand
action without referring to the
secret documents. The charge
sheet which was already made
public could have helped them in
their effort to bring into their
net other members. All these
considerations evidently had
weighed with them as they started
reconsidering the matter overnight
before finally accepting the Prime
Minister's offer.
SENSE, AT LAST
Shri Morarji Desai, who as the
Deputy Prime Minister and as a
minister, had himself on many
occasions stubbornly refused Op
position demand to make CBI
investigation report available to
them, ought to have known better.
His ready acceptance of the Prime
Minister's offer would have raised
his stature as a fair-minded poli
tician with foresight. He got
nothing on December 10 when he
accepted the offer what he did
not on the previous day.
Be that as it may, all's well
that ends well. The prolonged
confrontation between the Govern
ment and the Onposition which
practically blocked all other pro
ceedings of Parliament, ended
with the Opposition ultimately
realising that while they could
excercise their right in certain
issues in a certain manner, they
could go upto a limit and not be
yond that.
The Opposition can perhaps
claim to have scored a point in
their battle for the CBI report and
other connected papers, which
the Government refused initially.
But they certainly lost their war
of political propaganda against
the Government which proved
what they had been saying that
had nothing to hide, nor were
they trying to shield any body.
w
DECEMBER 14, 1974
 PM’s STATEMENT
Continued from Page 5
in evidence and cannot be used ex
cept for the limited purpose of
contradicting a witness as laid
down in Section 162 of the Code
of Criminal Procedure.
What is treated as evidence are
the statements which witnesses ac
tually make in court and the do
cuments which are produced and
proved during the court trial.
Therefore, if this report were pla
ced on the table of the House, the
ensuing debate would virtually
amount to a concurrent trial which
will not only defeat the ends of
justice, by prejudicing the trial in
court, but may also result in a of the House. But in view of the
conflict between the courts and
Parliament.
I am sure this is not the inten
tion of hon’ble members. For these
reasons, such a report has never
been placed on the table of the
House in the long history of the
CBI which has established a repu
tation both for integrity and im
partiality.
Now, when a copy of the charge
sheet, which is a fairly detailed
document, has been made avail
able, why should so much time be
taken up merely in demanding a
copy of the report? Does this not
indicate that the real intention be
hind the demand is not a proper
discussion of the case but rather
its exploitation for a political pur
pose? It is also unfortunate that
because of some small supposed
political gain, some hon’ble mem
bers of the opposition are trying
precedent
to set a new which
might make the functioning of the
CBI difficult in future.
FAIR SUGGESTION
I have given reasons why the
report cannot be laid on the table
entirely unjustified propaganda
being carried on inside the House
and outside, and to accommodate
the sentiments of the Cpposition,
while maintaining, legal rectitude,
the Government is willing to ac
cept your suggestion that the lea
ders of the Opposition might see,
in confidence and under oath of
secrecy, the CBI report, statements
made by witnesses and documents
seized during the investigation, the
report of the handwriting expert
and even the case diaries which
are not even shown to the accus
ed. Our hesitation to do so was
merely to prevent situations in
the future which would inhibit
people from giving infºrmation.
I sincerely hope that this emi
nently fair and practical sugges
tion will be acceptable to them
also. If they reject this, it will be
patent that the government has
nothing to hide but that many of
the Opposition parties are not at
all interested in truth or justice,
but in pursuing narrow partisan
ends.
In this situation, we must all
conduct ourselves in the fullest
consciousness of our high respon
sibility. The first element of this
responsibility is to ensure that
Parliament functions. The cause of
democracy cannot be served by
bringing Parliament to a stand
still.
I beseech you not to use any me
thod which will undermine the
very basis of highest democratic
institution in our country, namely
Parliament. Let is not be said that
the achievement of generations
was wrecked in a moment of anger.

NMALAYSIAN KING

IN DELHI

The King and Queen of Malaysia

were given a warm reception when
the royal couple arrived in New
Delhi on December 6 on a four

day State visit to India. During his

stay in New Delhi the Malaysian
King held discussions on matters
of mutual interest with Indian
leaders including President Fakh
ruddin Ali Ahmed and Prime Mi

nister Indira Gandhi. The front

row in the photo taken on the

royal couple's arrival at Palam Abida Ahmed, the Yang di-Par and Raja Permaisuri Agong
airport shows from left to right: tuan Agong (King) of Malaysia, (Queen) of Malaysia.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Smt. President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
-- - - Photo: Rawal
SOCIALIST INøtø º
*CEMBER 14, toºd
 This question was also consi
dered at the conference of the
highest representatives of the Non
Bureau Of Non-Aligned Countries Aligned countries, so its inclusion
once again in the agenda of the
To Discuss Indian Ocean Bases Havana session will be under
standably the continuation of the
earlier debate. -

The problem of some twenty powers of which only the Soviet Expressing the intention to raise
American, British and French mili Union asserts that it is not in the problem of the military bases
tary bases in the Indian Ocean and terested in the Ocean from the in the Indian Ocean at the Havana
wish of the countries of that area military point of view, what the session, the Malgasy Foreign Min
for the liquidation of these bases west denies. ister, Mr. Dodier Ratsiraka, has
are expected to be considered at Iran, Somalia, India, Yemen, said that his country wili also work
the meeting of the Coordination Bangladesh, and other countries of out an adequate draft resolution
Bureau of the Non-Aligned coun the Indian Ocean have on many which will demand from the coas
tries in Havana next January.
The Malgasy Republic, in the
closest neighbourhood of which
there are five British, two Ame
rican and three French military
bases, will submit a demand to
that effect.

Bases of the three western

powers, which also hold key points -

at the accesses to the Indian *Auºiwº. "

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Ocean, are scattered throughout 2%
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at Simonstown in South Africa, won
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in the east there are Satip in ALAGASY ©
Thailand and Subik on the Philip a wavas?-us

pines, while there are three French

Morgues
bases in the south. /* */* *
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occupied by the Island of Diego :ausri seas

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served as a British base for Sup
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i 30° • goº ** |- Izoo
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jointly by the British and the occasions stated their standpoints tal Non-Aligned countries to abo
Americans since 1966. in respect to this region, on which lish all foreign military bases and
The Indian Ocean is, in general, the UN General Assembly also de deny all port facilities to foreign
of significant interest to big clared itself. warships.

PRIME MINISTER’s ADDRESS
Continued from Page 2
far more richer farmers and more affluent bigger
industrialists who have opposed the Congres3. Some
are with us,of course,and have stood on the Cong
ress ticket. But the real source of the strength of
the Congress is that it belongs to all classes and
regions and since the poor people and the small
people form the vast majority, it is from them that
we derive our strength. - -
We are against the concºnt of class conflict.
The entire spirit of Gandhiji’s. revolution and
Nehru's approach is to reject the doctrine of class
warfare. Unfortunately, a confrontation is being
developed precisely to challenge this approach of
co-operation. If the Congress and the ideals and the
ideas for which it stands are weakened, class con
flict and general tension will increase in the country
and we may also fall a prey to international machi
nations. This is a moment when all of the nation's
strength and discipline and unity are required to
meet the challenges within the country and the
wider crisis on the global front. That is why I wel
come the effort to bring various organisations of
young entrepreneurs together and I am glad that
our Congress Central Campaign Committee is tak
-ing an interest in this matter. All different groups
who are interested in the progress and strength
of our country and our society and who are
interested that we retain our independence in every
meaning of the word should all get together and
see that the forces of destruction and chaos do
not get an upper hand.

SOCIALIST INDIA 31 DECEMBER 14, 1974

 SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 14-12-74 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

INDIA Export Of Indian Handicrafts

As in centuries past, Indian handicrafts are much in
demand in far corners of the world.

The export of Indian handicrafts increased seven-fold

IS from Rs. 19 crores to Rs. 130.62 crores in 1972-73.

And in 1973-74 the export figure has already touched

the figure of Rs. 180.78 crores.
The share of handicrafts in the overall exports from
India has also reached a new high—7.3 per cent as against
GREAT 2.8 per cent in 1961-62.
The groupwise exports of handicrafts is shown in the
table below:

Rs. Rs.
Group (in lakhs)
1972-73 1978-74

MAKE Woollen carpets, rugs and druggets

including namdahs
2143.95 2642.25

Art metalwares 884.97 1249.04

Woodwares 404.97 636.78

Hand-printed textiles and scarves 482.72 686.79

IT Imitation jewellery 216.79 310.58

Shawls as artwares 12.56 18.11

Zäri 93.28 198.54

GREATER Carpets, rugs and durries etc, of cotton 107,07 161.39

Fmbroidered goods 99.88 231.7%

: Ivory products 21.24 38.66

Miscellaneous handicrafts 733.70 1089.44

Precious, semi-precious & synthetic stones 7792.94 10671.49

THIS IS THE NINTH Jewellery of other precious metals

IN A SERIES OF (platinum etc.) 19.10 22.85
ADVERTISEMENTS
Gold jewellery 34.32 44.21
DESIGNED BY
“SOCIALIST INDIA.” Silver jewellery 35.69 81.43
IN PUBLIC INTEREST
13062.42 18078.80
SUPIALIST LUCKNow rally
k
FOCUS ON AFRICA

ºr
DECEMBER 21, 1974 INTELLECTUALs
30p. AND SOCIETr

PRIME MINISTER’s
VISION OF INDIA
LET US BUILD AN INDIA:

Which will make real the vision of our vete

ran freedom fighters,
Where lo caste or tribe experiences injus
tice or indignity and all are equal in reality,
Where workers in the fields and factories
will regard the nation as their own and produce
more,

Where women, half the nation, get their full

share of power and responsibility, and their
drudgery is lightened,
In which our children will live happily and
with pride,
Where knowledge, courage and self-restraint
will all grow to find a new balance,
Yes, let us build a strong, dynamic India in
which the individual thinks not of his religion,
language or province but of INDIA!

–INDIRA GANDHI

(In a message to the “Congress

man's Brochure” published by the
Central Campaign Committee of
the AICC.)

DEMOCRACY SOCIALISM © SECULARISM º NON-ALIGNMENT

 An impressive rally was organised by the Congress at Lucknow on
December 15 to educate the masses against the dangers posed by
the reactionary and fascist forces. The picture ABOVE shows the
Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, addressing the rally at Victoria
Park. The rally was preceded by a procession (BOTTOM). LEFT:
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Shri H. N. Bahuguna, presenting
to the Prime Minister a cheque for Rs. 21 lakhs for the National
Defence Fund on behalf of the State.

More photographs on Page 31

SOCIALIST INDIA
2 DECEMBER 21, 1974
 Weekly of the Indian
National Congress pub
SUG| ALSI lished every Saturday
from AICC Camp Office,
CONTENTS
Wol X. No 3

December 21, 1974

*
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
|NDIA Road, New Delhi 110001.
'Phone: 383521.
Editorial
'Grams: SOCIALIST
The Lucknow Rally: A Thundering Success
EDITORIAL BOARD

Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV

(Chairman)
PM's address to Lucknow Mahila Sammelan
PM’s interview to Blitz
One Party Domination?
:
Arun Chandra Guha 9
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Palestine Cause Vindicated in United Nations 10

Q Book Review: Institutional Financing in India

Dr. P. N. Varshney 11
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Dr. Khorana Looks Forward to Gene Therapy
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR K.R. 13
(Chairman) Assam PCC's Scheme for Procurement
Shri I. K. GUJRAL and Distribution—II 15
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
Contemporary Society and the Intellectual
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Jag Mohan 16
Shri P. C. SETHI
The USSR and the Third World—II
Arkadij Nekrassov 19

Decolonisation Process in Portuguese Africa

Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAV A Special Correspondent 21
Fºxecutive Editor: JAG MOHAN Revitalising the Party 25
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA And Yet another Bandh
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress K. Muralidharan 26
Committee and printed at National Herald Press, Parliament: The Game of Politics
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. J. M. Deb 27

Tanzania Today
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces
J. I. Hungu 28
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA.
Miscellany 30

liament. He pooh-poohed the Jana Sangh move to

EDITORIAL
THE JP-LED OPPOSITION
IS IN A QUANDARY
The motley crowd of Opposition parties led by
JP is already in a quandary. Inter-party rivalries and
ideological differences between them which have al
ready shown themselves as widenning fissures are
threatened to become permanent rifts. The counter
offensive launched by the Congress will further hasten
the processes of disintegration.
The Bharatiya Lok Dal's maverick leader, Chau
dhury Charan Singh, with all the egocentrism at his
command, has rejected outright the idea of the for
In-tion of a united bloc of Opposition parties in Par
80CIALIST INDIA
form this bloc since no good will come out of it. And,
like a broken gramophone record he insisted that the
Jana Sangh and other parties must merge into the
BLD. Whatever may be his strong points and uncom
promising stance, the Chaudhury must be a sad man
today since the Bharatiya Kranti Dal, which he foun
ded, has decided to merge with the Congress.
The Jana Sangh leaders are terribly piqued that
the Chaudhury should have gone to this extent in his
candour, that too after he had formed a unit of the
BLD in Jammu out of the defectors from the Sangh.
This has been a severe jolt to the Jana Sangh, which
has counted on Charan Singh's support under the
JP umbrella. This at a time when the Jana Sangh stal
wart, Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, has threatened to
quit Parliament for the most astounding reasons. The
Jana Sangh is now rueing the day for its strength
in the Bihar Assembly has been reduced to nil over
the issue of dissolution.
Between the BLD and the Jana Sangh, there
bFCEMBER 21, 1971
ought to be mutual hostility because both are out to
provide what they fondly describe as “national alter
native” to the Congress. The Jana Sangh and the
RSS, which are behind it, will not allow themselves to
be liquidated by merging with the BLD. And the BLD
with the medley of political parties with differing
ideologies that have merged in it has set its sights
high. It wants complete obeisance and unswerving
loyalty from all non-Communist parties. The Bihar
Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti which has been backing
the JP movement and to which JP had become a ther by highways and bylanes infecting all the pro
friend, philosopher and guide is about to split into
two. The Jana Sangh faction in the Samiti cannot
see eye to eye with the other group of Sarvodaya
led students and others who have had genuine
grievances. The latter group having seen through
the political game played in Bihar by JP and his
cohorts has decided to have a showdown soon, come
what may. This is a development that is going to
THE
LUCKNOW
RALLY
60C. Arºrsº INT)RA
lead the Bihar Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti down the
same road of inactivity and frustration by which
the Navnirman Samiti has gone into oblivion.
In this context, the Congress, with inner strength
and its rapport with the masses, has been able to
march ahead—not only with its counter-offensive
against JP's movement. It has been organising a
series of Narora-type camps with remarkable alac
rity. The Congress President with dynamic energy
has been going from one end of the country to ano
ple he has been meeting with a zeal to work for the
Party. And the Prime Minister through her hard
hitting speeches has not hesitated to call a spade
a spade. If the Patna and Lucknow rallies are in
dications of the people's faith in the Congress, then
the JP movement is soon bound to wither away not
only because of the Congress but also because of its
ideological hollowness.
ABOVE: The Congress President,
Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, was ac
corded a grand welcome by the
citizens of Lucknow when he led
the rally.
LEFT: Congress President and
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi be
ing shown the way to the dais
from where they both addressed
the rally,
- - - - - - DECEMBER. 21, 1978
 -
- –
The Lucknow Rally:
A Thundering Success
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, said at Lucknow on De
cember 15 that the Congress would
not tolearte agitations which aimed
at ushering in chaos and retarding
the progress of the country. It
would give them a fitting reply,
she declared.
The Prime Minister was addres
sing a huge rally of Congress
workers and sympathisers at
sprawling Victoria Park, which
was packed with men, women and
children in spite of a cloudy sky
and chilly winds. The number of
those present was estimated at
several lakhs. As the Prime Min
ister climbed up the rostrum, the
audience raised full-throated cries
of “Indira Gandhi Zindabad” and
“Indian National Congress Zinda
bad".
The Prime Minister devoted
greater part of her 50-minute
speech to exposing the forces
which were behind the movement
in Bihar. She said much was
known about them. Many people
were extending monetary or other
help to the movement which was
being run by discredited and cor
rupt persons. She said complaints
of corruption had been proved
against corrupt persons from
among themselves before talking
of corruption in the Congress.
ANTI-PEOPLE AGITATION
The Prime Minister pointed out
that the Congress had never hesi
tated to remove corrupt persons
from the Party. The Party had
removed even Chief Ministers
when their States were not admi
nistered properly. But the sponsors
of the movement were seeing only
bad things in the Congress. It was
like a thief shouting “Thief, thief.”
to divert attention from himself.
She said the agitation was “anti
people” and aimed at gagging the
common man. “We are not afraid
of defeat for we have sufficient
courage in ourselves. But it is not
a question of mere removal of
Indira Gandhi or some other in
dividual, deeper issues are involv
SOCIALIST INDIA t *
**
ed in the whole agitation,” she
said.
The Prime Minister said the na
tion was passing through a crisis.
This was not all. All attempts
were being made to make the
crisis deeper. “You can provide
leadership to the country only
through solid work and not
through sheer agitations and
slogans.”
Smt. Gandhi said those behind
the agitation actually wanted to
destroy the whole system without
first thinking of evolving a new
one. That would obviously create
a vacuum and what would happen
in a vacuum ? Who would face any
foreign aggression in such a situa
tion, she asked.
The Prime Minister said it was
strange that the sponsors of the
movement were demanding the
scrapping of the Constitution
which had been framed under the
guidance of Jawaharlal Nehru,
Sardar Patel, Dr. Ambedkar and
Maulana Azad in consultation with
the representatives of the people.
The sponsors of the movement con
sidered themselves wiser. “Obvi
ously they are misleading the peo
ple in an attempt to create anar
chy. On our part we have taken
many steps to resolve the econo
mic difficulties and remove impedi
ments in our way”.
The Prime Minister said it was
time for the youth, students and
the intelligentsia to find ways to
solve the problems facing the
country. The Opposition parties
were only trying to put the youth
on the track of violence. It was
a matter that merited serious con
sideration, otherwise irreparable
loss would be caused to the coun
try. Violent movements aimed at
creating disorder would only
weaken the foundation of
country.
The Prime Minister said
country would go to polls after
a year. The Opposition parties
could wait till then. If the Cong
ress was really as bad as they pro
claimed, the people would them
- t . .. ..
selves vote it out.
Smt. Gandhi said there was no
logic when 20-odd students
Bihar pressed an elderly Congress
in
man, who had won in the Parlia
mentary election by a majority of
1,25,000 votes, to resign from the
Lok Sabha. The movement had
been launched to muzzle the voice
of the people.
She said it was strange that the
Opposition parties should be cri
tical of the stern measures taken
by the Government against smug
glers and hoarders. Though these
steps did not bring down prices,
they did stabilise them. The Op
position parties wanted to thrive
on the miseries of the people. The
Opposition parties did not even
apreciate the country's success in
exloiting the nuclear device for
peaceful purposes.
She declared the Government
was determneid to pursue its poli
cies whether the Opposition par
ties hurled abuses or brickbats.
These parties were not capable of
managing the affairs of the coun
try.
The Congress President, Shri
Dev Kanta Borooah, said in his
brief speech that the Opposition
parties were hatching a conspiracy
to disoldge Smt. Indira Gandhi,
who had been elected the coun
try's leader by the people. The
Congress, he said, was not only a
strong party but an organised
force of the people. “We are
strong enough to defend democ
racy and to usher in Socialism,”
he added amidst cheers.
Warning the people against the
anti-socialist forces, the Congress
President said these forces, led by
Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, want
ed to destroy democracy and
thwart the building of a new India.
The Chief Minister, Shri H. N.
Bahuguna, said the desitny of the
country was safe in the hands of
Smt. Indira Gandhi. He regret
ted that the reactionary forces
were misleading the youth and
putting obstacles in the path to
progress.
the Shri Kamalapati Tripathi. Union
Minister for Transport and Ship
the ping, warned the people against
the vested interests which were
trying to delay the ushering in of
a new social order. The UPCC
President, Shri Baiinath Kureel,
welcomed the Prime Minister.
DECEMBER 21, 1974
PRINTE NMINISTER’S ADDRESS TO
LUCKNOW MAHILA SAMMELAN
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, has warned the women
against the forces of disruption
and asked them to face with cou
rage the challenge posed by such
elements.
Addressing the two-day Mahila
Sammelan in Lucknow on Decem
ber 15,-the second day—Smt.
Indira Gandhi said that the only
aim of these forces was to bring
ruin to the country. She pointed
out that they were trying to make
political capital out of the present
economic situation and were play
ing the game of certain countries.
She said that inflation was not
peculiar to India. Even the aff
luent countries of the West were
faced with it. She asked the wo
men to go to the people and ex
plain to them the truth.
The Prime Minister told the de
legates that the time had come
when the country could no longer
tolerate the disruptive elements
which were determined to under
mine democracy and tarnish its
image abroad. She said: “In fact
we have tolerated them enough
but this cannot be done any lon
ger.
Referring to the JP-led agita
tion in Bihar, Smt. Gandhi said:
“Some people say the stir is direc
ted against me or the Bihar As
sembly. But, I think, it is an attack
on the basic values we stand for
and on the Indian women whom
they were trying to mislead in
order to block the avenues of
their progress. “She deprecated
violence and said that those who
professed to be followers of Ma
hatma Gandhi had perhaps forgot
ten that he always stood against
violence.
The Prime Minister said that
no government or political organi
sation was infallible or above cri
ticism and difference among them
SOCIALIST INDIA
-
could be amicably settled. She reg
retted that the Opposition seemed
to believe in agitations and vio
º
lence. “The question now is do we
succumb to their tactics and al s
low them to undo all our achieve
ments?” she asked. She told the
women gathered there that they
should accept and meet the chal
lenge with courage and determina
tion.
NARASIMHA RAO
Smt. Gandhi referred to the
APPOINTED AICC
women's place in the society and
said that considering that they GENERAL SECRETARY
formed 50 per cent of the coun
Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, for
try's population they should be mer Chief Minister of Andhra
given more representation in va
rious fields. Pradesh, has been appointed as a
General Secretary of the AICC
Before addressing the confer by the Congress President. He took
ence, the Prime Minister visited charge on December 16 and the
an exhibition of artificial limbs. same evening called on Prime Mi
She also presented awards to eight nister Indira Gandhi. Shri Nara
women for excellence in embroi simha Rao is a linguist, an author
dery. and a scholar of Sanskrit. A
Sahitya Ratna in Hindi, he has
The Congress President, Shri translated several books.
Dev Kanta Borooah, who special
ly went to Lucknow to attend the A freedom fighter from the
function, urged the women to go days of the Vandemataram Move
to the villages and warn the peo ment in the former Hyderabad
ple against the dangers posed by State, Shri Rao had been a mem
forces of Right Reaction. ber of the State Assembly since
1957 having been elected from
The UPCC Chief, Shri Baijnath Manthani in Karimnagar district.
Kureel, also addressed the con For eleven years he had been in the
ference. Smt. Sheila Kaul, MP, and
government with varied ministe
Smt. Kamla Bahuguna, Convener rial experience. A member of the
of the UP unit of All India Wo Cabinet in the ministries of San
men's Conference, welcomed the
Prime Minister.
jiva Reddy and Brahmananda
Reddy (twice), he became the
Earlier, On December 14, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
in 1971 and continued till 1973.
Shri Bahuguna inaugurated the
conference. In his inaugural ad
dress, he said that the women
could do much to bring about so
cial change. He condemned the
destructive activities of the Oppo
st m KERALA or KASHMIR
sition parties and said that they ASSAM OR GUARAT
were bent on impeding the develop THIS IS MY COUNTRY
ment efforts of the Government.
He called upon the women to frus
trate the Opposition designs.
DECEMBER 21, 1914

Prime Minister’s
Interview
To “Blitz.”
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi does not think a mid-term
poll will be the answer to the
escalating unrest within the coun
try.
“I do not know whether that is
even possible,” Smt. Gandhi told
the Editor of the Bombay weekly
“Blitz" in an exclusive interview.
Here is an agency report of the
interview.
After a series of questions on the
aims and objects of Jayaprakash
Narayan movement, the editor had
put forward the proposition: “So
all this seems to lead to one thing
-- a mid-term poll. That is our in
terpretation of the situation as it
is escalating.”
Smt. Gandhi was very critical of
the movement and alleged that its
main aim seemed to be to remove
her.
She did not rule out some Con
gressmen being corrupt but observ
ed that suspicion alone could not
make out a case. Many of the poli
ticians who had joined the move
ment were known to be corrupt and
she felt like saying “physician,
heal thyself.”
Question: “Our report from
Narora is that you have closed the
door but left a window open for
negotiations with Jayaprakash
Naravan. Is this assessment cor
rect 7”
Answer: “I do not understand
what “negotiations” means. What
do you negotiate about? How to
destrov democracy? Is this nego
tiable?”
Q: “Leaving Bihar aside.”
A: “But I was told that
the only point. The other main
point is to remove ‘Indira Gandhi.’
Do I negotiate about that? There
is no other point.”
As to the aims of the movement
such as educational and electoral
reform-, nind eradication of cor
50 CIALIST INDIA
ruption, Smt. Gandhi said that
these had been relegated to the
hcakground. “The main purpose as
JP has stated to me, is the dissolu
tion of the Bihar Assembly. From
the very beginning we have known
that this movement was aimed
at the Central Government and at
me. You will observe that every
second or third statement comes
back to this point. Sometimes it
is denied. Nevertheless two or
three days later we hear of it
again. It is there in one of his
speeches reported in November 28
newspapers. So what do you nego
tiate about?
“I cannot seriously take this
movement as one against corrup
tion,” she said adding that Shri
Narayan had accepted support
from some known corrupt people
and he was not speaking against
them.
When the Editor suggested that
there might be “a catastrophic
agitation,” if a mid-term poll was
not held, Smt. Gandhi said: “There
may be agitations, but “catastro
phe" is too big a word to use.
Q: “Well, people are talking in
terms of civil war in the news
papers.”
-
A: “How many people are going
to join the civil war? It is an at
tempt to provoke a class strug
gle, something which we, the Con
gress, have tried to avoid and
which Gandhiji tried to avoid
from the beginning.”
THE PEOPLE BEHIND “JP”
Smt. Gandhi went on to assert
that people supporting Shri Nara
van were largely those “who
basically are not for any type of
of socialism as we understand it.”
All along the line, they were
people who did not really want
major changes in society, “the
sort of change that we want. I
think that this is just another
aspect of the old ‘grand alliance.’
Now what is the significance of
is removing Indira Gandhi? It is not
a personal issue. Obviously they
believe that Indira Gandhi stands
for something which they cannot
tolerate.”
Smt. Gandhi conceded that much
of the support for the movement
was because of the gravity of the
7 DECEMBER. 21, 1974
economic situation which “has
made a lot of people disgruntled.”
Q: “Quite, and that is where
possibly the government and your
party have failed?
A: Could you tell me which
country does not have similar si
tuations, and which governments
at this movement have succeeded
in solving them?”
The Prime Minister denied that
the movement was creating a rift
within the Congress. “The party
is quite united and I can assure
you there is no rift. There may be
a few people who have doubts but
the party as a whole is solidly
united. I wonder whether even
those would have the guts to go
against us.”
Smt. Gandhi was certain that
the present movement was weak
ening the country both internally
and externally. How could one
have radical reforms in the midst
of such movements, she asked.
She said she was preparted to
sit and discuss the demand for
making elections cheaper but one
must not stretch it to say that
large amounts were being spent on
her meetings. If large amounts
were being spent it was because
of the larger crowds and not be
cause of her security alone. “But
we should be able to spend less
on other
-
items,” like posters.
Q: “Somehow our democracy has
come to depend too much on mo
ney power.”
A : “I do not believe this. We the
Congress would not have won the
elections at all had only money
power been involved.”
The Prime Minister did not ag
ree that parliamentary democracy
in India was “falling to pieces.”
Every system had its limitations.
“Which system has succeeded? . . . .
Do you want the Chinese system?
The first happening would be thºut
many people's heads would be
off”.
She did not think the reforms
introduced by the late de Gaulle
in France would suit India. The
French gave up proportional ren
resentation while in India many in
the Opposition wanted it.
 Q: “1974 is a far ery from 1971,
for people's expectations for a bet
ter deal have vanished with so
many promises not kept.”
A: “I do not agree with you at
all. I think we have advanced all
along the line, in spite of aggres
sion, in spite of the Bangladesh
crisis. We must admit that at some
places the programme has not been
implemented as it should have
been.”
Q: “(interrupting)’ Land re
forms. Planning has gone to pie
ces.”
A: “Nothing has gone to pieces
at all except in the minds of some
people. If they had gone to pieces,
do you think I would be sitting
here? This is one of the countries
in the world where the economy
although under severe strain is
not collapsing. Do you think it is
easy to keep a country like India
united? You say promises are not
kept? I say with all authority:
Who in the world has kept more
promises?
Smt. Gandhi said that all the
promises made in the “garibi
hatao” programme were on the
way to being fulfilled. But co-ope
ration from the Opposition was not
forthcoming except in one year
when there was aggression.
Q: “Your own States seem to
be letting you down.”
A: “They are not letting me
down. But some people from
whom I expected support, have
certainly let me down.”
NARORA CAMP
On the purpose of the Narora
meeting of the AICC, Smt. Gandhi
said it was more a training camp,
to decide things on which to con
centrate like house sites to land
less and proper public distribution
system.
Smt. Gandhi said there was
nothing secret in the CBI report
on the licence scandal but its pub
lication would compromise a fair
trial.
She said no CBI report, so far
as she knew had been placed on
the table of the House and “We
don't think it is a good procedent
to Set.”
Asked if the publication would
amount to contempt of the court,
Smt. Gandhi said, “That is part of
it. But even otherwise any investi
gation report is not placed on the
table of the House, because if this
were to become a precedent it
would be very difficult to have any
proper investigation. People would
hesitate to volunteer information.
Smt. Gandhi said that the gov
ernment had no intention of giv
ing multinational corporations any
kind of foothold in India. She de
nied that there had been any pres
sure on her to assign a big role
to such corporations.”

INVESTMENT SUBSIDY SCHEME FOR

ENGINEERS ENTREPRENEURS

As a follow up financial assistance to such unem

ployed engineer entrepreneurs, as have undergone en
trepreneurial training in specific institutions, the Govt.
of India have sponsored a new scheme which envisages
subsidy on interest payable on loans, if any, taken by
them from the Banks and other financial institutions.

The difference between interest rate of 5% per

annum and the normal rate of interest charged on the
loans advanced by the financial institutions shall be
payable by the Punjab Govt. (Directorate of Industries)
subject to a maximum amount of subsidy not exceed
ing Rs. 20,000|- per year in any one year.
The subsidy can be claimed from the Directorate
of Industries by submitting application on prescribed
form duly verified by the financial institutions.
The forms of applications further details can be had
from Director of Industries, Punjab, Chandigarh (Em
ployment Cell)|Distt. Industries Officers concerned Pro
ject Officer, Industries at Hoshiarpur and Maler Kotla.

Director of Industries, Punjab.

PRD?4759-67

T - -º-º-º-º-
-

DECEMBER. 21, 1976


VIEWAVPOINT
ONE PARTY DOMINATION ?
Frequent accusations are being
made that there has been one
party domination for the last 27
years. Some have recalled Lord
Acton's dictum: “Power corrupts;
absolute power corrupts absolute
ly.” We have to consider three
points in reply to this accusation:
1. whether the charge of rule by
one party having its organisation
all over India have done any harm
or good? 2. how this continuity of
one-party rule has been made pos
sible in spite of constitutional pro
vision of freedom of association
and expression including formation
of political parties? 3, whether the
Congress has been using its power
in a dictatorial” manner.
India is a composite country un
like France or Britain or Germany.
India is not even comparable with
other composite countries like
USSR or USA. The USA has one
language and one religion; and in
USSR also Russian language occu
pies the undisputed dominant posi
tion. The percentage of Russian
speaking people in the USSR would
be not less than 90 per cent. The
remaining languages do not count
much. Only Ukraine is somewhat
countable; but it is almost a dia
lect of Russian. But in India,
there are at least more than 16
viable languages.
India does not have only linguis
tic diversity. But practically all the
religions of the world have their
votaries in India and some of them
have got substantial number of
followers.
UNIFYING FORCE
If the Congress rule had not
continued for 27 years, it is doubt.
ful if our national integrity and
democratic set-up would have sur
vived. Perhaps a process of bal
kanisation would have damaged
the integrity and economic and so
SOCIALIST INDIA
ARUN CHANDRA GUHA
cial development of the country.
It has to be conceded that in spite
of some of its shortcomings, the
Congress alone has an all-India
image and influence to preserve
the integrity and to foster a com
mon economic and social develop
ment programme.
There would be about a dozen
parties claiming to be Marxist or
semi-Marxists. If any of them
or their combination would have
achieved power, even for a short
period, our democracy would have
vanished.
One does not claim that the Con
gress administration is without its
weaknesses. But for these weak
nesses the opposition parties are
no less responsible than the ruling
party. The glaring example of this
is the exploitation of the students
and the workers by opposition
parties for political gains.
dubious triumph of the Nava Nir
man Samiti in Gujarat has
brought the students the promised
price-—promotion and pass marks
without examination. Is it
direct corruption—corrupting
whole generations? Indian trade
unions are not run really as trade
unions but only as political wea
pons in the hands of different par
ties.
OPPOSITION'S ROLE
In a democracy what is the func
tion of the Opposition? It has
been contended that Opposition is
to oppose. That is only telling the
half-truth. The Opposition is sup
posed to oppose in a constructive
manner. They should not indulge
in unrealistic and Utopian demands
wheih they themselves would never
be in a position to implement. The
experiment of opposition govern
ment was tried in Bengal, Orissa,
U.P., Bihar and some other States
in 1967. The Opposition parties
did not implement any of their
election promises. To get cheap
popularity, they initiated some
policies detrimental to the national
interest. In many States, these
adventurist parties in power, abo
lished the land revenue or increas
ed salaries of Government emplo
yees, without caring for budgetary
stability. Each unit of the coali
tion tried to exploit the position
of power to expand its authority
at the expense of the partner par
ties and they disintegrated in a
short time.
The Congress then did not have
a majority in the Lok Sabha or
even in the Rajya Sabha. It was
open for the Opposition parties to
combine and replace the Congress.
Put they could not. Why? Be
cause they had no workable com
mon programme; they were jealous
and suspicious of one another. The
Opposition's function is to develop
itself to occupy the position of the
ruling party if the need arises. In
British Parliament the leader of
His Majesty's Opposition occupies
a distinct place. But we have no
Opposition party and so no oppo
sition leader as yet.
The opposition parties demand
The sufficient supply of foodgrains at a
cheap price but they refuse to take
a realistic consideration. It is now
the duty of the Opposition to co
operate with the Government in
not solving the crisis and also in
the arranging relief. Any failure or
shortcoming in the administration
must be pointed out to the Govern
ment in a constructive manner.
The Opposition leaders know that
if power is transferred to them, it
would not be possible for them to
make food abundant or cheap.
The Congress, despite its vast
majority, does not behave like a
dictatorial party. Inside and out
side the Parliament, every facility
is given to the Opposition parties
to ventilate their grievances. They
can—and do—obstruct the pro
ceedings of the Parliament for
hours on trivial issues. While en
joying all these facilities, the On
position parties cannot accuse the
Congress of using stream-roller
tactics,
IYRCEMBER 21, 1974

Palestine Cause
Vindicated In
United Nations
The Palestine National Libera
tion Movement scored a historic
victory on November 22, 1974. On
that day the UN General Assem
bly, after 27 years, corrected the
historical mistake it committed in
violation of the inalienable rights
of the Palestinian people by adopt
ing the partition of Palestine reso
lution on Novcmber 29, 1947.
The partition of Palestine reso
lution was adopted by the smallest
of margins, and that too after
naked and unseemly pressure exer
cised by the USA, the leading im
perialist power of the day, over
some of the smaller member-states
who were in no position to with
stand such pressure and to annoy
the mighty US out to carry out
the role of self-appointed gen
darme of the world.
The real aim of that resolution,
as the entire world knows by now,
was to facilitate the creation of the
Zionist State of Israel to serve the
interests of world-imperialism as
its advance-base and watchdog in
this strategic and oil-rich area.
That the resolution turned the
majority of the Palestinian people
into exiles and refugees seeking
shelter in other countries and the
rest into refugees or non-citizens—
at best second class citizens—in
their own country, hardly bother
ed these self-appointed and self
opinionated champions of the so
called “free World”.
CHANGED OUTLOOK
However, history does not stand
still. During the past 27 years, the
forces of freedom and justice have
forged ahead and have scored
many significant victories against
imperialism and neo-colonialism.
The developing nations of the
Third World have acquired new
strength and confidence and have
forged many a new links and fra
ternal bonds among themselves
and have also developed closer and
more meaningful understanding
and relations with the coun
tries of the socialist world. Not
only this, many of the Western
*OtºAV, ST INDIA
countries have also changed, by
compulsion of circumstances, their
old outlook.
Under these changed circums
tances, the UN General Assembly
passed two historic resolutions on
November 22, 1974. By one, “obser
ver” status at the General Assem
bly by a vote of 95 to 17 with 19
abstentions. By the other, it affir
med the inalienable rights of the
Palestinian people in its homeland.
by a vote of 89 to 8 with 37
abstentions. Following is the text
of the resolution:
“The General Assembly, in its
current 29th session, after having
studied the Palestine question;
after having listened to the state
ment of the PLO, the representa
tive of the Palestinian people, as
well as to the other statements
presented during the discussion;
and expressing its concern because
no just solution of the Palestine
problem has been achieved in spite
of the passage of more than a
year; acknowledging that the peo
ple of Palestine possess the right
of self-determination according
to the U.N. Charter.
“1. Stresses the inalienable rights
of the People of Palestine in its
country including: The right to
practise self-determination without
any external interference, the right
to national independence and sove
reignty, the right of the Pales
tinians who were exiled from their
homes and property since 1947 to
return to it, calling for their re
turn at the soonest possible time;
“2. Stresses that total respect
for, and the realisation of the in
alienable rights of the Palestinian
people are two matters which can
not be ignored in the solution of
the Palestine problem and the
establishment of a just and lasting
peace in the Middle East;
“3. Recognises that the Pales
tinian people is a major party in
the establishment of a just and
lasting peace in the Middle East;
“4. Confirms the right of the
Palestinian people to regain its
rights by all possible means, with
in the aims and principles of the
UN Charter.
“5. Calls upon all states and
international organisations to sup
port the Palestinian people in its
struggle to regain its rights;
“a Requests that the Secretary
----- 10
General should begin and continue
contacts with the PLO regarding
all matters related to the Pales
tine question;
“7. Asks the Secretary General
to present a report on the execu
tion of this resolution to the 30th
session of the General Assembly.”
ARAFAT'S SPEECH
The speech of the Chairman of
PLO, Yasser Arafat made before
the UN General Assembly is by
now known to all the politically
conscious people throughout the
world. It has been widely welcomed
by the world public opinion as well
as the world press for its sobriety
and humane approach offering
fullest justice and equality to the
Israeli Jews in the proposed future
set up of a democratic, secular and
progressive Palestine.
The speech delivered by Farouq
Caddoumi (Abu Lutf), head of
the Political Section of the PLO
and head of the Palestimian dele
gation to the U.N., at the General
Assembly following the favourable
vote on the resolution puts the
entire Palestinian position very
succinctly.
Abu Lutf said, “We called for
co-existence, but fighting was im
posed on us. We called for sharing
a common destiny for the coming
generations, but were met with
death and extermination. We called
for a democratic, open society, but
dispersion was chosen for us; and
we were accused of terrorism, in
spite of the fact that everything
we represent in terms of the theory
and practice of our struggle con
tradicts these allegations.”
He said: “Self-defence, defence
of one's people, of one's homeland,
these are honourable duties for
every citizen, and a legitimate
right put forth by international
covenants and by the UN Char
ter.”
Abu Lutf added: “We thus
consider the increase in sup
port for our cause to be pri
marily support for our struggle,
and an encouragement for us to
continue it. “It is the great plea
sure of the PLO and of the Pales
tinian people today to see the UN
standing with it, supporting its
cause, and confirming its national
rights to return, to self-determi
nation, and to independence on its
own land,”
DºCºMºtt 31, 1971

BOOK REVIEWy
(-
Institutional
Financing
In India
DR, P. N. VARSHINEY
ROLE OF DEVELOPMENT
BANKS IN A PLANNED
ECONOMY
Prabhu N. Singh
Vikas Publishing House
Rs. 27.50
With the proliferation of a num
ber of specialised financial institu
tions in India since 1948, the coun
try today possesses a well-estab
lished set-up for institutional fin
ancing of industries. These financ
ing institutions have significantly
contributed towards the industrial
development of the country and
thereby towards the overall na
tional economic development. It
is therefore but natural that such
institutions have been designated
as development banks the world
over. Though development bank
ing is of recent origin, growing
attention is being paid by scholars
towards its study and quite a few
studies have been published during
recent years. Prabhu Narain
Singh's book under review is yet
another attempt in this direction.
In the present study, Dr. Singh
has confined himself to examining
the financial and non-financial con
tribution of the Indian Develop
ment Banks to the private corpo
rate sector in the context of the
country's economic planning. The
study begins with the examination
of the role of development banks
within the context of the Harrod
Domar model of economic growth.
The author next proceeds to a
brief historical review of the
growth of development banks in
advanced countries since the be
ginning of the 19th century and
traces the genesis of development
banking in this country.
The chapter on Investment Poli
cies describes in the beginning the
SoCIALIST INDIA
Industrial Policy Resolutions, vari
ous control measures and the pri
orities of Industrial Development
under the Plans. Turning to the
Investment Policies of Indian De
velopment Banks it discusses the
criteria for Project appraisal, the
interest rate policy and the secu
rity aspect. The next chapter on
Promotional Activities deals with
the role of the development banks
in promoting the efficiency of the
capital market and examines the
part played by the sale of their
own bonds and industrial securi
ties held by them. The role of
development banks in underwrit
ing business and in providing non
financial assistance to the entre
preneurs is also examined. The
chapter on Financing Operations
deals with the sources from which
the banks have raised their re
sources and the various forms of
their activities in which they have
been employed. The next chap
ter undertakes an overall evalua
tion of the development Bank's
achievements.
OUTDATED
At the very outset the reader
gets disappointment by the very
fact that Dr. Singh's work, pub
lished in 1974, contains data upto
the year 1966 only. It appears
that the author undertook the pre
sent study several years back and
confined it to the period of the
first three Plans only. The author
could have taken the opportunity
of revising and up-dating the
manuscript, in the absence of
which the study has become out of
date. It is of limited practical
utility at present. One finds a re
ference of the role of managing
agency system, which was dis
continued four years back. On the
other hand there is no mention of
the findings and recommendations
of the well-known Dutt Commit
tee, which thoroughly examined
the role of the specialised financial
institutions.
The treatment of the subject is
more elementary and text-book
like. It is entirely descriptive
rather than analytical. The
author depends exclusively on the
annual publications of the Deve
lopment Banks and indicates the
broad trends only without making
any analysis in depth. The book
contains numerous quotations from
11
many books and reports with the
result that it appears like a com
pilation from existing literature.
The author has not gone into the
depth of various controversial
issues in the field of developmental
banking and has contended him
self by quoting the opinion of other
authors and bankers. For exam
ple, on the question of subsidised
rates of interest charged by the
development banks, the author
quotes the remarks of S. K. Basu
who feels that “there can be no
more harmful doctrine than that
of lending at a subsidised rate be
ing adopted as a policy of develop
ment banks. Such an opinion is
inconsistent with the new ideolo
gies that are now being followed
by the Development Banks. In
chapter VI the author notes that
73 per cent of the direct financial
assistance granted by the Indus
trial Development Bank of India
was given to the fertiliser indus
try alone and states “the reason
for this heavy concentration of fin
ancial assistance among fertiliser
units may be found in the fact that
recent food crises stimulated the
demand for fertilisers. Because of
the needs for fertiliser, the IDBI
failed to serve other priority in
dustries to the same extent as
other development banks”. The
author seems to be unaware of the
basic fact that “in actual practice.
IDBI's direct assistance has been
made use of by large scale projects
and those medium size projects
which have not been able to ob
tain their full requirements from
other term lending institutions.”
VAGUE SUGGESTIONS
One finds only a few suggestions
in the book, which are vague and
in highly generalised form. For
example, the author suggests that
the holders of bonds issued by the
Development Banks “should be
given opportunity for participation
in their profits in addition to inter
est.” One hardly finds such a
privilege being conferred upon the
bond-holders. Then the author
feels that “the merger of all the
IDBs into a single unit with bran
ches spread over the whole coun
try might improve the co-ordina
tion activities.” But the very next
sentence states, “however care
would be needed to sustain the
Continued on Page 24
DECEMBER. 21, 1974
 6–POINT FORMULA AND AFTER.....
A State or a region while moving towards new
economic goals should have a sense of direction. The
now famous six-point Formula chalked out by our
elders and leaders in September last year provides
this sense of direction to Andhra Pradesh by rais
ing the curtain on the vistas of new opportunity and
new lines of approach to various issues facing it.
The six-point Formula, it will be recalled, under
lines the fact that the accelerated development of
the backward areas of the State and the planned
development of the State capital with specific re
sources earmarked for these purposes and appro
priate association of representations of such back
ward areas in the State Legislature along with other
experts in the formulation and monitoring of deve
lopment schemes for such areas should form the es
sential part of the development strategy of the
State.
UNDIVIDED ATTENTION
It was against this background and with a view
to giving undivided attention to the development of
the backward areas in Andhra Pradesh, the State
Government have constituted a State Planning and
Development Board and three Planning and Develop
ment Committees for Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema,
and Telengana with effect from January, 1974. Ex
perts on specific subjects will also be associated
with the Committees.
The Government of India have recently announ
ced a Central assitance of Rs. 90 crores for the de
velopment of backward areas in the State during
the Fifth Five Year Plan period. Out of this, for the
current year the Government have launched prog
rammes and schemes to the tune of Rs. 18 crores.
As a result of this impetus, the developmental acti
vities especially agricultural and industrial schemes
will receive all-round encouragement.
For the planned development of the twin cities
which has, of late, become the centre of attraction
both for the tourist and the V.I.P.s, the State Gov
ernment have initiated action to set up an Urban
Director
Deptt. of Information & Public Relations, A.P.
Hyderabad.
Advt --------
SOCIALIST INDIA
Development Authority. It may be added that the
Andhra Pradesh Urban Areas (Development) Act,
1974 passed by the Legislature is now awaiting the
assent of the President, and this will provide the
legal framework for the development of the urban
areas in Andhra Pradesh. In this connection it is
encouraging to note that the Central Government
have approved an allocation of Rs. 1 crore for the
development of Hyderabad city for the current year.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
With the view to enlarging educational oppor
tunities and instituting uniform arrangements
throughout the State in the matter of the admission
to educational institutions as envisaged by the six
point formula, the President of India, it may be
recalled, has issued the Andhra Pradesh Educational
Institutions (Regulation of Admission) Order, 1974.
The order provides for the reservation of 85% of
seats in every course of study provided by the Uni
versities in the State and other educational institu
tions which are subject to the control of the State
Government in favour of local candidates. The Pre
sidential order is being implemented from July,
1974.
One of the salient features of the 6-Point For
mula is the inception of a Central University in the
Capital. The University of Hyderabad Act, 1974,
has been recently enacted and the first Vice-Chan
cellor, Shri Gurubhaksh Singh, has been appointed.
The Court, Executive Council and Planning Board
have since heen constituted. The Vice-Chancellor is
taking expeditious steps to set up the Campus of
the University and start courses of studies.
It may be mentioned that the Constitution
(32nd Amendment) Act 1973 was enacted conferring
on the President enabling powers to issue orders for
the implementation of matters covered by the six
point Formula and it has been brought into force
from July, 1, 1974. Verily, the implementation of
the 6-Point Formula has ushered in a new era of
greater public confidence.
DECEMBER. 21, 1974

Dr. Khorana Looks
Forward To
Gene Therapy
K. R.
In August 1940, an 18-year
old boy went to the Government
College, Lahore, and applied for
a seat in the English Honours
course. He also applied for the
Honours course in Chemistry. But,
for admission to the Chemistry
course he had to appear for an
interview. As he did not like to
face the interview, he decided not
to join the chemistry course and
almost settled down as a student
of English literature. However,
he changed his mind when a little
later he received a letter from the
college authorities informing him
that a place was being kept in the
Chemistry Honours course and
he could join if he was interested.
This proved a significant turning
point in his life and launched
him on a career that took him to
the top of the world of science.
The boy was Hargobind Kho
rana, the eminent India-born
scientist whose pioneering work in
unravelling the genetic code has
completely revolutionised the out
look of future biological research.
Dr. Khorana, who visited India re
cently to attend the 26th Inter
national Congress for Physiologi
cal Sciences held in New Delhi, is
one of the world's most celebra
ted scientists today. Dr. Khorana
shared the 1968 Nobel Prize in
Physiology and Medicine with Mar
shall Nirenberg and Robert Holley
fortheir work in deciphering the
genetic code.
GENETIC CODE
Considerable amount of research
had gone into the study of genetic
code before Khorana established
his far-reaching contribution in
this field. It was known that the
traits of an organism were coded
in the genetic sequence of the
Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA)
found in the nucleus of the cell.
The genetic code enabled the DNA
to determine the structure of the
numerous proteins which are spe
cºe by virtue of partleºlar combi.
socialist INDIA . . . ... .
nation patterns among their Amino
Acids.
Evidence has shown that the
role of DNA in protein synthesis
is to determine the exact order of
Amino-Acids so that different
genes produce
Subsequent
different protiens.
studies provided
strong evidence that the genes
themselves do not act directly in
the multitude of chemical reactions
that take place in the cells and
that the “messenger” that carries
the instruction of the genes to
the synthesis of proteins, and
therefore of enzymes, in the ribo
somes in the cytoplasm is Ribo
Nucleic Acid (RNA), the second
kind of nucleic acid present in
cells. The DNA controls the syn
thesis of specific RNA and serves
as a template or mould, for the
formation of RNA which itself
in turn becomes a template for the
protein synthesis.
Other sorts of RNA, known as
Transfer RNA, already free in
cytoplasm of the cell pick up in
dividual Amino-Acid and carry
it to the ribosome where
with their Amino-Acids, assume
positions on the RNA of the ribo
some in a specific order determined
by the surface pattern of the RNA
of the ribosomes. When these
Amino Acid are linked together
in a sequence imposed by the mes
senger RNA, the resulting protein
will have a specificity which
matches the specificity of RNA.
And since that specificity has been
determined by the DNA genes
ultimately control the synthesis
of different kinds of proteins which
in turn control the biochemical
reactions of the organism govern
ing its traits.
But the precise coded relation
ship between the DNA and the
Amino Acids of the proteins con
tinued to pose a great challenge
to the scientists. The questions
that captured the imagination of
the biologists were: what specified
the insertion of a particular amino
acid in a certain place in a pro
tein being systhesised and what
is the nature of the instructions
passed along bv. the DNA to the
messenger RNA 2 It was at this
stage, when the possible approa
ches to decipher the genetic code
were being tried out, that Khorana
made his famous discovery. By
using a sophisticated chemical
technology, Khorana succeeded in
synthesising a DNA-like molecule
and with the aid of these chemi
cally synthesised DNAs of known
nucleotide sequence he took up
the challenge to solve the problem
of genetic code.
THE BIG QUESTION
At the same time, Marshall
Nirenberg, working independently,
was engaged in devising methods
to determine the sequences of nu
cleotides and the Amino Acids
coded by them. In 1961, while
experimenting with intestinal
bacterium, Nirenberg had deci
phered the coded message that
DNA sends to RNA, which in turn
prescribes the synthesis of new
proteins.
In 1965, Robert Holley determin
ed the chemical structure of an im
portant constituent of cells called
Alanine Transfer RNA. Dr. Kho
rana's work supplemented the
researches of Nirenberg and
Holley. Further experiments re
vealed codes for most of the
known Amino Acids. These, how
ever, still left many problems un
solved. With the help of his co
workers Khonana solved these
problems and succeeded in deci
phering the genetic code. And
soon he succeeded in synthesising
a gene in the laboratory, a feat
that was perhaps the acheive
ment of the century in the gene
tic field.
Explaining his past research
and its perspectives in the field
of genetics, while presenting the
key address at the inaugural ses
sion of the 26th International
Congress for Physiological Scien
ces, on October 20, 1974, Khorana
pointed out that it was possible
to synthesise chemically a DNA
molecule with a sequence of as
much as 100 to 200 polynucleo
tides. The technique in this syn
thesis, he explained, involved first
making small pieces of the Nu
cleic Acid and then joining them
together in the laboratory by
using certain enzymes. He had
tried to synthesise a gene which
could be used as a template for
the synthesis of a Transfer RNA
molecule, of which the structure
was already known. He chose
this RNA, which played a big
rale in protein synthesis, to work
--- t??CEMiaº 21, 1974
back to arrive at the DNA se
quence.
But the major problem that a
molecular biologist faced was to
explain how the DNA molecule
was triggered off to begin the
protein synthesis in the cell and
how it finally terminated its acti
vities. His studies involved deter
mining the character and beha
viour of the terminator and pro
moter regions of the gene. He was
now studying the regions where
control signals operated which
turned “on” and turned “off” the
genes. A fuller understanding of
these signals, he felt, would go a
long way in the field of genetic
research.
What are the implications and
consequences of his research for
mankind in the future? Answering
a question, in an interview on the
spotlight programme of All India.
Radio on October 21, on whether
genetic engineering would be mis
used in future by artificially alter
ing the genes of the human body,
Dr. Khorana replied that he did
not think too much about misuse
of artificially produced genes. He
said that the objective of his work
was to gain basic understanding
of genes and the control systems
of genes. He expressed the hope
that the first results from artifi
cial synthesis of genes “will be
on the positive side”. At the pre
sent stage of research, he said,
one could look forward to the cure
of hereditary diseases like dia
betes. He felt that the horizons
of medicine would be expanded
by gene therapy by introducing
outside genes into natural genes.
by his Swiss-born wife, Esther
Khorana. It was her first visit
to India.
“It is wonderful to be here
again,” remarked Dr. Khorana
when asked how he felt to be
in the country of his birth after
such a long time. The reason why
he could not come to India earlier,
he said, was because he could not
spare time, for a laboratory
scientist like him had always so
much of work to do that a few
weeks away would be difficult.
RIGHT ATMOSPHERE
“This is the first time I am on
a 21-day holiday since I started
research work. I have never been
absent from my laboratory for
such a longtime, except may be
to go to another laboratory.” Dr.
Khorana said in reply to a question
in an interview at the airport,-He
had a positive suggestion to pre
vent “brain drain” from the coun
try. He said India could prevent
brain drain, if she established an
excellent centre of scientific re
search. He pointed out that such
a centre could be established in
TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY
LEGALISED
Send Patients Only To District Hospitals
India if she did not dilute the limit
ed resources by scattering talent
in different research centres. He
was in favour of concentrating
talent and creating the right at
mosphere for work.
Dr. Khorana felt that many
young Indian scientists were frus
trated because they were unable
to get recognition within their
country. He said, “I come across
brilliant scientists studying and
working abroad. They come back
with a great enthusiasm from the
West. But on returning to India,
they find they cannot carry on a
research programme and there
is no support for them. But if
there is an excellent centre of re
search they can work there.”
Dr. Khorana was the guest of
the Punjab Government during
his stay in the Capital. Punjabi Uni
versity (Patiala) honoured him
by conferring on him an honorary
degree of Doctor of Science at a
special convocation. He was also
awarded the first-ever fellow
ship of All India Institute of
Medical Sciences, New Delhi.
for

ARTIFICIAL GENES
In a television interview, on
SAFETY SURETY SECRECY
October 23, he reiterated his op
timism about achieving positive Only Certified Doctors And Not All Registered
results from the application of
synthetic genes. “There has been
Practitioners can Terminate PREGNANCY
concern and anxiety,” and a lot
of discussion about the possible
evil uses of genetic manipulation. Repeated Termination of Pregnancy Is Harmful
“Hopefully, the knowledge would
be used more wisely”, and not SERVICES AVAILABLE IN ALL DISTRICT
for evil purposes, he said. He did
not, however, rule out the possibi HOSPITALS.
lity of synthetic genes being put
to evil use.
Him Lok Sampark
The 52-year old Dr. Khorana,
arrived in India after 25 years,
wras given a hearty welcome where
ºver he went, Hè was attººed *ººl

*****A*Sº INDIA pºRNiñRR #1, 1976


* * * * * * ** r * ~ * * * *.
Assam PCC’s Scheme For Procurement
And Distribution—ll
In its issue of December
SOCIALIST INDIA published
the introductory portion of
the “Outline of the Scheme for
Public Procurement and Distribu
tion” prepared by Assam PCC's
Sub-Committee on Public Procure
ment and Distribution System. Fol
lowing are some salient points of
the scheme.
Procurement Price: The Agricul
tural Prices Commission recommen
ded Rs. 74- per quintal as procu
rement price for the standard va
riety of paddy for 1974-75 which
has been accepted by the Central
Government.
Our procurement price for the
standard variety of Sali (coarse)
paddy may be fixed at Rs. 75l
per quintal taking into account
local conditions in Assam treating
the extra Re. 1- per quintal as
procurement bonus.
Moisture Cut: There should be
no cut in price for moisture con
tent in paddy as in the year 1973
74. But cases of artificially dren
ched paddy or paddy mixed with
water should be severely dealt
with.
Procurement Target: The Agri
cultural Prices Commission of Go
21
vernment of India has fixed
lakh quintals in terms of paddy as
the target of procurement for the
State of Assam. In view of the
flood damage of crops, the Central
Government should however,
requested to modify this target as
16 lakh quintals in terms of paddy.
Procurement Agent and Area:
Both the Assam Co-operative Apex
Marketing Society and the FCI
may work as procuring agents for
the year 1974-75.
The Assam Cooperative Apex
Marketing Society may operate in
the whole of north bank plus Dib
rugarh District i.e. 1. Lakhimpur
District, 2. Darrang District, 3.
Kamrup District, minus south bank
of Gauhati sub-division, 4. Goal
para district minus south bank of
SOCIALIST INDIA
- - - -----------------
_
- -
Each huller-sheller mill may be
tagged with the nearest Gaon
Panchayat Level Co-operative So
ciety for supplying rice to the pro
curing agents.
All unlicensed huller-sheller
mills should be stopped forthwith.
7, Goalpara Sub-division and 5. Dib For regulating internal move
rugarh District FCI will operate ment of rice paddy, the position
in the south bank including Cachar of zones as existed during pro
minus Dibrugarh District, i.e., 1. curement year 1973-74, should be
North District, 2. Mikir Hills Dis restored with modification where
trict, 3. Sibsagar District, 4. North necessary for cordoning surplus
Cachar Hills District, 5. Cachar area for maximising procurement.
District and 6. the portions of Gau Quantitative limit of various move
hati sub-division and Goalpara ment of paddy|rice within the zone
sub-division in the south bank. will be two-and-a--half quintals.
Village Level Agents: The Gaon In order to check unauthorised
Panchayat Level Co-operatives will movement of ricelpaddy outside
be the procuring agents of the the State, check-gates at inter
Apex and FCI along with the Pri State and international borders
mary Marketing Societies, to be should be manned by Arnied Police
selected on the basis of their per
and B.S.F.
formances. Gaon Panchayat Level
Societies shall also be the whole
salers for the distribution of rice During the period of procure
ment, Police should keep vigilance
to the fair price shops.
and take action against tra
The Primary Marketing Society ders, businessmen or persons who
will also function as agent of Apex are suspected to be involved in
FCI where Gaon Panchayat Level illegal transaction of paddy.
Co-operative Societies may not be
functioning. Movement of paddy by roads at
a specific point particularly, before
leaving Assam border should be
MOVEMENT
thoroughly checked and for the
Movement Programme: Side by purpose adequate arrangements
side with procurement of paddy, should be made.
should be speedily despatch
ed to the nearest consuming Similar check-posts should be
areas to build up stocks at the re provided for all points on the bor
ceiving end. Movement by road der between Assam-Nagaland,
also be resorted to in addition to Assam-Meghalaya, Assam-Mizo
rail movement. ram, Assam-West Bengal and in
Licensed huller-sheller: There the international border of Ban
are about 1,800 licensed huller and gladesh and Bhutan.
sheller mills in the State. The in
be stallation of huller and sheller was There should be a statutory
permitted mainly for milling paddy State-level non-official committee
on custom service. But in fact, they to co-ordinate, supervise and guide
appear to have mainly taken up the works of the sub-divisional
the role of traders, thereby com committees with over-all respon
pletely disturbing the price struc sibility of taking steps and ac
ture. tions necessary for implementing
the scheme of public procurement
In the circumstances, it may be and distribution.
provided that each owner of a hul
ler-sheller mill shall supply rice
equivalent to 2.5 quintals of paddy For enforcing the above recom
mendations, an Ordinance may be
a day to the procuring agents at
promulgated to have the force of
prescribed price for at least 25
law.
days in a month from December 1
to April 15, on failure of which,
the licence shall be cancelled. (Concluded)
1.5 DECEMBER 21, 1974

Contemporary Society And
The Intellectual
JAG MOHAN
A slightly edited version of the paper presented
at a Seminar on “The Intellectuals in Contemperary
Society” organised by the Council for Cultural
Studies at the India International Centre, New Delhi
recently.
It is belatedly that this gathering has intellec
tual per se, both here and elsewhere has lost rele
vance today. The very word, “intellectual” has got
devalued, if not debased. He she is referred to con
temptuously. Have we not heard enough about the
ivory-tower intellectual, who does not have his her
feet planted firmly on earth? In the welterschmerz
of today, the intellectual, it seems is a debased
creature—be he a thinker, a creative writer, a poet,
a playwright, novelist of ideas, a sociologist, a pure
scientist or a philosopher of revolution.
This can be partly explained. The anti-intel
lectual movement was a parallel development along
with a-literature, anti-art, absurd drama and similar
iconoclastic movements.
So much so. I would like to describe myself as
a “member of the intelligentsia.” Thirty years ago.
I would have been flattered if someone had referr
ed to me as an intellectual—even as a long-haired,
unkempt, Char Minar smoking intellectual. Twenty
years ago, I would have taken it with a pinch of
salt and a grin on my face. Ten years ago I would
have looked at the person, who called me so, with
suspicion. Nowadays, I am quite wary of the word.
However, I am here amidst you all as I sincerely
believe that a serious attempt is being made to
restore the primacy of the intellect.
A FLASHBACK
Let us have a quick fishback.
In the post-Second World War period, after
the atom bomb had set its seal on this age, the
Existentialist philosophy of Sartre, Jaspers, Heideg
ger and Marcel percolated down and gained many
adherents. And then, there was an eruption of the
Beat Generation writers and the Angry Young
men—and the sullen, not-so-young men. In course
of time came the Underground Movement,with the
Provos, the Flower Children, the Black Panthers
and others, who represent the Counter-Culture of
today.
Looking back more with dismay than anger,
it is clear to me that the intellectual movement of
this century reached its zenith at the time of the
Spanish Civil War in the 'thirties when the intellec
tuals (Caudwell, Cornford, Orwell, Malraux and
others) entered the fray as “committed” intellec
tuals. Many of them got mown down and died as
martyrs to a cause. Those who survived became
SOCIALIST INDIA * -
-
--- --
embittered and frustrated individuals—Malraux
being an exception.
The Second World War with its unspeakable
cruelties and vulgarised horror benumbed the minds,
paralysed the nerves and atrophied the hands of
intellectuals—notwithstanding the Penguin New
Writers, the Horizon-watchers (led by Cyril Con
nolly) and the Partisan Reviewers.
During the last three decades, there have been
many feeble attempts by intellectuals in several
directions to restore the primacy of the intellect
but in vain. The list of such futile experiments is
still growing.
WAYS OF INTELLECTUALS
One group of intellectuals took to drugs, ever
since Aldous Huxely went through the doors of
perception with the aid of mescalin. Timothy
O'Leary, the philosopher of LSD became a cult-figure
and several intellectuals ended up in this blind
alley. Drug-addiction became an updated version
of alcoholism.
Another group began worshipping “the Bitch
Goddess success.” Mammon-worship transmogrified
intellectuals into sleek businessmen. Their line of
reasoning ran thus: “Why should we cheat our
selves of the bonanza when the going is good, just
because we use the intellect?” Almost everyone
among the Trans-Atlantic writers took assignments
from the glossy, porno magazines and mass-circu
lation papers and went round the world writing
on all and sundry subjects and enjoying the life of
hedonists.
The third, group fell for the exotic religious
practices, mantras and gurus. Starting with Chris
topher Isherwood's fascination for Vedantism right
upto today's obsession of many for the Transcen
dental Meditation of Maharishi Yogi, it is a long
story of misguided intellectuals, Zen Buddhism
claimed a few. J. Krishnamurti tantalised a few
others. The “Hare Rama, Hare Krishna” movement
and the Bal Yogi are the latest in the list. It may
be disputed that intellectauls as such do not go in
for these alternatives of Hippie Culture. But it
cannot be gain said that the acutely intelligent
and potential intellectuals, disillusioned by Western
values have found refuge in these movements.
The forth group belonged to a tragic lot. They
were the victims of the Cold War. On the one side
were the USA, the CIA sponsored Committee for
Cultural Freedom, the Encounter-wallahs and the
numerous foundations with oodles of money. They
ensured the intellectuals and demoralised them
by pampering them or flattering them far out of pro
portion of their actual worth. A large number of
academics have been brainwashed much to the detri
ment of their respective countries.
On the other side were arraigned the USSR and
its satellite countries,which capitalised on the Peace
Movement (originally started by Betrand Russell)
and which arranged jamborees for Left intellectuals
and fellow-travellers. But it must be said in their
DECEMBER. 21, 1974
 favour that they have been on the right side of
history, not only about Peace but whenever tensions
erupted in various parts of the world.
Then there was a small group of intellectuals
behind the iron and bamboo curtains, who either al
lowed themselves to become the loud propagandists
of a variety of Communist beliefs, representing the
Polycentrist movement or became dissidents. The
dissidents naturally became the darlings of the
Western world through which they minted money.
Solzhenistyn is reported to be worth six million dol
lars.
And finally the most tragic lost group that
committed suicide—Ernest Hemingway, Yukio Mi
shima, Yasuo Kawabata (the Nobel Laureate) Attila
Josef, the Hungarian poet and others. They had lost
faiht in the written word—and in their turn they
betrayed the written word.
SITUATION IN INDIA
Turning to our country, what do we find?
The fabulous flashing stream of intellectual en
quiry that had sustained our continuing civilisation
is getting dried up. The stream that had fertilised
minds, generation after generation, both here and
beyond, got lost in the desert sands. Millenia ago,
major religions, philosophical systems of a tantalis
ing variety, profound aesthetic doctrines and even
a science of eroticism grew out of this soil. Their
plastic and graphic cor-relatives can be found in the
many splendoured caves, temples, gateways, railings,
and other ruins.
The nationalist movement did presage a cultural
renaissance. Rabindranath Tagore and Dr. Ananda K.
Coomaraswamy through their gargantuan effort tried
to give a tremendous impetus to the renaissance
movement. But the cultural field has remained arid
long after the modern Indian nation emerged out of
this ancient land. At one time, Dhurjati Prasad
Mukherjee, D. D. Kosambi, Meghanad Shah and M.
N. Roy constituted a tiny minority of intellectuals.
They are dead and with the exception of M. N. Roy
they have been forgotten. Even Roy has been bol
stered up with artificial aids by some vested inte
tests.
Who are our fellow intellectuals—contempora
ries with whom we can establish rapport and whose
writings can stimulate us? Dr. Mulk Raj Anand the
novelist turned populist philosopher and aestheti
cism, flavoured with Marxism. Nirad Chaudhury, the
last of the toadies left amidst us twenty-seven years
after the British left. Now he is in his Valhalla
having made his passage to England for the second
or third time. Khushwant Singh, another novelist
turned formula editor, who knows how to spice his
weekly with sex and synthetic fury of the Opposi
tion. P. Lal, who has abandoned his own transcreative
activities and has made a veritable racket of Indo
Anglican poetry. Dom Moraes, who renounced Indian
citizenship after the Goa episode and who is growing
up as his son's father after being an ersatz enfant
terrible.
SOCIALIST INDIA
17
Or Raja Rao, who has ceased to be a Francop
hile and instead become a Yankeephile. All the same,
he is still loyal to his guru, Krishna Menon—not the
late ex-Defence Minister but an ex-police inspector
turned spiritualist. Sham Lal, who occasionally
flares up with a volcanic burst of words that turn to
ashes too soon. Or Romesh Thapar, who is the
Master of Ceremonies at the monthly Seminar, which
is a futile exercise for all points of view can never
be a launching-pad for action. Or J. D. Sethi, who has
been writing so persistently against the Prime Min
ister, one begins to wonder whether he is thinking of
himself as a Shadow Prime Minister. Or Rajni
Kothari. Or Amita Malik. Or K. A. Abbas. I shall
not proceed with the list ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
Anyway, there is a crowd of intellectuals—at
least 55 to represent the 550 million in this country.
Among them can be found Gandhian intellectuals,
Royist Humanists, Communist theoreticians, Telen
gana Maoists, Jana Sangh Hindutva philosophers,
Lohia Socialists and Sarvodaya Buddhidanis. Besides,
there are academics with mumbo-jumbo mantras and
technocrats with some new-friend ideas.
Let us leave them aside and turn our attention
to the main subject.
THE INTELLIGENTSIA
As I see, we men of intellect in this country
must create a new millieu of the intelligentsia. I have
a special fondness for this English word, derived from
the Russian intelligentsia and Latin intelligentsia
(which means intelligence, understanding and discern
ment). Popularised over a century ago by a little
known Russian novelist, Borborykin, this word came
to acquire in course of time a definitive meaning as
it passed into currency — and not only in the coun
try of its origin.
A member of the intelligentsia is “one who toils
with the mind”. He she is expected to have liberal
education and much more than causal acquaintance
with the arts and the sciences. He she must be criti
cally disposed towards economic and political realities
of the day, but with the firm belief that they can be
changed for the better. Hence, there must be the re
quisite amount of alienation from the prevalent so
ciety to make him her an “outsider” ill at ease with
the establishment and with the authority. He she
must be necessarily secular — and with a definite bias
towards democracy and socialism. Monarchy, feu
dalism, despotism, dictatorship, and tyranny,
will be anathema to them. He'she must bo
animated by moral passion against al indignities
inflicted on his her fellowmen, women. A deep con
Cern for the “condition humaine” is a must.
These are some of the qualifications for members
of the intelligentsia, who may hail from all classes
and who may belong to any profession.
While men of intellect may tend to be loosely
Scattered, each operating in small field and occa
sionally meeting fellowmen of intellect at seminars,
the intelligentsia as a group can bring about a com
Continued on Page 24
- DECEMBER 21, 1974
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The USSR And The
Third World-II
ARKADU NEKRAssow
A new recent event which has
reflected the maturity of fraternal
relations between the Soviet Union
and developing countries is the
conclusion of treaties of friendship
and co-operation. These treaties
cover political, economic, technolo
gical, cultural and other fields of
bilateral relations and have become
a factor of stability, security and
peace. These treaties have also
created new bases for further eco
nomic development and coopera
tion.
For example, article 5 of the
Treaty of Friendship and Co-ope
ration signed by the USSR and
Egypt on May 27, 1971, says:
“The high contracting parties
will continue to expand and deepen
all round co-operation and ex
change of experience in the eco
nomic and scientific-technological
fields—industry, agriculture, wa
ter-conservation, irrigation, deve
lopment of natural resources, deve
"opment of power engineering.
training of national personnel and
other fields of economy.
ECONOMIC AGREEMENTS
“The two sides will expand trade
-nd sea shipping between the two
ftates on the basis of the princi
ples of mutual benefit and most
favoured-nation treatment”.
The conclusion of this and simi
lar treatics of this kind with
"ndia and Iraq have become possi
ble as a result of successful co
operation in previous years and
rowing trust and mutual respect
between the partners. Very pro
mising relations exist also bet
ween the Soviet Union and Syria.
t Algeria, the People's Democratic
Republic of Yemen, Guinea, Soma
lia and other countries.
vp to 1978, on the basis of bi
Waveral economic Agreeſweat", the
*ººl.Tº TNTIA
Soviet Union assisted in the con
struction and expansion of 860 va
rious projects and installations in
developing countries. More than
400 of them have been construc
ted and put into operation.
To grasp the dimensions and
meaning of these statistical figu
res, one has to understand some
thing more about some of the pro
jects which represent a substantial
part of the national economy of
the developing countries.
In January 1971, the dedication
ceremonies at the mighty Aswan
High Dam completed a grandiose
project in the framework of So
viet-Egyptian co-operation. Today,
12 Soviet-supplied turbines are go
nerating a total of 10 billion kilo
watt hours of electricity annually
The fretful and perfidious Nilo has
been tamed and has filled Lake
Nasser to about half of its ulti
mate capacity of 157 billion cubic
metres, providing the country
with a steady flow of water for
irrigation purposes. When fully
completed, the Dam's water will
be used for expanded irrigation and
production of electricity for indus
trv. It will irrigate and expand far
mland by about 600,000 hectares
and permit two to three crops a
year instead of one.
ASWAN DAM
However, the main role of the
Aswan High Dam is to be a cen
tre or core of a huge agro-busi
ness which will be of crucial impor
tance for the whole economy of the
country. A hydro-electric scheme
is already supplving energv for
the Helwan Metallurgical Plant
(so far the only metallurgical
plant of that scale) built with the
assistance of the USSR, as well as
to an aluminium plant—also a
joint USSR-Egvptian nroject—and
more than 4,000 villages in accor
dance with the programme of ru
ral electrification. Aswan power
has been hooked into Fovnt's na
tional grid and will be widely used
for industrialisation, including the
processing of chrome, steel, alumi
nium and phosphates.
Speaking of the immortance of
Soviet aid in building the Aswan
High Dam, Gamal Abdel Nasser
said: “The long wears of folnt work
have ſº and tempered A*-
4tº
Soviet friendship which is no less
strong than the Aswan Dam. The
fraternal friendship of the Arab
and Soviet workers and engineers
has been developed during their
joint effort in building the Aswan
Dam, this grandiose project of our
age. The people of the United
Arab Republic will never forget
the creative achievement of the
Soviet workers and engineers in
the Soviet research institutions
responsible for the project, and in
the industrial enterprises that ma
nufactured equipment for it. The
people of the United Arab Repub
lic will never forget the industry
and patience of the Soviet engi
neers and workers who worked to
gother with their Egyptian bro
thers on the construction site.”
Huge and very promising areas
of co-operation are oil and gas dis
coveries and production and per
sonnel training in the developing
countries. The economic and tech
nical assistance of the USSR in
these fields has greatly contributed
to the independent and stable eco
nomic development of Asian, Afri
can and Latin American countries.
As one of the legacies of past
colonial rule, developing countries
had no oil industry of their own.
no marketing and refining facili
ties, no trained personnel. Every
where. oil supplv has been mono
polised by multinational corpora
tions which have dictated their
own rules and policy. Consequen
tly, the developing countries have
had no other choice but to obey
that policy. The USSR's economic
assistance radicallv changed the
whole situation and helped to put
the developing countries on their
own feet.
OIL TO INDIA
In 1960, the Soviet Union offer
ed to sunply India with large quan
tities of low-priced crude oil on a
harter basis. The Soviet offer, an
Indian newspaper (National He
rald. Lucknow. July 16, 1960)
wrote at that time: “...is said to
be at a price which is 25 per cent
below what the British and Ame
rican companies charge. The So
viet offer has other solid advan
tages. As in the case of earlier
transactions of different kinds, the
Soviet Union is agreeable to ac
rººt ºay}}\ents in rupees and to
*RCRMBER 11, 1974
spend it in purchasing Indian goods.
India cannot possibly expect more
favourable terms at a time when
her urgent need is to save foreign
exchange.”
The USSR oil proposal faced
stiff opposition from internatio
nal oil companies which owned re
fineries in India. However, this
event and similar others expedited
the decision of the Indian Govern
ment to develop its own oil indus
try in the State sector. The logic
of internal economic development
multiplied by negative external
factors led the leaders of India to
this decision. Practically only the
socialist countries and, in particu
lar, the Soviet Union, could have
assisted India in this endeavour.
The results of the coopera
tion between the USSR and
India in building a national
oil and gas industry are self
evident: 26 new oil and gas
deposits for industrial exploitation
have been discovered: more than
50 per cent of oil produced in the
Indian States sector and all depo
sits there have been discovered
or produced with the help of the
USSR: several big oil refineries
(3 million tons per annum of crude
oil each) have been constructed.
USSR assistance in oil and gas
exploration and production is, of
course, not limited to India, but is
directed also to a number of other
developing countries such as Iraq,
Iran and Algeria.
TRAINING PERSONNEL
Among the industrial and trans
port projects constructed with
USSR assistance are large-scale
enterprises such as the Bhilai and
Bokaro Metal Works in India, the
Esfahan Metallurgical Plant in
Iran, hydropower complex on the
Euphrates River in Syria, a metal
lurgical plant in Algeria, the
Kushka-Herat-Kandahar Highway
in Afghanistan, a metal-working
plant and an aluminium plant in
Turkey, as well as industrial en
terprises in Mali, Chile and Indo
nesia, among others.
One of the main elements of
each agreement with developing
countries is the training of indi
genous personnel. The implemen
tation of this task takes the fol
lowing forms:
*ocłA*.isºr intº
In the process of industrial con
struction, workers and foremen
are trained in order to become
acquainted with Soviet machinery.
For example, more than 40,000
people have been trained in India
at construction sites: in Egypt,
45,000 and in Afghanistan,
more than 50,000 people. During
the last few years, the Soviet
Union has assisted in training
more than 200,000 specialists from
developing countries through this
effective form of co-operation.
The setting-up of institutes and
high schools in developing coun
tries—more than 140 such insti
tutions in developing countries
have been established with Soviet
assistance, among them the Poly
technical Institute in Afghanistan,
the Technological Institute in Ran
goon, Burma, the Polytechnical
Institute in Guinea, the Technolo
gical Institute in Bombay, and
study centres in Egypt, Iraq, Mali,
Syria, Algeria, Iran and elsewhere,
which have so far trained about
100,000 students.
Engineers, technicians and wor
kers from Asia, Africa and Latin
America are trained yearly at
more than 150 Soviet factories
and plants.
In the Soviet Union, educational
institutions are now being attended
by about 15,000 students and post
graduates from developing coun
tries. The Soviet Union has in
creased its participation in the ac
tivities of the United Nations De
velopment Programme in the field
of personnel training. More than
200 seminars, symposia and study
tours have been organised in the
USSR during the last 12 years on
the basis of USSR contributions to
UNDP.
About 6,500 UN scholarships
have been granted to students
from developing countries.
The first biennial overall review
and appraisal of progress in the
implementation of the Internatio
nal Development Strategy unan'-
mously adopted at the 28th ses
sion of the General Assembly, con
tains a positive assessment of re
cent economic co-operation bet
ween the developing countries and
the sncialist countries of Eastern
º hºtºMºRR ah, atar a
Europe. Trade between the socia
list countries of Eastern Europe º
and developing countries continued
to develop. The United Nations *
resolution pointed out the value of ſ
trade which continued to increase
in the first years of the Second
United Nations Development De
cade.
The document also noted that
the transfer of financial resources s
from the socialist countries of -
Fastern Europe increased sub
stantially and has been provided
on fairly soft terms. º
The volume of trade between the
USSR and the developing coun
tries in 1973 increased from 3.1
&
billion to 3.4 billion roubles. The º
Directives of the XXIVth Congress s
of the Communist Party of the
Soviet Union provide for the fur
ther development of stable for
eign economic, scientific and tech
nological ties with the developing
countries of Asia, Africa and La- .
tin America on the basis of mu
tual benefit and in the interests of º
strengthening their economic in
dependence. >
COOPERATION >
In the implementation of these
Directives, the Soviet delegation,
at the third conference of UNC
TAD in 1972, laid down a concrete :
programme of economic co-opera- -
tion between the USSR and deve
loping countries up to 1975. The
programme contains concrete fi
gures for increased USSR imports
of cocoa beans, coffee, citrus fruits.
spices, cotton, fibres, tea, non-fer
rous metals and ores.
The economic and technical as
sistance rendered by the USSR to
developing countries will also grow
and Over 500 industrial and other
projects of major importance for
strengthening thier national econo
mies will be implemented with So
viet assistance during that pe—
riod.
Speaking at the special session
of the General Assembly on ravv
materials and development, Soviet
Foreign Minister A. A. Gromylºo
said: “For more than half a cer –
tury, the Soviet State has been
pursuing a policy of supporting
the struggle against colonialism—
a policy of co-operating with libe
tontinued on Page 2.1

DECOLONISATION PROCESS IN
PORTUGUESE AFRICA
Portuguese colonisation in Af
rica is one of the oldest right
from the time of scramble for
Africa in the latter part of the
nineteenth century and its par
tition into numerous colonial poc
kets shared amongst the colonial
powers. Even before the Berlin
Conference of 1885. Portuguese
colonisation had already entren
ched itself in some parts of Africa
as far back as the fifteenth cen
tury. The history of colonisation
and colonial powers is easily avail
able in all the archives of colonial
past. The reasons for Colonisation,
we are told, were either part and
parcel of White man's “burden” to
“civilise the uncivilised” mainly in
Africa and Asia, or to develop
what was called the “dark conti
nent”, such as Africa. In the pro
cess, “civilising missions” were
despatched to the colonies. Deve
lopment of the “dark continent”
and Asia entailed the exploitation
of natural resources, which were
later sent to the respective coun
tries of the colonisers for their
own benefit. This, according to
colonial vocabulary, is called
“trade”.
COLONIAL HANGOVER
These being the objectives of
the colonial powers, institutions
were developed to foster this pro
cess which, in turn, made the co
lonising nations richer and richer
and the colonised nations poorer
and poorer. The institutions form
ed to look after trade, commerce,
religion, education and other
fields, show nothing except the
bias of the colonial powers. This
bias can easily be seen or depic
ted now after the decolonisation.
The decolonisation should have
thus meant, according to its objec
tives, the fulfilment of the aspi
rations and objectives of colonisa
tion, those of development and ci
vilisation. But what we see now,
after the colonial territories achie
ved independence, is nothing but
SOCIALIST INDIA
A Special Correspondent
abominable, deep-rooted illiteracy
and diseases, non-fulfilment of “ci
vilisation missions” etc.
Decolonisation, which led to flag
independence in Africa and Asia,
was nothing bat a bluff. Misery and
unhappiness are the order of the
day. The standards of living in
these areas are still the lowest vis
a-vis other continents of the
world. This is the heritage of
colonialism which still lingers to
day. The colonial nations are not
shameful of their colonial failures,
plunders and exploitations. They
still insist on calling such coun
tries as “developing” or “under
developed” notwithstanding the
chaos they have caused in these
territories. The civilising missions
of colonial powers in Africa and
Asia through talks of trade, explo
ration and exploitation. White
man’s “burden” and spreading
“civilisation” can be interpreted
as their conscious tactics to dis
tort the intrinsic reality of colonial
history.
Wars of liberation, waged by vi
gilant liberation movements, in
the territories of Portugal for ele
ven years have caused fundamen
tal change culminating in the
April 25, 1974 coup in Portugal.
One of the immediate consequences
of this coup was the recognition
of the independence of Guinea
Bissau and Cape Verde Islands.
This recognition by the new Por
tuguese regime after the April
coup merely endorsed the weight
of international consensus that
Guinea Bissau is part and parcel
of insternational community. The
United Nations played its role by
admitting Guinea-Bissau into its
role. This process is of fundamen
tal importance as far as the Por
tuguese decolonisation is concern
ed.
The negotiations between Fre
limo (liberation movement of Mo
-------- 21 ! DECEMBER 21, 1974
zambique) and the Portuguese Go
vernment which led to the instal
lation of a Frelimo Provisional
Government in Mozambique will
have far-reaching implications for
the eradication of the last pockets
of colonialism in Africa. The talks
now on in Angola and the recent
ceasefire agreement between Por
tuguese authorities and the libe
ration movement concerned are all
acknowledged and admired. The
international community, particu
larly the Third World, is inspired
by these developments. The promi
ses of the Portuguese Government
that they stand against fascism,
apartheid and related injustices
have been cordially welcomed by
all peace-loving countries. How
ever, the future relationship bet
ween Portuguese Government and
its newly liberated colonies and
other nations will solely depend on
their total adherence to these che
rished promises of equality bet
ween themselves and the people of
Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and
Angola.
TRENDS FOR FUTURE
The liberated African states of
Guinea Bissau, Mozambique and,
optimistically not very far from
now, Angola will have to face same
challenges as their sister states of
Africa and Asia did on the eve of
decolonisation a decade or two ago.
The newly-formed governments in
the areas have the obligation to
consolidate the existing structures
they formed during the colonial
wars. The information available
shows that the liberation move
ments in Portuguese territories,
apart from waging colonial wars
for the past eleven years, institu
ted political and social reforms in
their liberated areas. PAIGC (the
liberation movement in Guinea
Bissau and Cape Verde Islands)
liberated three-fourth of Guinea
Bissau territory, Frelimo (the li
beration movement of Mozambi
que) had liebarted the entire nor
thern part of Mozambique, namely
Cape Delgado, and sizeable areas
in Nyasa, Tele and Manica-e-Safala
provinces .
The villages in these areas were
part and parcel of liberation strug
gle. They were organised for pro
per economic development either
in farming, berding handicraft or
any other trade. The freedom figh
 ters, who had expertise in these
areas, helped to teach the local
masses of the villages how to in
crease their yields in their respec
tive fields of operation. Roads and
other necessary intfra-structure
were constructed for quick mobility
of goods and services in these
areas and adjoining states. This
can be substantiated by the
amount of trade Frelimo and
PAIGC had, for example, with
Tanzania and Guinea respectively.
RACISM ON THE WAY OUT
The new governments in the
Portuguese territories will have
the duty to strengthen these de
velopments and relationship. Poli
tical education will assume an im
portant role in these areas so as
to enable the local people to par
ticipate fully in the affairs of
their countries. This is what the
new governments in Guinea-Bis
sau and Mozambique are doing.
With the liberation of Guinea
Bissau and Mozambique—and soon
of Angola—it is asked whether
this will affect South Africa, Rho
desia and change their racial and
apartheid policies. If liberation of
Guinea-Bissau had an important
bearing on the role Guinea and
other neighbouring countries pla
yed and if the liberation of Mozam
bique has important links with the
effective cooperation of neighbour
ing countries such as Tenzania
and Zambia, and if the liberation
of Angola depended on Zaira.
Congo and Zambia, it is logical to
conclude that the combined im
pact of newly liberated Portuguese
territories in Southern Africa and
that of entire Africa will inevitab
ly affect the White racist regimes
of Rhodesia and South Africa.
The economic growth in South
Africa depends, to a large extent,
on the cheap labour from Rhode
sia, Mozambique, Angola and Na
mibia. This situation is going to
be discontinued as far as Mozam
bique and Angola are concerned
and this will definitely deal a sig
nificant blow to South Africa's
economy. The South African trade
had a direct link with Mozambique
and Angola, their financial compa
nies too invested in these areas.
With the changed situation, it is
very unlikely that the new govern
ments in these areas will allow
the same conditions to continue.
SOCIALIST INDIA Tº " ' "
The trade and financial relation
ships between South Africa and
the rest of O.A.U. (Organisation
for African Unity) states are clea
rly stated in various O.A.U. reso
lutions and declarations that until
South Africa and Rhodesia Gov
ernments stop practising apartheid
and recialist policies, the indepen
dent African states will not coope
rate with them in any activity.
Also the two governments will
have to recognise the inalienable
rights of the majority in their
states, who are the rightful ow
ners of those territories, and have
legitimate right to independence
and effective control of the natu
ral resources. The new government
in Mozambique and, later that of
Angola, will not deviate from this
African objective. The peace-lov
ing states of the world have sup
ported this African stand in the
United Nations and other interna
tional organisations.
With the firm support of the
Asian, Latin American and other
peace-loving countries, the trade
and arms embargo against South
Africa and Rhodesia has been to
a certain extent effective. The ob
jectives would have been achieved
had it not been for the non-coope
rative attitude of big Western coun
tries which continue to trade and
sell arms to South Africa and Rho
desia. Once all the Portuguese
territories are independent sover
eign states, the African voice will
be even louder.
In Rhodesia, the Unitlateral Dec
laration of Independence by the
White racist regime in 1965, is still
considered illegal. But the mino
rity White settlers in that coun
try have been able to sustain their
power mainly because of the help
they get from the South African
Government. But the liberation
struggle in Rhodesia will definitely
succeed and the military assistance
from South Africa will never be an
impediment to this eventuality.
The African states stand firm
on the principle “No Independence
Before Majority African Rule.”
The rights of the people of this
territory must be respected and be
allowed to participate fully in the
economic, political and social af
fairs of Rhodesia. These are the
demands of Africans in Rhodesia
as well as in South Africa. These
22
are equally the demands of the
international community. The
struggle in Rhodesia and South
Africa is not a simple one, parti
cularly when one considers the
level of technological development
in the armament industry reached
by South Africa's White Racist
regime. This has no comparison
with any African army in terms
of sophostication in modern wea
pons and arms. The liberation
movements in these two areas,
particularly in South Africa, have
been facing terrible setbacks be
cause of this factor. However, with
the determination and strong will,
the struggle will succeed because
arms alone do not determine suc
cess in any war but the morale of
these sacrificing their lives.
DETERMINED AFRICANS
It is common knowledge that
fascist regime, which was toppled
in the April 25 coup, was not wag
ing colonial wars alone. Portugal
is known to be the poorest coun
try in Europe with no adequate
resources to sustain colonial wars.
Portugal managed to wage these
colonial wars because of the mili
tary aid they received from the
NATO countries. However, despite
the NATO military assistance in
terms of armament and personnal,
Portugal failed to continue its po
licy of considering its colonies as
overseas provinces.
The United Republic of Tanza
nia shares the hopes and aspira
tions of the people of Mozamique,
Angola and Guiena Bissau in their
gigantic work ahead of them for
their national reconstruction and
development. Tanzania stands for
total liberation of Africa. This
is the first and foremost objec
tive. The liberation of Portuguese
territories will accomplish part of
this objective which is equally
the first and foremost objective of
the O.A.U. The liberation wars in
other territories, under Portugal,
France, Spain will continue in the
manner similar to the struggle
against apartheid and racist poli
cies of South Africa and Rhodesia.
The task in this direction, Tanza
nia believes, is still difficult. But
with the moral and material sup
port of Afro-Asian states there
is no doubt of their successful re
sults. This is the hope of Africa,
Afro-Asian countries and peace
loving countries of the world.
DECEMBER. 21, 1974
 Rich natural resources— A stable Government with
EIGHT
mineral, agricultural and a positive approach to
forests—waiting to be ex wards industrial develop
ment of the State.
GOOD REASONS ploited.
Comparatively more peace
ful and cordial industrial

WHY relations.

A well developed infra A number of large in

structure including a string dustrial undertakings in

KA R N A T A K A of financial & development the Central, State & the

agencies like KSIIDG Joint Sectors generating

KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. spread effect.

IS
A package of incentives
subsidy on project reports,
FAVOURABLE supply land, water & po
wer at concessional rates,

price preference etc.

FOR Financial assistance 15% Central subsidy
to for
educated unemployed, spe undertakings started in
cially to unemployed en the backward districts of
INDUSTRIAL gineers and technicians Dharwar, Mysore and
under special employment Raichur.

schemes.
LOCATION

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedhi, BANGALORE-1.
Issued by
The Director of Information & Publicity.

SOCIALIST IN BLA 2A DECEMBER 21, 1974

-sus - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - -
continua TCN
º
º attack by high-brow, middling and non-descript in
CONTENMPORARY SOCIETY
AND THE INTELLECTUAL
Continued from Page 17
munity of interests, a greater identification in regard
to views, an interchange of ideas and a concretisation
of thought leading to action.
Now comes the question: What about the intel
ligentsia in contemporary India. Earlier in this paper,
I provided glimpses of the intellectual scene. But
the intelligentsia is yet to emerge as a distinctive
force. It is a sad comment on our national struggle
that we never forged a distinctive philosophy like for
instance, “Negritude”, created by Leopold Sedar
Senghor and Aimee Ceasaire. We never cultivated a
passion that could produce a Frantz Fanon among us.
It so happens that for the pre-independence and post
independence periods, to know the realities, we have
very much to depend only on the speeches and writ
ings of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru–and
in recent times on Indira Gandhi.
Gandhiji did leave a corpus of writings behind
him but there are so many commentators on his sutra,
as in the days of the old, that Gandhiji has to be
rescued. And a whole tribe of denigrators of Nehru
-
ranging from Frank Moraes to Durga Das, from S.
P. Sen to Ajit Bhattacharjea has been having a whole
of time. And Indira Gandhi is the best target for
tellectuals.
The country itself has passed through many ups
and downs, facing many challenges—natural and
man-made calamities, wars, an utter collapse of va
lues and what not. Yet, our country is not alone
with all this mess. Other countries are also in a meSS
Several others are in worse conditions. The convolu
tions through which Pakistan has passed should give
us some hope that at least we have proceeded in the
correct direction in spite of stumbling blocks and
the zeitgeist of today.
Next month, we would be celebrating the Silver
Jubilee of our Republic. We have not achieved what
we wanted all because we left too much to the poli
ticians and the bureaucrats. It is time that the in
telligentsia begins to use the intellect for a proper
understanding of the contemporary realities and sug
gest the ways and means for establishing links with
society, giving it a meaningful lead towards a better
human life.
On the eve of the Gandhi Jayanti, in the course
of a radio interview, the Prime Minister asked the
question, “Is this not the time for all, especially in
tellectuals and the students, to think deeply of fun
damental matters?” Let us take cue and discuss our
role in the India of today.

THE USSR AND
THIRD WORLD
Continued from Page 20
rated countries and rendering them
all possible aid and assistance. We
pursued this policy at a time when
we, ourselves, were badly in need
of even the most basic essentials.
And we are firmlv following it to
day. The Soviet Union's co-opera
tion with the developing States
has gone far beyond the bounds .
of purely commercial relations, al
though they do continue to play
an important role.”
In conclusion, it has to be said
that the USSR's economic co-ope
ration with developing countries
does not lead to such negative ef
fects as foreign currency deficits
in their balances of payments,
“brain drains”, or disproportions
in national economies. The USSR
assists these countries not because
it has capital and equipment
abundance which cannot be used at
home, and certainly not following
the fallacious theory of “rich
north versus poor south.”
The answer is to be found in
basic principles of the USSR's
SOCRALIST INº.1 A
foreign policy which favours
fullest devolepment of internatio
nal trade and economic, scientific
and technical co-operation. The
Soviet Union regards its co-opera
tion with the developing countries
as supporting their national libe
ration and as strengthening their
economic independence. On the
solid bases of equity, mutual inte
rest and mutual benefit, this co
operation will reach new dimen
sions and horizons. (Concluded).
Courtesy: DEVELOPMENT
FORUM of the UNDP
BOOK REVIEW
Continued from Page 11
entrepreneurial initiative which
comes from having multiple units.
It is self-evident that the questions
of the best methods to increase the
effectiveness of IDBs are not
in easily answered. The reader
might have expected a more pre
cise, well thought-out and consi
dered opinion of the author on this
controversial issue.
In the end the author has under
2M
the taken a meaningful exercise for
the evaluation of the contribution
of the Indian Development Banks
towards the economic growth. The
statistical data showing capital
formation in the private sector and
the gross value adedd to GNP by
private organised industrial sector
taken together with the data of
financial assistance rendered by
the Development Banks depict the
contribution of the latter. Further,
the author rightly concludes that
“the IDBs have not been effective
as a tool in balancing regional de
velopment.” But his finding that
“the disbursement of financial
assistance by the IDBs has not
contributed in any significant
measure to a further concentration
of wealth in the hands of a few
groups” may not be acceptable
specially in the light of the report
of the Dutt Committee, which con
cluded that the share of the Large
Industrial Sector in the financial
assistance was predominant, that
of the 20 Larger Houses was very
large and a few individual houses
got a major share.” A student of
Development Banking will find the
book under review of little utility.
! DECEMBER. 21, 19-4
* , , /*
PARTY INEVAVS
REVITALISING
THE PARTY
The following is the edited text
of a letter sent by Prof. INDRAJIT
DAS, President, Congress Political
Training and Cadre Building
Centre, Karimganj (Assam), to
the Congress President, Shri Dev
Kanta Borooah. We are publish
ing it as it contains some useful
suggestions.
This letter conveys my heartful
thanks to you for your sincere
efforts to revitalise the Party
through the effective execution of
the resolution of holding different
grades of Training Camps at Cen
tral, PCC and DCC levels within
such a short period. It is good but
something more, I think, has to be
done for creating regular cadres to
be involved in the actual work of
implementation of the socio-econo
mic schemes adopted by the Party
as well as those passed by legisla
tures.
I realise the difficulty of chang
ing a mass-based party into a
cadre-based party and at the same
time the risk involved in relation
to public support in elections in
democratic set-up as ours. At the
same time I cannot altogether wipe
out my apprehension that a party
without well-trained cadres pro
perly equipped with theoretical
knowledge and necessary practical
training to mould public opinion
and to give effective service for the
socialist schemes will not be in a
position to make anv appreciable
progress for the establishment of
socialist economy and administra
tion in our country within a period
of popular expectation.
THE THEORY
You are not unaware that most
of our partvmen including many
MLAs and MPs, what to speak of
the rank and file are ignorant of
the theoretical side of Socialism
and of the procedure through
which Socialism can be achieved in
a democratic set-up and as to how
socłA1 rs"T INDIA
* we are to fight against the vari
ous obstacles.
I consider it as one of my moral
obligations to my party to put
some suggestions in this regard.
1. We should keep in view the
formation of two-fold party work
ers: ordinary active members and
regular cadres for the present and
try to convert the whole Party to
a cadre-based one within a fixed
period. -
2. A book should be published in
English and in all regional langul
ages containing the following
chapters in brief and it should be
made compulsory for each active
member to purchase a copy and
study it thoroughly: 1. A history
of changes of approach of the
National Congress in its struggle
for Independence upto 1942; 2.
Changes in economic approach of
the Congress up to the declaration
of socialism; 3. What is Socialism;
4. Why Consgres Chose democratic
Socialism and not totalitarian one;
5. What are the obstacles to be
faced in the period of transforma
tion from feudal capitalism to
Socialism and how to overcome
them: 6. How far the narty cadre
may be involved profitably for the
implementation of socialistic legis
lation: 7. A brief sketch of differ
ent political views in India and
their objects and also the relation
of our party with them: 8. An out
line of international political
trends: 9. Achievements so far:
a and 10. Conclusion—inspiration
and encouragement for active ser
vice.
3. One permanent Instructor
should be engaged in each district
—to recruit and train cadres. A in a bye-election from the
short guide may be published in
the form of a booklet with speci
fic course and practical works.
4. Each PCC should maintain a
small establishment to publish
pamphlets and leaflets etc. in re
gional languages and if necessary
in other main languages in the
State on various burning issues of
the day and on different party
schemes.
5. Each District Congress Com
mittee office should have a small
library to lend books to its mem
bers and others interested.
6. Seva Dal should be vigorously
activised,
7. Observers should be sent every
month to each unit from the next
higher unit to assess the activities
of those units and to report to the
respective units from where they
were sent.
8. Each District Office should
have a paid secretary and a peon.
9. Each District Office must
maintain a Postal or Bank Ac
count—Accounts should be placed
before the district executive once
in every three months.
10. Besides observing the direc
tions given through circulars from
above, each unit will formulate a
programme of its own on the basis
of local problems to be executed in
every three months and a copy of
this should be sent to the next
higher office for information and
approval.
Organisational side of the party
should be given a definite control
over the administrative side. The
latter should be subservient to the
former for proper implementation
of the party scheme of Socialist
economy. This is the experience
we gather from other countries
that follow Socialist economy—
though in a different administra
tive set-up.
CONGRESS VICTORIES
The Congress scored two
electoral victories last week—
one in Himachal Pradesh and
the other in Karnataka.
On December 9, the Cong
ress candidate Shri Sukh Ram
was elected to the Himachal
Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Mandi constituency. He defea
ted his nearest rival Shri
Chander Singh of the Jana
Sangh bv, a margin of 9,824
votes. While Shri Sukh Ram,
a former Development Minis
ter polled 14,319 votes, Shri
Singh got 4,495.
In Karnataka Congress cap
tured 11 out of the 15 seats
to the Hoskote Municipality
to which elections were held
on December 8. The Syndicate
secured three seats, and one
seat went to an Independent
candidate,
ſºcFMRER. 21, 1974

And Yet Another
Bandh...
K. MURALID HARAN
The Convener of the Joint
Council of the five Opposition
parties in Kerala—CPI-M, KTP,
SSP, Kerala Congress and Syndi
cate— which gave the call for a
State-wide bandh on December 10
has claimed that the response to
the call was total and the bandh
was a success. The official organ of
the CPI-M, Desabhimani, could not
have been content with less than
the banner headline in poster type
which it carried in its edition of
December 11 suggesting that the
bandh was a “tremendous success.”
Both the Opposition leader and the
daily could not have said anything
different from what they have
said. It is, however, not enough
to dismiss their claim as patently
tall; one has evidence to believe
that the Opposition in Kerala is
so deluded as to be unable to
assess the impact of the varied
tactics they adopt to bring down
the coalition Government in the
State as well as to create an at
mosphere of confusion in the State.
Avoiding for the moment a phi
losophical discussion on what
exactly constitutes “success”, it
may be pointed out that the com
mon man treated the call for bandh
with as much scorn as it deserved.
This conclusion is borne out by
the fact that large sections of
workers in factories and offices
turned up with renewed enthu
siasm, if anything. If reports in
the leading dailies are any guide.
the bandh did not affect a whit the
industrial belt in the Cochin
Alwaye area. Around eighty per
cent of the workers attended their
duties rejecting the bandh call.
NEGATIVE SUCCESS
This does not mean the Opposi
tion leaders failed to provide a
costly experience to the people of
Kerala on December 10. The mone
tary loss the State suffered in the
Sºy CIALIST INDIA
process of the bandh is estimated
to run into lakhs. It is true, and
painfully so, that large number of
shops had to bring down their
shutters and many factories in
various parts of the State remain
ed paralysed wholly or partly be
cause workmen could not show up
because of lack of transport faci
lities, willing though many of
them were. The organisers of the
bandh may congratulate them
selves for their success in keeping
vehicles off the road. But no one
would be as gulible as to believe
that those who did not take out
their vehicles to the road and
those who absented themselves
from offices and factories were all
staunch votaries of the bandh.
Far from so. What the Opposition
parties really achieved was the
negative success in subjecting a
vast segment of the State's popu
lation to enforced idleness. The
people have learnt dearly from
past experience that official ar
rangements to safeguard the in
terests of those who did not want
to respond to the call for the
bandh notwithstanding, it would
provide the rowdy elements a
field day and as a result the
unwary may stand to lose.
What is specially noteworthy
about the last bandh was that
there were indications well in ad
vance that the bandh would assume
violent dimensions. It was not for
nothing that Chief Minister C.
Achutha Menon made it unambi
guously clear that the Govern
ment would not hesitate to take
strong action to put down violence
and all attempts to disrupt normal
public life. Thanks to the res
traint which the champions of the
bandh showed willy-nilly in the
light of Shri Menon's warning and
the alacrity and forebearance with
which the police dealt with the
bandh, it passed off peacefully.
Barring the lathi-charges in Quilon
and Trichur, there were no occa
sions when the police gave in to
provocations of which here was no
dearth. For this the police
should be congratulated because
there were incidents of stone-pelt
ing and assaults galore which in
the normal circumstances would
have provoked them into action.
It is relevant to point out hero
26
the present bandh had as its ob
jectives registering protest against
“police excesses” and the bad food
situation in the State. That the
police hehaved with commendable
self-restraint in the recent years
is a fact with which the agitated
out-of-power parties cannot recon
cile. As for the food situation, it
is true that no one, and least of
all the Government, is happy about
it.
THE PROBLEMS
What is more, the Government
has been straining its nerves to
improve the situation. Nothing
could be more unfortunate than
the fact that the Opposition should
regard Government's possible suc
cess in tackling the food situation
as synonymous with its own fai
lure. The fact of the matter is
that the parties which are visibly
unnerved by the prospect of the
Congress and its allies being voted
into power in the next election are
running in all directions in search
of flimsy excuses to embarass the
Government. They know it only
too well that they will per force
have to grant to the present Minis
try the credit for running its full
term for the first time since the
formation of the State.
The bandh on December 10 was
only yet another instalment in the
seemingly endless series of bandhs
tile Opposition launched in Kerala.
And, the people on their part, have
learnt by now what it is all worth.
At long last, they seem to be com
ing round to the view that shutting
down shops and factories and
schools is not the answer to the
State's problems and what is ne
cessary is a stable Government. Ut
is also largely realised that the
worst that can happen to any poli
tical party is the draining of its
capacity to think up in clear terms
a positive and coherent aproach to
the problems of the people. And
one could say without being chur
lish that bandh-organising Oppo
sion parties in Kerala have evi
dently forfeited their power of
clear thinking. The incoherence
and negativism in the policies of
each one of them already in evi
dence is apt to be intensified up to
a point of political bankruptcy
whon all of them array themselves
under one bonner.
DECEMBEIR 21, 1974

**
Pastianent
The Game Of
Politics
J. M. DEB
The game of politics is a double
edged weapon; it can cut both
ways. The Opposition in Parlia
ment played this game, albeit un
successfully, throughout the cur
rent session. They pointed their
guns all the time at the Treasury
Benches and sought to raise a
spate of privilege and adjourn
ment motions on one ground or
another. The die-hard Import
Licence case, which proved handy
to them, popped up again and
again. When they almost ran out
of their ammunition, the Congress
members undertook to pay them
in their own coin and hit back as
hard as possible.
The question was not who won
the game and who lost, or who
played it sportingly and who did
not. What really mattered was
whether in this game of politics
the cause of Parliamentary democ
racy was advanced or subverted.
Shri Lalit Narayan Mishra was
the principal target of the Oppo
tion. It was apparent from the
beginning that Shri Tulmohan
Ram proved to be a convenient
straw for them to clutch for mount
ing their real offensive against the
Railway Minister for his alleged
acts of ommission and commission
as a Minister of Foreign Trade.
In fact, it would be difficult to
find a parallel in recent history
where a minister had been the
target of so vicious an attack—
and so persistently. When the
privilege motions against him
failed and he was cleared by the
Speaker, the Opposition resorted
to a more desperate strategy—
for his removal from the mem
bership of the Lok Sabha and
from the Cabinet. One of them,
Shri Jyotirmoy Bosu (CPI-M), who
seemed to have specialised in this
job, brought in a regular motion
towards the far end of the session
\SOCIALIST INDIA
charging him with “committing
serious improprieties and malprac
tices”. This was rejected by the
House after a Seven-hour battle
marked by invectives, in which
many Congress members including
the Planning Minister, Shri D. P.
Dhar, rallied to the beleaguered
Railway Minister's cause to coun
ter the Marxist member's charges.
After the Opposition members
failed to score, it was the turn
of the Congress members to be in
the offensive. They in their turn
brought in their privilege motions
against some of the Opposition
stalwarts. They sought to bring
into their net Shri Madhu Limye
and Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee but
they concentrated their fire on
the Independent member, Shri
Ramnath Goenka who contested
the election with the Jana Sangh
symbol. The charges against him
was that since several cases of
forgery, cheating, embezzlement
and other malpractices were pend
ing against him in a court, his
continuing as a member of the
Lok Sabha would bring the House
to disrepute. Members' submission
on l'affair Goenka and the admis
sibility or otherwise of the pri
vilege motion against him went on
for two long days.
NEWSPAPER TYCOON
The newspaper tycoon had his
chance on Wednesday (December
18) to give his own explanation.
His was indeed an unusually long
winding reply to the allegations
made against him. Easily irritable
and highly emotional, Shri Goenka
was also quite melodramatic. He
readily conceded the Congress
members' charge that he was a
“habitual offender”, but he tried to
give the offence an air of virtue by
narrating what appeared to be his
biographical sketch in the pre
Independence period. While he
attempted to impress the mem
bers by citing several instances of
the offences he had committed
against the British Government
and the persecution he had suffer
ed for the same, he was indis
creetly silent over his recent ac
tivities which constituted the main
burden of the motion against him.
He cleverly announced, as if with
a flourish, that despite these
“offences”, he was a “good boy”
with the Congress till 1969. But
he had only the critical stand of
27
his newspapers against the ruling
party to mention as the reason for
his having fallen from the party's
grace in later days.
The privilege motion against
Mr. Limaye was tabled by Shri
D. C. Goswami and Shri C. M.
Stephens for his tearing Mr. L. N.
Mishra's explanatory statement
and throwing it on the floor of the
House. This act of the Socialist
member, they contended, was de
rogatory to the dignity of the
House. The other Congress-spon
sored privilege motion against
Shri Vajpayee related to a recent
speech of the Jana Sangh leader
at a public meeting where he had
described Parliament as having be
come a mere “rubber stamp”.
While the movers were arguing the
case, Shri Vajpayee himself, to the
great amusement of his political
opponents, suggested to the Spea
ker to consign the motion
“straightaway” to the Committee
of Privileges.
In the Rajya Sabha, the non
Communist Opposition early this
week got a doze of its own medi
cine when the spotlight was turn
ed on the Bharatiya Lok Dal lea
der, Shri Biju Patnaik. There were
a series of questions on the recent
raids at the residences, factory and
business premises of the BLD
leader, his wife, his son and their
associates in Cuttack, Bhubanes
war, Calcutta and Delhi. The Fin
ance Minister, Shri Subramaniam,
did not go out of his way to make
any disclosure. But what he said
and the manner of his saying it
were devastating enough to dis
comfit a section of the Opposition
members who were normally the
loudest in pointing their accusing
finger against the ruling party and
talking about corrupiton in high
places. Shri Subramaniam referred
to the letter he had received from
Shri Piloo Modi, member of the
Lok Sabha and General Secretary
of the BLD claiming that the
monev seized in the raids from
Shri Patnaik's bungalows belonged
to the party and as such should
be returned. And then in his own
characteristic wav, the Finance
Minister disclosed amidst loud
laughter from the Congress ben
ches that the monev was found un
derneath “ladies' clothes”, and he
wondered if any political party
kept its funds in this way.
DECEMBER. 21, 1974
<-- * - T-----—"
TANZANIA TODAY
Greater Emphasis
On Rural
Development
J. I. HUNGU
During the last one decade Tan
zania has made tremendous stri
des towards consolidating the
unity of the nation and identify
ing each area and individual with
the country.
One of the important landmarks
since the birth of the United Re
public of Tanzania in 1964 is the
launching of the Arusha Declara
tion in 1967; the blueprint con
taining the country's policy of so
cialism and self-reliance.
The Arusha Declaration is the
main source of policy guidelines in
all fields of development. The Dec
laration re-emphasises the domes
tic and international objectives of
the ruling party, Tanganyika Af
rican National Union.
Behind the refinements of the
Arusha Declaration was a fairly
simple political objective. It was
decided at Arusha, to put the in
terests of the man in the country
side first. In economic terms if
meant the concentration of deve
lopment in rural areas.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Other twin objectives of Tanza
nia Socialism are a rapid take-over
by the State of the strategic sec
tors of the economy, and the buil
ding of national income from be
low by policies of self-help, co
operation and togetherness.
In the years that followed there
had been the nationalisation of the
financial institutions, increasing
participation and control in the
private business sector, the State
take-over of trade and finally, the
nationalisation of property.
These are fairly orthodox mea
sures of any socialist State any
where in the world and there is
SOCIALIST INDIA
nothing particularly Tanzanian
about them. But Tanzania's real
contribution lies in the field of
rural development. Here Tanzania
is trying to do something which no
other country in Africa has yet
tackled satisfactorily.
The objective is to get the far
mers voluntarily to group them
selves together into villages (Vijiji
vya Ujamaa) so they can tackle
the problems of agricultural deve
lopment on a rational basis.
Tanzania is a poor country. The
per capita annual income is about
Sh. 690 (Tsh). A visit to many
of the rural areas of Tanzania will
show people living in poor houses,
subsisting on food providing little
nourishment, scratched from hos
tile soil. To combat such extreme
conditions, extreme measures had
to be taken by the Tanzanian Gov
ernment. The Government has
done this in its declaration of war
on three major enemies: ignorance,
poverty and disease.
It has thrown all its influence
and resources behind a plan to re
volutionise the country's social
structure, based on the idea that
change can come only if all the
people are mobilised. And, since
95 per cent of Tanzania's thirteen
million people live in the rural
areas, heavy emphasis is, there
fore, placed on these areas.
The plan involves the transfor
mation of the whole way of life of
the peasants by moving them from
their scattered huts into planned
villages.
In these villages, they will be
able, cooperatively, to grow and
market cash crops, establish cot
tage industries to produce cloth
ing, furniture, pottery, cooking
utensils and other items, and ob
tain primary schools, dispensaries,
water supplies and other services.
It is estimated that Tanzania now
has more than 2,000 ujamaa vil
lages. Estimates of their total po
pulation range between 500,000
and one and a half million. The
next rural census will give a much
more accurate picture.
It was on December 9, 1961 that
the then Tanganvika became a so
vereign State. Tanzania was born
on April 26, 1964, after two inde
pendent and sovereign States of
28 **
Tanganyika, which was under the
United Nations trusteeship, and
Zanzibar, under the British feudal
rule decided to form a single State
the United Republic of Tanzania.
Tanzania's ability to use prag
matic methods to achieve its so
cial goals is nowhere better illus
trated than in the trade and in
dustrial sectors: the measure of
efficiency is profit.
PRAGMATIC METHODS
Since 1969 the Government of
Tanzania has given increasing
thought to reorganising the finan
cial sector. This idea had been
much strengthened by creating of
the various specialised institutions,
e.g., the Tanzania Tourist Corpora
tion, the Natoinal Agricultural
and Food Corporation, the Natio
nal Transport Corporation, etc.
This left the National Development
Corporation to concentrate its ef
forts entirely on all remaining in
dustries.
The need for a strong invest
ment and development banking in
stitution which could coordinate
fund raising and investment was
a natural result of the Govern
ment's development policy. This
centralises final financial apprai
sal for long term productive deve
lopment lending, and channels fo
reign loan funds from various
sources through one institution—-
the Bank of Tanzania.
The Tanzania Rural Develop
ment Bank provides development
finance for the rural sector; this
includes a share in financing small
scale industries and other indus
trial and commercial projects on
regional or district level.
The liberation struggles now go
ing on in some parts of Africa,
such as in South Africa, Rhodesia,
Namibia and Angola, to mention
only a few, have the fullest moral
and material support of Tanzania,
African countries and the entire
Third World. Tanzania is commit
ted itself to the liberation not only
of Africa, but of all those areas
in the world where colonialism and
racism are the order of the day.
To this end, Prseident Julius R.
Nyerere of Tanzania, who is a tea
cher and philosopher, has given his
*... DECEMBER 21, 1976
 country a sense of purpose and
direction that is rare in Africa,
of Tanzania being in front line in
Africa's struggle for Liberation
and emancipation.
Tanzania's progress in various
fields has naturally followed trends
which are of interest not only to
the Tanzanians but to the peoples
of the world, especially those who
are the neighbours of Tanzania.
India is a next-shore neighbour of
Tanzania, so it is natural that the
people of India have followed and
shall continue to follow with inte
rest Tanzania's progress. Tanza
nia's evolution towards a non
racial democracy has, indeed,
shown the light to those parts of
Africa, and in fact, of the world,
where race hatred and racial con
flict are plaguing the peace and
harmony of mankind.
The people and Government of
India have, for long, stood for the
of any other country in the world. strengthen the already established
The Government of India had and existing ties in all fields of
also taken a lead despite its limi cooperation between India and
ted resources in introducing a Tanzania. It is to be hoped that
scheme of cultural scholarships to Tanzania on the other hand could
bring African students to India serve as the best experience for
for studies. This participation in socialism for the Indians who go
cultural exchanges will further to work there.
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER NATIONAL
HIGHWAYS DIVISION
TENIDER NOTICE NO. 145 dated: 3.12.74
Sealed tenders (items) are hereby invited for the following works
from the approved PWD B&R Contractors Coop. L & C Societies so
as to reach in this office on 6.1.75 at 1530 hours and will be opened
on the same day in the presence of the tendering contractors Coop. LC
Societies, or their representatives who would like to be present:
Sr. Name of work Estimated Earnest
No. cost Money
1. Improving Strengthening Ludhiana
Ferozepur Border Road (Supply of
3” (6mm) crushed Bajri for seal
coat in Mile 29 to 32 and 45 to 56. 206,500- 4100
2. Widening two lanes Ludhiana
Ferozepur Border Road (Supply of
#” (6mm) crunshed Bajri for scal
coat in Mile 45 to 56. 53,200- 1100/-

same ideal. Not only has India Detailed estimates'Notice inviting tenders can be seen in the
enshrined in her Constitution a office of the undersigned on any working day during office hours.
secular, non-racial approach, it has Tender forms can be had from the office of the undersigned on
vigorously fought against sectaria any working day and up to 13.30 hours on the day of tendering on
nism, communalism and racism payment of Rs. 2.- (Rupees two only) cash each forms.
Earnest money in shape of National Saving Certificate or deposit
everywhere. India and Tanzania at call will only he accepted. Tenders received without earnest money
have been in the forefront in brin or conditional tenders are laible to be rejected.
ging South Africa's racial policies Any tender which is not on proper form will not be entertained.
Sd/-
before the United Nations and op (D. S. Setti)
posing South Africa's intransigence Executive Engineer
in this matter. National Highways Division
It has also been a matter of P.W.D. B&R BRANCH, Ferozepur.
coincidence that both India and
Tanzania got independence through TENDER NOTICE
a peaceful non-violence struggle. Sealed tenders are invited by the each tender on any working day. Ten
Under the inspiring leadersihp undersigned from approved “A” Class ders will be opened on 24 12.74 at
Contractors of Punjab Irrigation De- 3.00 P.M. in the presence of tenderers
of Mwalimu Nyerere, the people partment and Coop. L. & C. Societies who care to be present. Rates shall be
of Tanzania had shown the world capable of doing big masonary works, quoted as through rates for each item
how a non-violent approach could for the work noted below so as to of work. Rates quoted abovelbelow
bring not only freedom to the reach the undersigned by 24.12.74 at C.S.R. will not be entertained. Rates
3.00 P.M. All tenders should be accom tendered will remain open for 90 days
country, but is able to give panied with earnest money in the form from the date of opening of tenders.
strength and confidence to its of cash'deposit at call pledged to un Tenders received after appointed date
people to lay the solid foundation dersigned for the amount noted against and time will not be considered. Final
of a healthy, progressive nation. this work. Tenders received without acceptance of the tender lies with Su
The Indo-Tanzania cooperation earnest money Will not be entertained. perintending Engineer, Bhakra Main
Department through rates, conditions Line Circle who does not bind himself
can be further strengthened in the of tenders and tender forms can be had to accept the lowest or any tender or
realm of domestic policies and from this office on payment of Rs. 2'- assign any reason for the same.
needs. Approx. cost Farnest
The growing requests from Tan S. Name of work excluding cost Money.
No. of cement, steel
zania for Indian experts has crea & bricks.
ted a new image of modern India.
1. Providing Inspection Road Bridge Rs.
Engineers, accountants, auditors along Drainage crossing R.D. 27725
and economists from India have of Raipura Disty. 70,000 1400
been recruited in increasing num 2. Providing Inspection Road Bridge
bers in other parts of Africa in along Drainage crossing at R.D.
recent years. Furthermore, there 30725 of Rajpura Disty. 55,000 1100

is a growing awareness in many Sd/-

countries of Africa that Indian Executive Engineer
technology is not only the chea" Devigarh Division
f*ATTALA,
pest, but can compete with that a-re-rrºº

50CIALIST INDIA * DECEMBER. 21, 1974

BKD TO MERGE
WITH CONGRESS

The Bharatiya Kranti Dal, led

by Shri M. S. Oberoi, MP, has de
º NEWTRENDS
cided to merge with the Congress
to “strengthen the hands of Smt. IW GERMANGULTURE
Indira Gandhi to meet the chal
lenge of reactionary and opportu
nistic forces.”
THE TEXT OF TWO LECTURES GIVEN AT
The decision was taken at a THE MAX MUELLER BHAWAN MEW DELHI
meeting of the BKD's national
executive held in New Delhi on
BY PROFESSOR R.K.DAS GUPTA,
December 18. The executive
directed its State units, legislators,
HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENTOF MODERN
workers and sympathisers to join INDIAN LANGUAGES, DELHI UNIVERSITY,
the Congress. It also decided to
ask the Election Commission to IS NOW AVAILABLE IN B00ſ-FORM.
freeze the BKD symbol. Soon after
the meeting, the BKD leaders met |

the Congress President, Shri Dev These lectures, which aroused keen interest
Kanta Borooah. in the intellectual community of the capital
trace the development of German Art and Philosophy.
An account of great achievements and sad failures,
Shri Borooah, in a letter to the but most of all of a remarkable continuity of culture
Chairman of the BKD national exe that has moulded the spirit of modern Germany.
cutive, Shri Oberoi, welcomed the
decision and said: “I am very
happy to learn that the national
executive of the BKD has expres
sed its faith in the leadership of (Please mail coupon below)
the Congress led by the Prime
Minister.” -

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany

P.O.Box 615
New Delhi-1
PANEL FOR STUDENTS ITGW
trends in Please mail mea FREE copy
of "New Trends in German Culture".

The Congress has decided to set german Print Name

up a committee to go into the prob
lems of students and suggest mea CUlture Address
an indian view
sures for utilising their talents for
national work. The committee, by dr. r.k. das gupta
Sl
headed by Dr. V. P. Dutt, MP, will
function as part of the Central | | | | º' E. Eºiſ
º ||
Compaign Committee. One of the
functions of the proposed commit
tee will be to draw up an educa
tional plan, which among other
things, will provide vocational
guidance to students. The Congress
President, Shri Borooah, is expect
ed to address students in Varanasi
{{} Federal Republic of Gerºnany i
and Gorakhpur sometime next
month, -

SOCIALIST INDIA º DECEMBER. 21, 1974

º
 The picture ABOVE shows some of the participants at
the Mahila Sammelan. BEIOW: The Congress President
speaking to a section of the people who formed the pro
cession on December 15.

PHOTOS: R. D. RAWAL

The Congress President, Shri Dev

Kanta Borooah hoisting the Party
flag at the two-day Congress
Mahila Sammslan at Lucknow on
December 14,

º
--

SoCIALIST TRN DIA 31 DECEMBER 21, 1974

SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 21-12-74 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

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 CONGRESS DAY

SUPPLEMENT

INSIDE

A historic photograph of ALLAN OCTAVIAN HUME (Left),

: DADABHAI NAOROJI and WILLIAM WEDDERBURN.
-
DEMOCRACY © SOCIALISM © SECULARISM © NON-ALIGNMENT

Prime Minister’s Candid Views
On Family Planning
The following is the text of
Prime Miniser inaugural address
at the three-day national confe
rence on population at India. In
ternational Centre in New Delhi on
December 6:
The purpose of this conference
is not merely to emphasise the
importance of family planning or
to relterate that family planning
is an integral part of our national
policy, but to do some candid self
examination, to examine why we
have fallen short of our goals and
to devise methods of improving
the effectiveness of our work.
Population has become a major
topic of discussion all over the
world, Studies by the Club of
&ome and other organisations have
made people deeply conscious of
the finiteness of the world's re
Sources. The international mone
tary and energy crises have
brought home to the affluent the
pitfalls of limitless growth. There
is a third crisis — in the inter
national grain market, owing to
large-scale purchases of food by
Some countries due to the failure
of rains in large areas of the
world. There is a gnawing concern
that the world's climatic pattern
is changing.
The current economic predica
ment has arisen largely from the
powerful nations' inability to ma
mage the international economic
system justly or efficiently. The
threat to their life styles has led
some persons to blame the growth
of population in countries like
India. Reports and cartoons in
Western newspapers create the im
pression that grain is being grown
by them only to feed India, even
though we import only about three
per cent of our requirements. Our
own agricultural progress is com
pletely ignored. The achievements
of our atomic scientists are mis
represented, and we are lectured
on the need to have right priori
ties. The most relevant fact is that
SOCIALIST INDIA
a tiny minority in the affluent
countries is using up food, petrol
and other essential commodities
out of all proportion to their needs.
The other day I was told by an
authority that more milk powder
is fed to animals in Western
Europe than goes to children of
all the developing countries put to
gether.
There is no doubt that the rate
of growth of our population must
be brought down—not in deference
to the barrage of propaganda
which is directed against us, but
because of our own conviction that
family planning is essential for
improving our standards of living.
When other nations were still he
sitating about family control, we
boldly made it one of the planks
of our strategy of development.
Even now there are countries
which practise family planning
while, for ideological reasons, de
mouncing it. We have favoured it
on principle, yet we are aware
that our performance has not bean
very impressive.
KERALA’S EXAMPLE
What are then causes of this
shortfall ? Comparative figures for
various States show that the fa
mily planning campaign has made
good progress where literacy and
educational level is high, where
roads and communications are
well developed and where rural
health services are working well.
The development of the social in
frastructure accounts for the sig
nificant reduction of the birth
rate in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
Certain communal elements say
that Muslims and Christians are
against family planning. Kerala's
excellent record disproves this pro
paganda. Among our larger States,
Kerala has the highest percentage
of these minorities and also the
lowest birth rate these days.
We had a basic advantage in
that there was no organised re'-
2 DECEMBER 28, 1974
ligious opposition to our family
planning programme. Now an ar
tificial opposition is sought to be
built up by communal groups and
parties on political grounds. A re
lated pseudo-political argument is
being advanced that States which
do well in family planning are dep
rived of adequate representation in
Parliament while improvident Sta
tes are rewarded with larger
representation, when the periodic
review of the allotment of parlia
mentary seats takes place.
Wise parents limit their families
so as to be able to give each child
better opportunities in education,
medical care and employment. I
doubt whether the thought of at
tracting more scholarships influ
ences them.
All workers of the family plan
ning movement do not always
fully appeciate the integral rela
tionship between general develop
ment and family planning. When
we reapportioned some funds to
strengthen our rural health servi
ces, and there was a reduction in
the percentage of the funds allo
cated under the separate head of
family planning, there was an out
cry. This was misrepresented by
the international press to suggest
that we were giving up our family
planning programmes.
The same happens when we have
local diffulties in food distribution.
Legislators, and sometimes State
Governments themselves, paint a
darker picture than what prevails,
with the object of obtaining more
allocations or prompter attention.
FIELD WORK
Is the family planning move
ment suffering mainly because of
lack of funds? Should our effec
tiveness be judged by the quality
and enthusiasm of our research
and fields workers and the impact
made on the people or by the over
all percentage which the fam’ly
planning allocation forms to the
total budget? Do we ensure that
every rupee is purposefully spent?
We muct curb the expenditure on
headquarters bureaucracy and pro
vide more for workers in the field,
Journals and booklets on family
planning concentrate more on pho
tographs and accounts of seminars
Continued on Page 35
 Weekly
L_ National ofCongress
the Indian
pub
SOG ALIST lished every Saturday
from AICC Camp Office,
CONTENTS
Wol X No. 4

December 28, 1974

Y.
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
|NDIA Road, New Delhi 110001.
'Phone: 383521.
'Grams: SOCIALIST Prime Minister's views on Family Planning 2
Message from the Congress President 3
Prime Minister's address to small traders 4.
FDITORLAL, BOARD Prime Minister's valedictory address to CPP 5

Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV

National Convention on Drug Industry
Dilip Patwardhan 6
(Chairman) Congress President at the camps
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY A Correspondent 7
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Mobilisation of Resources and Development
in Uttar Pradesh—I 9

O CONGRESS DAY SUPPLEMENT

A flash-back to Dec. 28, 1885 (Bombay) 11
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT The Congress (1885–1964)
M. Chalapathi Rau 13
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Genesis and Growth of Indian National Congress
(Chairman) D. C. Gupta 15
Allan Octavian Hume on the fusion
Shri I. K. GUJRAL
of the Indian Nation 18
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA How the Congress was founded in 1885
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Walter T. Wallbank 19

Shri P. C. SETHI
Democratic Structure of Congress
Stanley Kochanek 20
What the Congress has achieved since 1969 21
Seva Dal: Its Place in Congress
S. V. Inamdar 23
Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAV India and Bhutan
Fxecutive Editor: JAG MOHAN Attar Chand 24
Indo-American Trade: A Review
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Dr. R. K. Sharma 25
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Indo-EEC Joint Commission
Committee and printed at National Herald Press, Text of the Communique 27
Letter: World Peace and Detente 28
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001.
Indo-Soviet Cooperation in Agriculture
Dr Raghuvir Singh 29
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces Effective Public Distribution System for Bombay 31
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. 1974 in Retrospect 34

find now and again apparently a clash between several

MESSAGE FROM THE interests. But, if there is genuine and real clash, I
have no hesitation in saying, on behalf of the Cong
ress, that the Congress will sacrifice every interest for
CONGRESS PRESIDENT the sake of the interests of these dumb millions.”

On the occasion of the Congress Day, which is

Whom does the Congress represent? An answer
to this question was given as early as on December
15, 1931 by no less a person than the Father of the
Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. In his speech before
the Federal Structure Committee in London, he
said. “Above all, the Congress represents, in its
essence, the dumb, the semi-starved millions scattered
all over the length and breadth of the land, in 1ts
7.00,000 villages. No matter whether they come from
what is called British India or what is called Indian
India. Every interest which, in the opinion of the
Congress, is worthy of protection, has to subserve
the interest of these dumb millions; and so you do
SOCIALIST INDIA
being celebrated from this year on December 28, every
Congressman and woman should recall this mandate
given by Gandhiji. Congress is a party of the poor
people of our country whether they live in rural areas
or in the towns. The Congress is nothing but the
organised strength of the Indian masses.
The objective of the Congress has been spelt out
clearly in Article I of our Constitution which says,
“The objective of the Indian National Congress is the
well-being and advancement of the people of India
and establishing in India, by peaceful and constitu
tional means, a socialist State based on Parliamentary
Tomorrºry where there is equality of opportunity and
DECEMBER 28, 1974
of political, economic and social rights and it aims at Indira Gandhi the Congress and the people of India
world peace and fellowship.” The Congress' commit are currently engaged in the task of transforming
ment to socialism is by no means new. Our great this democratic revolution into a socialist revolution.
leader, Jawaharlal Nehru, declared in the 'thirties in The first Session of the Congress was held nine
his autobiography, “I am convinced that the only key decades ago on December 28, 1885 at Gowalia Tank,
to solution of the world problems and lndia's prob Bombay. Since then, the Congress has been march
lems lies in socialism.” ing ahead, organising and leading the Indian people
towards their goal of freedom, democracy and socia
The Congress Constitution, thus spells out lism, and, towards building a great and prosper
both the objectives of our Party, as well ous India.
as the means of achievement. The Con
gress wants to achieve socialism through I hope, on the occasion of the Congress Day,
democratic and Parliamentary means. Under workers of all ranks will recall the glorious heritage
Gandhiji's leadership, the Congress fought for free of the party and rededicate themselves to the service
of the dumb millions.
dom from foreign domination. This anti-imperialist
revolution was followed by a democratic revolution SOCIALIST INDIA, I am confident, will play its
when under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, we due role in this task.
gave to our people full democratic rights, enshrined
in the Constitution. Under the leadership of Smt. DEV KANTA BOROOAH

likely to gain an impression that number of problems and I assure

Prime Minister’s
Address To
Small Traders
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, said in New Delhi
December 23 that traders—big
and small alike—could help the
Government in earning valuable
foreign exchange by making their
contribution in increasing exports
from India. The halwais (sweets
manufacturers) for instance, she
pointed out, should use less sugar
in sweets so as to save for export
as much of it as possible as the
price of sugar had gone up in
the international market.
The Prime Minister was inaugu
rating a convention of “small
traders” at the Vithalbhai Patel
House. The convention was orga
nised under the auspices of the
Central Campaign Committee of
the Congress.
The Prime Minister said India
could become strong if the social
and economic weaknesses of the
country were removed and this
was possible only if everyone did
his or her job honestly and with
responsibility.
She said the agitations in the
name of corruption were causing
more harm to the country than
good. “From the way these agi
tations and campaigns were
conducted, foreign countries were
the Indian society was full of evils you these will receive full atten
like blackmarketing, profiteering, tion of the Government,” she said.
hoarding and administrative and The Union Minister for Agri
political corruption. Which coun
try of the world is free from
culture and Irrigation, Shri Jagji
van Ram, who is the Chairman of
corruption? It is there in every
the Central Campaign Committee,
country in a big or small way but said adulteration was an evil
no one shouts about it the way
we do and defame ourselves,” she
which must be fought at all levels
and by every one. Those who
on added.
indulged in adulteration were the
enemies of the future of the
Smt. Gandhi said corruption
country. He suggested to small
whether at the political or admi
nistrative level was bad enough. traders that if they cooperated
with the administration in fighting
“There cannot be two opinions on
this issue. The Government is adulteration, they would them
selves face fewer difficulties.
doing its best to wipe out corrup
tion. It can be done only with the
Shri Jagjivan Ram said that a
cooperation of all sections of the
population and mere Government special cell was being set up in the
Central Campaign Committee's
measures will not be sufficient to
office to deal with the routine
deal with it.”
complaints of traders.
The Prime Minister said that
the Government had taken steps
to lessen the economic disparities
which existed between various READ
sections of the population. “But
it appears that in any scheme or
project only those people received ſº
-
any help who knew how to utilise
those schemes. Poorer sections
have not benefited to the extent
to which they were expected.”
Referring to adulteration, the º º
Prime Minister said it was having
a very harmful effect on the
nation and the evil had to be
eradicated and traders, big and
small, could help in achieving this
task, “It is a social evil which
must be wiped out from the coun REGULARLY
try and you have a big role to
play in it. I know you have a -T-

&OCIALIST INDIA .----------- " -, - . . . . DECEMBER 28, 1974


-------------------------------
P.M.'s VALEDICTORY ADDRESS
TO PARLIAMENTARIANS
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, exhorted on December 21
the Congressmen, particularly
members of Parliament and Legis
latures, to go to the people and
explain to them the causes of the
present economic crisis and the
remedial steps taken by the Gov
ernment. The Partymen should see,
she said, that the Opposition did
not make political gains out of the
crisis.
She said the present economic
crisis was not confined to India
alone. It had affected all countries
irrespective of the level of their
development. The crisis were, how
ever, suffering most in this crisis.
“We cannot escape this... we
have to withstand it waterver hap
pens,” she declared.
The Prime Minister who was ad
dressing the valedictory function
of the Congress Parliamentary
Party at the end of the winter
session of Parliament, said that
the Government had taken several
steps to meet the crisis. Many
people said her policies were res
ponsible for low production. It was
also said that the Government
would not be able to survive and
the people were angry. She said
that the people had to be told that
sacrifices were inevitable for a
better future. Partymen had to
persuade the people to be patient
and cooperative in the task of de
velopment. “We have made
supreme efforts to remedy the
situation keeping in view the new
programme of social justice which
should not be allowed to fail.”
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE
Smt. Gandhi said the most im
portant task was that production
should be stimulated and distribu
tion improved. Today, production
was most important whether in the
farms or factories. Whatever strata
of society one might come from,
production had to be maintained.
The people had to be persuaded to
be patient for some time.
The Prime Minister said only
last year the Government had
made tremendous efforts to deal
with the situation caused by
failure of rains and floods. There
were agitations and strikes too.
- ----------
-----------,
--- --
-
––
The Government ordered economy
on expenditure. Petrol expenditure
had been cut down by 20 per cent.
There had been some improvement
in power generation specially in
the eastern region. Kharif procure
ment had been fairly good and rabi
prospects had also improved due
to the recent rains.
The Prime Minister said the
Government had started a relent
less drive against price rise and
it was able to check it. She said.
“I am sorry that there is a great
deal of price manipulation still
and it had to be controlled. Dis
tribution in a big country like
India is a complex problem and we
are doing everything we can to
improve the position. The recent
conference of Ministers in charge
of Civil Supplies had discussed this
matter to explore the possibilities
of making distribution system
effective.” The Prime Minister
added, “We should also see that
the Opposition does not make poli
tical capital out of economic diffi
culties.”
MASS CONTACT
She ridiclude the claim of Oppo
sition members that they won
elections without spending much
on posters, etc., as if they had
some magic. The whole thing would
have to be examined. The Par
liamentary Party and the Minis
ters had discussed it at length.
The Prime Minister said that if
Congressmen started work right
now they would not have to spend
too much on posters and other
similar material at the time of
elections. Elections mad to be made
less expensive to eliminate corrup
tion and to enable even a poor
man to contest them.
The Prime Minister advised
Party MPs that while visiting their
respective constituencies, they
should help in bringing the elec
toral rolls up-to-date. She said, in
fact, revision of electoral rolls
should be a continuing process as
such a proccss helped in streng
thening contact and in cutting
down expenses.
The Prime Minister refuted the
Opposition charge that the Cong
ress was aligned with the Commu
nists. She said the Congress Party
was not dependent on the Commu
nist Party of India. “We are de
pendent on ourselves and on the
people. How can we refuse if some
party supports us.” Those who
criticised the Congress-CPI co
operation were themselves with
the Marxists, she added.
The Prime Minister said the
Congress had a good base. But
the Partymen did not go aften to
the people and talk to them.
Jawaharlal Nehru used to spend
considerable time in speaking to
the people as he was keen to edu
cate the rural masses. The Prime
Minister wanted the lot of the
backward classes to improve.
Referring
to next year being
observed as the International
Women's Year, the Prime Minis
ter said women were not in a
minority but their problems were
peculiar. She wanted them to be
educated in such a way that their
full personality was brought out.
She did not want them to be edu
cated in a way that they just got
jobs.
The Prime Minister paid high
tributes to the Congress President,
Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, for
having given new life to the orga
nisation and encouraging Party
workers. She was sorry that she
could not stay at Narora all the
time because of other urgent pre
occupations. She, however, endors
ed the idea of holding Narora-type
camps as it helped exchange of
views. She said Mahatma Gandhi
always emphasised the importance
of these camps as they helped
partymen to understand one
another.
CONGRESS PRESIDENT
Shri Dev Kanta Borooah em
phasised the need for mass con
tacts and said that the spoken
word was the only effective medium
to educate people as 70 per cent
of them did not read newspapers.
The remaining 30 per cent were
barely literate. Today, even the
radio did not serve large chunks
of the people.
Shri Borooah said he had revis
ed the target of training half a
million Seva Dal volnteers to one
million so that every polling booth
might have at least two volnteers
during elections.

National Convention On Economic
Independence And Perspective
Of Drug Industry
Drugs constitute one of the
essential commodities. In fact,
after food and shelter, the third
vital need is drugs. And yet the
per capita availability of drugs in
India is hardly Rs. 5-6 per an
num as compared to per capita
consumption of drugs in other de
veloped countries such as Germany
(Rs. 145), Japan (Rs. 170) and
USA (Rs. 190). These statistical
averages are, however, misleading
as more than 80 per cent of our
population today gets little or no
medical attention and still depend
on traditional methods of cure.
Then, there are the multi-national
corporations which are making
hideous profits of 500 to 1,200 per
cent. Besides these corporations
are transferring these to their
parent country, thus draining fur
ther India's foreign exchange re
serves. Spurious and adulterated
drugs have further worsened the
situation.
The Government of India has ap
pointed the Hathi Committee to
study the ailments of the drug
industry in India and also to sug
gest an ideal drugs policy. But
in many ways a group of zealous
individuals, drawn from various
sections of the nation, can build
up public opinion on healthy lines
and make it possible for worth
while reports to be implemented in
a sympathetic atmosphere.
Such an effort was made in New
Delhi on December 21 and 22nd
at Vithalbhai Patel House in the
form of a NATIONAL CONVEN
TION ON ECONOMIC INDE
PENDENCE AND PERSPECTIVE
OF DRUG INDUSTRY. The
Conveners were Institute of
Socialist Education, New Delhi,
Centre for Social Research, Mad
ras and Forum for Socialist
Studies, Bangalore. But the ins
piring force was Shri Shashi
Bhushan, M.P. Many eminent
scientists and experts, parlia
SOCIALIST INDIA
one production unit preferably in
different parts of the country in
minimise stoppage or breakdown.
Intermediates: The Government
must ensure continued and un
interrupted supply of primary raw
materials such as caustic soda,
nitric acid, etc.
DILIP PATWARDHAN
Research and Development: 1.
The main emphasis of R and D
mentarians and ministers partici in the country should be to
pated in the Convention, lending it develop technology for the produc
authenticity. tion of essential drugs so as to
have self-reliance both in the pro
At the inaugural session, the
Union Health Minister, Dr. Karan duction of these essential drugs
and in the technology that is
Singh disclosed that the Health
Ministry has initiated discussions needed for their production. 2. In
some limited cases where techno
with other ministries concerned on
logy has to be imported the effort
evolving a rational and compre
of the indigenous R and D should
hensive policy for production and
distribution of drugs. He further be to use this technology as a base
for further reserch. 3. It is sug
stated that he already had preli
minary discussions with the gested that a national grid and a
centralised agency should be
Petroleum and Chemicals Minister
developed which would on one
and also the Minister of Industries.
Dr. Karan Singh said he proposed side disseminate basic require
ments of the industry to labora
to introduce an amendment to the
tories and also coordinate the
Drugs and Cosmetics Act in the
next session of Parliament to pro research effort made by different
organisations. 4. There is need for
vide for serious punishment going
a centralised information and
upto life imprisonment for those documentation centre which would
involved in manufacturing spurious
and adulterated drugs. greatly help in the collection and
dissemination of the much needed
information in this area.
Shri Raghunatha Reddy, Union
Labour Minister, called for de
linking the multi-national corpo Brand Names of Drugs: Brand
rations from the Indian pharma names of drugs should be abolished
ceutical industry by doing away considering the abuse to which
with the large number of agree they have been put and the
ments for collaboration. manner in which they have been
cashed in on. However, overnight
Smt. Tarakeshwari Sinha,
abolition may interfere with medi
former MP, called for standardi cal relief programmes. Hence, the
sation of drugs and said all drugs
following action is recommended:-
sold in the market should have 1. International brand names
Government label. should be abolished forthwith. 2.
After the opening session the Brand names of commonly used
delegates broke into two commis drugs should be abolished forth
with.
sions (as against three proposed
earlier) and discussed the various Side by side the National
aspects of the drug industry. The Formulary should be brought
concluding session on December uptodate and a “Prescribers'
22 made the following sugges Journal” indicating the rational
tions:-
use of drugs should be published
RECOMMENDATIONS OF by the Central Government.
COMMISSION NO. 1 Quality control measures should
be made more effective.
Bulk Products: Thirty-three of
the 55 essential drugs should be Quality Control of Drugs:
produced by the Public Sector in There is no other short cut to
cooperation with private sector. In eliminate sub-standard drugs ex
general, for all vital and critical cept to streamline the Drug
drugs there should be more than Continued on Page 33
6 DECEMBER 28, 1974

CONGRESS PRESIDENT
AT THE CANMPS
In pursuance of the decision
taken at Narora, the Department
of Political Training and Cadre
Building of the AICC has been
organising cadre training camps in
several States in collaboration with
the Pradesh Congress Committees.
The purpose of the camps is to
reinforce the spirit generated at
Narora and to involve party cadres
in the implementation of Congress
programme, particularly the 13
Points drawn up at Narora. Most
of these camps are likely to be over
by the end of January.
The three-day (Dec. 3-5) train
ing camp held at Doddaballapur,
near Bangalore, in Karnataka
adopted an 11-Point Programme
envisaging, among other things,
the setting up of vigilance cells at
city and taluk levels to check
smuggling and blackmarketing,
speedy implementation of land re
forms, establishment of slum
clearance bodies and organising
youth rallies to mobilise support
for Party policies. It directed
Partymen, including ministers and
legislators, to implement the 11
Point Programme by February 15,
1975.
As many as 105 people attended
the Congress which was hailed as
a great success. Besides the Con
gress President, Shri Borooah,
others who attended the camp in
cluded the Karnataka Chief Min
ister Shri Dev Raj Urs, the Presi
dent of KPCC Shri K. H. Patil,
Sarvashri D.P. Dhar, K. Raghu
natha Reddy (Union Ministers),
R. K. Sinha, D. P. Singh and H.
D. Malaviya, MPs.
IN WEST BENGAL
The Congress President also ad
dressed camps in West Bengal and
Assam. The three-day camp (Dec.
11-13) at Bratacharinagar (West
Bengal) is said to have been the
first ever occasion for the Party
men at the grass-roots level to sit
SOCIALIST ENIALA -- " -----
A Correspondent
down and discuss the Party's basic
policies. The camp generated great
enthusiasm among Congressmen
particularly the young party wor
kers.
The tone for a meaningful dis
cussion at the camp was set by the
Congress President who warned
the people against the threat pos
ed by reactionary forces leading
the agitation in Bihar. He also
drew attention to the fact that the
country's economic development
had so far benefited only a small
section of the society. He urged
the Partymen to devote themselves
to the uplift of the masses.
The West Bengal Chief Minis
ter, Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray,
and others who spoke at the camp
underlined the necessity of ameli
orating the lot of Harijans and
other backward sections of the so
ciety. The need to organise the
masses to lead a “healthy move
ment” against the forces of re
action was also stressed. Shri B.
R. Bhagat initiated discussion on
India's foreign policy and explain
ed its basic tenets.
THE DISCUSSIONS
The discussions at the camps
were lively and resulted in an ob
jective assessment of the present
situation particularly in the con
text of the JP-led agitation. A
highlight of the camp was the
huge attendance and the interest
the delegates took in its proceed
ings. So much so that at one
stage, they even decided to go
without a lunch break to earn
extra time for discussion
The emphasis of the Congress
President's address to the Thakur
pukur camp, which concluded on
December 13, was on the imple
mentation of the 13-Point Prog
ramme drawn up at Narora. He
laid particular emphasis on the
need for an early implementation
of programmes relating to land re
forms and Harijans. He informed
7 3DºCFY1BER 28, 1974
the delegates that he had request
ed the INTUC President, Shri
Bhagwati,to develop rural orga
nisations throughout the country
within the shortest time possible
and had also asked the Chief Min
isters to complete the process of
lnding house-sites for the home
less.
The Union Minister for Plann
ing, Shri D. P. Dhar, referred to
the ceiling on urban property and
said that the issue was under con
sideration.
Before leaving Calcutta for
Assam on December 12 to attend
a training camp there, Shri
Borooah asked the West Bengal
Yuva Congress leaders to raise
an army of 30,000 youths to take
up the work of rural reorganisa
tion. He said that the proposed
“army” of youth would be divided
into groups and sent to different
villages to ensure implementation
of the Party programme.
IN ASSAM
Later giving his impressions of
the West Bengal camps to news
men at Dum Dum airport, the Con
gress President said: “I was deep
ly impressed with the thoughtful
questions put to me by the Con
gress workers at the training
camps and eloquence of some of
the young people would no doubt
leave a mark on those who hear
them.”
Shri Borooah's visit to Assam to
attend the training camp at
Gandhinagar was his first to his
home State after becoming the
Congress President. After the in
auguration by Shri Borooah, the
camp plunged into discussions lead
ing to the adoption of a ten-point
programme. Among the important
decisions taken at the camp and
incorporated in the programme
were: to set up a publication
board for producing literature on
Congress policies; to prevent dis
tress sale of land and property by
destitute villagers; and to set up a
tribal cultural development council
to quicken “the pace of develop
ment of the tribal language and
culture.”
In Punjab, a three-day training
camp concluded at Nangal on De
cember 22. Addressing the camp,
Continued on Page 30
 7 flights a week to New York.
11 #: a yueek to Europe.
7s fly 8 times a week to London,
Our 7
One flight daily by 747 via the Middle East and
Europe. The return trip will cost less than the
4 times to Frankfurt, 5 times to Rome and Paris one-way fare if you fly on our Excursion Fare.
and our 707s twice to Moscow and once to
Geneva and London.

Also every week:

3 flights to
EAST AFRICA
10 flights to
SOUTH EAST ASIA
6 flights to
JAPAN

2 flights to
MAURITIUS
2 flights to
AUSTRALIA

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5 flights to Kuwait and Beirut, 3 to Dubai and
e Bahrain, 2 each to Abu Dhabi, Dhahran
o Aden, Muscat, Do
#: [..." -**N_ AIA/KF-A/Mayº
&OCIALIST INDIA DECEMBER 28, 1971

UTTAR PRADESH
Mobilisation Of Resources
And Development—l
The following is the text of the re
port on Uttar Pradesh's Economic
Situation which was laid in the
winter session of the State's Legis
lature. The English rendering
from the original Hindi has been
provided by the Information De
partment of the State Govern
ment:
The economic development of
Uttar Pradesh after Independence
has not proceeded at the desired
pace. One of the principal reasons
for it has been the low rate of
capital investment. It is universally
accepted that economic develop
ment normally depends on capital
investment, which, in its turn, de
pends on savings. There is no
doubt that efficiency in implemen
tation has its own importance. But
without capital investment, it is
not possible to either build up the
insfratructure—power, roads, te
chnical education, irrigation, etc.
or to secure the development of
agriculture and industry.
In the opinion of economists an
additional investment of Rs. Three
creates an additional income of Re.
One. This principle holds good
for the entire economy. The
ratio, however, differs from the
sector of economy to another. In
agriculture an additional income of
Re. One is generated by an addi
tional capital investment of Rs.
1.50 or Rs. 2. But in the case of
Government invests its capital in
various Central projects and prog
rammes. These investments
made in industries which are of
national importance. Investment
by private sector is mainly in
agriculture and industry. The
State Government provides the
necessary infrastructure and tech
nical know-how to encourage pni
vate investment. The importance
of loan facilities from banks and
other financial institutions
capital investment in private sec
tor is increasing. Nationalisation
of banks has now made capital
investment possible even in sectors
which were being ignored earlier
from the point of view of profit.
LOW INVESTMENT
• The question of private invest
ment in power, roads and large
and medium irrigation projects
does not arise. These form the
essential infrastructure and it is
not possible to remove the State's
backwardness without making
capital investment in them. Short
age of power in the State is so
acute that it is adversely affecting
the development of irrigation and
industries. The State Government
has to make investments in the
power sector from its own resour
ces. The assistance it
from the Centre is too inadequate
to meet the requirements. The
State, therefore, has to arrange
for resources through its own
budget and from public savings to
accelerate the pace of develop
ment.
Low investment has been one of
the main reasons for the slow pro
gress of the State as is borne out
by the figures in the following
below.
are It is clear from the table that
the growth rate in this State in
comparison with other States has
been low. One of the reasons for
this has been the low per capita
Plan expenditure in the State in
comparison to others. It was only
during the Fourth Plan period that
the per capita erpenditure in the
State could be considered to be
for somewhat comparable to that in
other States. And its result is also
evident. In the first four years
of the Fourth Plan, the growth
rate in U.P. was a little higher
than that in the whole country.
The conclusion that the only way
to accelerate the pace of develop
ment in the State is to increase
the investment capacity is, there
fore, inescapable. This can, how
ever, be done only when the State
stands on its own feet. But for
this it would be necessary for the
people to extend their full coope
ration and to make adequate sacri
fice.
WICIOUS CIRCLE
U.P. is a poor State and conse
quently the capacity of the people
to save is also low. The poverty
is also responsible for low
receives capital investment and rate of eco
nomic development. To break this
TABLE I

industry, the capital-income ratio

is much higher. Industries have RATE OF GROWTH, PER CAPITA PLAN EXPENDITURE AND
PER CAPITA ASSISTANCE
their own important role in meet
ing the various requirements of Period Growth Rate in Per capita Per capita
life. Industrial development is
Total Income Plan expenditure Central
also essential for the growth of
Assistance
agricultural sector. As a matter
of fact, these two sectors are com India. U.P. U.P. All States U.P. All States
plementary to each other. Thus, I Plan 3-4 1-9 23 38 13 24
the standard of living in the State
II Plan 4-00 1-8 33 51 17 28
cannot be raised without the de
III Plan 2-5 2-1 72 91 46 55
velopment of agriculture and in Three Annual
dustry. Plans 4-3 2-8 53 61 30 36
The three main capital-investing IV Plan 2-9% 3-1* 103 109 57 not avail
sources in the State are: Central able
Government, State Government
and private sector. The Central *Rate of first four years.
SOCIALIST INDIA 9 DECEMBER 28, 1974
vicious circle of poverty and back
wardness, it is essential that the
volume of investment be raised so
that this may in its turn, bring
about an increase in the growth
rate of economy. Increase in the
rate of economic deevlopment will
bring in its wake a rise in peo
ple's income. This will result in
savings, which in its turn will
provide scope for re-investment
and create a suitable climate for
the removal of poverty and back
wardness.
The inflation, which is world
wide, has hit the common people
hard. The purchasing power of
the currency on account of infla
tion has gone down more in the
industrially backward countries
than in the industrially advanced
countries. In Yugoslavia which is
one of the industrially developed
countries there was a fall of 13.8
per cent in the purchasing power
in 1972, as compared to the pre
ceding year. Similarly, the dec
rease in the purchasing power in
Portugal, Ireland, Netherlands and
United Kingdoin during the same
period was 11.7 per cent, 8.0 per
cent, 7.7 per cent, and 6.7 per cent
respectively. In the less developed
countries like Argentina, Chile,
Philippines, Turkey, South Viet
nam and Brazil the percentage of
fall was 34.3, 25.3, 18.5, 17.6, 16.9
and 16.2 respectively. In India,
however, the fall was only about
10 per cent.
The Planning Commission has
provisionally recommended Rs.
2,286 crores for the State's Fifth
Five-Year Plan as against the
State's demand for Rs. 3,539
crores. The recommended Plan
outlay falls considerably short of
the State's needs.
The Planning Commission has
approved an expenditure of Rs.
255.19 crores for 1974-75, as
against the State's proposal of Rs.
388.60 crores. This is absolutely
insufficient. It only partially meets
our power needs. Even the mini
mum requirements for consolida
tion, large and medium-scale in
dustries, Harijan and Backward
Classes, Saharanpur-Sahdara Rail
way; housing and building have
not been provided for. The State,
for instance needs Rs. 6.25 crores
for consolidation as against Rs.
SOCIALIST INDIA
3.25 crores recommended by the provided for only the minimum
Planning Commission. expenses on buildings, residences,
staff, telephones, petrol and main
CENTRE’S TERMS tenance of vehicles. The objective,
The Rs. 7.5 crores recommended it may emphasised again, is not
to reduce overall expenditure but
for large and medium scale indus
to provide bigger amounts for pro
tries by the Commission are not ductive schemes as against those
sufficient even for our minimum
schemes which are not directly re
industrial programmes. The State
lated to production.
Government aims at setting up 30
spinning mills to provide yarn to It is estimated, that the State
lakhs of weavers. The State Tex
Government will require about Rs.
tile Corporation has already taken 179.98 crores more during 1974-75
up the installation of eight spin than the amount recommended by
ning mills for which the Corpora the Planning Commission for
tion needs Rs. 4.75 crores in 1974
carrying out some essential
75. There is also a proposal to schemes of different departments.
set up four spinning mills in the The total expenditure required
cooperative sector. during 1974-75 will thus amount
to Rs. 255.19 crores, 79.98 crores
Similarly, it is proposed to estab or Rs. 435.17 crores. The break-up
lsh Sugar Mills during the Fifth of its additional requirement is as
Plan eriod. Out of these, work follows:—
has been started on seven.
Heads Rs. in crores
The Government of India has laid
down two conditions for providing
additional financial assistance of 1. Power Rs. 132.00
Rs. 102 crores to meet the State's
2. Sharda Sahayak
requirements for power. The first Scheme Rs. 30.00
stipulates a saving of Rs. 10 3. Consolidation Rs. 2.98
crores in the non-Plan and Rs. 30
4. Big and Medium
crores in the Plan Sector and Industries Rs. 6.00
diversion of the savings towards 5. Saharanpur-Shahdara
priority schemes of power and Railway RS. 2.00
irrigation. The other wants the 6. Enhanced rates of
State Government to moblige ad Scholarships for
ditional Rs. 8 crores besides Rs. Scheduled Castes
48 crores already proposed to be and Tribes Rs. 2.25
raised in the form of small sav 7. Construction of houses
ings. The Central Government and buildings RS. 4.75
has suggested that the State Gov
ernment raise Rs. 33 crores in the
last three months of the current TOTAL RS. 179.98
financial year by resorting to such
measures as reimposition of land
revenue, increase in irrigation rates
and in tarrifs on power and in The Planning Commission has
troduction some other taxes. The recommended only Rs. 7.50 crores
State Government can expect to for big and medium industries in
collect only about Rs. 20.80 crores the State during 1974-75 whereas
a minimum of Rs. 13.50 crores
during the period as it has ref
rained from raising irrigation will be required to carry out essen
rates.
tial schemes in the industrial sec
tor. Enhanced rates of scholar
It is obvious that the conditions ships to students belonging to
Scheduled Castes and Tribes have
laid down by the Central Govern
made an additional provision of
ment have to be fulfilled as far as
Rs. 2.25 crores on this count ne
practicable if U.P. is to receive cessary. An amount of Rs. two
bigger assistance. With this end crores will be required tochange
in view the State Government has
the Saharanpur-Shahdara Rail
taken concrete steps to reduce Go
way into a broad gauge one.
ernment Expenditure on Plan and
non-Plan schemes. It has now Continued on Page 30
10 DECEMBER 28, 1974
 congress DAY suppleMENT
December 28 is the Congress Day. It was
on December 28, 1885, the Indian National
Congress was born when it had its first
Session at Gowalia Tank, Bombay.
Barrister Woomesh Chundra Bonnerjee
(1844-1906) had the honour of being elec
ted as the first President of the Congress.
In this and following pages a flash-back
to 1885 is provided.

Edulji Wacha, Rahimutullah M. Ananda Charlu, G. Subramania

A Flash-back To
Dec. 28, 1885
(Bombay)
From “Congress Cyclopaedia:
The Indian National Congress
(1885-1920)” by the late K. Iswara
Dutt.
The Indian National Congress
held its first session in the city
of Bombay, and it met initially on
the December 28, 1885. But Bom
bay became the venue, not so much
by design as because of the pre
valence of cholera in Poona, the
place originally selected for the
great national gathering.
Thanks to the exertions of the
Bombay Presidency Association
and the liberality of the Managers
of the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit
College and Boarding Trust, who
not only placed the grand building
above the Gowalia Tank at the As
sociation's disposal, but also su
pervised the furnishing and light
ing of these large premises on
behalf of the Association, the stage
was set even a day earlier.
Bombay was represented by
such stalwarts as Dadabhai Nao
roji, Kashinath Trimbak Telang,
Pherozeshah Mehta, Dinshaw
SOCIALIST INDIA
Sayani, Behramji Malabari and
Ganesh Narayana Chandavarkar.
\ Professor R. G. Bhandarkar of the
\ They did not (with one exception)
/ amici ciriae, to listen and advise.
WOOMESH CHUNDRA
BONNERJEE
Of these seven, five were future
Presidents (of the Congress).
From Madras came a famous
contingent, including P. Rangaiah
Nayadu, S. Subramania Iyer.
11
Iyer, M. Viraraghavachariar, and
from the moffusil Singaraju Ven
kata Subbarayudu (Masulipatam)
and P. Kesava Pillai (Anantapur.)
Also the gathering included
quite a number of Government
servants like D. S. White, Presi
dent of the Eurasian Association,
Dewan Bahadur Rubgande Rugo
nath Row, Collector of Madras, the
Hon'ble Mahadeo G. Ranade,
Member of the Legislative Coun
cil and Small Causes Court Judge
of Poona, Lala Baijnath of Agra,
Professor Abaji Vishnoo Katta
watha of Ahmedabad, Professor
Kadambi Sundararaman, M. A. of
Arcot, T. N. Iyer of Tiruvellur,
Deccan College and many others.
take any direct part in the dis
cussions, but attended only as
Those who officially attended
the session—72 in all—were de
signated “Representatives”, to be
distinguished from the “Delega
tes”, the title by which the Indian
representatives sent to England
earlier in the year had become
popularly known.
Two points of special interest in
connection with the first Congress
Were:
1. that the organisers had se
P. riously thought of asking Lord
DECEMBER 28, 1974
 Reay, the Governor of Bombay, to
preside; and
2. that the resolutions passed
at the session were first settled at
a private meeting held at the resi
dence of Principal Wordsworth of
Elphinstone College and attended
by Wedderburn and Ranade among
others. The direct objects, of what
was earlier projected as the Indian
National Conference, were:-
1. to enable all the most ear
nest labourers in the cause of na
tional progress to become person
ally known to each other.
2. to discuss and decide upon the
political operations to be under
taken during the ensuing year.
If Woomesh Chundra Bonnerjee
(“one of the first four Indian bar
foremost
risters and one of the
legal luminaries”) had the honour
of being elected President propos
ed by A. O. Hume, seconded by S.
Subramania Iyer and supported
by K. T. Telang. G. Subramania
Iyer had the privilege of moving
the first resolution of the first
session.
One description, according to of—
ficial records, of the inaugural
session, runs as follows:
“The spectacle which presented
itself of men representing the va
rious races and communities, cas
tes and sub-divisions of caste, re
be easily recognised as Babus by
the peculiar cap with a flap be
hind which they donned. None of
them wore the gold rings or dia
mond pendants which adorned the
ears of some of the Madrasees;
nor had they their foreheads pain
ted, like their more orthodox and
more conservative brethren from
the Southern Presidency. Then
there were Hindustanis from such
places as Delhi, Agra, Lucknow
and Benares some of whom wore
muslin skull-caps and dresses
chiefly made of the same fine
cloth. On the other hand, there
were delegates from the North
West, bearded, bulky, and large
limbed men in their coats and flo
wing robes of different hues and
in turbans like those worn by Sikh
soldiers. There were stalwart Sin
Kurrachee, wearing
dhees from
their own tall hat surmounted by
a broad brim at the top. In this
strange group were to be observ
ed the familiar figures of Banyas
from Gujarat, of Marathas in their
“cart-wheel” turbans, and of Par
sees in their not very elegant head
dress, which they themselves have
likened to a slanting roof. All
these men, assembled in the same
hall, presented such a variety
of costumes and complexions, that
a similar scene can scarcely be
witnessed anywhere except at a Punjab
fancy ball.”
thing more than questionable. . . .
It was by force that India was
won, and it is by force that India
must be governed, in whatever
hands the Government of the
country may be vested. If we were
to withdraw, it would be, not in
favour of the most fluent tongue,
or the most ready pen, but the
strongest arm and the sharpest
sword. . . . . . . . . . .”
At the other end there was the
following close-up of the first
Congress by Dr. Annie Besant:
“The first National Congress
dissolved, leaving a happy and in
spiring memory of fine work done,
and unity demonstrated. India had
found her voice. India was realis
ing herself as a Nation. Strange
and menacing was the portent in
the eyes of some. Splendid and
full of hope in the eyes of others.
The rosy fingers of the dawn-mai
dens had touched the Indian skies.
When would her Sun of Freedom
rise to irradiate the Motherland?”
Representation
Province Delegates
Madras 21
Bombay and Sind 38
3
NWFP and Oudh 7
C.P. and Berar -

The following comment of the Bengal, Bihar, Orissa

ligions and sub-division of reli Times of India on the first Cong
iions met together in place to form and Assam 3
ress was typical of the British
themselves, if possible, into one reaction to the advent of India's
political whole, was most unique Total 72
most popular and powerful politi
and interesting. For they had come cal organisation:
not from the Presidency towns
alone, but from all parts of India, “The resolutions cover a wide The first session of the
and their presence afforded a most ground. Some of them we heartily Congress cost about Rs. 3,000
interesting study of the heads and approve. Others appear to us some only.
head-dresses typical of the nume
rous variety of castes and commu
nities inhabiting this country.
There were man from Madras the
blackness of whose complexion
seemed to be made blacker, by
spotless white turbans which some BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
of them wore. A few others hail
ing from the Presidency were bare
headed and barefooted; and other ASSAM OR GUIARAT
wise lightly clad, their bodies from
the waist upwards being only par
tially protected by muslin shawls.
They presented a marked contrast
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
to the delegates from Bengal. Some
of these anpeared in entirely Euro
pean costume, while others could
SOCIALIST INDIA 12 DECEMBER 28, 1974

THE CONGRESS
(1885–1964)
M, CHALAPATHI RAU
Reproduced from M. Chalapathi Rau’s “Frag
ments of a Revolution”, published by Pergamon
Press (London) in 1965 (12 sh. 6d.)
The beginning of the Indian National Cong
ress in retrospect look like a Victorian burlesque;
its leaders made obsequious references to Provi
dence, and loudly swore their loyalties to the Queen
Empress. The first meeting took place at noon on
Monday, December 28, 1885, in Bombay, in the
great hall of the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College.
The representatives, distinguished, venerable and
whiskered in some cases, sat amidst a mixed gather
ing of officials and leading citizens. There were Woo
mesh Chundra Bonnerjee, the first president and
first Indian Standing Counsel in a Chartered High
Court; Dadabhai Naoroji, a member of the Parlia
ment at Westminster, to be known later as the “Grand
Old Man of India” and to preside over the Congress
for three terms; and Allan Octavian Hume, the
“Father of the Congress,” who had refused a lieute
nant-governorship to be free to serve the people.
There were also the present of the Eurasian Asso
ciation, the Collector of Madras, Mahadev Ranade,
then a judge of the Small Causes Court, Poona; and
R. G. Bhandarkar of the Deccan College. It was a
modest gathering of mild-mannered people, whose
loyalty was equal to their patriotism.
SUBJECTS DISCUSSED
The subjects discussed were to become stale
through the years; in 1885 they were fresh. There
was to be an inquiry into the working of the Indian
Administration by a Royal Commission; the Council
of the Secretary of State, as it was then constituted,
was to be abolished; the Imperial Legislative Coun
cil at Delhi and the Legislative Councils in the pre
sidency towns were to be reformed and expanded,
with the right of interpellation and submission of
budgets to the councils; examination for the Civil
Service was to be held both in India and in Britain;
the military expenditure was to be redured; import
duties on cotton were to be reimposed and the
Licence Tax extended, together with an imperial
gurantee for the Indian debt. The founding fathers
of the Congress held a brief for Burma; they asked
for its separation from the India Viceroyalty. The
proceedings might seem innocuous eighty years later
and the resolutions may have been passed with
bated breath but it was the first organised attack
on British control over the political structure, the
economic policies and the administration. The ses
Sion lasted for three days, there was a vote of
thanks to the president, “three cheers” for Hume,
SOCIALIST INDIA
and when Hume called for “three times three cheers”
for Her Majesty the Queen Empress, there was a de
monstrative outburst of loyalty which would have
amused even that sedate being commemorated so
much in marble throughout the country.
The history of the Congress has been written
and rewritten, and has been interpreted in various
ways, including the merciless Marxist way. Some
obscure points have, however, remained obscure.
It is little known that the political movement was
accompanied by an economic movement and by a
social movement, which the leaders wanted to be left
to the several major communities so that they could
be brought together easily on a common platform
for political reform. The Social Conference was start
ed in 1888, and while politcal pioneers established
economic project ranging from soap to steel, the In
dustrial Conference was inaugurated in 1904.
AMENDED CONSTITUTION
The Congress Constitution of 1908, amended in
1911 and 1912, stated in Article 1:
“The objects of the Indian National Congress are
the attainment by the people of India of a system
of government similar to that enjoyed by the self
governing members of the British Empire and par
ticipation by them in the rights and responsibilities
of the Empire on equal terms with those members.
These objects are to be achieved by constitutional
means by bringing about a steady reform of the ex
isting system of administration and by promoting
national unity, fostering public spirit and developing
and organising the intellectual, moral, economic and
industrial resources of the country.”
The Congress has accomplished, with impressive
irony, the first of these objectives. India is free and
stays within an empire converted into a common
wealth. But the objectives of “promoting national
unity, fostering public spirit and developing and or
ganising the intellectual, moral, economic and indus
trial resources of the country” have to be fulfilled.
In 1915 Ambika Charan Mazumdar, to preside
over the Lucknow session a few years later, could
call his history of the Congress “Indian National
Revolution”. Now, everyone thinks of revolution, and
the question is whether the Congress is revolutionary
enough.
The revolutionary phase of the Congress started
with Gandhi, who released elemental forces, some
times not knowning it. But it would be unhistorical
to consign the pioneers to a portriat gallery.
The poverty of the Indian people was a thesis which
Dadabhai Naoroji propagated with the help of the
evidence of Secretaries of State. Dutt, Ranade and
Gokhale carried the economic interpretation of British
rule further. If the worst aspect of the regime
was that the resources of the country were left un
developed and the people were deprived of the bene
fits of the Industrial Revolution, the economic absorp
tion began with Gandhi's predecessors, he invested it
with urgency.
And, it was Jawaharlal Nehru's task to bring the
Continued on Page 80
. 13 DECEMBER 28, 1971
 EIGHT Rich natural resources A stable Government with

mineral, agricultural and a positive approach to

forests—waiting to be ex wards industrial develop
GOOD REASONS ploited. ment of the State.

Comparatively more peace

ful and cordial industrial
WHY relations.

A well developed infra A number of large in

structure including a string dustrial undertakings in
KA R N A T A K A
of financial & development the Central, State & the
agencies like KSIIDG Joint Sectors generating
IS KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. spread effect.

A package of incentives
subsidy on project reports,
FAVOURABLE supply land, water & po
wer at concessional rates,

price preference etc.

FOR
Financial assistance to 15% Central subsidy for
educated unemployed, spe undertakings started in
INDUSTRIAL cially to unemployed en the backward districts of
gineers and technicians Dharwar, Mysore and
under special employment Raichur.

schemes.
LOCATION

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedhi, BANGALORE-1.
Issued by -

The Director of Information & Publicity.

SOCIALIST INDIA - - 14 DECEMBER 28, 1974


Genesis And Growth Of
Indian National Congress
D. C. GUPTA
The following three long excerpts have been
taken from D. C. Gupta's valuable book, “Indian
National Movement”, published by Vikas Publishing
House (Rs. 25) with due acknowledgement to the
author and publisher. The author is with the Institute
of Post-graduate Studies (Evening) of the Delhi
University.
While the groundwork for the rise and growth
of nationalism in India was laid in the post-Mutiny
years, political life had begun to be organised even
during the days of the Company's rule. In 1843, the
British India Society was set up in Calcutta to voice
the grievances of the people. In 1851, the British
Indian Association was formed by men like Rajendra
Pal Mitra and Ram Gopal Ghosh, and for the first
time, in 1853, this Association placed before the Bri
tish Parliament proposals for Indian participation in
the government. It also worked for the political up
lift of the people. But the work of this Association
was interrupted by the Uprising of 1857, and there
was bitterness and suspicion on both sides. For about
two decades the people remained silent and subdued,
though some work continued to be done in the Bom
bay Presidency by Sir Mangal Dass Nathubhai and
Naoroji Furdoonji, who set up the Bombay Associa
tion.
AFTER 1857
In 1875, the East India Association was formed
in Calcutta, and at about the same time the Sarva
janik Sabha was set up in Poona. Public life in the
south was inaugurated by the The Hindu whose
founders were Messers. N. Subbarau Pantulu, the
Hon'ble Rangiah Naidu, G. Subramania Aiyar, and
M. Veeraraghavachariar. These were practically all
the public bodies in India between the 'fifties and
early 'seventies of the last century. They exercised
considerable influence within their limited sphere;
they had neither a contemplated policy nor any sys
tematic programme.
The idea of a united nationality and national
interests, the all-embracing patriotic fervour and the
broad vision of political emancipation were still re
mote, though not altogether foreign to the aims and
objects of these associations. That work was done by
the Indian Association founded, in July 1876, by
Surendranath Banerjea. Anand Moham Bose was its
first Secretary. It organised active political propa
ganda throughout India and awakened the people to
a sense of political unity and concerted activity. The
policies of Lord Lytton provided a series of irritations
to the country and the Indian Association stimulated
the political consciousness of the people. On its ini
SOCIALIST +NDHA
tiative, a political conference was held at the Albert
Hall in Calcutta in 1883. In his opening address,
S. N. Banerjea, specially referring to the Delhi Dur
bar of 1877, exhorted the audience to unite and or
ganise itself for the country's cause.
The people of the Madras Presidency organised
themselves in 1884, into a powerful and energetic
association, known as Madras Mahajana Sabha, to
keep themselves abreast in the coming struggle. In
December 1884, another important development took
place. A number of delegates came from different
parts of the country to take part in the annual con
vention of the Theosophical Society at Adyar. After
the convention 17 men "(1) “good and true” met and
discussed various problems affecting the interests of
the whole country and developed the idea of a coun
tryside organisation. On January 13, 1885, a public
meeting of the citizens of Bombay was convened by
Pherozeshah Mehta. K. T. Telang, and Badruddin
Tyabji, who controlled the public life of the Western
Presidency, and the Bombay Presidency Association
was set up.
FORMATION OF THE CONGRESS
The country was, thus, prepared in men as well
as material for the construction of a national organi
sation. It only required the genius of an expert ar
chitect to devise a suitable plan and lay the founda
tion stone. The architect was Allan Octavian Hume.
He was the son of the radical Joseph Hume He join
ed the ICS and became an outstanding district offi
cer. He played a gallant part in the Mutiny and
thereafter engaged himself to welfare activities. In
1870, he became secretary to the Government of
India in the Home Department. Disngreement with
the government policies led to his removal from the
post in 1879, and in 1882 he retired from the ICS. º
Hume had been closely following the trend of
events, particularly during the Viceroyalty of Lytton
and had been anxiously watching the clouds that
were darkening the Indian horizon. The more he
watched and studied the situation, the more convin
ced he became that “the cure for the unrest lay in
the foundation of a genuine nationalist movement.”
Sir William Wedderburn, also of the ICS, was
equally concerned about the political unrest in India.
Like Hume. he too was a liberal minded Englishman,
and desired that the history of 1857 should not be
repeated. They discussed the situation with Lord
Frederick Duffering who replaced Ripon in 1884 and
who too belonged to the Liberal Party of Britain,
With encouragement from the Viceroy, Hume ad
dressed, on March 1, 1883, an open letter to the
graduates of the Calcutta University as largely rep
resenting the educated community in the country.
He asked for 50 men—“with sufficient power
of self-sacrifice, sufficient love or and pride in their
country, sufficient genuine and unselfish heart-felt
patriotism”—who would be willing to devote the rest
of their life to the cause. He warned that if such
men were not forthcoming there would be “no hope
for India." The appeal mat with a ready response,
4 bºCEMRFR 28, 1974
and the men, who had fully awakened to the plight
of their country, mustered from different provinces
at the trumpet call of a “friend, philosopher and
guide.” Towards the close of 1884, the Indian Natio
nal Union was formed. In March 1885, the Union
decided to hold a meeting of representatives from
all parts of India during Christmas. In April, a ma
nifesto was issued inviting important persons to meet
at Poona and to establish a national organisation.
FIRST MEETING
When all the preliminaries were settled Hume
sailed for England, apparently to consult friends
and sympathisers in Parliament and outside but ac
tually to guard the British public against all possi
ble misapprehensions, suspicion, and distrust that
the new organisation was likely to evoke. He explain
ed to his fellow countrymen the critical stage of the
Indian political life, the aims, and objects of the pro
posed organisation and the constitutional character
of the movement. In November 1885, Hume return
ed to India. During his stay in England cholera
broke out in Poona and the venue of the conference
was shifted to Bombay. By the morning of December
27 delegates from all parts of the country reached
there. The first meeting took place next day at 12
noon in the hall of the Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit
College, and the Indian National Congress was form
ed.
Was the Congress a National Organisation?
The first session of the Congress was attended
only by 72 delegates. But in the course of time they
began to grow, both in volume and content. In 1886,
the number of its members increased to 406; in 1887,
they became 600; in 1888 the number reached to
1248; and in less than two decades the Congress
began to draw the attention of the masses. Its doors
opened to all and it knew no difference between
“British India” and “Indian India”, between one pro
vince and another, between the classes and the mas
ses, between the rich and the poor, between towns
and villages, between agricultural and industrial in
terests, and between castes and communities.
For a long time, however, the claim of the
Congress to be considered a national organisation
was disputed by its critics. Some called it a “Bengalee
Congress”, although the Bengalees had clearly no
more hand in it either in its inception or in its deve
lopment than the Parsis, the Madrasis, and the Ma
rathas. Others dubbed it “Hindu Congress”, while
Some denounced it as an organisation of the “edu
cated minorities” in the country.
COSMOPOLITAN NATURE
But a look into the nature of membership and
aims and objects indicated that the Congress was a
cosmopolitan organisation. Almost all the leading
personages of the country, except Sir Sayyed, joined
the Congress,
Men like Surendrāhāth Banerjea, Dadabhai
Naoroji, Sir Dinshaw Wacha, Tyabji, Telang, Arvind
$60RAR,18'ſ TNDIA
Ghosh, Rash Behari Ghosh, Lala Lajpat Rai, Anand
Mohan Bose, Gopal Krishan Gokhale, Madan Mohan
Malaviya, Subramania Iyer, Pherozeshah Mehta, P.
Anandacharlu, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Zafar
Ali Khan, the Ali Brothers (Shaukat Ali and Moham
mad Ali), Maulana Husain Ahmed, Dr. Khan Sahib,
Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad,
and a host of others joined its ranks and helped in
its growth.
The first President of the Congress was an
Indian Christian, W. C. Banerjea'; the second was a
Parsi, Dadabhai Naoroji, the third, a Muslim, Tyabji;
and the fourth and fifth were two Englishmen,
George Yule and Wedderburn respectively. The ses
sions of the Congress were attended by representati
ves of all communities. The first Congress was at
tended by two Muslims, the second by 33; and the
sixth, in 1890, by 156 Muslims out of 702 delegates
or 22 per cent.
The early resolutions and programmes of the
Congress revealed that it was interested not only in
the betterment of one or two particular classes of
India but in the uplift of all. It demanded not only
political rights for the people but economic and so
cial justice too.
The claim of the Congress to be national organi
sation was best put by M. K. Gandhi at the second
Round Table Conference in London before the Fede
ral Structure Comittee. He said: “The Congress is....
the oldest political organisation we have in India. . . .
It is what it means—National. It represents no parti
cular community, no particular class, no particular
interest. It claims to represent all classes. . . . From
the very commencement, the Congress had Musul
mans, Christians, Anglo-Indians. . . all religions
sects, creeds, represented upon it more or less fully.”
2. Early Objects Of Congress
The early objectives of the Congress were outlin
ed within the framework of the ideas and attitude of
those who formed the new organisation. These were
enunciated by W. C. Banerjee in 1885 under the fol
lowing heads:
1. The promotion of personal intimacy and friend
ship amongst all the earnest workers in our country's
cause in various parts of the Empire.
2. The eradication...of all possible race, creed, pro
vincial prejudices....and the fuller development and
consolidation of sentiments of national unity....
3. The authoritative record....of the matured opi
nions of the educated classes in India on some of the
more important and pressing of the social questions
of the day.
4. The determination of the lines upon, and me
thods by which, during the twelve months, it is desi
rable for native politicians to labour in the public
#Aterest,
The first Cengress also adopted resolutions asking
necrºMagR 28, 1974
for a enquiry into the Indian administration by a
Royal Commission, (b) the abolition of the India
Council of the Secretary of State for India, c. the
expansion and reform of the Imperial and Local
Legislative Councils, established under the Indian
Councils' Acts of 1861, including the right of inter
pellation and the submission of the budget to the
Councils, d. the holding of the ICS examination both
in England and India, and e. the reduction of mili
tary expenditure.
MAIN DEMANDS
To these demands were added a few more in sub
sequent sessions of the Congress and more impor
tant of them were:
a. Indians must be admitted into public services
in large measure,
b. they should be educated and made fit for high
er positions in the administration,
c. the universities, local bodies, and the public ser
vices should form the training ground for Indians,
d. the legislatures should be thrown open to elec
tion and the right of interpellation and discussion of
the budget should be related,
e. the police should become friendly to the people,
f. the taxes should be moderate,
g. the judicial and executive branches must be
Separated,
h. Indians should be given a place in the Executive
Councils of Provincial and Central Governments and
in the Council of the Secretary of State,
i. India should have direct representation in the
British Parliament at the rate of the two members
to each Province,
j. eminent Englishmen in the public life of Eng
land should be sent over as Governors instead of
members of the Civil Service,
k. the annual drain to England should be stemmed
and indigenous industries fostered, and
1. land revenue should be reduced and Permanent
Settlement should be made.
The Congress went to the length of “deprecating
the salt tax as an inequity, excise duties on cotton
goods as unfair and exchange compensation allow
ance to civilians as an illegal gratification.”
Apart from these demands the Congress also con
cerned itself with poverty and famines, forest laws,
commerce and industry, communal representation,
Indians abroad, drink and prostitution, and women
and the depressed classes. So varied were the themes
that engaged the attention of the Indian politicians
that the Congress could be correctly called a politi
cal, socio-cultural, and economic organisation, all
combined in one.
The above narrative would indicate that in the
early years of the Congress, the political leaders of
India were far from the concept of complete freedom
from British rule. In fact, they wanted to improve
the lot of Indian masses under the shadow of British
skill; they had no idea of cutting off all connections
with the British throne. They stood only for repre
sentative institutions for India. They did not believe
SOCIALIST INDIA
that the interests of the Indians cut across the in
terests of the English; these, for them, were rather
complementary and supplementary.
3. British Reaction To
Congress
The birth of the Congress was hailed by some
English Parliamentarians and other men of emi
nence. Hume has been described by many as the
“Father of Congress” though this assertion has been
questioned by a few. Viceroy Dufferin, it was believ
ed, advised Hume to make the Congress undertake
political organisation and not merely social reforms.
He had all sympathies for it, and he went to the ex
tent of inviting the delegates of the second Congress
held in Calcutta the following year—to a garden
party at Government House. Wedderburn presided
over the Congress at two of its sessions—in Bom
bay (1889) and at Allahabad (1910).
David Yule, who presided over the fourth Con
gress in 1888 at Allahabad, was well-known for his
statement. The House of Commons regarded India as
a great and solemn trust committed to it by an all
wise and inscrutable Providence.” Charles Brad
laugh was accorded a royal ovation by the 1889 ses
sion of the Congress. William Ewart Gladstone said
at the third Congress in Madras (1887): “I hold that
the capital agent in determining finally the question
whether our power in India is or is not to continue
will be the will of the 240 million of people who in
habit India.”
Lord Northbrook was thanked by the ninth Con
gress (1893) for pleading in Parliament for the re
duction of “Home” charges. Other Englishmen of
note who sympathised with India's cause and ad
vanced it in one form or another were Keir Hardie,
Holford Knight, Maxton, Ben Spoor, Charles Roberts,
Pethwick Lawrence, Lord Stanley of Alderby, D. S.
White, H. Morgan-Browne, John Adam, and a score
of others. All of them played a notable part in can
vassing support for India's cause.
BRITISH IRE
The official approbation of the Congress move
ment, however, was short-lived. The Congress start
ed pinpricking, and it began to grow in strength and
popularity. The Administration became suspicious of
the movement, and even though individual Congress
leaders continued to proclaim their faith in the Bri
tish rule and even though quite a few of them were
bestowed with titles and honours, the national move
ment in general evoked hostility of the authorities.
Dufferin called the demands of the Congress as “emi
nently unconstitutional”, unacceptable to the
people in England. He described the Congress as a
“seditious body” representing the “microscopic mino
rity” of educated Indians, and declared that minority
would not be allowed to control the Administration
Continued on Page 23
17 DECEMBER 28, 1974
ALLAN octaviaN Hume
Founder Of The Congress
On Fusion Of The
Indian Nation
Here is a historic document that could give us
inspiration and solace in these troublesome times.
This is the address of Allan Octavian Hume, a foun
der of the Indian National Congress, to its session in
1888 held at Allahabad. How far the Congress today
still subscribes to the ideals set forth by Hume can
be judged by the readers.
To understand the Congress thoroughly, it is ne
cessary to understand, first, what were the basic
principles laid down by that body (which has since
merged into National Party) for their own guidance
—principles out of which the Congress and many
other social and, if I may so term them, “more spiri
tual” movements (of which more will be heard as
the years roll by) had their origin.
What these fundamental principles were, I will
take the liberty of reading to you. It is desirable
that, in a matter out of which such momentous issu
es are, though as yet little noticed, already springing,
there should be no mistake on a point like this.
“UTOPIAN” objFCTs
Well then, the fundamental objects of what we
may term, from the designation assumed by its
originators, the “National Movement” were three
fold:—
“First, the fusion into one national whole of all
the different and, till recently discordant, elements
that constitute the population of India;
“Second, the gradual regeneration along all lines,
mental, moral, social and political, of the nation thus
evolved; and
“Third, the consolidation of the union between
England and India, by securing the modification of
such of its conditions as may be unjust or injurious
to the latter country.”
I think you will all readily concede that these, at
any rate, were not ignoble objects. They might be
decried as utopian, as impracticable. The views of
men who see a little further than their fellows al
ways are thus decried by these latter; but, at least
no one can deny they were high and noble, and that
it is better to have a lofty ideal than none at all, bet
ter to aim high and fall than not to aim at all. This
movement—and the mind the Congress movement
sprung directly out of and is a mere branch of the
Inore comprehensive original—was worthy of the
sympathy, respect and Support of all good men.
The principal objects of the Congress, as laid down
at its inception, were as follows (and here again you
SOCIALIST INDIA
must allow me to quote what is already on record.
since this record embodies, not merely the ideas of
one or two men, but the harmonised views of a very
large number of the ablest, and most advanced
thinkers of the nation).
The Congress was intended to “bring face to face
and make thoroughly known to each other all the
men of light and leading of all portions of the Em
pire; to bring all such people yearly together and
establish closer bonds of personal friendship between
all the most eminent labourers in the work of India’s
political regeneration; to enable all interested in
public questions to supplement their knowledge and
correct their views in the light of the information
and the opinions held by others equally interested in
these matters; to eliminate provincial jeolousies pre
judices and misconceptions, by close personal inter
course, not only from the minds of the members of
the Congress itself, but from those of the leading in
habitants, and, so far as the might be, the people
generally of the several presidencies and provinces,
in each of which it was arranged that the Congress
should in turn assemble: to exorcise sectarian and
class antipathies by associating, in one common
work for the common good, leading professors of all
creeds and leading members of all sects and classes;
and as such no gatherings can be accomplished ex
cept at considerable cost in money, time and personal
convenience. not only to the members of the Party
in the province in which the assemblage takes place,
who have to act as hosts, but to all the members of
the Congress delegated from other provinces who
have from one to four thousand miles to travel, to
habituate them all, I say, to personal sacrifices for
the common good.”
The Congress was further intended “to foster a
wider altruism and a more genuine public spirit, by
concentrating the most strenuous efforts on great
national questions, diminishing the absorption in lo
cal or purely selfish interests to educate all who
took part in it, not merely in the arts of public spea
king and debate, developing the faculty of thinking
out clearly opinions and expressing them lucidly to
others, not merely in habits of accuracy and research
but also in the practice of self-control; moderation
and willingness to give and take; to educate them
in fact into what has been described as a genuine
the
parliamentary frame of Mind; to familarise
country with the methods and working of represen
tative institutions on a large scale; and thus as this
familiarity grew, to demonstrate to the Government
and people of England that India was already ripe
for some measure of those institutions to which the
entire intelligentsia of the country so earnest aspi
res.”.
Lastly, it was intended “to unify public opinion by
the interfusion of views held by all classes in all the
various provinces, and eliminating matters, sectional
and provincial, to arrive at definite and unanimous
conclusions on all truly national questions, and press
these conclusions on the government not in the spirit
of an opposition, but rather as Amici Curae.
Continued on Page 20
DECEMBER 28, 1974

ANOTHER VIEWPOINT
How The Congress
Was Founded
In 1885
WALTER T. WALLBANK
Until the formation of the Indian
National Congress in 1885 there
was really no organisation through
which Indian national pride could
be expressed. The following selec
tion from Walter T. Wallbank’s
“A Short History of India and
Pakistan” describes the founding
of this organisation.
Lord Ripon, the Governor-Gene
ral. . was a Victorian liberal, and
during his administration (1880–
1884) sincere attempts were made
to liberalise the government. One
of the measures was the Ilbert
Bill, introduced in 1883 and design
ed to remove the privilege hereto
fore enjoyed by Europeans by
which they were guaranteed a
British judge in case of trial. As
Indians were now moving up into
the higher brackets of the judi
ciary, Ripon saw no reason why
these well-qualified public servants
could not preside at any trial
regardless of the birth-place of the
defendant. This Ilbert Bill, how
ever, provoked a tempestuous
explosion among the members of
the European community, who
started a “Defense Association”
and carried on a noisy and violent
agitation against the measure.
Consequently the bill was emas
culated and toned down. The
European community had won its
point, but, at the same time, it
had given Indians a good object
lesson in the value of organisation
and agitation. The European
explosion over the Ilbert Bill also
exposed to sensitive Indian na
tionalists the racial arrogance of
many Englishmen in their coun
try. Indian vernacular newspapers
assumed a new tone in attacking
the government and, the press had
SOCIALIST INDIA
by this time become an influential
factor in moulding public opinion,
as there were 20 newspapers pub
lished in English and some 200
in Indian languages.
It was during the agitation over
the Ilbert Bill that Indian spokes
men for the nationalist movement
responded by organising the Indian
National Conference. Led by
Surendranath Banerjea, it met in
Calcutta in 1883 with representa
tives from all parts of India. The
following year the growing na
tional spirit was reflected in a loyalty to England.
meeting held at Madras under the
aegis of the Theosophical Society,
whose importance will be shortly
discussed.
Meanwhile, the initiative was
taken by Allan Octavian Hume.
a retired civil servant, who, after
30 years in the Indian government,
occupied himself in studying the
country's problems. Hume believed
that British rule had given the
land he had come to love peace
and political stability, but that
much more had to be done to raise
the standard of living of the peo
ple. Hume believed too that
British bureaucracy was out of
touch with the people and main
tained that it was “of paramount
importance to find an overt and
constitutional channel for dis
charge of the increasing ferment
which had resulted from western
ideas and education.”
Acting upon this belief, Hume
sent out in 1883 a letter to the
graduates of Calcutta University
urging them to form an association
for the mental, moral, and political
regeneration of India. Following a
meeting held at Madras in
December, 1884, attended by such
representative Indians as S.S.
Iyer, Surendranath Banerjea, and
Dadabhai Naoroji, a circular was
sent out the following March
inviting attendance at a meeting to
be held in Poona, December 25 to
31, 1885. The objective of the
meeting was outlined thus: “In
directly this Conference will form
the germ of a Native Parliament
and . . . will constitute in a few
years an unanswerable reply to
the assertion that India is still
wholly unfit for any form of
representative institutions.”
19
The first meeting of what came
to be known as the Indian National
Congress was duly convened in De
cember in Bombay. There were 70
delegates, mostly Hindu lawyers,
educators, and journalists, with
only two Muslims among them.
The Congress carried on its deli
berations in English, and the tone
was loyal and moderate. In the
first presidential address by W.C.
Bannerji, Parliamentary govern
ment was declared to be the goal,
but it was claimed that this was
in no way incompatible with
The President further declared :
“I ask whether in the most
glorious days of Hindu rule you
could imagine the possibility of a
meeting of this kind... Would it
have been possible even in the days
of Akbar for a meeting like this
to assemble, composed of all
classes and communities, all
speaking one language...? It is
under the civilised rule of the
Queen and the people of England
that we meet here together,
hindered by none, freely allowed
to speak our minds without the
least fear or hesitation. Such a
thing is possible under British
rule, and under British rule only.”
Resolutions were passed asking
for a royal commission to investi
gate the workings of Indian
administration; for the abolition
of the Council of India in London;
for the right to have the govern
ment budgets presented to the
legislative councils for examina
tion; and for the creation of a
standing committee in the British
House of Commons to consider
formal protests from the Indian
members of the legislative coun
cils.
And what of the attitude of
British officials to the Congress?
At first the Government of India
was friendly to the new movement.
Officials attended the Congress,
and Governors in the various pro
vinces arranged official receptions
and garden parties for the mem
bers. This sympathy, however,
soon waned, and the Viceroy,
Lord Dufferin (1884-1888) rather
contemptuously referred to Cong
ress membership as a “microscopic
minority.”
DECEMBER 28, 1974

The Democratic
Structure Of
The Congress
STANLEY KOCHANEK
The following is an extract from
the introdurtion to Stanley
Kochallek’s “The Congress Party
of India,” published by the Prince
ton University Press. This is a
well-documented study of the
Congress from 1947 till 1967.
Although the Congress enjoyed
two full decades of dominance in
post-independence India, the Cong
ress was not, and did not function
as, a monolith. In fact, the Cong
ress leadership was acutely aware
of the need to develop and observe
procedures which would permit
and ensure the democratic func
tioning of the party in itself and
as a responsible element in the
society at large. Though the
leadership did, indeed, dominate
the decision-making levels of the
party, methods were elaborated
and multiplied whereby a highly
diversified mass membership could
be consulted on policy and orga
nisational issues through the All
India Congress Committee (AICC)
and annual sessions.
Moreover, although its formal
structure suggests a highly centra
lised or oligarchic model, in prac
tice the Congress has in the past
20 years undergone a gradual but
marked process of decentralisation
from which has emerged a system
of interdependence between Centre
and State, and between State and
District, Congress Party units.
Finally, although the dominance of
the Congress in Indian political
life tended to reduce the level of
inter-party rivalry for power, the
same overwhelming dominance
gave rise simultaneously within
the Congress to intra-party fac
tionalism as a powerful source of
internal conflict, criticism, and
change.
MASS ORGANISATION
Development of factionalism at
all levels of the party thus func
tioned to ensure a circulation of
elites and a constantly more diver
sified recruitment which went far
to rescue the Congress from
stagnation. But it also had a
disintegrative effect in creating
circumstances under which Cong
ressmen failed to become sufficient
ly aware of external threats, and
thereby jeopardised continued
Congress control and stability.
With the exception of certain
changes providing for the develop
ment of a more elaborate field
organisation below the District
level and for broadening the com
position of the various Congress
committees at each party level,
the basic configuration of the
Congress organisation has under
gone little modification since inde
pendence. Before the transfer of
power, the Congress was function
ing more or less as a parallel
government with an organisation
extending into almost every part
of India. The Congress machine
acquired this configuration in 1920
under Mohandas K. Gandhi, who
believed that a mass organisation
commanding the loyalty of the
Indian people could challenge even
the power of the British Raj.
Beginning at the village level
and extending up through the
district and provincial levels, the
field structure of the Congress
confirmed to the British adminis
trative apparatus with one except
tion : the Congress provinces were
organised along linguistic lines to
facilitate communication with the
masses. Today a similar system
prevails. The Congress organisa
tion parallels the Indian adminis
trative organisation from the
highest national level down to the
lowest level of Panchayati Raj.

ALLAN OCTAVIAN HUME ON CONGRESS with those questions on which the entire nation is
practically agreed. If all, or practically all, the re
Continued from Page 18
presentatives of any provinces or any community
object, the Congress must drop the subject.
It will be seen how utterly irrelevant was the con
tention that one section of the community might by These then were the leading objects of the Con
virtue of numerical superiority, outvote the others gress as originally laid down by its promoters. There
and force on them measures inimical to their inter were many minor aims that these were had in view,
ests or repugnant to their feelings. The Congress, but one and all tending towards the promoters' great
by its constitution, can only pass resolutions in re design of unifying the peoples of the land, elevating
gard to questions on which there is a practical un the character of the evolved nation, and consolidating
animity between all who take part in it. It was realis the union between England and India.
ed from the outset that there might be questions in
regard to which Bombay would difer from Bengal,
Europeans from Natives, Hindus from Mohamme
dans, Sunnis from Shias, but all such are excluded
the Congress by its fundamental rule that it shall BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
only pass and press resolutions on those questions
in regard to which there is practical unanimity
amongst the representatives of all classes and ASSAM OR GUIARAT
creeds of all provinces. Other questions in regard to
which no such general agreement can be arrived at, THIS IS MY COUNTRY
are left to be dealt with, as they may deem fitting,
by the several provincial, local and sectional asso
ciations. The Congress is national and it deals only
SOCIALIST INDIA DECEMBER 28, 1974

WHAT THE CONGRESS HAS
ACHIEVED SINCE 1969
This is an extract from “Cong
ressman's Brochure”, published
recently by the Central Campaign
Committee of the AICC.
In spite of the fact that the Con
gress was wedded to socialist
ideology, the distribution of gains
of development among the common
people of India and particularly
among the weaker sections of the
community was not adequate.
Much of the gains of development
were being mopped up by the elite
and a small section of the rich.
While growth was there, the dis
tribution machinery was highly
defective resulting into the fruits
of growth not reaching the masses
adequately. This made the Cong
ress unpopular among the masses
which was reflected in the General
Elections of 1967.
Our Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, clearly sensed and assess
ed this discontent. Therefore, she
advocated a more intense socialist
programme of development so
that social justice could
achieved along with growth.
This resulted into serious diver
gence of opinion among the top
leaders of the Congress and in
1969 the historic Congress split
took place. The vast bulk of
Congressmen accepted the leader
ship of Smt. Indira Gandhi and
returned her to power with great
majority in the 1971 mid-term
poll to the Lok Sabha. This has
enabled the Congress to pursue its
socialist policies more vigorously.
One of the factors leading to
the split of Congress was that
the Central Government led by
Smt. Indira Gandhi nationalised
the 14 major scheduled banks in
July 1969. This was the first
major step in the new direction
which the Congress had adopted
under her leadership. Since then.
the Indian National Congress under
Smt. Indira Gandhi's leadership
has undertaken several major
steps of historic importance, The
bulk of the foreign trade ºf the
$0CIALIST INDIA
country has been nationalised.
The coal and coking coal mines
industry has also been nationalis
ed. The petroleum and oil is
more or less now in the hands of
the Government.
The Monopolies and Restrictive
Trade Practices Act has been
vigorously implemented in order
to avoid concentration of wealth
and economic power and to fight
rigging of prices and collusion by
monopoly houses against the pub
lic interest. Further steps to
check concentration of wealth and
to reduce the menace of monopolies
and oligopolies and restrictive
trade practices are under consi
deration.
NATIONALISED BANKS
All these steps and the recent
drive which has been launched to
arrest smugglers, hoarders, tax
dodgers, profiteers and adultera
tors are designed to fight the
growing menace of rising prices,
be accumulation of large amounts of
black money, cornering and hoard
ing of essential consumer goods,
foreign exchange rackets, wide
spread tax dodging and tax eva
sion and the adulteration of food
stuffs and the essential articles
and production of injurious and
sub-standard goods. People are
responding most favourably to
this intensive and extensive drive
to fight corruption which is eating
into the vitals of our national life.
The organised banking industry
has existed in this country for the
last one and a half centuries.
Before the major 14 scheduled
banks were nationalised in 1969,
the private banking industry
catered mainly to the monopolistic
class and to big industries and
businessmen. Credit which is an
essential and vital engine of eco
nomic growth and capital forma
tion in poor countries was almost
denied to the poor and the middle
classes, Since nationalisation of
bonka in the lest five years, the
º bkeeNirº ºn 28, 10^{
nationalised banks have taken big
strides to correct this lacuna.
The annual deposits which were
about Rs. 4500 crores before 1969
have now risen to over Rs. 10,000
crores. The number of bank
branches which were mostly con
fined to urban and some semi
urban areas have now permeated
into the villages. From 8000 bank
branches in 1969, nationalised
banks and other banks have now
opened more than 16,000 branches
all over the country and the bulk
of new czpansion of bank branches
has been mostly to the rural areas
and semi-urban towns. This has
helped to increase the base for the
increase in deposits. The Prime
Minister and the Congress have
been repeatedly stressing on the
managements of the nationalised
banks that much more rural
banking should be vigorously
pursued.
In the field of credit, the per
formance of nationalised banks
has also shown some satisfactory
results. Before nationalisation,
the small borrowers had only
2,16,000 accounts. Now the small
accounts i.e., loan accounts to
marginal farmers, small farmers,
small businessmen, petty traders.
artisans, taxiwallas, scooter and
rickshawallas, craftsmen, students,
professionals and young entre
preneurs are reaching 20 lakh
accounts. Before nationalisation
less than Rs. 200 crores were
advanced to small people. After
nationalisation these advances to
small people have risen to over
Rs. 1000 crores per year. In
future years the programme of
the nationalised banks is to seek
out small people in all walks of
life and advance them reasonable
credit to improve their profession
and activity so as to cover at
least seven to eight million persons.
Even the profits of the nationa
lised banks are now showing im
provement. In recent years, due
to substantial rise in wages and
salaries of bank emplovees, the
profits of the nationalised banks
had registered a small decline. But
the new bank rates and improve
ment in the working of the
nationalised banks is again show
ing an upward trend in profits.
The scheme of different rates i.e.,
lower lending rates to smaller
people and higher lending rates to
the upper classes is proving very
beneficial to the large number of
small borrowers. It is obvious
that as compared to private banks,
the nationalised banks are in a
position to take greater risk,
generate greater confidence and
reach out in a socialist manner to
the poorer and weaker sections
of the community without at the
same time endangering the stabi
lity and security of the banks.
COAI, AND COKE MINES
When the coal and coke indus
tries were in private hands, too
much slaughtering of mines and
defective mining had taken place.
In order to save our rich coal
deposits being abused and misused
in an unscientific manner for the
benefit of the private people, the
Indian National Congress decided
that in the best public interest,
this vital natural resource should
be taken over by the State. Also
a long-term programme should be
evolved to give the nation the
maximum utilisation of coal and
coke mining in a planned, scientific
manner. While in the initial
stages, some difficulties have arisen
and the development of coal and
coke mining has not been very
satisfactory owing to transitional
difficulties. Yet, the long-term
planning and re-organisation of
management of nationalised mines
is being undertaken to produce
more coal and coke, wash it, blend
it, prepare it properly, and to
improve the grading, classification
and transport of coal and coke
for industrial as well as domestic
consumers all over the country.
Over-invoicing and under
invoicing of imports and exports
were widespread in our foreign
trade. Therefore, in conformity
with the policy of socialist deve
lopment, the Congress decided to
nationalise foreign trade. Practi.
cally all bulk imports are now
in the hands of the State Trading
Corporation and other Public
Sector enterprises. Part of the
export trade has also been taken
over or canalised by the State
Trading Organisation. Further
steps are being taken to expand
the Public Sector in foreign trade
for exports,
socialist INºłA
The measures on the front of
public health have enabled the
country to achieve a heavy reduc
tion in the toll of malaria, filaria,
tuberculosis, intestinal diseases
and other widespread epidemics.
These diseases were taking a Civil Supplies, Shri T. A. Pai, feels
heavy toll of the common people
and in the rural and urban areas.
The anti-malaria and anti-filaria
campaigns have achieved good
success. The incidence of tuber
culosis and infactious diseases is
continuously coming down. The
provision of filtered and treated
water supply in a large number
of towns and villages have helped
to reduce intestinal and other
diseases.
The cumulative effect of the
nation-wide public health and
medical aid programmes has been
to reduce the number of deaths
from 27 per thousand persons per
year in 1948 to about 15 persons
per thousand in 1971. The average
life span of our people which was
very small at 32 years before
Independence has now gone up to
50 years in 1971. With better
housing, more nutritive and
balanced diet, with vast children
benefit programmes, with more
provision for drinking water and
scientific drainage, a further im
provement in life span is expected.
FOREIGN TRADE
Qualitatively speaking, India
today stands high among the de
veloping countries in the turn-out
of scientists, technicians, and
higher educated youth. We have
today more than a million engi
neers, technicians, scientists, re
searchers, overseers, sub-overseers,
surveyers, medical men, nurses,
accountants, managers, bankers,
commercial and professional ex
perts, entrepreneurs and other
educated and skilled persons work
ing in our fields and factories.
Our educated and skilled youth
is equal to his or her counterpart
anywhere. Thanks to the Congress
policies of ushering in of compul
sory and free primary education
and enlarging vista of higher edu
cation, this qualitative and expan
ding national wealth will enable us
to achieve our socio-economic tran
sformation in a much speedier
manner in the years to come,
º becºViPER 28, 1974
CONSUMER GOODS
DISTRIBUTION
The Minister for Industry and
that Super Bazars, given the neces
sary administrative reorientation
and leadership, can play a big role
in the distribution of essential
goods of mass consumption in ad
dition to the fair-price shops. His
Ministry is currently working on
a scheme for starting distribution
of essential items, initially through
fair-price shops in 36 major cities
by the end of February, 1975.
Shri Pai has indicated that he
will devote most of his time after
the winter session of Parliament
is over, to the task of evolving a
well-organised distribution system.
The Government proposes to intro
duce the scheme, as a first step,
in principal metropolitan areas and
cities with a population of five
lakhs and over. Depending on the
response from the States, areas
with concentration of industrial
workers will also be covered by the
Scheme.
According to the indications, the
scheme will cover 12 essential
items, including foodgrains, sugar,
standard cloth, edible oils, kero
sene, soft coke, essential drugs and
SOapS.
Regionwise meetings of State re
presentatives are being convened
to finalise the scheme. State
representatives of the northern
zone will meet in New Delhi on
December 20, while those of the
western zone will meet in Bombay
on December 28. The southern and
eastern zonal conferences will be
held in the first and second weeks
of January respectively.
READ
º º
.
SOGILIST
REGULARLY

SEVA DAL: ITS
PLACE IN
THE CONGRESS
S. V. INAMDAR
The first problem that faced the
sponsors of Seva Dal was about its
relations with the Congress. Seva
Dal was an outcome of
National Flag Satyagraha con
ducted by the Congress. The lead
ers who conceived the idea of such
a volunteer organisation were all
Congress leaders; their objective
in bringing into being this volun
teer organisation was to help the
Congress in its struggle of inde
pendence and train and organise
the people in discipline and sacri
fice. In spite of this they could
not decide at the beginning whe
ther it should be directly under
the control of the Congress or be
an independent body. Before ap
proaching Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr.
Hardiker wanted himself to
clear on this point. He naturally
went to Lala Lajpat Rai for ad
vice. Dr. Hardiker on his advice
decided to keep Seva Dal as an in
dependent body with a set-up simi
lar to the Congress. As a matter of
fact the young leadership in the
Congress also held this view as
they were sure that a certain sec
tion in the Congress may not take
up very seriously the idea of have
ing a trained, organised and
disciplined force for the implemen
tation of the Congress programmes.
The Congress resolution that
welcomed the formation of an All
India volunteer organisation inter
alia stated that “.... all necessary
steps be taken to form such a body
the of trained volunteers in coopera
tion with the organisers of the
movement and keep control and
supervision over it while giving it
freedom of internal management
and administration”, (Coconada
Congress Dec. 1923.)
CONGRESS RESOLUTION
In 1931, when the Hindustani
Seva Dal was merged with Cong
ress at the instance of Gandhiji a
number of Dal workers disagreed
with this decision.
They thought that according to
the new set-up, though Seva Dal
be will have a separate existence in
the Congress at the all-India and
provincial level it cannot have the
freedom of thought and action
even in its organisational working.
In 1931, the Hindustani Seva
Dal became a Central Volunteer
Organisation of the Congress; in
1947, the Congress Seva Dal be
come a wing of the Congress with
rules and regulations of its own
but gradually the organisation
practically became part of the
AICC.
Seva Dal, if it is to be volunteer
force or the frontal organisation of
the Congress, has to be under the
final control of the Congress. It
is true that there are certain dis
advantages in this but an organis
ed and disciplined body cannot be
entirely left to itself, if at all it is
to be utilised by the Congress for
propagation of its ideals and imple
mentation of its programmes. But
at the same time it is necessary to
give Seva Dal full freedom in its
organisational matters and activi
ties of its own as chalked out by
the annual meetings of the work
ers themselves.
To make Seva Dal attractive to
youth and to men of high calibre
it should be treated as a recruiting
and training ground for the future
leadership of the Congress. One
should feel confident when joining
Seva Dal that one has full scope
and vast field to develop oneself.
And it was this conception that
attracted a large number of youths
to this organisation right from the
beginning.

BRITISH REACTION TO CONGRESS On June 25 1891, the Government of India issued a

Continued from Page 17
The Governor of UP, Sir Auckland Colvin, con
sidered the movement as “premature”, and observed
that the Congress “unfairly claimed to represent the
Indian population.”
Shortly after the inception of the Congress, the
British Government in India began to act in oppo
sition to Congress and to create obstacles in its prog
ress. A gentleman, who attended the Madras Congress
in 1887 “in defiance of his district officer”, was cal
led upon to give a security of Rs. 20,000 “to keep
the peace.”
notification, restricting the rights of free press in
native states.
In order to arm the government with sufficient
powers to deal with “seditious speeches and activities”
Sections 124(A) and 153(A) were added in 1897, to
the Indian Penal Code . Next year, a kind of thinly
veiled censorship was put on the press through the
Secret Press Committees. The five years of Lord
Curzon's rule (1900-1905) were full of many reac
tionary measures that shocked the entire country
and marked the beginning of a new phase of the na
tionalist movement.
FOOTNOTE

(1) The 17 “good and true” men were: S. Sub

The fourth Congress found it difficult to get
grounds in Allahabad whereon it put up the tents.
In 1890, the Bengal Government issued to 11 Sec
retaries and Heads of Departments subordinate to
it a circular pointing out that “under the orders of
the Government of India the presence of Govern
ment officials, even as visitors, at such meetings is
not advisable and that their taking part in the pro
ceedings in any such meetings is also prohibited.”
SOCIALIST INDIA
ramania Iyer, P. Rangiah Naidu and P. Ananda
Charula of Madras, Narendra Nath Sen, Surendra
nath Banerjea, M. Ghosh and Charan Chandra Mitter
of Bengal, V. N. Mandik, K. T. Telang and Dadabhai
Naoroji of Bombay, C. Vijaranga Mudaliar and Pan
duranga Gopal of Poona, Sirdar Dayal Singh of the
Panjab, Haris Chandra of Allahabad, Kaliprasad and
Pandit Lakshminarayan of NWFP, and Shri Ram of
Oudh.
DECEMBER 28, 1974

India And Bhutan
ATTAR CHAND
Indo-Bhutanese relations are in
timate and cordial. These friendly
ties are not of recent origin but
centuries old. In the mid-8th
century Guru Padma Sabhara,
a great organiser and a religious
preacher, took Buddhism from
India to Bhutan. He established
over a dozen monastries all over
Bhutan and brought the whole of
the kingdom under one religion.
Today, six thousand out of Bhu
tan's one million people are monks.
The power of their religious lea
der—the Supreme Lama—equals
that of the King.
After the end of the British rule
over India and her neighbouring
States, both India and Bhutan
emerged as two independent Sta
tes. When the Constituent Assem
bly of India was summoned in
1947 for the transfer of power
from His Majesty's Government
to that body, Bhutan was not re
presented on it. The obvious con
clusion to be derived from this
fact was that both States are in
dependent and autonomous poli
tical units.
TREATY OF 1949
The Indo-Bhutan Treaty signed
in Darjeeling on August 8, 1949
became a landmark in the history
of Indo-Bhutanese relations. In
1958 Jawaharlal Nehru paid a that “Bhutan would progressively
State visit to Bhutan which further
strengthened the common bonds
that united the two countries. Ad
dressing a large public meeting in
Paro on September 28, 1958, Nehru
stressed that India and Bhutan
were both “members of the same
Himalayan family” and should live
as friendly neighbours so as to
safeguard the freedom of both the
countries.
Besides road construction, Nehru
also pointed out the necessity of
making a mineral survey, of star
ting a model agricultural farm,
and of developing small and cot
tage industries. While making
these suggestions, he also made
it clear that India had no desire
SOCIALIST INDIA
to interfere in the internal affairs
of Bhutan.
Later in 1968, when the King
of Bhutan visited New Delhi, he
also expressed the same fraternal
feelings between the two coun
tries. He said that while in India
he never felt he was in a foreign
land. On the contrary, he only took
it as his second home.
The same year Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi visited Bhutan. She
discussed with the Bhutan King
Some important issues including
Bhutan's Second Five-Year Plan.
In 1970, when the question of
Bhutan's relations with India, was
discussed, the Bhutan King refu
ted any suggestion that his coun
try was a satellite or province of
India.
Since the signing of the 1949
Treaty, Bhutan's external relations
have been guided by New Delhi.
India is also the main source of
aid, besides some assistance re
ceived by Bhutan from the
Colombo Plan countries and in 1973
for the first time, from a UN
agency—the United Nations De
velopment Programme (UNDP).
In November 1973 the Speaker of
the Bhutan National Assembly
Dasho Shingkar Lam, paid a week
long visit to India. Bhutanese Fo
reign Minister Lyonp Dawa Tsher
ing came to New Delhi in the same
month to attend a meeting of the
Colombo Plan Consultative Com
mittee.
Apparently commenting on a re
port published at that time
establish relations with all coun
tries.” Mr. Tshering said that
due to a lack of personnel
and finances, Bhutan was not in
position to establish diplomatic
relations with other countries. Mr.
Tshering reiterated that the cor
nerstone of Bhutan's foreign policy
was friendship with India. Bhu
tan was not interested in big po
wer politics. His country making
its efforts on raising the economic
standards of its people and train
ing them to man various services
with the objective of aciheving
manpower self-sufficiency.
POSTAL AGREEMENT
In December, 1973, the King's
sister, Princess Ashi Dechen Wan
24
gmo Wangchuk, the royal repre
sentative in the Ministry of Deve
lopment, led a delegation on a two
week visit to India. On December
16, 1973 a parcel-post agreement
was signed by which parcels could
be sent from Bhutan to India
and vice versa. The delegation
met the then President, Shri V. V.
Giri, who assured of India's conti
nued assistance to Bhutan's deve
lopment. The then Foreign Trade
Minister, Shri L. N. Mishra, also
gave the same assurance.
The 17-year old King Jigme
Singye Wangchuk who became
king after the death of his father
Jigme Dorji Wangchuk in July 1972
continues to follow in his father's
footsteps by announcing further
democratic measures in May 1973.
Smt. Indira Gandhi has paid tri
pute to the late King Jigme Dorji
Wangchuk: “During his reign of
20 years he brought Bhutan into
the modern era, gave it a sense
of unity and purpose and heralded
its entry into the United Nations.”
She also said that in his death
“India had lost a staunch friend.”
India was in the total agree
ment with the wishes of Bhutan
in giving to the latter technical as
well as financial assistance to en
able it to facilitate its economic
development. Bhutan's small popu
lation and her abundant land and
rich natural resources are the im
portant factors that will enable
her in achieving self-reliance.
The First Five-Year Plan (1961
66) of Bhutan was financed com
pletely by India. The aid thus given
was to the tune of Rs. 10.12
crores. Besides, the Indian Border
Roads Organisation invested Rs.
30 crores in road construction in
the whole kingdom. For the suc
cess of the Second Five-Year Plan
(1966-71) again, India gave Rs.
20 crores to Bhutan. In fact, this
time too India undertook to finance
the whole Plan. The emphasis
during the Second Plan was on
public works, education, agricul
ture and health. The Third Five
Year Plan (1971-76) has given prio
rity to agriculture, education, pub
lic health and small-scale cottage
industries. The initial contribution
made by India in this connection
is Rs. 4.72 crores.
Continued on Page 30
DECEMBER 28, 1974
 zenith of Rs. 782.9 crores in 1966
67 whereafter there has been a
Indo-American Trade: A Review progressive decline, the figure fal
ling to Rs. 224.6 crores in 1972-73.
The decline in imports is attribu
DR. R. K. SHARMA
ted to reduction in cargoes mov
ing under US AID programme
Trade relations today play an ports. It is a very simple proposi and commodities shipped under
important role in international tion. Economic self-sufficiency PL-480 which used to account for
relations. Trade is always a two means when a country tries to pro the bulk of imports from the US.
way traffic. Trade relations bet duce all that it needs within its The decline in imports is also due
ween the two trading partners can own borders. The concept of eco to the sharp fall in American bi
grow on the basis of appreciation nomic self-sufficiency is outmoded. lateral aid to India.
of each other's needs and limita It is really associated with medie
tions. Any amount of expansion of val times. In fact, what a country American share in our exports
trade between two parties, which should attempt to do is to achieve and imports has been decreasing
cannot supplement each other's economic self-reliance so that it is constantly since 1967-68. The US
needs will not really achieve the able to meet its external obliga share in our exports in 1967-68
objective. So long as trade is not tions by export of goods and ser was 17.4 per cent. It had come
complementary and is unable to vices from the country. down to 14.1 per cent in 1972-73.
supply the goods and services The American share in India's im
which one party wants from the ports was 38.7 per cent in 1967-68.
The United States is the single
other. So the question of selective The US share in our imports in
market arises and the need to find largest trading partner of India
in international trade. The volume 1972-73 stood merely at 12.5 per
out the areas in which we have cent.
of trade between the two countries
shortages and the countries and
had increased considerably in the
the markets which can supply DECLINE IN AID
them. last decade. A disquieting feature
of Indo-American trade in recent The United States which claim
years is that it has been rather ed the biggest share in our ex
Since economic aid brings with stagnant. The growth of Indo-U.S. ports over the years was relegated
it several handicaps, the develop Trade relations from 1967 to 1973
ment economists often advocate to the second place, with the Soviet
has been shown in Table I.
Union taking the lead and absorb
increased trade to replace aid. Our
Government, at present, is putting ing 17.1 per cent of our exports.
Our exports to America increas The US share in our exports and
greater emphasis on trade with ed from Rs. 129.6 crores in 1963 imports from 1967-68 to 1972-73
an ultimate objective of achiev 64 to Rs. 275.7 crores in 1972-73. has been presented in table II. The
ing self-reliance. Increasing trade India's exports to America further
with foreign countries and earn US exports declined to 12.5 per
increased to Rs. 343 crores in 1973. cent in 1972-73 as compared to 22.9
ing badly needed foreign exchange 74. Indian imports from the United
through greater export is, there per cent in 1971-72 mainly because
States went up from Rs. 450 cro of a drastic decline in American
fore, a national duty and it can, res in 1963-64 and reached the bilateral aid to India.
and should, be harmonised in a
manner that will promote greater TAR LE I
flow of international goods and
services. There has been an up (in million) $)
Year Exports Imports Trade Balance
word trend in our exports during
the last three or four years and 1967 298 950 –652
we are now very hopeful that this 1968 312 715 —403
healthy trend will continue in 1969 344 514 —170
years to come because we now re 1970 298 572 —319
alise that self-reliance is a desir 1971 329 648 —319
able goal. Increased self-reliance 1972 427 350 P 77
requires the establishment of more 1973 465 507 — 42
sophisticated industrial concerns
TARLE II
with equipment bought and selec
ted technology from the indus Year Percentage Percentage
trially advanced countries and pay share in share in
ments made through our increased exports imports
exports. 1967-68 17.4 38.7
1968-69 17.3 30.1
Economic self-reliance is often 1969-70 16.8 29.5
eonfused with economic self-suffi 1970-71 13.5 27.5
1971-72 16.2 22.9
ciency. Economic self-reliance im
nlies the canacity try nav frn all 1972-73 14.1 12.5

our imports from out of our ex Source: G.O I. Foreign Trade Statistics
SOCIALIST INDIA 25 DECEMBER 28, 1974
 India's exports to the United TABLE III
States during 1972-73 comprised
mainly of traditional goods as in
(Rs. in million)
previous years. India's exports to
America from 1971-72 to 1972-73 Commodity 1971-72 1972-73

consisted of jute manufactures,

1. Jute manufactures 1269 996
cashew kernels, tea, crude mineral,
2. Cashew Kernels 287 237
etc. In 1972-73, nearly 50 per cent
of our exports to America compri 3. Fish & Fish preparations 132 172
4. Cotton fabrics 104 147
sed of traditional commodities,
5. Iron and Steel 24 64
viz. jute manufactures coffee, tea
and cashew kernels. Even amorg 6. Plants, seeds etc. used in 34 14

these goods some fared very bad perfumery –

ly in the American market. Ex 7. Sugar, raw & refined 86 98
8. Tea 61 49
ports of jute manufactures fell
from Rs. 126.9 million in 1971-72 9. Spices 35 35
to Rs. 99.6 million in 1972-73, that 10. Pearls, precious & semi-pre- 85 164
cious stones 52 62
of cashew kernels from Rs. 28.7
million to Rs. 23.7 million and of 11. Works of art, pieces &
tea from Rs. 6.1 million to Rs. 4.9 antiques 34 49

million during the same period. 12. Woollen Carpets

13. Leather 26 64
Jute manufactures in recent years
14. Coffee 44 63
have been under continues pres
sure from synthetics while other 15. Gums, resigns & balsam 53 51
16. Metal manufactures 19 42
products have been facing increas
17. Footwear 26 29
ed competition from other coun
tries. Among non-traditional items, 18. Opium, crude 26 36
which improved their performance 19. Clothing 26 52
20. Others 205 321
in the American market during
1972 were fish and fish prepara TOTAL 2631 2757
tions, iron and steel, metal manu
factures and recious and semi
precious stones. India's major ex
ports to the United States from TABLE IV
1971-72 to 1972-73 are given in
table III. (Rs. in million)
Commodity 1971-72 1972-73

1. Wheat 101 85
There is an urgent need for
2. Fertiliser manufactures 306 251
India not only to intensify its
efforts to export more of non 3. Machinery other than electric 479 381
traditional items to America for 4. Foreign cotton, raw 383 13
which there is a growing and sus 5. Transport equipment 215 225
tained demand but at the same 6. Other cereals, unmilled - 99
time maintain its hold in respect 7. Chemical elements & Com- 138 94
of the traditional items especially pounds
8. Iron & Steel 292 70
jute goods.
9. Soyabean Oil 278 117
10. Animal Oil & Fats 178 61
India's imports from the USA 11. Pulp & waste paper 71 48
since 1967-68 have been on the 12. Copper 134 7
downward trend. This is due to 13. Electrical machinery 132 141
the fact that a large portion of 14. Cereal preparations 87 98
imports from the US is financed by 15. Medical & Pharmaceutical 56 69
US aid and the rise or fall in im products
ports more or less coincided with 16. Fertilisers, Crude 40 51
the volume of aid made available.
Besides, as a policy objective, TOTAL: (including others) 4165 2246
there was the need to cut down aid
financed agricultural imports and
with greater emphasis laid on self There is substantial scope for on non-traditional exports. Some
reliance imports from US may fur stepping up the exports of non of the fastest growing sectors of
ther shrink. Table IV gives com: traditional products to the Ameri the U.S. market are consumer
modity-wise breakdown of India's can market. Diversification is ne goods, food products, engineering
imports from US from 1971-73 to cessary if big increases are to be items and electronic goods for
1973-74. effected, and more emphasis laid which there is unlimited potential.
SOCIALIST INDIA 26 DECEMBER 28, 1974

IN DO-EEC JOINT COMMISSION
On the invitation of the Gov
ernment of India the second ses
sion of the Indo-EEC Joint Com
mission was held in New Delhi on
December 17 and 18, 1974, under
the chairmanship of Shri Y. T.
Shah, Secretary, Ministry of Com
merce. The delegation of the
European Economic Community
was led by Dr. Manfred Caspari,
of the Directorate-General of Ex
ternal Relations of the Commis
sion of the European Communities.
It included officials of the Commis
sion and was assisted by represen
tatives of the member-States of
the Community. The Indian dele
gation was led by Shri Y. T. Shah,
Secretary to the Government of
India, Ministry of Commerce, and
included senior officers of the Com
merce and other Ministries as
also from the Indian mission to
EEC.
The session was inaugurated by
Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyaya, Minis
ter of Commerce. He underlined
the need for increasing the share
of India, one of the most severely
affected countries, in the trade of
EEC, through better access for
her commodities and development
of trade in new areas. India has
developed capabilities in many
fields which can be utilised to
mutual advantage. He recalled
with appreciation the series of
helpful decisions taken by the
European Economic Community
during 1974 such as bilateral grant
of $50 million to India in the
framework of United Nations
Emergency Operations, offer of
supply of sizeable quantity of food
grains and improvements in the
GSP in the context of Joint Decla
ration of Intent. He called for a
new bold aproach in the work of
the Joint Commission with a view
to ensuring that the ensuing re
sults are operationally significant.
Dr. Manfred Caspari, speaking
on the occasion, emphasised the
importance EEC attaches to evol
ving the development of its trade
relationship with India, particular
SOCIALIST INDIA
Text of the Communique
ly through co-operation. He ob
served that in spite of difficulties
resulting from the current econo
mic crisis the Community intends
to pursue its liberal foreign trade
policy and to continue its aid to
the developing world. He said
that while aid given in circumstan
ces of necessity has a role to play,
a lasting contribution to the pro
gress and development of a coun
try like India is made primarily
by mutually advantageous com
mercial and economic co-operation.
JUTE AND COIR,
The Joint Commission discuss
ed various measures for increasing
access to and encouraging demand
for Indian jute and coir products
in the Community market. Some
of the measures proposed will en
tail action by the Community
authorities to facilitate coopera
tion and contacts in research and
promotion between the manufac
turing and trading interests on
both sides. Other important con
clusions reached were to consider
quota increases for certain jute
goods, special treatment for “jute
specialities” and eliminating duties
on jute and coir products by mid
1977, and to promote exports of
handloom and handicraft products
to the Community by various mea
sures such as participation in trade
fairs, dissemination of publicity
material, etc. The Indian side pre
sented its views on cotton textiles,
but the matter was not discussed
in detail as bilateral negotiations
for a new agreement under the
Multi-Fibre Arrangement have al
ready commenced.
In its consideration of trade libe
ralisation the Joint Commission
noted the elimination of certain
non-tariff barriers and agreed to
keep under review problems aris
ing in this field. It was agreed
that it would be useful to ex
change information on public pro
curement policies and practices.
The Joint Commission consider
ed further a number of proposals
27
for cooperation aiming at develop
ment and diversification of trade
between India and the Community,
covering tea, cattle feed, leather
goods, light and heavy engineering
products and computer services.
In several of these fields prepara
tory work was already at an ad
vanced stage, and implementation
of the measures planned can be ex
pected to start early in 1975. The
Commission of the European Com
munities will in this context con
sider offering technical assistance
to common facility centres in the
leather industry, and will draw up
a trade promotion programme for
Indian light and heavy engineer
ing goods. Other proposals have
been referred to a sub-commission
for further study, as have some new
proposals in chemicals and allied
products, in fisheries and in cer
tain scientific and technological
fields such as the development of
new sources of energy and the re
cycling of industrial wastes.
With a view to promoting co
operation in third countries, it
was greed to disseminate in the
Community details of India's ex
port capacities.
Several improvements have been
made by the Community in its
Scheme of Generalised Preferences
for 1975. During the session it
was agreed to have technical con
tacts to enable Indian proposals
for improving the scheme to be
presented to the competent Com
munity officials. The EEC Will
take part in a series of seminars in
India in February 1975 and will
publish brochures to assist export
ers to make better use of the
scheme.
The next meeting of the Joint
Commission will take place in
Brussels in September 1975. Mean
while the sub-commissions set up
will continue the examination of
the various matters remitted to
them.
CE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
DECEMBER 28, 1974

LETTER TO
THE EDITOR
World Peace
And Detente
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's
call for universal detente has
ceived warm support from East
European Socialist countries. It
was echoed in the joint communi
ques issued at the end of the res
pective visits of the GDR and
Czechoslovak Prime Ministers to
this country. And the socialist
and other peace-loving nations all
over the world have almost with
equal force, supported the Indian
—rather the Asian—view regard
ing the Indian Ocean as a zone of
peace.
Nobody denies the value and
significance of what is called East
West detente, howsoever limited
its scope and content might be. It
does serve as a safeguard against
the danger of a clash between the
two super powers—-the USA and
the USSR—and the consequent
threat of a nuclear holocaust.
But, as we are witnessing in West
Asia and Indo-China, it provides
little guarantee of security and
peace to smaller countries living
constantly under the shadow of
War.
The theory of peaceful co-exist
ence—a priceless gift of the Nehru
era—confined to only two nuclear
giants might easily degenerate into
a sort of tacit understanding, in
ternational or otherwise, for non
intervention into what might even
tually come to be their respective
spheres of influence.
The global ramifications of the
US armed might, as seen in Viet
nam, Laos and Cambodia, in the
supply of arms directly or through
circuitous routes to Israel and
Pakistan, and lately in the expan
sion of the Diego Garcia naval
base in the Indian Ocean are but
menacing pointers.
Dr. Henry Kissinger's goodwill
visit to our country could well
have marked a peace-oriented tur
ning point in US global strategies.
As it happens, it has been quickly
followed by a renewed and larger
US naval intrusion into the Indian We have come to accept the
Ocean . But for American sup dictum that the world cannot live
port, the outdated CENTO (with half-free and half slave. We now
Pakistan's vigorous participation) have to accept the axiomatic truth
would not have been revived. that peace too, like freedom, is in
Even Australia and New Zea divisible. The frontiers of peace
land, both leaning towards the and freedom are universal. The
West, have felt like joining the theory and practice of peaceful co
Asian demand for a tension free existence among different political,
Indian Ocean. And no sensible social and economic systems will
soul in the world believes that the sound little better than a farce, or
USSR has any designs in the In at the best an extremely temporary
dian Ocean or elsewhere to justify expedient, unless those given to
re
American naval expansionism. the gun-boat diplomacy genuinely
Thus, the trends that tend to flow respond to the call for universal
from the East-West detente lead detente.
to the inevitable conclusion that a
Let us, however, be quite clear
detente, in order to safeguard
world peace as distinct from the in our minds that, while the objec
tive of world peace is central to the
peace and security of only the
Super Powers, has to be univer philosophy of socialism, it is even
less than peripheral to capitalism
sal.
which thrives on economic exploi
Not without logic or reason In tation and imperialist expansion
dia, since the very inception of her
ism. It is capitalism that breeds
independence, has consistently and class conflicts at home and violent
persistently been advocating com eruptions abroad. The fact of
plete and total disarmament cover
two warring ideologies is historical
ing the entire field of conventional
truth. It just cannot be wished
and nuclear arms. Indeed, it is this
away. And yet the world must
comprehensive and total concept
be made safe for peace. The call
of world peace that has prevented for universal detente shows the
India from signing the highly dis only way to such peace.
criminatory Nuclear Non-prolifera
RAM LAL VARMA
tion Treaty. And the USSR, a co
sponsor with the USA of this Convener, People's Forum for
Treaty, understands and appreci Radical Socialism.
ciates the Indian viewpoint. NEW DELHI.
HiMACHAL'S
FIFTH PLAN
OUTLAY-RS. 231.40 CRORES
Before After
(1973-74) (1979-80)
11 Lac Tonnes Food Production 14 Lac Tonnes
1.85 Lac Tonnes Cash Crops Produc 2.63 Lac Tonnes
tion
2.40 Lac Tonnes Fruit Production 4.11 Lac Tonnes
4,200 Villages Electrification 8,180 Villages
13,507 Kms. Roads 16,447 Kms.
86 Per cent Primary Education 100 Per cent
532 Public Health 584
Institutions
2,728 Drinking Water 5,635 Villages
Supply
HIM LOK SAMPARK

Indo-Soviet Cooperation In Agriculture
Ever since the advent of inde
pendence, India has followed the
course of steadily developing its
agriculture, and its annual agri
cultural production has more than
doubled during the past quar
ter of a century. To attain self
sufficiency in grain production is
one of the main tasks of the Fifth
Five-Year Plan; the target is 140
million tonnes of grain a year.
India's continued advance in this
field has been facilitated by the
friendly assistance of the USSR.
Indo-Soviet cooperation in agri
culture has an extremely wide
scope. One of its areas is the or
ganisation of large State-owned
farms. So far 13 such farms have
been established, including six set
up with Soviet assistance and
equipped with Soviet machinery.
These farms set the pattern for
the development of agriculture
throughout the country, growing
and distributing high-yielding
seeds or seedlings of wheat, rice,
cotton, sugarcane, legumes, fruit
trees and vines, besides raising
new breeds of cattle, sheeps, goats
and poultry. They provide gra
phic and convincing examples of
scientific methods of cultivation.
STATE FARMS
The first State farm in Rajas
than was Suratgarh, set up in the
50s with the help of Soviet speci
alists who passed on their know
how and skill to Indian farmers
and trained machine-operators
from among the local people, who
are now coping well with their job.
The average yields in the farm are
higher than there in neighbouring
fields. In 1972 the Suratgarh
farm harvested 117 centners (a
centner is equivalent to 1cwt.) of
rice per hectare—a record yield
even for countries with advanced
agriculture like Japan. Suratgarh
is an efficient and profitable farm.
In the 1972-73 financial year it
accounted for 5.7 million rupcog
SOCIALIST INDIA
DR. RAGHUVIR SINGH
out of the total profit of seven
million rupees earned by all state
owned farms in India.
Jawaharlal Nehru had said in
1963 that if India had a hundred
farms like that in Suratgarh, its
food problem would be solved. The
other agricultural farms set up
with Soviet assistance are also on
the whole operating successfully.
In 1972-73 their output was nearly
50 per cent higher than in the pre
vious year.
Soviet deliveries play a substan
tial part in providing agriculture
in India with modern machinery.
About 40,000 Soviet-made tractors
working in Indian fields account for
roughly one-fourth of the coun
try's tractor fleet. In collabora
tion with the USSR, an Indian firm
is assembling the T-25 “Vladimi
rets” tractors. About 2,000 have
rolled off the production lines since
1972. The tractor production is
expected to eventually reach the
capacity of 10,000 tractors per
year.
Needless to say, agricultural
yields largely depend on the ferti
lity of the soil. A key factor here
is the use of fertilisers, of which
India is experiencing a shortage.
To help it overcome this shortage,
the USSR has been supplying to it
thousands of tonnes of chemical
fertilisers. The theory and prac
tice of agriculture is another im
portant area of Indo-Soviet co
operation, offering vast opportuni
ties for pooling experience and for
joint undertakings, specifically in
genetics, an area in which both
countries have recently scored
signal successes.
In developing new strains of
wheat, rice and barley, Indian agri
culturists draw, among other
things, on the ideas of Academi
cian Nikolai Vavilov, one of the
founders of modern genetics, on
the existing genetic fund, and
make use of Soviet methods and
mutº genic agents. Through chomi
29
cal reactions, for example, it is
possible to bring about desirable
changes in the inherited character
istics of plants.
India has now set itself the task
of increasing the production of
oil-bearing crops to meet the
shortage of vegetable oils in the
country. To this end, along with
growing the traditional mustard.
groundnuts and castor-oil crops,
efforts are being made to intro
duce the cultivation of sunflower
in India. Soviet plant specialists
passed on to their Indian col
leagues during 1968-72 about 30
samples of sunflower stock seeds.
Indian specialists have undergone
training at the All-Union Research
Institute of Oil and Volatile Oil
Bearing Plants. In optimal condi
tions, the best Soviet sunflower"
varieties can yield up to 35 cent
ners of seeds from a hectare, with
oil content up to 50 per cent.
OIL CROPS
With Soviet assistance, India is
engaged in an intensive effort to
develop new breeds of livestock.
Merino siring rams are being used
to transform the local coarse-wool
sheep into fine-wool sheep. The
Indian livestock-breeders visited
the USSR to acquaint themselves
with the experience of their Soviet
colleagues at the All-Union Re
search Institute of Sheep and Goat
Breeding and on the livestock
farms of the Stavropol territory.
On their part, Soviet specialists
came to India to study the progress
in cross-breeding, which they found
very good.
During the visit to India in No
vember 1973 of L. I. Brezhnev, the
Soviet and Indian sides decided to
undertake new projects of coopera
tion in agriculture. In Aril 1974,
a protocol was signed on the set
ting up in India with Soviet help
of two sheep-raising farms. The
protocol also provides for Soviet
assistance to India in growing
sugar-beet. Another Indo-Soviet
protocol, signed in May 1974, re
lates to the expansion of coopera
tion in genetics, plant and livestock
culture and cross-breeding and the
holding of symposiums on topical
problems of agricultline.
DECEMBER 28, 1074
 w

developed between the two coun is a provision of Rs. 13 crores for

tries, especially since Bhutan be implementation of schemes design
congruation came a member of the United Na
tions.
ed to increase power production,
an additional Rs. 30 crores will be
required to carry out civil works
INDIA AND BHUTAN THE CANAPS connected with the schemes.

Continued from Page 24 + Continued from Page 7 (To be concluded)

Built with the assistance of
India, Bhutan's first highway was
opened in 1962. It connects Phunt
shoeing on the Bhutan-West Ben
gal border and Thimphu, the capi
tal of Bhutan. The highway is cer
tainly a symbol of ties of friend
ship and cooperation between the
two countries.
CLOSE TIES
In October, 1972, the Prime Mi
nister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, while
addressing a large gathering in
Thimphu said: “We are confident
that during the reign of King
Jigme Singye Wangchuk close ties
of friendship existing between our
two countries will grow further
from strength to strength".
the Congress President urged the
Partymen to close their ranks and
present a united front to the “anti
democratic and right reactionary
forces.” He said that any attempt
to weaken the Congress should be
viewed as an attempt to weaken
the nation.
The Defence Minister, Shri Swa
ran Singh, asked Congressmen and
others to “ignore all narrow inter
ests of personal or factional cha
racter” and to meet the challenge
posed by the Opposition parties
which were “marshalling all their
resources... to regain the ground
they have lost to our party
through successive electoral and
olitical confrontations.”
At the time of writing (Dec. 23)
BONMBAY HIGH
With the spudding of the third
oil well at Bombay High on De
cember 17, the prospects of oil
exploration in the country have
become brighter.
Giving this information to the
Consultative Committee of MPs at
tached to his Ministry, the Union
Minister of Petroleum and Chemi
cals, Shri K. D. Malaviya, said on
December 19 that the production
test on the second well had shown
that the oil flow was “several
times more” than that from anv
oil well onshore. He also told the
Committee that preliminary explo
ration work in the Kutch and Ben

Now when King Wangchuk is
on the throne, the wishes of his
late father will certainly be fulfil
led. This forward looking young
ruler of Bhutan has a modern out
look and he is aware how India's
economic aid will not only lead to
Bhutan's economic possibility but
also to its modernisation.
Currently, India is planning to
set up a cement plant and a pa
per plant, as well as the construc
tion of Rs. 80-crores Chukha hy
dro-electric project in Bhutan.
Preliminary investigations in re
gard to the cement and paper
plants have already been comple
ted and a team from Bhutan is
expected in New Delhi to finalise
details of the Chukha hydro-elec
tric project.
The Bhutan King's India visit
from December 18, to 28 highligh
ted the close relations which have
preparations are on for the train
ing camp to be held at Sanchi in
Madhya Pradesh from December
25. According to the MPCC Gene
ral Secretary Shri K. L. Mehta,
about 200 Congress leaders had
been invited to the camp. They in
clude office-bearers of the MPCC,
all DCCs, Youth and Mahila Con
gress, various study cells, MPs,
members of the AICC and minis
ters. The Congress President will
inaugurate the camp.
UTTAR PRADESH
Continued from Page 10
As expenditure on construction
of houses and buildings will now
be treated as Plan expenditure, a
provision of Rs. 4.75 crores has to
be made. In the power sector
there is a shortage of about 700
MW in view of stepped up de
mands in the State. Though there
gal basins had already started and
was proceeding “satisfactorily”.
The seismic surveys now on would,
he said, be followed by sea-bed
surveys.
Meanwhile, the production of
indigenous crude is estimated to
increase by about six to seven
lakhs tonnes next year. The esti
mate is based on the “Operation
Sokoil” in Ankleswar and “Opera
tion Quickoil” in Assam. The oil
and Natural Gas Commission also
hopes to start temporary oil pro
duction from the two proved “oil
bearing” wells at Bombay High.
Experts believe that the rate of
oil production at Bombay High
would be around 5,000 barrels per
well a day—more than double the
official estimate. But a more con
fident prediction, it is pointed out,
would be possible after the third
well (spudded last week) starts
operating.

congress (1885–1964)
Continued from Page 13
temper of industrial revolution to the people and to
give an economic bias to Indian understanding of
progress. For some time after he became Prime Min
ister, Jawaharlal Nehru was not sure of his hold on
the Congress; after Gandhi, it seemed he was out
numbered by those who did not believe in the poli
SOCIALYST AN}}#A
cies for which he stood. But he would not leave the
Congress, as his Socialist friends said he should.
He saw in it a mighty instrument, and when it came
over to him after challenges and counter challenges
in 1951, he made it his own. From the time of the
Lahore Congress in 1980, he had made his impress,
differing from Gandhi but working under his lea
dership. For fifteen years, after Gandhi, it was his
Congress as wholly as it had been Gandhi's,
38
DECEMBER 28, 1974

Effective Public Distribution
System For Bombay
The Bombay Pradesh Congress
Committee recently organised a
symposium in Bombay on the need
for an effective distribution sys
tem for essential consumer goods.
It was attended, among others, by
the Union Minister for Industries
and Civil Supplies, Shri T. A. Pai.
Following is the text of a work
ing paper read out at the sym
posium. The paper. was prepared
by Sarvashri B. A. Desai a mem
ber of MPCC, S. N. Zaidi, General
Secretary, BPCC, and Gurunath
Kulkarni, President, Bombay
Youth Congress.
On balance, the year 1974 has
been a year of great hardships for
the people of Bombay. Citizens of
Bombay endured it with discipline
and fortitude of which any nation
can be proud. This is in spite of
professional pessimists who keep
on dinning in our minds that
Indians have no discipline.
The main cause of hardship has
been the scarcity of essential goods
and soaring prices. Scarcity erup
ted rather unexpectedly and took
the people unaware. Many a time
the Government was also taken
unawares and therefore, could not
take quick and effective steps to
mitigate people's hardships. There
is no need to quote figures and
draw diagrams. Everyone has felt
the shortages and soaring prices
and wants the Congress Party and
the Government to do something
about it.
A year of hardship has taught
people of Bombay one lesson. They
have now realised that free mar
ket forces cannot be relied upon
to ensure availability of essential
goods at reasonable prices.
Experience of working of mar
ket mechanism has shown that
even a rumour of scarcity of any
essential item has a tendency to
drive the scarce item underground,
soaring the prices sky-high Hoar
ders start hoarding and black
money enables clandestine hoard
SOCIALIST INDIA t 31
ing. Hoarding by anti-social ele
ments, has played a major role in
pushing up prices of essential
goods. Under free market opera
tions even a marginal shortage
becomes sizeable and prices rise
disproportionately high.
Price-rise is one way of coping
up with scarcity. Price rise of es
sential goods does not affect the
well-off. They will buy commodities
in any case. The middle class and
working class will either reduce
consumption or go without the
commodity altogether.
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
Scarcity and shortages, in fact,
make it absolutely essential, in a
country like ours, to have an effi
cient, effective and acquitable pub
lic distribution system. Even in
England during the Second World
War and thereafter, there was ef
fective equitable distribution sys
tem in essential goods. It is ne
cessary that we deal with our
problems also on a war footing.
Fortunately, people of Bombay
and also experts have by and large
come to accept the need for effec
tive, efficient and equitable pub
lic distribution system for essen
tial goods at reasonable prices. A
year ago, perhaps, people had lur
king faith in free market in es
essential goods. But a year's expe
rience has been a good teacher.
People now want efficient public
distribution system and they now
want the Government and the
party to do something about it.
There is no doubt that our move
for setting up efficient public dis
tribution system will get over
whelming popular support.
The acamedicians have also sup
ported public distribution system.
Shri L. K. Jha, formerly Ambassa
dor to United States and now
Governor of Jammu and Kash
mir, addressing the Indian Natio
nal Committee of the Internatio
nal Chamber of Commerce on
“New factors in inflation” recen
tly stated inter alia that an abid
ing public distribution system for
essential goods including food
grains is a must for contain
ing inflation. Sham Lal,
Editor of the Times of India, in
an article on Nov. 6, 1971 wrote:
“. . . . such a moral climate can
come about only as a result of
new social policies which put dras
tic limits on the consumption of
the elite, accord a much higher
priority to the production of goods
which the poor need every day,
greatly narrow the disparities of
income and wealth and build up
an efficient public distribution
system for food and other daily
necessities.”
Dr. Rangnekar, one of the emi
nent economists of India, has in
an article stressed the importance
of efficient public distribution sys
tem. He maintains that public dis
tribution system should cover not
only foodgrains but also other
essential consumer goods and they
should be provided at reasonable
prices. According to him such a
system will confer increase in real
wages to workers which money
wages increase will not.
The All India Congress Com
mittee has in its 10-point prog
ramme contained in the economic
policy resolution declared “a well
organised system of distribution to
ensure availability of essential
consumer goods to the people at
reasonable prices”, as the basic
feature of its economic policy.
It will thus to seen that our
national policy and experts' opi
nion and public opinion go hand
in hand.
SCHEME FOR BOMBAY
On the basis of above analysis
we present a scheme for the public
distribution system for the city of
Bombay.
At present, there is no public
distribution system as such for
essential items in the city of
Bombay. There is the rationing
system only for rational items like
wheat, rice and coarse grains. It
covers partially sugar and now to
a limtied extent kerosene. Rest of
the essential items are in the open
market. In case of sugar and kero
sene, the quantity supplied falls
DECEMBER 28, 1974
far short of average requirements
of a worker's family. Important
items like edible oils, butter, soap,
medicines, salt are beyond the
purview of rationing system and
therefore subject to operation of
market forces.
In respect of the rationed items
stated above, there are at present
2,077 licensed ration shops for
Greater Bombay including certain
areas in Thana Districts. There
are 369 shops in Thana Zone and
the remaining 1,708 shops in the
Greater Bombay. Out of these
1,708 shops 432 are consumer co
operative shops, 93 factory shops
and the rest are grocery shops.
Even in respect of 432 cooperative
shops the genuine consumer co
operative shops are very few, most
of the consumer cooperative shops
are trader-inspired and trader
controlled.
The Controller of Rationing pro
vides rationed items on the basis
of population of 84 lakhs. There
are 20 lakh ration cards which
means generally speaking that
there are 20 lakh families. The
Rationing Department distributes
64,000 tonnes of foodgrains at the
rate of eight kilos per person and
distributes 58,000 bags of levy
sugar (one bag is equal to 1 quin
tal). After a study made by the
Controller of Rationing, it was
found that in order to have a via
ble economic rationing shop there
should be minimum 7,500 units.
Two units represent one adult. On
an average one shop would rep
resent 3,700 adults—roughly say
1,000 families. The present ration
ing system is functioning on the
basis of one shop, on an average,
catering to 1,000 families.
Plan for public distribution sys
tem of essential goods must cover
wider range of commodities than
covered by the present rationing
system. Under the Maharashtra
Scheduled Article (Display and
Marketing of Prices) Order No.
1966 the dealer is required to dis
play the prices of scheduled arti
cles. This list of scheduled articles
broadly covers the list of more
than 40 essential items. This
should ultimately be covered by
the public distribution system.
Even this list leaves out imme
diate essential items like cloth,
SOCIALIST INDIA
drug, etc. But to begin with it will
not be possible to cover all the
essential items but it is sugges
ted that a beginning be made in
respect of 1. Coarse and medium
variety cloth, 2. Edible oil includ
ing Vanaspati, 3. Pulses, 4. Sugar,
5. Kerosene, 6. Soap, 7. Drugs,
8. Note-book paper etc. especially
required for schools and colleges.
This list is tentative and can be
expanded, altered, modified on the
basis of the detailed consideration.
But the list must be progressively
increased.
ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE
The ultimate objective should
be to set up a single shop for all
essential items for 1,000 families.
Here the analogy of election booth
will be relevant. Just as one elec
tion booth covers 1,000 voters, si
milarly one essential item shop
should cover 1,000 families. The
ultimate objective should be to
see that all essential items
cluding foodgrains, sugar, kero
sene should be distributed through
a single shop. Ultimately the shop
selling the rationed items and non
rationed items will be one and the
same. In this fashion it is possible
to cover the entire city population
on the basis of one single shop
for 1,000 families for all essential
items over a period of time. This
shop will have a complete data
in respect of the families resi
ding in the zone and will be keep
ing the data up-to-date from time
to time.
At the outset it must be em
phasised that at present it is not
at all advisable to disturb the pre
sent rationing system of food
grains and must be left in tact.
For some, there will be dual sys
tem—one for rationed items and
the other for rest of the essen
tial items.
The immediate step to set up
at least 300 stores in the city of
Bombay which would be deal
ing in essential selected
These stores should be Govern
ment stores, consumers stores or
factory stores and must sell es
sential items at fixed prices. There
will be thus 300 stores covering
300 zones in which the city would
be divided.
Each store must endeavour to
32
set up at least six to seven shops
in each zone, in due course.
Step-by-step there will be about
2,000 to 2,200 shops in the city of
Bombay, each covering 1,000 fa
milies.
In this set-up employment po
tential for youths in such shops
will also be an important factor.
Social work oriented youths can
be employed for this distribution
system.
These 300 stores must be under
the supervision and guideance of
Civil Supplies Department and it
will be the duty of the Civil Sup
plies Department to run the sys
tem effectively and efficiently.
The important question in pub
lic distribution system is the sup
ply of requisite quota to feed the
distribution system. On the basis
of the data available with the Ra
tioning Department, it is not at
in
all difficult to know the monthly
quota required in respect of the
essential items. But it must be
clearly understood that in order
that the public distribution sys
tem succeeds the Civil Supplies
Department will have to ensure
that before the producers manu
facture any non-essential items or
superior variety items they must
manufacture essential items re
quired for public distribution sys
tem and supply them to the Civil
Supplies Department at the fixed
prices.
The prices may be fixed from
time to time. The producers must
be prohibited from selling other
items in the market unless they
supply the requisite quota of es
sential items to the Civil Supplies
Department for public distribution.
In order to make the public dis
tribution system a success it is
also essential that no other shop
or no other manufacturer should
be allowed to sell the items which
are sold under the public distribu
items. tion system, because if this is per
mitted it is likely that in order to
bring down the public distribution
system to knees, producers would
compete out the public distribu
tion system by indulging in dum
ping and underselling. The quota
system is absolutely essential and
the State must use, in the interest
DECEMBER 28, 1974
 of the society, all the coercive po
wer at their command in order to
secure the quota to feed the pub
lic distribution system. Without
this quota system no public dis
tribution system can succeed.
VIGILANCE COMMISSION
There is a need for a Price and
Vigilance Commission at the State
level. If any item is, likely to be,
in short supply the Commission
should advise the Civil Supplies
Department to immediately secure
the quota and put it under the
public distribution system. This
Commission can also examine
the question of price fixation, from
time to time. The Commission will
examine the question of fixing
price in a dispassionate and ob
jective manner and will not be un
der any political pressure.
In order that the public distri
bution may succeed and get the
popular acceptance it is essential
that there must be an atmosphere
of austerity created in the society
by intense advertisement campaign
that the people should be induced
to buy essential items from public
distribution system and shun the
luxury items. Without this auster
ity programme the requisite sº
cial atmosphere for the efficient
functioning of the public distribu
tion system will not be there.
There is no need to control the
prices of luxury goods but their
prices may be determined on the
free play of market forces. The
Government must impose heavy
excise and other duties to curb
consumption.
In the final analysis, the prob
lem of success of efficient public
distribution system is the prob
lem of political will and proper
personnel running the public dis
tribution system. It is not possi
ble to set up a safe public distri
bution system without the help of
the people and without employing
people who believe in the philo
sophy of public distribution system.
When the nuclear scientists de
cided to explode a nuclear device
in the Rajasthan desert they took
all precaution to see that nothing
goes wrong. When the Congress
Party and the Government decide
to take up steps to set up effi
cient, eſfective and equitable pub
lic distribution system it must
proceed with one goal and that is:
“We will not fail. Efficient, effec
tive and equitable public distri
bution system for essential goods
at reasonable prices is the demand
of the people and the crying need
of the day.

INDIA-B|HUTAN TIES project was signed earlier this trained.

year. It was noted with satisfac Production and Distribution of
tion that the work on Chuka Drugs: 1. All units of the
India and Bhutan have reaffirm
project and Pagli cement plant pharmaceuticals and drugs indus
ed “complete identity of views” was progressing satisfactorily. try with foreign equity should be
on bilateral and international nationalised immediately. 2.
They agreed to identify more
issues. In a joint press statement areas of mutual cooperation. Wholesale distribution of essential
issued in New Delhi on December
drugs and their formulations
22 at the end of the Bhutan King During his stay in New Delhi, produced by any sector should be
Jigme Singye Wangchuk's five-day the Bhutan King had talks with nationalised and entrusted to a
state visit to this country, the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the centralised cooperative agency
leaders of the two countries said External Affairs Minister Shri Y. with adequate quality control
that they would “continue to B. Chavan and others. The King facilities. 3. The import of all
maintain close coordination in was accompanied by his Foreign drugs and intermediates should
their foreign policies” in the spirit Minister, Mr. Lyonpo Cawa be canalised through STC.
of the Indo-Bhutan treaty of 1949. Tsering, and the Bhutanese
The statement said that the Permanent Representative at the RECOMMENDATIONS OF
Bhutan King's visit—his first U.N., Mr. Lyonpo Sangey Penjore, COMMISSION NO. 2
State visit to India since he as “The discussions, took place in a The total health care of the
cended the throne—served to country should be accepted as a
spirit of deep mutual respect and
“reaffirm the warmth and friend understanding, covered a wide commitment of the State and the
ship that has traditionally charac range of bilateral and international society should form one of the
terised Indo-Bhutan relations.” issues on which the two sides share “cores” of Plans.
The Prime Minister Smt. Indira a common interest”, said the state Text-books for medical students
Gandhi and the King of Bhutan ment. with emphasis On common
in their talks reiterated their diseases prevalent in India should
resolve to hold regular consulta be written and produced.
DRUG INDUSTRY
tions and coordinate their policies The purchase by Government
to further strengthen the relations Continued from Page 6 and quasi-Government agencies
between the two countries. should be confined to the items
On economic cooperation, India Control Organisations at the listed in the Formulary (which
agreed to assist Bhutan achieve Central and State levels. The should be revised) only under
the objectives of its third Five prime requisite is that the top formulary names.
year Plan scheduled to begin in officers in States who are in over The Convention was useful in
April 1976. all charge of quality control that it helped experts pinpoint
measures over drugs should be the problems faced by the drug
The statement said that the two well conversant with the techni industry and the solutions there
sides also discussed the progress ques of drug manufacture and of. Similar conventions will be
of the Chuka project. An agree testing. Adequate number of drug held in Calcutta and Bombay in
ment for the construction of the inzpectory must be appointed and the near future.
|SOCIALIST INDIA 33 DECEMBER 28, 1974
 Fax-nuddin a L-ari-Ed
sworn in as PREstoent, aug. 24

INDIA 1974.
---a-----------easº
Licences issue
BREaks in Parliam ENT, aug. 27

[s D. Jarr sworn in as vice-PREsident, Aug. ET

-
[... saeria Passes Blu-L TO Give
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associate status to sixxim, sept
[Indo-Pakistan TRADE PRotocol signed, wov. 30 India a Pakistan Exchange Mail, oct F]
D. x. Borooah taxes over
as cong. PREsident, oct. 19
kaishna Menon Dies, oct. 6

Railway struxe ENDs, May 8-28 Mrs. GANDHI LAY's Found ATION OF nucLEAR
Power PLANT at NARORA, JAN. 13
--
CRACKDown on ALLEGED-s-tuco-ERs

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Air India P-Lots cal-off 88-Days

Dºuguna's NEw ministry sworn in, was sº
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Nola Tests NucLEAR Device L

at Pokhanan, May 18

RETROSPECT PREsident's RuLE IMPosed

a assembly suspenDED, FEB-9 --P-R

Assembly Dissolved, war. 9 co-G-D-P New MinistRY

sworn N, DEc-e
oil-struck in Bombay High.
-FEB-18 Jayapraxas-LEADs-su-ENT MARCH
in Patna. APRIL 6
Heaviest Rain of century
CRIPPLE's BOMBAY, July -

president's rule imposed

and Assembly Dissolved, Jan. 3
Dinkar Dies, APRIL 24
ADMX-cPI coaution RESIGNs, Man. 27
PRohibition Reintroduced, sept.
INDIA concedes xacMcHarivu to sR. Lanka, JUNE 28

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* - IMPORTANT WORLD EVENTS OF 1974 - - - -- - - -

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UK *Aramanus roºms cabinet in GREEce, now 2.
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AMERICA A—“tº i-TEneman, sept Amºryz
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is- IRAN -w J’ Tanaka Resigns, Nov. 26,

wºxon Resigns, aug. 8 r
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Ford is swor--- I --------- TT"---|--|un conference on-on-D-Food EGr
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Ford gives ful L. Pandon
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to Nixon, sept. 8 º PREsident, May 20 coup ºn YEwen, ---

Eºrºr a sna-L sign ------ ºº:: 00:54

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coup in Nigen, of troops, an is
Indepen-DEnt, FEB.7 -Prº
ad-nºted to un, sept. 17
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a/~// / /* A fººt ºf ſt
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SOUTH Gu-E--Bissau -o-TT-d
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India Tests

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wns. PERon Becomes President

of a RGENTIna, -ul-Y-2
Gen. Juan Peno-dies,
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-
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LaRGEst Lvºn Exe-RClse
in Indian ocean, nov. 19
NUCLEAR DEVICE
Aſ POKHARAN,
May 18 non-a-----
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*
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ºſmº

SOCIALIST INDIA * **** **** 34 DECEMBER 28, 1974

PRIME MINISTER’s
CAN DID VIEWS ON
FAMILY PLANNING
Continued from Page 2
and conferences, rather than on
field work and field experience.
Family planning must be for all
people, not merely for family plan
ning circles.
Whenever a movement becomes
part of the general administrative
structure, it loses its original drive
and sense of mission. Care should
be taken that the family planning
movement at least does not become
a victim of rules. And emphasis
on security of service should not
be allowed to operate against tests
of performance and accountability.
The family planning movement
must encourage individual drive
among its personnel. It should
push ahead in areas of high pro
mise—such as the Industrial
growth points. Fortunately some
of our entrepreneurs and Indus
trial management are convinced
advocates of population control. By
a combination of official and non
official initiative we should be able
FOR THE FIRST SEVEN VOLUMES OF
From May 30, 1970 to Nov. 24 1973
Is now available priced at RUPEE ONE
AWAIT INDEX FOR VOLUNME VIII: NOW IN THE PRESS
SOCIALIST INDIA
to achieve even better results in
such regions. At the other end,
the family planning organisation
should give special attention to
the most backward areas, where
there is virtually no non-official
leadership. Here, official initiative
is all-important. If we make the
mistake of neglecting these areas,
then no matter how good the
achievements in the urban-Indus
trial areas, the national average
will remain low. A foreign obser
ver of India (Galbraith) has writ
ten that the birth control move
ment is so far continued to the
upper slice—the educated urbani
sed middle class and industrial
working class and has not spread
to the villages, and “It is in the
villages that the babies are born”.
In some of our Southern States,
this charm has been crossed. We
should therefore give special at
tention to the most backward
areas.
Somehow, the belief still per
sists that women have a greater
responsibility for family planning
than men. Our own traditional at
titude and the prevalent social out
THE INDEX
- -
suillisi
|RI)||
35
look in the West both tend to
throw the burden on the woman.
I am sure that if it were not for
the false pride of men (and of pa
rents-in-law), our younger women,
in villages as well as in towns,
would be more enthusiastic about
family planning.
Finally, family planning is an
intensely personal matter. More
imaginative methods have to be
devised to carry conviction to cou
ples and to remove their doubts.
Many short stories and essays in
our popular journals seem to have
a bias against family planning, on
the mistaken assumption that it
weakens conjugal loyalty. Such
propaganda must be vigorously
countered. Fortunately, there is
more open discussion of family af
fairs in the villages than among
the urban middle classes. Prudery
should be avoided and the media
should be used; but the medium is
not the message and by themsel
ves, neither should be used; but
reach the hearts of the people.
Far greater attention must be
given to the evolution of effective
means of persuation.
DECEMBER 28, 1974
 SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 28-12-74 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70
º -----e-o-º-º-º-º-º-º-º-º-º---------
{

INDIA

|S STATISTICS BELIE TALK

OF RECESSION
FPJ NEWS SERVICE :
G R E AT NEW DELHI, Dec. 13: Production figures in the
heavy industry sector available till October last do
not indicate any sign of recession in the Indian eco
nomy, although an assessment of other segments is
not yet available.
Production of sugar machinery in the first seven
O months was Rs. 141.77 crores till October 1974 as
against Rs.137.5 crores for the same period last year.
Cement machinery production was Rs. 5.66 crores as ſ
against Rs. 3.7 crores and that of paper machinery {
Rs. 3.89 crores as against Rs. 2.58 crores last year. {

NM A K E There has been all-round increase in production

barring railway wagons and commercial vehicles.
Scooters produced totalled 50,841 till October 1974
as against 44,852 last year, motor cycles 31,970
(29,548) mopeds 19,381 (15,610) tractors 16,034
IT (12,062), chemical machinery Rs. 2,090 lakh (1,690
lakhs) and rubber-machinery Rs. 176.33 lakhs {
(Rs. 84.75 lakhs).
The number of commercial vehicles produced was
only 22,501 as against 28,781 during the same period
GREATER | “.
Railway wagon production totalled 6,250 in
number till October this year as against 6,700 last
: year.

The Union Government is understood to feel that

too much talk about recession may affect export. A
feeling may go round abroad that because Indian in
dustry is not in a position to find domestic market,
it is trying to sell abroad, thus, adversely affecting
THIS IS THE TENTH IN A their capacity to sell at competitive rates.
SERIES OF ADVERTISE- (
MENTS DESIGNED BY Courtesy: FREE PRESS JOURNAL, Bombay.
“SOCIALIST INDIA.” IN
PUBLIC INTEREST.

*************************-*-**-e-º-º-º-º-º-e-e-s-s-s-s-s-4-e e-s 3–4 e- e.e. e. e-º-º-º-º-º-e-º-º-e-ee-ee-e-ee-e-e—e-e-e—e-e—eſ

 Siſills'ſ JANUARY 4, 1975
|N|| 30p.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR
1975 OPTIMISTIC
The nation enters the new year with a more
hopeful economic outlook leaving behind one more
year of severe stresses and strains caused by various
internal and external factors, says an economic re
view by the Press Trust of India.
Growing inflation, shortages of critical industrial
raw material and essential consumer items, rising
prices and mounting import bill for critical inputs had
almost brought growth to a standstill.
However, the economy had managed to absorb
many a shock which has an unsettling effect like the
petroleum price rise, strikes in essential services like
railways and air services.
Despite the dramatic recovery on the export
front with an all-time record of 41 per cent increase
in export earnings in the first 10 months of the year,
the country will end up with a sizeable trade deficit
because of the spurt in the value of critical imports
like food, fertilisers and oil products.
Imports between April and October rose by 50
per cent over the previous year raising the bill to
Rs.2.039 crores and leaving a deficit of Rs. 337 crores.
The bill on fertiliser imports rose from Rs. 96.3
crores in the corresponding period last year to as
much as Rs. 162.2 crores, food from Rs. 80.8 crores
to Rs. 473 crores and oil products from Rs. 204 crores
to Rs. 560.3 crores, largely on account of price esca
lation in the overseas market than quantitative in
Crease.
The most press’ng problem during the year had
been that of inflation. However, looking at the re
sults of official measures to arrest the situation in
the last three months, economic planners seem more
hopeful in the New Year although the full extent of
the impact of the corrective action is yet to be felt.
{ A notable feature of the economic situation has
been the welcome decline in wholesale prices in the
DEMOCRACY e SOCIALISM e secº-TNENATENTENT
FOCUS ON ECONOMIC
RECOVERY
*
JP Movement is
COLLAPSING
last quarter of the year, even though it had not ade
quately reflected itself at the retail level.
Two factors are stated to be responsible for the
inflationary pressure which began building up in the
middle of 1972—the spillover effects of the Bangla
desh crisis and decline in agricultural production be
tween 1971 and 1973. The difficulties were com
pounded by erratic monsoon, power shortages and
resulting stagnation in industrial output and sharply
reducing the overall growth rate.
Coal supply position had been another factor
contributing to the industrial stagnation.
According to official sources, many of the anti
inflationary measures initiated during the latter half
of the year including the recent Reserve Bank cre
dit squeeze had brought down the increase in money
supply from 18 per cent in 1973 to 11 per cent dur
ing the year. Consequently they feel the overall
macro-environment was now more conducive to eco
nomic stability..
The official wholesale price index which - rose
from 271.2 at the beginning of the outgoing year to
as high as 328.7 in September had dropped to 320.6
though still about 60 points above the 1973 level.
One of the reasons attributed is the absence of
seasonal rise in the price of food despite the bleak
kharif prospects. Had the prices risen as they
should have, the result would have been a further
bout of inflation. Officials attribute this phenomenon
to the weakening of inflationary forces in the eco
nomy.
The credit squeeze and slight price fall had led
the business community to fear recession. The Fin
ance Ministry, however, allayed these fears though
falling prices would inevitably affect the abnormally
Continued on Page 4
NEVVS PICTURES

RIGHT: The Union Minister for

Shipping and Transport, Shri Ka
malapati Tripathi, speaking at the
function held to mark the founda
tion day of the Indian National
Congress on December 28. The pic
ture also shows (from Left to
Right) Shri Swaran Singh, Smt.
Purabi Mukherjee, Shri K. C. Pant,
Smt. Margaret Alva and Shri
Radha Raman (the report appears
on page 9).

LEFT: King Jigme Singye

Wangchuk of Bhutan being receiv
ed by the President, Shri Fakhru
ddin Ali Ahmed, the Prime Minis
ter, Smt. Indira Gandhi and other
senior Ministers and officials when
he arrived in New Delhi on De
cember 18 on a five-day State visit
to India.

RIGHT: A view of the long pro

cession taken out by coal-mine
workers under the auspices of the
Madhya Pradesh Rashtriya Koyla
Khadan Mazdoor Sangh (affiliated
to INTUC), at Chandameta (Dis
trict Chhindwara, M.P.) to protest
against the fascist movements like
the one in Bihar. The procession
later turned into a rally where the
speakers called upon the working
classes to beware of the disruptive
forces. .
 Weekly of the Indian
L_- Vol X. No 5
National Congress pub
S0. G||| |S I lished every Saturday
from AICC Camp Office,
CONTENTS
January 4, 1975
|ND | | 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Road, New Delhi 110001.
Editorial
'Phone: 383521.
- Tº Prime Minister at Rohtak
"Grams: SOCIALIST
Congress Camps in Ten States

EDITORIAL BOARD
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV
(Chairman)
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY
Prime Minister's Address to INTUC
INTUC President's Address
INTUC Resolutions
Congress Day Celebrated
No chance of Bihar-tpye
Stir in Orissa
Panchanan Kanungo
i
10
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA
SAIL: Performance and Prospects
N. P. Yadav 11
O
Parliament: End to an
Acrimonious Session
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
J. M. Deb 13
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Book Review: India's Atomic Test
in Perspective
(Chairman)
Govindankutty 14
Shri I. K. GUJRAL River Valley Projects make headway 16
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA Drug Industry in India
Shashi Bhushan 17
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA
Uttar Pradesh: Mobilisation of Resources
Shri P. C. SETHI
and Development—II 19
Science Cooperation Agreement signed 22
World Hindi Convention
Anant Gopal Sheorey 23
Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAV Dr. Mario Soares in Delhi 24
Fxecutive Editor: JAG MOHAN Rift among JP Supporters 25
Miscellany 26
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA
1974 in Retrospect 27
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Over 700 held for Smuggling 28
Committee and printed at National Herald Press, Storm in Kerala Tea Cup
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. A Correspondent 29
Indo-Bangladesh Trade Protocol 30

The views expressed by Contributors are not neces SOCIALIST INDIA WISHES ITS READERS
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

ruption which have come to the fore lately have

Lalit Narayan Mishra Dies
A Martyr’s Death
The nation was pulunged in grief when it learnt
that the Railway Minister, Shri Lalit Narayan
Mishra, died a martyr's death, when he succumbed
to the bomb blast injuries on the operation table at
the Danapur Railway Hospital on January 3.
As the Congress Working Committee, which
met at Delhi on the same day, pointed out in a reso
lution, Shri Mishra “fell a vitim to the cult of violence
intimidation and coercion which was being spread
by fascist and anti-democratic elements and groups
out to undermine democracy and create chaos.” “The
fascist forces out to destroy democracy have claimed
their first victim,” as has been pointed out by the
Congress President. And, as the Prime Minister has
explained in her condolence massage, “forces of dis
80CIALIST INDIA
spread hatred and indirectly encouraged violence
and it is this atmosphere which is responsible for
this dastardly crime.”
The late Shri Mishra died at the post of duty for
he had gone to commission the newly converted
broad gauge line between Samastipur and Muzaf
farpur stations of North-Eastern Railway. It was
while getting down from the rostrum erected for
the function that the bomb had exploded injuring
him and 27 others, including his brother, Dr. Jagan
math Mishra, two MPs two MLAs and three MLCs.
Though the early reports said Shri Mishra was not
injured seriously, later it was found out that the
bomb splinters had entered his intestines, which
necessitated the operation. It was the dastardly con
spiracy to assasinate him that led to his death and
no words can be strong enough to condemn it.
The late Shri Mishra during his tenure in the
Government had held important * portfolios like
JANUARY 4, 1975
Labour, Employment and Rehabilitation, Defence
Production, Foreign Trade and Railways and he dis L, N, MISHRA DIES AFTER BOMB BLAST
charged his “responsibilities with zeal and sincerity.”
As the CWC resolution recorded, “he will be always With deep regrets, SOCIALIST INDIA records
remembered for his personal warmth, devotion to the tragic death of the Railway Minister, Shri Lalit
Narayan Mishra on the morning of January 3 as a
duty, dynamism and commitment to the ideals of result of bomb blast injuries the previous evening.
democracy, secularism and socialism”. A freedom
fighter from his student days, his services to his The bomb exploded around 5-30 p.m. (January 2)
as the Railway Minister was stepping down from the
home state were many and cannot be easily
dais at the Samastipur railway station after inaugura
forgotten. ting the 53-Km long Samastipur-Muzaffarpur broad
The Bihar police in collaboration with the CBI gauge line. Shri Mishra had received injuries in his
officials will definitely unravel the conspiracy and thighs and below the abdomen Shri Mishra was ad
expose the fascist forces behind it. Shri Mishra's mitted to the Danapur Railway Hospital around
midnight. A serious operation was performed as bomb
death remains “a warning to all people about the splinters had entered his intestines.
sinister designs of reactionary, anti-democratic and
fascist forces.” And it is hoped that these forces Anand Margis, R.S.S. elements and other fascist
forces are suspected to have perpetrated the outrage.
will be isolated and sanity will return to Bihar. Then, The possibility of Naxalite involvement is not counted
Shri Mishra would, by his untimely and premature out.
death, still have served the nation.

P. M. Addresses
Farmers At
Rohtak
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, said on December 30 that
removal of Governments through
extra-constitutional means would
amount to injecting an element of
uncertainty and instability in the
political system and would set a
bad tradition. She asked the peo
ple to lend stability to the duly
elected Governments in the States
and at the Centre by ignoring the
agitations launched by the Opposi
tion parties.
Addressing a huge gathering at
Rohtak comprising mainly of far
mers the Prime Minister said that
the Bihar agitation had only har
med the people of the State. The
agitation, she said, was claimed to
be against high prices and corrup
tion but the administration there
had been prevented from checking
these evils. She said the parties,
which were supporting the JP
movement, had, in spite of their
conflicting ideologies, joined hands
because they were not confident of
capturing power through the elec
toral process. The Prime Minis
ter advised the people, especially
the students, to shun violence and
work for economic freedom.
Smt. Gandhi said that the eco
nomic conditions of the big coun
tries were in doldrums tºday and
many people expreased theiß ºw"
$QCIAºts? INDIA
prise how we were controlling the Party was mainly a party of far
situation in India. It was the duty mers and it was wrong to say that
of every citizen to save India from it ignored agriculture and invested
the deepening world economic cri heavily in industry. Industrial de
sis. If the attention of the Gov velopment was essential even for
ernment and the people was diver modernising agriculture. She, how
ted through agitations, India ever, regretted that the benefits
would not be able to progress, she of bank nationalisation had not
said. reached the lowest level because
The Prime Minister said that there were people in these insti
there were, no doubt, shortages of tutions who resisted every progres
power, fertiliser and other essen Sive measure.
tial commodities. But the Govern The Prime Minister concluded
ment was doing everything pos her 35-minute speech by wishing
sible to mitigate the difficulties. It a happy New Year and a good crop
was importing machinery, fertili to the people of Haryana.
ser, food, etc. She said the long On her arrival, she was receiv
ed at the specially built helipad
term remedy was to raise produc
tion, both in the agricultural and by the Haryana Chief Minister,
industrial sectors. Shri Bansi Lal, his Cabinet col
Smt. Gandhi said the Congress leagues and Party leaders.
ECONOMIC OUT LOOK FOR 1975
Continued from Cover Page
high levels of profitability enjoyed by the industry
in the last two years.
The Ministry does not feel there is a general
decline in demand to the extent of affecting capacity
utilisation, though it could lead to liquidation of high
priced inventories built up during scarcity periods.
With more changes in the import and industrial
policies in the offing especially in the context of a
major export effort the nation hopes to launch next
year planners are confident of a speedy recovery of
industrial growth and the economy in general.
On the external front, the economy entered the
phase of readjusting itself to the structural upheav
als in the international economic situation triggered
off by the oil crisis and scarcity of high priced items
like food, fertilisers and energy resources. This was
partly possible because of the heavy drawals on the
International Monetary Fund under various facilities
to the tune of Rs. 488 crores despite the 41 per cent
inerease in export earnings,
+----- (\ ... v.- - - - - - wº -- - - -, JANUARY 4, intº
- - - -- *__ - *—ºr
Congress Camps
In Ten States
Ten States have already com
pleted cadre training camps after
the Central Camp held at
Narora (Uttar Pradesh) in Nov
ember. Camps for youth and
students are also being organised
with the State-level camps.
The ten States are Assam,
West Bengal, Haryana, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu,
Madhya Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh and Goa.
District-level training
have been completed in Haryana.
In Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab,
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and
Kerala the plans for holding
district-level camps are being given
final touches. Later similar camps
will be organised at the block
level throughout the country.
The Congress President, Shri
Dev Kanta Borooah, is attending
all the State level camps. He has
expressed the hope that during the
next two to three months, nearly
one lakh Congress workers at the
DCC level and another one lakh
student and youth cadres will un
dergo training.
Addressing the concluding ses
sion of the three-day State level
STOP PRESS
INDO-PORTUGUESE
TREATY
The Minister for External
Affairs, Shri Y. B. Chavan, and
his Portuguese counterpart, Dr.
Mario Soares, signed in New Delhi
on December 31 a Treaty which,
in the words of the two Foreign
Ministers, buried “two decades of
confrontation” and established the
basis for friendly cooperation bet
ween the two countries.
80CIALIST INDIA
camp organised by the
Pradesh Congress Committee at
Nangal on December 22, the Con
gress President called upon
Congressmen to sink their differ
ences and rise above petty per
sonal feuds to meet the challenges
posed by the Right reactionary
and anti-democratic forces.
Shri Borooah said the Congress
alone was competent to
unity, progress and prosperity of
the country. There was no other
party with a nation-wide secular
appeal acceptable to all sections
of people and areas. Any attempt
to weaken the Congress should be
viewed as an attempt to weaken
the nation when it was grappling
with problems of far-reaching re
mifications.
camps
Inaugurating the Himachal Pra
desh Congress workers' training
camp at Una on December 23, Shri
Borooah said that the rural peo
ple were the real strength of the
Congress and they should not be
ignored at any cost. He said there
should be a proper link between
the office-bearers of the Party and
members of the Assemblies
Ministers. He said only a complete
rapport between these wings would
help the Party to meet the chal
lenges posed by the anti-democra
tic forces.
He said the Congressmen should
do their best to strengthen the
Party which alone could deliver
the goods. He said the Party
The first article of the Treaty
says, “Portugal acknowledges
that the territories of Goa, Daman,
Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli have
already become parts of India, and
hereby recognises the full
reignty of India with effect from
the dates when they became parts
of India under the Constitution of
India.”
The two countries have agreed
under the Treaty to settle through
bilateral negotiations, all outstand
ing questions concerning
perty, assets or claims of their res
pective citizens, and matters re
lating to the property and assets
of eiter side in the territories of
the other States. The Treaty pro
vides for a similar settlement of
5 *
Punjab should be strengthened by educa
ting its cadre and maintaining dis
the
cipline.
Addressing a three-day Cong
ress workers' camp at Gobichet
tipalayam, about 100 kms from
Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, on De
cember 31, the Congress Presi
dent said that the agitation led
by Shri Jayaprakash Narayan was
ensure a danger to democracy, socialism
and secularism and should be
fought “tooth and nail” by Cong
ressmen. He asked the Congress
men not to waste time in specula
tions regarding alliance or adjust
ment with other parties, but con
centrate their efforts on streng
thening the Party in Tamil Nadu.
TWO CONGRESS CAMPS
IN EASTERN U. P.
The Central Campaign Com
mittee has decided to hold two
camps — one in Gorakhpur and
the other in Varanasi — in Janu
ary. The Gorakhpur camp will be
held on January 17 and 18 and the
Varanasi camp on January 18 and
19. The Congress President, Shri
and
D. K. Borooah will attend the
Varanasi camp.
The Chairman of the Central
Campaign Committee, Shri Jagji
van Ram, the Union Minister for
Shipping and Transport, Shri
Kamalapati Tripathi, and the Min
ister for Communications, Dr.
Shanker Dayal Sharma will, among
others, address the camps.
rights and claims of Indian citi
zens and other persons who re
turned to India from territories
under Portuguese administration
in regard to the properties and
sove assets left behind by them.
The text of the Treaty, drawn
up in Hindi and Portuguese, was
signed at a simple ceremony, at
which the two Foreign Ministers,
after signing the Treaty, embrac
ed each other.
An official announcement was
made simultaneously about the re
pro sumption of diplomatic relations
at the Embassy level between the
two countries with effect from
16.00 hours IST On December 31.
The two countries decided to dis
pense with the formality of wait
ing for ratification of the Treaty.
JANUARY 4, 1975

Prime Minister’s
Address To
INTUC Session
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, has called upon workers to
work hard and increase produc
tion because the present infla
tionary conditions could be arrest
ed only by sustained production.
The , she said, should also pro
duce goods of mass consumption
and having export potential.
Inaugurating the 20th session of
the Indian National Trade Union
Congress at Shivaji Park in Bom
bay on December 28, the Prime
Minister said that increased pro
duction was the only answer to
the many economic ills that bede
villed the country. Increase in
wages, bonus or allowances would
not solve the problem. It would
only lead to further decrease in
the value of the rupee. Increased
wages to the organised section of
workers, she said, would adversely
affect those in the unorganised
spheres as well as those in the
rural areas and lead to further
price spiralling.
The Prime Minister said that
strikes, such as the recent railway
strike, were only obstacles to the
progress of the nation. The rail
way strike had disastrous effects
on the nation's economy. Prices
CONGRESSMEN
TAK PLEDGE
The AICC General Secretary,
Shri Aziz Imam, inaugurated on
December 31 in New Delhi a two
day National Convention of Young
Congressmen at which the dele
gates took a pledge to work “ſor
the establissment of a society
where there shall be freedom, de
inocracy and social justice.” They
vowed to place their services in
the hands of the Prime Minister,
Smt. Indira Gandhi and the Con
gress Party.
SOCIALIST INDIA
had risen on account of stoppage
of movement of goods. Similarly,
she said, those people who talked
about revolution believed in des
tructive methods and violence.
Such methods did not harm the
Congress Party but harmed
nation as a whole and weakened
its foundation.
Smt. Indira Gandhi said
Government was committed
improving the living standards of
the masses. However, the country
faced droughts, floods and other
natural calamities in addition
three aggressions. On the top of
them, the Opposition parties also
created obstacles through agita
tions in which people with differ
ent ideologies were involved.
The Prime Minister said
agitations which were being carried
on in the name of fighting cor
ruption were in fact based on false
hood and baseless charges. She
regretted that the Opposition par
ties had lowered the image of
India in foreign countries. Some
of the persons who raised corrup
tion charges were themselves not
above board. They were trying to
divert the attention of the people
from their own questionable prac
tices.
She said these people were afraid
of introducing social changes. The
parties involved in the agitations
against corruption were themselves
not capable of removing corrup
tion. The Bihar agitation was car
ried on by the RSS volunteers and
Anand Margis. It is the same RSS
which was responsible for the as
Nearly 500 delegates from
Assam, Tripura, West Bengal,
Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi,
Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Har
yana, Jammu and Kashmir and
Karnataka attended the conven
tion.
In his inaugural address, Shri
Aziz Imam said that Mahatma
Gandhi won freedom for the coun
try with the support of the peo
ple. Jawaharlal Nehru consolidat
ed the foundation of that freedom
and democracy. Today Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi was striv
ing for a new society where there
6 . … < *.
sassination of the Father of the
Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
The Prime Minister said some
parties which were parochial in
their outlook were carrying on a
campaign of vilification and charac
the ter assassination. It was regretta
ble that these very same persons
carried on a “propaganda warfare
the based on falsehood” in their week
to lies and periodicals. Even on the
floors of the Assemblies they re
peated their questions again and
again even when answers had been
to given to them.
Smt. Indira Gandhi said the Gov
ernment was ready for talks on
electoral reforms. But this could
not be held with a small group of
people and it had to involve the
entire community in the process.
the
The system of proportional re
presentation was not suitable for
India and the countries which had
tried it had also realised the futi
lity of the system. She said the
system of proportional represen
tation was a complex one and the
people in the country, especially in
the villages, would find it difficult
to exercise their franchise if the
system of proportional representa
tion was adopted without taking
into consideration the pros and
cons of the system.
Referring to the black-flag de
monstrations held in many parts
of Bombay against her, the Prime
Minister said such demonstrations
would not solve any problem. On
the contrary, she added, demons
trations, agitations and strikes
only worsened the economy of the
country.
would be no exploitation of man
by man. He said it was this goal
that the forces who wanted to pre
serve the status quo were trying
to upset.
Those who addressed the con
vention included the Minister of
Petroleum and Chemicals, Shri K.
D. Malaviya, Shri Shashi Bhushan,
MP and Shri Vijender Jain, Muni
cipal Councillor.
Shri Jain said that the dele
gates would contact at least 10,000
people, door to door, in a 100-day
campaign.
JANUARY 4, 1975

INTUC PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS
The Indian National Trade Union
Congress (INTUC) president, Shri
B. C. Bhagawati, MP, said in Bom
bay on December 28 that “near
anarchic” conditions prevailed in
the sphere of wages and suggested
that there should be a national
wage policy linked with a national
incomes and prices policy.
In his presidential address to the
20th session of the INTUC, Shri
Bhagawati said. “Some people”
talked of a national wage policy
only with a view to stopping or
discouraging further increase in
wages. “This approach is wrong,”
he added.
“We are not opposed to a na
tional wage policy,” he said. “On
the other hand we welcome it. But
it must be linked with the national
incomes and prices policy.”
Referring to the movement in
Bihar led by Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan, Shri Bhagawati said it
was gratifying to note that the
working class had kept itself away
from it. The movement was “try
ing to cut at the very root of de
mocracy and socialism.”
Shri Bhagawati said that the
movement was sought to be utilis
ed as a sort of a camouflage by the
“grand alliance of right reaction
aries.”
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC MOVES
“The trade unions have to be
on guard against very clever mano
euvres of the vested interests to
undermine the very basis of demo
cracy and socialism on which the
security and well-being of the
working class depends,” he said.
The INTUC president added that
these vested interests waxed elo
quent about democracy, when it
(democracy) safeguard their inter
ests and upheld the doctrine of
laissez-faire but when through de
mocratic institutions, reasonable
curbs put on property rights and
means of production were brought
under social control, they tried to
undermine democracy itself.
Shri Bhagawati said that this
was the reason that the vested in"
*OCIALIST INTIA - . . . .
terests had now directed their
attack on democratic institutions
like Parliament and State Assem
blies.
He said the working class was
against such a movement and as
a progressive force the organised
workers could analyse the politi
cal situation correctly.
He said they understand the im
plications and motivations of such
movements, which really wanted
to divert people's mind and side
track them from their struggle on
basic ceonomic issues by raising
superficial political slogans.
Shri Bhagawati said that “right
reaction” would have to be fought
on the political level but that
would not be enough unless they
were fought on the economic level.
“The surest way to fight the eco
nomic battle successfully,” he said,
“is to accelerate the economic
growth and ensure equitable dis
tribution of the national wealth so
that people who are economically
in the lowest strata can also get
its benefit.”
Calling upon the trade union
movement to educate the working
class on the socio-political ideology
the country was aiming at, Shri
Bhagawati said much could be
achieved on this plane if the orga
nisation of the working class was
diversified and special emphasis
was laid on organising workers in
the rural Sector.
“Organise the unorganised,” Shri
Bhagawati said and called upon
the INTUC activists to strengthen
the INTUC-affiliated national rural
labour federation by bring into its
fold masses belonging to categories
of agricultural labourers, landless
peasants, share croppers, small
farmers, village artisans and the
like.
RECESSION
Rejecting suggestions of there
being a recession in the country,
Shri Bhgawati said that this
“bogey” was being raised by some
industrialists be: ause of the fall in
*—---
prices of industrial goods, whose
prices had earlier been raised to
such an extent that they were be
yond the means of the middle class
let alone the common man.
He said that in a developing
country like India, the question of
recession could not arise at all,
because there was a big shortage
of wage goods.
“If we consider the present low
standard of living of the mass of
people and the necessity of various
goods to raise their standard, it
will be evident there is much scope
for increasing the tempo of indus
trialisation manifold without any
difficulty,” he said.
Shri Bhagawati called for the
cleaning up of public life and for
rooting out of corruption.
“Public men will have to build
up an image of purity and self
denial as was taught by the
Father of the Nation, so that the
public can have full confidence in
them.”
The INTUC President said that
with this end in view, instead of
throwing mud and remaining satis
fied by putting the blame on
others, one should make one-self
a fit instrument to serve the
people.
HOARDING
He said measures would have to
be taken to curb black-marketing
and hoarding. “On the ozle hand
such steps, which have been taken
recently against smugglers and
hoarders, will have to be maintain
ed with vigour, and on the other
the public distribution system has
to be improved and enforced,” he
said.
Shri Bhagawati said that there
were signs of improvement in the
economy, but the country might
have to go a long way to ensure a
steady and accelerated growth. So
that the economy might not only
cope with the problem of poverty,
but also meet the situation created
by increasing population and ris
ing standards of living.
To achieve this, he said, priority
had to be given to provision of re
gulated water supply for irriga'.
tion. For too long had the Indian
farmer depended on the vagaries
of the monsoon resulting in the
JANUARY 4, 1075
ertremes of floods or droughts, he
added.
Secondly, the INTUC leader said
land reforms must be implemented
vigorously and the small farmer
must receive priority with regard
INTUC Resolutions
The Indian National Trade Union
Congress recommended the
setting up of a standing National
Incomes, Wages and Prices Com
mission to remove the disparities
in incomes and wages at its 20th
session.
A resolution adopted at its 20th
session, which concluded at Bom
bay on Dec. 29, said that it was
necessary to remove forthwith “un
justified” disparities by fixing a
ceiling on earnings and incomes
and enforcing restrictions on rents,
dividends and profits.
The Commission should have a
supervisory and correctional juris
diction over all contracts, agree
ments, awards and settlements re
garding wages and incomes and
movement of prices, particularly of
essential items, the resolution said.
The delegates session, addressed
-
FOR THE FIRST SEVEN VOLUMES OF
From May 30, 1970 to Nov. 24 1973
Is now available priced at RUPEE ONE
AWA:T INDEX FOR VOLUME VIII: NOW IN THE PRESS
SOCIALIST INDIA
to supply of agricultural inputs.
-The INTUC President called for
mobilisation of resources from
those people who had secured
greater benefits from economic
development.
Calling for curbs on consump
earlier by the Congress President,
Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, the two
Union Ministers, Sarvashri Mohan
Dharia and Raghunatha Reddy,
and trade union leaders, also adop
ted resolutions on the political and
economic situation, planning and
labour welfare.
In his address, Shri Borooah
stressed the need for uniting the
landless labour and other unorga
nised workers in rural areas as
part of the economic welfare pro
gramme.
He said it was high time that
the INTUC directed the greater
part of its energies in organising
the rural labour who remained de
prived of the benefits of the eco
nomic progress because of lack of
organised efforts.
The resolution on employment,
pleading for jobs to all able-bodied
persons, suggested a 17-point pro
gramme which included full utili
sation of the existing installed ca
THE INDEX
º Cº. º
SUGALIST
tion “at the top level”, the INTUC
president said, “the nation should
be prepared to avoid wasteful ex
penditure and concentrate on in
vestment on basic industries and
production of essential consumer
goods.
pacity, takeover of all sick and
closed units and introduction of
seven-day weeks.
The resolution also stressed the
need for subsistence allowance to
unemployed persons.
The resolution on the political
situation expressed concern over
the Bihar agitation and urged the
working class to ignore such agi
tations which sought to “destroy
the very foundations of demo
cracy.” -
The economic resolution sugges
ted demonetisation of higher deno
mination currencies.
It also urged the government to
continue relentlessly the drive
against smugglers, hoarders, pro
fiteers and blackmarketeers.
On social security measures, it
suggested the extension of the Pro
vident Fund Act to cover a larger
number of employees and an in
crease in the PF contribution to 10
per cent.
JANUARY 4, 1975
r *-
PARTY INEVAVS
Congress Day
Celebrated
An austere but impressive func
tion was held at the AICC Camp
Office on Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Road (New Delhi) on December 28
to celebrate the 89th foundation
day of the Indian National Cong
ress. The Union Minister for Ship
ping and Transport, Shri Kamala
pati Tripathi, presided.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri
Tripathi said that till now the foun
ding of the Congress had never
been celebrated because the Party
had always been part and parcel
of the life of the people. Now it
was considered right that the event
should be observed to enable the
people to know about the services
rendered by great leaders of the
past and learn a lesson from their
examples. -
He said, “An outstanding
achievement of the organisation
had been the attainment of free
dom without any shedding of blood
and without any rancour towards
the erstwhile British rulers. This
was the first time that such
remarkable thing had been done.
It would go down in the annals
of our country as a high water
mark. It had served to inspire
other subjugated nations of Asia,
Africa and Latin America to strive
and gain their independence.”
He said this historic achieve
ment “was due to the leadership
of Mahatma Gandhi whohad
changed the Congress from a party
of prominent people into a peo
ple's party whose roots went deep
down into the soil of the country.
Without the backing of the peo
ple no political party or organisa
tion could win success.”
Shri Tripathi said, “Gandhi had
not only secured mass support
but welded the masses into a dis
ciplined army and from it a unified
secular nation was born. The Con
gress had a place in the history
80CIALIST INDIA -- *
of the country, in its socio-econo
mic advancement and in fighting
communal fanaticism. However, a
great deal remained to be done on
the Socio-economic front and bat
tling against divisive forces. This
was the challenge facing us to
day.”
The Defence Minister, Shri
Swaran Singh, said that one of
the remarkable things about the
Congress had been that even while
fighting for politcal freedom, its
leaders had not neglected to draw
up plans and programmes for a
free India. That is why in con
trast to other countries where na
tionalists after achieving their
cherished goal of emancipation
had been swept out of power—the
Congress in India continued to be
the only political party that had
the cohesion, strength and sup
port to carry on its programmes
further.
The Minister for Energy, Shri
K. C. Pant, said the Party had
shown to the world that it was
possible to gain independence
through non-violence means, that
no doctrinaire and rigid approach
was necessary for progress and
that democracy and planning were
not incompatible. He suggested
that the AICC should publish and
distribute, especially among young
people, books about the contribu
tions made by Gandhi and Nehru.
This was necessary to educate and
a inspire them.
Smt. Margaret Alva, MP, said
the Party was the only organisa
tion that could fulfil the hopes and
aspirations of the youth.
The AICC General Secretaries,
Smt. Purabi Mukherjee and Shri
P. V. Narasimha Rao and the
Chairman of the Metropolitan
Council, Mir Mushtaq Ahmad, also
spoke on the occasion.
Maulana Anwar Sabri, an old
freedom fighter and Shri Sagar
Nizami recited their poems to mark
the occasion.
HIR ALAL SHASTRI
Hiralal Shastri, who died after
a heart attack at Jaipur on De
cember 28, was cremated at Bhil
wara, his home-town, on Decem
ber 29. He was 75. Shastri was
the first Chief Minister of Rajas
than,
The State Governor, Shri Jog
inder Singh, the Chief Minister,
Shri Hari Deo Joshi, the Agricul
ture Minister, Shri Shiv Charan
Mathur were among those who
paid glorious tributes to Hiralal
Shastri.
All the offices of the State Gov
ernment were closed on December
28 as a mark of respect to Shastri.
Born on November 24, 1899 at
Jobner (District Jaipur), Hiralal
Shastri was educated first at Job
ner and then at Jaipur. The late
Arjun Lal Sethi, the great revo
lutionary of Raiastnan, changed
the course of Shastri’s life and
he resigned from the Jaipur State
Service in December, 1927. He
founded the “Jeevan Kutir” at
Banasthali, now in Tonk District,
for village uplift. In 1935, he
founded the Banasthali Vidya
peeth.
During the agitation launched by
the Jaipur Praja Mandal for civic
liberties. Shastri was sentenced to
six months' imprisonment.
Shastri was elected to the Cons
tituent Assembly in 1947 and re
mained a member of the provi
Sional Parliament till 1950. In
1948, he became the first Chief
Minister of Jaipur State.
He was sworn in as the first
Chief Minister of Rajasthan by
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the
inauguration ceremony of the new
State on March 30, 1949.
Shastri was a member of the
Lok Sabha for a full term from
1957.
He was also a writer and poet.
He edited a Hindi weekly, “Jeevan
Sandesh.” for some time.
DIEGO GARCIA
The US Congress, on December
18, voted to cut off money for the
proposed expansion of the contro
versial Anglo-US base at Diego
Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The
US Defence Department had asked
for 29 million dollars for the
expansion of the base. Under
“compromise” legislation, approv
ed by the House of Representatives
and the Senate, President Ford
can restore the funds after the
Congress meets on January 14 if
he can prove that the base is
enºcintºal to national interest,
*ANUARY 4, 1978

No Chance Of
Bihar-type Stir
In Orissa
PANCHANAN KANUNGO
Shri Jayaprakash Narayan's
bid to launch a nationwide agita
tion is nothing but a design to
make castles in air. There is
response from States like Andhra.
Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kar
nataka, Kerala, Assam
Orissaa. In a recent statement,
JP has expressed his unwillingness
(or incapability) to launch any
agitation in Assam, Kerala and
West Bengal. However, he has
knowingly or unknowingly avoided
to mention the name of One State
—Orissa the neighbour State of
Bihar. It is not an exaggeration to
say that Orissa has it's own place
in the history of J.P.'s movement.
Because a speech of Prime Minis
ter Smt. Indira Gandhi at Bhuba
neswar, was the main cause of
J.P.'s angry ‘Durvasa” stand.
Moreover J.P.'s attack on Smt.
Nandini Satpathy, Chief Minister
of Orissa, and Sarvodaya leader
Acharya Vinoba Bhave's blessing
to her put J.P. in such an embar
rassing position that he had no
alternative except to prove his in
tegrity and sincerity within
outside the Sarvodaya Organisa
fºon.
The Sarvodaya organisation is
clearly divided into two groups on
the issue of Bihar type stir in
Orissa, one group—having opinion
not to launch any agitation against
the present Government and the
other group having the opinion to
launch the agitation as soon as
possible. The numerical strength
of either group matters little. The
Sarvodaya movement in Orissa
lost its momentum long ago.
DISCREDITED BODY
So many times charges of cor
ruption and misappropriation of
public funds, have been brought
against Sarvodaya people. Even
during the Swatantra-Jana Con
gress ministry an enquirv had
been made and as a result Shri R,
&OCIALIST INDIA
N. Singh Deo, the then Chief Min
ister stopped the Government's
financial aid to Sarvodaya-run in
stitutions.
The Government also suspected
that Sarvodaya movement had
links with Naxalites particularly
in the districts of Koraput and
Ganjam. Naturally people got dis
illusioned.
Now the Sarvodaya organisation
exists with only a few supporters
and sympathisers. They cannot
therefore run any agitation on
no their own without viable support
from the opposition.
Then the position of the opposi
and tion parties and their leaders
comes to the picture. Those who
consider to be the only viable alter
native to the Congress think that
it is the best opportunity to cash in
on JP'3 movement.
In Orissa, the BLD–a mixture
of Utkal Congress, Swadhin Con
gress, a faction of Swatantra and
S.S.P., has expressed its anxiety
to launch a Bihar type agitation.
But it is not likely to succeed.
The charges made by Shri R. N.
Singh Deo in a memorandum sub
mitted in 1967 in Orissa Assembly
against Shri Biju Patnaik; the
“Save Orissa” rally of October 6,
1967 led by Shri Biju Patnaik and
Shri Nilamani Routray; the charg
es brought by Swatantra-Utkal
Congress ministry against Dr. H. K.
and
Congress President Shri Dev Kanta Borooah addressing the Haryana
Camp organised by the Haryana P.C.C. at Faridabad recently,
*-------ax
20
Mahatab as also Shri Rabi Ray's
statement in Parliament against
these leaders are still in the me
mory of the people of Orissa.
THE TRUTH
The people of Orissa know
that the backwardness of
Orissa is because of those who
ruled Orissa before the Congress
took over. So instead of checking
the moving wheel of progress by
supporting any agitation they
would like to come forward to
strengthen Smt. Satpathy's hands
to make Orissa a prosperous State.
Smt. Satpathy's Government
is gaining popularity day by day
for its progressive policies and
their immediate implementation
such as land reforms, coal mines
takeover, etc. The drive against
hoarders, black-marketeers and
smugglers also has caught people's
attention.
The Congress party needless to
say stands behind Smt. Satpathy.
Shri Trilochan Kamungo, a young
Congress MLA, has started rally
ing round the party people to meet
any challenge from the forces of
reaction. -
Under the circumstances, it is
difficult for JP and his supporters
to launch any agitation in Orissa
against Congress under the pro
gressive leadership of Smt. Nan
dini Satapathy which enjoys full
support from the people of Orissa.
JANUARY 4, 1975

SAIL:
Performance And
Prospects
N. P. YADAV, M. P.
In a country dedicated to a So
cialistic pattern of life, the Public
Sector is the sure way to ensure
progress and prosperity for the
people. Since steel is, the most
versatile of all inputs in the in
dustrial proliferation, it constitu
tes the very core of the Public
Sector. Before independence, our
steel output was a little over 1
million tonne a year. Today, the
total steel availability in the coun
try has gone up to 7 million ton
nes and, as Shri M. A. Wadud
Khan, Chairman of Steel Autho
rity of India, said in a radio in
terview recently it is likely to in
crease to 10 million tonnes by the
end of the Fifth Five-Year Plan.
The responsibility, that Steel
Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL)
has shouldered — to provide the
country 10 million tonnes of steel
by the end of the current decade
—is indeed a herculian task. The
SAIL was set up in January 1973
as the Government's trustee for
all the Public Sector steel plants
as well as the associated input in
dustries of the country. All the
plants including Hindustan Steel
Limited were made subsidiaries to
SAIL which was also vested with
all the shares of its subsidiaries.
This organisational improvement
which was resolved after much
deliberation was streamlined by
the late Mohan Kumaramangalam.
NEW PROJECTS
The Government has invested
nearly Rs. 2,000 crores in steel
which forms nearly one-third of
the total investment in the Public
Sector. With this investment, SAIL
is all set to boost production and
streamline proper distribution. It
has initiated number of new pro
jects. It obtained clearance for
installation of two integrated
plants at Visakhapatnam (Andhra)
and Vijaynagar (Karnataka). The
plants will have an annual input
SOCIALIST INDIA
capacity of nearly 3.3 million ton
nes each. Besides, determined steps
are being taken to push ahead an
other integrated steel plant at
Salem (Tamil Nadu).
The two other big projects un
dertaken by SAIL are the expan
sions of Bokaro and Bhilai, both
under Soviet collaboration.
Bokaro Steel Plant is being ex
panded to 4.75 million tonnes capa
city while Bhilai to 4 million ton
nes capacity. Concrete steps have
been taken in this direction since
the signing of Indo-Soviet pro
tocol during September this year.
A committee consisting of the
representatives of SAIL, the Steel
Ministry and other subsidiaries
made detailed studies of the exist
ing steel priority allocation sys
tem and made a number of useful
recommendations. A large number
of recommendations made by the
committee which were accepted by
Government have already
implemented.
For improvement of steel distri
bution certain important measures
have been taken including aboli
tion of the “B” list, introduction
of six-monthly allocations
strengthening of Joint Plant Com
mittee.
The steps taken by SAIL for
economy and simplified indenting
have resulted in rational distribu
tion of steel.
After an in-depth study the Steel
Authority proposed to the Gov
ernment a dual pricing policy for
steel. The proposals, inter alia,
aimed at the following objectives:
a. to ensure the supply of steel
to meet the bulk requirement of
Government departments, and the
Public Sector industries; b. to per
mit prices of other categories of
steel to be fixed in relation to sup
ply and demand; c. to mop up as
much of the surplus profit as pos
sible with steel industrial users and
in the open market so that
resultant internal resources
generated within the steel indus
try are used for its expansion and
growth; and d. to ensure that the
Government does not have to dole
out subsidies in the form of larger
loans and outlays to Public Sec
tor plants which only add to the
inflation.
The dual pricing policy was ap
proved by the Government on
11
October 4 last year and was suc
cessfully implemented on October
15.
With a view to promoting ex
port of steel and steel products
not needed for indigenous con
sumption a separate company un
der SAIL, namely, SAIL Inter
The national has been created. Major
developments in the field of export
have taken place since the visit
of SAIL's Chairman, Shri M. A.
Wadud Khan, to Iran. Prospects
of exporting railway accessories to
that country are underway. A big
project at Kudramukh (Karna
taka) for exporting iron ore con
centrates to Iran is also likely to
be undertaken.
The financial assistance for this
project will be provided by Iran.
Major breakthroughs for selling
technical know-how to other
countries have also been initiated.
The MECON; a subsidiary of
been SAIL, is negotiating with Dubai
for one such project. The Bokaro
Steel Plant, the biggest plant of
SAIL, which launched production
of pig iron is exporting pig iron
worth about Rs. 11 crores (FOB).
and The Steel Authority earned Rs.
31.68 lakhs during 1973-74. The
HSL itself, SAIL's biggest subsi
diary, earned a profit of Rs. 4.71
crores. This profit is significant
since HSL had suffered a loss of
Rs. 27.8 crores the previous year.
Various new projects have been un
dertaken by SAIL which include
setting up of a pelletisation plant
at Donimalai and Refractory plant
at Bhilai.
During 1973-74, SAIL produced
4.4 million tonnes of saleable steel
and 1.207 million pig iron. The
BCCL, which has earlier with SAIL
achieved a production of 9 27 mil
lion tonnes of coking coal. It in
creased the production of non
coking coal from 2.55 to 7 million
tonnes. The performance of Kiri
the bura and Bailadile Mines has been
so satisfactory. The National Deve
lopment Corporation Limited made
a production of 3.05 million tonnes
which was an improvement on pre
vious year's production by nearly
8 lakhs tonnes. In the light of
the higher trends in production the
targets for 1974-75 have been fix
ed at 6.6 million tonnes of steel
ingot and 5.044 million tonnes of
saleable steel.
JANUARY 4, 1975
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SOCIALIST INDIA 12 JANUARY 4, 1975


- º
**
º
Paauaºtºr º
End To An
Acrimonious
Session
J. M. DEB
The winter session of Parliament
that just ended, like many other
sessions, was turbulent, record
making and acrimonious. What,
however, was novel in this session
Was a new trend of confrontation
between the Opposition and the
Government—not a mere ritual
this time but a planned, dogged
and determined fight with battle
lines clearly drawn much in ad
vance in a bid to pay each other in
its own coin. The Opposition par
ties were all-out to put the Govern
ment on the mat on one ground
or another, and the Treasury
Benches, equally determined, to
hit back with equal venom and fire.
Whether and how far the Oppo
sition succeeded in their game of
tarnishing the image of the Go
vernment will be seen when both
will face the people in the general
elections. For the present, it
seems fairly clear that election
conscious voters will hardly be
influenced by the gimmicks indulg
ed by the heterogenous Opposition
groups without any constructive
policy or programme of their own
or any prospects of their coming
together on one platform to pro
vide a stable government.
MARATHON DEBATE
Three figures—significantly
enough, all from Bihar—provided
the Opposition parties in Parlia
ment their much-needed ammuni
tion. The first was Shri Jaya
prakash Narayan, the second Shri
Tulmohan Ram and the third Shri
Lalit Narayan Mishra. Their first
salvo was on the first day itself,
almost at the first hour. They could
hold their sole in patience just for
a few minutes for the customary
cbituary references, then they
*QCIALIST INDIA
----
were up in arms, pleaded for sus
pension of the very first normal
business of the day, the questions
and answers, and pressed for the
JP-led movement in Bihar to
be taken up straightway. But the
Speaker was in no hurry. He al
lowed the question hour to pass off
peacefully and took up thereafter
an adjournment motion standing
in the name of the Syndicate
leader, Shri Shyam Nandan Mishra.
The marathon debate went on
till midnight necessitating exten
tion of the first day's sitting by as
many as four hours. But like the
mountain producing the prover
bial mice, it proved counter-pro
ductive. Both the Opposition and
the Government professed to up
hold democracy, but their method
ologies were different. The former
argued that the JP movement was
to preserve and safeguard it while
the Treasury Benches felt that it
was primarily aimed at subverting
it, and the political parties rallying
behind the Sarvodaya leader had
political motivations.
Both sides had the common goal
of weeding out political corruption,
reducing prices of essential com
modities, meaningful electoral re
forms and a restructuring of the
educational system, but while the
Bihar movement claimed to achieve
this goal, by agitation and dharnas
it was not made clear how their
principal objective could be achiev
ed by mere dissolution of a duly
elected Assembly or dismissal of
a State Ministry.
Having had no luck on the Bihar
debate, the Opposition took up the
import licence issue. They fought
a grim battle with their back to
the wall. A record number of pri
vilege motions were tabled against
most of stalwarts in the Union
Cabinet. Soon it became clear that
while Shri Tulmohan Ram proved
handy to them, they were really
after Shri L. N. Mishra.
Apparently, this was a game of
politics and the Congress members
were no less adept in playing the
game. They realised the Opposi
tion's real purpose of making po
litical propaganda and tried to nip
it in the bud. When the Opposition
tried to create the impression that
the Govornment's initial reluctanco
to place the CBI report on the
table of the House was due to the
fact that they had something to
hide and were trying to shield cor
ruption at high places, and threa
tened to offer satyagraha, the
Government gave the Opposition
leaders all that they wanted and
something more. Even the case
diary, which is not normally given
to an accused in a court of law,
was presented to them. Not that
all this was expected to satisfy
them, but this would serve to prove
to the people outside that the
Government's original objection
was merely not to hamper future
CBI investigations and not to hide
anything or shield any body.
IN TWO MINDS
A notable feature of this session
was a semblance of a “grand al
liance” of various splinter Opposi
tion groups on the import licences
case and on some other issues.
Their emphasis differed, but their
objective was more or less the
same. The role of the CBI, how
ever, was like that of Alice in
Wonderland. It lent its support to
its other compatriots in the licences
episode, dearness allowance issue
and a few others. But it had a
mental reservation so far as the
threat of satyagraha on the floor
of the House was concerned. It did
not join in most of their walk-outs
or in some of their privilege mo
tions, and various other political
gimmicks.
Perhaps this policy was more
pragamatic melodramatic.
than
Some, however, like the Congress
front bencher, Shri C. M. Stephen,
considered it was a policy of runn
ing with the dog and hunting the
hound. The CPI itself pointed out
that it was neither opportunist nor
melodramatic. It was judging
each issue on its merit.
Since after major part of the
session was taken up by such ex
traneous issues, the normal legis
lative business went by default. It
was only towards the fag end of
the session that some of the im
portant business like the MISA
Ordinance, Representation of Peo
ple's Ordinance and so on could be
taken up and disposed of. But
here also the Opposition put up
some fight, but having seemingly
Cointinued on page 22
JANt"ARY 4, 1pºx

BOOK REVIEWy
* the world into the belief that Pa
India’s Atomic
Test In
Perspective
GOVINDANKUT TY
NUCLEAR INDIA
Dr. J. P. Jain
Radiant Publishers,
New Delhi
Vol. I Rs. 40
Vol. II Rs. 75
New Delhi could not have been
so naive as to believe that it would
evoke a sympathetic reaction from
the world when it detonated its
first nuclear device for peaceful
purposes in Pokharan last May.
While it was certain that it would
fail to strike responsive chords in
many world capitals, it was a fore
gone conclusion that Pakistan
would instantly fly into tantrums.
It did not call for any clairvoy
ance to anticipate that Islamabad
would avail of every conceivable
opportunity to discredit and de
nounce India for making what
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary des
cribed as a “surreptitious entry
into the nuclear club”. And Pakis
tan is now making frantic efforts
to bring before the UN General
Assembly a resolution seeking to
declare South Asia a nuclear-free
zone.
It is significant that Islamabad
did not deem it necessary to hold
mutual consultations with other
countries of the region. Equally
significant is the fact that need
for a nuclear-free South Asia was
brought home to Pakistan only
after India conducted a peaceful
nuclear explosion.
HOSTILE REACTION
No one who has closely obser
ved Mr. Bhutto's style of diplo
macy will be left in any doubt
that his newly-felt and widely ad
vertised solicitude for a nuclear
free South Asia is an indication
of his genuine desire for durable
peace in the area. He has waised
Rotºrº, IST IN prA
the bogey of a nuclear threat from
India not because he does not know
that there really is not a threat
but because he hopes to mislead
kistan's security is in danger and
as such the friendly countries
would come to its assistance.
Clearly, at the back of Mr.
Bhutto's mind is the same old am
bition of military parity with a
country far bigger than his. No
one could have missed the note of
supplication when Mr. Aga Shahi
said at the Conference of the Com
mittee on Disarmament that “a
qualitatively new situation has
arisen, posing a serious threat to
Pakistan's security”. Mr. Bhutto's
already ill-concealed ambition has
since been completely laid bare
when he threatened to take Pakis
tan along the nuclear way unless
the United States did not resume
arms supply. It is one thing to
hold out a threat and quite ano
ther to carry the threat to its logi
cal conclusion. Whether Pakistan
can go nuclear unaided is any
body's guess.
Be that as it may, not only
Pakistan, but a large number of
countries some of whose relations
with India could be regarded as
more or less mature, have not ta
ken kindly to the Pokharan test.
Ottawa went so far as to recon
sider whether it should continue
its technical collaboration with this
country in the wake of the peace
ful nuclear exploision. While it is
possible to explain this hostile
reaction to some extent in terms
of the fact that just as in inter
personal relations, in international
relations also jealously plays no
mean a role, it is unfortunate that
India's nuclear programme should
be looked upon with scepticism
despite repeated assertions by
world forums that this country
has no plan to put to military use
its nuclear capabilities. It is in
this context that Dr. J. P. Jain's
scholarly study of India's nuclear
policy assumes added significance.
The author has done well to put
the Pokahran test in its proper
perspective. Apart from analysing
the implications of the test exploi
sion, he discusses India's attitude
towards the international safe
guards system and the role she
has played over the years in the
International Atomic Energy
- 14
Agency. What makes Dr. Jain's
venture all the more commendable
is the inclusion in the supplemen
tary second volume of over 180
documents which provide the basic
course material for any study of
India's nuclear policy and prog
ramme. The documents reproduced
in the volume include the state
ments made by India's represen
tatives at various international
conclaves including the Conference
of the Non-nuclear Weapon States,
a summary of India's agreements
for cooperation the peaceful uses
of atomic energy with the United
States and Canada, addresses de
livered by eminent scientists like
the late Dr. Bhabha and the late
Dr. Sarabhai and of course the
policy statements made by the
Prime Ministers and Foreign
Ministers.
“CONTAINED” TEST
Nuclear India, as the author
rightly points out, is no longer a
dream. The Pokharan test has am
ply demonstrated that it is very
much a reality. He nuclear capa
bilities will still be enhanced with
further tests which, the Minister
for Energy has gone on record as
saying, India will undertake as
and when necessary. That the ex
plosion was “contained” and that
it could be conducted without any
radioactive fall-out is indeed a
measure of the technological ex
pertise Indian scientists have
built over the years. Whether
some countries take kindly to it
or not, the fact of the matter is
that it is no longer possible to
prevent potential nuclear countries
from embarking on a nuclear prog
ramme.
Nor is it desirable because any
country, the developing ones
particularly, can ignore the deve
lopment of atomic energy at the
expense of their all-round advance
ment. The need for tapping the
non-conventional sources of energy
has been brought home to all
countries by the world-wide energy
crisis. In fact, a situation has ari
sen when atomic energy alone
holds the promise of ensuring ade
quate supply of energy for man's
needs in the years to come. The
late Sarabhai pointed out as
early as 1970 that in less than
half a century, nuclear power will
JANUARY 1, 1875
be the only major supply India
could fall back upon.
Even earlier Dr. Bhabha, the
architect of India's nuclear pro
gramme, had suggested with al
most prophetic vision that “our
civilisation could not continue on
the basis of the conventional fuels
alone. ... Even if the widespread
use of atomic energy for peaceful
purposes raised political and mili
tary problems, there would be no
option but to solve them”.
As a source of fuel apart, ato
mic energy can contribute to eco
nomic and social progress in a
number of different ways which
the US Arms Control and Disarma
ment Agency has summarised
thus: “Low-cost sources of energy
on a large scale can determine the
availability of other basic resour
ces including food, industrial
material and water. From new
sources cheap fertilisers can be
made available; metal can be refin
ed from ore more cheaply; desalt
ed water can make deserts arable.
Because nuclear fuels are compact
and long-lived, nuclear power
plants can be constructed where
they are needed...”
As far as India is concerned, it
realised the need for nuclear deve
*Rs. 41.66 extra every month.
This is what I like- -
a regular return."
Monthly Interest Payable
-
12/35 36/60
Deposits ſmiths. Mths.
Rs. Q8% G 9%
Rs. Rs.
1,000 6.66 7.50
3,000 20.00 22.50
5,000 33.33 37.50
10,000 66.66 75.00
You could get it too. Just deposit
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Rs. 41.66, every month,
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The interest varies with the
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time you keep it for.
Central Bank of India
The Bank that moves out to
people and places.
lopment long back and has never
made secret of her plan to exploit
her atomic resources. But ever
since the establishment of the
Atomic Energy Commission in
1948, it has also been indicated by
our leaders in no uncertain terms
that India is committed to the
“atoms for peace” policy. True,
nuclear development is fraught
with dangers also but, as India has
pointed out time and again, it is
not possible to avoid a catastrophe
by preventing majority of the
world's countries from acquiring
nuclear capability while some
others continued to multiply the
stockpile of their nuclear wea
pons. It was on this ground that
India, which was one of the first
few countries to hail Eisenhower's
“atom for peace” proposal as one
which caught the “imagination of
the world”, chose not to sign the
Non-Proliferation Treaty. It was
as plain as pikestaff that this
Treaty, which prohibited peaceful
nuclear explosions, was nothing
short of a “Nuclear Weapons and
Technology Monopolisation Trea
ty”. India's stand has all along
been that the way to world peace
is not through total ban on nu
clear explosions for peaceful pur
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poses by these countries which
have not acquired nuclear arsenal
as yet, but by nuclear disarma
ment. Needless to add, India's atti
tude to nuclear programmes rea
mains unchanged even after the
Pokhran explosion.
Peaceful and contained as the
explosion in Pokhran was, and
much as our leaders have reitera
ted India's stand that it would not
use her nuclear power for military
purposes, Pakistan continues to be
apprehensive. This is as it should
be because Islamabad seems to be
incapable of making any diplo
matic offensive without raising
the bogey of danger from India.
But there cannot be any denying
the fact that the Pokhran test is
not without any military signifi
cance. Analysing its impact on
world stability, Dr. Jain argues
that “instead of it having an ad
verse impact, it is more likely to
have a positive effect. ... In case
India's example of self-restraint
percolates and the big powers
feel constrained to take some
meaningful steps towards disarma
ment, it would, indeed, be condu
cive to paving the way for greater
stability in the world.”
*.
 4
STATISTICS OF PROGRESS
River Valley
Projects Make
Headway
As many as twenty-five major
river valley projects have been
completed in the country so far.
Another eight projects are nearing
completion, requiring a further
outlay for the remaining works.
The completed projects alone
would generate an irrigation po
tential of 19.1 lakh hectares.
The four major projects which
have been completed in Andhra
Pradesh are estimated to generate
an irrigation potential of 2.5 lakh
hectares. The biggest of them is
the K. C. Canal project construc
ted on the Krishna river basin
which would utilise water from the
river Tungabhadra to irrigate an
area of not less than 1.2 lakh hec
tares.
Two more projects, namely, Tun
gabhadra LLC and Tungabhadra
HLC have been constructed on the
same river basin utilising water
from the same river. They together
would generate an irrigation po
tential of 1.05 lakhs. Construction
of Kadam project on the Goda
vari river basin, utilising water
from the river Kadam also has
been comleted which alone would
luelp irrigate an area of 23,700 hec
tares.
The biggest project which has
been commissioned in Bihar is the
Ganga project constructed on the
Ganga river basin. The project de
pends upon the Sona for water
and would irrigate an area of 1.24
lakh hectares. Another project
which has been completed in the
State is the Badua project with
an irrigation capacity of 42,490
hectares. The project is construc
ted on the Ganga river basin it
Self.
Three major irrigation projects
have been completed in Gujarat,
the biggest being the Banas Pro
ject which would water an area
of 44,500 hectares. The project is
constructed on the Banas river
basin and utilises water from the
same river. The projects which
have already been commissioned in
the State include the Hatmati and
shetrunji projects, which together
would offer an irrigation capacity
of 62,000 hectares.
In the State of Kerala only one
major river valley project has
been constructed so far, namely,
the Malampuzha project with an
estimated irrigation capacity of
42,090 hectares. The other States
with only one completed major
project each include Madhya Pra
desh and Orissa. The Harded Bar
rage Project completed on the
river basin of Mahanadi in Madhya
Pradesh is exclusively meant for
providing cool water from the Har
deo river to the Korba power sta
tion. The Hiracud (Stage I and II)
constructed on the river basin of
Mahanadi in Orissa would irrigate
an area of 2.54 lakh hectares.
IN MAHARASHTRA
Not less than six major irriga
tion projects have been construc
ted in the State of Maharashtra
which would in all generate an ir
rigation capacity of 2.40 lakh hec
tares. Three of them are on the
Godavari river basin, two on the
Krishna river basin and the re
maining one on the Tapti river
basin. Water for these projects is
taken from the Ghod, Nira, Girna,
Mula, Purna and Pus rivers.
Three major projects are com
pleted on the Indus river basin in
Punjab accounting for an irriga
tion capacity of 5.66 lakhs. The
HINMACHAL’S
OUTLAY—RS. 231.40 CRORES
Before -- - , ,
s After
(1973-74) § (1979-80)
11 Lac Tonnes
1.85 Lac Tonnes
2.40 Lac Tonnes
4,200 Villages
13,507 Kms.
86 Per cent
532 º Public Health
2,728
projects are Bhakra Nangal (I and -
P), Harike project and the Sirihind
Feeder project. Water for all these
projects is provided by the Sut
lej.
Of the remaining major projects
which are completed, Tamil Nadu
and Uttar Pradesh account for
two each. The two projects in Tamil
Nadu which are ready for opera
tions are the Lower Bhavani and
the Manimuthar projects which to
gether would help irrigate an area
of 87,010 hectares. The Matatill
and Sarda Sagar (S-II) are the
two major projects completed in
Uttar Pradesh. Both the projects
are constructed on the Ganga river
basin and would provide irrigation
facility for an area of 1.95 lakh
hectares.
Besides the above mentioned
projects, 367 medium schemes
have also been completed in dif
ferent parts of the country. Sixty
three of them are in Maharashtra
and 56 in Uttar Pradesh. Gujarat
and Rajasthan account for 44 each,
followed by Madhya Pradesh with
39 projects. The number of medium
projects completed in the States
of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Punjab and Orissa, are 35,13,11,8
and 5 resectively. Of the remain
ing, 4 are in Jammu and Kashmir,
3 in West Bengal and 2 in Har
yana. Another three such projects
have been completed in Karnataka.
FIFTH PLAN
Food Production 14 Lac Tonnes
Cash Crops Produc 2.63 Lac Tonnes
tion
Fruit Production 4.11 Lac Tonnes
Electrification 8,180 Villages
Roads 16,447 Kms.
Primary Education 100 Per cent
584
Institutions
Drinking Water 5,635 Villages
Supply
HIM LOK SAMPARK
 —
Drug Industry
In India
SHASH! BHUSHAN
The following is an excerpt of
the background paper circulated at
the recent convention on Drugs.
In our planned development, the
organisation of a comprehensive
public health scheme has always
suffered due to constraints of
resources and the elitist orienta
tion of our social plan framework.
In this background the perspective
of a national drug policy was not
delineated and drug production
and distribution were largely left
to the mechanics of market
relations and the profit motives
of the drug industry dominated
by the foreign sector. The drug
industry had, therefore, a hapha
zard growth with no relation to
the requirements of medicines,
and the benefits of vast technolo
gical breakthrough in this sector
the world over, for the suffering
millions of this country.
The drug industry comprises
2,300 units, out of which 116 are
in the organised sector. There are
36 units with a foreign equity
exceeding 50% and another 32
with a foreign equity of 50% or
less. The drug manufacturing
companies produce about 50,000
formulations of drugs based on
about 500 bulk drugs. There are
about 40 bulk drugs which could
be classified as essential drugs.
During the Fifth Plan period it
is proposed to increase the present
production of drugs from Rs. 360
crores to Rs. 600 crores by the
end of 1978-79. The share of
Public Sector in production of
drug formulations and bulk drugs
READ
SOCIALIST INDIA
is about 8% and 33% respectively.
The share of foreign sector i.e.
Companies with foreign equity
exceeding 50% is about 45% for
formulation and 33% for bulk
drugs. The rest of the production
is from the private sector. The
profitability on the subscribed
capital is quite high. The total
remittances made by foreign drug
firms with foreign equity exceed
ing 50% have been Rs.
516.17 lakhs (1969) Rs. 550.74
lakhs (1970) Rs. 460.09 lakhs
(1971) and Rs. 525 lakhs (1972).
The question of drugs in one
form or the other is exercising all
of us at various times. Sometimes
we face shortages; at other times
prices rise inordinately; then there
is the whole question of adultera
tion and of excessive profits by
some manufacturers and formula
tors. Indeed, the impact of
distortions in various aspects of
drugs manufacture and trading on
the helpless patients and their
families is tragic to say the least.
A great deal has been written
and said about this subject that
it appears that, because of the
extensiveness of the subject, no
clear-cut line of action seems to
have emerged. There are various
schools of thought. Some think
that the nation should become
self-reliant in medicine; others
think that, in view of our compa
rative backwardness in research
and development, we have to
depend on foreign sources; some
of us are inclined to the view that,
if we have to depend on foreign
sources, why not buy the tech
nology and establish manufactur
ing facilities while importing the
drugs concerned for a shortwhile?
The benefits of modern medi
cine should be available to every
citizen of this country is an
indisputable premise. However,
everything has to be weighed
SOGILIST
|||||
17
against the environment in which
we work in this country. we
know that 80% of the people are
not covered by any kind of medi
cal relief and that doctors and
others connected with their calling
are very reluctant to set them.
selves up in rural areas. The
benefit of world famous remedies
is, therefore, the privilege of a
few at the cost of many. It all,
therefore, boils down to a question
of priorities within our present
resources and circumstances. A
view has to be taken by compe
tent opinion whether our perspec
tive is right, whether we are
moving in that direction, what is
the speed of our movement and
is it compatible without obligation
to the vast, medically unattended
population of this country and
the manner in which distortions,
arising from excessive protection
of vested interests, have to be
corrected.
We know that a number of com
mittees and people are at work on
this important subject. We are
specially waiting for the report
of the Hathi Committee which
may be available shortly.
The report will no doubt receive
the earnest attention of Govern
ment. It is not possible to antici
pate at this stage their findings
which may be in a stage of formu
lation. Parliament has also
considered this issue many a
times. It is obvious that Parlia
ment' can lead and show the
direction but in many ways a
group of individuals, drawn from
various sections of the nation, can
build up public opinion on healthy
lines and make it possible for
worthwhile reports to be imple
mented in a sympathetic atmos
phere. Such an effort is also
helpful to Government in analys
ing the reports received and in
defining the line of action.
REGULARLY
JANUARY 4, 1975
 EIGHT Rich natural resources- A stable Government with

mineral, agricultural and a positive approach to

forests—waiting to be ex- wards industrial develop
GOOD REASONS ploited. ment of the State.

Comparatively more peace

ful and cordial industrial
WHY relations.

A well developed infra- A number of large in

K A R N A T A K A structure including a string dustrial undertakings in
of financial & development the Central, State & the
agencies like KSIIDG Joint Sectors generating
IS KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. spread effect.

A package of incentives
subsidy on project reports,
FAVOURABLE supply land, water & po
wer at concessional rates,

- FOR price preference etc.

Financial assistance to 15% Central subsidy for
educated unemployed, spe- undertakings started in
ciallv to
INDUSTRIAL * unemployed
ploy
en- the backward districts of
gineers and technicians Dharwar, Mysore and
under special employment Raichur.

schemes.
LOCATION

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Weedhi, BANGALORE-1.
Issued by
The Director of Information & Publicity.

SOCIALIST INDIA 18 - JANUARY 4, 1975

 On this background, the State production it is necessary to
UTTAR PRADESH has taken the following steps to strengthen research and develop
increases additional resources in ment activities. There is also need
1974-75 shown in Table III. for modernising sugar mills. In
Mobilisation Of view of all this purchase rates
The Taxation Enquiry Commit have been increased and the ad
tee has suggested an increase in ditional income accruing from it
Resources And the rate of development levy on will be used for research ard mo
big holdings, keeping in view the dernising of mills. Similarly, the
recommendations of the Commit
Development—ll tee the rate of development levy
purchase tax on sugarcane pur
chased by khandsari units and the
has been raised. licensing fee on khandsari units
have been raised. Fifty per cent
Similarly the State Government Uttar Pradesh does not produce of the additional income of khand
has proposed an expenditure of as much sugarcane as Maharash sari units will also be utilised on
Rs. 21 crores during 1974-75 for tra and Tamil Nadu. To increase research as well as modernisation.
the Shahdara-Sahayah Scheme
which, on completion, will create TABLE I
an irrigation potential of 17.12
lakh hectares in the central and Name of the State Per capita State tax as per
eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Cen centage on individual's income.
tral Government has been request
ed to provide special assistance to 1. Uttar Pradesh 3.00
the tune of Rs. 30 crores so that 2. Punjab 5.7
the scheme could be implemented 3. Haryana 5.6
4. Andhra Pradesh 5.2
two years ahead of schedule.
5. Orissa 3.1
As stated earlier, the State Gov 6. Karnatak 7.00
7. Kerala 6.00
ernment is making efforts to re
duce the budget deficit through 8. Madhya Pradesh 3.6
savings. At the same time, addi 9. Maharashtra 6.6
tional resources have to be creat 10. Rajasthan 5.5
ed. Steps have been taken to re 11. Tamil Nadu 7.2
alise arrears of Government dues 12. West Bengal 5.9
and the Government has been com
TABLE II
pelled to impose additional taxes.
A comparision of the rates of
tax with other States given in Tax per capita Per capita
Table I will reveal that the taxa Year Income in Rs. in Rs. percentage of
tion in Uttar Pradesh is the low tax in relation
est. to income.
Not only this, the figures in the 1960-61 246 7.83 3.2
Table II reveal that the per 1965-66 364 11.89 3.2
capita taxation in comparision to 1968–69 476 15.80 3.3
an individual's income has gone 1969-70 521 16.43 3.2
down in recetn years. 1970-71 520 17.45 3.4
It is worth mentioning that with 1971-72 591 17.46 3.0
the low rate of taxation the inter 1972-73 652 17.84 2.7
nal resources of the State is not
TABLE III
only affected adversaly but there
is a corresponding shortfall in the Additional Proposed Income in 1974-75
receipt of Central assistance also.
The States receive Central grant Expected additional
on the basis of their tax collec Item revenue in crores
tions. The Central Government
has distributed Rs. 310 crores out 1. Revision of sales tax rates 1.40
of Rs. 3,100 crores on this basis 2. Reimposition of land revenue 7.00
during the Fourth Plan period. If 3. Increase in development levy 5.00
4. Licence fee on Khandsari 2.00
the Gadgil Formula as applied in
Fourth Plan remains operative, Units and increase on purchase
tax of cane
Uttar Pradesh would get relatively
more Central assistance with the 5, Increase in electricity tariff 5,40
increased of its resources through
*axation, W-----º-º-ºw. Total - 20.80_
*OCNAbº ºnº wan UARY 8, 1875
 The State Electricity Board is
facing continuous deficit. This de
lcit is due to increase in the cost
of running and maintaining power
houses. Not only the salaries of
power personnel but the prices of
oil, fuel, etc., have increased. The
rates of electricity, which were
lower than those in some neigh
bouring States, have therefore
been enhanced.
THE BURDEN
The burden of these taxes will
fall on the people of both urban
and rural areas. The taxes on
rural areas had so far been com
paratively less because of their
limited tax paying capacity. The
Table IV indicates the burden
of taxation on rural and urban
population separately (in the form
of consumer expenditure).
The Table indicates that the bur"
den in urban areas of taxation was
about two and a half times that
of rural areas.
It is clear from the table that
the income from revenue, agricul
tural tax and large holdings tax
in 1956-57 was only 2.6 per cent
of the total value of agricultural
production. This ratio has been con
tinuously declining since and it
was almost negligible in 1971-72.
Thus, while income from agricul
tural sector had been declining on
the one hand, Plan expenditure by
the Government on agricultural
development schemes has increased
enormously, as given in Table V.
The income of our population
has also increased during the last
few years. This has resulted in
reducing the gap between the rural
and urban per capita consumer
Year
Rural Urban
expenditure. This is confirmed from
Table IV.
The Table shows that the con
sumer expenditure has increased in
both the rural and urban areas.
But while the increase in 1970-71
as compared to 1956-57 has been
116 per cent in rural areas, it has
been only 62 per cent in urban
areas. These statistics also prove
that the capacity of rural popula
tion to pay taxes has compara
tively increased in recent years.
The prosperity in rural areas
during the last few years is due
both to increase in agricultural
production and to increase in
prices of agricultural produce. This
is clear from able VII.
TABLE IV
Uttar Pradesh India
Total Rural Urban Total

3-64 3.1 - -

The low incidence of taxation in 196 5 6.43 3.95

rural areas is also confirmed by 1965-66 2.87 8.24 3.69
the following figures relating to in
come from taxes in the agricul- 1969–70 2.85 6.89 3.57 -

tural Setcor:

TABLE V

Total cost of Revenue, Agricul- Tax Realised

Year Agricultural tural Income Tax from Agricultur
Production and large holdings Sector in terms of
(In Lakhs) Tax (In Lakhs) percentage value
of Agricultural
Production

1956-57 Rs. 75,250 Rs. 1,970 2.62

1960-61 Rs. 1,15,808 Rs. 2,308 1.99

1965-66 Rs. 1,95,737 Rs. 2,441 1.25

1970-71 Rs. 2,77,897 Rs. 2,224 0.80

1971-72 Rs. 3,32,919 Rs. 614 0.18

1972-73 - Rs. 3,70,522 Rs. 1,009 ().27

1973-74 * - - Rs. 4,23,200 Rs. 2,557 0.60

&QCIALIST IN??IA 33 *ANUARY 4, 1975

 TABLE vi
Period Plan expenditure Annual average Percentage
in agricultural field expenditure increase over
(In Lakhs) (In lakhs) average expendi
ture in First Plan
First Plan Rs. 5,744 Rs. 1,149 - -

Second '' Rs. 6,161 Rs. 1,232 7

Third ” Rs. 16,473 Rs. 3,295 187
Three Annual Plans Rs. 20,028 RS. 6.676 481
Fourth Plan Rs. 39,713 Rs. 7,943 591
TABLE VII
Year Rural TUrban Rural consumer ex
Rs. Rs. penditure as percent
age of urban consumer
expenditure
1956–57 16.16 27.02 59.8
1970-71 34.88 43.84 79.6
TABLE VIII
Year Parity Indices For Market
ing. (1957-58–100)
1960-61 95.7
1965-66 107.4
1968–69 105.7
1972–73 111.2
1973-74 112.3
(CONCLUDED)

f is

#--
* -- -
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-

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* SCI caters to varied requirements by

operating a uniquely diversified modern fleet
of cargo liners, bulk carriers, tankers, colliers,
orejoil/grain carriers, timber carrier and -
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*The Shipping Corporation of India.ºrg

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º 229/232 Madame Cama Road sº

Bombay 400 oz1(º
: Agents at all principal ports of the world. :

SCIENCE COOPERATION
AGREENTENT SIGNED
India and the Federal Republic
of Germany have taken another
important step forward in imple
menting their far-reaching coope
ration programme in modern fields
of science.
On November 25, a Science Co
operation Agreement was signed
in New Delhi by Dr. Y. Nayu
damma, Director-General of the
Council for Scientific and Indus
trial Research, on behalf of the
Government of India, and Profes
sor K. H. Beckurts, Chairman of
German Federation of Research
Institutions, on behalf of the Fe
deral Republic of Germany.
The agreement is a sequel to
the Cooperation Agreement in the
fields of scientific research and
technological development signed
during January–March this year,
and the visit of Dr. Nayudamma
and a delegation of Indian energy
experts to the Federal Republic
of Germany in September.
The new agreement identifies
areas of research and technologi
PARLIAMENT
Continued from Page 13
exhausted their energy on other
subjects earlier, there was hardly
any sting in their attack. Few were
convinced by their argument that
the Presidential Order debarring
smugglers and foreign exchange
racketeers from seeking judicial
redress would be used by the
Government against their political
opponents. Likewise, their plea
that the Ordinance relating to
election cases in court was mainly
aimed at saving Smt. Indira
Gandhi from a possible adverse
verdict of the court fell flat. By
and large, members were convinced
that these were arguments with
an eye on the forthcoming elec
tionS. y
Thus, one of the most turbulent
sessions of Parliament was over.
SOCIALIST INDIA
cal develoment in which the two
countries will cooperate. Some of
the areas thus chosen are Geo
Sciences, Materials Research, Non
Nuclear Energy Technology and
Chemical Engineering, Electronics,
Electrical Engineering and Mecha
nical Engineering. The agreement
leaves scope for including addi
tional fields of cooperation in fu
ture.
Asked, which of the more than
30 specific fields, so far included
in the cooperation catelogue would
be likely to yield interesting re
sults in the near future, the mem
bers of the German delegation
mentioned the areas of metal
lurgy, gasification of coal, hydro
logical and geological studies, and
an interesting project to evolve a
new frequency and time-standard,
which will define the smallest unit
of time with an accuracy of one
thousandth of a second per year.
Such standards of accuracy are
required for astronomical studies
and space research, which in turn
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressing the Convention of Small
Traders at New Delhi on Dec. 23 organised under the auspices of the
Central Campaign Committee of the AICC. At left is Shri Yashpal
Kapur, MP, Convener of the CCC.
22
have many down-to-earth applica
tions.
Commenting on recent press re
ports questioning the economic via
bility of coal gasification as a sub
stitute for other forms of energy,
the German delegation members
were quite optimistic.
Professor Beckurts pointed out
that according to recent studies
made by the German firm of Lurgi,
one of the leaders in the field, gas
made from cheaply produced coal
is already price competitive with
liquid natural gas imported by the
Federal Republic or with the revis
ed natural gas prices to be charg
ed by Holland. Considering India's
vast resources of coal and taking
into consideration the important
aspect of foreign exchange conser
vation coal gastification promi
ses to be a very interesting pro
position for India, the members
felt.
Parallel with the new science
cooperation programme, Indo-Ger
man collaboration in the fields of
peaceful uses of energy and space
research, which served as the mo
del for the new agreement is prog
ressing well. The recent seminar
on “Utilisation Of Thorium. In Po
wer Reactors” at Trombay, was at
tended by five German nuclear
scientists.
JANUARY 4, 1975

World Hindi
Convention
The World Hindi Convention,
which is being held at Nagpur in
the second week of January, 1975
is expected to be a world gather
ing of scholars, who have rendered
significant service to the cause of
Hindi language and literature in
India and abroad. It is not perhaps
widely known that 93 Universities
and Institutes in the world, spread
over 29 countries from Argentina
to Yugoslavia provide facilities for
the teaching and study of Hindi.
This is besides countries like
Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and
Surinam and so on where people
of Indian origin live in large num
kers and use Hindi widely. The
largest number of Hindi teaching
Universities, 33, is in the United
States of America, followed by the
Federal Republic of Germany, 17.
But considerable work on Hindi
has been done in the Soviet Union
and a sizeable delegation from
these countries is expected to par
ticipate in the Convention.
ROLE OF HINDI
The purpose of the Convention
is to review the role of Hindi in
its national and international pers).
pective and to evaluate its
achievements and potentialities as
an instrument of service in the
present world context. Today, the
people of the world have to move
beyond the frontiers of nationality,
races crereeds and have to travel,
inevitably, towards the concept of
One World, One Family. This con
cept, as a matter of fact, forms
the core of the composite culture
of India which Hindi is supposed
to reflect in accordance with the
spirit of Article 351 of the Consti
tution of India. National integra
tion of the world has been the basic
attitude which our philosophers
and saints have always emphasised
and which has come down to us
as our heritage. What we need is to
implement it as a reality by bring
ing the peoples of the world to
gether on as many forums as pos
sible.
The World Hindi Convinton i:
SCCALIST INDIA
being sponsored by the Rashtra
bhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha,
which was founded in 1936 under
the inspiration and guidance of
Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of
the Indian Nation. The sponsors
have made it abundantly clear that
they do not believe in compulsion
or imposition of Hindi on anybody,
and that voluntary and willing ac
ceptance of Hindi is the only right
method to promote its cause. B2
sides, they believe that Hndi can
grow and enrich itself in coming
in close contact with the other
fourteen languages of India men
tioned in the Indian Constitution
and must work in cooperation with
them. To give a symbolic but con
crete expression to this concept,
it is proposed to honour the top
ranking writers of all the fifteen
languages of India on the forum
of the World Hindi Convention.
This is only respectful fraternal
greetings from Hindi to the other
sister languages of India.
The organisers of the World
Hindi Convention have also made
it clear that they have profound
respect for all the languages of
the world. There is therefore no
question of taking any fanatic or
chauvinistic view of language as
being anti this that or the other
language.
After all the language which is
learnt along with the mother's
milk has a sanctity of its own, and
therefore, it is expected to spread
the message of love and harmony
amongst all mankind. It can and
should never be the source of any
conflict and tension and therefore,
the sponsors of the World Hindi
Convention believe that English as
also other major languages of the
World like the French, the Rus
sian, the German and others have
a place of their own in the inter
national sphere.
Obviously, English has a grea
ter importance in India as com
pared with other European langua
ges, on account of our long asso
ciation with the British people. So
also the national language, by
which constitutionally speaking,
we mean the language of the In
dian Union, as well as the other
regional languages have also very
vital roles to play in the life of
tº reop'o.
23
All these three have their own
spheres of utility and they can
and should co-exist in harmony,
without intent to encroach or in
fringe upon the spheres of the
others. The international language,
in the very nature of things, can
not aspire to be the national lan
guage of India, nor should the
national language try to infringe
on the sphere of the regional lan
guages which the citizens of the
varicus parts of the country learn
from their childhood.
The logic of the situation can
iead to no other result. Any at
tempt to disturb this equilibrium
is bound to cause conflict and ten
sion; and certainly, in a democra
tic society, which function by per
suasion and consensus, there is no
scope for force or compulsion.
Time and patience are necessary
to resolve this problem and allow
things to take their natural shape.
WORLD PERSPECTIVE
Very often, in the field of lan
guage as in many other spheres.
conflicts and tensions are created
on account of political factors.
While politics is a necessary part
of modern society, much more so
in a democratic society, it is wrong
to believe, as politicians are some
times prone to do, that all human
problems can be solved by politics
alone. As a matter of fact, in the
wake of modern scientific revolu
tion, it is being increasingly realis
ed that the power and influence
of politics is waning and the other
major force that is emerging is
the force of science. This together
with another important force to
i.e. the force of humanism or spi
rituality will be able to offer so
lutions to the major problems of
the world. This is the direction in
which the mind of the modern
thinkers is moving. The world is
facing a crisis in civilisation and
the frontiers of nations or langua
ges, of races or creeds are losing
their significance and the world
is inevitably moving towards the
concept of one world, and man
as the citizen of the world,
The World Hindi Convention
will therefore try to evaluate the
role of Hindi language in the back
ground of the world situation.
Conceived in a very broad and
catholic spirit, it truly represents
JANUARY 4, 1975
the Gandhian approach to the lan
guage problem which is essentially
an approach of love and service.
The language problem is a hu
man problem and concerns the ba
sic character of the human per
sonality. It is connected with the
cultural sensibilities of man and
has to be dealt with as such. It
must therefore be de-linked from
politics and must be assessed ob
jectively on merits. Politics very
often creates distortions and aber
rations. It often proves to be a
divisive force, while culture is a
unifying force which tries to bring
the peoples of the world together
by emphasising the essential Unity
of FXistence. It is in this perspec
tive that the World Hindi Conven
tion is being organised, not in a
spirit of isolation and exclusive
ness, but in a spirit of friendliness
and goodwill towards all the lan
guages of India and the World.
It is gratifying to note that the
Dr. Mario Soares
In Delhi
A “new chapter” in relations
between India and Portugal was
opened with the arrival in New
Delhi on December 27 of the Por
tuguese Foreign Minister, Dr.
Mario Soares, who described his
mission as a final act of burying
the past and building the basis of
a new fruitful relationship between
the two countries.
Dr. Soares had an hour-long
meeting with the Prime Minister,
Smt. Indira Gandhi, after which
he told newsmen, “We were very
(much) pleased to have this op
portunity of meeting a person of
such an international, political and
moral status as Smt. Gandhi. We
are confident we can look forward
to a fruitful cooperation in politi
cal, cultural and economic fields.”
Dr. Soares indicated that the
Portuguese Government would be
ready to send an Ambassador im
mediately after the formalisation
of diplomatic relations. He also en
SOCIALIST INºłA
Prime Minister of India, Smt.
Indira Gandhi, has agreed to in
augurate the Convention on Janu
ary 10, 1975 and Sir Seewoosagar
Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of
Mauritius, has consented to pre
side over the inauguaral session.
The great Indian philosopher and
savant, Acharya Kakasaheb Kalel
kar, the Grand Old Man of Indian
letters, will provide the key-note
address. Consent to participate in
in the World Hindi Convention has
already been received from coun
tries like the Soviet Union, USA,
UK, the Federal Republic of Ger
many and German Democratic Re
public, Sweden, Poland, Italy,
Czechoslovakia, Japan, Mauritius,
Fiji, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Burma, Trinidad and other coun
tries. The largest contingent of
delegates will naturally come
from India.
Language is only a means to
an end. It articulates the thoughts
and emotions of man and the
basic cultural spirit which form
visaged the establishment of
“House of India” in Lisbon to de
velop the study of Indian civilisa
tion and culture and a similar ins
titution of Portuguese culture in
India.
First ever Portuguese dignitary
to visit India since Portugal clos
ed her legation in Delhi in August
1955. Dr. Soares landed in India
with “feeling of profound emo
tion” to establish the basis for a
policy of cooperation and friend
ship with this country. While he
thought there was no particular
“problem” to be discussed with
Indian leaders, he felt that there
was a lot to do in the field of co
operation between Portugal and
India which have two old civilisa
tions and cultures.
He said as far as Portugal was
concerned, the question of Goa had
been solved since Portugal decid
ed to recognise the full sovereignty
of India over the former Portu
guese territories in this country.
He also felt that there was a lot
of “familiar and sentimental links”
between Portugal and India and
the Portuguese Government would
like to do whatever possible to pre
24
the essence of a truly refined so
ciety. India has been known
throughout the world as a land of
philosophy and culture which,
right from the ancient times of
the Vedas and Upanishads and of
the Buddha and Mahavira to the
modern Gandhian era, has always
emphasised the glory and great
ness of the human spirit. Any lan
guage, therefore, which tries to
give expression to the deep urges
of man and to the inner quest of
his soul to identify itself with the
Cosmic Soul, is entitled to res
pect and honour. All languages
including Hindi must always try
to promote the inner harmony and
music which lie behind the mir
acle that is the world, and if the
World Hindi Convention could con
tribute even towards bringing the
peoples of the world together to
wards this end, it shall have ful
filled a useful role, God willing,
it could well be the beginning of
many good things.
(Courtesy, All India Radio)
a serve and develop these links in
agreement with India. -
Dr. Soares, who is accompanied
by his wife and daughter, was re
ceived at the airport by the De
puty Minister for External Affairs,
Shri Bipin Pal Das, the Foreign
Secretary, Shri Kewal Singh and
two old freedom fighters from Goa,
Shri P. Kakodkar and Dr. Telo
Mascarenhas.
The entourage of Dr. Soares in
cludes the Secretary of State for
Social Communication, Commander
Conceicao Silva, the Director
General of Political Affairs, Mr.
Magalhaes Cruz, the Chief of
Staff in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Dr. S. A. Machado and
the Legal Adviser, Mr. Almeida.
On December 28, Dr. Soares left
for Goa to attend the exposition
of the relics of St. Xavier.
CE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUJARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
*ANUARY 4, 1875

JP Movement in up
RIFT ANMONG
SUPPORTERS
The incidents in the UP Assem
bly, culminating in the physical
clash between Congress and Jana
Sangh-BLD legislators, which led
to the sine die adjournment of the
House, had its background.
The Jana Sangh and BLD have
been in a state of agitation and
have been preparing to launch a
Bihar-type movement with the help
of Sarvodaya leader Shri Jayapra
kash Narayan. The Jana Sangh
was more keen on launching the
agitation than the BLD, which had
its own reasons to be comparativ
ely lukewrm about the leadership
of JP. This was proved during the
visit of the Sarvodaya leader to
Ghazipur and Ballia in eastern UP
in the first week of this month.
The Opposition leaders had reach
ed in strength at Ghazipur, the first
halt of JP. There were Jana Sangh,
BLD and Socialist Party leaders.
Some of them were even invited to
attend the meeting of the All India
Executive Committee meeting of
the Sarva Seva Sangh. The most
conspicuous in numbers were, how
ever, the Jana Sangh leaders hea
ded by UP party president, Shri
Ganga Bhakt Singh and UP Jana
Sangh General Secretary Shri Ha
rish Chandra Srivastava. Although
these two leaders were not invit
ed to attend the Sarva Seva Sangh
meeting, they were participants in
the consultations held by the JP
supporters in the Sarva Seva
Sangh, clearly divided in two
camps, one against expansion of
Bihar type movement to UP and
the other for it.
SARVODAYA LEADERS
The leaders of the Sarva Seva
Sangh, who were against starting
a Bihar-type movement in UP were
in minority, but their opposition
held up a final decision on the is
sue. The minority group in Sar
vodaya, finding that its work was
over, left JP at Ghazipur. How
ever, the Jana Sangh and BLD
SOC1ALIST INDIA
leaders stuck to him. It was mainly
under the pressure of these leaders
that JP announced in Ghazipur
that a Bihar-type movement would
“have to be launched in UP”. If
the people of this State wanted to
remove the burden of corruption
which was grinding them down.
Not satisfied with this announ
cement, the Opposition leaders fol
lowed him to Ballia. Hero JP
made a significant change in his
stand vis-a-vis the Government of
India and Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi. It was here that he said
- that the main danger to the coun
try was from the “Communists”,
who were trying to make Smt.
Indira Gandhi their prisoner and
were manoeuvering to drive the
Government from the back seat.
He asked his supporters in the
Congress to stay in the organisa
tion and save Smt. Gandhi from
the Communist designs. This, ap
parently, gave an impression to the
Jana Sangh leaders that the Sar
vodaya leader was stepping back
from his commitments to launch
an agitation in UP. They therefore,
insisted on JP announcing the set
ting up of a Jana Sangharsh Com
mittee (People's Council of Action)
and fix a date for launching the
movement in this State too. But
JP did not announce a date for
launching the movement; nor
did he announce the for
mation of a Jana Sangharsh
Committee. He postponed the whole
thing by announcing the name of
the convener of the Committee—
Shri Mahabir Bhai — a Sarvodaya
worker. The decision on the rest
was postponed till the proposed all
Opposition party meet at Varanasi
from December 25 to December 27.
Significant in all these consulta
tions was the absence of a repre
sentative of the BLD chief, Chou
dhury Charan Singh, or his group
in BLD (the former BKD men).
The lone BLD representative at
these meetings and consultations
was Shri Arjun Singh Bhadoria,
who belongs to the now defunct
SSP. He was apparently not in the
confidence of the BLD leader, be
cause even though the Varanasi
meeting of the Opposition parties
with the Sarvodaya leader was fix
ed in consultation with him, Chou
dhury Charan Singh later told
pres-men that ho hºld no informa
tion about the meeting, nor was
the BLD invited to that meeting.
The attitude of the Jana Sangh
was different. The UP Jana Sangh
president issued a statement im
mediately after the Ballia meeting,
welcoming the decision of JP to
form a Jana Sangharsh Committee
for UP and fixing a date for the
meeting of non-Communist Opposi
tion parties with him. He hoped
that the meeting at Varanasi would
give the call for action.
BLD AND JANA SANGH
Yet strangely enough, BLD lead
er Charan Singh told pressmen at
his press conference that he had no
information about the proposed
conference of JP with the Opposi
tion leaders in Varanasi, nor was
his party invited to it. Instead, he
announced formation of a BLD ac
tion committee with Mr. Raj Na
rain as its “director” to launch an
agitation in the State against re
imposition of land revenue on land
holdings of less than 6.25 acres,
imposition of Development Levy
on big farmers and to press for
inquiry into the conduct of “cor
rupt” ministers. He, however,
refrained from naming the corrupt
ministers.
The Jana Sangh was thus forced
by BLD to take a back seat in this
agitational programme. The Jana
Sangh could not by itself take any
initiative in launching the agita
tion all alone. It was therefore
more keen to launch the agitation
under the banner of JP and was
all the time working for it.
The Congress rally in Lucknow
on December 15, which surpassed
all the rallies and demonstrations
ever held here, also upset the Op
position parties, who were taken
aback at the capacity of the Con
gress to mobilise the people in its
support.
It was in this background that
the incidents leading to the sine
die adjournment of the House took
place. The initiative in the House
was taken by the Jana Sangh;
Jana Sangh MLAs started an up
roar immediately as the House met
by raising slogans of “Jayaprakash
Zindabad”. The Congress benches
as usual were silent. The CPI, how
Continued on Page 80
JANUARY 6, 1975

MISCELLANY
FEARS OF RECESSION
ALLAYED
The Union Finance Ministry and
the Reserve Bank of India have
allayed the fears of a general reces
sion in the Indian economy. While
a Reserve Bank report on “Cur
rency and Finance 1973-74”, re
leased in Bombay on December 5
notes that the recessionary trends
might not last much beyond 1975,
considering the awareness shown
by the developed countries to re
sist any major increase in unem
ployment, a Finance Ministry note,
issued in New Delhi on December
18 says that the anti-inflationary
policies (including the measures to
mobilise additional resources of the
order of Rs. 900 crores through
the two budgets) have shown
“some signs of achieving their ob
jectives of demand management so
as to restrict the growth of mo
ney demand for a rather limited
supply of wage goods in general
and of foodgrains in particular.”
The Finance Ministry note fur
ther says that the decline in the
wholesale price index by 3.1 per
cent between September 21 and
November 23 indicates abatement
of inflationary pressures. The “wel
come break” in the spiral of prices
from the disturbing heights is at
tributable to a mixture of seasonal
trends and to increased supplies
resulting from dehoarding and
other measures.
The note says despite the re
cent abatement of the forces of
inflation, the price level is con
siderably higher than what it was
a year ago. The rise in the index
of wholesale prices for manufac
turers, fuel, power, light and lub
ricants, industrial raw materials,
chemicals and machinery and tran
sport equipment hardly constitu
tes the evidence of a recession.
According to the RBI report, the
problem of price inflation is to be
attributed, among other things, to
the longer term factors of low in
vestment and low production, par have official relations of any kind,
ticularly in the Public Sector. Be formal or informal, with any other
sides creating supply shortages in country”.
certain basic industries and in in
frastructural facilities, the low le The wording of this article, Sir
vel of public investment has meant Olaf says, “is an admirable though
under-utilisation of capacity in not absolute definition of para
mountcy, a word which does not
some basic and capital goods in
the private sector, it notes. appear in treaties”.
According to him, the use of the
SIR OLAF CAROE word “protectorate” in no way de
rogated from an assertion that
ON SIKKIM Sikkim under the British Raj was
an Indian State. Its external fron
Sir Olaf Caroe, who was Lord tier with Tibet is defined and gua
ranteed in other articles of the
Linlithgow's and Lord Wavell's convention.
Foreign Secretary in India for six
years, has said that it is “mis
chievous” to equate Sikkim with H. P. SYNDICATE
Nepal or Bhutan, which were in
dependent, though in very special JOINS CONGRESS
treaty relations with Britain.
With the decision of Shri Hari
“It was the 1935 (Government Dass, former President of the
of India) Act which defined India Himachal Pradesh Unit of the
as British India, the Indian States Syndicate, to join the Congress
and the tribal areas. And Sikkim with as many as 6,000 other party
workers the HP unit of the
was an Indian State”, he says in
a letter published in the Daily Syndicate has been virtually
Telegraph of London on December wound up.
19. A copy of the letter was avail Shri Dass told newsmen in
able here today.
Simla on December 22, that he
The letter was in reply to a let had decided to join the Congress
to strengthen it in the face of the
ter published in the daily by Mr.
George N. Patterson. Sir Olaf said Opposition onslaught. He express
that “the international status of ed the hope that the decision to
Sikkim will not be shaken by the join the Congress would further
strengthen the party not only in
sound and fury in Mr. Patterson's Himachal Pradesh but elsewhere
letter”.
too.
Sir Olaf Caroe had, in a letter
in November, said that under the
British Raj Sikkim was a part of
India.
ADVERTISE
In his latest letter to the Daily
Telegraph, he said that perhaps the
shortest road to the truth is to be IN
found in Article II of the conven
tion between Great Britain and
China relating to Sikkim and Tibet
signed at Calcutta on March 19,
1890.
He quoted the article which read,
“It is admitted that the British Go
SOG|LIST
vernment, whose protectorate over
the Sikkim State is hereby recog
nised, has direct and exclusive con
|||||
trol over the internal administra
tion and foreign relations of that
State and except through and with
the permission of the British Gov REGULARLY
ernment, neither the ruler of the
State nor any of its officer shall

1974: In Retrospect
1974 may well go down in hist
ory internationally as a year of
the Third World, and for India a
year of scientific and technological
achievements amidst unprecedent
ed inflation and economic and food
crisis.
The year saw India successfully
conducting an underground test of
a peaceful nuclear device, thus
breaking, to their chagrin, the big
five nuclear monopoly. While pro
ving its capability of producing it,
India became the first nuclear
country to unambiguously declare
it will not become “a nuclear wea
pon power.”
In a world afflicted by the energy
crisis, India's geologists located at
the first attempt the right spot
where they could strike oil offshore
on Bombay High, leading to high
hopes of even a possible oil bon
anza that would take the country
out of the economic crisis.
Problems of the developing
world caused by natural calamities,
food shortages and inflation were
compounded by the addition of
another 89 millions to be fed rais
ing the total world population to
4,000 millions. There were 142
million births and 53 million
deaths.
In the midst of these difficulties,
internationally and sub-continent
ly India had a record of achieve
ments during 1974.
After solving the emotional issue
of trial of 195 Pakistani prisoners
of war, thanks to the magnanimous
1974: A World
Round-UP
1974 will also be remembered as
the year which brought about the
elimination of the last vestiges of
colonialism from the face of the
earth. A military coup overthrew
the fascist Government of Mr. Mar
cel Caetano in Portugal and start
ed the independence process for
500IALIST INDIA
gesture of Bangladesh. India suc
ceeded in its persistent efforts at
bringing about certain “limited
agreements” with Pakistan on re
sumption of telecommunication
and postal services and lifting of
the ban on trade between
the two countries.
In the political field, the year
1974 saw presidential and vice
presidential elections and “mini”
general elections in five States in
the country. Shri Fakhruddin Ali
Ahmed, till then a Minister in the
Union Cabinet was elected to suc
ceed Shri V. V. Giri, as President
and Mr. B. D. Jatti, Governor of
Orissa, to succeed Shri G. S.
Pathak as Vice-President.
The “mini” general elections
which took place in February re
sulted in the formation of Con
gress ministries in Uttar Pradesh
and Orissa and a shortlived Anna
DMK Ministry in Pondicherry. The
Pondicherry Ministry fell on March
27 after being in office for 21 days
and President's rule was imposed
in the Union Territory from that
date. Pondicherry and Gujarat are
still under President's rule.
While the United Democratic
Front Ministry under the leader
ship of Mr. Vizol continued in
office in Nagaland, Manipur saw
three ministries in the course of
the last ten months. The present
ministry, a coalition under the
chief ministership of Shri Raj
Kumar Dorendra Singh, leader of
the Congress Party, was sworn in
on December 6.
After prolonged parleys, repre
Sentatives of the Prime Minister
and Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah
reached an agreement in Novem
its three African territories ending
an empire and a period of colonial
Wars.
The new Government led by left
wing officers Brigadier Vasco Gon
calves, Prime Minister, and the
President, Mr. Francisco Da Costa
Gomes recognised the independence
of Guinea Bissau. Mozambique as
a transitional government and be
comes fully independent next June
and Angola is moving towards in
dependence.
The popular upsurge for self
*-
27
ber on the constitutional aspects
of the future set up in Kashmir.
During the year India oncentrat
ed on strengthening its relations
with its neighbours and signed
agreements with Sri Lanka and
Indonesia on maritime boundaries
and with Bangladesh on land
boundary. The long-standing issue
of the future of persons of Indian
origin in Sri Lanka was also finally
settled early in the year during
the visit to India of Sri Lanka
Prime Minister, Mrs. Sirimavo
Bandaranaike.
Some efforts were made at re
pairing the damage caused to
Indo-US relations in the wake of
1971 US policy of tilt towards
Pakistan and against India during
the Bangladesh crisis.
After long preparatory diploma
tic work, both at Washington and
New Delhi, the US Secretary of
State, Dr. Henry Kissinger, visit
ed India and had extensive talks
with the Prime Minister Smt.
Indira Gandhi, and other leaders
and officials.
Though both countries spoke of
a new chapter in their relations,
there were signs that New Delhi
was still waiting to see how Wash
ington will match deeds with
words.
The retiring US Ambassador, Mr.
Patrik Daniel Moynihan, in the
meanwhile publicly complained his
countrymen were paying more at
tention to China while neglecting
India.
In the field of medicine an im
portant development took place in
India. A New Delhi scientist an
nounced the successful trials of a
vaccine to control birth.
government which began in the
Indian protectorate of Sikkim last
year culminated in the first free
elections on the basis of adult suf
frage and the setting up early this
year of an elected assembly, and a
popular ministry under the leader
ship of the Sikkim Congress leader,
Kazi Lhendup Dorji.
India responded to the express
desire of the Sikkim Congress and
the State Assembly for participa
tion in the political and economic
institutions of India and amended
JANUARY 4, 1975
the Indian Constitution to grant
the status of an associate state to
Sikkim. The amendment is now
awaiting ratification by the States
to become effective. While Sikki
mese people demanded a final deci
sion on the future of the Chogyal,
the Government of India cautioned
them against any hasty step in this
direction.
Bhutan, a northern neighbour of
India, this year saw the corona
tion of youngest monarch in the
world. King Jigme Singye Wang
chuk ascended the throne on June
2 this year to succeed his father
who died in Nairobi in July 1972.
Visiting India in his first trip ab
road as the king, his talks with
Indian leaders covered co-operation
for modernising his country and
making its ecoomically self
reliant.
The expulsion of racist South
Africa from the General Assembly
in the face of bitter opposition by
Western countries, the grant of
Over 700 Held Under Smuggling Act
Over 700 persons have been held
so far throughout the country un
der the new Foreign Exchange
Conservation and Prevention of
Smuggling Act, Union Minister of
State for Finance, Shri Pranab
Kumar Mukherji said today.
Shri Mukherji, told newsmen in
Calcutta. On December 29 that the
drive to arrest persons under the
new act was being intensified to
curb foreign exchange drainage
and diversion of scarce resources
to non-priority sector.
The drive had made its impact
felt in a “substantial reduction” in
smuggling. Reports from Dubai and
Hong Kong indicated that stocks
of goods were being accumulated
there which would otherwise have
been smuggled into India.
Shri Mukherji said the less the
purchases of smuggled goods were.
the more was the conservation of
our valuable foreign exchange.
Diversion of Scarce resources to
the non-priority sector would also
SOCIALIST INDIA
observer status to the Palestinian
Liberation Organisation and the
adoption of the 14-Point “Economic
Magna Carta”—economic charter
—are hailed as “landmark deci
sions” by the Third World.
The most affluent of the coun
tries in the world saw in the year
their chief executives bowing out
of their offices in unusual circum
stances—President Nixon of the
United States resigned following
the Watergate scandal, Chancellor
Willy Brandt of Federal Republic
of Germany quit his office in the
face of an espionage charge against
his secretary and Prime Minister
Tanaka of Japan left in the wake
of charges that he had used his
position to amass huge wealth.
The West Asia war of 1973, in
whose wake the oil producing coun
tries joined together to push up
oil prices to match the inflationary
rises in prices of goods and ser
vices by the developed world, con
tinued in 1974.
be proportionately reduced, he
said.
Shri Mukherji told a questioner
that about 100 smugglers, includ
ing one or two top-ranking ones
were still evading arrests under
MISA. “It is hearsay” that some
absconding smugglers, including a
top-ranking one, had gone aboard,
he said.
He ruled out income-tax reduc
tion and said administrative “loop
holes” were being plugged to pre
vent tax evasion.
He ruled out income-tax reduc
tion and said administrative “loop
holes” were being plunged to pre
vent tax evasion.
He turned down a suggestion by
Shri R. N. Lakhotia, President of
the Income-tax Payers' Associa
tion of India that reduction in tax
would help the Government achi
eve its objective of stopping tax
evasion. The Minister who was
replying to the suggestion during
the inauguration of the second all
* ***. 28
Shadows of war still hang over
Asia and West Asia. Despite Paris
agreement on Vietnam and cease
fire in West Asia, peace has not
come in these regions. Fighting is
still going on and people are still
being killed in Vteinam and Cam
bodia. Foreign intervention in
violation of the Paris agreement
contiuues. In West Asia the slen
der hopes generated in the year
have been virtually shattered and
another round of war between
Arabs and Israel is threatened.
A coup attempt, engineered by
Greek colonels, brought war to the
island of Cyprus and a Turkish in
sion.
While the problem remained un
solved in Cyprus—though the oust
ed Archbishop Makarios has re
turned to Nicosia and resumed
presidency of the republic—in
Greece itself the Cyprus adventure
resulted in the end of the military
regime and return of democracy.
India taxation seminar sponsored
by the Association said an earlier
experiment done in 1965 by the
former Finance Minister Morarji
Desai by introducing a voluntary
disclosure system for black money
did not succeed.
The total number of income-tax
payers was about 3.5 lakhs includ
ing one lakh of the salaried class
and those who concealed black
money or helped generation of it
through tax evasion came from
the “highest social stratum”, he
said.
It could not be expected that
the Government would “soft-pedal
towards them and liberalise the
taxation system,” he added.
Mr. Mukherji assured the in
come-tax payers of the Govern
ment measures to simplify the
taxation system to reduce their
“harassment” as far as possible.
A constant exercise was being
done by the Government for this
and a select committee had already
been formed on the basis of the
Wanchoo Commission's recommen
dation to propose suitable legisla
tion, he said.
JANUARY 4, 1975.

Storm. In Kerala
Tea Cup
A Correspondent
Last fortnight, Kerala was in a
state of suspended animation.
Rumours were rife in politiacl cor
ridors. Some observers even began
expressing fears, if in subdued
tones, that the Coalition Ministry
in the State was facing yet an
other threat, this time from with
in. Even those who wished to keep
up their optimism could have had
intimations of anxiety over the
fate of the Achutha Menon Minis
try.
True to their character, the
Marxists and their associates as
siduously cultivated this fear in
the minds of the people while
demanding the resignation of the
Ministry. In fact, they were fond
ling a dream of preventing this
Ministry from running its full term
in office. Incidentally, no Ministry
has had that privilege since the
formation of the State in 1956.
But, mercifully, for the common
man, who has learnt over the years
what it means to have an unstable
Government, the Marxist dream
has been once again shattered. The
storm has at least blown over and
Kerala is audibly heaving a sigh
of relief.
KPCC'S MOVE
It all started with the publica
tion of certain charges against
Dr. K. G. Adiyodi, the Congress
Finance Minister, who also holds
the portfolio of Forests, some
weeks ago. The Government, having
convinced itself that the charges
were baseless, filed a suit of de
famation against “Kerala Kaum
udi,” the Malayalam daily pub
lished from Trivandrum, which had
published the allegations of cor
ruption against the Minister.
On second thoughts, the Exe
cutive of the KPCC, however, de
cided to request the Government
to withdraw the case and ask the
Minister concerned to prove his
innocence. One consideration which
could have weighed with the KPCC
is that prosecution against the
daily will not pay as "rich divi.
WOCIALIST INhla
dends as voluntary action on the
part of the Minister to prove be
fore the people that the charges
against him would not stand a
moment's scrutiny.
The KPCC's decision could not
find immediate favour with the
Legislature Party. Though some
difference of opinion came up bet
ween the two wings of the party,
they were immediately ironed out
in the course of the discussions the
KPCC President, Shri A. K.
Antony and the leader of the Leg
islature Party and the Home Min
ister, Shri K. Karunakaran had in
Delhi with the Prime Minister and
the Congress President.
BASELESS CHARGES
The sad part of the episode was
that some Sections of the Press
which thrive by presenting to its
readers sensational fare sought to
make out that the wrangle bet
ween the KPCC and the Legisla
ture wing of the Party was so
serious that it would not admit
of any solution. From the way
things turned out, it is only logi
cal to infer that whatever disagree
ment over the question of with
drawing the case against the daily
was there, it was gleefully magni
fied out of proportion by interest
ed parties. And contrary to their
expectations, the denouncement of
the drama has no element of tra
gedy in it. Rather, it confirms the
fact that the Congress has enough
of inner strength and resilience to
survive even such intra-party dis
cord that might otherwise prove
to be the harbinger of disaster
not only to it but to the Ministry
in which it is the major partner.
Once again, it has been brought
home to the people that it stands
firmly committed to give them a
“clean” and stable administration.
The adjective 'clean' calls for
special emphasis. If the “Kaumudi”
P. M. TAKES OVER PLANNING
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
has taken over the portfolio of
Planning, consequent to the resig
nation of Shri D. P. Dhar. Shri
Dhar is proceeding to Moscow as
our Ambassador to the Soviet
Union,
The Prime Minister has also
taken ºver the Department ef
Pº
issue makes anything indubitably
clear, it is that the party does not
wish to ride the popular wave ar
rogantly even in the face of al
legations of corruption against one
of its Ministers. It is a measure
of the KPCC's confidence in Dr.
Adiyodi that it thought it better
to subject him to an inquiry.
Should the KPCC have been not
very sure that the charge against
him were baseless, it would
not have asked him to per
form the humiliating task of
proving his integrity. An
other point of significance
which emerges from the whole
episode is that the Congress does
not want to give an impression to
the people that it would allow its
representatives in the Ministry to
be there with soiled reputation and
doubtful integrity. By acting as
it did, the Congress has been able
to take the wind out of the Oppo
sition's sail.
On his part, Dr. Adiyodi has
acted with exemplary courage of
conviction and self-confidence. If
reports are true, in the meetings
of the Liaison Committee of the
Ruling parties, which okayed the
PCC's suggestion that the case be
withdrawn, he pleaded for nothing
short of a full-fledged inquiry into
the allegations against him. That
a preliminary probe would have
been enough when Dr. Adiyodi
called for a full-fledged one brings
out his intentions beyond a shadow
of doubt. The Government has
acquisced in his plea. Whether the
Minister or the daily is wrong
would be indicated within three
months when the High Court judge
appointed to conduct the probe will
submit his report. That the Op
position would growl about
Dr. Adiyodi's continuance in office
during the pendency of the in
quiry is only typical of it.
Science and Technology which was
under temporary charge of Shri
T. A. Pai, Minister for Industry
and Civil Supplies.
The announcement of the ap
pointment of Shri P. N. Haksar as
the Deputy Chairman of the Plan
ning Commission is expected soon,
*ANUARY 4, 1578

Indo-Bangladesh
Trade Protocol
India and Bangladesh will con
duct bilateral trade in freely con
vertible currencies from 1975
onwards—not in rupee as was
the practice till now—according to
a trade protocol signed between
the two protocol signed between
December 17. The Commerce Minis
ter, Shri D. P. Chattopadhyaya
and his Bangladesh counterpart,
Mr. Khondkar Mushtaq Ahmed,
signed the protocol for India and
Bangladesh respectively.
Later. Shri Chattopadhyaya told
reporters that at the end of Decem
ber when the Balanced Payments
and Trade Agreement (BPTA) ex
pires, India is likely to have a
trade surplus of about Rs. 5
crores. The arrangement will be ex
tended till February 28 in respect
of certain items like jute, coal, to
bacco, newsprint and fresh fruit
to fulfil the exchanges agreed upon
INDIA AND EEC
The Council of the European
Economic Community established
on December 3, as part of the
United Nations emergency pro
grammes, a $150m scheme for aid
to those countries most affected by
the worldwide economic crisis.
The sum of $120m. is to be al
located directly by the European
Community to a number of the
hardest hit countries. India is to
be the main beneficiary and will
receive a grant of $58m, over 41
per cent., of the total.
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pak
istan will receive $22 m and $3 m
respectively.
The remaining $30m will be
transferred to the United Nations
special fund.
The $50m grant to India will
be used for the purchase within
the EEC, or outside the EEC, of
fertilisers, chemicals, iron ore pro
ducts, capital goods and essential
services.
In addition, the European Eco
nomic Community announced in
SOCIALIST INDIA
at the September meeting between
the two Ministers. It is hoped all
deliveries will be completed by the
end of February and the extent
of India's trade surplus will be
reduced significantly.
Shri Chattopadhyaya said the
balance of the surplus will be con
verted into a loan to Bangladesh,
to be repaid in such a manner that
half the debt is covered by March
31, 1976 and the rest by March
31,1977. Interest at 5 percent will
be levied on the loan.
With the signing of the trade
protocol, the constraints and inhi
bitions implicit in the BPTA will
no longer govern the commercial
relations between the two coun
tries. The protocol, however, has
provisions that would make the
switch-over to free trade painless
for the trade partners.
The principal commodities ex
changed between India and Bangla
desh are coal and jute. The proto
col stipulates that the commodi
ties will be traded by the two
countries next year on terms and
October its decision to make 1 m
tonnes of foodgrains available to
India — 300,000 tonnes as a gift
and 700,000 tonnes under commer
cial terms.
JP MOVEMENT IN UP
Continued from Page 24
ever, reacted by shouting back.
This apparently encouraged some
Congressmen also who joined the
CPI slogans. Tempers started ris
ing, but the intervention of the
Speaker saved the situation and
slogan shouting was stopped till
the end of the question hour.
However, after the question
hour and condolence resolutions
the Jana Sangh again took the
initiative in creating another up
roar. Jana Sangh leader Shri
Madho Prasad Tripathi stood up
to denounce the action under the
Goonda Act against the students.
Despite the Speaker's pleas he
failed to sit down. Instead, the
entire Rightist Opposition mem
bers including BLD, Jana Sangh
and the Syndicate, stood up and
started shouting slogans. When
they refused to end this disorderly
30
conditions and for such quantities
as may be mutually decided upon.
The agreement also provides that
India will buy fish worth Rs. 3.5
crores from Bangladesh during
1975 at prices acceptable to the
contracting agencies in the two
countries. * -
Both Shri Chattopadhyaya and
Mr. Ahmed expressed their happi
ness over the “very fruitful and
helpful” discussions and hoped
the two countries would do even
better in the trade under the new
dispensation.
Shri Chattopadhyaya further
said that the flow of goods under
the BPTA fell short of expecta
tions. mainly on account of trans
port bottlenecks. As for the rea
sons for switching over to trade
in convertible currency, he said
despite the initial difficulties it had
been found from experience, espe
cially from trade with Yogoslavia,
that this system yielded better
results. The change over to trade
in free currency with Yogoslavia
from rupee trade “has really help
ed us,” he added.
and unruly behaviour the Speaker
asked the Ministers to lay down
their papers on the table of the
House as mentioned in the agenda.
This irritated the Opposition who
rushed towards the Treasury
Benches resulting in a clash and
violence and consequent sine die
adjournment of the House.
According to Congress leaders,
this action of the Opposition was
deliberate and aimed at creating
an atmosphere that would gene
rate tension needed for launching
their proposed agitation. (I. P. A.
Dec. 27)
CRICKET VICTORY
India entered 1975 with a 85
run victory over the West Indies
on the final day of the third Test
at the Eden Gardens, Calcutta.
The groundwork for the victory—
which came at five minutes before
noon on the New Year's Day—had
been laid by Viswanath (139) and
Engineer (61) in India's second
innings. It was pulled off by the
spinners.
While Bedi made a tally of four
for 52, Chandrasekhar captured
three Wickets for 66 rºns.
JANUARY 4, 1975
 FARIDABAD

YOUTH

CAMP

Faridabad (Haryana) played host

to the National Leadership Train
ing Camp for Youth and Students
- ––. - which was attended by selected
members of the Indian Youth Con
gress and the National Students'
Union of India. ABOVE: Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi being con
ducted to the dais by Haryana
Chief Minister, Shri Bansi Lal
(left) and the Youth leader. Shri
Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, M.P.
LEFT: Congress President Shri
Dev Kanta Borooah being escorted
by Shri Munshi and Shri Ranga
rajan Kumaramangalam of the
NSUI. BELOW: Shri D. P. Chat
topadhyaya addressing the youth.
Next to him is Shri Tulsidas Das
sappa, MP.

National Stupaislºkº
24th.25th 8, 26th December 1974
FARIDABAD Hºwa

SööläList indi: JANUARY 4, 1975

SOCIALIST INDIA
* 6 JAN 1975
Posted in CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 4-I-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792|70
º

{
{

INDIA IS GREAT {

MAKE IT GREATER
BUMPER GRAIN CROP DESPITE
DROUGHT AND FLOODS
By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec. 24—Although the summer drought
and floods in various parts of the country had given rise to
fears of a setback on the farm front this year, the latest re
ports reaching New Delhi suggest the total production for
1974-75 may swing back to the size of the record harvest of
1970-71.
Official sources are optimistic that the production this
year will not be less than the 1970-71 output of 108 million
tonnes.
It is estimated that the kharif production, despite the
ravages of dry weather and untimely rains, will be around 62
millions tonnes, a drop of more than four million tonnes from
last year's production. But with the recent rains in many
parts of Northern India, there are prospects of the rabi crop
touching 45 million tonnes.
The overall production would have returned even better
figures if the north-eastern monsoon which feeds the rich rice
crop of Tamil Nadu had not played truant. One of the worst
droughts in history ruined the harvest in Chhattisgarh, the
granary of Madhya Pradesh. Some parts of Orissa were also
affected.
After reaching the peak of 108 million tonnes in 1970-71,
food production slid to 105.2 million tonnes in the following
year and then tumbled to 97 million tonnes in 1972-73, which
was a disastrous year for world farm production as well. In
the wake of the bumper crop of 1970-71, the Government had
announced that there would be no more dependence on PL-480
handouts and concessional imports, but faced with a setback for
: two years, had to scour the world market for grain last year
and again this year.
NO MORE IMPORTS
With the distinct upturn in the outlook on the farm
i front, official sources are aga'n conjuring up the vision of
drastically paring, if not altogether stopping, food imports.
Another reason why the recent rains have brought smiles
in Krishi Bhavan is that the kharif procurement has shown a
welcome spurt. The market arrivals last week stood at a total
of 11.66 lakh tonnes, compared with last year's 10.36 lakh
tonnes.
The total rice procurement is 11.1 lakh tonnes, and of
coarse grains 56,300 tonnes. Punjab leads the states, having
THIS IS THE ELEVENTH IN procured 4.68 lakh tonnes, followed by Tamil Nadu (1.46 lakh
A SERIES OF ADVERTISE tonnes), Andhra Pradesh (1.348 lakh tonnes) and Haryana
MENTS DESIGNED BY “SOCI (1.265 lakh tonnes).
ALIST INDIA” IN PUBLIC The expectations—or fears in the minds of hoarders—of
INTEREST a bumper rabi harvest are now bringing out the grain into the
market. Official sources are confident that the arrivals will not
lose steam for some more weeks to come.
—Courtesy NATIONAL HERALD (Dec. 25) :
•-º-º-º-º-º-º-º-º: º-º-º-º:
 TriBUTES To

SOCIALIST L. N. MISHRA
*
P. M. ON STATISTIC3
AND PLANNING

|N||A 30p.
-
…;
TRADE UNION MOVEMENT
IN USSR

-
PRIME MINISTER ON MISHRA’S NMURDER
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, said in New Delhi on Ja
nuary 7 that the assassination of
Shri L. N. Mishra was “part of a
dangerous plan” devised by those
who wanted to create chaos in the
country and bring down its name
abroad.

In her 22-minute speech full of

anger and emotion, Smt. Gandhi
said that Shri Mishra's killing was
not a mistake but a rehearsal. “I
know who their target is and you
all know it too”, she told a large
gathering of citizens at a condo
lence meeting for Shri Mishra or
ganised by the Delhi Pradesh Con
gress Committee.
The Prime Minister said that she
was not afraid of being murdered,
defamed or slandered. History
would bear the truth. “The issue
is not that Shri Mishra was their
target today and I could be the
next. What we have to see is what
are they trying to do with this
country.”
Smt. Gandhi said that all kinds
of rumours were being spread
about Shri Mishra's killing. “If I
am killed they will say I did it,”
she added.

She said that it was saddening

to see those who talked about
truth and non-violence had crea
ted an atmosphere in which neither
truth nor non-violence nor democ
racy could survive.
She said that she was scoffed at
when she repeatedly warned that
Continued on Page 23
*-m-m-
DEMOCRACY e SOCIALISM O SECULARISM O NON-ALIGNMENT
-

Prime Minister on Aspects
Of International Law
Excerpts from the Prime Minister's inaugural
address to the 56th Conference of the International
Law Association at New Delhi on December 30:
Our ancient sages posed the question: What
holds the world together? And found the answer
that it is Riti, the law. The symbol of law and of
duty in our tradition is the wheel, and this symbol
adorns our flag and our emblem. It is to such a land
that it is my privilege to welcome you who have
come from various parts of the world as our honour
ed guests.
Students of human affairs realise that no peo
ple's conduct conforms totally to the best ideals and
instincts evolved in their country. The wisdom of
India enunciates that Truth is what we perceive,
while Reality is endless. But, for centuries, we lived
as if we had all knowledge. Our spiritual texts
preached that change is the law of life, yet our own
codes and institutes of behaviour obstructed change.
We described Dharma in its multifarious aspects of
justice, duty, faith and charity, yet true justice was
denied to vast sections of the population.
Ours is not the only country in which this ocur
red. Who has not read the radiant words in which
Pericles praised the Athenian way of life? He
spoke of the law securing equal justice to all Athen
ians, no matter how poor. He asserted that there
was no exclusiveness in the public life of Athens.
Yet we know that women and helots were excluded
from the privileges of Athenian society. I say this
only to emphasise that, in their preoccupation with
the status quo, the wisest of men are often oblivious
of many elements of social reality.
LAW: AN INSTRUMENT OF CHANGE
Through the rise and fall of empires and re
publics, through the vicissitudes of wars and revo
lutions, through the collisions and confluence of races
and religions, the fact stands out that laws designed
to protect the political or economic power of a few
against the rights of the many, must sooner or later
yield place to laws which enlarge the areas of equa
lity, and that law itself should be an ally and instru
ment of change.
The attitude of most individuals, groups and
nations towards right and wrong remains egocentric.
Those who have military or economic strength
assume the authority to lay down the law for others.
At the height of colonialism, many persons in impe
rial countries, who although liberal and enlightened
in domestic matters, ignored their own abetment of
injustice in their dealings with other peoples. The
freedom movements of the colonised countreis
awakened their conscience. It has been aptly said
SOCIALIST INDIA
of Mahatma Gandhi that he liberated not only India
but Britain as well.
The truths propounded by prophets and seers
may sometimes find immediate following, as did the
teachings of the Buddha and Christ and Mohammed.
but more often, the time takes for assimilation is
long. In each generation, ideas influence sensitive
persons until momentum gathers and leads to action.
There are varying intervals between the perception
of an idea, its acceptance as valid and its becoming
a reality in everyday practice. Nearly two hundred
years ago, the founding fathers of the United States
of America declared all men to be equal but unequal
laws were abrogated there barely two decades ago.
In my own country the barbarous practice of un
touchability became illegal only after we drew up our
own laws some twenty-five years ago. People who
have been suppressed for centuries need to be help
ed to catch up with the rest of society. Hence the
special reservations and other facilities guaranteed
to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes in our Constitu
tion. Several have reached the top in many areas of
national life, although the removal of poverty is a
long term process and much remains to be done. In
other parts of the world there are nations which
even now stick to concepts of racial superiority. Is
it not a new form of arrogance for affluent nations
to regard the poorer nations as an improvident
species whose numbers are a threat to their own
standard of living?
THE LARGEST MINORITY
But the dispossessed will come into possession.
Discrimination will be fought. I belong to the larg
est minority which, all over the world and through
out history, has had to face discrimination. Should
we tolerate laws and practices which deny equality
to women? Even in my own country, where women
have full equality in the Constitution, in many fields
of the economy wage rates for women are lower
than those for men, and prejudice against women is
still prevalent in the professions.
The law is a statement of the terms on which
we wish to live as individuals, as societies, as nations
and as members of the human family. Laws govern
the relationship of each of these units to others.
Law is an expression of the urge towards discipline
and self-control that has to be fostered in men and
in social institutions. Although its sanction has
traditionally been the power of the enforcer, from
the earliest times it has been recognised that law is
not derived from power but is there to control
power. So law is not what is but what ought to be.
Much of law leans on the past, on precedent; but
law is constantly called upon to deal with unfolding
situations, with the future which soon becomes the
present. What was regarded as just yesterday,
may not be acceptable today. That is why law
needs to understand that in order to deal with
change, it should itself change. . . .
The world's resources must be developed to
Continued on Page 31
JANUARY 11, 1975
 Weekly of the Indian
National Congress pub Wol X No 6
SOG| ALIST lished every Saturday
from AICC Camp Office,
CCNTENTS January II, 1975

5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad

NDIA Road, New Delhi 110001.
'Phone: 383521.
'Grams: SOCIALIST Prime Minister on Aspects of
International Law

Editorial
EDITORIAL BOARD

Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Syndicate Conclave: A Ritual Affair

(Chairman) A Correspondent 5

Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Growing Scepticism in JP Camp 6

Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA India's Foreign Relations during 1974 7

Industrial Relations in 1974 8

©
Prime Minister on Statistics and
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Planning in India. 9
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR L. N. Mishra: Tributes from Congress
(Chairman) President and Others 11

Shri I. K. GUJRAL Trade “Explosion” with Socialist Countries 15

Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
Towards a Scientific Training Programme
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA M. D. Nalapat 16
Shri P. C. SETHI
DRVN Prime Minister on
Indo-Vietnam Friendship 19

JP: Proverbial Good Man fallen

Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAV among Thieves 21
Fxecutive Editor: JAG MOHAN Trade Union Movement in USSR -

Published by: v. N. MALHOTRA H. N. Trivedi - 25

for and on behalf of the All-India Congress
Committee and printed at National Herald Press,
Miscellany 2.
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. 1975: India's “Space” Year
O. P. Sabharwal - 28

The views expressed by Contributors are not neces Bazpur: Nucleus for Development in Tarai
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. S. S. Sirohi 29

rº, ches, Shri Mishra, though hurt and pained, kept his
cool and made his statement vindicating himself.
EDITORIAL He was mercilessly, though unnecessarily, vilified
and persecuted. He was only waiting for the pas
sions to cool down and for the air to be cleared of
rancour. He was waiting for the passage of time
Character Assassination for truth to bear him out and for all rumours to be
set at rest. But then the hands of assassins had
And Assassination struck him and silenced him forever. He died as “the
first victims of fascist conspiracy” to quote the words
of the Congress President.
Betwixt character assassination and assassina
tion, there falls no shadow as has been conclusively The hands that are fabricating tissues of lies
proved recently. The late Shri L. N. Mishra, who have not been at rest. Every day and night, these
was the victim of the bomb outrage at Samastipur hands have been hammering away at the typewri
(along with others) was first subjected to a most ters mischievous myths and tendentious stories de
vicious form of character assassination in Parlia signed to cast aspersions on those who are living
ment and through the Press. Throughout the win and ruling the country. The freedom of the Press
ter session of Parliament, as insinuations and innuen is being perverted to cast doubts on the Congress
does were hurled at him from the Opposition ben leaders in all manner possible and to sow seeds of
80CIA+, HST ENDHA - sº \ . *ANUARY 11, 1975
discord in public life. This pernicious activity is foul
ing up the atmosphere.
The Prime Minister with candour and forth
rightness, so characteristic of her, has lost no time
in pinpointing the diabolic conspiracy behind the
twin-pronged attack of character assassination and
assassination, basically aimed at her. Between the
two, there is a small step forward and a big leap into
fascism. This thoroughly discredited political aber
ration, identified with dictatorship, tyranny, intole
rance, cruelty and indifference to all the values of
civilised life and so alien to Indian traditions and
culture has found some adherents in this country.
For some years it has been trying to rear its head.
But its secret signature has been found whenever
communal outbursts flared up or linguistic agitations
went beyond control. There is a deep-seated cons
piracy between the fascist elements here and abroad
to indulge in the politics of murder and plunge this
country into chaos and anarchy.
The Prime Minister and the Congress President
have consistently appealed to the people to exercise
their intuitive wisdom and to reject the manifold
overtures made by the Opposition politicians, now
ganged up behind JP. The people must also reject
outright the nefarious design of the intellectual
elite, which from the platform and the Press is
spreading falsehoods and calumny. In the present
context, words like “democracy” and “autocracy”,
“freedom” and “repression”, “socialism” and “fascism”
are being bandied about. The people at large know
who are entitled to use the words and who mean
the words correctly. The people know when these
words are being misused and by whom. The Cong
ress, through its series of Narora-type camps and the
initiatives of the Central Campaign Committee, has
made an urgent, nation-wide bid to reach the peo
ple, who have always had trust and faith in the
Congress. The masses who have stood by the Cong
ress through the decades cannot be weaned away by
the politics of murder initiated by the Opposition
leaders. The masses will shun this brand of politics
with revulsion and horror as they should. The mas
ses are truly the final authority to reject the poli
tics of murder.

Siddhartha Shankar Ray and the to Balua Bazar, covering a dis

MISHRA CREMATED
WITH FULL
STATE HONOURS
The former Railway Minister
Shri L. N. Mishra, who succumbed
on January 3 to the injuries
sustained in the bomb ex
plosion at Samastipur the previous
evening, was cremated with full
State honours in his home village,
Balua Bazar, in the presence of a
large number of mourners includ
ing the Prime Minister and the
Congress President.
The funeral pyre was lit at 2-15
p.m. (on January 4) by L. N.
Mishra's eldest son, Shri Vijay
Kumar Mishra. The pyre was pla
ced on a site at the rear of his
ancestral home. A detachment of
the army sounded the last post.
Smt. Indira Gandhi placed a
wreath and some sandalwood chips
on the pyre. A wreath was placed
on behalf of the President, Shri
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, also.
Besides the Congress President
and the Prime Minister, those who
were present there included, among
others, the Union Home Minister,
without Portfolio, Shri Uma Shan
kar Dikshit, the Bihar Chief Mi
mister, Shri Abdul Ghafoor, the
West Bengal Chief Minister, Shri
Union Deputy Minister for Infor
mation and Broadcasting, Shri
Dharam Bir Sinha.
L. N. Mishra had died on the
operation table at the Danapur
Railway Hospital. special
The
train carrying the body of L. N.
Mishra reached Forbesganj in
Purnea district about 10 in the
morning and from there it was
carried in a flower-bedecked truck
STRANGE TRIBUTE
FROM JP
Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, ad
dressing a meeting of Government
employees at the Boat Club in New
Delhi on January 3, said, “Acts of
terrorism and political assassina
tion deserve strong condemnation.”
He added, “I did not know Lalit
Narayanji personally, but I knew
of him. We had political differen
ces and I opposed the very Gov
ernment which he had installed in
Bihar. He had majority in the As
sembly, he was responsible for the
present Government in Bihar and
I have been agitating, demanding
the dissolution of the Assembly.
“But he is no more there. He
has died and with him the diffe
ronaea also die.”
tance of about 26 kms. A large
crowd of men, women and children
had thronged on both sides of the
road.
Smt. Indira Gandhi, who had
reached Balua Bazar about 2 p.m.
met the members of the berieved
family and consoled them. Later
in the evening she left for Birpur
from where she flew to Bagdogra
en route to Delhi.
Shri Narayan said it would be
appropriate to convert this rally
into a condolence meeting. He said
it was not proper for them to for
get the historic traditions of their
culture and traditions. “When you
people rejected the proposal to
convert this meeting into a con
dolence meeting, I got a shock. I
asked myself what is happening.
Are we forgetting our culture and
traditions.”
CE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
--- ---
*-

4. JANUARY 11, 1975

*ROGRA+, [ST INDIA
Congress President Dev Kanta
Borooah, flanked by Prime Minis.
ter Indira Gandhi and U.P. Chief

Minister H. N. Bahuguna at the

meeting organised by the Delhi
Pradesh Congress Committee on
January 7 to mourn the death of
Shri L. N. Mishra.

Of course, JP figured especially

SYNDICATE CONCLAVE :
A RITUAL AFFAIR
A Correspondent
The eighth session of the Syndi lopments are in the offing in Tamil
cate Working Committee at the Nadu. In Karnataka, it was ob
sleepy town of Chalisgaon, in vious that Shri Veerendra Patil
Maharashtra, was a tame, ritual seemed to staking out his own
affair, shorn of all political impor line independent of Shri Nijalin
tance. Everything about it had gappa. Even Shri S. N. Mishra
the touch of parody who was present on the first day
had to abruptly leave the Session
For instance, the presidential because of his mother's illness.
procession with that socialist
The speeches made were also
stalwart, Shri Asoka Mehta as the
routine. The usual fulminations
central figure was bordering on
a farce with just a couple of hund against the Congress and the
red boys and girls led by a hired, tirades against Smt. Indira Gandhi
brass band. Those who were characterised the speeches of the
attracted by the noise of blaring veterans Shri S. K. Patil, Shri
trumpets did join the procession. C. B. Gupta and Shri Morarji De
sai as well as that of Shri Mehta.
The rostrum at the local school They talked hoarse of democracy
where the session was held looked being “defaced and defiled and de
empty. The erstwhile Syndicate based.” But they had nothing con
leaders like Dr. Ram Subhag crete to offer to the people except
Singh, Shrimati Tarakeshwari the possibility of opportunistic
Sinha, Shri Nawal Kishore alliances in all States except
and others were naturally not Gujarat and Karnataka. The reso
there, having deserted that party. lutions which had to be passed
What was more intriguing was ritualistically for the sake of
the absence of Shri K. Kamaraj formality were indicative of a
and Shri Veerendra Patil. The desperate election strategy. The
explanations of illness and inabi sum and substance of the resolu
lity did not hold water. Shri tion on electoral alliances is that
Kamaraj has been following an the Syndicate will be reduced to
independent line and many deve a mere regional party.
80CIALIST INDIA 5 JANUARY 11, 1975
when Shri Patil paid fulsome tri
butes but it looked that the JP
movement had divided the rank
and file.
From their own point of view,
the only worthwhile decision seem
ed to be about setting up a high
level body to chalk out a revitali
sation programme. Mooted by
Dr. Sushila Nayar, this seemed to
be a vital necessity, since only
160 “delegates” and 400 invitees
and ovservers attended the ses
sion. The Party's General Sec
retary, however, said that 300 out
of 700 members had attended the
session.
It was such a poor show that
their president, Shri Asoka Mehta
confessed, “It is painful to see
that the party is not working with
vigour and has serious weaknes
ses.”
Besides, Shri S. L. Kashikar, a
veteran from Nagpur and a few
others ridiculed the Party's dua
listic approach of fighting elections
in two States independently and
of aligning with all non-CPI oppo
sition parties in the other States.
Shri Morarji Desai's reply to the
critics was most unconvincing as
it smacked too much of “opportu
nistic” pragmatism.
The ritual over, the delegates,
invitees and the leaders dispersed
without much ado.

GRowing SCEPTICISM IN JP CANMP :
Barring the Jana Sangh and
the Socialist Party, the other lea
ding parties supporting Shri Jaya
prakash Narayan seem to be get
ting sceptical about his ability to
pull together the various elements
brought by him round the table
in November last year in support
of the Bihar agitation.
Some of the leaders, who pre
ferred not to be quoted at this
stage, got the impression from
their meeting with JP that he him
self was in a dilemma at the mo
ment. JP gave the impression of
being “tired” and unlike the pre
vious occasions, he did not open
him mind this time with these lea
ders at least.
For different reasons, the So
cialists and the CPM leaders did
not meet Shri Jayaprakash Nara
yan in New Delhi. The Socialists
could not do so because of their
preoccupation with their national
conference at Kozhikode. The CPM
leaders on the other hand did not
seek any further discussions with
him since they had already ex
changed views early in December
at Patna.
Meanwhile, the fact that JP
evaded inaugurating a conference
of the landless, organised by the
CPM in Bihar late last month, is
expected to snowball into another
round of controversy within the
CIM vis-avis the party's ap
p, oach towards the movement led
by J.P.
The CPM's Bihar conference of
the landless was considered by the
critical CPM sections as a “test”
for JP's professions about “radi
calism” and “total revolution”.
The CPM has been pressing JP
that only by actively linking the
Bihar stir with mass popular is
sues could the movement attain a
sweep and credibility.
JP also avoided addressing the
Sº cialist Party's Kozhikode Con
ference, though he had committed
to do so early in October when
the Socialist Party's entire Na
tional Committee had met him in
Patna. It is likely that even the
SOCIALIST INDIA
Socialist leaders understood later
that if JP had kept the appoint
ment, it might have led to “mis
understanding” among other par
ties.
Observers have noted that the
Socialist Party's Kozhikode con
ference itself reversed the party's
stand on providing a “radical al
ternative”. This is likely to create
a further gap not only between
the Socialists and the CPM but
also within the CPM.
The Socialists have again rever
ted to anti-Congressism apparen
tly akin to the pre-1971 political
alignments, while the CPM only
recently sought to draw a divid
P. N. HAKSAR
Shri P. N. Haksar, former
Principal Secretary to the Prime
Minister, assumed charge as the
Deputy Chairman of the Planning
Commission on January 4.
The office of the Deputy Chair
man was rendered vacant by the
resignation of the Planning Minis
ter, Shri D. P. Dhar, who was also
the Deputy Chairman of the Plan
ning Commission. The Prime
Minister is its Chairman now.
The appointment of Shri Haksar
to the post was announced on Jan
uary 3. Shri Haksar is the fifth
Deputy Chairman of the Planning
Commission.
Discussions between the Plan
ning Commission and Chief Minis
ters on the 1975-76 plan were
scheduled to begin towards the
According
middle of the week.
to the new schedule, the plans of
Karnataka and Delhi would be
taken up on the first day and those
of West Bengal and Pondicherry
on the second day. Dates for
other States and Union Territories
were being fixed with a view to
completing the series before the
end of January.
While Shri Haksar, after taking
charge as the Deputy Chairman
of the Planning Commission, was
preparing to meet the Chief Minis
ters, official level talks, which had
ing line between the Leftist and
Rightist parties—a characterisa
tion rejected by the Socialists in
the name of building an anti-Cong
ress nationwide popular movement.
The running controversy bet
ween the Jana Sangh and the BLD
on the merger issue is stated to
be another source of headache for
JP. This issue assumed a new di
mension early last December with
the Jana Sangh's decision to “ini
tiate” a move for evolving a uni
ted Opposition Parliamentary bloc
and the BLD Chairman, Chau
dhury Charan Singh, dismissing
the proposal unceremoniously.
In this background, according
to informed sources, JP might
have to replan the proposed Op
position March on Parliament,
which is scheduled for March 6, if
not abandoned.
begun in December, were also con
tinuing. Official level talks were
expected to be over before the
talks with the Chief Ministers
started.
LETTER TO PCC’s
The following is the text of the
circular letter sent by the AICC
General Secretary, Smt. Purabi
Mukherjee, on December 30, 1974,
to the President of PCCs and
TCCs:
We are happy to find that all
the Pradesh Congress Committees
are going ahead with the prog
ramme of organising State-level
Training Camps in pursuance of
the decision taken at Narora. Re
ports received so far indicate that
the Camps have generated consi
derable enthusiasm amongst Con
gress workers of all ranks.
The All India Congress Commit
tee proposes to compile all reports
of State-level Camps. I shall there
fore be obliged if you will please
send a detailed report of your
Pradesh-level camp which should
include the following:-
i. Names and number of parti
cipants.
ii. Names of Speakers.
iii. Gist of discussions, if pos
sible.
iv. A copy of the papers on
“Problems of your State'.
JANUARY 11, 1975

I974: BIRD’s-EYE VIEW OF
INDIA’s FOREIGN RELATIONS
Amidst spiralling prices and
economic hardships on the domes
tic front, 1974 has been a year of
steady advance in India's external
relations, with new successes for
the country's foreign policy. There
has been progress all-round — a
better relationship with the super
powers, closer understanding with
neighbours, further advance to
wards normalisation on the sub
continent, and extension of good
will and economic ties in both East
and West.
The agreement in June with Sri
Lanka on Kachativu and stateless
citizens of Indian origin ushered in
an era of greater amity and trust
between India and its neighbours.
The year wound up on a note of
resounding goodwill. The visit of
Portuguese Foreign Minister Soa
res to India towards the year-end
meant a complete reversal of exist
ing relationship, from estrange
ment to friendship, with Portugal
warmly applauding the salient ob
jectives of India—democracy at
home and peaceful co-existence
internationally. This was a rare
but thrilling end to the chapter
begun with the Goa liberation
struggle.
1974 also witnessed two other
outstanding changes: a dialogue
concluding on a note of greater
cordiality with the United States
following the latter's renunciation
of its anti-India “tilt” of 1971, and
further development, economic and
political, of relations with Iran.
Both these events were manifest
ed in high-level visits from these
countries to India.
FRESH LAURELS
The U.S. Secretary of State, Dr.
Henry Kissinger's five-day visit to
India in October and the State visit
of the Shahenshah of Iran earlier
in the month were two outstanding
events, both marking fresh laurels
to India's foreign policy. It is
also notable that visits of these
two foreign dignitaries have not
meant any alteration in India's
close relations with the Socialist
countries of Eastern Europe and
SOCIALIST INDIA A 7 *
with the Soviet Union. Rather,
the year-end events have empha
sised their further strengthening.
The resilience and poise of India's
foreign policy had also been well
demonstrated.
There has been the largest-ever
exchange of dignitaries, officials
and experts with the Socialist
countries in 1974, with November
December marking the State visits
to India of Prime Ministers of
three Socialist countries—Hunt.
gary, German Democratic Republic
and Czechoslovakia. These were
preceded by a high-level economic
delegation from Poland, while the
year-end has witnessed a fresh
Indo-Soviet trade protocol which
indicated the further development
of economic ties with the USSR,
a year after the historic Brezhnev
visit in 1973.
The year has been notable also
for the slow and gradual progress
towards normalisation of relations
on the sub-continent. It witness
ed first the end of the deadlock on
Pakistan's recognition of Bangla
desh and release of Pakistani
POWs; this was accomplished by
the Tripartite Conference of Fol'.
eign Ministers in New Delhi in
April which initiated a new chap
ter of understanding on the sub
continent whose momentum was
however abruptly broken by Pak
istan when it unilaterally called off
the Indo-Pakistan official meeting
scheduled for June. Later, how
ever, Pakistan began a slow return
to the old moorings and on Nov
ember 30, India and Pakistan sign.
ed in New Delhi a trade protocol
which lifted the barriers from
trade between the two countries
after the lapse of nearly a de
cade.
India's handling of global events
and repercussions and its ability
to protect its interests in changing
situations has been demonstrated
during the year on more than one
occasion. Two such occasions were
in May, when India accomplished
its first nuclear explosion. and
later when Sikkim's cºnstitutional
relation with India was defined
as one of an associate State.
The tremendous pressure
sought to be invoked on India by
advanced Western countries was
resolutely met by Indian policy
makers who refused to accept any
wilting of its cherished objective
of advancing in attainments of
peaceful nuclear science and tech
nology. Towards the end of the
year, there was a gradual return
to acceptance of the new reality of
India's nurclear attainment by the
Western world, an indication of
which was Canada's decision to
send a high-power team for re
examining possible resumption of
material equipment for India's
nuclear projects.
NEIGHBOURS
The developments stemming
from Sikkim's new status follow
ing the September 7 Constitutional
Amendment also produced a sharp
howl in certain Western nations,
and more so in China. Their main
efforts were concentrated in try
ing to throw fresh spanners in
India's ties with its Himalayan
neighbours, Nepal and Bhutan. A
firm and clear projection by India
frustrated these designs, notwith
standing repeated Peking threats
in October-November. The up
shot: visits to New Delhi by the
Nepal Prime Minister in Novem
ber, and Bhutan's King in Decem
ber proved very successful in
thrashing out the issues.
The same approach by India
applied to the Diego Garcia issue.
Notwithstanding an improvement
in Indow.U.S. relations, New Delhi
did not alter its protest and resist
ance against the military build-up
of this Island in Indian Ocean by
the United States. In fact, the
two trends proceeded simultane
ously.
In January, India and Sri Lanka
jointly reiterated the demand that
Indian Ocean should be left as a
zone of peace, and Smt. Indira
Gandhi denounced the military
build-up of Diego Garcia. On
February 10, India and U.S. reach
ed agreement on disposal of U.S.-
held rupee funds on account of
PL-480 programmes. On October
28, an Indo-U.S. Joint Commission
on economic, scientific and cul
tural cooperation was set up on
the ooohsion of the visit to New
Delhi by Dr. Kissinger.
JANUARY 11, 1975

asous
INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS
IN 1974
The year 1975 has started with
a big backlog of industrial rela
tions issues demanding an urgent
solution. The policy-makers in
this field not only allowed these
problems to accumulate but also
added a few more during the year
that has just passed out.
The Industrial Relations Bill,
which has been on the anvil since
1971, did not see the light of the
day during 1974. This delay was
inevitably responsible for what
may be called as adhocism in this
vital field, with the employing
Central Ministries pursuing diffe
rent policies to deal with identical
issues in the field of industrial
relations, even in critical areas of
economic activity.
It is, therefore, not surprising
that 1974 has been the most cri
tical year in respect of labour un
rest. The fact that a record of
26.15 million man-days were lost
due to industrial strife only in the
first half of the year, points to
the gravity of the situation. As
against this, a total of 17.97 mil
lion man-days were lost in the
whole year of 1973 and 20.54 mil
lion man-days in 1972.
STEEL AND POWER
A major part of this loss was,
of course, due to the two strikes
of the Air India employees and
the railwaymen. Though the stri
kes cannot be treated at par on
the issues involved, they did point
to the attitudes of managements as
well as the trade unions, which
had much wider implications. Hun
dreds of railwaymen who partici
pated in the May strike, remain
victimised even eight months after
SOCIALIST INDIA
the strike, and even after repeated
promises by the Government that
their cases were being reviewed.
Meanwhile, it can be seen that
the bipartite wage negotiating
committees in Steel and Power in
dustry had come to a near stand
still. The power industry provided
a peculiar spectacle of callous at
titude of the State Electricity
Boards and State Governments, in
dealing with the workers' repre
sentatives at the bipartites. The
industrial relations in the power
industry remain precarious and
will have to be carefully sorted
out by the Union Ministry before
they get out of control.
Two recent instances of the coal
industry and port and docks pro
vide a striking contrast in the ap
proach of the Government. In the
coal industry, the Government, in
the name of inflation, sought to
go back on the wage revision ag
reement reached between the coal
men's unions and the CMA. How
ever, the threat of a united strike
by coalmen's unions affiliated to
the INTUC and AITUC brought
the Government round to accep
ting a reasonable agreement on
the disputed issues.
SPIRALLING PRICES
But, soon after, the Govern
ment announced the appointment
of a three-man committee for port
and dock workers' wage revision.
What has shocked the port and
dock workers is that the commit
tee excludes representatives of
workers altogether. All the port
and dock workers' unions have
threatened to go on a strike in
January. They will be boycotting
the wage revision committee. The
resentment among the port and
dock workers over such a compo
sition of the wage revision com
mittee is not unexpected, and the
Government can ill afford to ig
nore it.
It has to be noted that spiral
ling prices notwithstanding the
Government's anti-inflationary
measures have been the single
biggest factor for the widespread
discontent among both the orga
nised public and the private sec
tor workers. The Consumer Price
Index rose by 11 points, from 265
(base 1960–100) in January to 335
------
in October. Four D.A. Instalments
are still to be paid to the Gov
ernment employees since June
1974. The rocketing prices have
made it incumbent in the span of
one year to go in for another re
vision of wages of the Government
employees, in accordance with re
commendations of the Pay Com
mlSS10n.
Meanwhile, the discontent has
been increasing in the textile, jute
and sugar workers, on the de
mands for either enhanced wages
or bonus, or implementation of
agreements.
Only recently, Shri K. K.
Birla, on behalf of the Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce
and Industry, advocated against
conceding workers' wages, D.A.
and bonus demands, all in the
name of checking inflation and
increasing production. The private
sector holds no promise to check
prices or profiteering.
The private sector's approach
was fully reflected in the Bonus
Review Committee which recently
submitted its “majority” report
to the Government. The bonus
question has always been the
source of largest number of dis
putes, and the BRC recommenda
tions hold no promise for influen
cing the industrial relations fa
vourably in the ensuing year.
Moreover, the Government's
dithering on the question of evol
ving a national wage policy, which
has also been described in some
quarters as wages-incomes-prices
policy, has also contributed con
siderably to keeping the industrial
relations pot boiling. The Compul
sory Deposits scheme, in this con
text, came in for sharp criticism
from a large section of the orga
nised working class.
The coming year would demand
a determined effort from the po
licy-makers to clear the backlog
of industrial relations problems,
if the working class has to be pub
lised for putting in its best to ad
vance the productive forces and
for foiling “negative” tendencies
in the socio-political life of the
country,
JANUARY 11, 1975

Prime Minister On Statistics–
And Planning In India
inaugural address of the
Excerpts from the
Prime Minister delivered at the new Campus of the
Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi, on December
31, 1974.
Statistics is not merely a form of State arith
metic, employed to justify the ways of government,
but a science which uses mathematical insights to
unravel economic and social phenomena. It is a
means to understanding the past and the present and
anticipating the future.
Specialisation has grown, in statistics and in
other branches of science and learning. At the same
time, we are becoming acutely aware of the limita
tions of specialisation and the importance of taking
a more comprehensive view. Electronic surrogates
of the human brain which have been fabricated can
think a million times faster than the real thing.
Yet the most sophisticated computer cannot recreate
the miracle of a Valmiki or a Leenardo. Statistics
cannot be content with a mere mechanistic role.
Along with economics they should help in the trans
formation of the environment for living, working and
striving.
The first objective of Indian planning is to eradi
cate material poverty. Poverty is evil not because pos
sessions are good in themselves, but because hunger
breeds helplessness, because squalor generates
disease, because lack of education limits the deve
lopment of personality and restricts the area of
choice. The larger purpose of Indian planning is to
extend the ambit of freedom for the Indian people.
CRITICS OF PLANNING
In its earlier stages, critics opposed our planning
on the ground that it sought to build a regimented
state. They would not grant Jawaharlal Nehru's
premise that the increase of production through the
use of technology, the achievement of scientific self
reliance and the effective enlargement of social jus
tice and distributory egalitarianism could be achieved
within a framework of parliamentary debate and de
mocratic decision-making. To many of these critics,
to be for planning meant, to be against democracy.
Advocacy of heavy industry
proof of totalitarian intent.
was considered clear
That kind of visceral dislike of planning has now
diminished. Lip-sympathy is paid to planning and
ever to socialism by groups who do not really believe
in them. They do so because they see that the peo
ple of India have by and large accepted planning. But
today there is now a new band of critics who finds
fault with us for not having adopted totalitarian
systems, it is true, have put all their people to work,
have eliminated flies and -also dissenters. But many
80CLALIST INDIA ---- " " -
dictatorships have signally failed to solve basic prob
lems. When the choice was open for us — at the
time we framed our Constitution — we deliberately
chose the democratic system although we knew that
it was slower in its ways.
No system is thought without blemish. But we
think that the advantages of democracy far outweigh
the attendant risks. Dissent exaggerates shortcom
ings. By not closing our doors to outsiders we al
low them to see our weakness and our faults. But
only a democratic system can provide a sense of
fairness and protection to the multiplicity of groups,
religions, languages, castes and economic interests
that make up this vast and wonderful country. To
put the lid on India is to invite it to explode. Any
attempt to iron out Indian diversity may lead to
fragmentation. It is India's genius to survive by
fomenting diversity.....
STRATEGY OF PLANNING
In spite of the shortfalls in achievement, it is
undeniable that our strategy of planning has given
us an infrastructure which will serve as a secure
foundation for future advance, in agriculture, in in
dustry, in science and technology, even though there
may be some imbalances. The very fact that our
major problem is under-utilisation, proves that capa
city has been created. Nor is it at all true that agri
culture has been neglected for industry. Those who
make this charge ignore the fact that modern agri
culture requires an industrial base, and that a coun
try as vast as India cannot wholly depend on im
ports for the huge quantities of inputs which are
required...
This is an occation to reaffirm the nation's faith
in science and in planning. Scientists and social
scientists, who form part of the planning commu
nity, should not stand aloof, content to criticise. They
should be involved in the adventure of building new
India. I should like to assure the distinguished scien
tists from abroad, some of them are our own people,
who are with us that their ideas and suggestions will
be welcome.
ADVERTISE
IN
SOGIRLIST
REGULARLY
'JANUARY ri, 1975
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--- . . . tº JANUARY 11, 1978


L. N. MISHRA
Gazette Of India
Condolence
Resolution
The Union Government, in a
blackbordered gazette extraordi
nary published on January 4, plac
ed on record its condolence on the
death of Shri L. N. Mishra.
A resolution published in the
gazette said: “The tragic death
of Shri Lalit Narayan Mishra on
January 3, 1975 has deprived the
country of a dedicated freedom
fighter, an able administrator and
a distinguished parliamentarian
with a long record of service to
the country.
“Shri Mishra was born in Muzaf
farpur District, Bihar, on Febru
ary 2, 1923. He was educated at
Central Hindu College, Banaras,
and also at Patna College, Patna.
Shri Mishra started participation in
the freedom struggle from an early
age and underwent two terms of
imprisonment in 1941 and 1942
with five years rigorous imprison
ment. He was secretary of the
Bihar Provincial Students' Cong
ress 1944-46 and its President in
1946-48. He was also Fellow of
the Patna University Senate dur
ing 1948-49 and organised the
First Bihar Economic Conference
at Patna in 1950. Shri Mishra,
from the beginning, was interested
in the economic development of
the country and did research work
on jute cultivation and conducted
food survey in Bihar. As a re
search scholar of Patna University,
he did extensive research work on
the 19th Century Colonial Policy
of the British Empire.
“He was a member of the All
India Congress Committee from
1950. He was a delegate to the
42nd session of the International
Labour Conference, Geneva, in
1958 and visited the United States
of America in 1961 to study indus
trial relations in the coal and
steel industries. He was Chairman,
SOCIALIST INDIA
National Projects Construction
Corporation Limited 1961-64. Shri
Mishra was closely associated with
the trade union movement and
was Editor of the “Congress Fo
rum”. He was a member of the
Congress Working Committee,
1972. He attended as India's rep
resentative in several international
conferences including the general
body session of the ILO held in
Geneva in 1967 and led the Indian
delegation to the 2nd UNCTAD
Conference held in Santiago and
the meetings of the UN Economic
Commission for Asia and the Far
East held at Bangkok and Manila.
He was the guiding spirit behind
the Third Asian Trade Fair orga
nised as Asia'72.
“Shri Mishra was elected to the
first Lok Sabha in 1952 and to
the second Lok Sabha in 1957.
During 1964-72 he was a member
of the Rajya Sabha. In 1972 he
was again elected to the Lok
Sabha from Darbhanga. He was
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Minister of Planning. Labour and
Employment 1957-60, and Deputy
Minister for Labour Employment
and Planning, 1960-62. Shri Mishra
was also Deputy Minister in
the Ministries of Home Affairs
and Finance during 1964-67. In
1967 he took over as Minister of
State for Labour and Rehabilita
tion and later Minister of Defence
Production. Shri Mishra became
Minister of Foreign Trade in
1970. He became a member of
the Union Cabinet on appoint
ment as Minister of Railways on
February 5, 1973, Shri Mishra is
survived by his wife, four sons
and two daughters.”
D K. BOROOAH'S
TRIBUTE
The Congress President, Shri
D. K. Borooah, said in a state
ment on the death of Shri L. N.
Mishra:
“The tragedy is too personal and
the grief too deep to be expres
sed in words. Fascist forces out
to destroy democracy have claim
ed their first victim. Will those
who hob-nobbed with groups hav
ing no faith in democratic norms
and who acquiesced in acts of vio
lence, intimidation and coercion
11
even now ponder over the ghastly
consequences of their actions?
What was started as an attempt
at character assassination has been
followed up by cruel and loath
some murder.
“The Indian people have been
warned. Fascism will not stop at
anything short of murder. The
people will have to defend democº.
racy with all their might and van
quish those who are out to create
chaos.
“My heart goes out to the mem
bers of Lalit Babu's family. The
calamity I know is unbearable.
People in Bihar and all over India
and thousands of personal friends
of Lalit Babu, who will never for
get him for his personal warmth,
determination, dynamism, patrio
tism and commitment to the cause
of socialism, share their sorrow
and bereavement.”
C. W. C. RESOLUTION
The following is the text of the
resolution passed by the Congress
Working Committee on January 3
on the sad demise of Shri L. N.
Mishra, Shri Mishra was a mem
ber of the CWC.
This meeting of the Congress
Working Committee expresses its
profound sense of anguish and
grief at the tragic and untimely
death today of Shri Lalit Nara
yan Mishra, a member of the Wor
king Committee and Minister of
Railways.
He fell victim to the cult of vio
lence, intimidation and coercion
which is being spread in the coun
try by fascist and anti-democratic
elements and groups out to under
mine democracy and create chaos.
Shri L. N. Mishra was a promi
nent leader of the student move
ment during the struggle for in
dependence and later took active
part in the fight against British
imperialism. He underwent impri
sonment and after independence
played a prominent role in the po
litical life of Bihar and India.
During his tenure in the Govern
ment he held important portfo
lios like Labour, Employment and
Rehabilitation, Defence Produc
tion, Foreign Trade and Railways
JANUARY 11, 1975
and açquitfed himself with distinc
tion. He discharged his responsibi
lities with zeal and sincereity. The
cause of the country's progress
was dear to him and the last func
tion he attended was in connection
with the opening of a 53-km. long
Samastipur - Muzaffarpur Broad
guage Railway line. He will al
ways be remembered for his per
sonal warmth, devotion to duty,
dynamism and commitment to the
ideals of democracy, secularism
and socialism.
The Working Committee strong
PRESIDENT's TRIBUTE
The President, Shri Fakhruddin
Ali Ahmed, expressed shock on
receiving the news of L. N.
Mishra's death under the tragic
circumstances. The President war
ned that the growth of violence
threatened the Indian democracy.
In a condelence message issued
in New Delhi on January 3 the
President hoped that all people
would combine in “condemning
such dastardly acts and help in
creating a climate of peace.” The
President said that in Shri
Mishra's death “we have lost an
able administrator and a good
friend.”
{PRINTE NT INISTER’s
MESSAGE
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, said in a condolence mes
sage on January 3 that the “for
ces of disruption which have come
to the fore lately have spread
hatred and indirectly encouraged
violence. It is this atmosphere
which is responsible for this das
tardly crime.”
The message added that “Shri
Mishra served the country, the
Congress and the common man
with dedication and energy.
He was a large-hearted, abounding
in sympathy, always approach
able. He has died at the post of
duty. His premature death is a
great loss to the country.
“I trust that this crime will in
duce rethinking in the country and
redirect political life along saner
lines,” Smt. Gandhi said. The news
was conveyed to her when she was
addressing the inaugural session
of the Indian Science Congress (in
New Delhi.) - make our sorrow
SOCIALIST INDIA.
ly condemns the cult of violence
and character assassination which
are being taken recourse to by
reactionary, anti-democratic and
fascist forces. The Congress has
during recent times repeatedly
warned the people against the
dangerous consequences of such
nefarious politics. The bomb blast
at Samastipur resulting in injury
to large number of people and
death of Shri Mishra is a warning
to all our people about the sinis
ter designs of these forces. The
Working Committee calls upon the
CABINET COLLEAGUES’ GRIEF
Shri Jagjivan Ram asked on Jan
uary 3 for a thorough investiga
tion to “unearth the conspiracy
and bring to book the culprits”
responsible for the death of Shri
L. N. Mishra.
Voicing shock over the bomb
incident, Shri Jagjivan Ram said:
“This dastardly attack deserves
condemnation from all quarters.
A thorough investigation should
be held to successfully unearth
the conspiracy and to bring to
book the culprits responsible for
such a heinous crime.
“In the untimely demise of Shri
Mishra, Bihar has lost a dynamic
personality and the Bihar Cong
ress a good organiser".
Shri Y. B. Chavan expressed his
“shock” at the sudden demise of
“our valued colleague”.
“I am profoundly grieved at his
death in sad circumstances and
at the end of a long career of
service to the nation,” he said.
Shri K. D. Malaviya said: “I do
not feel like saying anything
about the political implications of
this tragedy. We have to think
hard about our future behaviour
in politics. I hope our leadership
will take this question very se
riously.”
Dr. Karan Singh expressed his
“profodnd grief and deep shock”.
He cancelled his visits to Hyde
rabad, Bangalore, Mangalore and
Manipal.
Shri K. Brahmananda Reddy said
that Shri Mishra was “a great
freedom fighter, a brilliant organi
ser and an enthusiastic supporter
of progressive causes”.
“The circumstances of his death
all the more
12
people to fully realise the dangers
which the politics of terror, coer
cion and intimidation and violence
pose for the country and to de
feat the onslaught on democratic
values and institutions.
The Congress Working Commit
tee records its deep sense of grief
at the death of Shri L. N. Mishra
at a comparatively young age and
conveys its heart-felt sympathy
to Shrimati Mishra and the mem
bers of the bereaved family.
poignant and reminds us of the
danger to which democracy is ex
posed by fascist trends,” Shri
Reddy added.
Shri C. Subramaniam, who was
at Calcutta, said “I am really
shocked. The way in which he
laid down his life emphasises how
even what they professed to be
a peaceful agitation could lead to
dangerous and violent consequen
ces”.
In Varanasi, Shri Kamalapati
Tripathi, said: “Shri Mishra has
been murdered in a mean and
merciless way. It is the shameful
result of the tendencies of hatred
and violence developing in the
country.”
Dr. S. D. Sharma said, Shri
Mishra had faced many on-slaughts
on him “with unruffled temper
horn out of his inner conviction
that he had acted correctly”.
Saying that violence had no
place in our system of society,
Dr. Sharma called upon the peo
ple to “rise against these fascist
tactics”.
INSANE WIOLENCE
Shri Raj Bahadur said Shri
Mishra had fallen a victim to
“insane and vicious violence born
out of sheer political vendetta”.
He expressed the hope that his
“martyrdom” would bring back
to sanity those political elements
in the country who had been stri
ving to tear to pieces the consti
tutional and democratic fabric of
our motherland.
Shri K. Raghuramaiah said Shri
Mishra was “a great party organi
ser besides being an administrator
of ability and a great patriot”.
JANUARY 11, 1975
L. N. MISHRA
TRIBUTES FROM
CHIEF NMINISTERS
The UP Chief Minister, Shri
H. N. Bahuguna, expressed his
shock at the death of Shri L. N.
Mishra, “a personal friend, and a
dynamic, budding personality of
Indian politics”.
The Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh, Shri P. C. Sethi, express
ed “deep shock” on Shri Mishra's
death.
The Chief Minister of Andhra
Pradesh, Shri J. Vengal Rao, ex
pressing his grief at Shri Mishra's
death, said “This cult of violence
should be curbed in the interest
of democracy”.
The West Bengal Chief Minis
ter, Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray,
expressed his deep grief and said
“I am deeply grieved. This is a
stunning news”.
The Rajasthan Chief Minister,
Shri Harideo Joshi said “The re
moval of this dynamic persona
lity from the national scene is a
great and tragic loss. This outrage
is the outcome of violence gene
rated by certain anti-democratic
elements in Bihar and deserves
severe condemnation”.
The Orissa Cabinet in a reso
lution expressed its deep shock
over the “untimely and tragic
death,” of Shri Mishra.
Strongly condemning the attack,
the Cabinet expressed grave con
cern at what it apprehended to be
a recourse to motivated political
violence.
TRAGIC AND CRUEL
The Assam Chief Minister,
Shri S. C. Sinha, said “The bomb
which was hurled at this
illustrious leader is in fact indi
tative of the seriousness of the
fascist threat to all democratic
ideals”.
“This exposes the true charac
ter of the elements of right re
action who are but to shake the
very root of our Wetmorrary”,
*OCRALIAT INDIA *w-
In a condolence message he said,
“The fact that Shri Mishra offered
the supreme sacrifice while inau
gurating much awaited develop
ment project for Bihar makes the
tragedy all the more piognant.
Shri Mishra was one of the nob
lest sons of Bihar, and his con
cern for the development of this
backward State in all its aspects
Condoling the death of Shri shall form part of our history
Mishra the Tamil Nadu Chief and the generation will remember
Minister, Shri M. Karunanidhi, him with love, respect and hon
described the bomb incident as our”.
“tragic and cruel”, and smacking
of “barbarous political mystery”. The President of the Bihar Jana
“It is shameful even to think Sangh, Shri Ram Lakhan Gupta.
of Such violent acts in a demo MLC, condemned the bomb explo
cratic set-up,” he added. sion and demanded an inquiry into
the incident.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister,
Shri V. P. Naik, expressed “shock The Bihar Cabinet at its special
and distress” over Shri Mishra's
meeting condoled Shri Mishra's
death. death.
Shri Naik said the circumstances
in which Shri Mishra met his Describing him as the “most
death made the tragedy more popular leader” in a condolence
message it said “the loss due to
poignant and grave.
He said that all sane and right
his untimely death has created a
thinking men should deplore this
void in the public life which is
cult of violence and hatred and irreparable”.
come forward to curb it.
It also condemned the growing
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief
tendency of violence in the de
Minister, Syed Mir Qasim, said mocratic system and said Shri
the death of Shri Mishra was a
Mishra's was a “cold blooded mur
great national loss. der”.
“NOBLE SON”
The Bihar Governor, Shri R. D.
Shri Qasim said divergence of
Bhandare, said this dastardly at
opinion on political matters was tack on him was a heinous crime
the “crux of democracy, but in
committed against a public figure
dulgence in violence against poli of eminence. “I condemn such a
tical adversaries is an unforgiv lawless act as I consider it to be
able crime”. a crime against humanity itself."
The Karnataka Chief Minister,
Shri Devaraj Urs, described Mr. All offices of the Haryana Gov
Mishra as a man of outstanding ernment were closed on January
organisational ability. 3 as a mark of respect to the me
Shri Urs who said “violent ac
mory of Shri L. N. Mishra.
tions of this nature resorted to by In a condolence message, the
a small set of madcaps make one
Chief Minister, Shri Bansi Lal,
doubt whether democracy remains said: “I am deeply shocked to
stable in the country”. learn of the sudden death in tra
The Kerala Chief Minister, Shri gic circumstances of Shri L. N.
C. Achutha Menon, in a mess Mishra as a result of the coward
age to the Prime Minister, said ly bomb attack. The politics of
he was “shocked and grieved” to violence cannot but be condemned
hear the tragic death of Shri in the strongest of words. The
Mishra and conveyed his condol tragedy that has befallen us is
ences to Shri Mishra's family. great. I have personally lost a
very dear friend, the Congress a
The Bihar Chief Minister, Shri great stalwart and the country a
Abdul Ghafoor expressed his great patriot. The void is diffcult
“shock and horror” at the tragic in fill, f send my heartfelt con
death of Shri Mishra, delamasa te the bereaved family,"
*ANUARY 11, tººk

11 flights a week to Europe.
Qur 747s fly 8 times a week to London,
4 times to Frankfurt, 5 times to Rome and Paris
and our 707s twice to Moscow and once to
Geneva and London.
7 flights a week to New York.
One flight daily by 747 via the Middle East and
- Europe. The return trip will cost less than the
one-way fare if you fly on our Excursion Fare.

Also every week:

3 flights to
EAST AFRICA
10 flights to
SOUTH EAST ASIA
6 flights to
JAPAN

2 flights to
MAURITIUS
2 flights to
AUSTRALIA

18 flights a week to the Middle East.

5 flights to Kuwait and Beirut, 3 to Dubai and
Bahrain. 2 each to Abu Dhabi, Dhahran
:ă ăji
#Iºanandone to Aden. Muscat Doha
-

-
Zºº / / × 7~//w Y/Z / / / /
*-- ~ *
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*--------—-ºf-- --~~

---, 14 JANUARY 11, 1975

800 tº LIST IN pra -
- - - - ->

Trade “Explosion”
With Socialist
Countries
India's trade with the East
European countries in recent years
has undergone a qualitative change
achieving a high degree of diver
sification.
A review of the trade with East
Europe shows that there is a pro
gressive widening of the range of
new exportable commodities to this
region. It is noted that in respect
of many manufactured and engi
neering commodities the first ever
regular exports were made to
this region. Among the important
commodities which have been in
troduced in this market are rail
ways wagons, tipper trucks and
jeeps, wire ropes, transistor
radios, textiles, surgical instru
ments, readymade garments,
drugs and pharmaceuticals. Pros
pects for export of complete plants
are now emerging . Some of the
East European countries have
also started importing new con
sumer items such as cosmetics and
carpets.
In the sphere of export of tra
ditional goods, several items like
tea, jute, coffee, pepper, de-oiled
cakes have found an assured addi
tional markets in these countries.
It has been statistically establish
ed that the opening of a stable
market in these countries for some
of India's primary products has
played a major role in stabilising
their prices at a higer unit value
in the internatonal markets.
ESSENTIAL GOODS
The composition of imports
from East European countries has
been gradually changing in keeping
with India's requirements. In the
beginning, capital goods and subs
titutes constituted the most im
portant items. Essential raw ma
terials were also imported.
In recent years, with the
growth of indigenous produc
tion, there has been a steady dec
line in the import of conventianal
machinery from these countries.
socialsT INDIA
Their place is now being taken up
by such items as ships, oil pros
pecting, special steel, and steel
products, petroleum products, new
sprint, chemicals and drugs. The
East European countries have
emerged as major suppliers of
fertilisers. In the field of non-fer
rous metals also, zinc, nickel and
platinum are being imported from
these countries.
Imports from the East European
countries have also been steadily
increasing. From about Rs. 200
crores during the sixties, imports
have increased to Rs. 385 crores in
1973-74. Of this, more than 50 per
cent constitutes India's essential
requirements of fertilisers, steel
and kerosene for which India
would have been required to pay
in free foreign exchange. . . ---
The phenomenal growth of trade
with the East European countries
is reflected in the increase in the
two-way trade from mere Rs. 8.4
crores in 1953 to Rs. 700 crores in
1973. For USSR, the largest coun
try in this group, the correspond
ing increase has been from Rs.
1.27 crores to Rs. 412 crores. By
and large in the pre-devaluation
period, the highest ever level of
trade was in 1965. There was,
however, a marginal decline in
1966-67. This trend towards dec
line has since been arrested. The
rate of growth of exports to these
countries since 1967 has been 10.2
per cent in 1968, 15 per cent in
HINMACHAL’S
FIFTH PLAN
oUTLAY—Rs.
Before
(1973-74)
Food Production
11 Lac Tonnes
1.85 Lac Tonnes Cash Crops Produc
tion
2.40 Lac Tonnes Fruit Production
4,200 Villages Electrification
13,507 Kms. Roads
86 Per cent Primary Education
532 Public Health
Institutions
2,728 Drinking Water
Supply
HIM LOK SAMPARK
1969, 17.8 per cent in 1970. 0.43
per cent in 1971, 13.6 per cent in
1972 and 9.3 per cent in 1973 over
the preceding year.
The significance of increase in
the volume of trade with the East
European countries lies not in its
basically export-oriented pattern
but also in its contribution to addi
tional exports. On the whole, the
growing trade with this region as
part of growing economic coope
ration has had a healthy influence
on the dynamic evolution of the
direction and composition of
India's foreign trade. The rupee
trade mechanism has enabled
India to take an increasing share
in the post-war growth of trade
of Socialist countries with the out
side world. India has in fact been
foremost among the developing
countries in tapping the enormous
potentialities of this trade.
Joint Commissions at Govern
met level have set up with almost
all the countries in Eastern
Europe. These have enabled coope
ration in the economic, scientific
and technical spheres and also in
reviewing the working of all trade
agreements between India and
these countries. The Joint Commi
ssions have resulted in a greater
emphasis on bilateral trade ena
bling India to utilise idle capaci
ties in various industrial sectors
and led to the starting of altoge
ther new export oriented industries
like shoes, readymade garments
and woollen knitwears
231.40 CRORES
After
(1979-80)
14 Lac Tonnes
2.63 Lac Tonnes
4.11 Lac Tonnes
8,180 Villages
16,447 Kms.
100 Per cent
584
5,635 Villages
JANUARY 11, 1975

TowARDS A scienTIFIc
TRAINING PROGRAMME
A political organisation has con
stantly to alter its tactical kit;
the need for this becomes particu
larly acute when society makes
one of its sudden leaps to a new
state of consciousness. Unless the
political organisation recognises
and adapts to this new state, it
will fumble and eventually col
lapse.
Today, the position is that so
ciety is approaching the stage
when platform politics loses rele
vance to mass politics. Within the
Congress Party we have built up
substantial expertise in platform
politics. We have cadres who can
organise public meetings in a few
days' notice — book the ground,
print the handbills and inform the
editors.
We have cadres who can make
upwards of twenty speeches in a
week, varying the same core for
nula to suit differing audiences.
Yes, we have such men in abund
ance. But the people are no lon
ger rosnonding to what they say.
— `ass politics is a totally differ
ent art. It means—almost intui
tively — fathoming public psycho
logy at a moment of time and
coming slogans appropriate to the
crowd. It means the assumption of
leadership over massive demons
trations ad marches. It means the
planning and execution of mass
actions, such as a dehoarding drive
or a campaign against luxury
goods. - The cadre should spend a minimum
UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE
Only by getting deeply involved
in this kind of politics can we build
bonds of trust between the mas
ses and ourselves, bonds of trust
as strong as those during the
freedom struggle or the halycon
days of the Nehru era. To re
orient our cadres, a massive or
ganisational and training effort is
necessary. In this article I will set
SOCIALIST INDIA
M. D. NALA PAT
down some of the planks for such
an effort.
The basic necessity in mass poli
tics is that the cadre develops an
understanding of the masses. He
knows their problems intimately.
He is able to judge their response
and their reflexes. He identifies
himself with them and works de
dicatedly towards their uplift.
As a first step in knowning the
people and understanding their
problems, I would suggest that
exhaustive lists of the poor, middle
and upper sections of the commu
nity be got (from village or muni
cipal records) and sample lists be
drawn from these.
Each cadre should be given a
detailed questionnaire in which he
should be asked to fill up. The
questionnaire should give details
about the members of the family,
their education, their occupations,
their incomes, their consumption
levels, their debts, etc. The bulk
of those surveyed should be from
poor households — particularly,
agricultural labour households—
and thereafter middle-class house
holds, with only a few from the
rich households, and these for pur
poses of contrast.
The cadre should be accompani
ed on this survey by a poor inha
bitant of the area, who knows the
people inside the area very well.
of 40–45 minutes in each house
hold, to gain a thorough apprecia
tion of their condition. He should
survey a minimum of forty house
holds in the course of a week.
After the survey he should be
asked to submit a report in which,
inter alia, the following points
should be touched upon:
1. What is the present economic
condition of the households sur
veyed?
16
2. What measures could be sug
gested for improving their con
dition?
3. How effective have the various
programmes been in improving
their lot?
4. What are the reasons for the
poverty found in the households ºf
These reports should then be
evaluated and an assessment made
of the cadre. This type of a sur
vey can take place anywhere in
the country, in urban or in rural
areas. As a result of this fact
finding assignment the cadre will
have a better appreciation of the
problems of the masses. This par
ticularly applies to cadre from
middle-class backgrounds.
PARTY'S PHILOSOPHY
At present, the dissemination of
the party philosophy is weak.
Even basic works such as those
of Gandhi and Nehru are not
sufficiently widely distributed.
More recent position papers get
buried in the periodicals in which
they appear — and the bulk of
the cadres do not hear of them.
The shifts in the Party's philo
sophy, therefore, remain hidden
for long periods from the bulk of
the party.
A regular four or six-page
newsletter in all the State langu
ages needs to be started. This
should be distributed as an inter
nal party document to every
worker. In this newsletter, the
party's stand on various issues
needs to be briefly set out. The
party strategy must be explained
and the underlying concepts made
clear.
I would also suggest that each
senior leader of the Party assume
the responsibility of forming a
small discussion group around him
self. That could informally debate
issues. The group should be con
stituted of promising workers.
mostly from the younger cadres.
In this way, these cadres will get
exposed to the thinking of the
senior party leaders on various
issues. Then, they would be able
to contribute to their formulation.
The discussion groups can also
prepare position papers on vari
JANUARY 11, 1975
ous issues, and have them circu
lated and discussed among the
wider set.
Whenever a senior leader
touring outside his headquarters,
he should set aside 45 minutes at
least to a meeting with represen
tatives of discussion groups of the
area in which he is travelling. This
will give these representatives the
chance of getting exposed to views
outside of the territory in which
they are located. Thus, for ex
ample representatives of the
Kerala discussion groups can get
the benefit of Bihar leaders' views
on the situation there. Or a Kerala
leader can discuss the issues of
his State with representatives of
the Gujarat groups.
OPINION BANKS
party, several insincere and disre
putable elements can also crawl in
some of these. They may even
reach positions of responsibility.
is
Agitations will provide the cruci
ble needed to test the mettle of
such party workers. Only the ge
nuine ones will be able to pass the
test. The rest will stand exposed,
and can then be eliminated.
At present the Party has begun
the process of formal galvanisa
tion to meet the fascist threat. We
have been organising camps on a
largescale, in which hundreds of
activists have participated. How
ever, we must be clear on one
point that these camps are only
the prelude to our training pro
gramme and cannot be looked as
a substitute for them.
There must be vigorous follow.
up measures taken after each
camp. Or else the enthusiasm ge
nerated among the cadres in the
camp will dissipate away uselessly.
The camps are intended only to
give an orientation to the new
situation. Mass contact, discus
sion groups and participation in a
agitation must give the techni
ques needed to combat the roots
of fascism — monopoly capitalism
and landlordism.
The stakes are high. For our
success in the struggle against
fascism will largely depend on the
effectiveness of the training that
we give to our cadres to meet
this threat—and to carry for
ward into reality the Nehru vision
of a self-relaint and Socialist India,

We need to pay immediate at

tention to the organising of a struc
ture of discussion groups, tier by NOW SAVING
tier, right down to the village
level, so that we involve as much CAN BE A HABIT
of our workers as possible in the
formulation and dissemination of
our concepts. This must be the (For the Whole Family)
“Opinion Bank” of the party.
Mass politics is a practical affair. Rain or sun-shine, our agent is always at your doors
And no training programme will
be effective unless it contains with promptly to collect your daily savings. You can't avoid but
in itself large doses of practice. save, for he makes saving a pleasure for the whole family.
Our cadres need to be steeled and
tempered. This acquires urgency Even as small an amount as 25 paise a day will be collect
in the present content, when fas
cist forces are threatening to en ed by him. Moreover he brings the pleasure of saving right
flame the country. Our party cad to your doorsteps. That's our ADARSH DEPOSIT SCHEME.
res must be adequately trained to
repel them. The bulk of such de
mocratic forces will have to come Make a habit of seeing him regularly and he will make
from our party.
saving a habit in you.
In every area, therefore, agita
tions against anti-people forces
need to be launched. The precise For more particulars about this and many other saving
type of agitation will depend on schemes please visit any of our nearest Branch.
local conditions. The important
thing is that our cadres should be
pitted against these dark forces.
Public trials of hoarders, drive
against luxurious living, vigilance
SYNDICATE BANK
squads against profiteers — these
are a few of the kind of move WHERE SERVICE IS A WAY OF LIFE.
ments that could be launched. The
important thing is to involve the Head Office: K. K. PAI
cadres actively in struggles, so
that they understand the dark Maltpal (Karnataka State) Managing Director
forces get the India back and also
win the confidence of the masses.
The Congress being an open
80CIALIST INDIA 17 JANUARY 11, 1975
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DRV Prime Minister On
Indo-Vietnam Friendship
Speaking to the first ever dele
gation of the All India Peace and
Solidarity Organisation to Viet
nam, DRV Prime Minister Pham
Van Dong declared on December
23 that in the present international
situation India and Vietnam toge
ther have a great part to play in
the struggle of the peoples of Asia
to defend their freedom and ensure
independent ecnomic development.
The three-member A.I.P.S.O.
delegation visited Vietnam from
December 16 to 24 at the invita
tion of the Vietnam Peace Com
mittee. It was led by Shri Vayalar
Ravi, M.P. and included A.I.P.S.O.
General Secretary Smt. Perin
Romesh Chandra, and the Assist.
Editor of the Economic Times
Shri Subrata Banerjee.
Prime Minister Pham Van Dong
in the course of his meeting with
the delegation underscored the
visit of the delegation to Vietnam
to be of major significance mark
ing a new step forward in the
relations between the two coun
tries.
NEHRU'S VISIT
During the 35-minute meeting,
the Prime Minister repeatedly ex
pressed his deep and warm feel
ings of friendship and that of the
people of Vietnam for the people
of India. He said that there was
a deep bond linking both our peo
ples. He recalled with gratitude
the great contribution made by
Jawaharlal Nehru in this respect.
He recalled the visit of Prime
Minister Nehru and President Ra
jendra Prasad to Vietnam. Dr.
Radhakrishnan also helped streng
then India-Vietnam relations.
Pham Van Dong went on to high
light the need to strengthen the
existing friendship and solidarity,
because of the urgent necessity
to defend and contribute to the
cause of the freedom and economic
development of the countries of
the Far East,
ºCCIALIST INDIA
“The Indian people have an im
portant role to play,” he said,
“because they are a great people,
with an ancient past. Yours is a
country which has contributed a
great deal to human civilisation,
and now you are developing your
economy and your culture, under
the able leadership of your Prime
Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi. The
people of the Democratic Repub
lic of Vietnam have warm feelings
and deep admiration for the In
dian people. I am happy to ex
press this sentiment today.”
The Prime Minister requested
the Indian delegation to convey
the warm greetings of the Gov
ernment of the Democratic Re
public of Vietnam to Prime Minis
ter Indira Gandhi. “The Visit Of
the Indian delegation” he said, “is
an event of major significance. It
marks a new step forward in the
growing relationship between the
two countries. He felt that it was
inevitable that this relationship
should develop further in our mu
tual interest. Cooperation was
possible in diverse fields. This
must follow. There is a great
possibility of developing both our
countries through mutual coope
ration.
In reply to a question about
the possible areas of cooperation
between the two countries, the
Prime Minister specially mentioned
agriculture, science and techno
logy, industry and economic rela
tions for the development of both
countries. “A great deal can be
done,” he said. “In the days to
come we have to study carefully
the possible areas of cooperation
for our lasting association and
mutual benefit. We must try our
best”.
In reply to another question as
to how India and Vietnam could
best work in cooperation in the
context of the growing and despe
rate threat from American impe
rialism’s n++amnts to surround the
Asian countries with military
lſ,
bases, the Prime Minister said
that it was easy for our two
countries to face such a threat.
“We are both fully aware,” he
said, “of the scheme of the Ame
rican imperialists. We are not
frightened. If necessary we shall
take stock of the situation and
act accordingly. But it is difficult
for some of the other Asian coun
tries. Military bases exist in those
countries. But these bases can
not exist for ever. The peoples
of these countries will fight for
their freedom. Here India and
Vietnam together can play their
part. For this it is necessary to
strengthen the relations between
our two countries in many fields”.
CURRENT PROBLEMS
Discussing the immediate prob
lems of the peoples of Vietnam,
the Prime Minister said that the
urgent tasks were the rehabilita
tion of the war-devasted people,
the development of the economy
and culture and improvement of
their living standards. As the
country had been devastated by
the American imperialists, the
urgent need was for rapid deve
lopment.
In a message to the Indian peo
ple, at the conclusion of the meet
ing, Prime Minister Pham Van
Dong said, “We have very warm
feelings for the Indian people. We
consider India as a great nation.
This has been established through
the evolution of the Indian people
over a long period of history.
India is not only a great nation
today, but it will remain so in
the future. Hence it is important
for the Indian people to make
great contributions to the com
mon struggle for the peace and
freedom of the peoples of Asia
and the world. A great nation has
great responsibilities. And there
is no greater duty than this.
“I have great admiration for
the Indian people and for your
glorious struggle for freedom led
by Mahatma Gandhi. We consider
you as our very close friends,
because you have always support
ed and stood by us. We have the
warmest feelings for the Indian
people, who have given us strong
support in the past and continue
to do so even today. I wish to
say, thank you.”
JANUARY 11, 1975
 Rich A stablo Government with
EIGHT natural resources

mineral, agricultural and a positive approach to

forests—waiting to be ex wards industrial develop

GOOD REASONS ment of the State.

ploited.
Comparatively more peace
ful and cordial industrial

WHY relations.

A well developed infra A number of large in

structure including a string dustrial undertakings in
KA R N A T A K A
of financial & development the Central, State & the

agencies like KSIIDG Joint Sectors generating

IS KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. spread effect.

A package of incentives
subsidy on project reports,
FAVOU RABLE supply land, water & po
wer at concessional rates,

price preference etc.

FOR
Financial assistance to 15% Central subsidy for
educated unemployed, spe- undertakings started in
cially to unemployed en- the backward districts of
INDUSTRIAL gineers and technicians Dharwar, Mysore and

under special employment Raichur.

schemes.
LOCATION

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Weedhi, BANGALORE-1.
Issued by
The Director of Information & Publicity,

$60NAºlºr ºn pla º *ANUARY 11, 1978


JP: Proverbial Good Man
Fallen Among Thieves
Shri Jayaprakash Narayan can be best describ
ed as the proverbial good man fallen among thieves,
truly and literally. On Chritsmas Day, at Sarnath,
while addressing the mysterious “UP Struggle Con
ference”, he revealed that coupons worth Rs. 27
lakhs had been issued under his signature for collect
ing funds for the “total revolution.” But unfornate
ly, the “total revolutionaries” had encashed coupons
worth Rs. 18 lakhs—but showed no accounts. This
JP confessed in sorrow and dismay. And, the UP
Chief Minister, Shri Bahuguna, against whose Gov
ernment the struggle is to be launched, lost no time
in remarking: “This is the character of JP's follow
ers when they have not yet captured power. Would
they not grab crores of rupees if they become
rulers?”
Correspondents of the big dailies based in Patna
and Lucknow have filed despatches in which they
have indicated that several student leaders for whom
JP is the mentor and guide are these days seen in
bright clothes and also seen frequenting posh hotels
and drinking joints. Corruption of the youth of the
country is a heinous crime indeed.
At the Sanchi conference, a very important per
son conducting important negotiations for and on
behalf of JP was Shri Ramnath Goenka, who had
lately figured much in the press and parliament
through a maze of financial ramifications. And it is
to this man that JP has been quoted to have “leased
out” his weekly journal, Everyman, for a period of
five years. Of course, JP added he will be controlling
the editorial policy of the journal. Let it be so.
JP's movement is fast collapsing. At the year
end, after nearly eight months of counter-productive
agitation, none of its objectives has been achieved.
The Bihar Assembly has not been dissolved. Only
#1 out of 318 MLAs resigned. The others even
though they were manhandled and gheraoed by
fascist-minded ruffians, have stuck to their benches,
both of the Opposition and the Treasury.
The students, who were asked to give up their
studies and not attend examinations, have got dis
illusioned. At the last examination, the attendance
was from 80 to 90 per cent in Bihar, Mithila and
Ranchi universities, and between 50 and 60 per cent
in Patna and Bhagalpur universities.
... The students under the leadership of JP are
split over the fact that the agitation which they
launched has ultimately turned out to be prepara
tory dress rehearsal aimed at consolidation of politi
cal bigwigs and their parties in a last ditch fight
*gainst the Congress and Shrimati Indira Gandhi.
80CIALIST INDIA
The no-tax campaign started by JP turned into
a damp squib. For, in 1974, Bihar had record re
venue collection that could wipe away the overdraft
of Rs. 52 crores. This is an achievement indeed.
The principal supporters of JP are working at
cross-purposes, subject as they are to various pulls
and pressures. Chaudhury Charan Singh and Atal
Behari Vajpayee seem to have thoroughly disillu
sioned J.P. According to a UNI message published
on the front page of the Indian Express of December
26, JP is quoted as having said, “For the Jana Sangh
the revolution would be total if Shri L. K. Advani or
Shri A. B. Vajpayee becomes prime minister and so
would be the case with the Baratiya Lok Dal if Mr.
Charan Singh came to power”. Thus, he has chided
them.
Since then the Socialists who have been in con
clave in Calicut have been in two minds about fol
lowing JP. Shri George Fernandes, their mercurial
leader, had a tough time chairing the Convention,
when some leading members exchanged blows over
this issue.
Meanwhile that ex-Swatantra stalwart Shri Piloo
Mody has been working out a new combination and
permutation to form a new grouping of anti-Cong
ress parties to launch a new and independent agi
tation which far from being a counter-movement to
JP's movement, is expected to be complementary and
supplementary.
Strange are the ways of the supporters of JP
and it is time that JP realised that he has not only
fallen among thieves but also two-timers and “back
stabbers” to use a picturesque phrase. All indica
tions point out that the crisis-point is nearing when
JP will just quit the movement which he fathered—in
the same manner and style in which he quit many
other movements in the past. There is a JP style of
withdrawal which by now has become peculiarly his
OWn.
READ
SUBILIST
|NDIA
REGULARLY
21 JANUARY 11, 1975
 - - - -
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SOCIALIST INDIA 22 --- JANUARY 11, 1975

PRIME MINISTER
ON. L. N. MISHRA
Continued from Cover Page
some forces were engaged in creat
ing a cult of violence in the coun
try. “I warned of it everywhere.
Our assessment has come true.”
The Minister Without Portfolio,
Shri Uma Shankar Dikshit, and the
UP Chief Minister, Shri H. N.
Bahuguna, who spoke before Smt.
Gandhi referred to the reported
statement by Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan that Shri Mishra had not
been “his target.”
While Shri Dikshit said that he
did not know what Shri Narayan
meant by this, Shri Bahuguna said
it seemed that Shri Narayan had
some “other person in his mind”,
But that “person' had the backing
of fifty crore Indians who would
lay down their lives but not allow
the “person” to become a target,
he added.
ELECTORAL REFORMS
In an apparent reference to Shri
Narayan's statement accusing her
of not following the path shown
by Mahatma Gandhi, Smt. Gandhi
said that those who claimed to be
Gandhians today were being sup
ported by the Jana Sangh, the
RSS and the Anand Marg. “I had
never said that I was following
Gandhiji or Jawaharlal Nehru".
The times had changed and the
people's aspirations had to be kept
in mind. She said that the natio
nal and international policies had
the basis of Gandhiji's principles
of non-violence, tolerance and
“love thy neighbour”.
Referring to the demands for
electoral and educational reforms,
Smt. Gandhi said that these de
mands were being raised at a time
when the country was passing
through a critical economic situa
tion. “Is this the time to make
such demands when we are faced
with the problems of scarcity of
food, unemployment and lower
production?”, she asked. However,
the Government was seized of
these issues and had even taken
some steps on the educational
front,
The Prime Minister said that
the other day someone had asked
her why whº did not follºw ºne
*OCIAL ºr ºf A
sensus in her decisions and poli
cies. “Consensus with whom—the
Jana Sangh and the RSS, who
spread violence and never shirk
from gossip-mongering?”.
There were some forces out
side India which were keen on
weakening this country. Some
countries had been annoyed by
some of our decisions taken inde
pendently, and many world lea
ders had told her so, she said.
The Prime Minister said that a
sinister attempt was being made
by certain forces to create an
atmosphere of mistrust and law
lessness as it existed before Gan
dhiji's murder. She and the Cong
ress Party were being branded as
enemies of the nation. Those who
accused the Congress of having
alliance with the CPI were them
selves in league with the Mar
xists and the Naxalites.
ALTERNATIVE
Referring to the claim of her
critics that the opposition could
jointly form a better alternative
to the Congress, Smt. Gandhi
said: “They find faults with the
Congress as if the other parties
are without faults. They have not
till today come out with any
concrete proposals to solve the
many problems we are facing.
They have no policy as such.
They are only trying to divert the
attention of the people from
nation-building to destruction. It
is they who are squarely responsi
ble for lowering the image of the
country abroad. Our progress and
achievements are being side
tracked and an anti-India propa
ganda has been launched in for
eign countries as well. “The anti
India propaganda abroad and
lawlessness at home were part of
the plan which claimed the life of
Shri Mishra,” she said.
Paying rich tributes to Shri
Mishra, Smt. Gandhi said that he
had worked hard to make the
Congress strong in Bihar after the
1969 split and the credit for the
Bombay session also went to him.
CONGRESS PRESIDENT
The Congress President, Shri
D. K. Borooah, said that Shri
Mishra had died as the first mar
tyr of democratic forces against
the forces of fascism, That is a
historical fact, he said,
§hri ºrd oah sald that a vam
}*
paign of hatred, violence and sub
version had been launched in the
country. He blamed the anti
democratic agitation for the first
political assassination in the coun
try after Gandhiji.
Referring to Shri Narayan's re
ported statement that Shri Mishra
was not “his target”, Shri Borooah
said the Sarvodaya leader should
have instead said that “Shri
Mishra was not his only target”.
“Quite a few of us will have to
fall down to strengthen the democ
ratic forces.”
JP's CONTRADICTIONS
He said that Shri Narayan was
today working with Nanaji Desh
mukh while he had demanded a
ban on the RSS after Gandhiji's
murder. “JP is suffering from one
disease—inherent contradiction in
his attitudes and utterances. Today
he is critical of the CPI and
Russia. He was at one time all
praise for Ayub Khan and Mao
Tse-tung, both hostile to India.
What does all this mean?” Shri
Borooah asked.
He appealed to the Congress
workers to close their ranks to
fight effectively the onslaught
against the common man by re
actionary forces.
The Delhi Pradesh Congress
President, Shri H. K. L. Bhagat,
the Chief Executive Councillor,
Shri Radha Raman and the Minis
ter of State in the Ministry of
Railways, Shri Mohammad Shafi
Qureshi, paid glowing tributes to
Shri Mishra and warned the peo
ple of the nefarious designs of the
reactionary forces.
The meeting unanimously passed
a resolution which said that Shri
Mishra had become the first vic
tim to the atmosphere of violence,
lawlessness and chaos being creaſ.
ted in the country by the anti
democratic and fascist elements.
Expressing anguish and grief at
the tragic and dastardly murder
of Shri Mishra, the resolution con
demned the cult of violence and
character assassination fostered by
the reactionary, anti-democratic
and fascist forces. It called upon
the citizens to consolidate their
strength to peacefully but resolu
tely resist the onslaught on the
democratic values and institutions
and thun defeat the designm of the
ant!..ttºmbºratic forces,
$ANUARY 11, it w8
 FOURTH PLAN'S GREAT IMPACT
ON ANDHRA PRADESH
Isn the Fourth Plan period, several measures
have been taken in Andhra Pradesh to develop
agriculture in the State by taking to high yield
ing varieties programme on a large scale and by
the timely supply of adequate inputs such as ferti
liders, pesticides, and improved seeds. In the
first four years of the Fourth Plan, however,
due to adverse seasonal conditions the impact of
these measures were not significantly evident.
However, in the last year of the Fourth Plan,
i.e., 1973-74 the production of foodgrains reached
the record level of over 83 lakh tonnes as com
pared to about 68.91 lakh tonnes in 1969-70.
IRRIGATION SECTOR
Under Irrigation, out of the total expendi
ture of Rs. 99.12 crores as much as 41.21 crores
was spent on Nagarjunasagar Project while
another Rs. 31.31 crores was spent on Pocham
pad Project. The remaining amount was spent
on Tungabhadra Project State II and other spill
over medium irrigation projects. In the case of
Pochampad, an additional amount of Rs. 15 crores
was spent outside the Fourth Plan of which Rs.
9 crores was additional central assistance and
Rs. 6 crores from the Special Telangana Develop
ment Funds. As a result of this outlay, an ad
ditional irrigation potential of 5.49 lakh acres
has been created under all major and medium
irrigation projects in the Fourth Plan period.
POWER DEVELOPMENT
Under power development, it was originally
envisaged to raise the installed capacity from
615 Mws. at the end of 1968.69 to 888 MWs.
SOCIALIST INDIA
at the end of the Fourth Plazn. The additions
to installed capacity, however, fell short of this
target, primarily due to paucity of resources.
This has resulted in shortage of generating capa
city, the import of power for a period and subs
tantial unfulfilled power demand.
GENERATING CAPACITY
Thus, by the end of the Fourth Plan period,
an additional generating capacity of 62.5 M.Ws.
through Ramagundam Thermal B Station was
added while another unit of 110 M.W.s. through
Kothagudem Thermal Station IIIrd stage had
been commissioned by September 1974 taking the
overall installed capacity to 748 M.Ws. The total
number of villages electrified increased from 5,757
at the end of 1968-69 to 10,736 at the end of
Fourth Plan. The number of pump-sets energis
ed also increased from 1.23 lakhs in March 1969
to about 2.51 lakhs by March, 1974.
INDUSTRIALISATION
During the Fourth Plan period the State
Government had taken up development of in
dustrial development areas around the major
growth centres. In these areas the land was de).
veloped and provided with facilities of water,
electricity and roads and allotted to industrial
entrepreneurs for the location of industrial units.
The State Government have also set up a
number of Corporations such as Financial Cor
poration, the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Deve
lopment Corporation, and the Andhra Pradesh
Small Scale Industries Development Corporation
to promote industrialisation of the State.
JANUARY 11, 1975

Trade Union Movement
In USSR
H. N. TRIVEDI
Shri H. N. Trivedi, a member of the Maharashtra
Legislative Assembly, visited the Soviet Union at the
invitation of the Central Council of Trade Unions of
the Soviet Union in April last year. Apart from par
ticipating in the May Day celebration at Red Square
(Moscow), Shri Trivedi visited a number of factories
and Trade Unions in the USSR. Here are his im
pressions:
The Soviet Labour Organisation known as All
Union Central Council of Trade Unions (AUCCTU),
has a membership of 103 million workers. It unites
wage earners of all trades on a voluntary basis irres
pective of race, nationality, sex and religious convic
tions. The industrial principle of organisation
whereby all persons employed in the same factory
or office, regardless of their occupation, belong to
the same union, has proved to be the most effec
tive. The industrial principle of organisation was
first proclaimed by the Trade Unions in 1917.
In the USSR, Trade Unions are not only con
cerned with improving working conditions and well
being of the working people but also take an active
part in solving the economic and political problems
of society, seek to improve their education and raise
their cultural level. They believe in the diction that
the “Trade Unions are a school of administration,
a school of management, and a school of Commu
nism”. Trade Unions are in charge of State social
insurance and State control over the observance of
labour legislation and safety requirements. They also
settle labour disputes.
THE COMPOSITION
The AUCCTU as more than 8,50,000 Trade
Unions affiliated to it. The basic unit of the Trade
Union is the primary trade union organisation, com
posed of members employed at an enterprise or in
stitution. Higher up are district, town, regional, ter
ritorial and republican trade union committees or
ganised on the sectorial principle. All trade union
bodies, from the lowest to the highest, are elected
by secret ballot. The supreme body of the trade
unions is the USSR Congress of Trade Unions which
is convened at least once every four years. The
Congress adopts the Rules of the Trade Unions of
the USSR, specifies the immediate tasks of the
Trade Unions, hears reports by the State central
planning and economic bodies, outlines measures for
trade union participation in the fulfilling and over
fulfilling national economic plans, in improving the
well-being and raising the cultural and political
level of wage earners. The congresses of the All
SoCIALIST INDIA
Union Central Council of Trade Union (AUCCTU)
direct trade union activities.
In USSR the Constitution gives the trade unions
every opportunity to conduct their activities freely
at all enterprises and also provides facilities for
sports and cultural activities. The trade unions also
have their own publications. For instance, the trade
unions took part in drawing up the fundamentals
of labour legislation as well as legislation on mar
riage and family.
Soviet Trade Unions enjoy the right to intro
duce bills and frequently are the initiators of State
laws. At the suggestion of the AUCCTU, the Pre
sidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR passed
a decree introducing new regulations regarding la
bour disputes, and confirmed regulations on the
rights of trade union committees at enterprises and
in institutions.
The Trade Unions always take part in country
wide discussions preceding the adoption of all major
undertakings initiated by the Government. They
took part in the elaboration and countrywide discus
cussion of the draft law on State pensions. Trade
Unions also participated in the elaboration of the
economic reform, measures to improve industrial
management and the new system of economic plan
ning and stimulation. They actively participate in
election campaigns for deputies to the bodies of
State power.
Major decisions on questions of labour and wages
are made by the Soviet Communist Party Central
Committee and the Soviet Government together with
the AUCCTU. Such issues as introduction of six
hour working day, five-day working week and read
justment of wages in production branches of the eco
nomy were joint decisions of the CPSU Central Com
mittee, the USSR Council of Ministers and the
AUCCTU. Trade Unions direct the operation of the
State social insurance scheme, and exercise control
over the observance of labour legislation. Together
with State bodies, they control the work of trade and
catering establishments and municipal services. They
also exercise control over housing construction and
distribution of flats, and deal with matters pertain
ing to cultural and municipal services. The trade
unions are not State organisations. The right of the
working people to organise trade unions is guaranteed
by Article 126 of the Constitution of the USSR.
THE BENEFITS
A Trade Union member receives State social
insurance benefits in a greater degree than those paid
to non-members; he is given preference when ac
commodations for rest homes and sanatoriums are
distributed, and also when places for children at kin
dergartens, nurseries and Young Pioneer Camps are
allocated; he receives free legal advice and assistance
by his Trade Union and has the right to join the
mutual aid fund of his Trade Union organisation.
No worker can be discharged from service with
JANUARY 11, 1975
 out the factory committee's consent. The Trade
Union Committee supervises the observance of labour
legislation, safety procedure and industrial sanita
tion; the Union Committee's representative partici
pates in the act of turning a new show over to the
factory. The Trade Union Committee has the right
of final decision during the constitution of labour
disputes; its decision can be repeated by the manage
ment only through court and only in the cvent of
violation of the labour legislation. It can raise the
question of removing those executives who do not
observe the collective agreement, who are bureau
cratic and who violate labour legislation; when the
new executives are appointed, the opinion of the fac
tory union committee is taken into consideration. It
always takes part in fixing pay-rises, the system of
payment, and output quotas; it participates in draw
ing up the lists of piece-workers and time-workers.
The Factory Committee also exercises control
over overtime work in extreme cases, and also the
employment of teenagers. It takes part in control
ling housing construction and distribution of flats,
and exercises public control over State and coopera
tive trade. In questions concerning production the
trade union committee also had many rights. It
hears the reports of the management on the fulfil
ment of plans and the collective agreement. It parti
cipates in the drawing up of draft production plans
and the plans for capital construction. It submits to
the economic and governmental agencies proposals
for improving the work of the enterprise, working
conditions, cultural and other services.
LABOUR DISPUTES
Labour disputes are considered by the labour
Dispute Commissions, consisting of an equal number
of representatives of the management and the Trade
Union. If no agreement between the two sides is
reached in the Commission or if the interested party
does not accept the Commission's decision, the ques
tion is turned over within 10 days for the union com
mittee's consideration. The decision of the Trade
Union Committee is binding on the management.
Court determination can be requested if there has
been a violation of the labour legislation.
If a factory or office worker disagrees with the
decision of the Trade Union Committee he can apply
to the State for the defence of his labour jnterests:
to the Procurator's office or the People's Court of
Law which are obliged to consider his case within
10 days. Should the case concern the unlawful dis
charge of a worker and if the worker, as a result,
has been compelled to be idle for a certain period,
the law provides compensation to him for his in
voluntary idlness, the management bearing the costs.
In USSR there is no law forbidding strikes. Yet,
for several decades the workers in the USSR have
not resorted to strike action. In spite of repressions
and executions, in spite of the policemen's clubs and
the Cossacks' whips, the working class of old Russia
resorted to strikes when it considered them neces
sary. The working people of the USSR have the
*OCIALIST INDIA
opportunity to improve their working conditions and
to better their living standards by other means;
through the trade unions, through the Soviets, and
through their representatives in the Soviet Govern
ment.
TERMINATION OF SERVICE
A worker can be discharged but only with the
consent of the Trade Union Committee of the enter
prise. Discharge is considered an extreme measure
of punishment. Only those who regularly violate
production discipline and ignore the opinion of the
‘collective' are discharged. The introduction of
mechanisation and automation does not threaten the
workers with unemployment. The worker is transfer
red to another job without any cut in pay, or (if he
agrees) he is sent to study at refresher courses. He
is paid his average wages during study time. After
he improves his skills or learns a new trade, his
wages, as a rule, increase. And finally, should any
executive illegally fire a worker on personal grounds
and fail to comply with the court decision regarding
his reinstatement, he may be tried for committing a
criminal offence. Generally, there is no case of dis
charge in view of the responsible behaviour of the
workers.
Relations between the workers and the officers,
including the manager at a Soviet enterprise are
based on socialist principles: mutual respect, mutual
interest in improving the work of the plant or fac
tory. The manager's job is to ensure the fulfilment
of the production plan, and so is the workers'. The
officers and the manager must show concern for the
working conditions, they must seek counsel and res
pect the opinion of the workers who widely partici
pate in production management. If the head of a
plant does not justify the trust reposed in him, if
he ignores the opinions of the workers, if he becomes
a bureaucrat and big-headed, the ‘collective' criticises
him at meetings and in the press. Such criticism
frequently helps and the question of removing the
manager is raised. Higher bodies always see that
the workers have their final say.
In a nutshell the Trade Union movement in the
USSR has different position, status and functions
compared to the Trade Union movement in India. It
controls the Government, and every Soviet Minister
is a member of a Trade Union. He accepts discip
line and the obligations of the Trade Union. This
has brought a situation of redundancy of strike and
dismissal of workers from job. No man-days are
lost and full production is given with gains to the
workers in their real wages.
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
JANUARY 11, 1975
 Industries, Agriculture and Com
merce will participate in the offi
cial level as well as the
MISCELLANY
Commission meetings.
Iraq is one of the
trading partners of India. It is
ACTION ON NARORA supplying large quantities of crude
and sulphur and has promised to
CAMP DECISIONS
meet the requirements of the
Mathura refinery on soft terms.
Ministers concerned with the From the Indian side the main
distribution of essential commodi
items of export are textiles, tea,
ties met at the AICC office in New
jute and engineering goods.
Delhi on January 8 and discussed volume of India's exports to Iraq
areas in the country where the can be stepped up substantially in
drive to distribute essential com view of the massive industrial and
modities could be intensified. The
agricultural development
meeting, which was presided over
gramme in Iraq.
by the Congress President, Shri
Dev Kanta Borooah, was attended
by Shri Jagjivan Ram, Minister INDO-MAURITIUS
for Agriculture and Irrigation,
Shri C. Subramaniam, Minister for TALKS
Finance, Shri T. A. Pai, Minister
India has agreed to grant Rs.
for Industries and Civil Supplies
17.5 crore assistance to Mauritius.
and Shri A. C. George, Minister of
State for Civil Supplies.
This includes the Rs.
commercial credit also.
The meeting, which was the sion was taken during the 90-mi
first after the Narora Camp, lasted nute talks between Smt. Indira
about 90 minutes. Gandhi and the Prime Minister of
Mauritius, Sir Seewoosagar Ram
goolam, in New Delhi on Jan
INDO-IRAQ
uary 7. The agreement was sign
COMNA ISSION ed on January 9.
The two leaders met for about
Ihe Indo-Iraqi Joilt Commis
45 minutes without aides
sion will meet in Baghdad from
January 14 to 16—a few days were later joined by high-level
before the visit to Iraq of the delegations including Ministers.
Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gan
According to the agreement,
dhi. The Prime Minister's Iraq India will give to Mauritius Rs.90
visit starts on January 18.
lakhs for the Mahatma Gandhi
The Joint Commission was cons
Institute, the foundation stone of
which was laid by Smt. Indira
tituted during the Iraqi Prusident, Gandhi in 1970. The Institute,
Mr. Saddam Hossain's visit to
likely to be opened by the end of
India last year for expansion of
economic, technical and industrial January, would be developed into
cooperation between the two a premier cultural centre of Mauri
tius.
countries.
Shri K. D. Malaviya, Minister In addition to the Rs 17.5-crore
for Petroleum and Chemicals and assistance agreed to, India had
Mr. Abdul Jaleel Ghanem of Iraq provided to Mauritius
are the two co-Chairmen of the assistance worth about
Joint Commission. lakhs a year in the form of tech
Indira Gandhi various problems:
He added, “We are in agreement
Joint on the issue of the Indian Ocean.
We welcome the British policy of
important withdrawing from wherever there
had been outposts of military
power. But they should not be
replaced by another military
power.”
HARYANA BUDGET
The Shri Ram Sharan Chand Mittal,
Finance Minister of Haryana,
presented to the State Assembly
on January 8 the budget for
1975-76, which leaves a deficit of
pro
Rs. 16.99 crores uncovered. No
new taxes have been proposed in
the budget.
The Finance Minister hoped
that part of the uncovered deficit
would be wiped out by Central
assistance against drought relief
works implemented in the State
10-crore and the remaining gap by the
The deci weather god in the shape of good
rain and better crops as a result.
He said that a deficit of Rs.6.33
crores was carried over from last
year—it was much less as compar
ed to the anticipated Rs. 18 crores
at the time of presentation of the
last budget. He said, “in the event
of a reprieve from the long and
and continuous spell of adverse clima
tic conditions, the agricultural
and general economic climate is
expected to look up considerably
bringing in its wake a buoyancy
in the State's revenue.”
The following are the budget
estimates for 1975-76 at a glance:
INCOME (Rs. in lakhs)
Opening balance minus 6.33
Revenue Receipts 196.91
Loans (Recoveries) 8.62
Public Debts (Incurred) 91.60
#)eposits and Advances,
Remittances and Unfunded
technical
Rs. 20 Debt (net) 13.45
Total 304.25

There will be an official level nical expertise and personnel. At

the request of the Mauritius EXPENDITURE (Rs. in lakhs)
meeting between the representa Government, India had also agreed
tives of the two countries on Jan Revenue Expenditure 181.30
to raise the number of scholar
uary 11 and 12 before the Joint Capital Expenditure 26.86
Commission formally meets. Re ships from 14 to 20 a year.
Loans (Advances) 26.15
presentatives of various Ministries After his talks with Smt Gandhi, Public Debt (Repayable) 86.93
including those for External af the Mauritius Prime Minister said Total 321.24
fairs, Petroleum and Chemicals, that he had discussed with Smt. Closing Balance minus 16.99
SOCIALIST INDIA 27 JANUARY 11, 1975

1975: India’s “Space Year”
O. P. SABHARWAL
The year 1975 bids fair to be this country's
“Space Year”, just as the outgoing 1974 ushered in
India's entry—by sheer assertion of its rights into
the Nuclear Club. In just a few months from now,
the first Indian satellite will hover in space like a
celestial star.
What will it be like, this first Indian space ven
ture? The diamond-shaped satellite is in fact now
ready, awaiting only a few finishing touches before
it is hurtled into space by a Soviet launch vehicle
from a cosmodrome in the Soviet Union.
It will be a 26-faced blue-and-violet space
craft, 147 cm in diameter and 116 cm high, twink
ling from the heavens as it performs its journey in
space at about 500 kilometres above the earth at
the awesome speed of 8 kilometres per second. At
this speed it will take nearly 90 minutes for the
satellite to perform one full circle of our globe.
India's first space satellite has been described
as a “scientific satellite” and rightly so. It has been
set the task of conducting three scientific experi
ments. On board the spacecraft have been placed in
struments for carrying out these experiments which
relate to x-ray astronomy, solar deutron and gamma
rays and aeronomy.
THE DESIGN
The last of these experiments concerns a fur
ther study of the ionosphere whose presence has
made long distance radio communication around the
globe possible. The experiment which will be con
ducted from on board the Indian satellite is of spe
cial value in the sphere of wireless communica
tion. The data obtained from these three experiments
will bring in new information on outer space, the
sun and the earth's atmosphere.
The design and construction of the Indian space
craft, credit for which goes to the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO) and its Bangalore
centre, the Indian Scientific Satellite Project—has a
number of special features. Worth listing at the top
is what is called the “spin system” which enables
the satellite to be stabilised in space. The Indian
satellite's spin system will keep the spacecraft spin
stablised for about six months.
The purpose of any spin system in space satel
lite is comparable to a spinning top which has to be
kept spinning in order to keep it stable in a vertical
position. In the case of a spacecraft, spinning also
enables even exposure on all its sides to the rays
of the sun. Over exposure of any one side of a With this great endeavour in the country's first
satellite's body is undesirable. The Indian scientific
satellite's spin system consists of six spherical tita
nium containers filled with compressed nitrogen gas,
SOCIALIST INDIA
and connected to a pair of nozzles protruding at dia
metrically opposite ends of the satellite frame.
The six containers begin their respective func
tions immediately after the ejection of the satellite
from the rocket. The first two containers release their
powerful gas jets in quick succession with only a
minute's interval between them—and the momentum
they generate keeps the satellite spinning for about
27 days during which the number of revolutions
gradually dwindles. Then, with the spin rate at 10
rpm, the ground tele-command at Sriharikota acti
vates the next container through remote control.
SOLAR ENERGY
Wherefrom does the satellite derive the electri
cal power which it needs for its working? The source
of energy is the sun. Solar panels composed of 18,500
individual solar cells are mounted on the outer side
of the satellite for this purpose. These cells convert
sunlight into electricity, and can in conjunction gene
rate 46 watts of electric power while exposed to sun
light. During the 90-minute orbit of the
satellite the batteries take over the function, when
the satellite moves into the shadow of the earth.
The energy lost by the batteries at this time is made
good as soon as the satellite emerges into the sun
light again.
Another important function provided for is that
of data transmission gathered by the satellite's
scientific apparatus working on the three experi
ments for which it has been equipped and fed. The
data collection system provides for the information
gathered for all three experiments to be stored in
stantaneously in a tape-recorder on board the satel
lite. These data will be transmitted in codes to the
ground receiving station of ISRO located at the
Sriharikota range and a similar one in Moscow, when
the satellite passes over these two stations.
This is an extremely fast and sophisticated
function. When the satellite passes over the ground
stations located at Sriharikota and Moscow, its trans
mitter will respond the coded ground telecommand
and send the taped information to earth at a speed
ten times faster than the rate of recording in the
satellite tape-recorder. Thus, information recorded
in the satellite in say 50 minutes, can be conveyed
to the ground stations in just five minutes.
The need for protection of the satellite's sensi
tive instrument poses a special problem. Exposed to
terrific heat because of receiving sunlight without
obstruction, the outer section of the satellite gets
heated up to about 130 degrees C when it is on the
sunlit side of the earth. But when the space craft
is on the other side, the temperature drops to as
much as 100 degrees Centigrade. These extremes of
the delicate electronic sub-systems and the sophisti
cated instruments on board the craft unless special
means are devised to protect them.
space venture, India looks forward to this project
with hope, expectations and a degree of thrill about
the future which lurks through the great space void.
JANUARY 11, 1975.

FOCUS
BAZPUR: Nucleus
For Development
In Tarai: U. P.
S. S. SIROHI
Bazpur, a small town in the
heart of the Tarai, has become
another memorable landmark in
the country's progress towards
prosperity.
Located at a distance of 45 km.
north east of Rampur and 110
km. south west of Nainital, Baz
pur was once notorious for two
things—man-eaters and malaria.
Jim Corbett played a great role in
eliminating the first menace while
constant Government efforts have
got malaria under control.
Despite man-eaters and malaria,
the Tarai has always beckoned
adventurous tillers who came to
upturn the virgin soil. They faced
initial set-backs. Some of them
were unfortunate victims of either
man-eaters or malaria. Most of
them felt frustrated when they
found it difficult to market their
produce and were compelled to
sell it to unscrupulous traders at
a very low price. But there were
Some who did not know how to
bow down before adverse circum
stances. They carried on the strug
gle heroically and it is due to
them that Bazpur has become a
name of which every Indian can
feel proud.
SUGARCANE
The crop that has changed Baz
pur from an insignificant habitat
to a fast developing town—the
nucleus for development of the
Tarai—is sugarcane. The early
settlers were quick to realise that
the soil was suitable for sugar
cane. Sugarcane was grown in ab
undance. But rich crops did not
yield rich dividends. Rather the
#Tºwers were subjected to exploi
tºtion by the private sugar mills
which offered a meagre price of
* 131 per maund at the fae.
*001ALIST inpıA
tory gate. Farmers of the Tarai
felt the urgent necessity of hav
ing a sugar mill of their own.
The story of grand success of
the farmers of Maharashtra reach
ed them. They felt inspired and a
cooperative society was registered
on September 8, 1956. Three years
later the Bazpur Cooperative Sugar
Mill commenced crushing on Feb
ruary 16, 1959. The operation was
inaugurated by the most promi
nent builder of modern India,
Jawaharlal Nehru.
In the very first year of its ope
ration, i.e., 1959-60, the factory
earned a net profit of Rs. 49,000.
About 18 lakh quintals of sugar
cane were crushed. The recovery
was 8.88 per cent. But next year
the factory incurred a loss of Rs.
5,50,000 due to low recovery. But
this set-back, however, did not dis
hearten the organisers. To improve
the quality of cane, they launched
a development programme, which
yielded the desired result.
With a higher rate of recovery
the factory started earning profit
every year. In 1964-65 the profit
earned by the factory was Rs.
25.78 lakhs. In 1966-67 the fac
tory incurred a loss for the second
time — it was to the tune of Rs.
7,58,000. The loss was due to the
factory's bid to help its grower
members in a very difficult year.
It paid at the rate of Rs. 15 per
quintal for the cane it purchased
from its members when the statu
tory price was Rs. 7.37 per quin
tal.
Next year, in 1967-68, the fac
tory earned a profit of Rs. 10.37
lakhs. In 1970-71, the profit was
an impressive Rs. 22 lakhs. Profit
is the yard-stick for measuring
the success of any industrial en
terprise. But, it is not the sole
motive of any cooperative enter
prise. The factory is continuously
engaged in cane as well as area
development.
It had contributed a huge
amount in road construction pro
gramme initiated by the Uttar
Pradesh Government to enable the
growers to bring their produce to
the factory. Besides, it had agreed
to pay the maintenance cost of
these roads for three years. It
has also taken up construction of
culverts and roads in remote
places,from where it gets cane.
To develop cane production, the
factory is giving subsidy for cane
binding, minor irrigation, seed of
approved variety, etc.
For the last four years, maturity
wise-cane-harvesting scheme is in
operation under the guidance of
the National Sugar Institute.
Special schemes are also in force
to supply agricultural implements
and pumping sets to small growers
at subsidised rates.
SOCIAL WELFARE
For the benefit of the people of
Bazpur and adjoining areas the
factory contributed Rs. 2 lakhs to
wards setting up a hospital at
Bazpur. The factory has also help
ed the Degree College at Kashipur
by contributing Rs. 50,000 to its
funds. It contributed Rs. 10,000
for the construction of a hostel for
Scheduled Caste students at Baz
pur. It made generous donations
to the National Defence Fund and
Bharatiya Shaheed Sainik School.
The most notable achievement
of the factory is the repayment
of the loan of Rs. 75 lakhs taken
from the Industrial Finance Cor
poration of India in a record period
of seven years. The loan was re
quired to be repaid within a span
of 15 years in instalments. The
factory is now paying dividend to
shareholders, besides providing
additional cane price.
Initially this unit was designed
to crush 1,250 tonnes cane per
day. At present it is running on
an extended capacity of 1,600 ton
mes per day. Its second phase of
expansion upto 1,800 tonnes is
likely to be completed by the end
of November this year. This feasi
bility report for further expansion
upto 3,000 tonnes per day has been
received and is under active con
sideration of the Chairman and
the Committee of Management.
Since its installation, leaving the
early period of about three years
when the soil of the area was
virgin and nitrogen content was
high, the factory is having an as
cending trend of recovery. New
varieties of seed were distributed
in the year 1970 on account of
which, in the season 1972-73, it
had achieved the highest recovery
JANUARY 11, 1975
of 10.54 per cent in the whole
of Uttar Pradesh.
The unit has now reached a
stage when it is seriously think
ing of diversifying its activities.
It is planning to instal a dis
tillery to process 100 tonnes of
molassess daily at the cost of Rs.
50-55 lakhs. The interim report
has been sent to the Government
in this regard.
Being a cooperative venture, it
has not lagged behind in providing
facilities to its workers. Besides
giving the maximum bonus of 20
per cent it has paid 2-2-12 months
salary as ex-gratia to every
worker. Uniforms and shoes, etc.,
are being provided to workers. Al
most all un-skilled workers have
INDIA—UAE TALKS
The India-United Arab Emirates
Joint Communique, issued in New
Delhi on January 6, 1975 at the
end of the six-day visit to India
of the UAE President, Sheikh
Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan, has
stressed the importance of keep
ing the Indian Ocean as a Zone of
Peace. The two countries also cal
led upon the developed countries
to place their economic relation
ship with developing nations on an
equitable and just basis.
The two countries also agreed
that all the littoral States in the
area should be free from foreign
military bases and Big Power
rivalry. They also urged early im
plementation of the UN resolution
calling for a more just world eco
nomic order.
The two countries reviewed the
world economic situation in the
context of the adverse effect it has
had on the developing nations and
urged the latter to restore justice.
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, during her talks with the
UAE President, outlined recent
developments and initiatives taken
for the normalisation of relations
among the countries of the sub
continent. The UAE President was
“confident that these developments
would contribute significantly to
stability and cooperation in
region as a whole.”
the
§OCIALIST INDIA
been given a woollen pullover each.
The factory has 1,121 workers un
der its employment, out of which
307 are permanent workers. At
present workers have been pro
vided pucca quarters. Others would
have this facility shortly. A pri
mary school and a well equipped
dispensary are being maintained
by the factory.
To arrange for the recreation of
the people of Bazpur the factory
has purchased a projector. At pre
sent only documentary films are
being shown. The factory is nego
tiating with the authorites con
cerned for permission to screen
feature films. The State Govern
ment has opened a community wel
fare centre at Bazpur. The centre
has arranged for sewing classes
Calling for an early settlement
of the West Asia crisis, the two
leaders held that a permanent so
lution was not possible without
the restoration of the national
rights of the peoples of Palestine
in their homeland. They also
welcomed the UN General Assem
bly Resolution and expressed
satisfaction of the recognition of
HUDCO LOANS FOR
HOUSING SCHEMES
The Housing and Urban Deve
lopment Corporation (HUDCO),
an affiliate of the Ministry of
Works and Housing, has sanc
tioned 42 new schemes in
volving a loan commitment of
about Rs. 21 crores. These sanc
tions would enable construction of
about 15,000 flats and houses
meant predominantly for economi
cally weaker section and low in
come group households.
Over 80 per cent of all loans
sanctioned have been at a subsi
dised rate of interest."
The newly sanctioned scheme are
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
for girls and runs a very good
library. The factory also has a
library for its workers.
Bazpur has woken up from its
centuries of slumber. It is gradual
ly taking the form of a nucleus
for the development of entire
Tarai.
To my knowledge, the , rnain
reason for its success is conscious
ness among the workers of their
responsibilities and dynamism of
its officers. It is a matter that not
a single day of production has
been hampered on account of
workers' strike, etc., in spite of
the fact that there exist four re
gistered trade unions. The proverb
“Work is Worship” has come
true at Bazpur.
Courtesy: NCDC BULLETIN.
the Palestine Liberation Organisa
tion as the sole legitimate repre
sentative of the Palestine people
in their struggle for the restora
tion of their inalienable rights in
their homeland.
The UAE President invited the
President and the Prime Minis
ter to visit his country. The invi
tations have been accepted.
spread over different parts of the
country.
One of the salient features of
the new schemes is that an amount
of over Rs. One crore has been
sanctioned to house persons be
longing to Scheduled Tribes and
Scheduled Castes in 11 districts of
Kerala. A sum of over Rs. One
crore has been sanctioned for
slum-dwellers in the cities of Mad
ras and Nadiad. Ten more schemes
with a loan commitment of Rs. 1.2
crores have been sanctioned - for
Gujarat to house the industrial
workers.
HUDCO has sanctioned two
schemes for Mechanised Roofing
Tile and Brick Plant in Himachal
Pradesh and a Lime Kiln near Sri
nagar.
JANUARY 11, 1875
P. M. ON INTERNATIONAL LAW
Continued from Page 2
make equitable distribution possible. Powerful and
affluent countries are sometimes afraid for the secu
rity of their investments and seek the support of
international law. Is this not a wrong priority?
Either international law should reflect the common
denominator of the interests of rich nations and
poor, strong nations and weak, and be a measure
of trust between nations, or it breaks down under
the impact of mutual suspicions, division and
rivalry. Today's problem is to define national in
terest in a manner which is in consonance with
international imperatives for peace and security.
Not only peace and security, but the orderly and
cooperative development of the world in which
each country is willing to play a responsive and
responsible part.
Thus, an obligation rests on the haves to
generate confidence among the have-nots. In order
to achieve greater mutual confidence, perhaps a new
approach to foreign investments is indicated, in
which investments abroad are regarded more as a
service to the recipient community than as an enter
prise where profits and their repatriation must be
Secured at all cost.
BEYOND DETENTE
The year in which the United Nations was
founded was also the year when the first nuclear
bomb was militarily deployed. Ever since then, the
foremost concern of statesmen has been to prevent
collision, and to strengthen the defences of peace..
As we survey the events of the last few years, we
can derive some satisfaction from the fact that the
Cold War has yielded place to detente and that
peaceful co-existence has acquired fuller accept
ance. The hope that has been generated can be
sustained if detente and peaceful co-existence move
beyond the maintenance of a precarious balance be
tween conflict and cooperation, to become the start
ing point of an effort to eliminate competition and
confrontation. With our tensions and technological
capabilities, it would be dangerous to think that
detente could be sustained in a spirit of competi
tion. The spirit of competition can perhaps be
diverted to a more worthwhile objective—the up
lifting of three-quarters of the world which lives in
want. We deeply deplore the expenditure of vast
resources on building up military pressures in new
areas of the globe, including our neighbourhood,
which will lead to the aggravation of conflict ins
tead of its abatement.
Non-violence has been described as the moral
equivalent of war. In a sense, all law is the moral
substitute for violence. Violence is not merely
physical. There is violence, open or covert, in ex
ploitation, in inequality, in any attempt to enforce
personal or collective greed. On the contrary, the
aim of law is to protect the weak, and to disting
uish between right and might.
International law must deepen the respect for
the rule of law everywhere. It should lend consist
tent support to institutions and movements which
are working for peace and for the eradication of all
forms of discrimination based on nationality, reli
gion, race or sex. Its concern should be the en
hancement of the quality of life—through greater
freedom, through the eradication of poverty,
through the conservation of the purity and beauty
of the human environment, through imaginative
initiatives which will reintroduce the elements of
spontaneity and pride in work.

THE INDEX

FOR THE FIRST SEVEN VOLUMES OF

SU(BIALIST

From May 30, 1970 to Nov. 24 1973

Is now available priced at RUPEE ONE

AWAIT INDEX FOR VOLUME VIII: NOW IN THE PRESS

* --

SoCIALIST INDIA JANUARY 11, 1975

SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 11-I-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792170

!
A Bank Account For Every
INDIA Household In Village Chhatera
SUMI SRIPHARAN

The following report appeared in the HINDUSTAN TIMES

IS of January 5, 1974. And it is a heartening story of the pro
gress made by a nationalised bank in a rural area. Village
Chhatera has been “adopted” by the HINDUSTAN TIMES:
It is not so very long ago that In Chhatera, Barota and Majra,
village elders used to say: “If you where almost every household has
GREAT put your money in a bank, you at least one account, the men are
will never see it again.” But to totally at ease with banking terms
day, even the most sceptical and phraseology. About 90 per
Chhaterans agree that the bank— cent of the adults in the three
which finances everything from villages have either borrowed
tractors to tea-stalls—has been money or invested it with the
the single most important develop bank.
MAKE mental agency in the region.
A poultry farm at Barota, a
The farmers say much of the
credit for canvassing accounts in
passenger tonga that plies from the area is due to two villagers,
Mandowra, and a veterinary hospi R. D. Vatsa and Dharamvir, who
tal at Kharkoda are only three of staff the bank and to the enter
IT the many successful ventures fin
anced by loans from the Syndicate
prising manager, Mr. Krishnan.
who commutes by train every day
Bank at Chhatera. from Delhi.
The bank, which was opened The bank has financed many pro
just four years ago, has collected jects in the last four years. It has
GREATER deposits totalling over Rs. 9 lakhs.
almost equalling the loan amount
given over 40 long-term tractor
loans. It has also advanced 300
of Rs. 9,50,000, the manager, Mr. short term loans ranging from
Krishnan, said. Rs. 500 to Rs. 2,000; about 150 of
Chhaterans who seem personally these were in 1974 alone. Among
gratified by the bank's success those who benefited are the Majra
point out that it overshot its own weavers’ co-operative, the Barota
target three times last year and poultry farm, and many of its re
almost doubled its deposits from tail shopkeepers who sell cloth,
Rs. 5 lakhs at the end of 1973. groceries or vegetables.
Besides Chhatera, Barota and Last month Chhatera got its
Majra, the bank serves many other very first tea-stall—financed by a
villages within a radius of three to bank loan for short-term working
five kms including Khedi, Jatheri, capital.
Binroli, Garibela, Nara, Nari, Recently there have been some
Mandowra and Mandowri. There
loan requests from factories at
are about 2,500 depositors. Rai the block headquarters at the
Nearly 10 per cent of the depo 20th milestone on the Grand
sitors are women and 10 per cent
Trunk Road, north from Delhi.
Harijans, Mr. Krishnan estimated.
Also being processed is an appli
Every single Harijan in Majra has cation from a retail fertiliser
a bank account, apart from the dealer all the way from Sonepat, |
account of the weavers' coopera the district centre.
THIS IS THE TWELFTH IN A tive society, he said.
SERIES OF ADVERTISE Since January 1973, about 750 This month the bank is likely to
MENTS DES IGN F D BY
mew savings bank accounts have give its first loan under the Har
“SOCIALIST INDIA” IN PUB been opened. Villagers hold cumu yana. A gro Self-employment
LIC INTEREST.
lative and fixed deposits, and vari Scheme. It is studying the pro
ous certificate accounts, the most ject report of a young man from
popular being the one for child Nari who wants to start a tractor
ren's welfare. repair factory.
---
 P.M.'S ADDRESS TO

SUGALIST SCIENCE CONGRESS

*

FEAR OF RECESSION
JANUARY 18, 1975

|N|||| 30p.
UNFOUNDED

“OIL OR NO OIL, OUR SUPPORT TO THE CAUSE OF PALESTINIANS IS TOTAL.

INDIA, IN FACT, SUPPORTED THE JUST CAUSE OF ARABS EVEN BEFORE
OIL WAS DISCOVERED IN ARABIA”.
DEV KANTA BOROOAH
Congress President
The Congress President clari
fied that India's support to Arab
and the Palestinian liberation
movement was not for the sake of
India And The P.L.O.
Arab oil.

Shri Borooah, who was speak

ing at a function organised at New
Delhi on January 13 to mark the
release of a book entitled “The
Palestine Liberation Organisation”
was apparently piqued when some
one from the audience shouted
that “India's support to the Arabs
was for Oil.”

The Congress President retort

ted that India extended support to
the Arabs and the Palestinian
cause much before oil was found
in the Arabian countries. Whether
“they give us oil or not, we would
support them”, he said.
The book, written by Mehmood
Hussain, an Oriya poet and writer,
traces the genesis of Palestinian
resistance to the Zionist occupa
tion of their homeland after the
British issued the Belfour Declara
tion in 1917. The book analyses the From Left to Right: Prof. Rasheeduddin Khan, M.P., Shri D. K.
Borooah (Congress President), Shri Satpal Kapur, M.P., and Shri
structure, ideology and tactics of
the various guerilla groups which Mehmood Hussain, the author of the book, “The Palestine Liberation
combined within their struggle all Organisation” (University Publishers (India) Ltd.)
modern techniques and have appli
ed them in the most “articulate
manner.”
Congress Party opposed the settle brief speech, that the Indian sup
Shri Borooah traced the history ment of Jews in Palestime, he ad port to the Palestine cause was not
of India's support to the Pales ded. -
confined to generalities, but was
tinian cause and said as far back based on a deep understanding of
as 1917 Gandhiji had supported Shri Abdul Hamid Fathi, PLO the real issues involved.
them. In its various sessions the representative in India, said in a (Please turn to Page 19)

DEMOCRACY e SOCIALISM, Q, SECULARISM O NON-ALIGNMENT


Food Problem In India
n * - x, a • *
** *
-
VENKATA RATNAM'S LETTER
N. Venkata Ratnam, B.A., B.L. Hyderabad
M.L.A., Guntur, A.P. 2-12-1974.
TO
Smt. Indira Gandhi,
Hon'ble Prime Minister of India,
New Delhi.
Respected Madam,
The World Food Conference at Rome revealed
a grim picture of world food situation. In the en
tire Asian continent, only India and Bangladesh are
shown as “Crisis Areas". Sahelian region in Central
Africa and Brazil in South America are the other
regions.
Mr. Jean Mayer, French-born nutritionist and UN
consultant on food problems, in his interview with
“News Week” said: “At present, there are two main
danger areas. One is the Sahel. The other is the
Indian sub-continent in Bangladesh, India and
Pakistan, in that order. The situation in Bangladesh
is desperate right now and the situation in India is
worsening very rapidly. In the Sahelian region at
present there is enough food. What we are dealing
with is inept governments and extreme difficulties
in transportation. In the Indian sub-continent, by
contrast, there is not enough food and the number
of people involved in the possible famine is twenty
times greater than in the Sahelian area. So, on the
sub-continent, we are dealing really with an emer
gency of an entirely different character and magni
tude.”
It is a matter of deep regret that we are not
able to solve the basic problem of food even after
27 years of Independence. Starvation deaths exist
side by side with smugglers' berths and bootleggers'
hearths. Naked populace and stark poverty are co
existing. Food is the basic problem. Unless it is solv
ed we have no right to preach socialism. I am sorry
to state that the food problem was not given top
priority even at Narora.
Governments at the Centre and the states have
long been promising and preaching to reduce expen
diture and halt the waste of public money but not
to implement.
A lot of money is being wasted in the name of
national, international and state-level functions, con
ferences, seminars, sports and games. Unnecessary
expenditure is incurred in wasteful tours of minis
ters, people's representatives and officials, in and
outside the country. It is not only waste of money
but also of time. At this time of crisis when people
at tho helm of affairs are expected to sit and solve
Continued on Page 27
SOCIALIST INDIA
A Letter To And A Reply
From Prime Minister
* *
* . . 3 * * * : . ."
PRIME Ministen's REPLY
New Delhi,
December 11, 1974.
Dear Shri Venkata Ratnam,
I have received your letter of December 2. It
is understandable that, like the rest of us, you
should be concerned about the scarcity which is
causing distress in several parts of the country. But
when you suggect that the food problem has been
neglected in 27 years of freedom, you are making
too sweeping a statement. The fact is that our food
production has doubled. High as our population
growth is, the increase in food production has kept
ahead of it. The irrigated area has increased. Apart
from building major and medium dams and canal
systems, we have gone in for tubewells and pumps
in a big way. Farmers have been persuaded to adopt
intensive methods of cultivation and the use of fer
tilisers and pesticides. Our scientists have given
them new seed varieties. Credit facilities have been
expanded. Marginal farmers are also being helped.
Through land legislation, we have provided new in
centive to millions of families to produce more.
It is true that the additional incomes generated
in the countryside have not been evenly distributed.
The rich have got more. But there is some change in
the lives of others also. It should be borne in mind
that demands have grown, because people are no
longer content to lead lives of deprivation. Also,
as farmers' holding capacity increases, they do not
bring all their produce to the market. This is how
development itself has created new problems. But
such is the potential for production which we have
built up that if we had more fertiliser we need not
have faced a food deficit even though there was a
failure of the monsoon. But the two shortages have
coincided.
You have said that even at Narora we did not
give priority to food production. This again is an
exaggerated statement. Giving priority to food does
not mean stopping everything else. Education and
public health cannot be neglected. Industry cannot
be stopped. In fact in areas where there has been
power shortage we have denied power to industry
and diverted it to agriculture, so as to help tube
wells and pumps. Fertiliser is in short supply
throughout the world. It is not as if we have infi
nite resources. Even if we could afford to buy all
that we need at the current speculative prices, it is
just not available.
When I point out that countries like Britain and
Japan import a very large percentage of their food.
Continued on Page 27
JANUARY 18, 1975
 Weekly of the Indian
==== National Congress pub- Vol X No 7
SUGIALIST lished AICC
from everyCamp
Saturday
Office, corrents
CONTENTS
January 18, 1975
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
|NDIA Road, New Delhi 110001.
'Phone: 383521.
'Grams: SOCIALIST Food Problem in India 2
Editorial 3

EDITORIAL BOARD
Congress President on the Camps 4.

Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Prime Ministers of India and Maldives

on the Indian Ocean 5
(Chairman)
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY International Women's Year:
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Indian Committee's Appeal 6

Recession in Indian Economy:

O Doubts Unfounded

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT Socialist Party Initiates Self-liquidation Process 9

Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR PM's on Low-Cost Technology for
Rural Development 11
(Chairman)
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Bokaro: Story of Progress
K. C. Khanna 14
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
In 1975, We Will Tide Over Food Crisis 15
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA
Shri P. C. SETHI The Classics: Our Spiritual Retreat
W. R. Trivedi 17

Cuba Breaks Through Isolation Barrier 18

Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAV India's Recognition to PLO 19

Fxecutive Editor: JAG MOHAN Karnataka PCC's stock-taking session 21
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA
Party News 23
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress
Committee and printed at National Herald Press, Soyuz-Apollo Joint Flight -

Vladimir Shalatov 24
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001.
Sense of Shock in Bihar over Mishra's Murder 25

The views expressed by Contributors are not neces 1974: “Year of the Underdog” in Punjab 26
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Indo-Iranian Joint Shipping Company 27

Arafat by the U.N. and also by the short shriſt given

EDITORIAL
Tension-Mongering By US
The United States of America has once again
found it convenient to indulge in “tension-monger
ing" to suit the present times, since the Dullesian
era of brinkmanship is over. For some time now,
a series of threats has been emanating from Wash
ington, followed by bullying postures, flexing of
muscles, display of crude military hardware and
what not.
It was not long ago. Mr. Scali, the U.S. rep
resentative at the U.N. completely upset over the
reception given to the P.L.O. leader, M. Yasser
SOCIALIST INDIA
to the South African delegation, gave vent to dire
threats to the Third World of non-aligned countries.
He waved the big stick and threatened that Ameri
can financial contribution to the U.N. may be with
held if the small countries dare to snub the U.S.
through the brute majority of votes.
The melodrama over the grant of funds for the
building up of Diego Garcia as a “super-duper”
military base right in the midst of the Indian Ocean
has not been fully revealed to the world public. But
it can be safely presumed that out of the collusion
between the Administration and the Defence Chiefs,
the money is being wrested out of the U.S. Cong
ress.
Then came the alarming report of what Dr.
Kissinger had said brazenly—that the oil producing
countries may be faced with overt and covert mili
tary action in the event of their refusal to fall
JANU'ARY 18, 1975
in with the American line. And, some months ago,
American plans of military action found their way
to print complete with diagrams and charts. But,
who's afraid of United States of America? So Snap
ped the Arab countries in reply. They have threaten
ed to follow the scorched earth policy of blowing
up their oil wells, come what may.
As if all this tension-mongering would not be
enough, the U.S. is now queering up the pitch by
sending the nuclear-powered carrier, “Enterprise”,
with its attendant task force into the Indian Ocean.
Meanwhile, President Ford, just like his predecessor,
wants the Congress to siphon more funds to bolster
up the thoroughly discredited Thieu regime even as
much as military supplies are being despatched regu
larly from U.S. bases in Thailand. These actions are
in complete violation of the Paris Agreement. And,
nothing has been done about the council of national
reconciliation, free and fair elections and the release
of hundreds and thousands of political prisoners in
South Viet Nam. But the obstructionist tactics of
Mr. Thieu and the display of military hardware by
the U.S. will not in any way dilute the will of the
Vietnamese people, who have so valiantly and re
solutely withstood catastrophes for decades and
triumphed in the end.
In West Asia, also with or without American
active help, tension is mounting up due to the Israeli
refusal to accept realities pragmatically.
All this tension-mongering by the U.S. even be
fore the country has not fully recovered from the
aftermath of Watergate has got only one explanation.
Faced with mounting inflation and harassed by re
cessionary trends, the U.S. is deeply worried that its
monopolies and multi-national corporations are fac
ing a dire threat. How else to ensure their survival
except through belligerency. Besides, the people's
attention must be diverted from domestic problems
through jingoistic pronouncements and gestures. But
the people of America will see through the smoke
screen and find out the game. Having known to what
extent the Administration can indulge in corruption
of all manner, the people will, it is hoped, not allow
the Administration to bamboozle them. Much rests
on the people of America in stemming the tide of
tension-mongering. It is they who should refuse to
be hoodwinked by their rulers and who should join
with the rest of humanity to ensure peace.

consist of six lectures. The sub

jects are as follows:
Congress President On Camps i. History of the Indian National
Congress and its Socialist herit
age.

The following is the text of the
circular letter sent by the Cong
ress President, Shri D. K.
Borooah, on December 30, 1974 to
several Congress leaders:
You are aware that under the
Congress Constitution every ac
tive Member of the Party has to
undergo a training as prescribed
by the Congress Working Commit
tee. A nation-wide training pro
gramme under this provision of the
Constitution began with the Cen
tral Camp held at Narora. The
State-level training camps are now
underway and Karnataka, Assam,
West Bengal, Rajasthan, Goa,
Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Hima
chal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
have already held these State
level camps. Camps in other States
will also be held soon. I have
attended all the State-level camps
and I found great enthusiasm
amongst Congressmen of all
ranks.
We are now entering the second
phase of the training programme
which will cover all the districts
of the country. District Congress
Committee, are the kingpins of our
SOCIALIST INDIA
organisational structure. Workers
at the district level have to bear
the main responsibility of explain
ing the Congress policies and pro
grammes and they are in the fore
front of the battle against all re
actionary and opportunist forces.
Since the days of the struggle for
freedom, the DCCs are the main
vehicles of Congress Party's con
tact with the masses. An active
and well-organised District Cong
ress Committee and a corp of poli
tically conscious and dedicated
workers at the district level, cons
titute the real source of strength
for our Party and can ensure
effective implementation of our
policies and programmes. There
fore, the District Training Camps
must be given paramount import
ance. I propose to visit some of
the district camps also.
According to the decision taken
at the Central Camp at Narora,
the district-level camps are to be
completed by February 15, 1975.
However, you will agree that the
task of completing the training
camps upto district level is stup
endous. Every camp will be of a
duration of three days and will
ii. Present Political Situation and
the tasks before the Congress.
iii. Economic Outlook.
iv. Our Foreign Policy.
v. Congress's Policy and Pro
grammes and the role of the Party
in their implementation.
vi. Problems of the district in
the context of the situation in the
State and organisation of agricul
tural labour and the rural poor.
Speaker for the sixth subject
“Problems of the district in the
context of the situation in the
State”, is to be arranged by the
Pradesh Congress Committee. I
shall, therefore, be happy if you
please indicate two subjects out of
the first five which you would like
to speak on. All Speakers are re
quired to spend at least a night
in the District Camps.
I shall also feel obliged if you
could indicate the dates on which
you will be free from January 1
to February 15, 1975 so that the
AICC may arrange your tour pro
gramme in other States also.
JANUARY 18, 1975

Prime Ministers Of India And
Maldives On Indian Ocean
The Prime Minister of India and
Maldives have called for making
Indian Ocean a zone of peace. In
their talks during Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi's two-day visit to
the Maldives—the first-ever visit
by an Indian Prime Minister to
Maldives—they appealed to the
Big Powers to keep away from
the Indian Ocean and extend co
operation in making it an area of
peace and tranquility.
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, was given a warm wel
come when she arrived at the Mal
dives (as island republic about 600
kilometres from the Kerala coast)
on January 12. Among those who
received her at the airport inclu
ded the Maldivian Prime Minis
ter Mr. Ahmed Zaki, his cabinet
colleagues the Speaker and mem
bers of Majlis (the National Par
liament) and the Soviet Ambassa
dor to Ceylon who felw specially
from Colombo. The Indian envoy,
Shri Vincent Coelho, and captains
of the two Indian naval ships, crui
ser “Mysore” and Oil tanker
“Deepak”, which are now on a
visit to Maldives, were also pre
sent at the airport.
Soon after her arrival in Male,
the capital of the Maldives, Smt.
Indira Gandhi called on the Maldi
vian President Mr. Ibrahim Nasir
and had discussions on matters of
mutual interest. The Indian offi
cials led by the Foreign Secretary
Shri Kewal Singh also started in
formal discussions with their Mal
divian counterparts.
Speaking at a banquet given in
her honour by Mr. Zaki, Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi recalled
the historic ties between India and
Maldives and underlined the need
for still closer relations between
the two countries. She noted with
admiration the progress made by
Maldives in various fields and ex
pressed the hope that the comple
tion of the projects underway
would bring greater prosperity to
the island.
Smt. Gandhi also stressed the
SOCIALIST INDIA
need for peace and stability in
the Indian Ocean. She called upon
the Big Powers to take practical
steps to turn the Indian Ocean
into a zone of peace free from
rivalries.
The Maldivian Prime Minister
Mr. Zaki in his speech referred to
India's peaceful nuclear test and
conveyed his government's “sin
cere congratulations”. He said: “I
do not for a moment believe that
the posession of nuclear power by
India means any threat to any
country.” He pointed out that,
on the contrary, India's nuclear
capability can be of immense help
to the Asian countries in their
struggle to “come out of the pit
in which we are.”
Earlier in the day, the two pre
miers watched a soccer match
between Indian and Maldivian
teams.
On January 13, Smt. Gandhi
had a 70-minute meeting with Mr.
Zaki. The two leaders discussed,
among other things, matters of
mutual interest and the interna
tional situation. Mr. Zaki later
described the talks as “very suc
cessful and fruitful.”
In two important speeches—one
at the National Ground where she
was given a civic reception—Smt.
Gandhi stressed the importance of
regular mutual exchanges both
on governmental and people-to
people level. She also underlined
the need for regional cooperation.
In this context, the said: “For
ces of nationalism and growing
conviction that international peace
and security depend on respect by
all countries, large and small, of
legitimate national aspirations of
others, could be expected to sup
port their joint efforts to secure
establishment of an international
order based on the fundamental
principle of sovereign equality of
all nations.”
In a broadcast over the Maldi
vian radio, Smt. Gandhi referred to
the “increased naval activity” in
the Indian Ocean and said: “All
littoral States want the Indian
Ocean to be an area of peace. We
must make our voices felt.”
About India's foreign policy,
she said that India's objective had
been to cultivate friendship with
all and to work for reduction of
hostility wherever it existed. She
said that India was against inter
ference in other country's affairs.
Smt. Gandhi's hectic schedule
included a visit to the local hospi
tal, where she distributed medi
cines made in India. She also visi
ted a 400-year old mosque and
the local museum. Later, she hos
ted a reception for Maldivian dig
nitaries on board the INS Mysore.
Talking to Indian correspondents
accompanying the Prime Minister,
Mr. Zaki also referred to the Big
Power build-up in the Indian
Ocean. He said: “We need peace
in this part of the world to get
on with the urgent task of deve
lopment.”
About bilateral relations bet
ween India and the Maldives. Mr.
Zaki thanked India for giving help
in training teachers for primary
schools in Maldives. He said that
two batches had already been
trained at Bangalore and another
three would go there in the next
three years. He told newsmen that
his country would like India's as
sistance in other fields as well.
About the cooperative fish canning
project, he said that a final deci
sion would be taken in the next
two or three weeks.
PNM TO VISIT IRAQ
The Prime Minister, Smt Indira
Gandhi, will pay a three-day visit
to Iraq from January 18. The visit
is intended to underline the close
political relationship between the
two countries.
The Prime Minister will be ac
companied by a high-power econo
mic team to discuss plans for co
operation in industry, transportation
and mineral exploration on which
ideas had been exchanged in March
last when Iran's Vice-President,
Saddam Husain, visited India.
The Indian delegation will also
include representatives of the Pet
roleum and Finance Ministries to
negotiate a new agreement on crude
imports in 1975. Last year Iraq
gave India a soft loan of $ 110
million to meet a part of the cost
of imports from that country.
JANUARY 18, 1975

International Women’s Year:
Indian Committee’s Appeal
ARUNA ASAF ALI, LAKSHMI RAGHURAMIAH,
MUKHERJEE (Presidents) MUKUL BANERJEE, SHAM MOHINI
PATHAK, WIMLA FAROOQUI (General Secretaries)
To all men and women
To all organisations :
—who consider that development
of a society and the progress of a
country are possible largely to the
extent that women attain genuine
equality;
—who recognise the fact that
equal contribution of men and
women is decisive for human pro
gress, for social justice, and world
peace.
The decision of the General
Assembly of the U.N. to proclaim
1975 as International Women's
Year signifies the fact that be
cause of the increasing contribu
tion of women to the progress of
humanity the whole world has re
cognised the importance of the
emancipation of women as a ne
cessary factor for the progress of
mankind and also the fact that
even today women are subjected
to discrimination in many coun
tries.
In our own country after we
attained national independence,
the Constitution has accepted the
principle of equality with men. Be
sides, laws have been adopted
which recognise equal rights for
wo-hen in the family, society, and
in our economic and political life.
However, owing to deep-rooted feu
dal attitudes and ideas, illiteracy
and ignorance, it has not been
possible for the vast majority of
women to take advantage of these
rights, and in large sections of
society women still remain victims
of superstitions, prejudices and
obscurantist customs.
Therefore, a great deal remains
to be done to sweep aside such
obstacles as come in the way of
attaining equal status for women
in society and the family. Thus,
elimination of discrimination
against women, and the creation of
necessary conditions which can
ensure them genuine equality are
SOCIALIST INDIA
PURABI
the main tasks which have to be
undertaken unitedly by all demo
cratic elements in India during the
International Women's Year.
It is encouraging to note that,
despite all the existing handicaps,
women in post independence India
have been making significant con
tribution in the manifold tasks for
national reconstruction, and are in
creasingly participating in the pro
cess of production. Even so, they
continue to be exploited at home
and at their place of work, al
though they are burdened with
vital responsibilities in both the
spheres. For instance, they are
paid less than men for the same
work in agriculture and particu
larly in those industries where
they are employed in large num
bers. We also know that as of to
day, women in rural areas, num
bering roughly two hundred and
twenty million, are denied the faci
lities provided by modern deve
lopments and are completely un
aware of the new perspectives that
science has opened up before man
kind. (Even maternity has not
been made safe in all cases).
WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTION
Young girls even in certain
urban communities who wish to be
emancipated from the tyrany of
outmoded traditions and customs
do not always get opportunities to
give expression to their aspira
tions. From her childhood it is in
grained in a girl's mind that she
has to function within confines of
home and family.
Therefore, it is our duty to see
that women refuse to accept this
role and insist on becoming mo
dern citizens who can contribute
to the general progress of the
nation, together with men.
The economic situation in our
country at present is threatening
the people's well-being seriously.
Hoarders, profiteers, black-marke
teers, monopolists and money bags
are holding our country and its
people to ransom for the selfish
and sordid aim of amassing per
sonal wealth. This economic crisis
has to be challenged because
women are directly affected by
shortage of essential commodities
and rising prices. As housewives
they cannot just curse and be
moan their fate. They should be
inspired to act unitedly and vigo
rously against the dishonest ways
of these anti-social elements who
create shortage and enormous in
crease in prices.
In the days before independence,
when under alien rule, the women
of India fought valiantly against
social evils and participated activ
ely in the struggle for freedom.
Now in independent India, women
must participate in the lofty social
mission to build a society where
the wealth produced by the vast
majority of men and women is not
expropriated by a handful of sel
fish people.
Every woman wants to live in a
world free of wars and the human
suffering they cause. Therefore,
let us strive hard to defend world
peace, so that we can ensure a
happy world for our children, free
from fear of their becoming vic
tims of death and destruction.
In keeping with the directive of
the UN we believe that the Inter
national Women's Year should be
observed to focus attention on the
theme of “equality, development
and peace”, in India. This should
be a period during which we
should do everything possible:—
i. To examine the actual position
of women belonging to different
strata of society and endeavour
earnestly for the implementation
of the existing laws concerning
women's rights in family, society
and at work; for improvement of
these laws wherever required.
ii. To infuse self-cofidence
among women to struggle for
genuine equality;
iii. To eradicate feudal ideas pre
vailing in the country with regard
to the social status of women;
iv. To draw them in larger num
bers in the task of national deve
lopment;
Continued on Page 24
JANUARY 18, 1975

OUR ECONOMY
Recession In Indian Economy:
Doubts Unfounded
There has been some talk of recession in the
Indian economy. The organised industry in the coun
try has claimed that a recession is imminent in the
economy and, in support of this claim, has drawn
attention to the general fall in demand and the grow
ing accumulation of stocks.
Recession in an economy denotes a slide-back
in economic activity. It generally sets in a highly
industrialised economy in which industrial activity
contributes the lion's share of economic activity.
The industrial sector provides the maximum employ
ment opportunities and contributes a major share to
the national income. It manifests itself at times
when for a variety of reasons the demand for indus
trial products tapers off. Then industrial units cut
back production, accumulate inventories, pile up
stocks. The number of unemployed swells up.
When it persists over a long period, it is sometimes
described as depression. The last famous depression
was in the early 'thirties when many industrialised
nations like United Kingdom and United States faced
a critical period.
Indian economy is still in the process of getting
industrialised. The bulk of its gross national product
and the majority of the labour force are still not
dependent on industrial activity. Agriculture and
allied activities mainly account for the economic
activity in the country. Therefore, prima facie any
talk in terms of recession in Indian conditions is
slightly misplaced,
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
Even assuming that there is a likelihood of re
cessionary trends setting in, in that part of the eco
nomy which is industralised, the fear on close analy
sis will be found to be exaggerated. The earliest
signs of recession will be found only in such sectors
of industrial activity as involve large investments,
complicated process of production and a long term
anticipation in marketing and consumption. In cases
where these processes are of a short duration, that is,
where production, marketing and consumption can
be organised without much of long-term planning,
the effects of any fall in demand cannot be so severe.
In cther cases where all these processes are essen
tially a long drawn out operation, the apperance of
recession may cause a permanent damage.
Therefore, one has to look into the latest pro
duction trends of such of the industries which are
likely to be prone to the impact of recession.
SOCIALIST INDIA
As an example, one can take finished steel, coal
(including lignite), aluminium, copper cement, caustic
soda, soda ash, sugar, cotton cloth, paper and paper
board and the generation of electricity as a test case.
The latest trends of production of these com
modities are as follows: during the respective periods,
July to September 1973, January to June 1974 and
July to September 1974.
MONTHLY AVERAGE
Production of finished steel was 377,800 tonnes
369,400 tonnes and 416,200 tonnes;
Coal (including lignite), 656,000 tonnes, 708,000
tonnes and 711,300 tonnes.
Aluminium, 11,900 tonnes, 8,700 tonnes and
9,300 tonnes;
Copper, 958 tonnes, 1,014 tonnes and 750 ton
nes;
Cement 1.21 million tonnes, 1.11 million tonnes
and 1.2 million tonnes;
Caustic Soda, 35,700 tonnes, 33,400 tonnes and
34,900 tonnes;
Soda ash 35,900 tonnes, 40,600 tonnes and 42,200
tonnes;
Sugar, 29,800 tonnes, 482,700 tonnes and 29,700
tonnes; -
Vanaspati, 345,000 quintals, 357,000 quintals and
192,000 quintals;
Cotton cloth 359 million metres, 326.4 million
metres and 366 million metres;
Paper and paper board 59,800 tonnes, 62,600 ton
ness and 68,700 tonnes;
Electricity generated 5,315 million kwh, 5,567
million kwh and 5,676 million kwh.
It will be obvious that the monthly average pro
duction in the period July-September 1974 was higher
than in the January–June 1974 period as well as
July-September 1973 in the case of steel, coal, soda
ash, cotton cloth, paper and paper board and elec
tricity generation.
The production of sugar is related to very wide
seasonal fluctuations. Nevertheless the production has
remained more or less at the same level as in July
September 1973. Even here, it may be relevant to
bear in mind that there has been a significant in
crease in the production of Khandsari.
It has been stated that the onset of recession
could be noticed from the fact that the production
of wagons has been affected by fall in demand. But
all the units (thirteen) in the wagon industry have
enough orders to utilise their full capacity for two
more years. The outstanding orders for wagons as
on April 1, 1974, amounted to 32,684 while the ac
tual production from April to October this year was
only 4,998 wagons. In the whole of 1973-74, the
wagon industry produced only 10,279 wagons.
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Construction industry is generally supposed to
be very sensitive to recessionary tendencies. An
examination of the state of production in this indus
try also does not support the view that a recession
JANUARY 18, 1975
 is impending. While the average monthly produc
tion of cement was 1.28 million tonnes in July-Sept
ember 1973, it declined to 1.11 million tonnes in
January-June 1974. But in the period July-Septem
ber 1974 (which is the period which, according to a
section of opinion, witnessed the possible onset of
recession) cement production again rose to 1.2 million
tonnes.
Similarly, the average monthly production of
machine-made bricks and tiles (another major input
in the construction industry) has declined from
812,000 tonnes in January–October 1973 to 800.0
tonnes in January-June 1974. But this again picked
up to 931,000 tonnes in July–October 1974 and, in fact,
reached a level of 1.3 million tonnes in October 1974.
An examination of the production of what can
be described as durable consumer goods also esta
blishes that there is no trend for output to decline.
Even in the case of automobiles, while there has been
a slight fall in the production of passenger cars, there
has been a marked increase in the production of
motor-cycles, scooters and mopeds.
STEEL AND COTTON YARN
A second firm indicator of a possible recession
is the level of stocks. Available data in this con
nection is extremely scanty. However, even in the
cases of some products for which this is available,
there is no firm indication of any possible recession.
For example, in the case of saleable steel of the
major steel plants, the average monthly stocks were
256,000 tonnes in July-September 1974 as compared
to 300,000 tonnes in the same period last year. The
stocks of cottom yarn were 12.3 million kilograms in
1974 as against 19 million kgs. in 1973. In the case
of cement these were 272,000 tonnes in June-August
1974 as against 293,000 tonnes in the same
period in 1973.
There is no doubt that there is some accumula
tion of stocks in the case of cloth and some durable
consumer goods such as scooters, sewing machines,
electric fans and room air conditioners. The reason
for this is not far to seek. Indeed the experience of
the textile industry shows what really it is.
Recently many of the textile mills effected a
reduction ranging from 20 to 25 per cent in their
ex-mill prices. After this there has been a steep fall
in the stocks of unsold cloth. It can not, therefore,
be argued that the accumulation of stocks is due to
the tapering off of demand.
ANTI-INFLATIONARY MEASURES
It is well-known that during the past year and a
half or so, the rate of inflation in Indian economy
had reached what can be described as disturbing
levels. As part of a comprehensive move to check
inflation, Government had initiated since June a
number of measures. These included measures to
tighten credit, mobilise additional resources to the
Government and thus reduce resort to deficit financing
and arrest further growth of money supply in the
economy. This was further backed up by very string
&OCIALIST INDIA
ent measures to root out the evils of smuggling, blac":
money, blackmarketing, hoarding and profiteering.
This package of measures was designed to secure
two objectives: arrest the dangerous rise in the price
levels and contain inflationary forces which were
getting fanned by increase in money supply and the
easy availability of liberal credit. By October, the
effects of these measures became visible. There was a
welcome break in the spiralling of prices from the
disturbing heights they had reached earlier. The
pressure of excess demand in the economy was dimi
nishing.
Whereas the monthly averages of index number
for September 1974 for all commodities stood at
328.9, it fell to 324.8 for October 1974 and to 320.6
for November 1974. This definite reversal of the trend
accompanied by a slight fall can by no stretch of
imagination be taken as anything alarming. On the
contrary, the economy has been, at last coming out
from the dark corridor of continuous increase in
price level and the over-powering spiral of inflation.
Even as the Government initiated these series
of measures, there were critics who felt that what the
Government was trying to do was to seek a monetary
solution to the problems of inflation. They felt that
confirming onself to the management of demand
through monetary and credit measures would not
provide a complete answer to the situation. But even
before the Government undertook the monetary and
fiscal measures, they had set in motion a detailed
programme to improve the utilisation of capacity and
performance in many vital sectors such as power, coal,
transport and engineering industries.
SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT
During the last four months, there has been a
substantial improvement in all these fields. More
power and coal are now being produced. The availa
bility of steel has improved significantly. Cement
production had picked up in recent months and the
railways are moving larger number of wagons. Pro
duction units in the public sector had also improved
upon their uniformly good record.
Side by side, the problems created by an erratic
monsoon were also being tackled. The kharif pro
curement had become reasonably good and was gain
ing momentum. The rabi crop is expected to be good.
Taken along with the imports that had already been
arranged, this should help the country to tide over
the difficult situation. The public distribution system
was handling about a million tonnes a month. The
supply side of the battle against inflation was being
given as much importance, if not greater, as the
management of demand.
It is the combination of these two aspects of
Government's policy — the management of the sup
ply and the demand side of inflation—that is slowly
and steadily producing the welcome trend".
The state of things prevailing cannot, therefore, be
considered as the beginning of a recession. On the
contrary, this should be welcomed as the much need
ed stabilisation of the economy,
JANUARY 18, 1975

Socialist Party Initiates
Self-Liquidation Process
As the dust settled down over the Socialist
Party's Calicut session, it has become clear that the
traditional Socialists will soon be shedding their
identity. Unembarassed they are to join body and
soul the multicoloured contingent commanded by JP.
The necessary wherewithal were accordingly
forged in the form of a new political line which
might enable the Limaye-Fernandes leadership to
achieve this objective without any hindrance. It may
be noted that the political and economic outlook as
well as the selection of the leadership from the Cali
cut Session are all in striking contrast to the founda
tion conference of the party held at Bulandshahr
only three years ago.
It is interesting to note that since its founda
tions, the Socialist Party, which came into being with
the ad hoc merger of the former SSP and the PSP in
August 1971, had to continue without having finally
endorsed till this day the comprehensive policy state
ment laid down in what was described as “platform
of the Socialist Party.” The “platform” was adopted
by the Policy Committee as early as August 1972;
it was placed before the Bulandshahr conference and
later also before the Bangalore General Council
meeting.
However, only the political resolutions adopted
at Bulandshahr and Bangalore continued to guide the
party. Having achieved the necessary political re
orientation, the Limaye-Fernandes leadership can now
be expected to hasten the process of clinching the
“platform” and bringing it in accord with the poli
tical outlook adumberated at the Calicut conference.
REVERSAL OF POLICY
The reversal in the political outlook of the So
cialist Party shocked many a delegate at Calicut and
made them move more than sixty amendments to
para 16 of the “Political Resolution” which was in
terpreted as a stop towards “liquidation” of the
party. The main objection evidently was to the
clause providing for fighting elections “on the basis
of a common programme and common symbol.” Sig
nificantly, the leadership sought to buttress this pro
posal by leaning heavily on JP's call for giving up
the “outward symbols” of caste society, as the reso
lution put it.
The leadership will not be deterred from its
course, though it agreed to incorporate an amendment
making the common programme and common symbol
proposal somewhat indefinite by replacing the words
“they should fight” by “they may fight”. Limaye
and Shri Fernandes explained that the delegates'
resistance to the proposal was based more on “mis
understanding.”
The delegates' apprehensions were not baseless
because at another place, the resolution made it
abundantly clear that “the Socialist Party is not wor
ried about its partisan interest or its identity.” The
S00IALIST INDIA
rider, however, was that the question of “submerging
identities” must be posed by the development of mass
movement itself. In a nutshell, the new leadership of
the party has made up its mind in this regard; it
believes that the JP-led movement provides the neces
sary circumstances for the liquidation of the Party,
and it has also now the mandate to do so in due course
of time.
As a pre-condition for taking such a drastic
step, the party has completely revised its attitude
towards parties which were earlier described as “con
servative, communal or reactionary”. This has been
done on many counts. The principal alibi is that the
Congress Government represents “a stronger amal
gum of fuedal, capitalistic and totalitarian force”
and therefore, its removal “from the Centre” is the
key task.
VIRTUAL HARAKIRI
To justify the party's virtual “harakiri', it had
sought to convince even the CPM of the course it
proposed to adopt with the argument that “credibi
lity of all Opposition parties is so low” and “forces
larger than the traditional parties have emerged to
find fault with (their) composition is meaningless.”
While pleading with the CPM, the Socialist Party
has now clearly stated that it was opposed to the
exclusion of the Jana Sangh, Congress (O) and BLD
from the joint endevour. It said, “Entry of an im
portant party in a State or nationally recognised
party at the centre as such cannot be banned.”
A closer look at the Socialist Party's political
projections would indicate that at the moment it
would have the Jana Sangh as the only firm ally
in this direction. This follows from the fact that it
rejected the BLD's proposal as a “more summitry
or mechanical formulae” for the creation of a united
party. Of course, the Syndicate can be in the ring
if it chooses to be.
The economic policy outlook of the Socialist
Party “must evolve the demands and forms of
struggle in consonance with the economic conditions
as also the political balance of forces in each State".
The party can ill-afford to spell out a radical econo
mic outlook at a time when it is launching on the
process which is inevitably linked with the parties
whom it had only recently characterised as conser
vative, communal etc.
Yet another connected feature of the Party's
new outlook is indicated by its approach to the work
ing class. The demands such as dearness allowance
and bonus are stated to be born out of “narrow
self-defeating economism” of the “traditional leader
ship of the organised working class. It accused the
traditional leadership of not concerning itself “enough
about prices, production and distribution of essen
tial commodities.”
The classic remedy suggested by the Socialist
Party is put in these words: The goal of the strug
gle is not only to provide an additional kilo of rice
or atta to a hungry belly or a safe job to an edu
cated youth but to create such a socio-economic
order.... (which will) enable all of us to practice
in our daily life the moral and social values which
India has cherished for generations.”
JANUARY 18, 1975
CHANGING
FACE
OF U. P.

U.P. Landless Agricultural Labourers Debt Relief Act

Ushers an era of Equality and Social Justice
Emancipates 4 crores from economic bondage
Liquidates the debt of Harijans, Landless and
Small farmers with holdings up to one acre

A REVOLUTIONARY SIP F
U.P. [ſ]VERNMENT
 P.M.'s STRESS ON Low-cost TECHNOLOGY
FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT
The following is slightly abridged text of Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi's inaugural address to the
62nd session of Indian Science Congress in New
Delhi on January 3:
The most important science is the science of
living. The pursuit of knowledge is endless. It has
followed two streams. What urged man forward
were the requirements of survival, and also his in
satiable curiosity. There is no conflict between the
two. Although they sometimes ran parallel, many
times they met and served each other's purpose.
Out of the one emerged applied science and from the
other fundamental science. In India we need both.
Only when we raise the standards of living for the
many, shall we be able to create satisfactory condi
tions for the brilliant few to attain higher goals.
Today there is a great churning of ideas and
attitudes in the world. In spite of progress, the in
creasing pace and competitiveness of contemporary
living have not enabled man to live in peace with
his neighbour or with himself, but compel him still
to struggle for survival though in a different way
and at different levels. The danger is no longer
from wild and powerful predators but from the side
effects of what man himself has evolved for his com
fort alienation and tension, pollution and thought
less exploitation of natural resources.
This realisation is gradually but surely finding
place in the thinking of forward-looking people and
has become a topic for discussion the world over.
But such people and ideas are often ridiculed by
those involved in the manufacture of articles which
could have harmful after-effects, and those who
cannot be bothered to reconstruct their factories to
obviate pollution of the air and the water. It is our
bad luck that we have begun the process of indus
tralisation at a time when it is so much more costly
and complicated. Or we can consider it our good
luck that because we have just begun, it is possible
to recast the pattern of our development, keeping in
view the experience of highly industrialised coun
tries. This means that we have not only to keep in
touch with the latest ideas but to reconsider the
basic priorities of Indian science and technology.
PEACEFUL NUCLEAR EXPLOSION
1974, the year that bas just ended, has not earned
thanks from any country. For us, in spite of great
hardships it has not been without achievement. We
have been subjected to pressures which could well
have overwhelmed us but for the foundations already
laid, the resilience of our economy and the strong
measures which, we tack. Thero is increasing recog'
*60tºrsT INDIA
* * * *-- - • *-
nition within the country and abroad of the quality
of work done by our scientists, especially in nuclear
science and agriculture.
A few days ago, I visited the site of our peace
ful nuclear explosion. I should like once again to
place on record the nation's high appreciation of our
nuclear scientists. It was an example of dedication,
competence and team work—a good job, neatly done
and without fuss. The Atomic Energy Commission
is examining the finding and may soon give a preli
minary report. I am sure that the scientific commu
nity is even more pleased and proud than the coun
try as a whole. In the many message of congratula
tions which have poured in the fact highlighted was
that the experiment demonstrated what our scien
tists could accomplish, when given a specific objec
tive and provided with sustained Government sup
port, particularly in relation to managerial flexibi
lity, and then left to deal with technical problems
in an atmosphere of trust. This is an obvious les
son for Government. The scientific community also
should shake off what seems to be a growing Sense
of passivity and met us half way.
SCIENCE-MINDED SOCIETY
Whatever the motivation of the Indian scien
tist, he can hardly escape the larger objective of
Indian science—to create a more modern and science
minded society free from superstition and narrow
ness. Regardless of the protests from our critics, we
must firmly keep in view our main aim, that is,
the eradication of poverty. Should not the capabili
ties of our scientists be used to find quick Solutions
to our urgent problems, for the increase of agricul
tural production, for more effective family planning
programmes, or the improvement of communica
tions? Much work in these spheres has been done
in our country but a great deal remains and research
must be intensified. It is the peaceful and beneficial
use of nuclear energy that attracts us. Can we aff
ord to ignore its great potential for adding to our
resources and to energy?
We do not order events; but we can control our
reactions to them. This time last year, we had ex
perienced only the initial consequences of the fuel
and monetary crisis. During 1974, the nation had to
bear the fuller impact of these blows. World prices
of oil, fertiliser and food have steeply risen. We
shall have to mobilise all our scientific talent and
technological skills to discover new oil fields within
the country.
The scientific and technological community is
anxious about the impact of some of Government's
economic policios on the nation's scientific and tech
JANUARY 18, 1975
- -
 nological effort. In the last 18 months, our first
priority has been to control inflation and to stabilise
our economy. Allocations have been cut in almost
every field, including domestic R and D program
mes. But we do remain committed to the Science and
Technology Plan and its policy-frame as a means
of mobilising indigenous scientific and technological
capabilities to solve national problems. The adjust
ments in the Plan we are compelled to make will be
more tactical than strategic in nature.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Self-reliance does not mean an inward-looking
or isolationist approach, but a policy which en
sures that decision-making on key aspects of the
pattern and content of development will remain
firmly in national hands. A country of our size and
potential cannot but aim at self-reliance. The grim
experiences of the last 18 months, first on the oil
front and then in regard to food and fertilisers,
have shown that in certain sectors of our economy,
we have to move beyond this approach of self-re
liance and strive increasingly for self-sufficiency.
The task poses challenges far greater than are
indicated by the more physical amounts of produc
tion involved. It is obvious that we cannot reach
such self-sufficiency by adopting the economic and
technological strategies of industrialised countries
which have enough food and energy for themselves.
We shall have to innovate all along. New scientific
ways of identifying, ‘creating' and efficiently utilis
ing resources are essential.
I am told that our industrial and scientific la
boratories have developed and proved numerous pro
ducts and processes which could improve the living
conditions of the comman man. Yet these remain
unutilised. Scientists complain that our economic
tradition is weighed against Indian technology. The
ethos of the private as well as the Public Sector is
for entrepreneurs and managers to look for short
cuts, and using foreign technology is the soft way
out. They forget that ease at the initial stage often
leads to difficulty later on. Government, on its part,
should give more attention to the adoption of re
search which has already been proven.
The immediate problem before us all is to int.
crease food production and fuel output. All the ta
lents of our agricultural scientists should be con
centrated on finding new methods and reactivating
old ones where necessary, of conserving resources
of water and fertiliser. Apart from the larger natio
nal problems, there are also special regional ones to
which solutions must be found.
In July and August last year I visited some of
our States to review the progress of agricultural
programmes. In West Bengal, I found that a simple
requirement of Bengali farmers is the safe storage
of wheat seeds during the rainy season. Because no
method was devised, the State Government has to
send their officers all the way to Punjab, Haryana
and western Uttar Pradesh to purchase seeds, Cal
cutta and West Bengal have a large concentration
of scientiata and outstañdińg seientific institutions.
46traºrst TNTºtA
Is it beyond their ability to develop a low-cost and
safe method of rural seed storage 2 This is just one
instance to point out that our entire scientific com
munity and not merely a few agricultural scientists
should concern themselves with the problems of our
farmers,
Last year's erratic behaviour of the monsoon in
a few regions affected our entire economy. Changing
climatic conditions have not been confined to Our
country. A vast area stretching across many con
tinents was affected by drought in the last couple
of years. One of the theories being propounded is that
the earth may once again be entering a “little ice
age” of the kind which prevailed between A.D.
1300-1650. Perhaps it is premature to generalise
about fundamental weather changes. We are living
at a moment of crisis in every sphere of life, and it
is the current fashion to make the gloomiest forecasts.
What is science for, if it does not equip us to face and
absorb the shock of the future—whether of aberrant
weather or anything else?
ERRATIC MONSOONS
Our agricultural scientists should give greater
attention to the development of alternative cropping
strategies for different weather conditions. Corres
ponding steps should be taken at the administrative
level to enable farmers to benefit from research.
Farmers should be helped to be more flexible in
their choice of crop varieties and in the adoption of
alternative practices. The high prices of chemical
fertilisers should induce them to rediscover the uti
lity of green manure and the advantage cf using a
mixture of green and chemical fertilisers. Green
manure represents a handly package of solar energy
for agriculture! Recently I have been introduced to
a creature which in ignorance I should have thought
of as rather a lowly one. Now I am told that “as a
soil chemist he has few equals”. This refers to the
familiar earthworm.
Our energy crisis has two contributory factors:
the international oil turmoil and the changes of
weather which have up set hydro-power generation.
Refinement of early warning systems would be of
great help. Fuel technologists and chemical engi
neers should show us ways of utilising our coal
resources as substitutes for petrol. Research on the
unconventional sources of power like solar energy,
wind power and the tides must be intensified, as I
have been urging for many years.
In Indian conditions, science must inevitably
have a dominant rural focus. How else can we meet
the minimum needs of our people? I have often
heard it said that we have not developed the high
productivity technologies needed for a comprehen
sive rural development programme because the in
dustrialised countries which constitute the source of
most of our own modern technology have never felt
the need to do so. Would it not be worthwhile for our
scientific and technological specialists, particularly
in the IITs and universities, to analyse this prob
lem in its totality, particularly as it seems to offer
A captive market for the results of indigenous re
sharch ºld developºnent?
1 January 18, 1sts
 Without such research it will be difficult to
improve our health services. When any region suf
fers scarcity, malnutrition causes long-lasting da
Image. Even normally, many children suffer from
nutritional imbalances which cause a variety of ill
nesses. Much blindness can be prevented by the ad
ministration of vitamin A in the form of greens.
We always look for foreign expertise to such prob
lems and scoff at local and tried remedies.
like amla, papaya, ber, etc., have long been known
for various qualities. If we are not sure about them,
let them be studied thoroughly. Feeding programmes
for children and nursing mothers are heavily de
pendent upon supplies sent by international relief
organisations. Often as soon as the external contri
bution is withdrawn, the whole programme collapses.
We must take simple medical knowledge to rural
mothers directly as well as through school-going
children. I hope you will help us to devise approa
ches which emphasise self-help and self-reliance.
The individual or social problems created by the
existing direction of growth (are there). Internatio
nally, the desire to dominate is not diminished but has
taken on more subtle forms. It is one of the major
causes of global tension and conflict, the others being
stockpiling of armaments which itch to be used and
glaring economic inequalities. All these years there
has been a sustained campaign warning us about
the threat of subversion from a particular quarter.
We have been and are determined to fight subver
sion from any quarter. But our opinion, borne out
by our experience, has been diffefrent. Evidence is
piling up and is admitted with shocking satisfaction,
to support our view. Other countries are also rea
lising this now. In a speech delivered on Novevmber
24, a leading statesman from South-East Asia said
“Competitive interference ranges all the way from
Fruit diplomatic perversion, economic pressure, coercion
and intense interference to unfriendly intervention.”
As we in India consolidate our strength and
give evidence to our capabilities these pressures will
mount. We do not stand for the status quo; on the
contrary it is we who have proclaimed the need for
radical changes in many spheres in national life, in
personal behaviour and in social structure and at
titudes. Forces of violence and disruption are at
work in our country. Every conscientious citizen
must consider what these can lead to. In the face of
international danger and at our critical stage of
development, any dislocation far from producing a
new foundation will weaken us and slow down prog
ress and jeopardise our future.
Our ability to safeguard national interest by
maintaining true independence of judgement, of de
cision and of action depends on our progress in
science. I hope the scientific community will be our
partners in this endeavour and in what my father
called “the great adventure of building a new India”.

Extra Cash
Every Month

--

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central Bank
monthly interest.
---

Months
deposi Scheme *2- 9 ...

12|35 TS To match your

If you We pay you monthly bills for
deposit monthly
Rs. Rs. Rs. -A Rs.
* -

Rs. 1.000 6.66 || 7.50 | 8.33 | Electricity []

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Rs: 2,000

Rs: 3,000
13.33|15.00 | 16.66 || School Fees
20.00|22.50|25.00 || Laundry
[]

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&
Cenhral Bank of India
------

Rs: 4,000 26,66 |30.00 || 33.33 Medicine DJ The Bank that moves out to
Rs: 5,000 33.33 ||37.50 || 41.66 || Misc. D people and places.
- tº - ... ... • * -

SOCIALIST INDIA JANUARY 18, 1975


BOKARO. STORY
OF PROGRESS
K. C. KHANNA
Managing Director
Bokaro Steel Limited
Bokaro—the fourth and the
biggest of the steel plants to be
set up in the Public Sector in the
country after independence— is
poised to make a big break-through
in steel production during the
Fifth Plan period. To the target
of 17.5 million tonnes of ingot
steel by the end of the Fifth Plan,
Bokaro will contribute 4 million
tonnes. This is a big challenge
and an enormous task.
Bokaro is also a symbol of the
valuable friendly relations that
exist between the peoples of India
and the Soviet Union. Starting
with the technical assistance and
a credit of 200 million roubles for
setting up the first stage of 1.7
million tonnes, the Soviet Union
has continued its assistance for
the 4-million-tonne expansion by
making available additional credits
upto 85 million roubles. The
possibility of expansion of Bokaro
to 10 million tonnes is also being
considered, in the implementation
of which, too, the Soviet Union
has agreed to cooperate. This
was set down in the joint declara
tion during Leonid Brezhnev's
1973 visit to India.
SELF-RELIANCE
In the second meeting of the
Joint Commission on Economic,
Scientific and Technical Coopera
tion, held recently at Moscow, the
supply of equipment and coordi
nation of design work for expan
sion received most careful consi
deration and the conclusions
arrived at will have the most
beneficial impact on speeding up
the progress of 4-million-tonne
expansion due by 1977.
An important feature of Soviet
cooperation is the promotion of
self-reliance in the development of
technical know-how and the growth
of indigenous supply of equipment
SOCIALIST INDIA
and materials. The indigenous
supply of equipment—64 per cent
in the first stage—is the highest
for any steel plant in the country.
This will rise upto 86 per cent in
the second stage. In this effort
at self-reliance, the Soviet-aided
heavy machine-building and heavy
electrical plants have played a
considerable part.
Today, one blast furnace is
producing pig iron to meet the
growing demand of the foundries
within the country (50 per cent
of their demand is met by Bokaro)
and two 100-million tonne conver
ters are producing ingot steel
which is being despatched to other
steel plants for rolling into finish
ed steel. Brisk construction acti
vity is going all round the place
to fulfil the target of turning out
finished steel by the middle of
1975.
BIG CONTRIBUTION
While the civil work for the
first stage has been all but com
pleted, 95 per cent of the work
of erecting building structures has
also been completed. As for
equipment, 74 per cent of mecha
nical and 73 per cent of electrical
equipment erection have also been
completed. All out efforts are
being made to complete the erec
tion before March and to commis
sion the mill by September 1975.
The work on the second stage
of expansion to 4 million tonnes
is also in progress. Two more
blast furnaces and three more
coke oven batteries are being set
up, similar to those installed du
ring the first stage. The steel
melting capacity will be increased
by installing two 300-tonne con
verters which is the crux of the
entire expansion programme.
The third stage expansion to
4.75 million tonnes has also been
cleared by the Government for
implementation in continuation of
the second stage expansion. The
detailed project report is being
prepared.
Even at present, Bokaro is
making a valuable contribution to
the national economy. The total
output of the hot metal during
1973-74, which was the first finan
cial year of operation, was about
14
80 per cent of the rated capacity.
The production during 1974, des
pite raw materials and transport
constraints, was also steady, with
production during the month of
October 1974 having touched 85
per cent of the rated capacity.
The total despatches of pig iron
till October 1974 amounted to over
1.25 million tonnes.
Bokaro has exported pig iron to
the USSR and Japan in a big way.
This has earned the country about
Rs. 11 crores in foreign exchange.
The export orders booked since the
beginning amount to 5,15,000
tonnes and that of Japan 2,65,000
tonnes. The supplies have large
ly been completed.
Since the rolling mills are yet
to be commissioned, steel ingots
are at present sent to Bhilai and
other mills for rolling into finished
products. About 71,000 tonnes
have been despatched to these
plants. Steel ingots apart,
17,800 tonnes of ammonium sul
phate, 47,620 tonnes of crude tar
and 1,82,000 tonnes of blast fur
nace quality coke have been sold.
Keeping in view the possibility
of power shortage in the coming
years, the installation of a local
power plant at Bokaro with three
units of 110 MW each is under
consideration. The installation
of a big granulation plant with a
capacity for granulating 2.35 mil
lion tonnes of blast furnace slag
per year at the 4-million-tonne
stage is also being planned. Of
this, 7 lakh tonnes of slag have
been allocated to Bokaro for sett
ing up a large cement factory
near Bhavanathpur, which is the
source of limestone supply for the
steel plant. Many other subsi
diary schemes are also being im
plemented. Thus the builders
of Bokaro are determined to meet
all challenges in order to contri
bute their mite to the progress of
the country.
Cº IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
JANUARY 18, 1975
—e. –
IN 1975, WE WILL TIDE OVER
THE FOOD CRISIS
The food crisis that threaten
ed to overtake the nation seems
to have blown over and the new
year starts on a note of subdued
optimism, according to a United
News of India report.
The falling prices of foodgrains
and essential commodities, though
marginal, and the abatement of
distress reports from States are
seen by experts as pointers that
the country has turned the corner.
The rains in the first week of
December in Jammu and Kash
mir, parts of Punjab, Haryana and
western Uttar Pradesh augur well
for a good rabi crop.
These rains according to ex
perts, were adequate to wet the
roots of wheat crops, occupying an
area of about 9 million hectares.
They have reinforced what
Union Agriculture Minister Shri
Jagjivan Ram described as “the
new sense of confidence” gained
by the farming community in Sep
tember–October when widespread
showers brought hopes of a moſ.
dest kharif output.
The rains broke a protracted
spell of drought conditions in
many parts of the country which
inflicted hardships and miseries
on countless poor farmers and
landless labourers. There were re
ports of starvation deaths, which
the Government denied.
The worst hit were Gujarat,
Orissa, parts of Madhya Pradesh,
Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh
and West Bengal.
According to an assessment
made by Central teams that visit
ed these States, 125 lakh people
were affected in Gujarat, 88 lakhs
in Madhya Pradesh, 71 lakhs in
Orissa and 90 lakhs in Rajasthan.
The teams have yet to report on
the extent of damage in other
States.
Even as these States were in the
|SOCIALIST INDIA
throes of drought, others like
Assam, Bihar, Kerala, West Ben
gal and Uttar Pradesh were reel
ing under the onslaught of floods.
In fact, most States, including
some drought-hit ones, felt the
fury of the floods in varying deg
rees.
According to official reports,
the total damage to crops, houses
and public utilities from floods
amounted to over Rs. 438 crores
this year.
Added to these were the prob
lems of shortage of power, fertili
ser and diesel, which affected pro
duction in many States.
To take full advantage of the
recent rains, the Union Agricul
ture Ministry has worked out a
plan of action which is being im
plemented in close co-operation
with the States.
The plan aims at maximising
the production of standing crops,
and at ensuring timely sowing of
wheat, gram and oilseeds over
large areas.
Special arrangements have been
made to meet the requirements of
seeds, fertiliser and pesticides
wherever there is a shortage. A
separate strategy has been evolv
ed for unirrigated areas which
cover 60 per cent of the total cul
tivated area and contribute 46 per
cent of the total production.
A compatible inter-cropping sys
tem has been worked out for vari
ous crops in different regions. Be
sides, an ambitious programme
has been launched to increase the
production of tuber crops, particu
lary potato, which is considered
more a food item than a vege
table.
Notwithstanding these efforts,
the estimates of the kharif output
this year do not exceed 60 to 62
million tonnes, against the target
of 67 million tonnes.
Iſ; l JANUARY 18, 1975
To keep the present public dis
tribution system going, therefore,
the Government has to depend to
some extent on imported food
grains. According to official re
ports, imports from April to Nov
ember totalled 4.7 million tonnes.
These reports suggested that total
imports might rise to 7.5 million
tonnes by March. Most of the im
ports would be on commercial
terms.
With improved stock position,
supplies to States from the Cent
ral pool were stepped up to 9 lakh
tonnes a month from October
against 6 lakh tonnes in the mid
dle of the year.
Since the key to the mainten
ance of a viable public distribution
system is effective procurement,
the Centre has urged the States
to gear up their machinery for the
purpose. -
The procurement of kharif
cereals has now gathered momen
tum and contributions to the Cen
tral pool total over 12 lakh tonnes.
Considering the late harvesting of
the crops and the heartening mar
ket arrivals in States sources con
and Haryana, official sources con
sider this trend encouraging.
The procurement system this
year for kharif cereals is the same
as that for last year—a combina
tion of levy on millers and dealers
and a graded levy on producers.
But the system has been strength
ened by plugging loopholes and
stepping up the levy wherever
possible.
As for rabi, the procurement so
far totals about 2 lakhs tonnes.
The year no doubt, will be re
membered for the reversal of the
policy of complete takeover of
wholesale trade in wheat. The po
licy failed to yield the expected
results and the public agencies
procured only 4.5 of the targetted
8 million tonnes.
The new policy failed mainly for
want of adequate preparation and
organisation of a well-oiled ma
chinery to handle the task.
The reversal led to hoarding
and worsened the situation. It
needed a vigorous anti-hoarding
campaign by the State Govern
ments to partly undo the damage.
 COME TO SEE

TRiPURA:

OLD & NEW

Tripura is changing fast. One of the
most ancient states of India. Tripura
is now keeping step with the rest of
India in its march towards moder

nism and prosperity. A visit to Tri

pura to the “Rudrasagar Lake', Dam
boor Falls on the Unokuti Hills will

be refreshing and rewarding.

ISSUED BY THE DIRECTORATE of PUBLIC

RELATIONS & TOURISM, GOVERNMENT
OF TRIPURA.

SOCIALIST INDIA *~}-H_* Iſº JANUARY 18, 1975


The Classics: Our Spiritual Retreat
The following is the text of the
speech delivered by Shri V. R.
Trivedi, a noted Gujarati littera
teur (now in his seventies) on the
occasion of the acceptance of Fel
lowship of the Sahitya Akademi,
at Surat on October 13, 1974.
I am very grateful to the
Sahitya Akademi for the honour
it has done me by electing me as
one of its Fellows. I take this op
portunity to make a plea for a re
turn to the classics as an irre
placeable ingredient of any sys
tem or form of education and cul
ture.
All of us know that some classics
at least are read in the colleges.
They are also to be found in the
public libraries. Some adorn our
private shelves too. But I am not
very wrong if I say that as citizens
we have no heart in them. They
have ceased to affect our lives.
They have ceased to be our mental
possession.
The classics are not documents
of the past to be peered into for
historical or cultural information
they provide to the anthropologist.
Their real and eternal significance
is the beauty they have and the
moral vision they embody. The
reader is involved in the jobs and
Sorrows, the passions and impulses
of individual men and women in
various and crucial social contexts.
But that is not all, nor the most
important. The reader does not
rest there. He is wholly lifted up
to a new order of life and experi
ence through the mystical impact
of beauty and inspiration.
Have we had too much of beauty
and false consolation? Have we
lost recognition of ugliness? Per
haps not. If we have enthusiasm
for the “modernist”, it would
seem we needed more ugliness for
Our imaginative fare. I should not
be misunderstood. I use the term
modernist not as something inclu
live of all modern literature, but
*OCIALIST IN.pl.A
W. R. TRIVEDI
of that unique body of literature
of the 20th century, which has
turned its back upon all tradition
whether Western or Eastern, and
has discarded its true function.
The modernist search for expres
sion of shock, of ever elusive in
dividuality and absurdity, of am
biguity, caprice and disorder is
mad when it is not cynical and de
liverate.
The modernist is neither fair to
himself nor to his forbears. His
homage to the ancients or to the
classics is understandably half
hearted or ceremonial. In his own
verbal exercises he is inclined to
vulgarity in sentiment and expres
sion and calls it poetic power and
frankness. But generally his
thuoght is insipid. He puts a price
on his ignorance and parades his
ineptness. He thinks he is original
when he is only capricious. He
follows a fashion, indulges a creed
less creed. If Camus and Sartre
are in the air he can mouth their
doctrine of the lonely and the
lost, in utter innocence of its prop
hets. Alienation and ennui, the
louse and the lizard are precious
words. They sell. To say he has
lost himself is to proclaim
his identity. The man who writes
a verse is ipso facto there, his pro
testations not withstanding. The
prospect is dismal. The air is heavy
with sex and ugliness and anguish.
I am saying this in dismay.
‘Paradise Lost’ is lost to us; and
so is even Shakespeare. Words
worth and Browning and Hardy
have no relevance. I am referring
to the English authors for we are
supposed to be familiar with them.
For our own classics the situation
is hardly better. The classics are
for the specialist. The general
reader has no stomach for (the
Gujarati writers. Govardhanram
or Munshi and Nanalal or Tha
kore. We celebrate Tagore's birth
centenary and forget him, Politics
la too muth even with the elite,
17
But the malady is not essentially
political or economic. It is spiri
tual. And the remedy must also
be spiritual. It must be a revival
of values.
The sequestered parnassus of
the classics is, I think, our best
retreat. It is no escapism. It
means an inner discovery of truth,
a better education, a better ade
quacy here and now. The classics
embody a clearer understanding of
life in depth and intricacy and
their message flows into the heart
along with their beauty. In fact,
beauty is their message.
The contemplation of a vision
in which the material of life with
its joys and sorrows, its passions
and aspirations is transformed
into some order or harmony is
cultivation of sensibility and the
imagination—our inner instru
ments of understanding— an
appraisal of life beyond our pre
sent condition and purposes, and
a sympathetic spiritual accommo
dation to man's fate and destiny.
Not all classics invite us to a sense
of earthly happiness or certain
bliss hereafter. Often, they only
spur the questioning mind to fur
ther quest. Their “happy end” is
often conventional: it brings into
sharp relief the vanity and futi
lity of man's ambition and under
takings. But the essential point
is, the classics with their sweep
and insight are permanently
meaningful and relevant. The
meaning in them has grown into
beauty by an inner necessity. They
are expressions of man's noblest
intuitions of truth. They are ever
free and open. They are not insti
tutionalised. They can break our
chains of dogma, correct our myo
pic sight and liquidate our nar
rowness. They demand nothing;
but we, of our own free will, lend
our assent.
Here is the Universal Man.
Here “Lear” is as relevant as “As
You Like It.” “Clouds” is as much
our need as “Antigone.” Hamlet
is our contemporary; so is Arjuna.
One might say, ‘Woman, thy name
is Shakuntala.’ And Draupadi is
woman's agony, her unending cry.
Aeschylus and Vyasa saw the
futility and curse of war long be
fore the UNO charter. It is the
Continued on Page 20
*ANUARY 18, 10ts

CUBA BREAKS
THROUGH
ISOLATION
BARRIER
Among the Latin American
countries, the standard of living
in Cuba is second only to that in
Venezuela. This is the main theme
of a report that appeared in “Wall
Street Journal”, last week. The
report also says that the per
capita income of a Cuban is 1,000
dollars which is three times the
level of per capita income obtain
ing in Cuba before Fidel Castro
led the successful Socialist revolu
tion there.
The rate of growth between 1970
and 1973, according to the “Jour
nal”, was 26 per cent per year.
Now from sugar export alone, Cuba
is earning 2,000 million dollars
annually. However, the report
points out, the growth of Cuba's
economy began before the recent
hike in price of sugar. Cuba has
taken strides in the political field
as well. It has diplomatic rela
tions with more than 80 countries
noW.
US ISOLATION
Isolation of Cuba, a keystone
of U.S. foreign policy, is showing
signs of erosion. Fidel Castro's
trade with the rest of the world
including many nations that are
friends and allies of the United
States, is marked by steady pro
gress. On the international
scene, Cuba is now a member of
the United Nations and at least
two dozen other multinational
groups. In Latin America, des
pite U.S. pressure, sentiment is
highly in favour of taking Castro
into the fold.
At the meeting of the Organi
sation of American States (OAS)
in Quito in November last, many
soCIAT,IST INDIA
countries voted in favour of lift
ing the blockade against Cuba.
The voting was short of the two
thirds majority needed to defeat
the US imposed embargo. After
the OAS vote, Colombia, Honduras,
Venezuela and Ecuador announc
ed their intention to recognise
Cuba in the near future. A few
weeks ago, the Bahama islands
became the 10th Latin American
country to renew diplomatic rela
tions with Cuba. Many other
countries are expected to follow
suit. Thus U.S. finds itself in
creasingly alone on the Cuban
issue in the Western hemisphere.
Ever since Castro established
his regime, it has been the Ameri
can goal to cut Cuba off from the
rest of Latin America by at least
partially isolating Havana from
the other world Capitals. This
blockade succeeded in hurting Cuba
economically but it never produced
total isolation. The Soviet
Ljnion established an economic and
political lifeline to Havana; from
the beginning Canada, England.
France, Spain and others traded
with Cuba. Cuba's two-way trade
with the free world may not be
large but this is the way it has
progressed. The trade figures
for the years 1966 to 1972 are
(figures in million dollars) 303-341
589-545-675-700-730 respectively.
A major factor in this steady-climb
is that Cuba is now getting more
credit from Western European
countries in a sort of revolving
fund arrangement.
Cuba's entry into COMECON in
July 1972 and the economic aid
given by the Soviet Union have
also accounted for its economic
growth. Soviet economic aid to
Cuba is estimated at 700 million
dollars in 1973. Cuba now re
quires annually about 6 million
tonnes of Russian petroleum pro
ducts which is 97 per cent of
Cuba's consumption and this is
transported by Soviet tanks over
10,000 miles of sea. Oil is now
considered to be a major factor
restraining US from having close
contacts with Cuba because it fears
that a relaxation of its Cuba po
licy could result in the immediate
establishment of Venezuela-Cuba
ties which would mean, in the
beginning, a flow of Venezuela's
petroleum to Cuba at the expense
of oil-starved American market.
Meanwhile, Cuba is trying to
develop the potential for using
nuclear energy for peaceful pur
pose. It has the scientific-tech
nical base to use nuclear energy
in its economic development. It
lacks sufficient energy Sources
and therefore the use of nuclear
energy for this purpose would be
a stride in the country's develop
mental efforts. More than ten
Cuban institutions are dedicated
scientific research and the Natio
nal Institute of Nuclear Research
(ININ) occupies an important
place.
SONME MORE TRIBUTES
TO L. N. MISHRA
Shri K. P. Unnikrishnan, MP,
said, “Lalit Babu has fallen a vic
tim to the hysteria and cult of
violence generated in the country
by those who swear by Gandhiji
during the day and collude with
the heirs of his assassins at night
to promote chaos and anar
chy in the country.”
Shri Vayalar Ravi, MP and a
member of the Congress Working
Committee said, “It is the culmi
nation of a process begun by Shri
Jayaprakash Narayan to subvert
democratic institutions and top
ple elected Governments.”
Shri Chandra Shekhar, MP and
also a member of the Congress
Working Committee, described the
death of Shri Mishra as “one of
the most gruesome tragedies of
free India.”
Expressing his “shock”, Shri
Chandra Shekhar said that the
forces of violence and anarchy
seemed to have acquired dange
rous dimensions and posed a real
threat to “all values that we che
rish.”
Smt. Tarakeshwari Sinha, a for
mer Union Minister, said destiny
had very unkindly dealt with Shri
Mishra, a very kind and a very
generous man. His death was a
great loss to the Party and Bihar
State, |
*ANUARY 18, 1075

!NDIA GIVES
RECOGNITION
TO PLO
The Government of India, recog
nising the Palestine Liberation Or
ganisation as the “sole legitimate
representative of the Palestinian
people” has “agreed to its re
quest to set up an office in the
country with immediate effect.”
An official spokesman of the
Ministry of External Affairs said
that the Government of India
"have all along supported the
cause of the Palestinian people led
by the PLO, which is the
legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people, in their strug
gle for the restoration of their in
allienable rights in their home
land.”
The Government, he said, had
noted with satisfaction the widen sored its application for observer
ing relationship and recognition status in the last UN General As
achieved by the PLO. In this con sembly session, the World Food
text, the Government of India and Population Conference, the
“have welcomed and agreed to the Conference on the Law of Sea and
request of the PLO to set up an the diplomatic conference of In
office here with immediate effect”, ternational Humanitarian Law
the spokesman said. last year.
Formal documents according Representatives of India have
recognition to the PLO and ac been in contact with the PLO lead
crediting a PLO representative to
ers. Some months ago, the Indian
India were signed in Beirut by Ambassador in Beirut had a long
the Indian Ambassador, Shri S. K.
discussion with Mr. Arafat on the
Singh, and the PLO Chairman, eve of the Arab summit at Rabat.
Mr. Yasser Arafat.
India is the first non-Arab coun Recently, when the Bahrein For
eign Minister, Shaikh Mohammed
try to accord formal recognition
bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, was in
"OTCH ou? 04
New Delhi, he was told of the Go
Granting formal recognition to vernment's decision to recognise
the PLO and permitting it to open the PLO. Appreciating India's
an office in New Delhi is in. stand in support of the Arab cause
sole pursuance of the Government of he said the decision to recognise
India's consistent policy of Sup the PLO and allow it to open an
port to the Arab cause. India office in New Delhi was particular
has been a party to various reso ly welcome. “India's support to
lutions recognising the PLO as the struggle of the Palestinian peo
the sole representative of the ple to establish their identity was
Palestinian people and had spon greatly welcome”, he said.

PLO's weekly organ from Beirut, Falastin Al

UN Resolutions On Palestine:
A Turning Point
Throughout the Arab world, the resolution of
the United Nations General Assembly to invite the
Palestine Liberation Organisation to participate in
its discussion of the Palestine issue has been widely
hailed as the dawn of a new phase in the bitter and
prolonged Palestinian struggle to regain their rights
and to create an independent Palestinian State.
UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim described
the invitation to the PLO to present the Palestinian
case to the General Assembly as “a turning point in
the history of the UN.”
He told newsmen in New York after the Gene
ral Assembly had approved the resolution by 105
votes to four that this would be the first time that
UN would hear speakers who did not represent an
established Government.
Thawra. said editorially that the resolution “con
stitutes a turning point in our national struggle.”
While emphasising the significance of the re
solution, the Arab press referred at the same time
to the strong reactions and anger of the ruling
group and its organs in Israel.
Alluding to opposition from the United States
to the resolution in the Assembly, Al Nahar made
the point that whatever change may have been in
troduced in the US stand on the Middle East this
did not affect Washington's stand on Palestine.
The paper called upon F.gypt and Saudi Arabia
to present a firm front to the US by rejecting par
tial solution for the Middle East conflict.
Al Anwar of Beirut called the resolution a
“new victory” for the Palestinians and censured the
US and the three other states—Bolivia, the Domini
can Republic and Israel—which voted against the
measure.

Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, head of PLO's Planning

Board and leader of its delegation to the In Cairo, Al Ahram said editorially that the
resolution had reaffirmed that restoration of Pales
UN said on his return to Beirut after the momentous tinian rights was essential for a Middle East settle
decision that the resolution had received much atten ment.
tion at UN headquarters.
Algerian Foreign Minister Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, In an interview with the Algerian weekly AI
President of the Assembly's current session, has Moudjahed Mr. Arafat said PLO would not form
a government in exile “before we consult the Arab
“abled PLO headquarters officially inviting the or States and our friends.”
§anisation to take part in the forthcoming debate
on the Palestine question. Meanwhile, the Rumanian Government has offi
800IALIST INDIA º ..
JANUARY 18, 1975
cially declared its support to the establishment of an
independent Palestine. An announcement to this ef
fect was made in Bucharest on October 13 at the
end of two-day talks between President
Ceaucescu and a PLO delegation headed
Arafat.
Dr. Nabil Sha'ath said this decision also helped
the Palestinians to ward off the biggest manoeuvre
against them, “the American-Israeli solution aimed
at isolating the Palestinian people from their land.”
Dr. Sha'ath, a member of Fatah's revolutionary
council, affirmed that forming a Palestinian govern
ment in exile “does not constitute a decisive factor
now, but this may become necessary in the future.”
To counteract these developments of far-reach.
ing consequences for the Middle East, Israel has
launched a “new diplomatic and psychological on
slaught” in the world, writes Ibrahim Malary in Al
Moharrar of Beirut.
Israel wishes to demonstrate to the world that
the presentation of the Palestine problem to the UN
by PLO constiutes “a dangerous move away from
Middle East peace.”
Nicolau UN resolution 242 and 338 deal with this prob
by Mr. lem, and the Palestine problem for Israel in that
context only means a problem of refugees who get
UN aid and who should be cared for from a huma
nitarian polnt of view.
Mr. Ma'ary writes: “Now however a move is
under way to present the Palestine problem again
and to make the World aware of the circumstances
surrounding the problem and its positive develop
ment.”
This would remove the misunderstanding of the
problem the Israelis have created in the outside
world. “One of the major areas of misunderstanding
on which basis many countries attempted to work
with us and with the Israelis, has been that the
state of Israel has a right to Palestine, that the
Palestinians do not constitute a specific people, and
that Israel did not throw a people out of their land.”
Courtesy: The New Arab

RETREAT TO CLASSICS imagination needs revival and Here is blessing in plenty. We

vitality. For this, the mystical have to open the petals of our
Continued from Page 17
grace of wisdom has to be invok being and the grace of life and
poetry of the Bible that moves the ed. The classics are a free Univer freedom will descend on us like
Christian spirit. And it is the sity, a world fellowship for us all. dew.
poetry of the “Bhagavadgita” that
has sustained the Indian soul for
centuries.

No academic discipline is ade

quate without a study of some
classics. The mental equipment of
a pleader or doctor, an engineer HINMACHAL’S
or artist, of a statesman or trader,
is incomplete without some ac
quaintance of some classics of the FIFTH PLAN
world.
OUTLAY—RS. 231.40 CRORES
To feel the power of beauty, of
form, rhythm and the word is to Before After
feel ourselves more deeply and
(1973-74) (1979-80)
truly. A fine and keen sensibility,
the imagination governed by the 11 Lac Tonnes Food Production 14 Lac Tonnes
vision of truth is the sine qua non 1.85 Lac Tonnes Cash Crops Produc 2.63 Lac Tonnes
of culture. It is the only cure for tion
our inanity and vacuity, for our 2.40 Lac Tonnes Fruit Production 4.11 Lac Tonnes
deeply laid barbarism and philis 4,200 Villages Electrification 8,180 Villages
tinism. For the last 20 years or- 13,507 Kms. Roads 16,447 Kms.
ganised politics and institutiona- 86 Per cent Primary Education 100 Per cent
lised religion all over the world 532 Public Health 584
have only added to our cynicism Institutions
and fanaticism. This precarious 2,728 Drinking Water 5,635 Villages
and portentous condition of man Supply
must end. We must be regene
rate.
HIM LOK SAMPARK

No doctrinaire dogmatism based

on Marx or Freud or Sartre can
save us. We need generous light
and universal compassion. Our
SOCIALIST INDIA JANUARY 18, 1975

Karnataka PCC’s
Stock-Taking
Session
Convincing gain in Municipal
elections has lifted the sagging
morale of the Congress Party,
which lost a series of by-elections
after the last general elections.
Chief Minister Devaraj Urs ad
mitted at the meeting of the Kar
nataka Pradesh Congress last
week-end that the Party in the
State had not retained the same
amount of popularity as in 1971
72, when it got overwhelming sup
port from the people. During the
last three years, it won the Gul
barga and the Mandya Parliamen
tary seats and lost to the Syndi
cate four of the six by-elections to
the assembly. It made a poor
showing in the Rajya Sabha elec
tions and in the biennial elections
to the Upper House of the State
Legislature.
In the recently-held Municipal
elections, however, the Congress
captured 37 out of 67 municipali
ties. Fifteen went to the Syndi
cate, 10 to Independents, four to
Jana Sangh and one to the CPI.
The “secret of success”, ac
cording to Shri Urs, was that in
particular constituencies it was
made possible by the unity among
the local legislators, party machi
nery and the party workers. The
party had suffered defeat in such
municipalities where Congressmen
were quarrelling. Taking stern
action against erring Congressmen
and persuading partymen to
eschew groupism and internecine
quarrels are the two-fold lessons
from these elections.
L. N. MISHRA'S MURDER
At the PCC meeting, the “mur
der" of Shri L. N. Mishra was
taken serious note of, and the rul
ing party assailed the Opposition,
particularly Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan's Bihar movement. Some
speakers on the political resolu
80CIALIST no.1A
tion even felt that the Samastipur
bomb attack might hasten the
Prime Minister's decision on a snap
Lok Sabha poll.
The tone of the speeches was
set by the Industries Minister,
Shri S. M. Krishna, while secon
ding the resolution moved by Shri
B. Basavalingappa, representative
of backward classes and minori
ties. Shri Krishna charged that
the bomb attack was a manifesta
tion of the way of the working of
some Opposition parties. He asser
ted that the outrage, in the con
text of the Bihar agitation, should
serve to reaffirm the people's faith
in the Congress as the party pled
ged to peace, non-violence and de
mocratic Socialism. The Bihar
movement was the theme of spee
ches by most of the members.
The conduct of the two-day ses
sion at Hubli was significant in
more than one way. Hubli is the
home district of the new PCC pre
sident, Shri K. H. Patil, who is
already acknowledge to have infu
sed new life into the party. Atten
dance at the Hubli session was
also a record—nearly 290 of the
300 and odd total delegates were
present. This was interpreted as
the new PCC President's hold on
the party machine and his capa
city to enforce discipline and to
HARYANA PCC ON MISHRA’S NMURDER
A joint meeting of the Haryana
Congress Legislature Party and
the Executive Committee of Har
yana Pradesh Congress Committee
was held on Jan. 7 at 6.30 p.m.
The following resolution, condoling
the death of Shri L. N. Mishra,
Union Railway Minister. was
passed:
“This joint meeting of the Har
yana Congress Legislature Party
and the Executive Committee of
the Haryana Pradesh Congress
places on record its profound sense
of sorrow at the sad and untimely
demise of Shri L. N. Mishra. Mem
ber of Congress Working Commit
tee and the Union Railwav Minis
ter.
“He has fallen victim to the das
tardly act committed by the anti
democratic, reactionary and cons
31
get the PCC and the Party Gov
ernment to work in unison.
The political resolution asked
the people and party workers to be
vigilant about political parties
which, having failed to gain power
through democratic means, had
now launched or were about to
launch agitations with the back
ing of the very corrupt elements
whom they prentended to fight.
On the movement in Bihar, the
resolution said that it had not
only failed but also produced ser
cond thoughts in the minds of its
leaders as to the integrity of for
ces involved in it.
The Chief Minister himself mov
ed the economic resolution essen
tially to rebut the vehement criti
cism of the Government by the
dissidents. The dissidents' com
plaint was that the Government
was making tall promises to the
people but not keeping them up.
In a bit of plain-speaking, Shri
Urs told the delegates that things
had gone wrong not at the for
mulation stage but at the imple
mentation level, which was due to
members' tendency to keep aloof
from various measures initiated by
the Government. It was wrong for
the members to blame the Gov
ernment and the bureaucracy time
and again for all lapses.
piratorial forces, who have dis
played wanton disregard for de
mocracy and human values, so em
bedded in our democratic system.
“The Congress Legislature Party
and the PCC Executive condemn in
the strongest possible terms this
heinous act and warn the people
that if the cult of bomb is allow
ed then the whole democratic sys
tem will be undermined in no
time. The people, therefore, will
have to defend democracy with all
their might and to vanquish the
forces of terror, violence and
chaos.
“The Congress Legislature Party
and the PCC Executive denounce
the sinister campaign which has
heen let loose by the reactionary
opposition groups to confuse and
mislead the public opinion by set
Continued on Page 24
JANUARY 18, 1978
 till ſºld IESIs Why ſamālā is
faWDUIalſº ſº |N|S|| |||||||||N

Rich natural resouces, mineral,

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

Comparatively more peaceful and positive approach towards -

cordial industrial relations. industrial development of the State.

º
ºf TW).ſº
Wºź.
\ºi/%
A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy,
including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water 8 power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc.

Financial assistance to educated 15% Central subsidy for under

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur.

For details, please contact:

\ DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

lssued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560 001
|- i
SOCIALIST INDIA JANUARY. 18, 1975

PARTY INEVAVS
MPs DEMAND BAN
ON RSS AND
ANAND MARG
Thirty-six Congress members of
Parliament have demanded that
the RSS and the Anand Marg
should be banned forthwith. The
signatories to the statement issued
in New Delhi on January 12 in
cluded among others, Smt. Sub
hadra Joshi, Shri K. P. Unnikrish
nan, Shri N. C. Parashar, Shri H.
D. Malaviya, Shri Vayalar Ravi,
Shri Satpal Kapur, Shri V. P.
Sathe and Shri H. K. L. Bhagat.
The statement said, “The nation
has been demanding this (the ban)
for long and it is time that the
Government heed this demand...
The similarities in the situation
today and of the days before
Mahatma Gandhi's murder should
make it clear to the nation that
the murderers are on the prowl
and the despicable elements would
stop at nothing. It is essential
that we be forewarned and fore
armed. The target, as has been
accepted, is somebody else and it
was not Lalit Narayan Mishra”.
The statement further said, “The
despicable elements in Indian po
litics comprising all that is filth
in our society have launched a
most vicious campaign of charac
ter assassination against our Prime
Minister, even alleging her hand
in Shri Mishra's murder. Not only
this, they have gone further and
have hurled the most atrocious
charges against Jowaharlal Nehru
and have held the ‘Nehru Family'
responsible for all ills of the coun
try". The reactionary offensive
has deliberately been spread to a
wider front with a view to de
molishing the values dear to the
nation, they added.
In another statement, issued on
January 9 in New Delhi, 26 Cong
ress MPs ridiculed Shri Jayapra
500IALIST INDIA
kash Narayan for his charge that
the Prime Minister was an auto
crat. Challenging JP's claim of
popular base for his movement,
the signatories asked, “Do the
whims of an individual who has
always refrained from seeking a
mandate from the people consti
tute democracy?”
The signatories included, among
others, Shri Satpal Kapur, Shri
H. K. L. Bhagat, Shri V. P. Sathe,
Shri Vayalar Ravi, Shri Shashi
Bhushan and Smt. Subhadra
Joshi.
BAHUGUNA ON
CONSPIRACY OF
CONMNMUNAL
ELENMENTS
The Chief Minister of Uttar
Pradesh, Shri H. N. Bahuguna,
said at Lucknow on January 13
that the communal elements in
the garb of politics were hatching
a conspiracy to thwart democracy.
These parties, he said, were adop
ting the Nazi tactics of creating
hatred against the Congress to
pave the way for dictatorship.
The Chief Minister was inaugu
rating the political conference or
ganised by the Lucknow City Con
gress Committee. He exhorted the
Congress workers to close their
ranks, establish a close contact
with the people and educate them
about the dangers to democracy
and socialism.
He said in a democratic set-up
the service of the people was the
key to power. But some Opposi
tion parties, which had no prog
rammes and ideologies and were
incapable of serving the people,
were trying to create resentment
among the masses. These forces
and traders had joined hands to
frustrate the measures taken by
the Congress Government to bring
down the prices of the essential
commodities. The Chief Minister
said their objective was to grab
power by weaning the masses
away from the Congress.
Shri Bahuguna said Shri L. N.
Mishra had been the victim of the
hatred being generated by these
elements. The Congress workers,
he said, should not perturbed by
the death of Shri Mishra for such
occasions were not unusual in de
mocracy. The Congress workers
should remain vigilant to face the
challenge, he appealed.
13 MLAs JOIN
CONGRESS
IN A. P.
Thirteen members of the Andhra
Pradesh Legislative Assembly,
most of them belonging to Oppo
sition parties while others being
independents, have joined the Con
gress, according to an announce
ment made by the State's Chief
Minister, Shri J. Vengal Rao, at
Hyderabad on January 12. With
this addition, the strength of the
Congress, which had won all the
three by-elections to the House
recently, rose to 234 in a House
288.
The President of the Andhra
Pradesh Congress Committee, Shri
V. Venkatanarayana, later in a
press statement said that the le
gislators had been admitted as
members of the Andhra Pradesh
Congress Legislature Party accor
ding to a telegramme received
from the All India Congress Com
mittee.
Of the 13 members, who had
been admitted to the Congress Le
gislature Party, four belonged to
the Socialist Democratic Front,
one to the Andhra Pradesh Prog
ress Democrats, two to the Prog
ressive Front, one to the People's
Democrats while five were inde
pendents.
Cº. IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
JANUARY 18, 1975
 -- - - - - -
USSR-US PROJECT
SOYUZ-APOLLO
JOINT FLIGHT
VLADIMIR SHATALOV
Air Force Major-General
Pilot Cosmonaut of the USSR and
twice Hero of the Soviet Union
All preparations for the Soviet
US joint test flight in space are
proceeding exactly on schedule.
The lift-off of the Soviet spaceship
Soyuz, which will be the first to
go into orbit with two cosmonauts
on board, has been set for July
15, 1975. It will be followed
about seven and a half hours
later by US Apollo with a crew
of three.
In February, the Soviet crews
will go to the US for joint train
ing in Houston. Soviet cosmo
nauts will also acquaint themselves
with Apollo directly on the cosmo
drome, on Cape Canaveral. In
May, the American astronauts
will come to Stellar Town for the
last training session and will also
visit the Baikonur cosmodrome.
The flight of Soviet Soyuz and
US Apollo means something more
than a mere joint space experi
ment. It signifies a fundamental
ly new stage in the development
of cosmonautics which is of great
consequence for the future. Figu
ratively speaking, a space bridge
of cooperation is being built in
the name of posterity and for good
of mankind.
Until now, Soviet and American
spaceship did not have compatible
techniques for establishing con
tact, for rendezvous and docking.
In case of emergency, a spaceship
of one country could not come to
the rescue of the other country's
space crew. However, as space
flights become more frequent,
this consideration takes on ever
greater importance. And there
is more to it than this. A joint
flight will demonstrate the possi
bility for two big powers to co
operate in such an important and
challenging endeavour as the ex
ploration of outer space.
The flight programme of the
scheduled flight envisages both
SOCIALIST INDIA
separate and joint experiments.
Five of them will be carried out
by the Soviet and US crews during
a two-day flight with the space
craft linked up. In the ultra
violet absorption experiment, the
content of atomic oxygen and
nitrogen in space will be measured.
Ultra-violet rays emitted from
Apollo will hit corner reflectors
mounted on Soyuz and return to
Apollo, whose instruments will
then measure their intensity,
showing the content of oxygen
and nitrogen in space.
Another experiment involves a
multi-purpose electric furnace
installed in the docking module of
Apollo. Scientists are interested
in the effect of weightlessness on
the processes of melting and crys
tallisation of different materials.
Samples, whose composition was
proposed by Soviet specialists,
will be heated in the electric fur
nace. Thereafter cosmonauts and
astronauts will investigate the
processes of solidification and
growth of crystals.
WOMEN'S YEAR
Continued from Page 6
v. To rouse them for responding
in a more positive-manner and join
movements for international soli
darity and world peace.
We are convinced that lack of
awareness among women about
our socio-economic conditions is
the result of denial of education to
them, among other things.
Hence a determined effort on
our part should be made during
this year to impress upon the Go
vernment and voluntary organisa
tions that effective steps must be
taken to eradicate illiteracy on a
mass and nation-wide scale and
utilise all the mass media avail
able to impart socially useful in
formation to women and weaker
sections of our people.
We are confident that during
the International Women's Year
we will bring about a broad-based
unity of women from all walks of
life, and make them realise that
they are in no way inferior to
men and are capable of becoming
intelligent members of the human
race.
However, we must always bear
in mind that women's status now
24
In one of the two biological ex
periments the so-called zone form
ing fungi will be studied. This
is associated with the problem of
genetic mutations and the impact
of radiation on living organisms.
The other biological experiment
involves the investigation of
natural exchange of micro-organ
isms between people confined to a
Space capsule.
Finally, there will be an artifi
cial solar eclipse experiment.
After undocking, Apollo will Sta
tion itself between the Sun and
Soyuz, thus creating a man-made
solar eclipse for the Soviet crew,
who will photograph the solar
corona, which still presents scien
tists with many riddles.
Just over six months remain
before the Soviet-US test flight,
during which the newly-developed
compatible docking techniques
will be tested. This is an important
stage in the exploration of outer
space absolutely essential for mu
tual rescue operations and the
setting up of international orbital
stations with replaceable crews.
hereafter will not be determined
by women alone. All citizens,
men or women, who believe in de
mocracy and social progress, have
to strive together for a society of
equal opportunities for all.
HARYANA PCC’s
Continued from Page 21
ting afloat rumours pertaining to
the so-called “inner feuds” of the
Congress Party as the root cause
of the tragedy.
“There is clear political motiva
tion behind all this propaganda to
divert the basic issues involved in
the murder and to cloak the ugly
act of fascist reaction.
“The Congress Legislature Party
and the PCC Executive call upon
all democratic forces in the coun
try to raise their voice and resist
strongly the calculated conspiracy
of reaction and also frustrate their
evil designs.
“The Congress Legislature Party
and the PCC Executive record
their deep sense of grief and loss
at the death of Shri L. N. Mishra,
who was a great Congressman and
a prominent freedom fighter, and
convey their heartfelt sympathies
to Mrs. Mishra and the members
of the bereaved family”.
JANUARY 18, 1975

THE MISHRA MURDER
SENSE OF SHOCK IN BIHAR
Marked Change In Public Mood
The sense of shock at Shri L.
N. Mishra's assassination by a
bomb attack which initially over
whelmed a large section of the
people in Bihar, is now being mani
fested in a marked swing in public
opinion away from the JP-led
movement. Even those who had
lent all out support to JP's move
ment, have had second thoughts
over the course of developments
since March this year.
Circumstances leading to the as
sassination and the evidence so
far gathered have made it clear
that the forces of violence which
of late had undoubtedly come to
the top, have become bold enough
to conduct not only acts of inti
midation but even murders. But
assassination of Shri L. N. Mishra,
however, seems to have boomeran
ged.
An indication of the popular
mood is given by some of the
leading dailies of the State which
had faith in JP's capacity to tame
the forces of violence around him.
They now seem to have reversed
their thinking.
The “Indian Nation”, which had
consistently defended JP, has in an
editorial condemning the assassi
nation used stern language in des
cribing those who had committed
the crime as “fascists”. “They are
enemies of the people”, the paper
× said. The editorial significantly fur
ther added: “We have been criti
º: cal of DIR and MISA and other
º: coercive measures of the Govern
º:
ment. But the Samastipur bomb
º blast has confirmed the apprehen
Sion of the Prime Minister that
a big conspiracy has been hatched
by some people against democracy.
And this has to be folled with all
the forces at the command of the
Government.”
“The Searchlight” which has
been regarded by some people as
the virtual mouthpiece of the JP
led movement took the stand that
ſ
80CIALIST INDIA
ridden Congress may provide some
convenient alibi.
However, the incidents that have
led up to the assasination of Shri
Mishra, who had been the main
target of attack by JP and the
parties rallied behind him, are so
recent that it has been difficult to
distract public attention from
the assassination was a “political
murder” and the outcome of “noth
them. Consequently, the many
rumours and whisper campaigns
ing but the cult of violence that have not made much difference to
has raised its ugly head” in the
the public mood.
State. It sought to sermonise that
“there is no reason to lose faith in
It is also obvious that Shri
the democratic process.”
Mishra's sudden removal from the
These reactions, which denote a Bihar political scene has created a
marked change in the popular void in the Congress organisation.
mood, has been taken note of by It is too early to assess its impact
the supporters of the JP stir. A on the Congress organisation, State
whispering campaign has been Ministry and the State's politics.
launched by them to create all Political circles tend to believe that
sorts of confusion about how the Shri Mishra's loss to the Congress
blast took place. A desperate effort may not so easily be a gain for
is being made to lay the blame the Opposition, judging from the
at the Congress door, itself pro overwhelming shock that is so visi
bably in the hope that the faction ble after the incident.
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION N.O. 1
P.W.D. B. & R. BRANCH, PATIALA
TENDER NOTICE
Sealed item rate tender for the below noted work from approved
P.W.D. Contractors Co-operative Societies on prescribed form obtain
able from the office of the undersigned on 24.1.75 at 3.30 P.M. Tenders
received without Earnest Money will not be considered.
Sr. Name of work Approximate Earnest Time
No. cost Money Limit
Collection of Stone Gravel 3” downward gauge from an approved
quarry Chandimandir'Devinagar or any other approved quarry
duly stacked uniformally distributed along road side clear of the
formation width and parallel to the central line of the road 1.00
cum Stack-2.00 x 1.25 mr 47 cm. Stacks of 47 cm high shall be
measured as 40 cm.
1. Binjal Ahrukalan Ahrukhurd,
Moolgarh Dagroli Road, Months
Average lead 80 K.M. Rs. 60,000- 1200. 2
2. Rasulpur Harna Arnauli
Sanaur Naneola Road. Months
Average lead 98 K.M. Rs. 66,000- 1400'- 2
CONDITIONS:
1. Earnest Money in the shape of Treasury Challan or Deposit at
call receipt on any Scheduled Bank in the name of Execu
tive Engineer, Construction Division No. 1, P.W.D. B. & R.
Branch, Patiala (By Designation) will only be accepted, other
wise tender will be liable to be rejected.
2. Conditional Tenders and tender without Earnest Money are
not acceptable.
3. Tender forms shall only be issued on the presentation of proof
of enlistment and earnest money.
4. Detailed N.I.T. can be seen in the office of the undersigned
on any working day during office hours.
5. No tender form will be issued after 2.00 P.M. on 24.1.1975.
Sa'-
Executive Engineer,
Construction Division No. 1
P.W.D. B. & R. Branch
PATIALA.
2) JANUARY 18. 1075

1974: “Year Of
The Underdog”
In Punjab
Nineteen seventy-four has been
described by observers as the
“year of the underdog” in Punjab.
During the year, the State's Chief
Minister, Giani Zail Singh, had to
fight a continuous battle against
bureaucracy and the vested inter
ests to get fair deal long due to
Harijans and other backward
classes. * :
The Government during the year
raised the quota for direct recruit
ment of the Scheduled Castes and
Backward Classes in Government
services from 25 to 30 per cent.
For promotion in Class I and Class
II services of the State, 16 per cent
posts were reserved for the Hari
jans and Backward Classes. For
the recruitment of police const
ables and patwaris, the quota for
the Scheduled Castes and Back
ward Classes was raised to 50 per
cent till such time as their num
ber in these two services reached
the prescribed reserved percent
age of 30.
In addition to these provisions.
free education, stipends, free
boarding and lodging for girl stu
dents in hostels were made. The
income limit for those seeking sti
pends for their wards was raised
from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 6,000 and
special arrangements were also
made for coaching with a view to
preparing Harijan students for
the IAS and other competitive
examinations. -
The other economic benefits pro
vided by the State Government in
cluded allotment of house-sites to
landless families in the rural areas.
Already 1.86 lakh house sites have
been allotted, Subsidies to mem
bers of the Scheduled Castes,
sweepers and scavangers, at the
rate of Rs. 900 for constructing
single-room tenements, were given.
Subsidies of Rs. 5,000 for purchase
of agricultural land and Rs. 800
for big farming have also given.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The quantum of expenditure on so
cial welfare schemes exclusively
meant for the Harijans was in
creased to Rs. 5.30 crores during
the year as against only Rs. 96
lakhs in 1971-72.
All this, however, did not endear
Giani Zail Singh and his col
leagues, to many sections in the
State. In fact, even an association
of non-Harijan Government emplo
yees was formed reportedly with
the active support of a senior Gov
ernment official. The matter
one stage had to be taken to the
Union Home Ministry.
The Government appointed a
committee with a senior officer as
its chairman to supervise various
Harijan welfare programmes. Min
isters and officials have
directed to visit Harijan bastis
whenever they tour a particular
HISSAR IN HARY ANA
FORGES AHEAD
The net domestic product in
Haryana has gone up from Rs. 245
crores to Rs. 821 crores (about 230
per cent) between 1961 and 1971
at current prices, according to a
study conducted by the Directo
rate-General of Employment and
Training of the Union Labour
Ministry.
It has been found that the net
area irrigated by canals had gone
up three-fold from 1.74 lakh hec
tares in 1950–51 to 5.05 lakh hec
tares by the beginning of the pre
sent decade. The agricultural
labour force during the same
period climbed from 3.39 lakhs to
4.30 lakhs. The number of the
landless farm labourers also shot
up from 20,135 in 1951 to 1,01,700
in 1971 recording a compound
growth rate of 8.4 per cent a year.
The study was confined to the
economic development of . Hissar
District of Haryana for two de
cades from 1951 to 1971. “It says
that the wages paid to agricultural
labourers and other skilled labour
ers in Hissar are above the State's
average. In 1972, for instance, a
farm labourer was getting an aver
age daily wage of Rs. 6.70 in
Hissar whereas for the state the
average was only Rs. 6.
26
area. This was for the first time
since independence that the State
Government had taken so much
interest in the uplift of the down
trodden.
Though the finances in the State
were bad during the year and the
State Government had to resort to
taxation worth about Rs. 35
crores, the Government managed
to fare impressively in the agricul
tural field—that too in spite of
scarcity of important inputs.
at Kharif production had overshot
the target though the production
of wheat was a little less than the
projected target. The procure
ment of paddy had been an All
time high this year. The Bhatinda
Thermal Plant was also commis
been sioned during the year which was
hoped to augment the much-need
ed power in the State.
The area irrigated by canal
waters in Hissar District, whose
main crops are wheat, coarse
grains and cotton, rose from Rs.
1,73,526 hectares to around
5,20,000 hectares between 1951 and
1971. The main canal systems are
the Western Jamuna canal and the
Bhakra main canal.
The total land revenue of the
District moved up from Rs. 12.26
lakhs in 1955-56 to Rs. 23.96 lakhs
in 1971-72 showing an increase of
about 15 per cent during the 17
year period. This is, by and
large, due to the additional irriga
tion facilities provided for crop
cultivation.
READ
REGULARLY
JANUARY 18, 1975
VENKATA RATNAM'S LETTER
Continued from Page 2
problems of urgent nature, they have been loitering
luxuriously with people's money.
We are not able to dispense with laying of
foundation stones, inaugurations and other allied
empty formalities, forgetting the awful waste of
money, time and inconvenience to many departments
and individuals. Planning for political ends has been
costing much to the exchequer. There are innumer
able items of waste which every Government knows
but continues.
It is for the people's representatives to insis.
on their governments to avoid waste. Before so
doing the people's representatives should set an
example of austerity. Innumerable committees are
formed both in Parliament and the State Legisla
tures, which are wasting huge sums in a mless
travels within and outside the country. The commit
tees have become a source of earning and whiling
away time in luxury at the cost of people's money.
Republic Day celebrations are to take place on
January 26, '75. Large contingents are moving to
wards Delhi from all states and vast preparations
are being made at the State-level, meaning collosal
waste of crores of rupees for empty display which
our country does not deserve at this juncture.
It is high time we make a beginning at the
Centre and the States, by giving up all display of
splendour for the Republic Day celebrations. In
simple functions costing nothing let the entire na
tion take a vow to eradicate famine by the next
Republic Day.
Yours sincerely,
(Sd.) N. VENKATA RATNAM
M.L.A., Guntur
P.M.'s REPLY
Continued from Page 2
I am told that they are rich countries and are en
titled to do so. To me it seems illogical to ask a
poor country to do what a strong country cannot.
It is easy for writers of affluent countries—not all
of whom have the necessary understanding or know
ledge to belittle our efforts. They ought to persuade
their own governments to be helpful. What they
sell to us steadily grows dearer, but they do not pay
more for what they buy from us.
An experienced legislator like you, you should
think deeply about these matters. As you have poin
ted out, formal functions and celebrations cause un
necessary expenditure and should be avoided. I am all
for austerity. But I doubt whether the people will
go along with you if you intend to ban sports or fes
tivals.
Your idea that we should take a vow to eradi
cate scarcity is a good one. For this, it is essential
that parties and groups should also take a vow to
stop all agitations.
Yours sincerely,
(Sd.) INDIRA GANDHI

ping Corporation of India and the Administrative reorganisation

INDO-IRANIAN Joint
SHIPPING CONMPANY
The Irano - Hind Shipping
Company, a joint venture of the
Arya National Shipping Lines (of
Iran) and the Shipping Corpo
ration of India will be registered
shortly in Iran with an initial capi
tal of 10,00,000 US dollars and it
will acquire in the first stage
500,000 DWT shipping. The Arya
National Shipping Lines will own
51 per cent of the shares of the
company and the Shipping Corpo
ration of India, the remaining 49
per cent. The company, when
floated, will give a big boost to the
Indo-Iran trade.
Under the agreement signed be
tween India and Iran, the Board
of Directors of the new company
will comprise six members, three to
be nominated by each of the par
ties. The posts of Chairman and
Managing Director of the company
will alternate between the Ship
Arya Natioanl Shipping Lines. The
first Chairman will be an Iranian
and the first Managing Director an
Indian for a period of two years.
It has been agreed that all ships
acquired by the Irano-Hind Ship
ping Company will be entitled to
tax exemption for a period of 15
years.
SNAALL UNITS IN BIHAR
Over 2000 small units have gone
into product on in Bihar with fin
ances arranged from the banks
during the current financial year.
Another 3 000 units have been re
gistered under the new streamlin
ed system introduced recently.
For the first time incelltives are
being made available liberally to
new entrepreneurs who set up
various industries. Exemptions
from sales tax for a period of five
years on both raw materials and
finished goods are being given.
has been carried out to streamline
the procedures relating to regis
tration of small scale industries,
allotment of scarce materials and
sanctions and disbursement of
loans under the State Aid to In
dustries Act.
Committees have been set up in
all districts for industrial action
with the District Magistrate or
Chief Executive Officer as Chair
man. The committees meet every
month and with the help of the
Public Works Department and the
departments of sales tax, irriga
tion, electricity and water supply
clear applications for registration
and financing of small scale in
dustries.
Electricity subsidy at the rate
of nine paise per unit to all small
scale industries and subsidised
rates of electricity tariff to power
intensive industries is also being
given. Developed land and sheds
are allotted at concessional rates
to all types of industries in indus
trial areas.

SOCIALIST INDIA 27 JANUARY 18, 1975

SOCIALIST INDIA - Posted in CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 18-I-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

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A—a-dº
SUPAST
JANUARY 25, 1975
..…...
NUMBER

TH:fffſſºſſ(OfſNDIA
26th January 1950

WE,THf PEOPLE OF INDIA. having

solemnly resolved to constitute India into a
$0WłffſóN DEMOCRATIC RfPUBLIC
and to secure to all its citizens:
 THE REPTIMICOFINDIA
26th January [95O

Wiſhfftoff of INDIA, having

solemnly resolved to constitute ſidia into a
$0ſfäfſóN DEM0ſRATICREPUBLIC
and to secure to all its citizens:
JúSſſſf, social,&onomic and political; M EMENTOES
OF

LIBERTY ofth ht, ºxpression,belief,

º * History
fºLIALITY status and of opportuni
and to"'ſ among ºf º unity t

fHAIFRNITY assuring the di it. f º

individual and the unity fthe Nation:
IN0ſh (ONSTITIFNT ASSEMBLYD0
Hffifby ADOPTENA'ſAMD GIWF10
VIRSilſisſiſsCONSI/IIIſon, 2.
historic photos above and below provide a flashback to the days of the
3. Aºi, and Constitution-making. Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad ºd other:
can be seen signing the Constitution. At top, right is reproduced the “Preamble
to the Constitution.
WEEKLY OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL
CONGRESS Vof X fºo 8
CONTENTS
w
January 25 1975

SUGIALIST Published every Editorial 2

Saturday Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's
|NDIA Exclusive Interview to SOCIALIST INDIA
Congress President D. K. Borooah on the
3

Current Political Situation 6

Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad The Resurgent Congress and Socialism
Shankar Ghose 7
Road, New Delhi 110001
Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST The Congress Party in India's Life
—and Part of it
D. K. Borooah 9
Indian National Congress: A Brief History
H. D. Malaviya 12
Years of Congress, Constituent Assembly and
+ Republic of India the Constitution of India (A Compilation)
The First Day of the Constituent Assembly
18

-
K. M. Munshi 21
Why So Many Amendments to the Constitution?
P. G. Gokhale 22
REPUBLIC DAY Nehru and the Constitution of India
M. Chalapathi Rau 25
NUMBER Nehru on Constituent Assemblies 29
Nehru at Lucknow Congress in 1936 39
Parliamentary Democracy in India
EDITORLAL, BOARD Dr. A. Appadorai 33
M. Chalapathi Rau on Democracy in India 36
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV National Integration: Epitome of the Nehru Era
V. V. Joseph - C.
(Chairman)
20 Years of Indo-Soviet Economic Cooperation
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Girish Mishra 30
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Ram Niwas Mirdha interviewed on
Defence Production
Dilip Patwardhan 41
25 Years of Parliamentary Democracy
Dr. G. S. Dhillon 4?
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Planning and the Constitution
Tarlok Singh 45
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR
Evolution of Planning in India 47
(Chairman) Progress under Planned Development
Shri I. K. GUJRAL (From Narora Papers) 50
The Public Sector for Public Good
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
T. A. Pai 54
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Development of Nuclear Energy in India
Shri P. C. SETHI Dr. Raja Ramanna 5S
In Praise of Indian Philosophy of Art
© Dr. Mulk Raj Anand 66
Radical “Perspectives” for Indian Cinema
Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAV Jag Mohan 71
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN Film Festival: A Round-up
A Correspondent 73
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA 25 Years of Export Performance
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Hartirath Singh 76

Committee and printed at National Herald Press, The Rural Poor (Narora Paper)
B. C. Bhagwati 82
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. Haryana's Progress
Bansi Lal Q1
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces We Have to Make the Choice
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA." Giani Zail Singh 92
Minorities Forge Ahead in U.P. 04
Sºhai.RT INDIA REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

' &
[EDITORIAL
Republic Day Reflections
With this year's Republic Day, January 26, 1975,
India will be entering the 26th year as a Republic.
To one-seventh of mankind residing in this ancient
land with millenia-old continuing civilisation, this
should be a matter of intense pride and an occasion
of great jubilation. For, the quarter century that
has gone by—and of which we are the living witnesses
—has seen many ups and downs, droughts and floods,
wars and agitations. But, we have forged ahead as
a modern nation maintaining our integrity and iden
tity. (We have also witnessed empires collapsing,
countries being torn asunder and governments falling
like ninepins in countries, east and west). We have
survived because after we wrested our freedom, the
Founding Fathers of the Republic decided to draw
up the Constitution of India with the best of their
wisdom and the consensus of the Constituent
Assembly. From this charter of our Republic ema
nated the great adventure in parliamentary demo
cracy which consolidated our claim to be the largest
democracy in the world, the fabulous venture of
planned living and our immense initiatives for a non
aligned world and peaceful co-existence.
The common thread of continuity running from the
pre-Independence struggle to the post-Independence
achievements in our national fabric is the Congress
Party, which in the words of Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi, has enjoyed the trust of the masses “in all
regions, among all religious and social groups and
among all economic classes”. It was the Congress
Party that enabled the transfer of power from the
British through non-violent struggle, thanks to
Mahatma Gandhi, who made us men out of dust. It
is the Congress Party, enjoying the confidence of the
people that has brought us to where we are today.
In this issue of SOCIALIST INDIA, an attempt has
bec. made to highlight the various aspects of 25
Years of the Indian Republic and the magnificent
role played by the Congress all through the years.
Yet, all round prophets of doom and critics of
all hues are raising much din and dust. (A consider
able part of this issue is also devoted to an analysis of
the present political situation). What the Congress
President, Shri Dev Kanta Borooah and the Prime
Minister have said deserve studious attention of the
public—as also of all the hired assassins of character
and paid panjandrums of political science.
To march ahead in the coming years, we must
assess the situation in the proper historical perspec
tive and understand the under-currents of political
pressures that have been artificially engineered by
anti-national forces here and anti-India forces abroad.
It is because of them that we hear the cacophony
SOCIALIST INDIA - -
- - - - - ---
with strange talk of partyless democracy, referen
dum, total revolution and what not.
In the present context it behoves on us to re
member also that on January 24, Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi entered the tenth year of her career
as the “desh sevika” (servant of the nation). The
nine years of her tenure as the Prime Minister have
been full of miracles——with the qualitative changes
that were wrought within the Congress, the nation
alisation of the banks, general insurance and coal
mines, the liberation of Bangladesh and the continu
ing spread of the Simla spirit in the sub-continent,
apart from the electoral successes in 1971, 1972 and
1974 and the brilliant initiatives in foreign policy.
We, as a nation, should be grateful to the Prime
Minister for the continuation of the national policies
launched by her father, Jawaharlal Nehru, who for
the first 17 years of our nationhood gave us not only
vision but the sinews for survival as well. Simi
larly, the Simla spirit can be traced to the Tashkent
agreement masterminded by Lal Bahadur Shastri,
who died a martyr of peace. Shrimati Indira Gandhi
has been meeting challenge after challenge without
ever losing her high sense of purpose, the correct
perspective and national ethos. As someone said she
has been always nearer to history than to office.
Instead of strengthening her hands, instead of
cooperating with her, the Opposition leaders have
gone berserk out of sheer frustration. Apart from
obstructionist tactics and strategies, the Opposition
parties are conspiring to indulge in an obnoxious
anti-national, anti-people crime. They want to over
throw all that has sustained us through these 25
Years of the Republic. With a sense of utter irres
ponsibility, they want to perpetuate a heinous crime
against the people of this country. But the people
will not allow them to get away. Let not the Oppo
sition be misled by what happened at Jabalpur and
Govindpura. They are mere straws in the wind. (In
any case they must acknowledge no invisible ink was
used. Nor fabulous amounts of money deployed to
buy votes for the Congress. The Opposition parties
must be thankful that the democratic superstructure
and the recently much maligned Election Commis
sioner have stood by resolutely and enabled their
victories.) If and when any elections take place, the
people will decide who should be returned to power
—and this power resides with the people. And, none
dare think of depriving the people of their power.
In the present context, the Congress Party must
pay heed to what Shrimati Indira Gandhi has said
in the course of an exclusive interview to SOCIALIST
INDIA:
“The duty before Congressmen is clear. They
should defend democracy, defend the Constitution,
and defend the power of the people. Workers of our
Party also have a special responsibility to preserve
the standard of public life. They should close their
ranks and stand up unitedly to those who are in
dulging in denigration and creating an atmosphere
of despondency. They have to show by their action
that the Congress and the country are in fighting
trim,”
-- --
-
--- . . . 5, a
--- Republic DAY NUMazn 1975
 EXCLUSIVE
DEFEND DEMOCRACY!
-C ––––– º – DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION!!
DEFEND THE POWER
Years of `
^e Jº Republic of India OF THE PEOPLE 11!
Prime Minister
|NTERVIEW
INDIRA GANDHI

MALICIOUS SLANDER TO SAY

AMENDMENTS HAVE DEBASED THE
CONSTITUTION

SOCIALIST INDIA: This year's Republic Day

marks the Silver Jubilee of our Republic. It is 25
years since the words of the Constitution of India
became a reality. And, we, as a nation, have pre
served our integrity and identity. Yet, hoarse voi
ces are heard shouting that the Constitution has
been “defaced, defiled and debased.” As such,
Madam Prime Minister, could you give your con
sidered views by way of reply to these critics,
".
PRIME MINISTER: The twenty-fifth anniver
sary of our Constitution should be an occasion for
thanksgiving and rededication. A Constitution is not
a mere collection of laws. It is the expression of a
vision. The . Founding Fathers of our nation dreamt
of an India in which men and women would grow
in freedom, unfettered by injustice and inequality.
Our Constitution has had critics even when it was
being drafted. Many persons opposed adult franchise
as unsuitable to a society marked by widespread
poverty and illiteracy. But under Gandhiji and Jawa
harlal Nehru we came to recognise the worth of
every individual, irrespective of economic or educa
tional status. The present-day critics of our system
include those, who at some stage or other, had ex
pressed admiration for the guided democracies of
Some neighbouring countries or are against secular,
Socialist democracy.
It is malicious slander to say that the amend
ments to the Constitution have debased it. On the
contrary, they have removed obstacles to the fulfil
ment of the ideals enshrined and openly proclaimed
in the Constitution and thus have given strength to
it.

THE NATIONAL FIBRE AND

TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY HAVE
BEEN STRENGTHENED

SOCIALIST INDIA: What in your view,

Madam Prime Minister, are the major achieve A RECENT PORTRAIT STUDY OF THE
ments of our Republic during the last quarter
century? PRIME MINISTER Photo: K. Kamboj
80CIALIST INDIA . . . . . . … REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 Pili.ME MINISTER: I shall content myself by
mentioning the two achievements which matter most.
The first is that our people have growing faith in
their own power and in democratic processes in spite
of systematic attempts to undermine this faith. The
next is the strength that has been infused into our
economy. One has only to recapitulate the state of
industry and technology which obtained in 1950 to
realise how far we have travelled. Without such
strengthening of the national fibre and technological
capacity, could we have emerged so creditably out
of the challenge of 1971, when Bangladesh was born,
or carried out the peaceful nuclear experiment a few
mº ºths ago?
Wº, CANNOT ACCEPT WHOLESALE
ls, CASTING OF THE VERY BASIS OF
LiRECT DEMOCRACY
SOCIALIST INDIA: There is much talk about
electoral reforms, Congressmen, leaders of Oppo
sition and political Scientists feel the need for
Soºne reforms. What is the nature of the reſorms
co., Lemplated by the Government?
I-RIME MINISTER: The basis of our political
system is direct democracy and direct elections.
Our population is bigger and our constituencies far
...Agºr lilan in any other democracy. The size of our
elecºrate Inakes the task of reaching them diffi
cult. Lection expenses are going up. It is essential
to cheel, this trend. Otherwise money will exercise
an unwilolesome influence on the election process.
We are investigating means and methods of curbing
election expenses. Any constructive suggestions in
this regard are welcome. However, in the name of
reierm, we cannot accept wholesale recasting of the
very . .sis of direct democracy.
Indirect elections are less clean and more sub
ject to pressures and influence. Wherever it has
beer, clied, proportional representation has been
found tº introduce instability. The point of elections
is to have stable and functioning governments of the
Jeople's choice. All of a sudden the fanciful theory
is being circulated that majority rule is undemocra
Lic! vome of our Opposition parties which have more
voice power than votes shout all the time that they
represent the people more than the Congress does.
Nothing can be more illogical.
Another idea which is being canvassed is the
power of recall, that the electorate should be in a
*}osition to recall its legislator. This will mean that
as soon as an election is over, a handful of persons
might launch a signature campaign and make all
kinds of accusations against the elected representa
tive. This will not lead to stability.
There is always scope for reforms. But the re
forms which some of the Opposition groups are
suggesting are changes deliberately aimed at creat.
ing instability, perhaps because they feel that only
in conditions of instability can they achieve their
partisan goals.
SOCIALIST INDIA - ---g:
THE CONGRESS HAs A FOLLOWING
IN ALL REGIONS, RELIGIOUS AND
SOCIAL GROUPS
SOCIALIST INDIA: In your opinion, Madam
Prime Minister, what should be our system of prio
rities for revitalisation of our body politic?
PRIME MINISTER: As I have repeatedly poin
ted out, political parties have two vital sources of
inspiration—their contact with the people and the
power of their ideals. The Congress can be revitalis !
ed only by working more closely with the masses
and by constant endeavour to live up to the ideals
of secularism, democracy and socialism.
The distinguishing feature of the Congress is
that it has a following in all regions, among all re
ligious and social groups, and among all economic
classes. It is the one party which has won the con
fidence of the minorities and the weaker sections.
One of the defects of political parties is that
people in positions of authority tend to perpetuate
their hold and exclude newcomers. We should take
special care to avoid this and constantly encourage
new talent—just as a great river is always renewed
by fresh waters.
OUR WATCHWORDS: GREATER
PRODUCTION AND GREATER
*
**
ECONOMIC DISCIPLINE
SOCIALIST INDIA: Turning the attention to
º
the economic situation, could you, Madam Prime .
Minister, give an idea of the prospects for 1975
on the basis of the various anti-inflationary mea
sures adopted in 1974?
PRIME MINISTER : In the last four months
of 1974, we were able to check the rising trend of
prices. The graph has shown a welcome, if modest,
fall. We should not assume that prices will further
fall on their own. -
The determined endeavour to keep down expen
diture and to regulate credit should continue. It is
of utmost importance that demands for increases
in wages or allowances, whether of Government em"
ployees or other workers, must be held in abeyance
for just a while longer. Otherwise the hard-earned
hope of economic stability will again be dissipated.
We should not let that happen.
Our watchwords for the next few months should
be greater production and greater economic discip
line. Supplies of essential goods—foodgrains, common
cloth, cooking oil—should be improved both through
organised increase in production and through better
distribution. Demand should be kept in check
through willingly accepted restraints on the part of
wage-earners and salaried classes and by discourag'
ing extravagance in the consumption of cement,
steel, petroleum products and other such crucia
commodities and of all luxury articles.
( - - REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

ENLARGE THE SPIRIT OF DETENTE
AND PREVENT MILITARISATION OF
REGIONS SO FAR FREE
SOCIALIST INDIA: The year 1974 was a
years of several successful initiatives in our for
eign policy, which portend beneficial results.
Madam Prime Minister, could you give an idea of
what else is being planned for implementation in
the current year?
PRIME MINISTER: In 1974, we have signifi
cantly strengthened our friendships with all coun
tries. Many outstanding political issues with the
immediate neighbours like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh,
Burma, Pakistan and Nepal have been solved, and
better understanding established.
We have made agreements for greater econo
mic co-operation with the Arab countries and with
Iran. With the Socialist countries our relations have
been further consolidated. This is true in regard to
Africa and Western Europe also. The fog which
had descended over our relationship with the United
States has also begun to clear.
But larger tasks on the international scene
await us and all countries. We have to evolve a new
economic system which will ensure greater stability
for all. We should also work for the enlargement of
the spirit of detente and prevent the militarisation
of regions which had been so far free from confron
tation.
CONGRESSMEN SHOULD CLOSE
THEIR RANKS AND STAND
UNITEDLY
SOCIALIST INDIA: In regard to the Cong
THE SYMBOL OF PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY – AND OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
500IALIST INDIA
ress Party, which has launched the counter-offen
sive against JP's bid for “total revolution”, what
else could be possibly done by the leaders and the
rank and file to carry through the counter-offen
Sive?
PRIME MINISTER: I shall not say any name, but
I have grave doubts about movements and agitations
which lack a viable intellectual grounding and ideo
logical framework. Take this talk of total revolu
tion. It is being said our policies, domestic—economic
and social—and foreign are Wrong.
Assuming that the critics will change the pre
sent regime and policies, what will they put in their
place? Will they be secular? Will they uphold our
tradition of political and religious tolerance? Will
they retain our socialist thrust? Will they remain
non-aligned? Will they give up friendship with those
who have supported us consistently in moments of
difficulty, in the hope that those who have been
hostile will come to our assistance?
If you look at the aims and the record of the
various heterogenous parties which have joined to
gether, then you will note that the talk of total
revolution does not add up to much.
The duty before Congressmen is clear. They
should defend democracy, defend the Constitution,
and defend the power of the people. Workers of our
Party also have a special responsibility to preserve
the standards of public life. They should close their
ranks and stand up unitedly to those who are in
dulging in denigration and creating an atmosphere
of despondency. They have to show by their action
that the Congress and the country are in fighting
trim.
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 *
CONGRESS PRESIDENT ON
THE PRESENT POLITICAL
SITUATION -
The following is the introduction to the AICC
Central Training Camp, Narora Booklet No. 1 :
Anti-democratic forces in our country are try
ing to combine together and mount an attack on
parliamentary institutions and democratic processes
in our country. This is, perhaps, the most serious
internal challenge to the people of India since inde
pendence. This challenge is serious because inde
pendence and democracy are one and the same thing.
Many countries in the world became and are politi
cally independent, but the people in these countries
do not enjoy independence and democratic rights.
In our country independence from foreign domina
tion brought in its wake full democratic rights for Our
people. When we were working to frame a consti
tution for our country, there were some voices which
opposed the establishment of a political system based
on free and secret franchise. But this view was re
jected by the country and its leadership. The com
mon people, especially the poorer masses, farmers,
workers, youth and middle classes made sacrifices
and suffered privations to make India free. Natu
rally, they had a right to mould the destiny of the
country on the attainment of freedom. Therefore,
the two—freedom and democracy—became closely
interwined.
ANTI-DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT
In the course of our struggle against British
imperialism, Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian
National Congress wielded our people—who speak
several languages, belong to different religions, and
have different styles of living—into one nation. The
voluntary acceptance of Indian nationhood by one
fifth of the mankind is one of the great achievements
of human history. This unity has survived and has
become stronger from year to year because of the
democratic process and institutions in our country
which provide opportunities for free consultation
and exchange of views amongst our people. Thus
democracy, independence and unity of our country
are closely interlinked. Anyone who tries to under
mine the democratic processes in our country is, in
fact, trying to weaken the independence and unity
of India.
This is also borne out by actual experience. It
is not a coincidence that the leader of the present
attack on democratic institutions in our country is
one who held President Ayub's “basic democracy” in
high esteem. We have seen the consequences which
restrictions on free and full play of democracy
brought to Pakistan.
As the anti-democratic movement has unfolded
SOCIALIST INDIA
itself, its real character has been exposed. Those
who wore the mask of a social messiah are now ex
posed as what they really are i.e. political leader of
a disparate, frustrated and motley assortment of
political parties and groups. An attempt was made
in 1971 to forge a Grand Alliance. The current
attack on democracy is merely an attempt to revive
a similar combination under a new label. The Con
gress Working Committee, which elected me as the
President of Indian National Congress, took stock
of the grave threat to parliamentary democracy in
the country and decided to launch a programme of
mass education and mass organisation in order to
defeat this threat of subversion of democracy. Dur
ing the last two months people in our country have
responded in a big way to the Congress call for de
fence of democracy. Congressmen have risen to the
occasion and mass rallies organised in various parts
of the country have shown both the mobilising capa
city of the Congress as well as the people's response
to it.
However, the most important task is to gear
up our own party and make it closely identified with
and reflected the aspirations and hopes of our people
especially the poorer sections because the Congress
essentially is a party of the poorer people, the dumb
millions of our country.
STRENGTH OF CONGRESS
The country-wide training programme launch
ed by the Congress is in pursuance of the provision
in our constitution which enjoins upon every active
member of the party to undergo a period of train
ing. The training programme is a serious effort to
improve the quality and the effectiveness of our
party from the Central to the Block level. During
the struggle for independence we were very much
like an army and every Congress office-bearer, or for
that matter, every member of the Congress worked
as a part and parcel of a fighting machine which the
Congres was. After independence, many of our im
portant leaders have had to shoulder the burden of
administration.
But democracy in our country does not merely
mean the right to cast vote once in five years. It is
a participatory democracy in which the people must
participate continuously in the programmes for con
solidation of democracy and for economic develop
ment to take the country forward towards the goal
of Socialism. The Congress Committees must func
tion as a nexus of this partnership between the Go
vernment and the people.
The training programme is aimed to make the
Congress a more effective instrument of social
change, to make our active workers—cadres—to
participate more actively in day-to-day organisation
and to project the Congress ideals and ideology
among the masses.
The Background Paper on “The Political Situa
tion and the Tasks Before Congressmen” is an ins
tructive document which was discussed and com
Continued on Page 93
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 The Resurgent Congress And Socialism
After the Split in November
1969, there emerged the resurgent
Congress under the leadership of
Shrimati Indira Gandhi. The cau
ses of this Split can be traced back
to the Congress history. The pro
ximate causes of the Split were,
however, the decisions taken at
the Bangalore session of the AICC
in July 1969, which accepted Smt.
Gandhi's plea for bank nationali
sation. The Prime Minister favour
ed such nationalisation in the Note
that she had sent to the Banga
lore session. But as soon as this
Note was read out, S. K. Patil
and Morarji Desai opposed the
plea for the takeover of the banks.
However, on July 13, 1969 the
AICC adopted a resolution calling
upon the Government to imple
ment the suggestions contained in
this Note.
Smt. Indira Gandhi appealed to
the people to actively participate
in the country's march towards
Socialism and said that nationali
sation of the major banks was the
first step in that direction. She
charged that a few individuals
had created a controversy over
this measure only to divert the
attention of the people from the
struggle to gain economic free
dom. She said: “Many people, es
pecially of the upper strata, are
not happy over bank nationalisa
tion. But, I tell you that if you
do not work for peaceful progress
people will not wait.”
She pointed out that in recent
years the Congress had, to some
extent, strayed away from the
masses. This was largely attribu
table to the fact that the Party's
Bhubaneswar resolution of 1964,
which directly advocated the cause
of Socialism, was not given serious
consideration. The people's enthu
siasm for the Congress and the
government had, therefore, dimi
nished. To restore people's faith
WOCIALIST INDIA
“we have to take big steps” and
bank nationalisation was one of
them.
PARTY OF MASSES
Smt. Indira Gandhi pointed out
that the Congress should never be
conceived as a party of the privi
leged but as a Party of the mas
ses. In September 1969, she said:
“The denigration of the poor and
illiterate masses which has been
indulged in of late by some peo).
ple runs counter to the democratic
traditions taught to us by Ma
hatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal
Nehru. . .The recent nationalisa
tion of banks, although primarily
an economic and social measure,
has become a dynamic symbol of
the paramountcy of the peonie.
That is why it has released the
latent enthusiasm of the people
to such an extent. More than any
other decision that we have taken
in independent India, it proclaims
that the few cannot constitute
themselves into the managing
agents or arbiters of the destinies
and fortunes of the many.”
After the Congress Snlit in No
vember 1969 a requisitioned ATCC
meeting was held at Delhi on No
vember 22 and 23 1969. Tater, a
plenary session of the Partv was
held at Bombay in December 1969.
This plenary session at Bomhay
resolved to abolish privv nurses,
to nationalise the bulk of the im
port trade, to take steps for the
early nationalisation of general in
surance, and to implement land re
forms statutes. The question of
excluding the right to pronertv
from the chapter on Fundamental
Rights in the Indian Constitution
was also raised, but it was too
early to take a decision on that.
But the demand for amending
Constitution began to gain
strength after Fehruary 1970 when
7 REPUBLIC DAY
SANKAR GHOSE
MINISTER FOR FINANCE
PLANNING DEVELOPMENT,
WEST BENGAL.
the Supreme Court declared that
the statute for the nationalisation
of 14 major banks was ultra vires
both on the ground that it was
discriminatory as also on the
ground that the compensation pro
vided for therein was not in ac
cordance with the Constitution.
Many within the Congress claimed
that the Fundamental Right of
holding property had become an
obstacle in the path of enacting
socialistic legislation. However, in
view of the Supreme Court deci
sion, the Central Government
brought another Bill in Parliament
for the nationalisation of these 14
banks which provided for the grant
of more liberal compensation.
In May 1970, the Congress Go
vernment also introduced legislat.
tion in Parliament for abolishing
the privy purses and other privi
leges of ex-rulers and princes. The
aholition of the privy nurses and
privileges was nart of the socialis
fic nolicy contemnlated by the
Ten-Point Programme that the
AICC had adopted at New Delhi
in June 1967.
FRFSH MANDATE
The Rill for the aholition of the
privv nurses was annroved hy the
Lok Sabha. hut was lost in the .
Raiva Sahha hw a fraction of a
vote. Immodiatelv, therefore, the
Central Governmont darernornised
the nrinces thronoh a Prasińontial
Order. But the nrºncos challonored
the derecognition Order in the
Sunreme Court, and, in December
1970, the same was declared ille
gal.
Following the Sunreme Court
iudgement declaring invalid the
Presidential Order derecognising
the princes, the President, on the
advice of the Prime Minister, dis
solved the Tok Sabha on Tecem
ber 27, 1970. In a hroadcast to
the Nation on the same dav, Smt.
Indira Gandhi declared that a
NUMBER 1975
fresh mandate of the people was
necessary to implement the socia
listic policies of the Congress.
For the 1971 mid-term poll to
the Lok Sabha, the Congress did
not enter into any electoral under
standing with any political party
on an all-India level. On the con
trary, it called upon the people to
vote for it overwhelmingly so that
a strong, stable, and progressive
Government could be formed at
the Centre. The Syndicate fought
the Congress in alliance with such
disperate political parties as the
Jana Sangh, SSP and Swatantra.
Smt. Indira Gandhi, on the other
hand, went on hurricane tours
throughout the country speaking
in support of the Socialistic poli
cies of the Congress and calling
upon the people to unite in the
fight against poverty.
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY I cal policies. Further, by nationali
In the mid-term poll, the Cong
ress secured an overwhelming ma
jority of seats in the Lok Sabha
winning 350 out of 515 seats. This
result was particularly striking in
as much as before the dissolution
of the Lok Sabha the Congress had
held only 220 seats. The Syndicate,
on the other hand, which at the
time of the dissolution held 65
seats, could win only 16 seats.
The 1971 election results show
ed that the people regarded the
Congress as the real Congress and
that they wanted a strong and
stable government at the Centre.
The mid-term elections also show
ed that the trend that was dis
cerned during the fourth Gene
ral Elections in 1967, when the
people were turning away from the
Congress, was not only halted but
reversed, and that the Congress,
under the leadership of Smt. Indira
Gandhi, had succeeded in project
ing a radical image among the
people. The Socialistic policy of
Congress appealed to the under
privileged and its secular policies
particularly appealed to the mino
rities.
After the elections, the Cong
ress Government at the Centre
brought legislation for nationali
sing general insurance. Thus one
of the items mentioned in the far
SOCIALIST INDIA
mous Ten-Point Programme of
the undivided Congress was imple
mented.
In the 1971 election manifesto
of the Congress, it was said that
“as a result of certain judicial
pronouncements, it has become im
possible to effectively implement
some of the Directive Principles
of our Constitution.” Accordingly,
after the elections, the Congress
introduced in Parliament measu
res, first, for the amendment of
the Constitution in order to de
lete the right of property from
the Fundamental Rights guaran
teed by the Constitution; secondly,
to abolish privy purses, and, fi
nally, to provide that the courts
would not be able to question the
amount of compensation that Par
liament may decide to pay for the
compulsory acquisition of pro
perty.
Early in 1972, elections were
held in most of the States. Before
the 1972 elections, the Congress
had already demonstrated that
socio-economic changes could be
achieved peacefully and through
parliamentary institutions. Fur
ther, the shedding by the Cong'.
ress Party of its conservative ele
ments helped it to win the alle
giance of the youth, the intellec
tuals, the middle class, the mino'.
rities, and the people in general.
In the 1972 election manifesto
of the Congress, it was said that
people had the ultimate power,
that in March 1971 they had used
it to reject the reactionaries and
communalists of the Right as also
the extremists who, while raising
Left slogans, had resorted to vio
lence and disorder.
ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
In 1972, the Congress appealed
to the people saying that the coun
try needed a stable government,
harmony between the Centre and
the States, and a socialistic objec
tive which was to be realised
through democratic means.
Smt. Indira Gandhi, during a which advocated communalism, re
whirlwind tour, visited all the
States where elections were to be
held. She said that India could
take courageous and effective
steps on the Bangladesh issue bo
cause in 1971 the people had elec
ted a stable and strong govern
ment at the Centre and that, simi
larly, in 1972 if the people in the
States voted for the establishment
of strong and stable governments
then such governments could ef
fectively take measures to fight
poverty,
In the 1972 Assembly elections,
the Congress won by overwhelm
ing majorities and the Opposition
fared badly. It was clear that the
electorate desired that the same
party should be in power in the
States as also at the Centre and
that Smt. Indira Gandhi should
continue to lead the country.
By dissociating itself from the
conservative section of the undivi
ded Congress, the new Congress
raised hopes among the people
that it would implement its radi
sing the big commercial banks and
by taking steps for the abolition
of the privy purses the Congress
proved that it was capable of tak
ing determined and radical steps.
Moreover, the signal victory in
Bangladesh and the bold steps
that the Congress Government
took in connection with the free
dom struggle there generated a
sense of pride and confidence
among Indians. Above all, because
of the resolute and radical steps
that Smt. Indira Gandhi took sho
emerged as a charismatic leader
who could inspire confidence in all
sections of the people.
During the 1972 election cam
paign, Smt. Gandhi declared that
if the garibi hatao programme
was to succeed, the country needed
governments in the States which
were committed to Democracy,
Socialism, and Secularism and
which would cooperate with the
Centre. The people, by exercising
their franchise in the manner they
did, make it clear that the Cong
ress was the Party which could
provide such governments. Parties
gionalism, or violence, or parties
which supported vested interests
or were opposed to Socialism suf
fered heavily in the 1972 elec
tionS.
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
THE CONGRESS PARTY IN INDIA’S LIFE
—AND PART OF IT

DEW KANTA BOROOAH

- -
-

------------- -- - - - , --
PRESIDENT
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

What is Congress? Whom does it represent?
What are its objectives? What are the means which
are to be used to achieve these objects? Congress
men can find answers to all these questions from
inspiring history of their party and from their revo
lutionary heritage which includes the glorious saga
of struggle against British imperialism and the post
independence achievements in the battle for building
a socialist India and a better life for the people.
Whom does the Congress represent? An answer
to this question was given as early as on September
15, 1931 by no less a person than the Father of the
Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. In his speech at the
Federal Structure Committee in London, Mahatma
Gandhi said: “Above all, the Congress represents, in
its essence, the dumb, the semi-starved millions scat
tered over the length and breadth of the land in its
700,000 villages, no matter whether they come from
what is called British India or what is called Indian
India.
has always tried to live up to its historic commit
ment. Once again, I will like to quote Gandhiji who
said: “It (the Congress) may not always have lived
up to the creed. I do not know a single human or
ganisation that lives up to this creed. Congress has
failed very often to my knowledge. It may have fail
ed more often to the knowledge of its critics. But
the worst critic will have to recognise, as it has been
recognised, that the National Congress of India is a
daily growing organisation, that its message pene
trates the remotest village of India; that on given
occasions the Congress has been able to demons
trate its influence over and among these masses who
inhabit 700,000 villages”.
Even today the Congress has in its ranks the
largest number of poor people of our country. In
fact the Congress has been—and continues to be—

Every interest which, in the opinion of the Con

gress, is worthy of protection, has to subserve the
interests of these dumb millions; and so you do find
now and again apparently a clash between several
interests. But if there is a genuine, real clash, I
have no hesitation in saying on behalf of the Congress
that the Congress will sacrifice every interest for the
sake of the interests of these dumb millions.”
GROWING BODY
Since those historic days, the Congress has
continued to strive to represent these dumb millions.
The entire history of the Congress is a testimony to
the fact that our Party has endeavoured to live upto
this mandate given by Gandhiji. Whenever there
has been a clash of interests between the dumb mil
lons and national interests on the one hand and sec
tional interest of a few on the other, the Congress has
not hesitated to stand by and to uphold the interests
ºf the vast masses of our people.
At every important turning point in the march
toward the goal of new and just social order—abo
lition of zamindari or Jagirdari; ending princely
ºrder and the establishment of popular rule; freeing
Qur flancial institutions from the control of private
ands in order to deploy resources for national re
ºnstruction and welfare of the vast masses, releas
§: Our natural resources like coal and copper from A PORTRAIT STUDY OF THE CONGRESS
PRESIDENT BY GOPAL CHITRA RUTEER.
* control of private vested interests—the congress
*AList INDIA REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 Motilal Nehru
flanked by J. M.
Sen Gupta and
Subhas Chan
dra Bose (in
uniform) at the
Calcutta SeS
sion of the Com
gress in 1928.
The Four Lions
of the Ashoka
Pillar symbo
lising
popular
then.
national
resurgence was
even
a party of the poor people. Congress, in its essence,
rt resents the organised strength of the Indian
masses.
The objective of the Congress has been spelt out
clearly in Article I of the Constitution of our party
which says: “The object of the Indian National Con
gress is the well-being and advancement of the peo
ple of India and the establishment in India, by peace
ful and constitutional means, of a Socialist State
based on parliamentary democracy in which there is
equality of opportunity and of political, economic and
social rights and which aims at world peace and
fellowship”.
PEOPLE'S ASPIRATIONS
Our commitment to Socialism is by no means
new. As early as in 1929, Jawaharlal Nehru had
declared that he “was a Republican and a Socialist”
and he believed that in Socialism alone lay the solu
tion of India's problems. In his autobiography,
Panditji has declared unequivocally, “I am convinc
ed that the only key to the solution of the world
problems and India's problems lies in Socialism. And
when I use this word, I do so not in vague, humani
tarian way, but in the scientific economic sense.
Socialism is however something more than an eco
nomic doctrine; it is a philosophy of life, and as such
also it appeals to me. I see no way of ending poverty,
the vast unemployment, the degradation and the
subjection of the Indian people except through soci
alism. That involves vast and revolutionary chan
ges in our political and social structure, the ending
of vested interests in land and industry as well as
the feudal and the autocratic states system”.
Pandit Nehru went on to say, “Socialism is thus
for me not merely an economic doctrine which I
favour, it is a vital creed which I hold with all my
head and heart. I work for Indian independence be
cause the nationalist in me cannot tolerate alien
downimation; I work for it even more because for me
it is the inevitable step to $68ka and econºmic
change.”
ºtMºtºr ºnºra " * - ...,
t
.
l
In his historic pamphlet Whither India, Pandit
Nehru, in his eloquent words, gave voice to the in
nermost feelings of the Indian people and their aspi
rations which gave strength to the Congress and
drew in its fold millions of our farmers, workers and
toiling people when he said, “The whole basis and
urge of the national movement came from a desire
for economic betterment, to throw off the burdens
that crushed the masses and to end the exploitation
of the Indian people. If these burdens continue and
are actually added, it does not require a powerful
mind to realise that the fight must not only continue
but grow more intense.”
We find that the Congress commitment to Soci
alism springs from the legacy of Gandhi and Nehru,
from the heritage of our struggle for freedom and
from the historic act that millions of poor people,
the middle class, the youth and the intelligentsia
which came forward and made supreme sacrifices for
the cause of Indian independence.
It is significant that Gandhiji launched his strug
gle for the emancipation of peasantry in Champaran
a couple of years before he gave the first call for
satyagraha for political emancipation. The organi
sation of Harijans, Adivasis and other oppressed and
exploited sections and the struggle for their emanci
pation and peasant satyagraha in Bihar, West Ben
gal, U.P., Gujarat and other parts of the country
gave to our struggle for freedom its mass character
and made it an irrepressible force.
The path of planned development which free
India chose to pursue for its economic development
was also conceived during the struggle for independ
ence. The first National Planning Committee was
set up by the Indian National Congress when the
struggle for independence was still on. The Funda
mental Rights Resolution passed at the Karachi Con
gress in 1931 reflected the aspirations of our people
about India that they would like to build after attain
ment of independence. The Directive Principles of
bur Constitution reflected in essence the ideas under
40 -- --
-
- -
†ºtºld DAY Nºtintº 1878
lining the Fundamental Rights resolution passed in
Karachi.
The basic principles of our foreign policy were
also enunciated and grew during the fight for inde
pendence. The first foreign policy resolution was
passed as early as in 1921. Our opposition to im
perialism, colonialism and racialism was this basis of
our approach to world problems even when we were
engaged in our own national liberation struggle. The
policy of Non-alignment and world peace which be
came the cardinal principles of our approach to in
ternational problems were the natural outcome of
our world view during the pre-independence days.
Thus we find that both in internal and internal
tional affairs, the policy and programmes which the
Congress is pursuing at present are but a continuation
of the ideals which inspired the nation during the
struggle against British imperialism.
DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION
But these policies also evoked antagonism and
attack from a small section. Both in our country
and abroad, there have always been people who in
dulged in carping criticism of the policies and prog
rammes of the Congress. For example there were
some who objected to the acceptance of a democra
tic constitution based on adult suffrage on the
ground that the illiterate people of India would not
be able to govern themselves. There were sugges
tions that franchise should be based either on lite
racy or on property. But the Indian National Con
gress and its great leaders rejected the view. The
illiterate and the poor had come forward in large
numbers to offer supreme sacrifices for independence
of this country. Therefore, the Congress fought that
. should not be denied the fruits of their sacri
ce.
Experience has shown that the judgement of the
founding fathers of our constitution was correct. The
Indian democracy has not only worked well but has
struck deep roots. The Congress which led the demo
cratic revolution in this country under the leader
ship of Jawaharlal Nehru can justly be proud of the
fact that it has not only been able to preserve demo.
cratic processes, but also to demonstrate that these
could be used as a potent weapon for socio-economic
transformation.
When Pandit Nehru said that he was a Socialist
and a Republican, he laid down the foundations of
the concept that goal of socialism is to be achieved
through parliamentarv and democratic means. That
is why the Congress constitution makes abundantly
clear both the objectives and the means to achieve
them.
But democracy does not merely mean the right
and the duty to cast vote once in five years. Un
doubtedly, this is a precious right which the Indian
people have earned after great sacrifices. But demo
cracy in its fullest sense of the term must be parti
cipatory democracy, a continuing partnership bet
ween the people and the government. The political
SOCIALIST INDIA
party — the Congress organisation — should pro
vide the nexus of this partnership.
This can be done only when the Congress main
tains closest links with those dumb millions whom
it represents; when the Congress workers in their
thought and in their lives continuously try to identify
themselves with these millions, when the Congress
Committees become not only the temple where every
man or woman suffering from injustice will like to
come for solace and solution of his or her problems
but also when the Congress organisation becomes
the muscles of the fight of these dumb millions for
bringing about social and economic changes in our
country.
The people have faith in the Congress and this
has been demonstrated time and again. What is
needed is that the Congress should have faith in the
people. More than that they must have faith in
themselves. This faith can come only when every
Congressman is aware of the glorious heritage of
the largest democratic party of the world engaged
in the unprecedented task of bringing about Socialistic
reconstruction and revolution through democratic
means and is emotionally involved in the great revo
lutionary endeavour of bringing about a socio-econo
mic transformation affecting one-fifth of the man
kind.
For us the people of India, democracy and inde
pendence are one and the same thing. In many coun
tries, political independence did not automatically
bring about democracy. But in our country political
independence was also the product of the struggle
of the masses — illiterate poor masses — and that
is why in spite of the opposition by some sections,
our constitution gave to the people full democratic
rights. Therefore, any attempt to undermine demo
cratic processes in our country is bound to jeopar
dise our political independence. Democracy in our
country has now developed teeth. It has become a
strong instrument in the hands of the have-nots.
CONGRESSMEN'S DUTY
Our Parliament and State assemblies have enact
ed legislations and implemented measures which are
undobutedly of great revolutionary significance. The
Congress is presently engaged in the unprecedented
and historic task of transforming the democratic
revolution into a Socialist revolution under the
leadership of Shrimati Indira Gandhi.
Congressmen can carry the message to the peo
ple only when they are themselves fully conversant
with the history of great organisation, with the poli
cies and programmes of our party, with the difficul
ties and challenges that we face and the strategy
that the party and the leadership has in view to
overcome these difficulties in order to march towards
Socialism. The training programme which the All
India Congress Committee has made obligatory under
the constitution, will, I am sure, help in a big way
to achieve this objective. A study of the history of
the Indian National Congress is an integral part of
this programme.
This history of the Indian National Congress
Continued on Page 15
11 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
Indian National Congress:
A Brief History—l
H. D. MALAVIYA, M. P.

The Indian National Congress founded in 1885
can claim to be the oldest political organisation in
the world. The Congress has a very rich heritage.
Founded by some of the greatest sons of India like
Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendranath Banerji, Madan
Mohan Malaviya etc., through the decades of its his
tory it had a legacy of leaders who, by their devo
tion and dedication to the motherland, have inspired
and will continue to inspire generations of Indians.
Indeed, a great galaxy of leaders of the Congress by
their sacrifice and suffering and by their dedicated
lives, paved the way for transformation of the Con
gress organisation as a mighty instrument for
attaining the freedom of our motherland from alien
rulers.
Anguish and Suffering of India's Millions
The Congress was born out of the anguish and
suffering of the millions of India who were exploited
by the foreign rulers of our land. The misery of the
Indian people knew no bounds. The country which
was once famous for its riches, prosperity and wealth
became a country of famines and destitute. Accord
ing to admitted official figures of the British Govern
ment of India, between 1853 and 1900, 28 million
people died in famines, and as a British Governor
wrote, “the bones of Indians bleached the plains of
India”.
British rulers towards the end of the nineteenth
century. The low purchasing power resulted in
giving poor returns to the British in India which they
had maintained as a market for their finished goods.
The essence of imperialistic exploitation of India
was to force down the price of its agricultural pro
duce and through a system of monopolies raise the
prices of manufactured goods. This was in accord
ance with the needs of strident finance-capital which
first wanted cheap raw materials and then the highest
possible profits from the sale of its finished products.
Dilemma of British Rulers
The British rulers thus found themselves in a
vicious circle. Their policy of killing Indian handi
crafts and preventing the growth of big industry in
India led to the overcrowding of agriculture. This
overcrowding of agriculture alongside the social
conditions of exploitation of the peasantry was at
the root of the low purchasing power of the Indian
people, which, no dobut the British wanted to raise
in their own interest. This overcrowding of agricul
ture meant that a continuously heavier demand was
made on the already very backward agriculture in
India to supply livelihood to an increasingly heavy
proportion of a fast growing population.

British bolster up feudal class to exploit the People

India was enslaved by a strindent imperialism
which had developed modern industry, had harnessed
the power of steam. and which wanted to expand to
find Ilew markets to sell its finished products and a
hinterland for the supply of raw materials for its
growing industry. For this purpose the British who
were then considered the most advanced people allied
themselves in India with the most backawrd and
conservative classes. They bolstered up a dying class
and created landlords; they.. supported hundreds of
dependent Indian rulers in their semi-feudal States.
It is not difficult to understand why the British acted
in this way in India. They could not possibly make
friends with the masses for the whole object of
their presence in India was to exploit them. The
interests of the exploiters and exploited could never
be the same. So the British fell back on the rem
nants of feudalism which India still possessed.

The disastrous fall in the living standards of A rare photograph of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
the Indian peasantry, their utter poverty and their and Mahatma Gandhi taken when the Mahatma
visited Santiniketan.
extremely low purchasing power began to worry the
SOCIALIST INDIA REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 On the other hand, agricultural development
under the existing conditions of landlord parasitism
and the paralysing burdens of a most ruthless ex
ploitation of the peasantry, placed crippling limits
on agricultural development and made it increasingly
incapable of fulfilling demands.
To raise the purchasing power of vast masses
of Indian peasantry, it was essential to industrialise
the country which again meant hitting at the manu
facturers and financiers in Britain, and also to re
move the deadly burdens on the peasant masses
imposed by the landlords and the prices. This, of
course, the British imperialists would not do. In the
scheme of British exploitation and political domina
tion of India, the feudal forces, propped up by the
British rulers, were indispensible. The British could
not, therefore, afford to dispense with them.
Birth of the Congress
As is well-known, the British through W.O.
Hume encouraged the creation of the Indian National
Congress in 1885 with a view to bring about certain
reforms, the main purpose of which was to get out
of the vicious circle of their own creation. Soon
enough, however, the Congress, because of the leader
ship of great sons of India, became the mouthpiece
of the growing awareness and intelligence of the
Indian people. No doubt, the Congress movement
began as an upper class movement and in its earliest
years it demanded some concessions and protections
essential for the growth of an indigenous consumer
goods industry. Soon enough, however, this initial
urge for freedom was influenced by the utter
poverty, destitution and misery of our masses. The
eradication of this poverty and misery of the Indian
people came to one of the main objectives of the
Indian national movement.
Lokamanya Tilak leads the Congress -
After the initial years of petitioning to the
foreign government for more posts for Indians in the
administrative services and hierarchy and for con
cessions for indigenous industrial development, the
ever growing ranks of the Congress realised in early
twentieth Century that the foreign rulers turned a
deaf ear to India's demands. In Bengal, under Auro
bindo Ghosh's leadership came up a powerful revo
lutionary movement which said and believed that
power can be won only by violence and revolution
and not through petitions. The partition of Bengal
in 1905 by a British satrap, Lord Curzon, became the
cause for a revolutionary sweep over Bengal and the
martyrdom of Khudi Ram Bose brought about
radicalisation of the entire national consciousness.
The spokesmen of this radicalisation came to be Lok
manya Tilak who was the first to say that “Swaraj
is our birthright”.
There were still moderates in the Congress who
did not believe in this line, who were still for peti
tioning and demanding concessions from the alien
rulers in the old style. And it was inevitable that the
two trends should clash inside the Congress. This
ultimately came about in 1907 at the Surat Congress
where the Congres fell in line with Lokmanya Tilak
SOCIALIST INDIA
1.
and the moderates and the petitioners had to leave
the organisation.
As Jawaharlal Nehru later pointed out, this
division in the Congress strengthened the Congress
by clearing the organisation of elements of static
minds who failed to apprehend the dynamics of the
times and keep pace with it.
Later, also we shall see that on many occasions
a conflict emerged in the Congress between forward
looking and the backward-looking status quoist ele
ments and always the Congress had the wisdom
and the courage to discard men of static minds and,
thereby, it was always strengthened and marched
forward to attain yet greater glory and successes in
the cause of the Indian people.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Increasingly, though vaguely, eradication of the
poverty and misery of the Indian people came to be
among the main objectives of the Indian National
Congress. The First World War broke out in 1914
and at that time India by and large co-operated with
the British rulers though a determined band of revo
lutionaries sought to utilise the involvement of Bri
tish in the War to wrest power from it through an
organised armed revolution. After the victory in the
War, when India expected that the British imperia
list will heed the growing urge of the Indian people
for self-rule, the British responded by massacring
hundreds of Indians at the Jalianwala Bagh in
Amritsar. It was at this stage that Mahatma Gan
dhi, with his great reputation of fighting for justice
in South Africa against the white racist regime came
to assume the leadership of the Indian National Con
gress. Under his great leadership, the Congress placed
before it, as its main objective, eradication of the
poverty and misery of the teeming millions of India.
Mahatma Gandhi coined the word Daridra Narayan
and taught the nation that the service to the hungry
and starving millions of India was the main and the
primary task.
The Congress, however, continued as a multi
class organisation, and although it increasingly
identified itself with the poverty striken millions and
the organisation penetrated the rural areas, its
policy resolutions did not fully express the process
till the late 'thirties.
Congress represents people's urges
In the meantime, a number of factors began to
influence the Indian national thinking. One of the most
outstading among these was the Russian revolution
of 1917. As year rolled on after this world-shaking
event, nationalist opinion of India was informed of it
and of the developments which followed through
Jawaharlal Nehru who visited the Soviet Union in
1927-28 and subsequently wrote a book about it.
These very years, from 1917 to 1928, saw the growth
of a great working class movement, huge working
classes strikes on the GIP Railway, the Bombay
Textile workers and the Jute Mill workers of
Bengal.
13 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 Soon enough, the earlier vague identification of
the national movement with the cause of the hungry
teeming millions of India began to find concrete
expression. It was clearly realised that the fight for
independence and removal of alien rule from our
soil, which was at the root of India's poverty and
misery, was not the end in itself. It was the means
to an end. The end was to build up an India, happy
and prosperous, its society providing equal opportu
mities to all and allowing for the fullest develop
ment of each personality.
For achieving this, the people of India had to
be aroused from their slumber. They had to be
roused to fight against mighty empire. For this
they had to be made fearless and disciplined. They
had to be politically educated and trained to fight
in a non-violent way against the foreign rulers.
Indeed, non-violence became Congress' sheet and/lor.
The Indian National Congress thus came to be
a great organisation built up by the Indian people,
by the effort and devotion of the workers of the
Congress. The Congress united within its fold all the
freedom fighters of India for forging and consoli
dating Indian unity and for fighting fissiparous and
disruptive trends.
In thus uniting and disciplining the people of
India the Congress sought to rouse them not only
against the alien rulers but also against our own
lethargy and backwardness, against our own out
moded customs and inefficiency, for in the highly
technical world of today only modern methods,
habits and behaviour can enable the creation of an
India capable of holding itself high in the world.
Nehru's great vision and Lahore Congress
To Nehru, more than to anyone else, the Indian
national movement led by the Indian National Con
gress owes this vision of future India. Nehru had
this vision before him even in the earliest part of
his political life. With his great perception of his
tory and his profound scholarship with his scientific
and disciplined mind and his understanding of men
and things, he did not take long to determine the
path for the Indian people. And he taught the Indian
nation that their struggle was part of a world-wide
struggle signalling the end of domination of one
over the other and of a new world based on equa
lity and justice and living in friendship with each
other.
In 1929, when the great depression of the world
capitalist system had hit the whole world and
deepened the poverty and misery of the Indian peo
ple, the Congress met in its historic session at
Lahore presided over by Nehru. Here, the Congress
adopted the objective of complete independence and
turned a new chapter in the history of the resur
gence of the Indian people. And here Nehru said in
his presidential address. “I must plainly confess, I
am a Socialist and a Republican.”
In the great Civil Disobedience movement of
1930-31 and 1931-32, India rose at the call of the
Indian National Congress to strike heavy blows on
the British rule in India. In Peshawar and Sholapur,
SOCIALIST INDIA
in Bombay and in Kanpur, in Nagpur and in Madrás
thousands upon thousands non-violent Indians fell ſ
victims to British bullets. Lakhs upon lakhs of Gon .#
gressmen courted imprisonment. **
a
Whose Freedom? What type of Freedom?
British rule in India was shaken to its roots.
At this time many Congressmen, behind prison bars, *†
started a great debate. Confident now that sooner s:
than later Indians shall wrest their freedom from
unwilling foreign hands, there started a great debate
among Congressmen about the character and the
nature of the freedom which India was to attain.
The question was: whose freedom it will be and
what type of freedom it will be? The areas behind
1d
prison bars became great debating places of the
nation. It was left to Nehru to give expression to
the new thought-springs among Congressmen.
During a five-month brief interlude outside pri
son in 1933-34, Nehru wrote his booklet Whither
India which in reality reflected the mental conflicts
of large numbers of Congressmen. Nehru's Whither
:
ºº
India proved historic in its impact on national
thought. It gave a definite Socialistic slant to the
thinking of vast sections in our national movement.
In this pamphlet Nehru squarely posed the question:
“Whose freedom are we particularly striving for,
for nationalism covers many sins and inequalities,
various conflicting elements?”
He referred to the various interests in the coun
try, the feudal princes, the big zamindars, the petty
zamindars, the agriculturists and the bankers and
industrialists. and the peasantry and working classes,
and said: “It is obvious that there are serious con
flicts between various interests in the country and
every law, every policy, which is good for one
interest may be harmful for the other...nothing is
more absurd than to imagine that all the interests
can be fitted without injury to any and at every step
some have to be sacrified for the others.”
Gandhi's Declaration at Round Table Conference
Aware as he always was of the pulse of his
people, the Father of our Nation, Mahatma Gan
dhi, also gave a categorical answer to the question
which was engaging the minds of the vast ranks of
Congressmen and the people of India at large.
Addressing the Second Round Table Conference in
London in 1931, Mahatma Gandhi said. “Above all,
the Congress represents, in its essence the teeming
semi-starved millions scattered over the length and
breadth of the land...Every interest which, in the
opinion of the Congress is worthy of protection has
to subserve the interests of this teeming millions;
and so you find now and again apparently a clash
between several interests; and if there is real clash,
I have no hesitation in saying on behalf of the Con 3.
gress, that the Congress will sacrifice every interest
for the sake of the teeming millions”.
º&
It is thus obvious that the national movement
for freedom led by our great leaders, Mahatma Gan
dhi and Nehru, had taken a categorical stand that
the ultimate objective of the Indian struggle was
the emancipation of the down-trodden and exploited
14 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
-
million. They made it clear that in any future set up
in free India, the interests of the toiling millions
would be considered paramount and other interests
deserve to be and will have to be subservient.
Karachi Congress Resolution on Fundamental Rights
The identification of the Congress with the
interests of the masses of India soon found expres
sion in its resolutions. At the historic Karachi Con
gress in 1931, under the presidentship of Sardar
Wallabhbhai Patel, was adopted the famous Funda
mental Rights Resolution moved by Mahatma Gan
dhi hifself. This was, in a sense, a basic policy dec
laration of the Congress and is a historic landmark
in the advance of the national movement towards
the Socialistic objective.
The resolution demanded that any Constitution
in a “Swaraj Government” must provide certain
fundamental rights, like freedom of speech, press
and association; equal rights to all citizens; adult
suffrage; free primary education; freedom of labour
from serfdom and exploitation; land reforms; State
ownership of key industries, services, mineral resour
ces, railways, waterways, shipping etc.
The Karachi Resolution said: “In order to end
the exploitation of masses, political freedom must
include real economic freedom of the starving
millions.” - much crystalised in favour of far-reaching economic
Lucknow Congress lays down India's Foreign Policy
Due to the massive repression of the British
Government of the Civil Disobedience movements of
1931-32 and 1932-33 and the arrests of thousands
upon thousands of Congressmen, the Congress acti
vities were dormant for a short while and the Bri
tish rulers claimed that they had crushed the Con
gress. But Dr. Rajendra Prasad presided at the 1935
Bombay Congress Session which was followed by the
historic session of the Congress at Lucknow in 1936
under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru
had a long term of imprisonment and was released
to be at the beside of his ailing wife, Kamalaji in
Switzerland where she passed away later.
During his brief stay in Europe, Nehru saw the
coming up of Hitlerite Fascism in Nazi Germany,
the aggression of Fascist Franco forces against the
Republic of Spain and the march of Mussolini's
troops agains Abyssynia. Shaken by these events,
When Nehru came back to India he gave a new orient
*tion to Congress policies at the Lucknow Cogress.
The most important among these was the laying
ºwn of Congress foreign policies of peace and free
ºn support to all freedom forces in the world and
anti-imperialism. In fact, all through the following
Wºrs and in the years after Independence the
Policies laid down at the Lucknow Congress under
Jawaharlal Nehru's leadership have the guidelines
* India's foreign policy.
One of the major decisions of the Lucknow
t *8tess required the Pradesh Congress Committees
9 make a detailed study of the land problem and
jºy,
º ThetheFaizpur
next Congress
session ofmet
the in Congress at
1937, again
it. ºf the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru, and
* Consideration of the agrarian reports sub
*otatist Innia --
18
mitted by the Pradesh Congress Committees adopted
a comprehensive resolution on India's agrarian
problem.
Faizpur Agrarian Programme
This programme suggested adjustment of rent
and revenue to the existing conditions, exemption
of uneconomic holdings from rent or land tax; as
sessment of agricultural incomes as income tax on a
comprehensive scale subject to a prescribed minimum;
ending of all feudal dues and levies of forced labour;
fixity of tenure with heritable rights along with
the rights to build houses and plant trees; introduc
tion of cooperative farming; securing a living wage
and suitable work conditions for agricultural la
bourers; organistion of peasant unions, etc. Like
the Karachi Congress Resolution on Fundamental
Rights the Faizpur agrarian programme of the
Congress stands out as a land mark in the evolution
of Congress land reform policies.
Historic “Quit India” Resolution of August 1942
Under the Government of India Act of 1935, the
Congress ministries were formed in 1937-39 but the
outbreak of the World War II in September, 1939,
brought to an end the short-term Congress ministries
and the national movement again fought for free
dom. By now, the ideas of Congressmen were very
programmes.
This feeling of the Congress was given expres
sion in the historic “Quit India” Resolution of
August 1942 which clearly stated that the system of
Government in free India should be such that “all
powers should belong to workers in the factories and
peasants in the fields.”
National Planning Committee
Here, it would be important to point out an
other significant step taken by the Congress. The
Haripura session of the Congress was held in 1938
under the Presidentship of Netaji Subhas Chandra
Bose and he appointed a National Committee with
Shri Jawaharlal Nehru as Chairman. In those hec
tic days, this Committee could not do as much work
as would have been otherwise possible but had laid
down the basis for the planned development of India
and can be said to be the father of the National Plan
ning Commission which was created after India
attained her independence.
(To be continued)
CONGRESS PRESIDENT ON THE PARTY
Continued from Page 11
provide for the Indian people a great source of
strength and is like a beacon-light in their march to
wards Socialism. I hope that some glimpses of the
history of the Indian National Congress contained
in this book will not only be informative and instruc
tive, but will also provide inspiration for all Congress
workers and for the patriotic people of our country
at large.
I congratulate Shri Harsh Dev Malaviya for the
good work that he has done by writing this book.
(Introduction to the AICC Central Campaign
Committee's publication “Indian National Congress:
A Brief History” by Shri H. D. Malaviya, M.P.)
* R£PUB??? DAY NUMBER 1975
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§OCIALIST INDIA 19
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 SUPPLEMENT TO COMMEMORATE THE SILVER JUBILEE OF THE INDIAN REPUBLIC

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU.... M. CHALAPATHI RAU....

DR. A. APPADORAI. . . .DR. G. S. DHMLLON. . . T. A. PAI. . .
K. M. MUNSHI. . . AND OTHERS

ON
ASPECTS
OF
CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
25 YEARS OF REPUBLIC OF in DIA

THE FOUNDING FATHERS OF THE INDIAN REPUBLIC,

, JAWAHARLAL NEHRU, MAHATMA GANDHI AND VALLABHBHAI PATEL
ſº *Claust INDIA - 17 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 The Congress, The Constituent Assembly
And The Constitution Of India
MAHATMA GANDHI on the Constituent
Assembly
“I am free to confers that a Constituent Assem
bly is the logical outcome of parliamentary activity.
The labours of Deshbandhu Das and Pandit Motilal
Nehru opened my eyes to the fact that the parlia
mentary programme had a place in the national acti
vity for Independence” (Circa 1935)
+ + º gard, the All India Congress Committee desires to
“Swaraj will not be a free gift of the British
Parliament it will be a declaration of India’s full self
expressions. That it will be expressed through an
Act of Parliament is true, but it will be a courteous
ratification of the declared wish of the people of India
as it was in the case of the Union of South Africa”
(Circa 1937)
º º º 2. Every citizen shall enjoy freedom of conscience
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU on the Constituent
Assembly.
“Politically and nationally, if it is granted, as it
must be, that the people of India are to be the sole
arbiters of India's fate and must, therefore, have full
freedom to draw up their Constitutions, it follows
that this can be only done by means of a Constituent
Assembly elected on a widest franchise. Those who
believe in independence have no other chioce.”
SUBHAS CHANDRA BOSE: at the Haripara
Congress (1938) on Fundamental Rights Resolution
of the Congress
Talking of Indian unity, the next thing that
strºxes us is the problem of the minorities. The
Congress has, from time to time, declared its policy
on this question. The latest authoritative pronounce
ment made by the All India Congress Committee, at
its meeting in Calcutta in October, 1937 runs thus:
“The Congress solemnly and repeatedly declar
ed its policy in regard to the rights of the minorities
in India and has stated that it considers it its duty
to protect these rights and ensure the widest possi
ble scope for the development of these minorities
and their participation in the fullest measure in the
political, economic and cultural life of the nation.
“The objective of the Congress is an independent
and united India where no class or group or majo
rity or minority may exploit another to its own ad
vantage, and where all the elements in the nation
may cooperate together for the common good and
the advancement of the people of India.”
This objective of unity and mutual cooperation
&OCIALIST INDIA ---> * 10
-
A COMPILATION
in common freedom does not mean the suppression
in any way of the rich variety and cultural diversity
of Indian life, which have to be preserved in order
to give freedom and opportunity to the individual as
well as to each group to develop unhindered accord
ing to its capacity and inclination.
“In view, however, of attempts having been
made to misinterpret the Congress policy in this re
reiterate this policy. The Congress has included in
its resolution on Fundamental Rights that:
1. Every citizen of India has the right of free
expression of opinion, the right of free association
and combination, and the right to assemble peace
fully and without arms, for a purpose not opposed to
law or morality;
and the right freely to profess and practice his reli
gion, subject to public order and morality;
3. The culture, language and script of the mino
rities and of the different linguistic areas shall be
protected;
4. All citizens are equal before the law, irrespeo
tive of religion, caste, creed or sex;
5. No disability attaches to any citizen by rea
son of his or her religion, caste, creed or sex, in re
gard to public employment, office of power or honour,
and in the exercise of any trade or calling;
6. All citizens have equal rights and duties in
regard to wells, tanks, roads, schools and places of
public resort maintained out of State or local funds,
or dedicated by private persons for the use of the
general public;
7. The State shall observe neutrality in regard
to religions;
8. The franchise shall be on the basis of univer.
sal adult suffrage;
9. Every citizen is free to move throughout India
and to stay and settle in any part thereof, to acquire
property and to follow any trade or calling, and to
be treated equally with regard to legal prosecution
or protection in all parts of India.
“These clauses of the Fundamental Rights Re
solution make it clear that there should be no inter
ference in matters of conscience, religion or culture,
and a minority is entitled to keep its personal law
without any change in this respect being imposed by
the majority. (From the presidential address)
* º *
–2 - - - i. REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 CONGRESS VICTORIES in the 1945 and 1946
elections
“The elections to the Constituent Assembly took
place in July 1946, in which the Provincial Legisla
tive Assemblies took part. Of the total of 1,585
seats in Provvincial Assemblies, the Congress had
won 925 or 58 per cent seats in the elections
!"
1945. It cleared the way for the thumping victory
of the Congress Party in the elections held for the
Constituent Assembly in the following year.
º “As a result, the Constituent Assembly reflect
ed the complexion of the Provincial Legislative
t Assemblies. The Congress candidates filled 203 of
i.
the 212 General seats (representing every commu
nity except Muslim and Sikhs) additionally, this
party elected 4 Muslims and 1 Sikh candidates that
gave to it the strength of 208 out of 292 seats allotſ.
ted to the Provincial Legislative Assemblies.
“The League members won all but 7 of the seats
reserved for the Muslims. The remaining 16 seats
went to five small groups—Sikhs and the Unionists
(of Punjab) 3 seats each, 1 to the Communists, 1 to
the Scheduled Castes Federation (Dr. B. R. Ambed
kar) and 8 to the Independents.
“Moreover, after the exit of the Muslim League
on account of country's partition, the majority of the
Congress party rose to about 82 per cent.
The native Princely States nominated their 93 mem
bers, who constituted the non-elected section of the
otherwise democratically constituted body. The re
presentation of the various committees underwent
a marginal transformation due to the partition of
the country and owing to the exit of the Muslim
League and marginal readjustment of seats accord
ing to the new figures of the population of Punjab,
Bengal and Assam as given by the Boundary Com
mission.” (J. C. Johari's “Indian Government and
Politics”—Vishal Publications.)
+ * *
DRAFTING COMMITTEE of the Constitution of
India.
“The most important of all the Committees was
the Drafting Committee that worked under the
Chairmanship of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar with the fol
lowing members:
1. N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar
2. Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar
3. K. M. Munshi
4. Mohammed Saadullah
5. B. L. Mitter (who shortly afterwards ceased
to be its member and was then replaced by N.
Madhava Rau)
6. D. P. Khaitan (who died in 1948 and was
then replaced by Sri T. T. Krishnamachari)
+ + +
W. C. JOHARI on the role of the Congress
“The real need of the hour was not at all to ob
serve the sanctity of rules and practices of an estab
lished parliamentary system like that of England.
80CIALIST INDIA
It was to frame the fundamental law of the land at
the earliest possible date with least possible scope
for the jugglery of debates. None but the Congress
Party had obtained the mandate of the people. None
but this party had shouldered the great responsibi
lity after the transfer of power. None but this party
had its overwhelming majority in the House above
of
all. None but this party was irrevocably wedded
to the great ideals on which the Constitution was to
be based. Thus studied it seems that the defects in
the procedure adopted by the Drafting Committee in
drafting the provisions of the Constitution and the
procedure as adopted by Assembly in adopting the
articles on the Constitution were dictated by the
needs of the time and they certainly failed to have
their adverse effect upon the making of this gene
rally accepted democratic Constitution”, (From:
“Indian Government and Politics”).
ºt + +
GRANVILLE AUSTIN ON Nehru's Vision
“Democratic decision-making by the members of
Congress Assembly Party and the oligarchy's refu
sal to arrogate to itself all wisdom and authority
helped to make possible a generally acceptable Con
stitution. Had the Constitution come from the Con
stituent Assembly sanctioned by a meagre majority,
opposed by many, it would have been attacked
unworthy of general support and unpresentative of
India's best interests. But the Assembly adopted
the Constitution despite some members’ misgivings,
by acclaimation. It could be presented to the nation
as the realisation of Nehru's original aim. It had
been drafted with the welfare of 400 million Indians in
mind.” (From Granville Austin’s “The Indian Cons
titution: Cornerstone of a Nation”)
+ + +
J. C. JOHARI on the Constitution as a Congress
Document
“As already pointed out, the Constitution of
India is a Congress document for the simple reason
that the Congress not merely acted like a national
political organisation in winning seats for the grand
Consembly. More than that it became the Parlia
ment and the Interim Government in addition to
serving as the sovereign constitutional convention at
work. That is, the Congress was all—the party, the
Government, the Constituent Assembly—even the
country. In fine, the Congress came to serve like a
great political organisation of a great nation entrust
ed with the great work of framing the fundaental
rules of the Fundamental law of the land.
“It is rightly said: “The Constituent Assembly
was a one-party body in an essentially one-party
country. The Assembly was the Congress and the
Congress was India. There was a third point that
completed a right triangle, the government (mean
ing the apparatus of elected government both provin
cial and national), for the Congress was the govern
ment too. The Assembly, the Congress, was, and
the government were, like the points of a triangle
Continued on Page 80
19 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
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SOCIALIST INDIA A *~ * 20 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1915

A FLASHBACK
The First Day Of The Constituent Assembly
Jawaharlal Nehru returned from
London on December 7, 1946. The
Constituent Assembly opened two
days later (December 9, 1946). My
impressions were recorded in my
irregularly kept diary notes.
Excitement everywhere. A great
day for India has dawned. Indians
are going to frame their own Con
stitution, but there is unhappiness
everyhere. ...
And the diary notes in a lively
Canter:
I am in the Hall early, Gopala
Swamy (Ayyanagar) meets me on
the way. If a non-party man has
to be chosen, he is likely to be the
President. He modestly disclaims
certainty,
As I enter the Hall, I am stirred
to the core of my being. With
lights and decorations, it makes a
fitting birthplace for a free nation.
Members standing around in
small groups are talking excitedly.
Friends are here from all over the
country. We shake hands, talking
enthusiastically; but the cheerful
neSS is forced.
Churchill's declaration has been
Ominous. Jinnah has threatened
the country with disaster. Wavell
has fled from Delhi for the day.
Either partition or the sacrifice of
crores of Hindus—that is the price
-a very heavy price—is demand
ed of us. -
I go over to H. V. R. Iengar.
The British Government has sent
no message for the Constituent
Assembly; they have refused to
recognise it. The U.S.A., China
and Australia, however, have sent
messages of goodwill.
Some groups are discussing who
the President should be. The Con
gress opinion, however, is crystal
lising. The President must be a
leading Congressman. Many eyes
SOCIALIST INDIA
are turned towards Rajendra
Babu. Without effort, he makes
people turn to him in a difficult
situation. Almost a case of at
traction towards his unquestion
able moral strength.
(Acharya) Kripalani enters;
with his long hair he looks like a
temperamental revolutionary. We
talk about the outcome of the Lon
don discussions. He is cynical and
indifferent.
Sardar (Vallabhbhai Patel)
comes in, all smiles, and accosts
the members; but evidently, he is
in a truculent mood. Smt. Naidu
enters, vivacious as a girl in her
teens, spreading
sunshine all
around. (M.R.) Jayakar takes his
seat, aloof and contemptuous. He
coldly acknowledges my greetings.
Panditji (Jawaharlal
Nehru)
enters; there are cheers. He smiles
all around, flings his leather-case
in the air, catches it and takes his
seat. Curious members surround
ed him as they want to know what
is happening.
I walk over to my seat, in the
second row, just behind Sardar
and (B.G.) Kher, who wears an
air of Chief Ministerial gravity.
Shankerrao Deo has his seat on
my right. We talk anxiously on
what is going to happen.
The leaders take their seats in
the front row. The bell rings. For
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
21
K. M. MUNSHI
a moment, the babel of tongues is
hushed.
At 11 o'clock, Kripalani (then
the Congress President) proposed
Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, the old.
est member of the House, as the
provisional Chairman, and conduct
ed him to the Chair. The Chair
man then read out his address em
phasising certain words with his
rare sense of humour.
As he read out the address, my
mind went back to our first con
tact in 1909. When I was in col
lege, I wrote an article (on “De
mocracy in India”) for the “Hin
dustan Review”, then edited by
him. He was an important man
even then, but he wrote me a nice
letter which, in those dreary days,
gave me great encouragement.
I wish we could have started
with a prayer. We badly need the
guidance of God in the hour of
trial, I noted later. But this omis
sion was rectified by the Chairman,
when he invoked divine blessings
for the proceedings.
He (Sinha) wants us to build
for immortality. I wish we could
do so. He appeals for vision.
Where there is no vision, the peo
ple perish, he says. The speech is
received with thunderous cheers.
(From “Pilgrimage to Freedom”
by K. M. Munshi, Bharatiya Vidya
Bhawan, Bombay.)
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

WHY SO MANY AMENDMENTS
TO THE CONSTITUTION
The author is the Secretary of
Union Ministry of Law, Justice and
Company Affairs (Department of
Legal Affairs).
Unlike other written Constitu
tions, the Constitution of our
country has been amended thirty
four times till now and this invi
tes a predictable critique that the
Constitution is being tinkered with
too many times. The tidying up of
the hundred and one loose ends
left by the British in 1947 as a
legacy of an imperialistic regime
was not in any wise an easy task.
Constitution, like a living institu
tion had to grow and be an instru
ment of social change. The coun
try, steeped in traditions, was
over-lorded by feudalistic and ca
pitalistic interests and the old or
der could not mop up the excess
liquidity which has made its ap
pearance on the economic scene in
the country and to funnel the
same for the benefit of the mas
ses and establishment of a class
less society.
A close scrutiny of the amend
ments carried out so far would
bear out Government's efforts to
usher in a new era of an egalita
rian social order so that the nation
soars to ever greater heights. A
study of objects and reasons lead
ing to the major amendments
would bear out that these were
prompted by genuine desire to sur
mount certain difficulties which
had come in the avowed prog
ramme of establishment of a so
cialistic order which forms the
kernel of the thinking of the
founding fathers.
MAJOR AMENDMENTS
The first major amendment was
carried out in 1951 in the context
of the changing socio-economic
scene. The citizens' right to prac
iise any profession or to carry
$OCIALIST INDIA
P. G. GOKHALE
on any occupation, trade or busi
ness conferred by Article 19(1)(g)
of the Constitution is subject to
reasonable restrictions which the
law of the State may impose “in
the interests of general public”.
While the words cited are com
prehensive enough to cover any
scheme of nationalisation which
the State may undertake, it was
felt desirable to place the mat
ter beyond doubt by a clarifica
tory addition to Article 19(6).
Another Article in regard to
which unanticipated difficulties
arose was Article 31. The validity
of agrarian reform measures pas
sed by the State legislatures had,
in spite of the provisions of clau
ses (4) and (6) of Article 31, for
med the subject-matter of dilatory
litigation, holding up the imple
mentation of these important mea
sures affecting large numbers of
people. Accordingly, Article 19
was suitably amended and provi
sions were also made fully secur
ing the constitutional validity of
zamindari abolition laws in gene
ral and certain specified State
Acts in particular. Parliament uti
lised the opportunity to effect a
few minor amendments to other
Articles in order to remove diffi
culties that might arise.
It is laid down in Article 46 as
a directive principle of State po
licy that the State should promote,
with special care, the educational
interests of the weaker sections
of the people and protect them
against social injustice. In order
that any special provision made
for the educational, economic or
social advancement of any back
ward class of citizens may not be
challenged on the ground of being
discriminatory, Article 15 was
also suitably amplified.
Another important amendment
was actually fourth in the series.
It was intended to bring the Con
22
stitutional provisions in line with
the new social order.
Certain judgements of the Sup
reme Court had given a very wide
meaning to clauses (1) and (2) of
Article 31 regarding the embargo
against compulsory acquisition of
property. It was necessary to res
tate more precisely the State's po
wer of compulsory acquisition and
requisitioning of private property
in public interest and distinguish
it from cases where the operation
of regulatory or prohibitory laws
of the State result in “deprivation
of property”.
JUDICIAL DECISIONS
Judicial decisions interpreting
the fundamental rights had raised
serious difficulties in the way of
the Union and the States putting
through social welfare legislation
such as fixing of limits on agri
cultural holding, conferment of
the rights on tenants, proper plan
ning of urban and rural areas,
clearance of slums, etc. It was also
felt necessary that in the interests ~
of national economy State should
have full control over the mineral
and oil resources of the country,
including the power to cancel or
modify the terms and conditions
of prospecting licences, mining
leases and similar agreements.
Such a control was also necessary
in relation to public utility un
dertakings or other property in
the public interest or for securing
better management of the under
taking or property.
In the corporate sector it was
necessary to empower the State
to order compulsory amalgamation
of two or more companies in the
national interest or transfer an
undertaking from one company to
another.
Certain Acts had to be saved in
the interests of the country from
being declared ultra vires and
hence were included in the Ninth
Schedule to the Constitution.
State monopolies in a particular
sphere of trade or commerce had
to be left to the final decision of
the legislature rather than to be
justified before the courts as being
in public interest under Article 301
or as amounting to a reasonable
restriction under Article 304(b).
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 The sixth amendment came in
1956 in the wake of the Taxation
Enqiry Commission. The Commis
sion after examining the problem
of inter-State trade and commerce
and the taxability thereon, made
certain recommendations to allay
the misgivings and the apprehen
sions of the trading communities.
The amendment sought to achieve
the purpose.
AGRARIAN REFORMS
The period of ten years from
the commencement of the Consti
tution mentioned in Article 334 for
reservation of seats for Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes and
the representation of the Anglo
Indian community was extended by
the eighth amendment in 1959 and
again by the 23rd amendment in
1969, as it was felt that the jus
tification for reservation still exist
ed.
The ninth amendment in 1960
was designed to give effect to the
transfer of certain territories to
Pakistan in pursuance of the agree
ment entered into between the
Governments of India and Pakis
tan.
In 1964, the seventeenth amend
ment changed the definition of the
world “estate” in Article 31A and
put beyond challenge certain Acts
which were designed to achieve
agrarian reforms.
The Supreme Court in the well
known case of Golak Nath revers
ed its own earlier decision uphold
ing the power of Parliament to
amend all Parts of the Constitu
tion including Part III relating to
Fundamental Rights. It was neces
sary to amend Article 368 and to
make it clear that it provide for
amendment of the Constitution as
well as the procedure therefor.
This was done through the 24th
amendment in 1971.
In the Bank Nationalisation
Case, the Supreme Court held that
the Constitution guaranteed right
to compensation and in effect the
courts could go into the question
whether the amount paid to the
owner of the property is what may
be regarded reasonably as com
pensation for loss of propery. The
25th amendment, replaced the
80CIALIST INDIA
world “compensation” by the word
“amount” to give effect to the
Directive Principles of State policy.
The concept of rulership with
privy purses and special privile
ges unrelated to any current func
tions and social purposes was held
to be incompatible with egalitarian
Social order. The 26th amendment
carried out in 1971 sought to
abolish privy purses and extin
guish all rights, liabilities and
obligations in respect therefor.
This was followed by the 28th
amendment in 1972 which enabled
Parliabent to vary the conditions
of service of ICS officers. It put
an end to disparities in service
condition of Central employees in
the highest cadres.
ICS EMPLOYEES
To reduce the workload of the
Supreme Court and to see that
only important questions of law
go to the Supreme Court regard
less of the valuation test, the 30th
amendment was effected in 1973.
Questions arose about floor-cros
sing by legislators and to enable
the Chairman or the Speaker to be
satisfied that the resignation of
any Member of Parliament or the
State Legislature is voluntary and
genuine, the 23rd amendment was
carried out in 1974.
This in short completes the re
sume of the major amendments
effected so far. The remaining
twentytwo amendments, being con
sequential and procedural,
minor. These relate to items like
delimitation of constituencies,
States re-organisation, amplifica
tion or clarifications of some En
tries, etc.
º tion under Article 226.
MINOR AMENDMENTS
We may now hurriedly browse
through the remainder of the
amendments which could be called
consequential, procedural
hence minor.
Second Amendment: To avoid a
constitutional irregularity in deli
miting the constituencies for the
purpose of readjustment of repre
sentation in the House of the
People.
Third Amendment: To amplify
23
Entry 33 of List III in the Seventh
Schedule to the Constitution so
that the Centre is not divested of
all legal powers to control pro
duction, supply and distribution of
food stuffs and cattle product.
Fifth and Seventh Amendments:
To implement the scheme of States
Reorganisation.
Tenth Amendment: To include
Dadra and Nagar Haveli in the
Union Territories.
Eleventh Amendment: To clarify
that the election of the President
or Vice-President cannot be chal
lenged on the ground that there
are vacancies in the appropriate
electoral college for whatever
reasons. It had happened that
when the notification for the elec
tion of President was issued in
1957, elections in certain snow
bound areas in the North had not
been completed.
Twelfth Amendment: To include
Goa, Daman and Diu with effect
from December 29, 1961 in the
list of Union Territories.
Thirteenth Amendment: To give
effect to an agreement reached by
Government of India with the lead
ers of the Naga Peoples' Conven
tion regarding formation of a new
State of Nagaland.
Fourteenth Amendment: To give
effect to the ratification of cession
by the Government of France
whereunder the former French
establishments became parts of the
Indian Union.
are
Fifteenth Amendment: To pro
vide for certain matters pertain
ing to the service conditions of
judges, enlargement of jurisdic
Sixteenth Amendment: To pres
cribed the forms of oath to be
taken by every candidate for mem
bership of Parliament and other
* functionaries.
and
Eighteenth Amendment: To re
move doubts regarding the mean
ing of the word “States” vis-a-vis
a Union Territory.
Nineteenth Amendment: To give
effect to the recommendation of
the Election Commission.
Continued on Page 80
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
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 “WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA.....”
Nehru And The Constitution Of India
M. CHALAPATHI RAU
Editor, “National Herald.”

The following is an extract

from M. Chalapathi Rau's defini
tive biography, “ Jawaharlal
Nehru", published by the Publi
cations Division, Government of
India, New Delhi (Rs. 15). The
extract is the opening part of
Chapter VI of the book and it re
counts how the Constitution of
India came to be adopted under
the guidance of Nehru and how
he made it work during the next
decade and a half.

The Constituent Assembly was

not popularly elected, but as Jawa
harlal held, it could in the revo
lutionary situation gather strength
and a will of its own. It expressed
the popular will by implication
and Jawaharlal, with his magnifi
cent speech on the Cbjectives Re
solution, opened a grand vista and
invested it with a high sense of
purpose. There was no lack of
constitutional and legal expertise,
for apart from Congress lawyers
with a long experience, indepen
dent authorities on constitutional
law and practice had been allow
ed to be elected by the Congress
to the Constituent Assembly and
they played an active role. Jawa
harlal alone had the historical
Sense similar to that of the found
ing fathers of the American Con
stitution; he was not a draftsman
but he was the driving force and
the main founding father of the PORTRAIT OF NEHRU A MESSAGE *Nº
Constitution. He helped the Cong- IN HIS OWN HANDWRITING
ress Party to take correct deci- -- - - - - - - - - - - -

sions and carried them through sº tº. K. ... …tº -- .

the Constituent Assembly. * . •. “ſº * Hºº... --
S00IAL ASPECTS º *t- ºr tº *, *, *-***, *, *…* as:
Both the Party and the Assem- º 2 : * - *

bly reflected the dominant econo- - * * * * ** sº... [.... . .” - rºº

mic interests of the time, and the -

Constitution, as it was drafted and *** * ~3, *** * ~~~ ~f~, ****
* also reflected them. Jawa- -
-

arlal had a sharp social and eco- rºtº- - s - •k. ** **----~~~1.

nomic sense and took keen inte- . j - tº ++…" 4t t

rest in the social and economic : *** . ...,k - ** *... G., “…. • **
aspects of the Constitution. If he - ---ſº * ***, J . .
, had the Socialists with him,
would have been able to give a
he º -- sº ..….. t. tº “.. “ ”
sº - ºf . , º, tº • *-s º {< * -- ~~~

*9talist bias to the Constitution, -


but they were non-cooperating and
he was alone. The economic con
sequences of the Constitution had
soon to be rectified by amendment
and Jawaharlal took the lead in
making the provisions for acquisi
tion of property for public pur
poses more elastic, enabling the
legislators to decide the quantum
of compensation for acquisition.
The groundwork for the draft
ing of the Constitution had been
prepared by B. N. Rau, the Con
stitutional Adviser. He prepared
for the members of the Constitu
ent Assembly hand books of ex
tracts from other constitutions
and notes of his own on various
aspects of a constitution for India.
There was no aspect that he left
uncovered, though the flesh and
blood of the Constitution had to
be supplied by political decisions.
The Constitution borrowed lar
gely from the Government of
India Act, under which India was
a going concern and which was
the basis of transfer of power,
and from the American, Austra
lian, and Irish Constitutions. This
consultation with other constitu
tions was inevitable, and though
ideal constitutions had been sug
gested, it was not possible to pre
pare an ideal constitution and the
habits and practices of at least
two generations of Indians, from
the Minto-Morley Councils and
earlier from the reforms under
Lord Cross's Act, could not be dis.
carded.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Before the Constituent Assem
bly met, there had been a long
constitutional practice, a base of
parliamentary practice, legal pro
cesses, and the habit of discussion.
For a federal constitution, the US
Constitution had to be consulted
and fundamental rights and the
power of judicial review were
adopted. The Directive Principles
ºf State Policy, on the lines of the
Constitution of the Irish Free
State, were adopted at Jawahar
lal's insistence to give the Consti
tution a direction towards social
and economic justice, if not to
wards socialism. They included
most of the rights which cannot
be enforced legally and ean be en
soci-A+, IST INDIA
sured only by the State. If other
rights like the right to work had
been made a fundamental right, it
would not have worked because a
developing economy would not be
in a position to ensure work for
all for a long time. The Constitu
tion had also to provide for com
plex federal relations, for a strong
Union, which became possible and
necessary after the creation of
Pakistan, instead of the loose fede
ration which had been advocated to
avoid Partition. The guarantees
to the princes and to the services
were not liked by many even then,
and Jawahral made concessions to
the conservative colleagues.
Little could be left to chance in
a constitution which was being
written for a vast country like
India, and it was not possible in
1946-50 to be laconic like the U.S.
Constitution. Much of British and
American constitutional practice
had to be incorporated in a writ
ten constitution for India, and in
spite of all the complex provisions,
the power of judicial review had to
be made wider than in the United
States, where Supreme Court in
modern times had been taking a
wider view of its power of judicial
review.
The result was a cumbrous con
stitution, a Car of Juggernaut,
with many articles and provisos to
articles. Nobody could then sug
gest how it could be a short or
vague constitution, as in the days
of the abbe Sieyes. Panchayatraj,
a pyramid of Soviets, and other
alternatives were in the minds of
members of the Constituent
Assembly, but they were rejected.
Not only was a constitution on
federal lines desired but constitu
tionalism. Whether it was right
or not, it was a deliberate choice.
The responsibility was that
Jawaharlal as much as anyone
else's, thcugh he would not have
completely agreed with Dr. Am
bedkar, when he said, with
constitutional detachment,
the Constitution was a means
through which the country could
have neither a capitalist system nor
a socialist system. The power of
judicial review has been in a stum
bling block towards progress in a
socialist direction.
Jawaharlal was a political pun
tlit but hat a constitutional pundit,
£6 … -- - - - *
-
Dr. Ambedkar, who had been a
professor of law, had an alert
mind, a sharp tongue, and a John
sonian look and manner, was the
chairman of the Drafting Commit.
tee which was appointed to pre
pare a draft on the basis of the
reports of the various committees
of the Constituent Assembly. The
Drafting Committee consisted of
able men with a knowledge not
only of constitutional law but of
constitutional practice, though
none of them, not even Dr. Ambed
kar, had a compelling political
sense. Jawaharlal and a band of
Congress members had to provide
it. The draft was before the pub
lic for discussion for several
months, but there were no useful
suggestions on the official langu:
age problem and for popularly
elected Governors, which would
have meant conflict between Chief
Ministers and tributes of the peo:
ple.
AMBEDKAR's shortCowLNG
Dr. Ambedkar piloted the draft S
constitution through all the º
stages, ably and doggedly, and
made some eloquent speeches
like the one rejecting a village is
panchayat structure as the base. S
idr. Ambedkar was the leader of S
the Harijans and had passionate
attachment to social justice, but “
he showed no creative sense and s
showed no interest in making the
Constitution an instrument of sº º
cial transformation. This was a
disappointment for Jawaharlal
One of the best speeches of the *
Constituent Assembly was deliver 8
ed by Rajendra Prasad, the Presk &
dent of the Constituent Assembly *
who carried vast abilities lightly tº
on his shoulders, he pointed out." '
the hugeness of the electorates, the
of mass illiteracy, and the condition"
required for the success of demº
cracy in the country. The Consº
tution should not be allowed "
dry become a paper constitution.
that The Constitution “commenced"
from January 26, 1950, and tº
old Independence Day became R.
public Day. “We, the People" had
made it first a Sovereign Dem"
!
*
cratic and then a Sovereign In”
pendent Republic with much ".
bate on every one of the worº
:
Even at the Lahore Gong. Q
Jawaharlal had declared hims”
º
º
*-
Republic DAY NUMBER "
to be a republican, and in spite
of his closeness to Mountbatten
and his growing recognition of the
value of a link with Britain, he
was a republican. There had
been some confusion caused by the
use of Worn-out terms. Even after
the adoption of Independence as
the goal, Congress leaders had
talked of Dominion Status in the
sense of equal partnership with
Britain.
Constitutional experts like Keith
had shown how Dominion Status
had become enlarged in practice
since the time of Balfour's formula
and the Dominions were independ
ent and equal republics, though
under a Crown. But Indian opi
nion, even apart from Congress
opinion, was against the Crown
link, and while it was felt on the
side of both the Labour Govern
ment in Britain and the Con
gress Government in India that
some kind of association should be
maintained between the two coun
tries, it was not clear how it could
be possible. Mountbatten had sug
gested to the Secretary for Com
monwealth Relations, as early as
February 1948, changes in the
structure of the association, parti
cularly in nomenclature, to allow
Asian countries to remain more
easily associated with Britain. If
the Dominions had been independ
ent enough to suggest the appoint
ment of Governor-General them
selves and the royal prerogative
had ceased to operate, the differ
ence between a dominion, a crown
ed republic as Keith had called it
even in the 'twenties, and a re
public was only in name. It was
for the British Government, and
the British King, to agree to accom
modate a republic within the Com
monwealth and it seemed likely it
would be done, in the exchange of
views between Jawaharlal and
Attlee in October 1948, at the
Commonwealth Prime Ministers'
Conference.
DRAFT FORMULA
The draft formula had to be
prepared before India's Constitu
tion came into force, and Krishna
Menon, Attlee, Moutbatten, and
Patrick Gordon-Walker took an
active part in the discussions, in
‘pite of the doubts expressed by
Foreign Office legal experts. The
king was to be accepted as the
80CIALIST INDIA
link but not as a part of any con
stitutional arrangement; as sym
bol of the free association of mem
bers of the Commonwealth, he was
to be its head. If constitutional
facts were recognised, constitu
tional formula were not difficult,
and the Commonwealth Prime
Ministers' Conference of April
1949 allowed India to remain a
member under the terms of the
formula.
The many other republic mem
bers were to follow the same pro
cedure of consultation with Com
monwealth Prime Ministers and
with their consent. On Britain's
side, it was a decision of the Go
vernment, and even Churchill
granted assent, though the British
Empire and Commonwealth was to
become the British Commonwealth
of Nations, nullifying his famous
wartime declaration that he was
not the King Emperor's Prime
Minister to preside over the liqui
dation of the Empire.
COMMONWEALTH OF NATIONS
There were more difficulties on
the Indian side and the Congress
had to dispel an impression of in
consistency. The Jaipur session
of the Congress in December 1948
approved the policy of maintain
ing association with Britain. The
Socialists were not reconciled to
it, and the Communists saw in it
a definite inclination towards the
western camp, in spite of the
policy of non-alignment, and align
ment with many wrong trends in
British Empire. It was later that
the Communists saw that India's
Independence was not affected,
that non-alignment took a vigo
rous shape, and that the Common
wealth played a helpful role in the
preservation of peace.
An association of two hundred
years could not be cancelled in a
moment, even if confiscation was
accepted as policy. Jawaharlal
used all his power of persuasion in
favour of membership of the Com
monwealth, and by the way he
maintained India’s independence,
he showed that the Commonwealth
association was “independence
plus, not independence minus.” It
sounded like Krishna Menon's
language and Krishna Menon was
an active broker in the whole pro
cess. India had been called the
27
brightest jewel in the British
Crown and made the British Em
pire imperial; now it was India
that made the Commonwealth
what it was.
COMMUNIST ONSLAUGHT
From the beginning it was clear
that the Constitution was being
worked by people who had a con
stitutional sense. The Communists
had launched a violent attack on
the State in 1948 but not only did
the new nation State stand with
easy confidence; the Constitution
was vindicated. The test of civil
liberties was the liberty enjoyed
by the Opposition and anyone could
go before the High Courts or the
Supreme Court for a writ of
habeas corpus. In cases of pre
ventive detention, whatever might
be said against the provisions for
preventive detention, the constitu
tional remedy bred a faith in the
Constitution and in constitutional
ism. This led the Communists to
develop faith in constitutional
means for capturing power, while
keeping other options open.
The cumbrousness of the Consti
tution was in favour of its effec
tiveness as a dead weight; if the
political parties did not work the
Constitution, it would work them,
and the Socialists who had boy
cotted the Constituent Assembly
found that there was no escape
from the Constitution and they
could not afford to boycott Parlia
ment and the State legislatures. A
serious threat to the growing con
stitutionalism came from the ten
dency to start direct action, in the
form of satyagraha, hunger
strikes, and general strikes. These
were all caricatures of Gandhian
non-violence, and not much suc
cess has so far been won through
direct action, except in Kerala
where the Communist Government
was dislodged through it but only
through the intervention of the
Government.
The right to assembly, to asso
ciation, to protest, and to demons
tration are fundamental in a demo
cracy, and the Constitution ensures
them, with reasonable restrictions,
but if these rights are exercised
indiscriminately, the constitutional
sense would not grow and the
spirit of the Constitution would
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 suffer. The general elections prov
ed to be the best safeguards of
the Constitution, for every politi
cal party was becoming constitu
tional-minded in trying to win as
many seats as possible in the legis
latures. The Election Commission
is also a source of strength to the
Constitution, and election petitions
were a pathetic faith in its proces
ses; the Supreme Court attracted
the allegiance of those who did not
understand what the Constitution
was except through its different
instruments.
PEOPLE'S WILL
The Constitution could
only if it became a sure instru
ment of the people's will, of a vig
orous, live political democracy, and
of social and economic justice, and
Jawaharlal was keenly aware of it
from the beginning. Constitutions
which had seemed admirable
paper failed because they
not deliver the goods and became
instruments of anti-democratic
forces or succumbed to pressures
easily. The Weimar Constitution,
the constitution of the
Reich, and the Spanish Republican
constitution were illustrations.
To Jawaharlal everything de
pended on how the troubled social
and economic processes in
country could be expressed and
given form and force through con
stitutional processes. The work
ing of the legislatures was impor
tant, for they were a vital part of
the Constitution, and they, more
than the courts, reflected the peo
ple's urges and could meet them.
But representative government
was not easy with adult suffrage
in conditions of mass illiteracy.
Before Independence, Jawahar
lal had expressed himself in fav
our of adult suffrage. His elec
tion campaigns, in the days of res
tricted franchise, had been among
the villagers, most of whom had
no votes. But the elections with
restricted franchise had bred evils
which bigger electorates could re
move. It was easier to purchase
votes in a small electorate than a
big one. After Independence, the
bigness of the electorates requir
ed heavy expenditure, and Jawa
harlal posed the question whether
indirect elections, which Gandhi
had proposed at the Second Round
SOCIALIST INDIA !&
Table Conference, would not be
worth considering. But his expe
rience of the smaller electorates
had confirmed him in his faith in
the widest possible franchise.
He was prepared to trust a wide
electorate far more than a rest
ricted one, based on a property
qualification or even an educa
tional test. He had not discover
ed any special qualities in a lite
rate or slightly educated person
which would entitle his opinion to
greater respect than that of a
sturdy peasant, illiterate but full
of a kind of common sense. In a
work country, where the peasant predo
minated, his opinion was far more
important, and Jawaharlal be
came a firm believer in adult fran
chise, for men women, though he
realised the difficulties in the way;
the objections raised to its adop
on tion in India had no great force
and were based, it seemed, on fear
could
of privileged classes and interests.
ADULT SUFFRAGE
The Idependence for India
Second
League, formed in 1928 with Jawa
harlal as its all-India Secretary,
demanded adult suffrage; the
Karachi Resolution on Fundamen
tal Rights demanded “universal”
the adult suffrage. The Constituent
Assembly, the demand for which
was adopted by the Congress ses
sion in 1934, was to be eiected on
the basis of adult or near adult
franchise. After Independence, no
one was opposed to it, and if the
Congress had not accepted it adult
franchise would have become the
battle cry of the other parties. All
parties desired to avoid the com
petition for popular favour. Yet
the disadvantages of adult suff
rage in one jump were obvious.
The electorates were large; in the
first general elections, most peo
ple had to drop the voting papers
in the ballot boxes marked by
party symbols, a hut, a lamp, or
a pair of bullocks. Large-scale
tampering or corruption became
almost possible, and when Minis
ters were defeated in some places,
faith in the freedom and fairness
of elections, developed.
The Congress had the advantage
of a huge machinery, huge resour
ces, and the leadership of Jawa
harlal. Yet he was a guarantee of
28
freedom and fairness, and he was
prepared to accept any verdict.
The verdict in three general elecſ.
tions was in favour of the Cong
ress under him. But Jawaharlal
knew it could not go on for ever
and that the Congress was losing
in idealism, energy, and popularity.
He was also prepared to consider
proposals to make elections chea
per and possible for the poorer
candidates. There were no consi
dered proposals, and he rejected
proportional representation as
leading to weak governments and
even to weak legislatures.
Parliamentary democracy, to
Jawaharlal, was one form of demo
cracy, and the best possible, be
cause other forms of democracy,
apart from the American demo
cracy or the Soviet democracy,
were not shining success. It did
not prevent democratic decentrali
sation; a broad base of local self
government with substantial de
volution of power would sustain it
and give it vigour; and it was with
great enthusiasm that he inaugu
rated the scheme of democratic de
centralisation. Parliamentary de
mocracy, like all forms of demo
cracy, was government by discus
sion; in addition, it was responsi
ble government.
Throughout the years of the
council-entry programme of the
Swarajists, Jawaharlal had not
cared to enter the legislatures;
he had only helped others to entel
them, and as soon as he entered
the Constituent Assembly, he
showed a grand flair for discussion.
There was no need for him to ac
quire any tricks of speech, but he
had always had the democratic
sense and found the democratic
process easy of practice. He had
the gifts of response and commu
nication, and responsible govern
ment was no problem for him.
Though he had been accustomed
:
to the wide open spaces, the legis
lative chamber was congenial to
him and he always achieved rap
port with the House, first in the
Constituent Assembly as Parlia
ment and then in the first Parlia
ment under Constitution, after the
first general elections in 1952.
There have been rarely parallels
to his mastery of the House, mas
Continued on Page 30
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

Nehru On Constituent Assemblies
In History—And Our Own
More than most modern Indians,
Nehru possessed and cultivated a
deep awareness of his country's
past. This sense of history stands
out in his speech to the Consti
tuent Assembly in 1946 as it pre
pared to adopt its basic “Declara
tion of Objectives.”
As I stand here, Sir, I feel the
weight of all manner of things
crowding upon me. We are at the
end of an era and possibly very
soon we shall embark upon a new
age; and my mind goes back to
the great past of India, to the 5,000
years of India's history, from the
very dawn of that history which
might be considered almost the
dawn of human history, till today.
All that past crowds upon me
and exhilarates me and, at the
same time, somewhat oppresses
me. Am I worthy of that past?
When I think also of the future,
the greater future I hope, stand
ing on this sword's edge of the
present between the mighty past
and the mightier future I tremble
a little and feel overwhelmed by
this mighty task.
We have come here at a strange
moment in India's history. I do
not know, but I do feel, that there
is some magic in this movement
of transition from the old to the
new, something of that magic
which one sees when the night
turns into day and even though
the day may be a cloudy one, it
is day, after all, for when the
clouds move away, we can see the
Sun again.
NEW ERA
Because of all this I find a little
difficulty in addressing this House
and putting all my ideas before
it and I feel also that in this long
succession of thousands of years,
I see the mighty figures that have
•ome and gone and I see also the
long succession of our comrades
who have laboured for the free
dom of India. And now we stand
800IALIST INDIA
on the verge of this passing age,
trying, laboring, to usher in the
new. I am sure the House will feel
the solemnity of this moment and
will endeavour to treat this Re
solution which it is my proud pri
vilege to place before it in a cor
respondingly solemn manner.
I believe there are a large num
ber of amendments coming be
fore the House. I have not seen
most of them. It is open to the
House, to any member of this
House, to move any amendment
and it is for the House to accept
it or reject it, but I would with all
respect suggest that this is not
the movement for us to be techni
cal and legal about small mat
ters when we have big things to
face, big things to say and big
things to do, and, therefore, I
hope that the House will consider
this Resolution in the broadminded
manner and not lose itself in
wordy quarrels and squabbles.
FRENCH EXAMPLE
I think also of the various Cons
tituent Assemblies that have gone
before and of what took place at
the making of the great Ameri
can nation when the fathers of
that nation met and fashioned a
constitution which has stood the
test for so many years, more than
a century and a half, and of the
great nation that has resulted,
which has been built up on the
basis of that constitution.
My mind goes back to that
mightly revolution which took
place also over one hundred fifty
years ago, and the Constituent
Assembly that met in that graci
ous and lovely city of Paris which
has fought so many battles for
freedom. My mind goes back to
the difficulties that Constituent
Assembly had to face from the
King and other authorities, and still
it continued. The House will re
member that when these difficul
ties came and even the room for
- - 29
a meeting was denied to that Cons
tituent Assembly, they betook
themselves to an open tennis court
and met there and took the oath,
which is called the oath of the
Tennis Court. They continued
meeting in spite of Kings, in spite
of the others, and did not dis
perse till they had finished the
task they had undertaken.
Well, I trust that it is in that
solemn spirit that we too are meet
ing here and that we too whether
we meet in this chamber or in
other chambers, or in the fields or
in the market place, will go on
meeting and continue our work till
we have finished it.
Then my mind goes back to
more recent revolution which gave
rise to a new type of state, the
revolution that took place in
Russia and out of which has arisen
the Union of the Soviet Socialist
Republics, another mighty coun
try which is playing a tremendous
part in the world, not only a
mighty country, but for us in
India, a neighbouring country.
So our mind goes back to these
great examples and we seek to
learn from their success and to
avoid their failures. Perhaps, we
may not be able to avoid failures,
because Some measures of failure
is inherent in human effort. Never
theless, we shall advance, I am cer
tain, in spite of obstruction and
difficulties, and achieve and realise
the dream that we have dreamt
so long.
(From Jawaharlal Nehru's “In
dependence and After”).
READ
SUGILIST
|RDIſ.
REGULARLY
RºPUBLIC DAY NUMBE - 1975

AT LUCKNOW, IN 1936:
Nehru's Vision Of The Indian Republic
(Extract from the presidential
address to the Lucknow Congress
session).
I am convinced that the only
key to the solution of the world's
problems and of India's problems
lies in Socialism and when I use
this word I do so not in a vague
humanitarian way but in the
scientific, economic sense.
Socialism is, however, something
even more than an economic doc
trine; it is a philosophy of life
and as such also it appeals to me.
I see no way of ending the
poverty, the vast unemployment
the degradation and the subjec
tion of the Indian people except
through Socialism. That involves
vast and revolutionary changes in
our political and social structure,
the ending of vested interests in
land and industry, as well as the
feudal and autocratic Indian States
system. That means the ending of
private property, except in a res
tricted sense, and the replacement
of the present profit system by a
higher ideal of cooperative service.
It means ultimately a change in
our instincts and habits and de
sires. In short, it means a new
civilisation, radically different
from the present capitalist order.
RUSSIAN EXAMPLE
Some glimpse we can have of
this new civilisation in the terri
tories of the USSR. Much has
happened there which has pained
me greatly and with which I dis
agree, but I look upon that great
and fascinating unfolding of a
new order and a new civilisation
as the most promising feature of
our dismal age. If the future is
full of hope it is largely because
of Soviet Russia and what it has
done, and I am convinced that if
some world catastrophe does not
intervene, this new civilisation will
spread to other lands and put an
end to the wars and conflicts
which capitalism feeds.
NOCIALIST INDIA
I do not know how or when this
new order will come to India. I
imagine that every country will
fashion it after its own way and
fit it in with its national genius.
But the essential basis of that
order must remain and be a link
in this world order that will
emerge out of the present chaos.
Socialism is thus for me not
merely an economic doctrine which
I favour; it is a vital creed which
I hold with all my head and heart.
I work for Indian Independence
because the nationalist in me
cannot tolerate alien domination!
I work for it even more because
for me it is the inevitable step to
social and economic changes.
I should like the Congress to
become a Socialist organisation and
to join hands with the other forces
in the world who are working for
the new civilisation. But I realise
that the majority, in the Congress,
as it is constituted today, may not
be prepared to go thus far. We
are a nationalist organisation and
we think and work on the nation
alist plane.
It is evident enough now that
this is too narrow even for the
limited objective of political inde
pendence, and so we talk of the
massess and their economic needs.
But still most of us hesitate, be
cause of our nationalist back
grounds, to take a step which
might frighten away some vested
interests. Most of those interests
are already ranged against us and
we can expect little from opposi
tion even in the political struggle.
Much as I wish for the advance
ment of Socialism in this country,
I have no desire to force the issue
in the Congress and thereby create
difficulties in the way of our
struggle for Independence. I shall
cooperate gladly and with all the
strength in me with all those who
work for Independence even
-
– —
A FLASHBACK
though they do not agree with
the Socialist solution. But I shall
do so stating my position frankly
and can hoping in course of time
to convert the Congress and the
country to it, for only thus can I
see it achieving Independence.
It should surely be possible for
all of us who believe in Indepen
dence to join our ranks together
even though we might differ on
the social issue. The Congress has
been in the past a broad front re
presenting various opinions joined
together by that common bond.
It must continue as such even
though the difference of those
opinions becomes more marked.
How does Socialism fit in with
the present ideology of the Cong
ress? I do not think it does. I
believe in the rapid industrialisa
tion of the country and only thus
I think will the standards of the
people raise substantially and
poverty be combated.
NEHRU AND CONSTITUTION
Continued from Page 28
tery of its moods and not so much
mastery of its procedure, except
in the best days of Pitt, Palmers
ton or Churchill. He was easily
the best parliamentarian the coun
try has known because of the res
pect he unfailingly showed for
the House and the easy, natural,
and effective way in which he had
been long trained on his great
tours. His accent was impeccable;
it was not an Indian's imitation of
English speech; it was an Indian
speaking in English in an easy,
assured way, and he mostly spoke
in English from respect to non
Hindi-speaking members. He was
his own leader of the House, and
the best possible. Even after the
Chinese attack of 1962, he was
more alert and active than any
of his colleagues.
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 Bill [00ſ IBASIS Wily (AIIlālāſa is
faWDUIällt íſli |N|S|| |||||||||N

Rich natural resouces, mineral, A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

positive approach towards
industrial development of the State,

ºut it
A well developed infrastructure
including a string of financial 8
development agencies like
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC 8: KIADB,
\º
º, Dº
A package of incentives subsidy,
on project reports, supply of land,
water 8 power at concessional
rates, price preference etc.,

Financial assistance to educated

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur.

For details, please contact:

\ DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560 001
i
*0CIAList INDIA REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 B|HAR
AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE
FIFTH FIVE-YEAR PLAN
The Fifth Five Year Plan of the State provides for removal
of regional imbalance, creation of more job opportunities and
achievement of self-reliant and self-generating economy.
It envisages
Agriculture:- Highest priority to agricultural production
with the completion of major and medium
irrigation projects.
Increase in foodgrains of about 100 lakh
to 150 lakh tonnes. Cereal production to
be increased from 92 lakh tonnes to about
133 lakh tonnes.
Increase in Jute production from about 3
lakh bales to 105 lakh bales.
In sugar production increase of 83%.
Sinking of additional 5,000 high capacity
State Tube wells and 25,000 large diametre
Wells.
Power:- About 36 lakh additional pump connections
for lift irrigation and power supply to 24,000
more villages.
Education:- Free and compulsory education to all chil
dren in the age group of 6 to 11 years.
Enrolment of 20 lakh more children in the
age group of 11-14 years.
Special facilities for girl education and mid
day meals.
All attention to girl education.
Stress on adult literacy programme.
Public Health:- Water supply to 17,000 villages, protected
water supply to urban population, one Pub
lic Health Centre complex with 6 in-patient
beds at each block headquarters. One up
graded centre for every 30,000 persons in
block with two in-patient beds.
Intensification of Family Planning and Wex
fare Programme.
Housing:- Construction of subsidised integrated hous
ing (rental) 20,000 units.
Cheap houses for Hire purchase—20,000
units.
Subsidised Industrial Housing — 20,000
units.
Communication:- Top priority to spill over scheme of 438 km
Road length, surfacing of 1,736 KM of rural
roads, Road Bridge over Ganga at Patna
and roads in sugar factory and mining
areas.

Issued by the Director

Information & Public Relations, Bihar.

social,IST INDIA 32 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

PARLIANMENTARY DEMOCRACY IN INDIA
Some Significant Features
(The author is the doyen of
political scientists).
....I have described democracy
as government by the people. In
doing so, I have accepted the
meaning given to the term by the
older thinkers such as John Stuart
Mill and Abraham Lincoln, and
have not accepted the wider
meaning given to the term by
modern thinkers including, in our
own country, Gandhi. Jawaharlal
Nehru, ad Radhakrishnan. These
latter are inclined to conceive of
democracy, not only as a form of
government but a form of society,
a way of life whose essentials are
equality and fraternity.
Thus said Gandhi: “My notion
of democracy is that under it the
weakest should have the same
opportunity as the strongest.”
(“Harijan.” May 18, 1940).
Radhakrishnan, the distinguish
ed philosopher, thinks that it is
at once a political arrangement
(adult suffrage), an economic
approach (equal opportunities for
all), and an ethical way of life
(appeal to reason). (S. Radha
krishnan's “Occasional Speeches
and Writings”).
To Jawaharlal Nehru “demo
cracy means equality, and demo
cracy can flourish only in an
equal society.” (“Glimpses of World
History”). Such factors as eco
nomic equality and fraternal feel
ing are desirable and make for
the optimum success of democracy,
but I suggest that in defining
terms we should keep to their
intrinsic essentials and not include
the elements which make for its
optimum success. “There is no
political idea”, said Gladstone,
"which has entered less into the
formation of the political system
of this country (Britain) than the
love of equality.”
Speaking of India, Lal Bahadur
Shastri told the Subjects Com
mittee of the Indian National
*0CIAhlst INDIA
Congress on January 6, 1964 at
Bhubaneshwar : “There are a few
in the upper strata of society who
earn as much as Rs. 30,000 a
month while the poorest do not
get even Rs. 30”. (“Congress
Bulletin”—1963-64).
:- $: ::
It is remarkable that democracy
as a form of government has been
accepted in India without ques
tion; the acquaintance of our
elite with British political ideas
and institutions for over a century
and a half must largely explain
this acceptance. I do not hold
the view that this acceptance is
partly because democracy is in
our tradition. I am aware that
distinguished scholars and public
men—Jayaprakash Narayan for
instance—have held the view that
democracy is not quite new to
India, having worked in ancient
India, more especially through
village assemblies.
LARGEST DEMOCRACY
This is not the context to dis
cuss this historical question. I
need only say that it is difficult
to go earlier than 1917—to the
historic declaration by Montague
in the House of Commons—for the
beginnings of the system of gov
ernment adopted in our Constitu
tion. The progressive realisation
of responsible government in India
was then announced as the goal,
an electorate; through restricted,
was created; and the system of
partial responsibility was intro
duced through dyarchy.
In 1950, we adopted a full-fledg
ed democracy including adult
suffrage, periodical elections, and
the Fundamental Rights of free
speech, press and association, and
Parliamentary executive more or
less adopting the basic British
political institutions in this
regard.
º tº º
Some of us often say proudly
§§
DR. A. APPADORAI
that India is the largest demo
cracy in the world; this is, of
course, a fact. We have well over
216 million electors, more than
the number of electors in any
democratic country. In the third
General Elections, held in 1962,
the total number of electors who
voted in the contested Parliamen
tary constituencies was over 118
million, i.e., 54.80 per cent of the
total number of electors on the
rolls of those constituencies.
(The Corresponding figure in the
second General Elections was 47.54
per cent).
In the 12 States where the
General Elections to the Legisla
tive Assemblies were held in 1962,
the total electorate was over 196
million and the average voter
participation in the contested
Assembly Constituencies came to
56.29 per cent of the electorate,
as compared with 48.23 per cent
in 1957.
Largeness apart, it is also now
recognised that the elections were
also free and fair and were held
in a peaceful atmosphere. The
Election Commission, which is a
body recognised by the Constitu
tion and has a status independent
of the Executive, remarks in its
reports on the Elections. (“Report
on the first General Elections in
India 1951-52”).
“Looking back on what has been
achieved during the first General
Elections in India, it can be con
fidently claimed that the elections
were free and fair. This has been
acknowledged universally and the
country has taken its due place
amongst the domocratic nations
of the world... (The voters) have
earned world-wide admiration by
the orderly and peaceful manner
in which they went to the polls.
“The high standards set up in
the first General Elections were
fully maintained And it can per
AltRUBLIC bay NUMBER 1878
haps now be legitimately claimed
that free and fair elections have
come to stay and become part of
the Indian political life. (“Report
on the second General Elections
in India”).
“The mammoth electorate con
sisting of 218 million adult citi
zens was called upon to go to the
polls for the most part during the
period of ten days between Febru
ary 16 and 25 1962, and to choose
its representatives in the legis
The fact that it did so in
latures.
a peaceful and orderly fashion and
that the elections were brought to
a successful conclusion without
any serious hitch anywhere is
sufficient testimony, not only to
the political stability of India and
the efficiency of its administration,
but even more significantly to the
faith it has in Parliamentary
democracy and free elections.”
(“Report of the third General
Elections in India”).
A foreign observer—a political
scientist—commenting on the first
two General Elections has this to
say: “The two General Elections
that have been held were im
pressive demonstrations of the
ability of a largely illiterate people
to exercise the franchise wisely.”
(N.D. Palmer's “The Indian Poli
tical System”).
-
+ + +
REPRESENTATIVE NATURE
One of the essentials of Parlia
mentary democracy is that Parlia
ment must be truly representative
of the nation. We . have adult
suffrage in India, one person, one
vote, and the theory is that, since
political equality exists, the votes
of all the electorate should neces
sarily make Parliament a truly
representative body, each party
getting a number of seats
proportion to its strength among
the voters.
A study of the figures relating to
the third General Elections to the
PSP
CPI
Jana Sangh
Swatantrå
-
tfrom "Report on the third general Elections in India”),
*ētºrº INRIA * -- \ *4
Lok Sabha, for instance, shows
that this is not necessarily true.
Taking the four major parties
which contested the elections, the
Congress Party secured 72.06 per
cent of the seats (361), while
securing only 44.72 per cent of the
votes polled (51,512,243 votes).
The corresponding figures for
four other parties are given in
the table below.
The disparity between the per
centage of seats won and percen
tage of votes polled is obvious.
It might appear as if the 4.38 per
cent voters who voted for the PSP
4.67 per cent voters who voted
for the CPI, 3.61 per cent voters
who voted for Jana Sangh, and
2.35 per cent voters who voted
for the Swatantra Party had no
representative; their votes must
be deemd to have been wasted. The
representative system is, it is said,
distorted when the legislature does
not include members of every im
portant opinion and interest in
the community roughly in pro
portion to its strength in the coun
try.
This prima facie conclusion is,
I suggest, unreal. Obviously, in a
system of single-member consti
tuencies which have been adopted
in India for most of the constitue
ncies the candidate with a majo
rity (of plurality in case there
are more than two candidates
contesting a constituency) of
voters wins, and therefore, the
impression is left that the mino
rity of voters are not represented.
Nothing is farther from the truth.
Burke's classic statement on the
relation between a member and
his constituency ended with the
words: “You choose a member
indeed, but when you have chosen
in him, he is not member of Bristol,
but he is a member of Parliament”.
(Burke did not say “he is a mem
ber representing the majority in
Bristol.”)
per cent per cent
2.43 6.81
5.87 9.94
2.83 6.44
4.45 8.19
-:
~-
-...- -- *-* *
--> ********-
This apart, even the distortion
of the representative system re
ferred to above has been, I sug
gest, exaggerated. Laski and Finer
have argued that the horizon of
a minority is not limited to the
boundaries of a constituency; the
disproportionate representation of
minorities will occur only when
the constituencies are so arranged
that the minority opinion is in the
minority in all or most of the
constituencies.
It is significant that Gladstone,
introducing the Re-distribution
Bill of 1885, defended the single
member system on the ground
that if provided for minority re
presentation, “it may be termed
the representation of minorities:
it may be termed the representa
tion to separate interests and
pursuits; but, give it what name
you like there is nodoubt that by
means of non-member districts
you obtain a very large diversity
of representation.” (“Second Lok
Sabha. Activities and Achieve
ments: 1957-62”).
FAIR SHARE
We have said that the Congress,
as the ruling party all these years,
has had a comfortable majority;
this must not be taken to mean
that the Opposotion had no say
in law-making, or financial legisla
tion or in deliberation. It is true
that the Opposition has been weak
and divided among itself, but
certain rules of Parliamentary
procedure and conventions have,
rightly, given them a place in
Parliament's work out of propor
tion to their numbers. For ex
ample, in the Lok Sabha while the
Opposition commands only one
fourth of the strength of the
House, by agreement the Speaker
has allocated time between the
Government and the Opposition
parties in the proportion of 60 to
40. Further, the Opposition is
given representation on the
various Parliamentary Commit
tees of the House a little more
than their representation in the
House entitles them to; further,
they are also given a fair chance
by the Speaker to become Chair
man of such Committees.
º ºt +
Above all, four Parliamentary
Committees have done yeoman \
*...-- Rººt/Rºlº DAY MUMRºº lºº
- \
service in being a watchdog of the Competent experts take the
administration. The Public Accou that the Committee
nts Committee, originally set up effective in being a watchdog
in 1923 and reorganised as a the administration.
Parliamentary Committee in 1950,
not only checks the Audit Papers The Committee on subordinate
of the Comptroller and Auditor legislation, established in Decem
General and other records for ber 1953, studies all
technical irregularities but also legislation, and reports to the Lok
brings into the open evidences of Sabha “whether all the
waste, corruption, and inefficiency delegated by Parliament have been
in the conduct of the nation's properly exercised within the
financial affairs. framework of the statute delegat
+ + + ing such powers.” The Committee
on Government Assurances,
COMMITTEES established in December 1953, has
The Estimates Committee was the following functions: “To
scrutinise the assurances,
created in 1950 to examine depart
mises, undertakings, etc., given by
mental estimates. It is empowered
to call upon the Ministeries of the Ministers from time to time on
the floor of the House and to re
Government of India to furnish
material in support of their esti port on (a) the extent to which
such assurances have been imple
mates and examine witnesses from
mented; and (b) where imple
the departments under examina
mented, whether such implemen
tion. While the primary aim of
the Committee is to see if the tations have taken
funds have been used with due minimum time necessary for
regard to economy, they have purpose.” The Report issued by
not hestitated to go beyond their the Departmenst of Parliamentary
terms of reference and “recom Affairs 1966-67 is an impressive
mend in the name of efficiency document. It shows that the Gov
large administrative reforms and ernment is fully alive to the ful
even reorientations of policy.” filling of the promises made by
view them on the floor of Parliament.
has been During the year 1966, 1,542
of assurances, promises and under
takings given by Ministers on the
floor of the two Houses were ex
tracted from the proceedings—
1106 in the Lok Sabha and 436
delegated in the Rajya Sabha.
The position of assurances on
powers November 7, 1966 was that 98 per
cent assurances had been imple
mented up to the thirteenth ses
sion, 94.51 per cent to the four
teenth session and 88.66 per cent
also
up to the fifteenth of the third Lok
Sabha.
pro The position in respect of third
Lok Sabha and corresponding pe
riod of the Rajya Sabha is also
reassuring: 95.16 per cent of the
assurances given in the Lok Sabha,
and 93.46 per cent of the assuran
ces given in the Rajya Sabha
stand implemented upto April 8,
1967.
place in the
the Extracts from Dr. A. Appadoſ.
rai's lecture at the University of
Rajasthan delivered in October,
1968 and published in his book
“Essays in Indian politics and
Foreign Policy”—Vikas Publica
tions, Delhi 6.

- - - g - -

% a
R WBSEB.SWitching Ona
F brighter tomorrow -

WBSEB supplies power to North and South Bengal for agriculture,

industry, railways, domestic and commercial consumptions. In addition
it caters to Calcutta's requirements. Both in 1973 and 1974 the
Board had to operate all the four units of its Bandel Plant for more
than half the year, to help Calcutta in its months of crisis. Also
the new Plant at Santaldih has been making -

available power to DVC for transmission to

Calcutta. In North Bengal Jaldhaka continues
to be a major source of stable power.
PROJECTS : Both Bandel and Santaldih are on expansion'. The 2nd
Santaldih unit will shortly be transmitting power through the new
220 KV direct line to Calcutta while another giant plant comprising
three 200 MW units is in the making at Kolaghat. The hydel
projects at Jaldhaka and Kurseong are also on expansion'.
RURAL ELECTRIFICATION : Power has now reached nearly 10,000
villages in the State. This incidentally means about 7,000
villages have been electrified in just over thirty months. -

FINANCE: The Board is doing all it can to raise resources.

Recently there has been an upward revision of tariff to cover higher
rates of fuel, freight and other items. Smooth flow of funds from
• financial institutions will ensure timely completion of projects for the
S. targeted increase in generation of power by more
º than 1000 MW by the end of 5th Plan.
: - GEARED TO THE WEED
3. º FOR MORE POWER
§ - - WEST BENGAL STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD

WYOUALIST INDIA w 85 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975


M. CHALAPATHI RAU on
Aspects Of Parliamentary
Democracy In India
The Indian Constitution was the work of many
minds, most of them legal and not revolutionary
minds. But nobody outside them contributed
ideas and the authorship, which must be taken to be
largely anonymous, reflects political wisdom, know
ledge of constitutional theory, and to an extent the
dominant economic interests of the period. The
possible political consequences, which are as yet
inexhaustible, raise the question which Lincoln asked:
Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for
the liberties of its own people or too weak to main
tain its own existence?
The attempt to classify constitutions is unending.
Under the present fashionable phraseology, the
Indian Constitution provides for the Parliamentary
type of government as against the Presidential type.
The drift away from democracy in several countries
takes the constitutional form of a Presidential type
of democracy.
There have been dictators who have been voted
to power through a plebiscite, but without the reality
of a democratic process. The distrust which
being spread against political parties is also a trend
towards the easy short cut of the dictatorship of a
person, class or elite. In the search for strong
governments, some Asian countries too have turned
from the Parliamentary executive to the non
Parliamentary executive, with none of the American
respect for law or fundamental rights.
Republics can be amenable to bursts of ignorance
and popular prejudice. Those who in the last cen
tury argued that low franchise meant slaves, not
independent voters, had reason on their side and the
example of Napoleon III's plebiscites. Mehemet Ali
of Egypt asked what a republic was. He was told :
“When Egypt becomes a republic, you will be the
people, and the people could be the Pashaw.”
BASIC DEMOCRACY
The experiment of guided democracy or basic
democracy has been shown to be either nearer to
dictatorship than to democracy or more imperfect
than Parliamentary democracy. The Presidential
system, a fashion in Latin America, has grave un
certainties; it deprives the people of ultimate initia
tive and gives no guarantee of a succession of good
leadership. The alternatives of indirect elections,
rule by committees, referendum and recall have only
emphasised that politics is the art of the possible.
Those who despair of Parliamentary democracy
working well in Indian conditions are thinking too
literally of May's Parliamentary practice and are
SOCIALIST INDIA - *-i-
bewildered by the fun that British commentators
make of the archaic features of democracy in
Britain. -
Indians do not possess the long British expe
rience, but they have common sense, they know
their interests, and they can discuss their problems.
There are doubts about the capacity of Parlia.
mentary democracy to solve pressing economie
problems immediately, but it only means that no
democracy can. In the present pulls of power poli
tics, the political parties run the danger of dis
any crediting themselves so much that people may think
of the rule of Major-Generals.
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
Parliamentary Democracy is not a post-freedom
development in India. From the time of Lord
Cross's Act, right through the Minto-Morley and
Montague-Chelmsford periods, the Indian people had
experience of legislative work. Gokhale had mature
Parliamentary temper; Motilal Nehru would have
done credit to any opposition in any Parliament. It
was unfortunate that some good Parliamentarians
of the Opposition parties were unseated in the last
elections. A too pessimistic view of public life,
however, might be an exaggerated view; the talk of
political intrigue may have been overdome. The
autobiographies of British statesmen show how
intrigues become possible even among British poli
tical parties. When Lord John Russell wished to
upset the government, says Jennings, he did not
is move a resolution in the House of Commons; he
held a private converse with a press lord and called
a meeting at the Carlton Club. In India, leaders of
cabals and cliques call for special correspondents,
inspire misleading stories and start signature cam
paigns. These and even Parnellite obstructionism
and planned disturbances in legislatures may be
passing phases. With the Congress maintaining its
majorities throughout the country in three General
Elections, Opposition parties do not feel they are
alternative governments, but they are gaining con
fidence that the Congress can be defeated at least
in some States to begin with. They have faith in
the freedom and fairness of General Elections, and
it encourages faith in Parliamentary Democracy.
(Excerpts from “Fragments of A Revolution”
by M. Chalapathi Rau, published by Pergamon Press,
Oxford. 12sh. 6d.).
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
****** --~~~~ REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
- - - - ----

National Integration Viewed As
An Epitome Of The Nehru Era
Jawaharlal Nehru's peace-maker
role in Indian democracy has
synonymity with his epoch
making endeavour to erect the
edifice of common citizenship on
the foundation of fellow-feeling,
unity in diversity, freedom of re
ligion, secularism, equality, socio
economic and political justice and
communal harmony in the noble
cause of national unity and soli
darity. As an apostle of peace and
an indefatigable reformer of social,
political and ethical values, he
amalgamated the fragmentary but
constructive social forces into a
master synthesis to attain an in
tegral social structure. Nehru era
witnessed the foregloom of a psy
chological process involving the
development of a sense of belong
ing, a feeling of togetherness and
a spirit of unity, cohesion and
motivation of a patriotic desire.
For nearly half a century Nehru
dominated the Indian political
scene ruling the hearts of Indians
and shaping their destiny. Nehru
had innumerable dreams and
visions but he was also the na
tion's “man of action”. World his
tory has denominated him as one
Of the staunchest defenders of the
cause of tolerance, of freedom and
of peace. India received the three
gifts of “democracy, secularism
and planned national living” from
the late Prime Minister. These con
tributions have reinforced national
unity and purpose.
When communal incidents and
other divisive conflicts surfaced in
many parts of India, Nehru abated
these forces of disintegration with
the doctrine of secularism which
his great mentor, Mahatma Gandhi
had preached and practised. The
Nehru era was preoccupied with
systamatically transplanting the
Gandhian seedling of moral prin
ciples everywhere on the Indian
Soil. The philosophy of secularism
is that morality should be based
BOCIALIST INDIA
V. V. JOSEPH
on regard for the well-being of
mankind. This is indeed a manifes
tation of love, sympathy, magna
nimity and largeness of heart.
FUNDAMENTAL, UNITY
Our fundamentals of thought
and policy, according to Nehru,
must be shared between all reli
gious communities. India as a well
knit nation of integrated people
with their enjoyment of respective
cultures must nave a common out
look on certain fundamentals of
the constitution. Nehru's period
.
Courtesyi: Attar Singh
refined the scope of secularism so
as to promote the paramount ideal
of national integration. Nehru
handed over to his people the
message of fundamental unity of
the country and asked them to
forget the parochial and provin
cial approaches. He fought against
all the barriers of caste, religion
and language to raise the quality
of our national life.
Nehru's India heard at twilight,
the conch-blow, the peal of church
37
bell and the muessin's call, all
joining into a montage of religi
ous amity.
India's diversity is not inimical
to unity but its diversity enriches
the unity. National integration re
fers to a condition of unity in
diversity in which all components
are equally valued and mutually
dependent. If there is only amity
then integration is not necessary
and if there is only diversity then
integration is not possible.
This thought-process is not a
conversion of diversities into uni
formities but a confluence of
diversities achieved through the
confluence of cultures without
loosing their integrity. It connotes
a Social climate in which all the
citizens can live a life of tran
quility with devotion to the com
mon purpose of building a strong
and united country. Fissiparous
and disruptive elements were
really a fabric of inhuman ortho
doxies which vanished like snow
during the Nehru era.
The task of strengthening the
forces of integration is the col
lective responsibility of all citi
zens, politicians, educationists,
journalists and people of all walks
of life. With this end in mind,
the Nehru moved millions of peo
ple to take part in the process of
promoting a sense of oneness and
of social awareness and identifica
tion with mass welfare. He had
propelled his people to make his
tory in this respect.
NATIONAL INTEGRATION
National integration as a dyna
mic inner process gathered mo
mentum when the Nehru Govern
ment for the first time set up the
National Integraiton Council in
1962, under Smt. Indira Gandhi's
chairmanship. Its reconstituted
Council studied the factors threa
tening the unity of the country.
The Council realised that wide pub
licity through radio, television,
films and press should preach
amity between Hindus and Mus
lims. The National Integration
Council met in Srinagar in 1968
under her presidentship and de
clared that communal conticts
and regional animosities must be
eradicated. It wanted to mobilise
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 opinion in favour of national unity
and solidarity and to devise suit
able community activities. Smt.
Indira Gandhi has sucessfully ex
ecuted these objectives
Nehru.
FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY
After his first intellectual inter
course with Gandhi in 1916, Nehru
followed the Gandhian path of
truth, non-violence and purity of
means in India's historic freedom
struggle. According to Rabindra
nath Tagore, “He had never fought
shy of truth when it was danger
ous, nor made alliance with false
hood when it would be conveni
ent.” The Indian National Cong
ress in the early days was criticis
ed as an “urban club for the rich.”
Gandhiji and Panditji converted it
into a party of the masses and un
der Nehru's presidentship it adopt
ed the resolution of complete in
dependence at the Lahore session
in 1929. All Indians like
man joined the freedom struggle
which produced the essential in
gredients of national integration.
Nehru held the vision of a free and
prosperous India with opportunity
for all to live a full life.
He initiated and suggested for
the liberation of dependent coun
tries and of colonial people. The
question of apartheid was raised
several times in the United Na
tions on account of Nehru's in
cessant attack on it.
At the national level, he
tirelesly worked for rural-urban
nexus, good relations between the
rich and the poor. He had put in
his sincere efforts to abolish the
conflicts between the core commu
nity and the fringe community.
He toiled hard to bring the Sche
duled Tribes and Harijans into the
mainstream of national life. For
the uplift of the tribals, Nehru
saw the need for reformers who
can mingle with the weaker sec
tions of the community, and emo
tionally involve with their prob
lems. Nehru's Tribal “Panchshila”.
meant to protect the tribals and
to integrate them with rest of the
vast Indian family which is far
ahead in the march of civilisation.
When India became free Nehru
said: “We have made a tryst with
- t
SOCIALIST INDIA
destiny.” And from then on he were accepted by other nations
worked for the good of the peo ultimately in some form or the
ple. He was actively associated other. He could rally a number
with planned development of the of nations to his side. His doctrine
after country. From 1951 to 1964 he was of non-alignment became valid
the Chairman of the Planning when more than 50 non-aligned
Comimssion, during which the nations met at Cairo in 1964 to
first three Five-Year Plans were discuss international problems. He
formulated. His concept of planned waved the olive branch of peace
economic growth was meant to the to all countries and supported
social and of eradicating poverty. Kennedy's view that, “We do not
He warned the people that “Inde fear to negotiate, but we do not
pendence would have no meaning negotiate out of fear”.
unless we can SOcialise the coun
try and raise the standard of the
people.”
WORLD PEACE
In brief, national integration,
º
could be called an epitome of the
PLANNED LIVING Nehru Era, which blended the
different elements of our national
The world has recognised Nehru life and moulded our thought as
as one of the powerful champions of one nation and one people.
of the ideals of internationalism He was ceaselessly engaged in
and pacificism. He initiated the freeing men's minds from economic
experiment of personal contacts slavery, political bondage and -
between the Heads of the States cultural stagnation. Institutions,
so as to enlarge the area of peace. universities and awards named
The partial Test Ban Treaty signed after Nehru perpetuate not only
one by the three nuclear powers of the the great name of Jawaharlal
world was his brain-child. He en Nehru but go a step further to
unciated “Five Principles of perpetuate Nehru's valuable prin
foreign policy (Panch Shila) which ciples and doctrines.
For Quality Knitwears
and
had
Wearing Apparels
Contact
PHILSONS,
BALEPET
BANGALORE CITY.
*]-,-- REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

20 Years Of Indo-Soviet
Economic Cooperation
GIRISH MISHRA
The author belongs to the Delhi School of
Economics.
During the last twenty-five years, India success
fully maintained its terriorial integrity and federal
unity in spite of dire prophesies casting doubts on
the chances of India's survival as a nation. Even
today such speculations are not rare. However. India
resisted external pressures on its foreign policy and
followed the path of independent economic develop
ment. For this bold stand, a good part of the cre
dit go to the political and economic support of the
Soviet Union in the formative years of the Indian
nation.
The agreement with the Soviet Union in Februa
ry 1955 for the establishment of the Bhilai Steel
Plant was the beginning of a strong Public Sector
in the Indian economy. Later, the Soviet Union help
ed India to set up a number of units in other basic
and heavy industries. Thus, India came to acquire
a strong industrial foundation, and created an infra
structure for both rapid industrialisation and diver
sification of the economy.
Soviet assistance for the development of ferrous
and non-ferrous metals, oil, power, heavy machine
ry, coal, precision instruments pharmaceuticals and
Others not only gave a boost to the growth of the
Public Sector but also accelerated and diversifie
economic development. It is the emergence of this
Public Sector which weathered many storms in
India's life during the past two decades.
BALANCED GROWTH
It was recognised by the leaders of India's free
dom struggle that without an independent economy,
with a strong modern industrial sector, political
freedom would not be safe nor could it be meaning
ful for the masses. Jawaharlal Nehru understood the
situation, as also the urgency of building a modern
independent economy in India. The public sector was
used as an instrument for balanced regional econo
mic development, without which the separatist ten
dencies and movements could not be checked.
From this point of view, Soviet economic assis
tance was a great significance, for every part of
India has benefited, one way or the other, through
A judicious location of plants,
Woo!Allºr inbla
Indo-Soviet economic cooperation helped India to
create pre-requisites for the development of backward
areas and regions. The establishment of a steel
plant at Bhilai, another at Bokaro, an oil refinery at
Barauni, an antibiotics plant at Rishikesh, a heavy
electrical equipment plant at Hardwar, thermal
plants at Neyveli, Korba, Obra, Patratu, and Har
duaganj and hydro-power stations at Bhakra, Hira
kud, Mettur, Balimela, and Lower Sileru, and a heavy
engineering plant at Ranchi, to name only a few,
have opened up possibilities for the economic deve
lopment of the areas and regions where they have
been located. Thus by contributing towards the re
moval of regional economic imbalances, Indo-Soviet
economic cooperation has helped national integration
of India and defeat the separatist tendencies and
movements.
SOUND ECONOMY
With the help of the Soviet Union, India could
solve the problem of securing capital and technology
which in no way impinged on the foreign and inter.
nal policies of the Government of India. Soviet assis
tance came to India without any political strings,
and on easy terms, which in turn compelled the capi
talist countries to modify their own stand with rº
gard to aid. If India can today talk on equal terms
with the advanced capitalist countries, it is not only
because of the all-round development of the Indian
economy but of the growth of self-reliance.
Soviet assistance has been of great significance
for the growth of India's economic independence.
Today, planning is more firmly entrenched in the
Indian economy. Indo-Soviet cooperation played a
major part to bring this about. Though India began
economic planning in 1950-51 when it launched its
First Five-Year Plan, the real beginning was made
only in 1955-56 when, with the signing of the first eco
nomic agreement, Soviet assistance was assured not
only for the development of basic industries but also
for all-round growth of the economic life of the na
tion.
With the help of a strong Public Sector, the
Government of India is now in a position to inter
vene in economic matters and do so with greater ef
fectiveness. For example had there been no oil indus
try of its own, India could not have successfully re
sisted the machinations of international oil cartels
at a number of crucial moments. The same is true
in the case of many other sectors of the economy.
Today, as we assess the significance of the 20
years of economic cooperation with the Soviet Union
we are happy that it has been of cardinal impor
tance for the growth of the Indian economy. But it
is also true that a wider vista opens up for mutually
beneficial relations in the future with the institutio
nal framework that has been given to these relations
in the recent years,
Rººtjºt, IU toAY NUMBER 1975
 SELECTED WORKS OF JAWAHARLAL NEHRU
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soCIALIST INDIA 40 mºtº bºy Numern 19°

 —i.
|NTEAVIEW
“SELF-RELIANCE IS THE GOAL”
“The resources at our disposal
are limited. Protection of the mil
lions of Indians is our job. The
problem of the country's defence
production, therefore, is how to
manage within the available re
sources without endangering the
Safety,” said Shri Ram Niwas Mir
dha the Minister of State for De
fence Production in an exclusive
interview to SOCIALIST INDIA.
Shri Mirdha looked a proud man.
He said: “Self sufficiency in De
fence production is our goal. The
progress we have made in this
direction since 1962 is quite re
markable. In fact, defence pro
duction was seriously started in
India only after the Chinese ag
gression. No doubt we lost time
before 1962, but now we have more
than made it up.
“Defence production has periods
of peak demand (during and after
wars) and also lean periods when
there is peace on our fronts. But
provision for substantial spare
capacity is imperative since it is
needed in times of emergency. This,
of course, does not mean that du
ring the lean periods our plants
remain idle. Every effort is made
to use the spare capacity to meet
the needs of the civilian sector.
Thus the Defence docks are build
ing ships for the civilian sector.
Similarly, Bharat Electronics also
caters to the needs of civilians."
DEFENCE PLAN
The Fifth Plan provides for the
rehabilitation and modernisation
of Ordnance factories. The prog
*amme, when completed, will help
the factories raise their output.
Bharat Dynamics which is produc
ing anti-tank missiles is planning
*OCIALIST INDIA
RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
Minister of State for Defence
Production interviewed by :
DILIP PATWARDHAN
the production of second genera
tion missiles. Mazagon Dock is
preparing to produce one frigate
for the Navy each year.
A separate department called
the Department of Defence Sup
plies, set up after the 1965 Indo
Pakistan conflict, looks after the
development and production of
items hitherto imported. Notable
components indigenised are for
Vijayanta tank and L-70 guns.
This department has indigenised
over 21,000 items during the nine
years of its existence.
Shri Mirdha was fully confident
about the Research and Develop
ment wing of his Ministry. He
said: “There has been a progres
sive increase in the R&D budget
during the last 12 years.” As
against Rs. 5.2 crores in 1962-63.
it increased to Rs. 39 crores du
ring the current financial year.
A frigate under construction at Mazagaon Dock, Bombay.
41
“What is more, we have been
gradually ending foreign collabo
rations. And our technicians ful'.
ther developed and improvised the
technical know-how supplied to us
by our foreign collaborators. They
have done such a remarkable job
that our ex-collaborators are now
buying the know-how from us.
Thus Hawkers Seedly, in whose
collaboration we started producing
the HS-748 (Avro) aircraft, now
want to buy the know-how from
us. Similarly a Swiss firm wants
radars from India. This is an
achievement of which we are proud
indeed.
“Defence production is made
possible by two groups. The first
group is formed by 28 Ordnance
factories, the Heavy Vehicles
Factory at Avadi and the Accele
rated Freeze Dried Meat Factory
at Tundla. The Ordnance factories
produced items worth Rs. 300 cro
res during 1973-74. The second
group comprises the eight Public
Sector undertakings. The total
value of production in these un
dertakings increased from Rs.
160.97 crores in 1970-71 to Rs.
237 crores in 1973-74.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE
“Both the groups together emp
Ioy 2,30,000 workers. They pro
duce sophisticated equipment in
cluding modern frigates equipped
with missiles and helicopters,
supersonic aircraft armed with air
- -
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 How does the arms supply to dium tank Vijayanta fitted with
DEFENCE PRODUCTION some of our not-too-friendly neigh infra-red equipment, sophisticated
bours by some foreign powers af radar and a large variety of arms
fect India's Defence Production? and ammunitions. The country is
RS, CRORES now self-sufficient in small arms
“We are vigilant,” said Shri
like automatic rifles, light artil
Mirdha, “and are bringing our lery, parachutes, vehicles and
weapons up-to-date.” items of general stores.
MODERNISATION OF UNITS
The backbone of India's defence
The Union Government has production are the 30 ordnance
sanctioned a sum of Rs. 32 crores factories—13 of which were set up
for the modernisation of several after independence. Their efforts
defence production units in the are supplemented by eight Public
country. With their modernisation, Sector undertakings. These are:
their output is expected to increase Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. Bha
considerably. rat Electronics, Mazagon Dock,
Garden Reach Workshop, Praga
On the occasion of the 25th an Tools, Bharat Earth Movers, Goa
YS
wº N º w niversary of our republic, it is Shipyards and Bharat Dynamics.
& R& &
w
º gratifying to note that India has These undertakings specialise in
& made remarkable progress in de the fields of aeronautics, electro
&r RS & fence production. It has come a nics, modern warship building,
long way since the days when it earth-moving equipment, machine
-71 71-72 72-73 used to manufacture only items tools and missiles.
like bolt action rifles, guns and
ammunition of old vintage. There is also increasing accent
to-air missiles. radar-controlled on indigenisation. The indigenous
Now the country's defence pro
anti-aircraft guns and tanks fitted duction units manufacture super content of HF-24 is now 70 per
with infra-red equipment. Consi sonic jet fighters, frigates, radar cent and that of the MIG-21 air
dering that the country's defence controlled anti-aircraft guns, me craft about 60 per cent.
production really started from
scratch in 1962, the situation
today is promising.”
About foreign exchange earn
ings, Shri Mirdha said: “Some of
the defence undertakings are ear
ning foreign exchange for the
country. The Mazagaon Dock Ltd.,
by way of repairs to foreign flag
ships, is the largest contribu
tor. It hopes to earn Rs. six cro
res worth foreign exchange
through repairs this year. Besides
it has got orders worth Rs. eight
crores for building vessels and
barges for parties in Iran, Singa
pore and Saudi Arabia. Bharat
Electronics has got an export
order worth Rs. 17 crores from a
Swiss firm.

“Defence production is not iso

lated from the overall industriali
sation effort of the country. De
fence industries work in close coor
dination with civilian industries for ,
mutual benefit, share the technical
know-how and accelerate the pro
cess of indigenisation. Private par
ties are invited to visit the sample
A Rolls Royce engine being fitted into a plane at the Hindustan
rooms of the Ministry. The emp
loyment opportunities created by Aircraft Limited, Bangalore.
the production units help the coun
try fight unemployment.”
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
SOCIALIST INDIA . . . . . 42 ... .* §3.
 25 YEARS OF PARLian/IENTARY DENMOCRACY
The Republic Day this year will be tinted for
us with special memories, since we shall be celebrat
ing that day the silver jubilee of the founding of
our Republic and the coming into being of the so
vereign Parliament of India. Though time flows on
in one continuous stream, it has become customary
in human affairs to measure progress and reckon
achievement in terms of chromatic segments. Twen
--
ty-five years, though perhaps no more than the bat
ting of an eye in the long evolution of a people, is
normally regarded as a span fair enough for one
to pause and ponder to stock-take and celebrate
before the journey is resumed again. And, in the
case of India at least, looking back over the years,
what a momentous period it has been—the last twen
ty-five years with so much that has been happening
in every direction, twenty-five years of throbbing,
crowded history.
And through all these eventful years, when one
comes to think of it, the central stage of action has
been Parliament: it is in, with or through Parlia
ment that the drama has been played, which in a
democratic order is perhaps only as it should be. A
major fact of the Indian political scene is the pri
macy we have accorded to Parliament in the national
scheme of things and the growing relevance of its
Corporate personality as a mediating factor in the
democratic politics of our country.
LASTING GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS
In a sense, India has, of course, been fortunate
in her history. Few legislatures in the world have
perhaps been ushered into existence under better
auspices or ever got on to a better start than Par
liament in India. When I say this, I have many
things in my mind. Foremost among them, lying as
a bedrock, is the democratic temper of the people
themselves: a temperament prone to tolerance, ad
!
Justment and harmonisation, a view of life based on
the recognition of the validity and worth of the in
dividual, which looks upon the entire human race
as one family — vasudhaiva kutumbakam—the core
ingredients in our national ethos which, to my mind,
have been most conducive to, and constitute a last
ºg guarantee of success of the democratic order in
India. Equally significant has been the continuity
Of the legislative tradition. -
That the legislative assemblies of pre-Indepen
dence times were hamstrung on every side hardly
had anything to do with the importance of the expe
ºnce gained therefrom. As has been rightly said,
the fact that some of the leading men of the free
º
*m movement had developed a skill and affection
54. *OCIALIST INDIA
DR. G. S. DHILLON
Speaker, Lok Sabha
for the parliamentary institution has been a factor
of inestimable value. Stalwarts like Motilal Nehru,
Bhulabhai Desai, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Satyamur
thi, by their standards of debate and legislative be
haviour had raised the prestige of the legislative
institution. The stock of beliefs, attitudes and senti
ments engendered by the freedom movement, while
included a faith in and hopes on the Legislature as
a people's institution—the bulwark of public liberties
and interests and an instrument for national regene
ration—have also to be counted among the legacies
of Parliament. - -
Mention should also be made of the men at hal
apt to the occasion, at the crucial moments. Was it
not entirely fortunate that we should have had as
the first President Sir Frederick Whyte, one steep
ed in the traditions of the Mother of Parliaments,
and as our first ever elected President Shri Vithal
bhai Patel, who really laid the foundation for the
future Parliament of India, memories of whose te
nure have been a permanent inspiration with us in
our legislatures ever since? And when the country's
Legislature emerged as the sovereign Parliament of
the land, we had a personality like Pandit Jawahar
lal Nehru, who dreamt for us all our dreams and
gave shape and direction to the national will. His
example of commitment to democracy and represen
tative institutions only served to establish Par
liament in the esteem of the people. It was again
the country's unique good fortune that we had one
like Shri G. V. Mavalankar to preside over the des
tiny of the new Parliament. As one fully conscious
of the burden of his trust, Shri Mavalankar st"
hard to equip the Legislature, through procedural
and other institutional arrangements, to fulfil its
new tasks as the sovereign legislature of the land.
WORLD'S BIGGEST DEMOCRACY
If it had all the auguries in its favour, no other
Legislature has perhaps had to measure up to the
problems of the range and dimension that Parlia
ment in India was called upon to shoulder from its
very birth. That India is the world's largest practis
ing democracy has become a cliche repeated so often
that it has tended to obscure what it has entailed in
acquiring and maintaining this identity against the
heaviest of odds.
The country woke to freedom with problems.
First, as an aftermath of the partition, was a dis
quieting law and order situation and a huge refugee
problem. Then came the totally unexpected Chinese
invasion which the people weathered and withstood.
Soon followed Nehru's death when amidst the deep
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
gloom the nation displayed a remarkable sense of
unity and maturity and the transition to a new
leadership was effected with commendable dignity
and orderliness. Then there was the Pak invasion,
which the nation rose as one man to meet and re
pel. Shastri's abrupt end was to follow close at heel,
but the succession issue was again resolved in a
completely democratic manner. There was then the
great split in the Congress which created, so to say,
a volitical wastershed in the post-independence his
tory and released totally unpredictable forces. Before
long, there was another war and a refugee problem
with telling consequences on the economy. The Nation
is now caught up in the whirpool of a global economic
crisis.
Whatever has been accomplished in the political,
economic and social spheres during the last twenty
five years has been against this back-drop of chequ
ered history. Upon freedom, one of the first tasks
the Juntry had to undertake was to forge the
diverse components of a heterogeneous polity into a
cohesive whole. The integration of the 500 and
odd princely States and the redrawing of the map of
India was a task of colossal proportions, whose suc
cessful accomplishment in record time is a tribute as
much to the foresight and initiative of our leader
ship as to the basic adaptability of our people. The
smoothness with which it was managed has tended
to obscure the immensity of the task as well as its
significance as the biggest step taken to dissolve
feudalistic and other age-old loyalties and to bring
together all the people under the pale of a new
national consciousness and a common loyalty.
There was then the task of nation-building and
of laying the foundation for a just and equitable so
cial order. In economic development, as in political
evolution, we must remember that each Nation has
to feel its way about. There is nothing like a ready
made recipe for growth. Development has to reckon
with a country's history and its contemporary
milieu-it has to be in consonance with the national
ethos and take into account its basic constraints and
imperative. And in a country like ours, of continen
tal size and of bewildering diversity in habits of
thought and living, where centuries of history live
side by side, the task of modernisation assumed a
dimension all its own. This by no means easy task
has been accomplished through the progress of com.
sensual democratic politics. And it is Parliament
and other Legislatures in India that have been the
great mediators in this change.
The country's record in the pursuit of the goal
of an egalitarian order—in initiating measures to
restore basic rights to the underprivileged strata of
society, in effecting transfer of resources from the
urban to rural areas and in infra-structural invest
ments to benefit the people at large—has, on the
whole, not been unimpressive.
As I have already said, an encouraging featu) e
of our political life has been Parliament's emergence
as a major mediating force in our polity. The iden
tity of Parliament has always stood out recognisably
distinct and never merely got lost in or merged with
the will or the voice of the majority party. This
SOCIALIST INDIA ------ - - -
growth of the corporate image of Parliament has
been greatly facilitated by the share we have accord
ed to the opposition in our parliamentary life and
the institutional arrangements, by way of practices
and procedures, we have devised to ensure all the
needed opportunities for bringing up public issues
for debate in the national forum and for continuous
oversight of the Administration. In the Indian Par
liament, as close observers of its functioning have -
noted, the actual influence which the Opposition
wield bears little relationship to their heterogeneity
or their numerical inconsequence. Today, the author.
rity and prestige of Parliament is immense, which
is because it has been fulfilling its functions rather
remarkably well, and has demonstrated its place in
the political set-up.
As I, sitting in the Chair, pulsate to the ebb and
tide of the collective emotion of the House, all my
concern has been that we succeed in retaining the
representative institution as the chief channel of
political communication and as a vibrant link be
tween the Government and the people. What we need
most is faith in ourselves and a total commitment to
the democratic system. I would like to close with a
sentiment expressed by the then Lord Chancellor,
Lord Hailsham when he was here a few years ago:
“The real democrats are not the detractors, but the
participators, the builders, the optimists, the people
who see that in their commitment to society lies the
prospect of real human advance, and who are pre
pared to respect in others the same commitment,
even if, as sometimes happen, they happen to find
themselves on opposite sides in the external dialec
tics of democracy.”
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REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

Planning And The Constitution
(Formerly a Member of the Plan
ning Commission and who had been
associated with it in several capa
cities)
In its Fundamental Rights and
Directive Principles, India's Con
stitution reflects enduring values
and aspirations. In providing for
economic and social planning in
the Concurrent List, they had
looked to the future and helped.
thus, to make planned national
development a practical undertak
ing.
Despite setbacks in recent years,
the formal processes of planning
are now fairly established. What
ever the changes in political for
tunes, governments at the Centre
and in the States can be expected
to join together in drawing up and
implementing composite national
Plans. Exercises in the planning
of investments are strongly under
pinned by an elaborate system for
transfer of resources, by way of
loans and grants, from the Centre
to the States. But this is only the
beginning.
The substance of planning con
sists in the preparation of a wide
ly acceptable national design for
the future of the economy and the
future of society. Planning is of
small avail if it is not focussed on
the deeper, underlying problems
of the economy and on the essen
tial needs of the people. On these
tests, as nation, we have achieved
less than we might have, and have
still a long way to go.
BASIC REFORMS
For all the additions to our eco
nomic capacities and infrastruc
tures that have taken place, India
now holds the largest single con
centration of poverty in the world.
If we so will, this condition can
be ended within less than a de
cade. The land problem will not
be solved without fundamental
changes in the agrarian system
and in the management of land
800IALIST INDIA
TARLOK SINGH
and other resources. Ceilings on
land holdings and tenancy protec
tion are but the first steps.
Mainly through persuasion, de
monstration and incentives, we
have to work towards a substan
tial pooling of land and labour in
the common interest of each rural
community as a whole, including
those with and without land. The
growing rural proletariat, compris
ing petty and small farmers, agri
cultural labourers, and a large pro
portion of those engaged in house
hold industry, remains at the outer
periphery of growth and change.
The very processes of technologi
cal and economic development
lead, in the ordinary course, to
greater differentiation among indi
viduals, groups, States and regions
within States.
For the gains of development to
spread well beyond the locations
of new investment, the trend to
wards a national labour market
has to be strengthened as a mat
ter of policy. Currently, parochial
forces are gaining ground in most
States, without serious resistance
from any political party.
This can be the undoing of much
that was hoped for when the Cons
titution was framed. Further, there
is urgent reason to enhance the
capacity of each local community,
each region, each State, to achieve
sustained growth in terms of its
own human and material resour
Ces.
Will goals as large as these be
reached through our present poli
tical and constitutional structure?
As we well know, a multi-party
parliamentary system is a must
for personal freedom. Is it also a
guarantee that basic economic and
social freedoms will become avail
able to the masses of our people?
Here, there is ground for concern
in the light of what we have
learnt through the years. As
Walter Lippmann had stressed,
fear of loss of office or defeat of
45
candidates in elections induces all
parliamentary parties to turn to
soft options and to seek short-term
advantages at the expense of
genuine search for solutions to the
difficult problems.
In this respect, dedicated re
gimes, working without the cons
traints of liberal democracy, are
able to perform better. The les
son is writ large before us. In a
parliamentary democracy like ours,
basic reforms at the grass roots,
. . which alsorequire changes in
values and attitudes on the part
of large numbers of people, can be
accomplished and will be even
more lasting than in other sys
tems. But, there are two condi
tions.
A base of public opinion must be
prepared and there should be a
sufficiently wide agreement, going
beyond the immediate concerns of
different political groups, on the
main directions of change. At the
present juncture, essential national
reconstruction is far more likely
to be carried further, if through
constitutional and other means,
steps are taken to strengthen in
stitutions which will promote more
broad-based unity in policy and
action at every level of national
life.
SOME PROPOSALS
The 'fifties were a period of inno
vation during which, in the spirit
in which the makers of the Consti
tution had laboured, several im
portant institutions came into
existence or were felt to be nseces
sary, with the precise objective of
developing broader and more com
prehensive approaches to planning
and Plan implementation. With the
practical experience we have gain
ed, we could now consider em
bodying certain of these institu
tions within the constitutional
structure, while sustaining others
through appropriate conventions.
Such a change from informal to
formal arrangement will make for
greater national unity and more
rapid economic and social prog
ress, without diminishing creative
opportunities open to individual
political parties. There are six
main proposals to be made.
In the National Development
Council, we have had a body—
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 since 1952—which brings together
the leaders of the Central and
State Governments, irrespective of
political affiliation, for the specific
task of planning and development
in all its policy aspects. More
could be achieved through this
institution. It would be in the na
tional interest to accord to the
National Development Council a
legitimate place in the Constitu
tion, to give to its work greater
weight and continuity, and to
make fuller use of Committees of
the Council in several key areas
of national policy.
Secondly, whatever its short
comings, the Planning Commission
has come to stay. The Planning
Commission belongs as much to
the States as to the Centre. Such
a body will serve the nation better
if it finds a place in the Constitu
tion.
Thirdly, since the early 'sixties,
the need has been felt for a ma
chinery for planning at the State
level which could go beyond the
customary departmental approa
ches and could take a creative
view of the effort possible in each
State. Thus far, the response in
the States has been half-hearted
and there has been too little ex
perimentation and drawing out of
the real potential of our institu
tions and capabilities. Therefore,
the time has come to provide for
State Planning Commissions. This
could bring greater depth and im
provisation to planning at the level
of the people.
Fourthly, despite some hints
from Gandhiji, when the Consti
tution was being framed there was
yet no clearly formulated view of
the place of local democracy in
our national polity. In part, as a
consequence of community deve
lopment, a substantial network of
Panchayati Raj institutions has
now come into existence. But all
of this rests on a tenuous basis.
In several States, scarcely were
the institutions established when
a process of decline began. To
have or not to have local demo
cracy is an issue of national impor
tance. In the light of our experi
ence since the mid-'sixties, it
would be desirable to provide for
the institutions of local democracy
SOCIALIST INDIA
in the Constitution, while leaving
several details of legislation and
implementation to the States.
In a parliamentary system, ins
titutions which seek to coordinate
common purposes in terms of na
tional interest will achieve more if
they can invoke the constant sup
port and vigilance of appropriate
legislative bodies in which differ
ent political parties can partici
pate meaningfully as a matter of
right as well as of public duty.
Therefore, by convention, after the
necessary consultations, provision
should be made for a Standing
Parliamentary Committee at the
Centre, to be headed by the Prime
Minister, and for similar Commit
tees in the States to be headed by
Chief Ministers.
A word should be said, finally,
on the subject of financial rela
tions between the Centre and the
States. In their essence, the pre
sent relationship belong to the
pre-planning period. The periodic
devolution of resources through
the Finance Commission and Cen
tral assistance given to the States
on the advice of the Planning Com
mission, rest on a scheme of dis
tribution of sources of revenue
which leads inevitably to enorm
ous dependence on, and subordina
HINMACHAL’S
FIFTH PLAN
OUTLAY-RS. 231.40 CRORES
Before
(1973-74)
11 Lac Tonnes Food Production
1.85 Lac Tonnes
Cash Crops Produc
tion
2.40 Lac Tonnes Fruit Production
4,200 Villages Electrification
13,507 Kms. Roads
86 Per cent Primary Education
532 Public Health
Institutions
2,728 Drinking Water
Supply
HIM LOK SAMPARK
tion to, the Centre of all but a few
States.
One of the principal long-term
aims of national planning must be
to increase self-reliance at every
level and to enable each commu
nity, each region, and each State,
to become viable enough to plan
effectively for its own develop
ment, looking to help from above
only to the minimum extent neces
sary.
Under the existing circumstan
ces, this aim cannot be realised.
Resources and responsibilities have
to be better correlated than in the
past. Therefore, the stage has
arrived for a fresh examination, in
the national interest, of the sche
me of allocation of resources be
tween the Centre and the State in
terms of what has to be accomp
lished in the future.
A modified scheme of distribu
tion of resources should provide,
not only for the States, but also
for representative rural and urban
bodies at the local level. The
proposed re-examination should
assist in evolving the principles of
a more unified national tax sys §
sº
tem which takes the Centre, the
States, and civic and local autho
rities within its purview. s
s
After
(1979-80)
14 Lac Tonnes
2.63 Lac Tonnes
4.11 Lac Tonnes
8,180 Villages
16,447 Kms.
100 Per cent
584
5,635 Villages
_*
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 19th

EVOLUTION
of PLANNING
IN INDIA
Based as it is on democratic
principles, the planning process in
our country is still in its evolu
tionary stages and does not follow
any rigid pattern or procedure.
When we started planning, there
was no other country in the world
whose experience we could take as
a guide. So with every Plan, we
are evolving our own procedure
within the framework of a demo
cratic system. In this process,
efforts are made to get the maxi
mum involvement of people at all
possible stages so that their co
operation could be enlisted in the
implementation of developmental
programmes.
An important aspect of our plan
ning process, which is now receiv
ing greater attention, is its decen
tralisation. Attempts are now be
ing made to formulate Plans at
the district and local levels. The
Planning Commission has urged
the States to take up the prepara
tion of integrated district Plans
on the basis of local resources, po
tentialities and priorities. The
Fifth Plan is expected to provide
further thrust to this effort.
DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES
The idea of planning for econo
mic development received the at
tention of our national leaders
even before independence. The
growing concern with the problem
of mass poverty and the need for
reconstruction of the entire fabric
of socio-economic life led to the
setting up of the National Plan
ning Committee by the Indian
National Congress towards the
end of 1936. The work of the
Committee remained unfinished be
cause of the outbreak of the
Second World War.
The number of important pro
800IALIST INDIA
jects executed during the First
Plan period can be traced to inten
sive activity undertaken during
the preceding period. In the year
preceding the attainment of inde
pendence, an Advisory Planning
Board set up by the Government
attempted to bring together the
available material and recommend
ed the establishment of a National
Planning Commission.
Constitution of India came
The new
into
force in January 1950 and the
same year in March, the Planning
Commission was set up.
The objectives of India's plan
ning and its social premises are de).
rived from the “Directive Princi
ples of State Policy” set forth in
the Constitution. The Directive
Principles, inter alia, said “The
State shall strive to promote the
welfare of the people, securing and
protecting as effectively as it may,
a social order in which justice, so
cial, economic and political, shall
inform all the institutions of na
tional life.”
Since the setting up of the Plan
ning Commission we have so far
completed four Five-Year Plans
2nd are now nearing the comple
tion of the first year of the Fifth
Five-Year Plan. After the comple
tion of the Third Plan and before
the beginning of the Fourth Plan,
there was a gap of three years
which was devoted to three annual
Plans.
Broadly speaking, the prepara
tion of a Five-Year Plan involves
a detailed apraisal of past trends
and performance of the economy
and a proper assessment of cur
rent problems. It is in the light
of these assessments that policies
and programmes are determined
for future growth. This process
calls for the cooperation of a large
number of agencies and institu
tions both within and outside the
Government.
The National Plan comprises the
Plans of the Central and State Go
vernments and Plans for the pri
vate sector, more especially for the
corporate sector. The National
Plan takes shape in a series of
stages. The first stage is the con
sideration of the general approach
to the formulation of the Five-Year
Plan. This begins with an exami
nation of the State of the eco
47
nomy, identification of social, eco
nomic and institutional weaknes
ses and appraisal of past trends in
production, the rate of growth in
relation to the long-term view of
the progress of economy, etc. At
this stage, an attempt is made also
to suggest the directions in which,
during the period of the Plan, im
balances must be corrected and
more intensive efforts ensured.
The second stage consists of stu
dies leading to the preparation of a
memorandum on the physical con
tents of the Five-Year Plan. The
inter-relationship and broader di
mensions of the Plan are studied.
Working Groups and other Study
Groups are formed for undertaking
such studies. Leading experts from
outside the Government are in
cluded in these Groups so that
their advice could be sought in the
formulation of the Plan.
STAGES OF PLANNING
On the basis of the studies
undertaken by various Groups, the
Commission gathers the main fea
tures of the Plan under formula
tion including the principal magni
tudes into a draft memorandum.
The memorandum presents the
principal issue requiring consider
ation at the highest policy level.
The draft memorandum with fur
ther proposals and comments, that
may be made, constitutes the basis
for the preparation of a Draft
Outline which is the next stage ir
the formulation of the Plan. The
Draft Plan is a considerable elabo
ration of the earlier memorandum.
It is intended to give greater de
tails of the Plan envisaged for dif
ferent sections and to bring out
the main issues of policy and ob
jectives and the approach which is
proposed to be adopted.
The Draft Outline is published
as a document for the widest pub
lic discussion and consideration.
Both Houses of Parliament then
discuss the Draft Outline first in a
general way and then in a greater
detail through a series of Parlia
mentary Committees which indivi
dual members are free to join and
whose proceedings eventually form
part of the Parliamentary record.
While the Draft Outline is
under discussion throughout the
country, the Planning Commis
*EPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
sion, in association with the minis
tries at the Centre, holds detailed
discussions regarding the plans of
individual States. In the light of
the discussions with the States,
comments from different sources
and the more detailed recommend
ations, which various Working
Groups and Panels provide, the
final report on the Five-Year Plan
is prepared. The final report is
then presented to Parliament for
approval.
This was broadly the procedure
followed in the preparation of the
Second and Third Five-Year Plans.
The First Plan (1951-56) includ
ed a number of developmental pro
jects which had already been taken
in hand as well as others which
had not yet begun. It was con
ceived as a modest effort for the
promotion of rapid and balanced
economic development. Certain
immediate problems had to be at
tended to on a priority basis. In
first two years of the Plan empha
sis was on correcting and control
ling inflationary pressures and on
restoring the economy to a posi
tion of balance.
The Second Five-Year
(1956-61) was aimed at carrying
forward the process initiated in the
First Plan period. It sought to
“rebuild rural India, to lay the
foundations of industrial progress
and to secure to the greatest ex
tent feasible opportunities for
weaker and under-privileged sec
tions of her people and the balanc
ed development of all parts of the
country.”
The Third Five-Year Plan (1961
66) sought to give a more precise
content to the social objectives of
the Constitution and represented a
large advance towards their real?.
sation.
In the case of the Fourth Plan,
the Government was forced to
modify the pattern of national ex
penditure because of the 1962 and
1965 hostilities with China and
Pakistan. Before the competing
claims of development and defence
could be reconciled, the country
faced serious drought situation.
Foreign credits became uncertain,
recession followed. All these seri
Plan ously restricted the freedom of
choice. For the three-year period
(1966-69) the Commission had,
therefore ,to work out annual
Plans and keep the continuity of
the planning effort.
Like the earlier Plans the basic
aim of the Fourth Plan (1969–74)
was to raise the standard of living
of the people, especially of the less
privileged sections of society. It
was emphasised that “our planning
should result not only in an integ
rated process of increased produc
tion, but rational distribution of
the added wealth.”
The Fifth Plan (1974-1979) is
conceived as a major step towards
the realisation of the two major
objectives of removal of poverty
and attainment of economic self
reliance. The final report on the
Fifth Plan is yet to be published.
The implementation of the Plan is,
however, proceeding on the basis
of the annual Plans.

JANAM U AND KASH M I R

GLIMPSES OF PROGRESS
• Foodgrains production has gone up from a little over three lakh tonnes in the be
gining of the Fifties to over ten lakh tonnes this year.

* Production of Fruits has gone up by over four hundred per cent. Since 1966-67
raising it from 34,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes.
* Installed capacity of Power has more than doubled itself from 40.36 MWs during
the Fourth Plan.
• The State Handicrafts Corporation registered an increase of 250 percent in its sale
of Kashmir handicrafts during the last three years. Its exports increased three-fold.

• The number of registered small-scale industrial units has increased from less than
two hundred in the year 1969 to more than four thousand.
* Per capita income (at 1955-56 prices) has increased from Rs. 188.41 in 1950-51 to
Rs. 317.70.

• The Fifth Five Year Plan of the State has an outlay of over Rs. 336 crores as
against Rs. 163 crores of the Fourth Plan
* The Plan for Ladakh provides for an outlay of Rs. 18 crores in the Fifth Plan.
while a provision of Rs. 10 crores in the Fifth Plan while a provision of Rs. 10 crores
has been made for the Welfare of Gujjars and Bakarwals.
Issued by
DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION.
JAMMU AND KASH MIR GOVERNMENT.

SCCIALIST INDIA REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 197°


11 flights a week to Europe.
Our 747s fly 8 times a week to London,
4 times to Frankfurt, 5 times to Rome and Paris
and our 707s twice to Moscow and once to
Geneva and London.
7 flights a week to New York:
One flight daily by 747 via the Middle East and
-
Europe. The return trip will cost less than the
one-way fare if you fly on our Excursion Fare.

Also every week:

3 flights to
EAST AFRICA
10 flights to
SOUTH EAST ASIA
6 flights to
JAPAN
2 flights to
MAURITIUS
2 flights to
AUSTRALIA

18 flights a week to the Middle East.

tää
.5 flights to Kuwait and Beirut, 3 to Dubai and
2 each to Abu Dhabi, Dhahran
a nd Teheran, and one to Aden, Muscat, Doha
and Cairo. , * AIA/KF-4/WEW&
--- -
-

FROM THE NARC"RA PAPER
Progress Under Planned
Development
Over the past twenty-four years we in India
have undertaken the great experiment of planned
development in a democratic framework. Much has
been achieved in the course of these years. In
human terms, the more important of these achieve
ments are:
*Our ability to avoid massive disasters like the
Bengal famine, an ability based partly on the doub
ling of foodgrain production since independence;
*Some increase in the availability of articles of
mass consumption like foodgrains, edible oils, sugar
And cloth;
*An increase in the standards of living of a large
number of salaried workers, industrial workers and
middle farmers reflected in the wide ownership of
simpler consumer durables like bicycles, sewing
machines and radios;
*A sharp decline in infant mortality, the death
rate and the incidence of diseases like malaria, small
pox and cholera; -
*Some increase in the availability of health, edu
cational and transportation facilities:
*An improvement in the ability of the adminis
trative system to cope with emergencies like the in
flux of refugees from Bangladesh and 1972 drought;
*A substantial improvement in the technological
base of the economy.
development effort over the past twenty-three years
and unless these shortfalls are made good we may
well face such difficulties once again.
Our record of development during the four Five.
Year Plans and three annual Plans is presented in
tables I–IV. Some features that emerge from these
tables are described below:
*The record shows that growth of around 20 per
cent over five years should not be difficult. This in
itself is a substantial improvement on the stagnation
preceding independence. Our real problem lies in
boosting this to a higher level, say, 30 or 35 per cent
over five years (table—I);
*There was a substantial decline in the tempo
of development since the mid-'sixties mainly because
of exceptionally bad weather conditions. The low
rate of growth of industrial production during the
period of the three annual Plans is particularly strik.
ing (table—I);
-
*Our agricultural performance over the first de º
cade of planning was much better than in the later
period. For all crops other than wheat and bajra,
our achievements over the first decade are better than
in the later period with respect to both production
increases and yield increases (Table II);
“There was a sharp increase in the rate of Savº ºr
ings in the economy and in the absolute amount of
public saving during the first decade of development
but not in later period (Tables I and III);
*Our dependence on external aid was particut :
larly high in the period between the First and the ,
Fourth Plans (Table III).
INDUSTRIAL
PRODUCTION 199-9

RECORD OF DEVELOPMENT
All these achievements are laudable but much INDEX NUMBERS
still needs to be done. Moreover, of late, our deve
lopment drive has been thrown off-balance by a very
rapid rate of inflation. If we are to fulfil our man
date to eliminate poverty and dependence we must 183-8
NN
189-8

º
º§
N
understand fully the nature of our problems. This -1 30
paper is meant to serve that purpose. 178-3 ŞN
BASE: 1960-100
On the following pages the weaknesses of our
effort have been highlighted rather than the strength
since it is the weaknesses that we must understand
fully and eliminate. The first section, that follows, §
§§
N WNN
deals with the current economic situation. The
second section describes the record of development
over the past twenty-three years. The third section,
which deals with the prospects before us, analyses
this record to identify our weaknesses and suggest
how these may be removed.
fºr .| *
R
º

Our current difficulties are only partly a product s

of unprecedented circumstances. To a substantial
degree they are the consequeñee ºf shortfalls in eur
***śrahlsº ºnbºa - - -- --- - - - nºruºng DAY NUMBER 18"
 *The shortfall in outlay was due to a shortage
of resources available for investment. This shortage,
#Miſſä in turn, was due mainly to the fact that the balance
from current revenues and surpluses of public enter
10N prises was less than what was forecast initially, par
ticularly when adjustments were made for price
iHEALTH
*m." changes. Thus though a substantial resources mobi
lisation effort was made a large proportion of the
funds so raised was used for financing non-develop
AES MA ºff0ſº ment expenditure;
*The share of the Centre in the additional re
source mobilisation was greater than what was in
dicated in the Plan and the share of the States was
correspondingly lower. No attempt was made to
mobilise resources from the agricultural Sector.
I II III IV W *There were substantial shortfalls in the achieve
|- FIVE WEAR PLAN —
–ſºns, ment of practically all industrial targets as well as
the targets for power, major and medium irrigation
and fertiliser consumption. The rate of industrial
growth and the level of capacity utilisation in indus
To some extent, the difference in performance
—and in the departure of performance from pro try continues to be low;
mise—between different Plans can be explained in *Apart from major and medium irrigation and
terms of variation in weather conditions and the avai fertiliser consumption, the targets for providing in
lability of foreign exchange. Thus the First Plan puts and services to agriculture were fully achieved.
started with the advantage of large reserves of foreign The shortfall in agricultural production targets does
exchange earned during the Second World War and not appear to be explicãble solely in terms of short
the Korean War boom. falls in input supplies.
The Third Plan, and to some extent, the Fourth
Plan were affected by abnormal weather conditions.
Both these Plans were also affected by the impact 2250
of War and, in the case of the Fourth Plan, by the
influx of regufees. EXPENDITURE
There are two features of our performance that
0N
are worth noting. The first is that there is little EDUCATION
evidence to suggest that a rural development strategy
that is somewhat concentrated and selective in its RS. CRORES
geographical spread is more effective.
Our agricultural performance was superior in
the first decade of planning when, with the commu
nity development scheme, we deliberately spread our
resources thinly in order to reach as large an area,
as large a group of persons, as was possible. The
second feature worth noting is that the pace of in
dustrial advance is determined largely by the mag
nitude of public investment in industry. Thus the
period of the three annual Plans, when there was a
decline in the pace of development of the Public
Sector, showed a very low growth in industrial pro
duction in spite of delicensing.
The record of performance during the Fourth
Plan period is presented in the tables. These tables
also reveal some important weaknesses in our de
velopment effort:
*In terms of money expenditure the level of de
velopment expenditure during the Fourth Plan period
exceeded the outlay provided for initially. However,
in real terms, after allowing for price increases, the
Public Sector was probably of the order of 17.5 per
eent;
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
80CIALIST INDIA **
 - TABLE –1 • *-* - 2 ----,

ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE DURING THE PERIOD OF PLANNED DEVELOPMENT

(Percentage increases over Plan period)

First Plan Second Plan Third Plan Three Fourth

Annual Plans Plan

National income 18 22 13 12 19 .

Industrial production 39 41 48 8 21
Agricultural production 22 22 —7* 20* 17
Foodgrains production 27 19 —14* 30+* 11
Net investment as a percentage
of national income 45 38 12 –29 8 *
Net domestic savings as a percentage
of national income 27 21 25 —24 18

* This figure is distorted by the 16 per cent decline in 1965-66. Similarly the figure for the three an
nual Plans appears artificially high. The growth over the Third Plan and the three annual Plans
taken together was about 12 per cent. -

** The figures for foodgrains production are also distorted for the same reason as the agricultural pro
duction figure. The growth over the Third Plan and the three annual Plans taken together was
about 15 per cent.

TABLE –II

GROWTH RATE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND YIELD

- (Annual growth rates)

. . . . . . * In the 'Fifties In the 'Sixties

(49-50 to 59–60) (60-61 to 71.72)

Production Yield Production Yield

Rice 3.3 2.2 1.9 1.1

Wheat 4.5 0.7 8.8 5.2
Maize 4.3 1.3 3.5 0.5
Jowar 2.8 1.6 —0.7 —0.3
Bajra 3.2 2.2 5.4 4.6
Pulses 3.1 0.1 —0.5 —0.6
Oilseeds 3.4 0.7 1.8 0.8
Sugarcane 4.0 1.0 1.7 1.0
Cotton 4.9 0.2 0.8 0.9

TABLE –III

FINANCING OF PLAN EXPENDITURE

i (Percentage distribution)

First Plan Second Plan Third Plan Three Fourth

- * : * ~ * -- Annual Plans Plan

1. Balance from revenues and surpluses

of enterprises 39 26 34 25 34
2. Deficit financing 17 20 13 10 12
3. Domestic borrowings 35 31 25 29 41
4. External assistance 9 23 28 36 13

TOTAL 100 100 100 100 100

SOCIALIST INDIA *-- - - - 52 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER in

 TABLE-Iv
DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC SECTOR OUTLAYS DURING THE PLANS

First Plan Second Plan Third Plan Three Fourth

Annual Plans Plan

Agriculture and Irrigation 32 21 20 24 21

Industry and Minerals 8 23 23 25 22

Power 11 10 15 18 15

Transport and Communications 24 28 24 18 23

Others 26 19 17 14 19

Total * * 100 100 100 100 100

**The items may not be exact totals because of rounding.

Thus our record of development is a mixed one. cise reasons for the departure of performance from
Much has been achieved but what has been achieved promise we will go a long way towards indentifying
is not commensurate with what we wanted to and the measures required for attaining our basic objec
what we could have. If we can identify the pre- tives of prosperity and self-reliance.

A Great State South Of The Vindhyas

*** Andhra Pradesh is the fifth most populous state in the Indian Union, the first four being Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal in that order.
*** The Population of Andhra Pradesh at the 1971 Census stood at 43,394,951 while India's stood at
546,955,945. The state has 7.93% of India's total population.
*** The total area of the state is 2,75,109 sq. kms.
*** The density of population in the State is 157 persons per sq. km. Among the districts in the state,
Hyderabad district has the highest density of 362 persons per sq. km. while Adilabad has the
lowest figure of 79 persons per sq. km.
*** The State has the literacy rate 24.50% at the 1971 Census as compared to 21.19% at the 1961
Census. The all-India literaey rate recorded at the 1971 Census stood at 29.35% as against 24.03%
in 1961.
*** Hyderabad district has the highest percentage of literates 39.91%—while Adilabad district has the
lowest percentage of 14.14%.
*** Per capita income (1960-61 prices) in the State stood at Rs. 281 at the end of the First Plan Rs.
306|- at the end of Second Plan, Rs. 333 at the end of the Third Plan and will be Rs. 430 at
the end of the Fourth Plan.
ºtes The State possesses huge coal reserves estimated at 1,000 million tons proved to a depth of 1,000 ft.,
whereas the probable reserves calculated to a depth of 2,000 ft. are 1,320 million tons.
*** The State enjoys a complete monopoly in the production of Barytes in India, producing about 90
to 95 per cent in the production of Barytes in the country.
tº ºr S. to Bihar and Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh occupies an important position in the production of
Tica.

500LALIST INDIA - - - - - 53 - - REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975


The Public Sector For Public Good
UNION MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND CIVIL SUPPLIES
The following is the text of the
Mohan Kumaramangalam lecture
delivered at Calcutta on Dec
7, 1974.
I consider it a privilege to be
called upon to speak in a series
of lectures organised in memory
of Mohan Kumaramangalam. I
consider it a privilege not only be
cause I happened to know him
well but because he was a signifi
cant force in the development of
our policies and attitudes towards
industrialisation of our country.
Kumara
You are aware that
mangalam was a great protagonist
of the public sector. You are also
aware that Shri Kumaramangalam
firmly believed that the public sec
tor in the country must secure the
commanding heights of our eco
nomy. What I propose to briefly
state today is that Kumaramanga
lam's commitment to the Public
Sector in India as integral to its
structure was not motivated by
any political ideology or theologi
cal fetish but derived from a very
deep sense of understanding of
the realities of Indian economy
and the direction in which it could
progress.
MAIN TASK
It will be necessary to under
stand certain basic realities in the
economic situation in India as it
was when we became independent,
as it grew and as it is today. For
that, it will also be relevant to
postulate in the first instance that
it is not possible to isolate the
economic realities and to delink
them from the social and political
realities in which they abide. No
economic policy per se can be fra
med in isolation and has necessari
ly to be framed as integral to a
total socio-economic policy.
We inherited a semi-colonial eco
nomy with substantial investment
from abroad in high profit-yield
ing consumpion areas are very low
investment in the areas which pro
vide the guts to the industrial pro
cess as well as to the economy.
SOCIALIST INDIA
T. A. PAI
The economy, as we inherited, did
have certain Indian participation,
but that was predominantly in
trade. The task, therefore, was to
convert a semi-colonial, semi
mercantile economy into a self
reliant, self-sustaining industrial
economy.
It was also not that this process
of conversion could be done by
adopting simplistic premises or by
enjoining stringent disciplines with
regard to production and consum
ption. The first task was to build
the foundation as well as the core
of our economy —and that needed
substantial investment.
Indian investment being princi
pally in trade with a high rota
tion, would obviously be reluctant
to get diverted to long gestation
low profit areas. Secondly, a very
large number of people over a pe
riod of time had been denied all
the basics of civilised existence
i.e., no employment, no money,
no food and no shelter. Thirdly, the
infra-structure of industrial deve
lopment in terms of skills, services
and inputs had to be built up in
very large areas like power, trans
port and technical education.
Fourthly, in order that the phy
sical benefits arising from freedom
could be felt by the people, public
and social utilities had to be orga
nised where investments in terms
of returns available for reinvest
ment were poor. The State, never
theless had necessarily to be a network investments, distribution
welfare State in order even to
justify its basic rationale.
In a situation like this, there
cannot be any alternative to Gov
ernment trying to convert itself
into a trustee of public savings for
public investment in areas of pub
lic utility. Whether it was infra
structure or irrigation, technical
education or electrification, expan
sion of transport or creation of the
financial institutions, the Gov
ernment necessarily had to be the
focal point of this development
without which neither agriculture
nor industry could grow. All this
54
needed mobilisation of resources
and the result of the process was
that there was a steady erosion of
resources available for investment
outside the sectors sponsored or
canalised by the Government.
The logical conclusion of this
process was that Government must
participate in the process of indus
trialisation and participate effec
tively so that the Indian tax-payer
whose money was being invested
could feel that they had in fast the
run of the economy. This is not
basically contrary to a concept of
mixed economy.
On the contrary, in Indian situa
tion, the basic compulsiveness of
a Public Sector provides the ra"
tionale of a mixed economy in the -
sense of private entrepreneurs to
cultivate the areas where public
investment is neither possible nor
desirable. In a situation of low
investment, low return, long gesta
tion, low savings and low reinvest
ment and progressive mobilisation
of public savings in public institu.
tions, there is no other way of
structuring industrial growth ex
cept through massive public par.
ticipation in the nodal areas of
development. This also synthesises
the objective of the Government to
correct the matrix of social in
equalities.
It is, therefore, evident that, in
a system where the Government
or the instituations functioning
under it, finance and sustain in:
vestments in infra-structure and
core industries, the purpose of this
investment cannot be comprehen"
ded only in terms of commercial re
turn. The objective of decentralis:
ing investment as a trigger point of
of income, as well as maintenancº
of critical control over selected
commodities, the prices of which in
fact govern the behaviour of the
market as a whole, have to be
built into the Public Sector philo"
sophy.
In a sub-normal situation, as wº
inherited in our country, the Pub
lic Sector also had to play a very
important role in delinking the in"
dustrial development of the coun.
try from family affiliations and
foster professionalised manage.
ment. As a matter of fact, apart
from concentration of economic
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 19th
power through intercorporate in
vestments which would have other
wise resulted and in the process
the market would have been dis
torted to the advantage of the
few, the role of Public Sector in
bringing in the concepts of pro
fessionalised management as inte
gral to the concept of separation
of ownership from management
cannot be under-estimated.
BASIC CONCEPT
Because the Public Sector has
come to stay and grow as it must,
certain responsibilities also devolve
on it. The first responsibility of
course is to earn returns. Public
investment in industry was also
motivated by the desire to funnel
the surpluses to public utilities.
Therefore, if the surpluses are not
generated, the rationale of the
Public Sector as the sources of
investment in public utilities would
be defeated.
The basic concept of Public Sec
tor as a part of the public service
cannot be fulfilled unless the Pub
lic Sector, besides performing its
role in the economy, also contribu
tes its share to the community's
investment in its well-being. The
rººms
THE BANGALORE
Please Insist on Pasteurised Milk and Milk Products at your
They are marketed at Several Centres throughout the City
PASTEURISED AGMARK BUTTER, GHEE
SPECIAL SUPPLIES ARE UNDERTAKEN FOR
MARRIAGES AND OTHER FUNCTIONS.
THE
--
*OCIALIST INDIA
second responsibility of the Public
Sector is to progressively enlarge
. . the conceptual frame of the mana
gement apparatus by bringing into
it the different segments which
have So far been considered as ex
cluded from management func
tions. Growth of the Public Sector
is related to the growth of a sense
of participation in it by all seg
ments of people who share in its
function. The Public Sector, there
fore, must try to break the old
barriers subsisting between the
management and the other cadres.
The management and the other
cadres have to be so organised as
to admit substantial interfertilisa
tion so as to institutionalise the
concept of sharing.
I also do not believe that the
Public Sector cannot function well
becaue it groans under the burden
of accountability, interference and
interrogation and, therefore, the
autonomy and discretion which
must have to function well do not
exist. I can say with assurance of
personal experience that, given the
correct leadership, the inter-relay.
tionships between the Public Sec
tor and the Government, different
DAIRY
BANGALORE-29
Home.
by
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AND CURDS ARE AVAILABLE AT
THE MAIN DAIRY.
JANATHA BAZAR & SUPER BAZAR.
Please contact:
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BANGALORE DAIRY
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Phone No. 40261
sº
segments in the Public Sector and
the different units in the Public
Sector can be so structured as to
be complementary and co-functio
nal towards the common objective.
I am convinced that there is no
dichotomy of interest between the
Government and the Public Sector
units and between one public sec
tor unit and another. On the con
trary, the complementarity of in
terests is so great that any talk
of dichotomy is stupid.
I would conclude my address by
saying that if the role of the Pub
lic Sector in our economy has to be
properly understood, we must ap
preciate the objectives on which
they are set up and realise our ob
ligations to achieve them. Kuma
ramangalam was a leader with a
vision who could see the entire
Indian industrial economy being
pivoted by the Indian people
through the Public Sector units
engaged in harmonised function
with the private sector. There can
not be any other tribute to Ku
maramangalam than to see that
the public sector works for their
own good, for the good of their
employees and for the good of the
Indian people.
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1978
 You can become great
only when your nation is great!
–And a nation's greatness rests
on the achievements of its youth
Much blood has been shed to º *
make our country free. º
Today's youth must strive to
make the country great.
The young generation muº: play its
dynamic role in building up
this great nation.
Maharashtra's youth will always be in
the forefront in the urgent task of
national reconstruction.

Let's pledge to
achieve greater
production in all tha
spheres—for a big
leap towards
progreSS and Social
justice.
i

- \

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50 nºrust 10 DAY NuMarm tº

—º
 Indias . ----
charming .
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West Bengal has everything
a tourist can desire, from
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green hills to flat golden beaches.
In between are the rich
plains studded with historical relics,
seats of art and culture,
priceless terra-cotta, wildlife
sanctuaries, and of course
the one and only Calcutta.
All this and many more
attractions are yours
when you visit -

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there is excellent
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Gram: TRAVELTIPS
-

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Tcpita 21°

"-

1. *IALIST INDIA -- -- - -
------------
57 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR
ENERGY IN INDIA
The Chairman of the Bhabha
Atomic Energy Research Centre,
Dr. R. Ramanna spoke on “The
Development of Nuclear Energy
in India, 1947-73” at the Nehru
Memorial Museum, Teen Murti
House, sometime ago. Following
are excerpts from his speech.
In understanding the rapid de
velopment of the utilisation of
nuclear energy in India, it is useful
to recall the organisation of science
as it existed in India before inde
pendence. Pre-war scientific deve
lopments in India were concen
trated, not unexpectedly, in univer
sities. The biggest impact of
science in our universities came
from the Calcutta University and
owes its origin to its great Vice
Chancellor, Sir Asutosh Mukherjee.
It was due to his inspiring orga
nisational genius that the coun
try can boast of Raman, Saha and
others. However, the structure and
organisation of those times was
essentially meant for individual
scientists to flourish.
Research on a wider scale in
volving industry and team work
did not exist and we may guess,
was neither encouraged nor looked
upon with favour. There was, how
ever, one exception to this and that
was the Indian Institute of Science
at Bangalore, but even here the
time was not ripe for large-scale,
technological research. It is, how
ever, good to recall that it was
in this Institute the founder of
the Atomic Energy Programme in
India, Dr. H. J. Bhabha, did much
of his early thinking for a new
science structure in the country.
During the War period many
scientists realised that the orga
misation of scientific research in
the universities was insufficient,
Among them were, Dr. H. J.
Bhabha and Dr. S. S. Bhatnagar,
toºtatºrsº TNºtA - a
It was during these years Dr.
Bhatnagar dreamed of the chain
of national laboratories in various
disciplines all over India. At about
the same time, Dr. Bhabha was
planning a centre of excellence in
nuclear science, to come up in
Bombay. He was already aware of
the possibilities of the energy con
tained in the atom and expressed
it in his now famous letter to the
then Chairman of Sir Dorabji Tata
Trust in 1944 in connection with
the establishment of TIFR: “When
nuclear energy has been success
fully applied for power production,
in say, a couple of decades from
now, India will not have to look
abroad for its experts, but will
find them ready at hand.”
Real developments in nuclear
science can be said to have started
with the foundation of the Tata
Institute of Fundamental Research
with the funds provided by the
Trustees of Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.
Later, the Government of Maha
rashtra (then Government of Bom
bay) put in their contributions and
finally the Central Government
now provides nearly 99 per cent
of its recurring budget. This Ins
titute started off in a small wing
in a flat in Peddar Road, mainly
to provide the necessary facilities
for Bhabha's own work in Cosmic
Rays and theoretical physics.
A.E.C.’s CHARTER
After independence, he clearly
saw that the TIFR could provide
the base for a nuclear energy pro
gramme and he would have to ex
pand the facilities of the Insti
tute to include other branches of
physics, and disciplines such
chemistry, biology and engineering.
At his instance, and with the help
of S. S. Bhatnagar, the Atomic
£nergy Commission was formed in
\--~~~~~~~ tºº - - - ---
D. R. RAJA RAMANNA
August 1948 with the following
Charter:
1. To take such steps as may be
necessary from time to time to
protect the interests of the coun
try in connection with Atomic
Energy by exercise of the powers
conferred on the Government of
India by the provisions of the
Atomic Energy Act.
2. To survey the territories of
the Indian Dominion for the loca
tion of useful minerals in connec:
tion with Atomic Energy; and
3. To promote research in their
own laboratories and to subsidise
such research in existing institu.
tions and universites. Special steps
will be taken to increase teaching
and research facilities in nuclear
physics in the Indian Universi
ties.
As can be seen in the charter,
first priority was given for the
survey of natural resources, par
ticularly materials of interest to
atomic energy programme such
as uranium, thorium beryllium,
graphite, etc. A special unit with
the original name of Rare Mine
rals Division was created at Delhi
with the help of late Prof. Wadia.
The next priority was given to
the basic scientists, particularly
physics, chemistry and biology tº
provide facilities to and train up
high quality research scientists.
The eventual aim was to set up
as early as possible a research
reactor. It was realised that this
by itself would not be sufficient
for a nuclear programme unless
there was simultaneously a prº"
gramme for instrumentation, part
ticularly in electronics.
as
Dr. Bhabha clearly realised very
early in the programme that n°
high quality research is possible
without good instruments and the
*- : - Repuatic nAY NUMass 1'.'
 very act of their being produced Considering the number of peo
in India was itself progress. It is ple who have been recruited direct
for this purpose a unit was ly from various training centres
started in the TIFR. This abroad and some very enthusias
production until formed the nu tic good students from Indian
cleus of the large corporation now Universities themselves, it is not
in Hyderabad known as the Elec easy to explain what it is that
tronics Corporation of India Limi made all the people at that time,
ted. To give a feeling of the at work in close teams and discuss
mosphere at that time, I may be their problems with one another
permitted to quote from my remin with absolute freedom. This was
iscences. certainly different from the atmos
phere that existed in other insti
tutions and universities where the
tendency was to work in separate
compartment. It is possible that
this was because of Dr. Bhabha's
quick perception and understand
ing of various disciplines and by
his talking to people in different
sections at all levels. He used to
make a knowledgeable assessment
and appreciation of each man's
work and was able to hring them
--- --

Zºr- - * Twº,.....a swººt-sºw-º-º-º- -------- *********** *

~) *-*

- ----
------------------ - -----

& Prime Minister Indira Gandhi accompanied by Dr..H. N. Sethna, Chairman

º of the Atomic Energy Commission (Right) and Shri K. C. Pant, Minister of
º state for Energy, visited the Pokharan range, venue of India’s first atomic
test for peaceful purposes on December 22, 1974.
‘80CIALIST INDIA REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
together so as to build up a truly
cooperative spirit.
In order to have a countrywide
discussion on our atomic energy
programme, particularly about the
choice of a reactor, its siting and
the difficulties of setting up one
indigenously, Pandit Nehru called
a conference to which distinguished
Indiºn scientists were invited. This
was held in Delhi during the win
ter of 1954 at the National Phy
sical Laboratory. We who were
heading various Divisions, were
also asked to speak on our sub
jects of speciality. At this con
ference, I recall the presence of
Prof. M. N. Saha, Prof. S. N.
Bose, Dr. K. S. Krishnan and seve
ral other distinguished physicists,
chemists, engineers and industria
lists from all parts of India. One
could feel the tension in the air.
The location of Atomic Energy
Establishment at Bombay was be
ing questioned. The choice of the
reactor type and the entire pro
gramme of developing our atomic
energy materials came under criti
cism.
REMINISCENCES
Pandit Nehru carefully listened
to all the arguments, particularly
to the various proposals on the
type of reactor we should try and
build by ourselves. With all our
youthful enthusiasm we must have
made an impression. Certainly, Dr.
Bhabha had the entire discussion
under control, but it was Prof. K.
S. Krishnan, who was the last
speaker, who clinched the argu
ment in his usual humorous style
by quoting the story of Jakobi
and his student. I quote it be
cause the story made a big im
pression that day:
“Yesterday, I mentioned the in
stance of a man, a young man,
who had joined for research the
great mathematician Jacobi who
was the brother of the great Ori
entalist. The young man had been
with him for several months with
out having started any research
work. When the teacher asked him
about it he said “I have not yet
read all the earlier literature On
the subject.” Then the Professor
turned to him and said, ‘Dear man,
if your father had waited to see
SOCIALIST INDIA
all the girls before marrying one,
where would you be? I would like
you to make a start somewhere.
You can get on with the scientific
problems and proceed.’ I would also
say just the same thing. Because
the subject involves so many dif
ferent disciplines, it needs coope
ration from all quarters and a
certain amount of sympathy is also
necessary.”
This conference should be con
sidered as one of the most import
ant ones an atomic energy held in
India as it consolidated the scien
tific opinion in the country in sup
port of the steps taken by Dr.
Bhabha towards the fulfilment of
our programme. It was also quite
clear that Pandit Nehru had given
his full support to the programme
publicly in the presence of all the
scientists, some of whom had been
very critical.
Due to Dr. Bhabha's close con
tacts with European scientists and
his influence among the leaders of
science in Europe, he was in cons
tant touch with technological, de
velopments and possibilities
abroad.
Sometime in 1954, after one of
his fairly frequent tours of Europe,
Dr. Bhabha came back with a pro
position that Sir John Cockroft
had offered some enriched uranium
fuel elements for building up a
swimming pool-type reactor and
that he had come to an agreement
with him for the loan of this fuel.
“SWIMMING POOL” REACTOR
It was, however, to be a chal
lenge in that we had to build the
rest of the reactor which included
the civil engineering, design of the
tank, and electronics control sys
tems and prepare for its utilisa
tion entirely by ourselves. It was
also supposed to be built in com
petition with the Lido reactor at
Harwell as to who would complete
it first and I may add here that
we went “critical” earlier by a few
days. Since the whole project was
a challenge, everybody seemed
keyed up and it was one of those
operation which was carried out
with tremendous gusto.
The reactor building was cons
tructed in less than a year's time
and because of this hurry it turned
out that neither the roof nor the
walls were leak-proof against the
monsoon. The swimming pool tank
was also built in a record time
and by August 1956 the reactor
was actually ready for criticality
trials; the whole operation having
lasted just one year. At the first
trials in which Dr. Bhabha him.
self took part, it became difficult
to try out various configurations
of the uranium fuel in the water
because the tank was still new and
the water was not sufficiently
transparent.
Though we worked during the
whole of the second night, the re
actor just would not go “critical".
This was because we had led a very
big water gap in the centre not
knowning enough about such neu
tron multiplying systems. This
was realised on the third day and
the whole loading operation was
re-enacted on the fourth day and
that afternoon the reactor went
“critical”.
We could now claim that we had
a “critical” reactor, the first in
Asia, built entirely by ourselves
except for the enriched uranium
fuel. I also recalled that within a
few minutes after the reactor be:
came “critical”, the Prime Minis.
ter, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Was
informed of it over the phone,
even as the monsoon was flooding
the whole place around us.
I have dealt in some detail about ºº
the Apsara “criticality” because it
was the first to have a psycholº
gical impact on the country for
the development of modern tech:
nology. Though a lot of equipment
for the reactor had been design
and made entirely by ourselves,
there were still many people not
willing to believe that we could
establish a modern technology iſ
the country by ourselves. The
country seemed to be covered in *
cloak of non-self-reliance. People
in general felt that everything had
to be imported from abroad, be *
ideas or equipment. It seemed tº
many in India that nothing worth.
while was possible by ourselves.
At the Geneva Conference *
1955, Dr. Bhabha played a ver,
important role from the point ºf
view of bringing about a discº.
sion about both the importance of
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1"
fluclear power for developing coun
tries and of the possibilities of
fusion. It was during this confer
ence that a very generous offer
from Canada was made to us of
the gift under the Colombo Plan
of a NRX-type reactor, a natural
uranium and heavy water sys
tem.
CANADIAN OFFER
I recall the very heated discus
sion which Dr. Bhabha had with
all of us in Geneva in 1955 on the
choice of the NRX-type reactor for
Trombay. While all of us including
Dr. H. N. Sethna, Shri N. B. Pra
sad, Shri A. S. Rao and myself
were keen on the NRX-type reac
tor because it was a natural uran
ium heavy water system and there
fore a type which in principle we
could fuel ourselves, for some rea
sons. Dr. Bhabha seemed to favour
the Dido reactor, an enriched ura
nium heavy water system, a type
which was in operation at Harwell.
He must have been slightly influ
enced by the views of Sir John
Cockroft.
As a concession, he said we
should have both types of reac
tors, but we all impressed upon
him that we were not sufficiently
advanced in manpower and other
industrial facilities to have two
high flux research reactors going.
Discussions were heated and finally
Dr. Bhabha gave in to our views
and rightly so. I refer to these dis
cussions to show how decisions
were taken between himself and
his younger colleagues and how
Dr. Bhabha was willing to accept
suggestions in spite of his own
tremendous personal reputation.
With the starting of construction
of the NRX reactor, a decision
seemed to have been taken (in
which I was not involved) for set
ting up a Reprocessing Plant to
process the plutonium produced in
the Cirus reactor. Even previous
to this, a decision had already been
taken to produce the fuel neces
sary for even half of the first
charge of the Cirus reactor. At this
time, Canadians were insisting on
Some sort of safeguards for the fuel
that they were going to supply
to us for this reactor. When it was
pointed out that we could prob
ably make the fuel elements our
selves, they wrote to us warning
80CIALIST INDIA
us that this was a very difficult
metallurgical operation which had
taken them considerable effort,
but we were welcome to try and
produce it but could always come
to them in case we failed.
From the tone of the letter, it
was clear that they did not expect
us to make fuel elements of the
required quality and that we would
eventually go to them for buying
the fuel. Later, as it turned out,
the fuel elements produced at
Trombay were even better than
the Canadian fuel elements. This
event must be the first example
in which our own technology es
tablished itself as being equal to
that in the front rank of world
technological developments.
CIRUS REACTOR
No record of the developments
of atomic energy in India will be
complete without some references
to the problems we had in getting
the Cirus reactor critical. A few
days prior to the dedication cere
mony, the reactor got into trouble
in the sense that for some un
known reasons the cooling channel
of the fuel used to get chocked.
This, as we discovered later, was
due to bacteria developing because
of local conditions in the water
at our ambient temperatures.
At that time, the Canadians
were unable to identify the course
of the trouble and they left the
reactor to us and went away. The
cause was identified by our biolo
gists and chemists and suitable
remedies were undertaken so that
the reactor could function at its
rated capacity of 40 MW. Since
then, except for some minor prob
lems for a very short period, the
reactor has worked in an exceed
ingly satisfactory way. I must, of
course, give due credit to the ori
ginal designers of this type
reactor, the NRX, including many
scientists of international repute
such as Sir John Cockroft and W.
Bennett Lewis.
The setting up of the Reproces
sing Plant at the time when Cirus
became “critical” caused some
eyebrows to be raised, for it gave
India clearly a nuclear option. At
the opening ceremony of the Re
processing Plant, Lal Bahadur
Shastri offered this Plant to coun
61
tries of South-East Asia for Re
processing their fuel in case this
was required. However, this has
not been utilised by any of the
countries.
It was, however, made clear that
the Plutonium, reprocessed in this
plant, would be used for building
future type of reactors, particu
larly fast reactors. The fast bree
der reactor using plutonium is now
a very important part of our pro
gramme.
It was getting clear to us that
in our power programme we would
be leaning on natural uranium
heavy water systems, particularly
as a result of Canadian experi
ence and their generous offer to
share the know-how with us. The
Cirus reactor was followed by the
Zerlina reactor (1961), which was
designed to obtain physics infor
mation on such type of reactors.
It was built entirely by ourselves.
Whereas the programme of re
search reactors and its utilisation
was being forged ahead, decisions
were taken to develop all aspects
of atomic energy for peaceful pur
poses. In fact the atomic energy
programme in India at that time
was designed to act as a spring
board for modernising its scienti
fic effort.
A large programme of isotope
preparation, sophisticated labora
tories for studies in transuranium
chemistry, highly specialised labo
ratories for physics, particularly
neturon physics, various aspects
of solid state physics, solid state
chemistry, preparation of pure
materials were all established. An
intensive programme on biological
research including genetics, muta
tion research, agriculture and me
dical research was also initiated in
a very large way. This is by no
means a complete list.
DR. BHABHA's REFORMS
The administrative set-up for
science management as existed in
the country, particularly in Gov
ernment, was essentially of the
law and order inherited from Bri
tish days and was by no means
suitable for quick implementation
of imaginative decisions made at
scientific levels. It was also quite
insensitive to the requirements of
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
research scientists. It was Dr.
Bhabha who first examined the
existing structure and set in mo
tion a series of reforms. The first
and the most important change was
getting the Secretariat from Delhi
to be established in Bombay itself
so that the administrators could
be of direct service to the scien
tists and also respond to their re
quirements by being on the spot.
DECISION-MAKING
Unfortunately, the kind of de
cision-making where the decisions
are quite at variance with the re
quirements still continue to take
place in Delhi. That the Secretariat
is not supreme and the scientists
must have the final say was an
other innovation. For this pur
pose, the Trombay Council and
the Trombay Scientific Commit
tee, though they had different
names at the time, were formed.
The joint decisions taken by the
scientists were then passed to the
administrators for action whose
business it was to see they were
implemented. If, however, the de
cisions could not be taken within
the existing framework, studies
were carried out as to how the
existing framework, itself should
be changed. Unfortunately, even
now the attitude that the old rules
are unchangeable and everlasting
persists and a quick implementa
tion of any programme requires
any amount of juggling to over
come the manmade constraints.
I am afraid that the right ad
ministrative atmosphere Still
eludes the country and the tradi
tions of an administrative system,
really meant for revenue, income
tax and law and order, is still for
ced on scientific organisations. Be
cause of the statutory powers and
traditional authority of adminis
trators they tend to treat scien
tists, particularly junior ones,
more as tradesmen from whom
work should be extracted.
Since the inception of TIFR, it
was clear to us that the training
offered by our universities was
totally inadequate for a atomic
energy programme. A Training
School programme was started in
1957. I was closely connected with
this programme. The foresight
with which this training program
me was started has paid divi
SOCIALIST INDIA
dends. It has provided the base
for all our projects and many
trainees from this school hold im
portant positions. In fact, a large
number of people who took part
in the recent PNE experiment
were from this Training School.
The Training School provides
not only a place for training bright
people to get oriented towards
atomic research, but also give
them necessary atmosphere to de
velop a sense of loyalty and team
work. It also provided a set up
of brilliant young men who behave
like question masters to their
senior colleagues and therefore
provided an intellectual back
ground which is the only way an
ageing scientist can remain youth
ful in the field. While the BARC
Training School was one of the
most important efforts in utilising
our manpower, other training pro
grammes including training in
Canada for the Cirus reactor and
later the power reactors provided
the Indian Atomic Energy pro
gramme with the manpower base
without which the rapid develop
ment as witnessed would never
have been achieved.
COST OF N-POWER
Dr. Bhabha quite often said that
we could justify all the expendi
ture on atomic energy that was
being incurred to the public at
large only if we would demons
trate useful electric power gene
rated at low cost. Right from very
early days of atomic energy, he
had set himself the task of cost
ing nuclear power specially in de
veloping countries. His contribu
tions to the Geneva Conference of
1955 show his absorbing interest
in the need and cost of nuclear
powers in developing areas. He
had to fight a long battle because
his European colleagues were
against him on this matter.
When it became clear that light
water enriched system of the
BWR-type was already economical
in comparison with thermal sta
tions far away from coal fields.
Dr. Bhabha involved himself with
a series of negotiations with the
US Atomic Energy Commission
for the establishment of the Tara
pur reactor. The reactor actually
started giving power to the Maha
rashtra and Gujarat grids after his
death.
Whatever difficulties the Tara
pur reactor has been faced with,
which in my view are very exag
gerated because the reactor has
behaved no better or no worse than
other nuclear power stations in
the world, it has provided a source
of very important power for the
Maharashtra-Gujarat grid without
which industry in the two States
would have been in a complete
meSS.
The Site Selection Committee
for the location of nuclear power
reactors which was formed in
August 1961 made a series of re
commendations, as a, result of
which Kota and Kalpakkam were
chosen as locations for the first
two power stations. It was clear
even at that time, while Kota
would be built under Canadian as
sistance, Kalpakkam would be
made almost entirely from Indian
resources. The unit size of 200 MW
was naturally dictated from the
first Canadian power station at
Douglas point. It has now been
shown that the unit size of 500
or 1,000 MW would make the
electricity much cheaper to the ex
tent that it will be competitive
with thermal power even at coal
pit-heads.
It, however, we have in mind the
size of the present grid systems
and the capability of our indus
try, 200 MW would still be of value
for some years to come.
It has always been the aim of
the Indian atomic energy program
me, to utilise the large quantities
s
of thorium that exist in the coun
try. Unfortunately, thorium can
not be used as a fuel as it will s
have to be irradiated in a reactor
to produce sufficient quantities of
U-233 which can then be used as
a fuel. The production of U-233
in normal reactors is a very slow
process. However, nuclear physics
provides a most exciting answer
s
to this in the sense that it is pos
sible to build reactors using a fast
neutron spectrum in which more
fuel can be produced than is ac"
tually burnt. Such reactors art
called breeder reactors.
In these reactors if thorium is
used as a blanket around the core
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 197%
of the reactor, large quantities of
U-233 can be produced. There are,
however, many problems connected
with this type of reactor including
the economics of breeding. I would
say that in the plans of Dr. Bha
bha's programme, the fast breeder
reactor was the last big item he
had envisaged. A fast breeder test
reactor is now under construction
at Kalpakkam and is just coming
out of the ground. It should be
operating by 1977-78 and by the
early 'eighties we will have ob
tained considerable operating ex
perience on such systems, to be
able to design a power breeder
reactor to come up in the late
'eighties.
I have in this brief sketch of
developments of atomic
energy
not mentioned several other de
velopments which have gone a
long way towards making the
Indian nuclear programme a self
sufficient one. The chain of
Heavy Water Plants which has
been set up all over the country
will make us independent of im
ports of heavy water.
URANIUM CORPORATION
The Uranium Corporation of In
dia, set up in October 1967, is
responsible for all the mining and
processing of the available uranium
ore in the country. The very large
Nuclear Fuel Complex at Hyder
abad which has been set up enti
rely by our own scientists and en
gineers is something the country
can be proud of. It makes several
types of sophisticated elements
for our power and research reac
tors and also produces materials
of high purity of immense value
to our industry, e.g. zirconium,
titanium, etc. If in fact, I am ask
ed to point out a large establish
ment next to BARC which had led
us to high degree of self-suffi
ciency in an atomic power pro
gramme, I would mention the
Nuclear Fuel Complex.
An atomic energy programme is
incomplete without “waste” hand
ling facilities. This is essentially
because atomic reactors produce
hazardous radioactive “waste”
which are to be treated and stored
very carefully, in order to avoid
any hazards to the environment.
Practically at every power plant,
*0CMAllºt ºnbla
we have a large waste disposal
unit to take care of the hazards
aspects of atomic energy program
me. I have a feeling that several
countries believe that we are some
what over-cautious in our health
physics and protection program
mes, but in the particular case of
atomic energy, I think it is better
to be on the safe side.
As a measure of our self-suf
ficiency in very sophisticated tech
nology, I would like to mention the
completely indigenous fabricated
atom-smashing machine called the
60 Mev Variable Energy Cyclotron
being set up at Calcutta. This has
a curious history. For several
years, the nuclear scientists had
been asking Dr. Bhabha for his
encouragement and support in
building a big cyclotron to pro
vide the mecessary facilities for
the large number of nuclear phy
sicists available in the country.
For some reasons, he had been
very hesitant about this program
me. He, however, set up a com
mittee to report on the various
types of cyclotrons in existence
and their possible uses.
A report was prepared and at
the same time a conference of all
nuclear scientists was called at
Bombay in August 1964 to take a
decision on the programme. After
hearing the case presented by the
scientists, Dr. Bhabha completely
turned in favour of providing such
a facility. As a result of this, a
very sophisticated variable energy
cyclotron with practically all the
components made in India either at
Trombay or in the Public Sector
like BHEL, Bhopal and Heavy
Electricals, Ranchi is reaching a
stage of completion at the SALT
Lake site at Calcutta. The machine
is expected to go into operation
some time early next year.
Though this cyclotron was ori
ginally planned to be a nuclear
physics facility, it has now become
clear to all of us that it will be
one of the most important tools
for the steady of radiation dam
age in solids of special value in
a fast reactor programme. Yet,
when we were in process of trying
to convince Dr. Bhabha of the use
fulness of this machine and had
almost sºcceeded in doing so, for
tº
some unknown reasons, foreign
scientists used to write to him dis
suading him from giving any en
couragement for this project. I
have never understood this nega
tive interference from outside
scientists for a programme which
we now known will be of immense
value to physics and our pure re
search programme. The most in
explicable part being why these
foreign scientists at the same time
were permitting their own scien
tists to build a facility in their
own country.
MAY 18 EXPLOSION
There has recently been added
interest in our atomic energy pro
gramme since we carried out a
peaceful nuclear explosion on May
18, 1974 in the deserts of Raias
than. I do not have to say that
this is an experienment in which
the design, planning and execution
are all done with Idian resources
by our own boys. I am pretty cer
tain had Dr. Bhabha been alive, he
would have strongly supported the
aims of our experiment on May 18
and I can say from my long per
sonal association with him that
he was keen on understanding all
aspects of peaceful uses of atomic
energy including nuclear explo
sions. We have shown that at low
cost one can carry out a PNE
which is fully contained. We have
described elsewhere its possible
uses but we still have to carefully
study the behaviour of radioactive
substances underground. The dril
ling for getting such information
is in full swing.
We must all recognise that all
these great achievements that Dr.
Bhabha and his colleagues were
able to fulfil in the last 25 vears
would have been impossible but
for the firm support and encour
agement in a scientific sense, given
hv Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who
died just about 10 years ago. His
faith in science was immense and
I hope the scientists in the Atomic
Energy Commission have been
worthy of his confidence. I am
happy to sav we have received the
same support from the present
Prime Minister and her genius of
clear and well defined decisions
have already helped us to make
Our contributions to the develop
* of the country in the atomic
ºld,
REPUstilt tº Y NUMBER 1978
 The pride and glory
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tigers burned bright in the jungles of our
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estimated 2000! Wanton killing by the gift that nature has given us. For once
poachers and unlicensed hunters is taking destroyed, it can never be replaced.
its toll.
Rare birds and animals all over India You have a beautiful heritage.
are facing the same fate. Although every You must preserve it.
year they draw thousands of tourists to
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SOCIALIST INDIA 64 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
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The Premier Construction
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lºw PRAISE OF THE INDIAN
PHILOSOPHY OF ART
DR. MULK RAJANAND
Following is the text of the prologue to the
sixth Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture delivered by
Dr. Mulk Raj Anand at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi
some time ago. The lecture was sponsored by the
Lalit Kala Akademi which also conferred an hono
rary fellowship on Dr. Anand, a former Chairman
of the Akademi.
The associations of the name of Ananda Coom
araswamy with the yearly lectures, initiated by the
Lalit Kala Akademi, connects the art activity of our
country with one of the most inspiring critics of the
creative arts.
Specially does this memorial give value to the
neglected tradition of aesthetic interpretation of
actual works of art. Because Coomaraswamy was
one of the first few members of the world intelligen
tsia who, by his pioneer essays in criticism, estab
lished the equation of “poetry by analogy” (content
of pictorial and plastic arts) with “poetry” in words.
While in ancient and mediaeval India, it was mainly
verbal expression in both poetry and drama which
was honoured apart from temple architecture in
modern India, he brought paisnting and culpture
within the purview of appreciation as autonomous
arts.
He defined beauty as a state of awareness, re
levant to all creative works, including the objects
of daily use, the products of the crafts, the most
heightened form as well as the little pot among the
kitchen utensils. To him life was a sacrament and
overy constructive act had to evoke delight, grace
and nobility, to intensify the emotions, extend the
consciousness and widen the area of understanding
of the processes of being to Becoming.
As a theoretician, he was one of the small
band of world philosophers of aesthetics, Benedetto
Croce, Jacques Maritain, George Santayana, Eric
Gill and Okakura, who warned the intelligentsia
about the inevitable breakdown of harmony in a
technology-run-mad world disorder, and who asked
for the return of man to an integral order.
TRADITIONS OF INDIAN ART
I had the privilege, through one of my uncles,
Dr. Paira Mal, to hear about Ananda Coomaraswamy,
in my youth. Then I met him, briefly, in the 'twen
ties in the studio in Piggots, High Wycombe, of the
sculptor Eric Gill, I took from his radiant presence
the inspiration to launch me on my researches in
*fift A*-nºr Nºla - --------
art experience. Later, I prepared, under his guidance,
my book The Hindu View of Art, of which the
theme was given to me by Dr. Coomaraswamy him
self from his own two essays of the same name in
The Dance of Shiva. And I imbibed from his writings
urge to “return to the native country” for the
various pilgrimages I have made to almost every
shrine in our vast country, as well as in some other
parts of Asia, Africa and Europe.
I must confess that, as soon as I had finished
writing about the philosophical hypothesis behind
the great tradition a God-intoxicated religion, I felt
that I would either have to believe in the Hindu
Dharma entirely or live by my own felt experience,
in the finite life, condemned to a mechanical civilisa
tion, experimenting in the universe of disbelief to
gain what insight may be possible in the age of
disharmony in order to try to survive at any human
level.
I had found that Brahma had been dethroned in
my mind by the polite strictures of my teachers,
Professor Dawes Hicks, Bertrand Russell and C. D.
Broad against Dr. Radhakrishnan's exposition of the
Vedanta in Cambridge. Lord Russell had told me
of the new researches in the physical world. He had
said that “certain atoms are not caused: they go
off at tangents, on their own! The discovery of even
new organic molecules in space had proved that the
universe is a veritable crucible where what we know
as life as always becoming. So there can be no big
bearded God who designed the universe. . . In fact
the cosmos may turn out to be joke!” almost every
Western and quite a few Indian philosophers had
begun to consider philosophy as a criticism of the
sciences.
CONCERN FOR INDIVIDUAL
Of course, as against this agnostic tendency,
we had seen the conversion of another bitter critic
of modern civilisation, the poet T. S. Eliot, author
of “The Waste Land”, from an inquiring eclectiº
into an “anglo-catholic in religion, royalist in polº
tics and classicist in literature”.
For a few years, I was torn between the accep
tance of the traditional Dharma, propounded by
Bankim Chandra Chatterji and the belief in the
finite as a way to the infinite implicit in the writings
of Rabindranath Tagore, specially in his novels 0
human experience.
My association with Herbert Road was, how
ever, to lend emphasis to my concern for the ".
dividual, in the context of the world tragedy. An
though I did not accept in toto the restriction 9
art to “significant form” by Clive Bell, as he tended
to sidetrack the content of works of art, I did sº
the importance of form for the imaginative reconº
truction of experience.
The conversation in the "at home"evenings ºf
William Rothensteln, Lawrence Binyon, and Y.
to the india section of the Victoria and Albº
tºº * ---ºr
.*- : * * * *--- anrunnic pay Numaºn 1"
Museum (whose curator was, at that time, the ex
plosive K. B. Codrington), helped to confirm in me
the feeling that mere systems of aesthetic theory
had little relevance for us, unless they were intima
tely bound up with the actual experience of artworks.
About art experience, however, through my re
searches in Professor Spearman's Psychological
Laboratory in University College London (and the
nearby Slade School of Art) I had found that most
people looked at works of art and very few saw them.
This hunch had come to me from my reading of
Kunstform and Yoga in Indischen Kulthild,
which Dr. Coomaraswamy had sent to me from
America as a gift, with the advice to have it trans
lated into English, if possible. So, while I was back
to the roots of Indian culture, I had returned an ex
perimentalist in regard to aesthetic experience of
Works of art.
My change of emphasis from Dharma to the
felt experience was like a conversion. I gave up
teaching academic philosophy and took to writing
about human beings of my country in fiction, and
prose poetry, and even began to doodle extensively.
And I found myself, after writing many hours in
my “room with a view” in Bloomsbury, spending re
laxed hours in the studios of artists friends in
Charlotte St., as well as in Camden Town and
Chelsea. I was learning to revere contemporary crea
tive art as apart of my experiments with humanism.
This humanism itself, urged by the love of the
poor folk from whom I had come, was refurbished
by the desire to unite the ends of the earth. It was
based on the acceptance of the here and the now.
as against the yearnings for the infinite, proviously
accepted from the Arya Samaj, Dr. Radhakrishnan
and Professor L. R. Puri.
YEARNING TO BE A CRITIC
I was not unmindful that the departure from
the moorings in the Vedants would plunge me into
chaos. I was plauged by the rigours of constant ques
tionings, anxious immediacy and by future uncertain
ties. I was torn between the unbearable dread of
being an isolated, alienated individual, in the vast
machine world. My spirit, squeezed between fear
and hope, clung to the visions of old things, a Bud
dha head here, a Nataraj image there and a lovely
Pahari Nayika in an antique shop, which I could not
afford to buy.
In this situation, I adjusted myself to poverty
and active leisure by making an aesthetic of it. I
learned to bear the meagreness of my life by the
love of simple human things, such as a sketch that
Walter Sickert gave me, the large print of one of
Gaugin's Tahitian women which I bought cheap in
the Caledonian market, a large folk painting of a
Scene from the Mahabharata which I acquired on
one of my returns to Kangra Valley, a set of Kalig
hat Pats which my Anglo-Indian landlady had no
use for. I deliberately transformed the inherited
urge for the abstract, formless self, free of limits
and confines to a new freedom to roam round the
80CIALIST INDIA
world and see the unity of life in everything, even
the most ordinary children's painting, inspired by
the hunch that there may be depths underneath.
I found sanctions for this eclectic attitude in
the later Buddhist philosophy: that the true self
can be free, to face anything, that the highest aim
of life is freedom from all dogmas, to regain a kind
of relative innocence, from which one can explore
the unlimited possibilities of human life and pile up
insights. In this way, I felt, one could also make a
choice between one thing and another, oe poem and
another, one picture and another, one sculptor and
another. That is to say, one could learn to be creative
critic.
The reawakening of my sensibility to the awa
reness of the pleasures of nature, like the wild
tropical flowers in Kew Gardens, or the roses in
Regent Park, or the sudden-emergence of the sun,
as if it was the first sun, of the first morning of the
world—these pleasures did not give merely hedo
nistic sensations but the sense of resting in the
quiet depths of intense moments in the ordinary life,
The vision of eternity could be seen in a spray of
apple blossoms.
RUSKIN AND TOLSTOY
At this stage, I came across, in the Sabarmati
Ashram, a copy of Ruskin’s “Unto This Last,” which
revealed the mobility of creative labour of my much
despised craftsmen ancestors. And when Gandhi
said: “Give up all this tall talk of fine art, and read
Tolstoy's book on art,” I was only to willing to
follow. The result was the conviction that creative
ness is implicit in the human biology, which survives
by the inner cycle of rhythmic life in the body-soul,
and by its release in Soul, both of a peasant who
breaks out in a ditty or looks at the beauty of a
sunset, as well as in the paintings of Ajanta masters,
Ku Kai Chi’s “Admonitions of the Mistress” and
Leonardo’s “Madonna of the Rocks”.
This led me to the view that the proper
function of art criticism was to probe the creative
processes behind artistic expression. And I was con
firmed in my search into the distinction between the
popular looking at works of art as against the cri
tics seeing them.
Incidentally, this discovery made it easy to in
herit relevant inspirations from traditional art, with
out accepting its divine sanctions in the esoteric
Vedanta. Because, in our ancient culture, images of
the various Gods of the Pantheon had been used as
aids to contemplation, for extension of consciousness,
until the mind of the worshipper fused itself, by al
liance with the energies of nature, symbolished in
the divinities, with the changing flux of the cosmos.
This method of seeing was more helpful for the
deeper experience of art than in the modern Euro
pean galleries where exhibitions were social occasions
for showing fine clothes, drinking cocktails and to
buy and sell artworks. And one could learn to
take from the million of profound thoughts those
which were life-giving.
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1075
 The main tendency of the Vedanta was for as
cetic withdrawal of the individual to escape from
earthly existence and to realise Mukti or release
by renunciation and prayer, from the trammels of
earthly life. Hindu images were intended to be used
for this end by the Brahmins. But, curiously, I had
found that the craftsmen had in the making of ima
ges, often made them, as though they were living
forms—“breathing stone”. Obviously the attitude
of the artists was frequently the very opposite of
the Brahmins. They were of the earth—earthly and
saw the beauty of forms in the sensuous delight the
images could give.
Therefore, one brought one's appreciation of
the skill and the intense imaginative fervour of the
artist, that may have gone to the making of an
image. And Coomaraswamy's recommendation of the
dictum in the Sukranitisara was not acceptable: that
“even the misshapen image of a god is of value,
because it is an image of God.”
This particular non-acceptance of the tradition
as a whole was helpful because one could guard
against the enthusiastic appraisal by our archaelo
gist, with a religious bent of mind, for writing diath
rymbic praise about every Hindu sculpture, good,
bad or indifferent. And one could defend the most
vital works of tradition against the insinuations
about “lack of design” in Indian art of prejudiced
foreign critics.
The emphasis in the West, on the plastic and
pictorial situation of a particular work, became an
important part of one's critical outlook. In this way,
the generalised criticism of traditional art, in terms
of the religions and iconographical significance, was
absorbed as the background of a more comprehen
sive outlook, which included analysis of the possible
creative impulses behind a particular work, the
technical virtuosity involved and its approximation
to the possibilities open to genius in a given situation.
ONE-WORLD CULTURE
Also, the comparison and contrast of works of
art of one culture with those of another became
possible thus making one converge, with many
others, from one's own particular approach road,
towards a one-world culture. Thus the superiority of
one art tradition over another was obviated. And a
variety of ways in the pursuit of expression of ins
piration led to an acceptance of democracy in art.
To be sure, there was a transition, from the con
cept of art as the privileged possession of the upper
heirarchy of priests and rajas and their nobles, in
the limited feudal culture of the forty, or four hun
dred, or four thonsand, to the acceptance of the ex
panding culture of millions. This meant the rejec
tion of the emphasis on Brahminism of Coomaras
wamy, Aurobindo and Havell, a kind of dethrone
ment of the teachers as well as to their Gods. But
it was done in no spirit of iconoclasm.
I had already cultivated the maxim that even
if one differed from one's teachers one must give
SOCIALIST INDIA # T 3. &ºvº..”.”
reverence to them for that which they had taught
one. In fact, I felt that the best way to do homage
to one's Guru is to pull his teaching to pieces and
to reinterpret his deepest thoughts through one's
own felt experience.
The emphasis of Ananda Coomaraswamy had
already led (part from his chief contribution in the
establishment of the value of art works) to reviva
lism. I had accepted the Bengal school on trust from
him in the first edition of my book. But, immediately
after, I felt that what we wanted in our country
were renascent efforts and not the revival of the
past, however great it was, that we could take from
the ancients what was relevant to contemporary
needs and interest, but that one could not bring back
a pervious age entire, but only a few roots which
might be regrafted on the new soil already utilised
by a new consciousness where many tress were grow
ing from roots thrown from outside.
PLEASURES OF RE-DISCOVERY
It was imperative, however, to rediscover the
past, to know exactly what had happened, to inquire
how some of the finest art works of mankind be
came possible in our tradition, in spite of the shack
les of orthodoxy through the frequent vitalist up s
surge of the folk consciousness. By sorting out the
background of the traditional cultures, one could
sift the grains from the chaff, one could find out
what fact had led to what fantasy one could appre
ciate works in the context of the creative experience
from which they were produced and not from the
point of view of external tests one could find other
strains of consciousness than those promoted by the
upper oligarchies of the classical cultures. And this
attitude brought refreshing results.
One found that the craftsmen of our country.
an spite of the comparatively low status to which
they were condemned in the caste order had, per
haps, for that very reason, retained their human im
pulses. Doubtless, living in the order where every
form of life was codified, within the terms of the
ideal of salvationsim or release from earthly exis
tence, they had accepted the injunctions of Silpa
Shastra iconography. But in the guise of this very
religious imagery, they were able, when they had
original individual talent, to inform the images with
the warmth of sensuousness. Theirs is an instinctive
surrender of the body-soul, to the experience of life
in its myriad forms. And their vague inherited Pan
theism allies the cosmic man in them with the hu
man. In fact, all the Gods and Goddesses become, in
their hands, free sculptures, imbued, at times, with
a beauty and grace and tenderness, which enshrines
the essence of their mystique with personal feeling
of the warm human sensibility deligting in every
living impulse.
In the years that have elapsed since I wrote
my earlier essays on art, I have devoted myself
along with many contemporary colleagues, to the
pleasures of rediscovery. I have not evolved an aes
thetic theory. But I have made several hypothesis
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
\
 which I shall sum up in these lectures, under the
title The Birth of Lalit Kala.
Our new political freedom, in a secular democ
racy, has brought us to the situation from which
we can achieve the many other freedoms, such as
the liberty to break away from dead habits and con
ventions and rigidity in intellectual matters. I hope
we are now free to face anything, anyone, anything,
including the orthodox classicists, as amateurs pseu
de-scholars, or experimentalists, to pursue the truth
about beauty in the perticular way we like, accord
ing to the bent of our individual sensitivities.
We have the sanction for this approach from
Rabindranath Tagore. He was, with Ananda Cooma
raswamy, E. B. Havell and his newphew Abanindra
nath Tagore, the patron of the Vichitra school of
revivalist painters. But he saw the blind alleys, to
which the wholesale return to the classical art of
Ajanta and the Mughal court would lead the modern
sensibility. He had known of the debacle of the
Pre-Raphaelites in Great Britain.
At the end of his life, he wrote in his book
Meaning of Art: “When in the name of Indian art
We cultivate, with deliberate aggressiveness, a certain
bigotry born of the habit of a past generation, we
Smother our souls under idiosyncrasies unearthed
from buried centuries. These are like masks with
exaggerated grimaces, that fail to respond to the
ever-changing play of life...”
“I strongly urge our artists vehemently to deny
their obligation carefully to produce something that
can be labelled as Indian art, according to some old
world mannerism. Let them proudly refuse to be
herded into a pan like bra branded beasts that are
treated as cattle and not as cows”.
HERE AND NOW
I believe that we have to live in the here and
the now, in this world which is quite different from
the ancient and mediaeval world. I feel that we have
self consciously, to make the transition from God
to Man. As against the Man who had no signifi
Cance except as part of the Supreme Brahman, man
today has to face himself without support from the
Deity. He has to make himself, make his own life,
make himself into an individual in, and through,
º Society, in which he grows and lives and has his
Ing.
READ SOGILIST
|NDIA
-
y 80CIALIST INDIA - - - 1 -
This society is now a worldwide community,
evolving, in spite of the pains of growth, into a new
cosmos, where science daily reveals new vistas or
achievement. Thus man can become truly human to
day only by making his own possibilities open to
him. Only by making his own possibilities open to
that has come to our age: that Man, not God, is
the centre of the universe. He has to evolve. He has
to extend his awareness. He has grown in to his
potential as part of nature. I consider creative art
to be one of the media which can help man to
grow.
I believe that, in the delight we feel in the
face of pictures and images, we gain insight. To
every seer, a sculpture or a painting, reveals a uni
verse in himself, in which he finds, beyond the icon,
(through the urge of the artist to communicate his
own tenderness to us, to metamorphose his own in
tense awareness of mood) a passion, a feeling, a
glimpse of vision, an insight into the deeps of expe
rience. If we achieve these insights, they add them
selves to our previous insights. And, by piling up
many such insights, perhaps, we recognise in our
selves our own total humanness become sensitive to
other universe of discourses, attune our nerves to
calm and go towards the understanding which pas
seth understanding. May we attain the vision of
beauty as a state of grace, nobility, love itself.
When Jawaharlal Nehru pointed to Destination
Man, as the ideal of our advance as individuals in
our vast multi-racial, multilingual society towards
the future, he also initiated the future Akademies,
perhaps in the belief that they would encourage cul
ture, self-cultivation. I think he was indicating to us
the direction of our advance towards ourselves. I
don't think he had the time to chalk out the ways
by which man can become himself.
May be, he left it to us to work out the “tryst
with destiny” in our own arts. I would crave your
indulgence in speculating that he had in mind what
he did not say: that man can only become human
by piling up insights through participation in the
creative arts.
I shall now talk of my own understanding of
the fundamental contrast of the appreciation of art
in the age of the Gods, when the life of our coun
try was based on the urge for Mukti from earthly
existence, and of appreciation of our new tormented
age of Man. (And then Dr. Mulk Raj Anand delivered
the Dr. Coomaraswamy Memorial Lecture).
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SOCIALIST INDIA 70 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER

“RADICAL” PERSPECTIVES FOR INDIAN CINEMA
This article is based on a paper
prepared for the Symposium on
“The Parallel Cinema: Approach
and Organisation”, organised as
part of the Fifth International
Film Festival, New Delhi.
The Parallel Cinema has come
to stay in India. Several factors
have contributed much to this
achievement. The spread of the
Film Society movement; the es
tablishment of the Film Institute
and the National Film Archive at
Poona; the starting of the Film
Finance Corporation of India;
the channelisation of the tax
payers' money through it; the
emergence of a brave band of film
makers, who insisted on being
auteurs; the sympathetic conside
ration that was accorded to their
films; and finally the attempts to
exhibit these films through art
theatres and morning shows—
these have been largely responsi
ble for the emergence of the
Parallel Cinema in India.
The Parallel Cinema had a be
lated and slow start. Its progress
was halting. Through trial and
error, wittingly or unwittingly, it
gathered momentum. Bureaucratic
bungling, difficulties with the Cen
sors, monetary restrictions and
such other factors did hamper the
movement. And it has miles of
celluloid to go before it can make
the requisite impact on the screens
here and abroad and come to be
hailed as the equivalent of Italy's
Neo-realist Cinema. France's New
Wave Cinema, Britain's Free
Cinema or USA's Underground
Cinema. Some more time is needed
and a lot of sustained effort must
go into it.
COMMERCIAL CINEMA
Parallel to this “Parallel
Cinema", the regular cinema, the
traditional cinema, the commercial
or whatever it is called has been
Jogging along constituting the
*cond largest cinema industry in
the world, next only to Japan and
Wrºcºding Hollywood and centinu
*CWłlºt INDIA
ing to supply “opium” to the mas
SeS.
GOING TO THE ROOTS
The word radical, is being used
here not to mean extremist, ultra
experimental or avant garde pers
pectives. Somehow this word has
got corrupted and acquired a res
tricted meaning.
The Webster's Collegiate Dictio
nary says: Radical: 1. Of, course
relating to, or proceeding from a
root; 2. Of or relating to the ori
gin (Fundamental) 3. a. marked
. . by a considerable departure
from the usual or traditional (Ex
treme).
The Oxford Dictionary, too,
gives the original meaning: Radi
cal: 1. Of the roots 2. Naturally
inherent, essential, fundamental.
It is in this true sense that I
wish to use the word here though
it also means as the OED says
“tending or disposed to make ex
treme changes in existing views,
habits, conditions or institutions.”
This involves tightrope walking.
For, on the one hand the film
makers have to be firmly anchor
ed to the roots, to the fundamen
tals and yet they should dare to
make changes, innovations and al
terations.
It is with radical perspectives,
that all those connected with the
Parallel Cinema should look at it,
be they the film-makers, the spon
sors, the censors, the authorities
giving permissions and permits for
this and that, the exhibitors and
the audiences.
My plea is that the Indian films
must widen the “drowsy eyes and
awaken the lazy ears” of the
audience here and everywhere.
This can be done only if the films
are revelatory and evocative. In
fact, as Dr. Mulk Raj Anand said,
the films must become the “folk
nnetry of the Indian people of this
age." Let not films be made for
#1
JAG MoHAN
eternity but for the present—and
for the next generation or two.
There will be others to carry on
the relay race of making films.
Let it not be forgotten that the
sculptors and painters of this
country in the past ages have left
images of their times on the walls
of caves, on the railings, in the
interiors and exteriors of temples
and on palm leaves. But in our age
the cinema, having absorbed all
the earlier arts and having become
the Tenth Muse and the Liveliest
Art, is the only medium to reach
the maSSes.
IN TIME PAST
The temples of old in some pla
ces have been abandoned. And
such temples that are frequented
by people are repositories of reli
gious fervour. There is very little
art in them. There are no monas
teries as there were in Nalanda
and Nagarjunakonda. We have
only cinema halls. There are no
kings and merchants to finance
the masterpieces of sculpture and
painting. There may be some
smuggler kings here and there fi
nancing the production of films.
The film-makers can bave radi
cal perspectives and go back to
the roots in many ways.
For instance, they can turn
their serious attention to the ae
thetic theories formulated by our
ancients, to the “Rasa” and
“Dhwani” theories, to the princi
ples that animated Indian drama
turgy They should pay as much
attention, if not more, to these
as the do to Aristotleian catha
rasis and Brechtian alienation.
The film-makers must abondon
their private worlds, subjective
landscapes, anti-heroes, exhibitio
mism, dandyism and bravado. In
stead they must go to the peo
ple and explore their lives as lived
by them, truthfully, sincerely and
Rººtjºº, IC DAY NUMBER 1978
Intimately. They must reveal the
entire gamut of natural and man
made activity. They must comune
with “the genuine heart-beat of
the people” working in fields and
factories, in mines and sea-coasts,
the terraced hillocks and lush val
leys. They must make films in
which the “ordinary people can
recognise themselves on the
Screen.”
This means that film-makers
must highlight the phenomenal
changes that are taking place in
the mores of their living in the
modes of their thinking. Then only
true cinema will emerge and not
spurious drama and much less of
melodrama. As Dr. P. V. Pathy,
a pioneer of documentary films in
India, once said “let not the films
be motion picture reflections of
Indian life but dynamic interpre
tation of Indian attitudes of life.”
Let not the films soporify the au
dience and lull them into opium
happiness but spur them to think,
to reflect, to make decisions and
to act.
The film-makers should create
images that will enthrall the
retina, that will tantalise the mind,
that will be remembered and re
called in tranquility. Let the words
and sound effects be such that
they will haunt the ears. Then
only the films will become part of
collective consciousness of the
nation and even of the Joycian
“unconscious of the race.”
THE FILM-MAKERS
The film-makers must become
the interpreters of India's unbro
ken and still vital cultural tradi
tions that have survived for 5,000
years and sustained this ancient
country and the modern nation.
The film-makers have a duty to
explain, expound and project the
will of the nation. This can be
done in a hundred different ways
but it should be done meaningful
ly, rationally and truthfully.
The film-makers an go back to
their roots in another way too.
They must remember that right
from the earliest days, every film
maker of any worth has believed
that the films must be seen by
the public, If the film lies unseen,
rotting in the cans, then something
SOCIALIST INDIA
is seriously wrong with the film.
It is only when the films are pro
jected on the screen and seen by
the masses in hundreds and mil
lions that they are fulfilled, fully
consummated.
FORM AND CONTENT
The film-makers must heed the
words of Satyajit Ray: “A film
is made with the sole purpose of
being consumed. It comes to life
and serves its purpose only in the
theatre, in the presence of the
public.”
This observation must be borne
in mind for there has been a ten
dency to experiment needlessly at
the cost of filmic coherency, to
indulge in formal exercises at the
cost of content. The result is
that the films of this type go
over the heads of the people who
start ignoring them. Then the
films do not give back any divi
dends and much less the invest
ment.
This tragic state of affairs is
harmful to the creativity of the
film-makers. So, right from the
beginning, the film-makers should
take all precautions not to fall
into this trap. Only social aware
ness and social commitment can
rescue the film-makers from such
doldrums.
As far as the commercial Indian
cinema is concerned it must also
acquire radical perspectives. It
should eschew plagiarism, cheap
glossiness, surface similarity to
Hollywood, vulgarity, chocolate
coated eroticism and stupid vio
lence. If only these commercial
film-makers could remember the
films of New Theatres, Prabhat,
Bombay Talkies, and if they fol
low—even in a little way—the
worthy example of Satyajit Ray
who makes classics that click at
the box office, then they can pro
duce much better films than the
trash they dish out.
Radical perspectives for those
who are sponsors, for those who
are connected with films officially,
administratively, bureaucratically,
should be that they have a great
responsibility to liberate, the film
from red-tape and rules and regu
lations, The film being a creative
72
medium, it should not be strangu
lated with red-tape. The Censors
too, need radical perspectives.
For this age, for this time the
cinema is the most potential me |
dium and enough latitude must be
granted to film-makers to express
himself. Outworm concepts, unima
ginative attitude and personal pre
dilections must be thrown out of
the window. All governmental
authorities connected with films
need to be educated in radical
concepts and perspectives. In fact,
the Film Institute should conduct
a short-term, referesher course to
educate these people about the
true nature of the cinema.
It has been an uphill task to
educate the exhibitors. But their
stranglehold has been lessening,
With more and more art theatres
coming up they will also fall in
line. But the basic thing is that
if the films are good and the mo
ney comes into the coffers of the
exhibitors, they would welcome
any film of the Parallel Cinema.
Fortunately, the admirers and
adherents of the Parallel
Cinema are increasing by leaps
and bounds, not only in the big
cities but in remote places as
well. The Film Society Movement
has been gathering support among
snowball ef.
the cinegoers with
fect. May it be so.
All that I wish to say in con
clusion is that India has been
great. India is great. Make it grea.
ter through the films with radiº
cal perspectives. Let Indian films
project the India of today in diº
tant lands, in remote corners, coº
tinuing the tradition of our gº
phic and plastic arts which in tº
centuries past found homes *
countries far and near.
CE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
_*
Rsrustic pay NuMars 1*
:-
FILM FESTIVAL :
A Round-Up
A Correspondent
The Fifth International Film
Festival of India, which concluded
in New Delhi, January 12, has
...attracted much criticism — and
not undeservedly. For one thing,
it was wrongly timed. As it clash
ed with the Christmas and New
• Year festivities, not many foreign
º delegates could attend it. This
robbed the festival of much of its
prestige and glamour.
-
4.
* It may, however, be conceded in
all fairness that the timing was
* not of Government's chosing but
: was dictated by the FIAPF regu
lations (the Federation of Inter
* national Association of Film Pro
ducers which grants permission
for competitive festivals) that the
ºx festival must be held during 1974.
* This left the Government with no
options — unless, of course, the
º debate is extended to question the
very idea of holding an expensive
festival at a time when the coun
try's economy is passing through
difficult times. But faced as we are
with a fait accompli any argu
ment on that count would be
futile.
* *
º: A dispassionate discussion on
4. tertain aspects of the festival is
1.
nevertheless called for, if only to
put the whole thing in its proper
perspective. The bungling in the
sale of tickets, the cavalier treat
ment meted out to the press and
some of the foreign delegates and
reports of bureaucratic high
handedness are some of the un
savoury aspects of the festival,
and by now too well-known to be
gone into detail.
Mismanagement apart, the qua
lity of films shown at the festival
was at best modest. Barring a few
honourable exceptions — barely
six or seven out of about 150 films
shown during the festival — others
were only on the fringes of what
are vaguely known as the festival
“standards”. Even the award-win
ning Hungarian film, Dreaming
Youth, has been received with
skepticism. Considering, however,
that the jury consisted of some
of the formidable film personali
ties of the world, including India's
Satyajit Ray and USA's Frank
Capra, its judgement can be safely,
accepted as fair.
There are two opinions about the
symposium on “Parallel Cinema:
Approach and Organisation” or
ganised as part of the festival on
January 7 and 8. Those critical
of it feel that it was an exercise
in futility with little to show in
terms of concrete results. The
unseemly wrangle on the first day
over the definition of parallel
cinema is seen as symptomatic of
the confusion that afflicts the pro
tagonists of parallel cinema.
The section of opinion more
sympathetic to it views the deci
sion to set up a cooperative of
film producers and distributors to
facilitate the production and dis
tribution of parallel films as a big
achievement. The promises of co
operation extended by film prod-1-
cer B. R. Chopra and the Presi
dent of the Film Federation of
India S. L. Nahata on behalf of
the film industry is taken as re
cognition by the powerful com
mercial film-makers that the
parallel cinema has come to stay.
But to conclude that a new “era”
of cooperation between the two
streams of Indian cinema (whose
interests are bound to clash) has
somehow dawned would be prema
ture.
Besides, Shri I. K. Gujral, Minis
ter for Information and Broadcast
ing has given a sympathetic ear
to the proposals made by the spon
sors and has promised to heln in
every way possible. The proceed
ings of the two-day symposium
were lively, though marked by
shades of acrimony at times. The
symposium was opened by the
Minister of Information and Broad
casting, Shri I. K. Gujral who
stressed the importance of paral
lel cinema and highlighted the as
pects that mark it out from the
commercial cinema.
The discussion was preceded by
the screening of some of the ear
liest films made by Lumiere
brothers and first shown at Bom

º Following is a break-up of the awards dis Film Festival of India in New Delhi on January
º tributed at the end of the Fifth International 12.

* FEATURE FILMS * *-

~ “Golden Peacock” for the Best Film Hungary's Dreaming Youth

"Silver Peacock” for the Best Director Brazil's Zolito Viana for Alma
“Silver Peacock” for the Best Actor Iran's Behrouze Vasoughi for Tangsir
“Silver Peackock” for the Best Actress USA's Barbara Streisand for The Way We Were
*

| SHORTS ,- . ~~
l “Golden Peacock” for the Best Short Czechoslovakia's The Automation
“Silver Peacock” Egypt's Pearl of Nile
“Bronze Peacock” Finland's 1895: How the Movies Move
*
The jury, in its report, also mentioned Strangers, The Kindest Man I know and I Saw
Pillars of Wisdom, Stardust, At Home with Her First.

*
! 800IALIST INDIA 73 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
bay's Watson Hotel nearly 80
years ago. There was some con
fusion when the Chairman, Mr.
David Robinson (the film critic of
Times, London), decided to call
people not originally scheduled to
speak to address the symposium.
Those who had been asked to sub
mit papers and were expected to
read them understandably resent
ed what they thought was an un
ilateral change in the format.
After, however, only two speakers
—B. K. Karanjia, Editor of
Filmfare and Chairman of
Film Finance Corporation, and
Ulrich Gregor of Federal Republic
of Germany — had spoken under
the new dispensation the format
was suitably changed.
The rest of the day's proceed
ings centred round the meaning of
the term “parallel” and the ways
and means to facilitate distribu
tion of parallel films. Those who
participated included Basu Chat
terjee, Jag Mohan, Chidananda
Das Gupta, Shyam Benegal, Kumar
Shahani, Mani Kaul, Mohammed
Hashim (Bangladesh), Shaadi
Abdel Salaam (Egypt) and Zan
ussi (Poland).
The second day's business was
marked by a bitter attack on the
parallel cinema by B. R. Chopra
who also chaired the proceedings.
This led to a walk-out by the new
wave film-makers led by Ritiwick
Ghatak. They held a “parallel”
symoposium in the lanws of the
National Museum (the venue of
the the symposium) and came back
with a resolution envisaging among
other things the setting up of a
cooperative of film producers and
distributors. The resolution, pre
pared and moved by Dilip Pad
gaonkar, was unanimously adopted.
B. R. Chopra and S. L. Nahata
promised cooperation to the pro
posed cooperative on behalf of the
film industry.
Earlier during the discussions,
the British film critic and biogra
pher of Satyajit Ray, Marie Seton
pleaded for a better distribution
system for parallel films; Jag
Mohan stressed the need for “na.
tional” cinema on the lines of poli.
tical cinema in Cuba and other
African countries and S. Sukhdev
called for “dislodging of the com:
mercial cinema” which he said ||
was a “precondition” for the kind ||
of parallel cinema needed in India.
Whatever be its drawbacks, the
festival was not without its re
deeming features. The notable
among these was the agreement ||
on joint Indo-Soviet film ventures |
While one such venture, a chil.
dren's film Riki-Fiki-Tavi, is half
way through, negotiations for an:
other (a feature film entitled
The Sun Rises Over the Ganges
are On.
Similar agreements are reported
to have been signed with some
other countries also. Mr. M. Hair
nachi from Algeria announced that
he had decided to buy a good ſº
of Telugu films for screening in
his country.

DELHi
A CITY OF GROWTH AND CHALLENGES
TAKES RAPID STRIDES ON ITS ONWARD MARCH
SALIENT FEATURES OF DEVELOPMENT IN LAST TWO YEARS

INDUSTRY
New Industrial complex is coming up at Narela, 862 Industrial sheds constructed
for 1000 unemployed engineers.
HALF A MILLION JOBS PROGRAMME
56 new schemes in action for providing jobs to about 19,000 educated unemployed.
Special Employment Scheme at a cost of Rs. 20 lakhs have been launched this year.
EDUCATION
Training programmes to give work-experience-cum-science orientation to education
started.
WELFARE OF THE HARIJANS
Several additional schemes for the Welfare of Harijans and Backward Classes ini
tiated by doubling the original IV Plan outlay. 200 Harijan Bastis improved.
MEDICAL FACILITIES -

Ten new dispensaries were opened in 1973-74 raising their number to 50 in back
ward and Jhuggi Jhompri areas. Two 500-beded hospitals being constructed.
FOR FARMERS
Marginal Farmer's Agricultural, Landless Labourer's Agency set-up to help small
farmers with grants and cheap loans.
Semen Bank and exotic Hoistein-Fraesian Cow Farm established.

Priorities given for providing increased civic amenities, housing and slum clearance,
mitigation of unemployment and welfare of weaker section in Delhi's Fifth Five Year
Plan.

Let us put forth our best in Building a Better 10elhi. *

ISSUED #Y THE DIRECTORATE of INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY

Bºrºnt ADMINISTRATION, Diät, HI,
Zºrrºr--ºr _-rrºr-º-º-º-º-º----- -
-º-
—-"
wº-ºº:

*OtºAR fºr NANA ---> * * . ----------~ * - - auruutu may nunnº."

-

\
 UNJAB
Saſutes ffic
éº
º &epubſic
Punjab had the highest per capita income (Rs. 1105) as compared to Rs.
698 of the country in the year 1972-73.
Punjab's contribution to the Central food reserve is the highest in the
country.
Punjab had the highest per hectare yield of wheat (2216 Kgs.) rice (2287
Kgs), bajra (982 Kgs) and cotton (371 Kgs) in the country in 1973-74.
Punjab has 46 kms of roads for every 100 sq. kms. of area—the highest
in the country.
Punjab is the first State to provide house sites to the landless persons.
Over 1.84 lakh plots have already been given.
Punjab is the first State to launch medical and civic manthan program
mes.

Punjab is the first State to make reservation for Scheduled Castes and
backward classes in promotions to class I and II posts.
Punjab is the first State to cover all its districts with Small and Margi
nal Farmers’ Agencies.
Punjab is the first State to make rickshaw-pullers the owners of theil
rickshaws. ..
The Punjab Government is vigorously engaged in giving a new signifi
cance to life-more jobs, more comforts and elegance—a less worry from
want, misery and hunger. Let us, on this auspicious day, once again de
dicate ourselves to the glorious task of nation-building.

* : I. .. . PRD75,123

~.

| /
}

25 Years Of Export Performance
The author is connected with the
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.
The title of this article is a mis
nomer, because at least for a de
cade, covered by the First and the
Second Five-Year Plans, we did
not think much of exports. The
annual average exports during the
First Plan period (1951-52 to
1955-56) at Rs. 609 crores were
rather stagnant throughout the
First Plan period and the annual
average exports during the Second
Plan period (1956-57 to 1960-61),
at Rs. 624 crores, meant a stand
still.
Even during the Third Plan
period (1961-62 to 1965-66), ex
ports increased only by some 20
per cent, i.e., from Rs. 624 crores
annually during the Second Plan
period to Rs. 752 crores annually
during the Third Plan period. De
valuation of the rupee on June 6,
1966, resulting in withdrawal of
export incentives, and prevalence
of drought conditions in 1965-66
and 1966-67 acted as dampers. All
this meant stagnation on the ex
port front for some fifteen years.
This stagnation was also visible
in the declining importance of for
eign trade in the national economy.
As compared to a 3.5 per cent an
nual growth of the economy be
tween 1952 and 1968, foreign
trade grew during this period at
only 2 per cent annually and ex
ports as a percentage of India's
national income declined from 5.3
per cent in 1952-53 to 4.1 per cent
in 1967-68.
EXPORT PICTURE
Viewed in global context, the
export picture during this period
gets murkier, for the world trade
turnover during this period trebl
ed, including a doubling of the
trade turnover of the developing
countries, while India's foreign
trade increased by merely 42 per
cent.
Why did we pay scant attention
to exports during this period?
SOCIALIST INDIA
. - --------
HARTIRATH SINGH
With the benefit of hindsight now
available, there seem to be three
good reasons for this.
First, the first three
emphasised import substitution. In
agriculture, this implied primary
attention to production of raw
cotton and jute (in both of which
we had become deficit after parti
tion), and self-sufficiency in food,
which necessarily meant relative
ly less attention to the develop
ment of export-oriented commer
cial crops. In industry, the policy
was to encourage the production
of the inputs for investment, that
is, to arrange for the supply (from
within the country) of
goods for a high rate of invest
ment, which could lead to self
generating economic growth later.
The emphasis was thus on the
production of producer goods for
more production in the future.
The second reason was the easy
availability of foreign assistance.
The success of Marshall Plan
resuscitating the war-devastated
Europe gave rise to some sort of
a euphoria in both the aid-giving
and aid-receiving countries that,
given foreign assistance, the Third
World would likewise be resusci
tated. A policy implication of this
for the developing countries was:
why bother about painful exports
at the moment; we will take care
of them, when the economy enters
the take-off stage with the foreign
assistance now available.
The third reason was rather in
elastic composition of India's ex
ports. If the world trade trebled
during the period, 1952 to 1968, it
is primarily because trade in
manufactured items among the
developed countries also trebled
over those years. Our major ex
change-earners during this period,
viz., tea, jute manufactures and
cotton textile, suffered either
from inelasticity of external de
mand (as in the case of tea) or
inadequate production base (as in
the case of cotton textiles and jute
manufactures), so even if the
78
*- :-
world demand expanded, we did
not get a due share of our gains
from it.
The policies pursued during this
period were not without a sliver
lining. On the eve of the 'seven
ties, India, was a first-rate indus
trial power among the developing
countries with substantial capaci.
ties in various branches of the in
Plans dustry and considerable industrial
diversification. But for these
policies, the emphasis laid on ex
port promotion during the subse
quent period would have been dé.
void of results.
CHANGE IN EMPHASIS
The second part of the 25-year
period under review or, better still,
the first phase of India's export
performance during this period
hopefully was preceded by infra
structural developments in organi
capital
sation which made the export
thrust that followed sharp and
positive. For instance, a separate
Ministry for foreign trade, dis.
tinct from an appendage of the
Ministry of Industry, came into
existence in the Government of
India. A Market Development
Fund too came into existence,
in which gave substantial assistance
to the exporters and organisations,
in the service of the trade and in
dustry, like the Indian Institute of
Foreign Trade. A number of Ex
port Promotion Councils and Com
modity Boards sprang up, each
looking after the export promo
tion of a select product for which
it was created. Export credit too
was organisationally streamlined
A massive amount of literature on
foreign trade, including market
surveys abroad, was thought out.
Slogans like “Export or Perish"
and “Export and Prosper" be:
came quite popular. From an abº
solute lack of concern with ex
ports, the country began to think
in terms of exports—the change
emphasis was qualitatively
in
marked.
Aggregate exports, including re."
exports, during 1973-74 at Rs.
2,483 crores showed a 26 per cent
increase over the exports in 1972.
73. The export growth during
1973-74 was significant not only
for its magnitude but also because
it was achieved in the teeth of the
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1918
 cotton textiles, oilcakes, leather,
|N|MS SHARE IN WITHII) Eſſ'ſ HIS marine products, and gem and,
jewellery and the initial set-back
into AN ExPORT | Hºl) wORLD ExPORT
in the export of iron ore. Consi
dering the overall picture of the
PERCENTAGE share fift current year as a whole, the ex
4.94.300
3.12.300 ----
port target of Rs. 2,600 crores is
MILLION DOLLARS 2,42,900
estimated to be exceeded by a con
1,35,400 1,64.300 1,89,600 siderable margin.
A. º- –
4.000 The export performance, refer
red to above, is commendable, when
seen in the national context of an
almost static industrial produc
tion, agricultural shortfalls and
3,000
inflationary pulls of the home mar
ket over the last few years. It is
true that some other developing
countries like South Korea, Tai
wan, Hong Kong and Indonesia
2,000- # have done better than us, but
# #
- # º they have not had to contend with
…
% a large and almost insatiable do
# # # ;
#3% - º º:
%
4% #:: : #ź
---
…
mestic market nor are they as
# #; ###: 2 selective in respect of foreign in
1,000- ź
ºf:
::::::::
1,613 º
º #º vestments as India. The milieu of
º # # #% export promotion they have got is
% % #
4% % # #
ź % # º:
#
lacking in the case of India, so the
% # # comparison is inapt.
# #º # %
0 -

º A definite qualitative change in

1%- - .
-
º such as jute manufactures, tea,
*—1–1–1–1–1–1–1–1–1–
1963 65
various constraints on production
like severe power cuts, shortage of
industrial raw materials such
steel, coal and aluminium, and
transport bottlenecks in the vari
ous sectors. Industrial production
during the first eleven months of
1973-74 increased nominally by 0.5
per cent over that in the corres
ponding period of 1972-73.
Taking the Fourth Plan period
as a whole, exports in 1973-74
grew much faster than in any of
the preceding four years. Thanks
to the fast growth of exports in
1972-73 and 1973-74, the average
growth rate of exports during the
Fourth Plan period was 13.2 per
cent per annum. The compound
rate of growth for the period,
however, works out at 12.8 per
cent per annum as against the tar
get of 7.0 per cent rate of annual
growth envisaged in the Fourth
Plan document. Export perform
ance during the Fourth Plan, far
80CIALIST INDIA - - -
67 69 71 73
exceeding the Fourth Plan target,
stands in sharp contrast with its
as increase at 4.6 per cent in the
Third Plan, 1.1 per cent
Second Plan and 0.3 per cent in
the First Plan.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
A breakthrough in India's ex
ports occurred, for the first time
since independence, in 1972-73. Its
momentum continued in
and got acceleration in the first
nine months of the current year,
for which the figures are available.
Exports during the current fin
ancial year (April–Oct., 1974) at
Rs. 1,750 crores registered an in
crease of 37 per cent over the ex
ports in the corresponding period
of 1973-74. For the year as a
whole, the rate of growth would
be much less than 37 per cent, be
cause of the weakening of
overseas demand for some of our
important export products such as
- 77
exports, reflecting the growing
diversification of the Indian eco
nomy, too has occurred over this
period. While traditional exports
cotton fabric, leather and leather
manufactures, tobacco, manganese
ore, vegetable oils and spices ac
counted for 70 per cent of the ex
port schedule during the First
Plan period, their share steadily
in the declined to 62 per cent during the
Second Plan period and 56 per
cent during the Third Plan period,
falling further to 34 per cent in
1973-74.
Are we then to believe that we
have turned the corner in export
1973-74 performance and that the ascend
ing curve of exports during the
past 7-8 years would continue its
brave ascent? Can we say that
we have built up a solid export
base, which has caused the pre
sent export boom and which will.
serve as a spring-board for higher
and higher exports in future? For
answers to these questions, we
have to analyse the causes that
are at the back of this export
growth and view exports in the
the context of world growth of ex
ports and national needs for goods
and services from abroad.
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 The growth of exports as a in a unit of account that is
whole appears to be due more to
unit value realisation than to in
crease in the quantity of exports.
Thus, in the first nine months of
the current financial year unit
value realisation on mill-made cot
ton piecegoods represents a 72 per
cent increase, on finished leather
60 per cent, on ferro-manganese 56
per cent, and castor oil 45 per cent.
Sugar exports have topped the list
of export products with export
earnings of Rs. 200 crores, show
ing a 225 per cent increase in unit
value realisation over the previous
year because of the boom in world
sugar prices.
GROWTH OF EXPORTS
Mill-made cotton piecegoods and
garments rank second, earning
Rs. 83.66 crores, though consider
ably less quantities have been ex
ported. During the last year, 375
million metres, exported, fatched
Rs. 81.10 crores; in the first eight
months of the current year only
244 million metres have been ex
ported and yet the foreign ex
change earned has been more than
it was last year.
A second factor contributing to
the increase in exports is the 19
per cent fall in the external value
of the rupee in relation to the
major currencies of the world
since the pound sterling, to which
the rupee is linked, was set afloat
in June 1972. According to the
Finance Ministry, this has “helped
to safeguard the competitive posi
tion of our exports in the face of
strong domestic inflationary pres
sures on prices”. Elaborating this,
Ministry says that the “deprecia
tion of the rupee has improved the
realisation in rupee terms for In
dian exporters, whose incentive
for export sales would otherwise
have been considerably dampened
by the much higher rate of infla
tion prevailing in India than in the
major countries of the world”.
From the foregoing, it is obvi
ous that what has improved is the
rupee value of India's exports and
not necessarily its intrinsic value
in terms of its purchase power in
world markets. Lest we should
get an unduly bright picture, we
should compare henceeforth ex
port growth over a period of time
SOCIALIST INDIA
neither revalued nor devalued.
The IMF's SDR could perhaps
serve this purpose well.
Impressive as the export growth
is, more so is the import growth.
If 1973-74 was a year of record
exports, so was it of record im
ports. Imports in 1973-74 at Rs.
2,921 crores were some 40 per cent
higher than the earlier record im
ports in 1966-67.
As for the current financial year,
in April-November 1974, there was
a trade deficit of Rs. 425 crores,
with imports touching Rs. 2,452
crores and exports Rs. 2,027
crores. Trade deficit in the cor
responding period of 1973-74 was
only Rs. 105 crores.
The substantial increase in the
import bill for crude oil and food
grains largely accounts for this
deterioration in the trade balance.
In fact, it has offset the impres
sive gain of 36.2 per cent in ex
ports during the period over ex
ports in the corresponding period
of 1973-74. The 53 per cent im
port growth as against 36 per cent
export growth in the first nine
months of the current financial
year, notwithstanding the strin
gencies of all the imaginable im
port controls, points to the need
for setting our export sights
higher and much higher than what
we have achieved so far.
INDIA'S PARTICIPATION
This conclusion is also buttress
ed by the fact that India's parti
cipation in world exports has
steadily been going down year
after year. The developing coun
tries too as a group have partici
pated better in the world exports.
India regrettably has been losing
ground to the other countries in
the gains of international trade.
The acid test of export perform
ance in future, therefore, should
be maintaining our present share
of the world trade, if not improv
ing it.
The worldwide commodity boom,
it seems, is tapering off.
Accord
ing to the Organisation for Eco
nomic Cooperation and Develop
ment, the western industrialised
economies are confronted in the
78
immediate future with the deep
est and the longest recession since
the 'thirties. In the most pessi
mistic report in its 13-year history
published on December 20 last
year, it said that the total demand
and output in the OECD area in
the second half of 1975 was likely
to be very little higher than that
of two years ago. The report said
that the world was heading for a
second year of virtual stagnation.
With the major economies depres
sed, the outlook, according to the
OECD, is extremely weak for
world trade till the end of 1975.
A period so difficult as this for
the developed market economies
forebodes ill for the prospects of
exports from non-oil-producing de
veloping countries, including India.
The future of our three rapidly
growing export products, viz.,
fish and fish products, gem and
jewellery, and oilcakes, is uncer
tain because of the adverse impact
of the impending recession in the
developed market economies. The
market for our carpet backing in
the USA is facing a serious threat
of competition from synthetic sub
stitutes, because the feedstocks
for these products in the USA are
based largely on natural gas and
a sympathetic rise in their cost
with the rise in the cost of crude
has been slow. In cotton textiles,
the slackening world demand,
severe competition from Pakistan,
where cotton costs are much lower,
and off-loading of the Japanese
stocks, are serious developments
threatening their exports from
India. The prospects for a better
export performance in future are
not, therefore, very bright.
There are, however, quite a few
products, where India's share of
the world market is so small and
its competitive advantage on the
basis of labour-intensity so large
that it should be able to increase
their exports quite substantially
even if the total volume of the
world trade in these products does
not grow significantly or even dec
lines. These inter alia are engi
neering products, chemicals, and
finished leather and leather
manufactures. The major cons
traints on the expansion of their
exports are on the supply side.
The markets abroad know these
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
products and they are acceptable
to the buyers the world over.
Given adequate production, their
export should be no problem.
The Government has taken some
measures to strengthen the base
for export production and libera
lise the import policy during 1974
75. These measures were briefly
referred to by Prof. D. P. Chatto
padhyaya, Minister of Commerce,
in his address to the Advisory
Council of Trade on December 26,
1974.
IMPORT POLICY
Import policy now provides for
an additional 10 per cent allocation
of imported inputs for all export
products carrying a normal rate
of import replenishment of less
than 50 per cent. This should
help in mitigating the disadvant
ages which exporters are likely to
face as a result of higher prices of
imported materials. All manufac
turers who had REP entitlements
on their own exports during 1973
74 were allowed to utilise them on
a “repeat” basis for the same
value and items. Similarly, all
the small-scale units which had
obtained licences for raw mate
rials, components and spares for
the period 1973-74 were allowed
the facility of a 50 per cent “re
peat” operation.
In the cae of exporters, the
value of imports allowed under the
“repeat” facility is to be adjusted
against their export earnings over
a period of 18 months from April
1, 1974. A longer period has been
deliberately given for adjustment,
so that the exporters were not put
to difficulty. The simplified proce
dure for exporters has also been
modified. Full value of the REP
licences is now allowed to an ex
porter who has been in the ex
port field for the last three years,
on the basis of only a preliminary
scrutiny of his claim, subject to
adjustments later.
In the case of exporters whose
annual export in any of the previ
ous three years was of the order
of Rs. 2.5 lakhs, or Rs. 50,000 for
small-scale exporters, the claim
for cash assistance to the extent
of 85 per cent is paid straight
away on preliminary scrutiny.
Additional facilities have also
been provided to whall.seale units
W001AMICT INAIA
set up in the backward areas and
those set up by engineering gradu
ates and ex-Service personnel. Such
units were getting licences previ
ously at 40 per cent of the value
of their machinery. The percent
age has now been raised to 70.
The maximum entitlement in such
cases has also been increased from
Rs. 1.5 lakhs to Rs. 2 lakhs. More
over non-priority units in such
cases will have the same facilities
as are available to the priority
units.
In the matter of allocation of
'raw materials through canalising
agencies, a preferential treatment
in prices has also been accorded to
these units. Import of spare parts
has been liberalised. In order to
remove the difficulties which ex
porters were experiencing in ob
taining supplies of indigenous raw
materials, a new scheme was also
introduced last year. Under this
scheme, selected industries obtain
ing Actual Users licences for raw
materials and components are
under an obligation to set apart a
minimum of 10 per cent of their
production for exports. For the
time being, this scheme covers
three industries — Polyestyrene,
Polyethylene and PVC Resins.
In January last year, another
scheme was announced, whereby
manufacturers could discharge
their export obligation by supply
ing the material to the licence
holders in the country, instead of
exporting that material abroad.
This scheme continues in the cur
rent financial year. Also, more
raw materials have been added to
the scheme under which supplies
are made by indigenous manufac
turers to the exporters at interna
tional prices.
STREAMLINING EXPORTS
A great many changes are in
the offing in the Government's
thinking on streamling exports.
The Tirumalai Committee's report
on the institutional infrastructure
required to achieve a substantial
breakthrough in the export growth
rate is under consideration. A high
powered Inter-Departmental Com
mittee, with the participation of
the Ministry of Commerce, has
been set up by the Department of
Heavy Industry to streamline the
present svstem of allocation of
raw mātariola to engure their time
WB
ly and adequate availability to
priority industries. Another com
mittee is attempting to evolve a
system, in consultation with banks,
by which cash assistance, draw
backs and similar other accruals
to the exporters may be reimbursed
to them with greater ease than at
present. Yet another committee,
formed under the Reserve Bank of
India, aims at introducing more
selectivity and realism in the Go
vernment's credit planning, so that
production in key sectors is main
tained. The Chakravarti Commit
tee on a long-term export strategy
is reported to have finalised its
deliberations. A five-year export
plan for individual committees and
markets—the first of its kind so
far—is very much in the air. In
February, the IIFT is organising a
series of seminars on GSP, with
the participation of the EEC ex
perts, for dissemination of infor
mation on GSP among the Indian
trade and industry and for getting
a feed-back of their views on GSP
and the export problems confront
ing them.
Here is, however, the rub: pub
lic investment fell by 14 per cent
in 1973-74; in 1974-75, a rise in
money terms of around 12 per cent
was more than offset by a 40 per
cent increase in the cost of invest
ment, it is feared that there would
be a further decline (at constant
prices) of 15-20 per cent in 1975
76. The national economy being
an integrated whole, it is futile to
expect spectacular successes in
one sector, while the entire organ
-ism is in a moribund state. The
developing countries, which are
living examples of an export
breakthrough in recent times are
the countries with flourishing eco
nomies. Export planning, export
promotion and export performance
should not, therefore, be consider
ed in a vacuum.
Viewed in this context, India's
export performance during the
last few years has indeed been very
encouraging. India's advanced
and diversified industrial structure
and the export policies, already
being pursued and likely to be
ushered in, promise an export
breakthrough in the next five
years, provided the national eco
nomy turns the corner and infla
tionary forces are kept at bay,
RRFUR},it hay NUMBER 1578
CONGRESS AND CONSTITUTION - * ****
Ambedkar was a non-Congressman having no place *

Continued from Page 19 in the real decision-making body of the Congress

oligarchy. The real role of this great constitution
seperate entities, but linked by overlapping mem
bership, they assumed a form infinitely meaningful alist should, therefore, be discovered in his unparal
for India. lelled skill and competence in giving the form of
“The statement that the Indian Constitution is draft constitutional provisions to the wishes of the
virtually a gift of the Congress Party in return for top Congress leaders and then defending the work
the great confidence that the nation reposed in it of the Drafting Committee in the House with such a
force of argument that the draft provisions eventu
and by virtue of which it became the repository of
ally became the parts of the Constitution. As a
the power transferred by the British after a lot of
political wrangling, does not imply that it was the matter of fact, he was a ‘constitutional manoeuvrer
Congress as a whole that should have credit of be whose industry and diligence was a wonder to all'
ing the architect of the Basic Law of the Land. and, as Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramayya paid his glowing
compliment, “a steam-roller intellect, he brought to
Rather, it was a small section of the top leaders like bear upon his magnificent and tremendous task,
Nehru, Patel, Prasad and Azad—what Austin calls
down all palms and short puppies. Whenever he
the ‘Congress oligarchy.’
felt to be right, he stood by regardless of all conse
“It was the small section of the top leadership quences.”
that constituted the core of the Congress Working
“Ambedkar himself realised this fact and at
Committee and that first took all important decis.
sions and then prompted the Drafting Committee to one stage he said: The task of the Constituent
Assembly would have been a very difficult one if it
shape the language of the Draft Constitution accord
ingly. More than that, it was this top leadership had been merely a motley crowd, a tasselled pave
ment without cement, a black stone here and a white
that played a very effective role in the debate of
the Assembly. The result was that either the stone there in which each member or each group was a
House was taken under influence by these leaders, law unto itself. There would have been nothing but
or the whip was issued to keep the possible opponents chaos. The possibility of chaos was reduced to nil
under control. It should, however, be borne in by the existence of the Congress Party inside the
mind that the Congress oligarchy normally refrained Assembly which brought into the proceedings a sense
from placing an unduly heavy hand on the voice of of order and discipline. It is because of the discip
the members speaking against its wishes. The main line of the Congress Party that the Drafting Comt.
desire of the top leaders was to achieve somehow the mittee was able to pilot the Constitution in the
Assembly with the sure knowledge as to the fate of
consensus invariably on matters of great significance. each article and each amendment. The Congress
(From J. C. Johari's “Indian Government and Poli
tics.”) Party is, therefore, entitled to all the credit for the
sk sº sk smooth sailing of the Draft Constitution in the
Assembly.” (From the “Constituent Assembly De
Dr. B. R. AMBEDKAR on the Congress Party Johari).
in the Constituent Assembly (according to J. C. :: + *:
Joharl). B. SHIVA RAO on the role of the Congress
“The fact of the leadership of the Congress oli “Though made by the Congress Party, the Con
garchy with the most prominent role of Nehru, in stitution does not contain even a single article that
collaboration with Patel, dismisses the case of Am favoured the party at the expense of the other poli
bedkar's being the “Father of the Constitution.” tical parties.”
THE AMENDMENTS ters for the Union Territory of of putting the country in a state
Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh. of “widening pyre”, Parliament has
Continued from Page 23
Twenty-ninth and Thirty-fourth given it a sense of direction, with
Twentieth Amendment: To Amendments: To add certain Acts out shying away from a decision
validate the judgements, decrees, in the Ninth Schedule to the Cons which might have profound poli
orders and sentences passed by titution. tical implications.
District Judges in Uttar Pradesh Thirty-first Amendment: To The whole amendatory process
whose appointment were rendered effect minor changes about reser has been directed towards one and
invalid or illegal. vation of seats. only one goal, that the nation
Twenty-first Amendment: To in Thirty-second Amendment: To should forge ahead in the comity
clude Sindhi in the Eighth Sche insert Article 371D and 371E to of nations; but it is not a task
dule to the Constitution as recom implement the six-point formula mainly for the Government to in
mended by the Commissioner for in respect of the State of Andhra fuse the requisite buoyancy in a
Linguistic Minorities. Pradesh. nation. All hands must pull the
Twenty-second Amendment: To The above is a modest attempt “chariot of Jagannath” lest wise
provide for the formation of an to indicate briefly the raison d’etre men across the seas who are
autonomous State within the State of each and every amendment that keenly watching India's progress
of Assam. * has been made to the Constitution should ruefully remark: “Plus ca
Twenty-seventh Amendment: To as on date and one would be con change, plus c'est la meme chose”
provide for the establishment of a vinced that every time it had been (the more things change, the more
legislature and Council of Minis a value-laden intervention. Instead they are the same).
SOCIALIST INDIA REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 KEY ROLE OF FCI
India's biggest undertaking in the field of fertilizer industry,
the Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited, is one of the
largest producers of plant nutrients in the world.

FCI's Production Units

FCI's five functioning units at Sindri (Bihar), Nangal (Pun
jab), Trombay (Maharashtra), Gorakhpur (U.P.) and Nam
rup (Assam) have the installed capacity of nearly half a
million tonnes of plant nutrients. This will rise to over 3.5
million tonnes when additional plants under construction, and
in advanced stages of planning, go on stream.

Catalyst Know-How
FCI is one of the few organisations in the world to develop
and produce a complete range of fertilizer catalysts so vital
to the industry.

Total Fertilizer Technology

Backed by its intensive Research & Development efforts FCI
has now developed its own know-how, design and engineering
capability and can execute six to eight modern fertiliser plants
at a time from the blueprint to the final commissioning stage.

Marketing Set-Up
With a vast network of sales outlets and active promotional
measures.

FCI now serves farmers in most parts of the country.

THE FERTILIZER CORPORATION

OF INDIA LIMITED

*aust neta * - - --- {\! - *PUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1878

 NARORA BACKGROUND PAPER

How Poor And Backward Are The Rural Poor

B, C. BHAGWATI
President, INTUC

The rural poor constitute an overwhelming IN RUPEES

majority of the working population in India. The Men Women
term broadly covers landless agricultural workers as Ploughing 1.39 1.02
well as rural artisans. According to census of 1971 Sowing 1.51 0.97
the number of agricultural workers in India is 47.48 Transplanting 1.86 1.15
million. It is to be noted that the figure was 31.51 Weeding 1.42 0.87
million in 1961 and 27.49 in 1951. Harvesting 1.43 0.95
All Agricultural Operations 1.43 0.95
The proportion of agricultural labourers has Non-Agricultural Operations 1.54 0.92
risen steadily from 16.17 per cent of the total popula
tion in 1961 to 25.76 per cent in 1971. One reason
It is obvious, therefore, that for his sheer con
for such increase may be that after enactment of the tinued existence the
Land Reform Laws, some of the land owners have agricultural workers or
the share cropper will have to depend heavily on the .
taken back land from the share croppers and thus, consumption loan given by his employer-cum-land
those share croppers have swelled the number of owners. The usual practice, according to one autho
agricultural workers. rity, is to take a bag of paddy during the loan sea
The figure regarding cultivators is 78.17 mil son when the prices are the highest and to return
lion in 1971. The term cultivators is against a the quantum of paddy for the same money value
broad one and covers tenants, share croppers, mar when the prices are the lowest. It is stated that for .
ginal farmers as well as medium and big farmers. a maund of paddy that he takes for consumption
ZIowever, according to one estimate the share crop when the price of paddy is, say, Rs. 60 per maund,
pers and tenants constitute at least 20 per cent of he will return three maunds of paddy at the harvest
the cultivators. time when the price will come down to, say, Rs. 20

The 25th Round of National Sample Survey has INTUC CONVENTION ON

collected some interesting data relating to the socio
economic conditions of the weaker sections of the RURAL WORKERS
population in rural areas during the period July The Congress President, Shri Dev Kanta
1970 to June 1971. According to the above survey Borooah, will inaugurate on February 2 the First
the percentage of households with cultivated areas National Convention of Rural Workers at Bis
of less than one acre was as high as 76.2 in Orissa, wan, District Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh. The
73.7 in Uttar Pradesh, 70.7 in Tamil Nadu, 53.1 in Convention is being held under the auspices of
Madhya Pradesh and above 30 per cent in Maha the Indian National Rural Labour Federation of
rashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka, while INTUC.
it was only 6.4 per cent in Punjab. The following will participate in the Con
vention: five representatives each of all rural
INCOME OF AGRICULTURAL LABOUR workers unions' already affiliated to INTUC
and organised by Congressmen who are willing
The average annual income of an agricultural to affiliate their unions; five representatives
labour household in India for the periods 1950-51, each of the Pradesh Congress Committees, five
56-57 and 63-64 was Rs. 417.00, Rs. 437.47 and Rs. representatives each of State branches of
660.19 respectively. The average size of agricultural INTUC; and special invitees.
labour household for the period February 1963 to
The National Convention will be preceded
January 1964 was 4.47. According to the report of by a UP State Convention of Rural Workers on
the Second Agricultural Labour Enquiry 63.9 per
cent of the agricultural households were indebted. February 1 which will be attended by Trade
The average debt per indebted household was Rs. Union representatives interested in organisations
of rural workers from all districts of the State
141.00 (all these figures have been taken from “Ag
and also the Presidents of all District Congress
ricultural Labour in India —a Compendium of Basic
Committees and Zila Parishads. The representa
Facts”—Ministry of Labour, Government of India— tives of INTUC UP Branch and the Pradesh
1968). According to the “Indian Labour Statistics
1974”, the average daily wages for agricultural wor Congress Committee will also participate. The
kers for various agricultural operations are as fel Chief Minister, Shri H. N. Bahuguna, will inaur.
lows:-(1964-65), gurate the UP State Convention.
• Gorra!,1st ºn 1A ‘. .. . -
**
*----------- - * * * -- *-*.*.*-
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBſ.A - 1978
 per maund. in the process he pays an interest rate
of anything between 20 per cent and above in actual
• life.
The average figures with regard to earnings do
not clearly bring out the stark poverty experienced
by the rural people in some areas. Reports on the
Economic Condition of Agricultural Workers in the
district of Bankura in West Bengal, 1973 vividly
illustrates the situation. According to the above, per
capita daily earnings of agricultural labourer works
out to 26 paise through manual labour. Assuming
for the sake of argument that workers do supple
ment their income by other “clandestine” activities
by another 24 paise per day, their income even under
most liberal calculations cannot go beyond 50 paise
per head per day. The above report makes the cryp
tic remark that “the fact that he exists is a mira
cle.”
EXTENT OF RURAL POVERTY
The above description would perhaps roughly
indicate the extent and dimension of the problem of
rural poverty. The draft Fifth Five Year Plan 1974
79 has given a table on Required Improvement in
Share of Bottom 30 per cent of the population in
Total Private Consumption for removal of Poverty.
The Planning Commission estimates that at present
the share of the bottom 30 per cent of the popula
tion is only 13.46 per cent of the total private con
Sumption. If this share remains unchanged the table
given in the draft Five Year Plan shows that the
average per capita consumption of the bottom 30
per cent would rise from Rs. 25 per month at 1972
73 prices in 1973-74 to Rs. 29 in 1978-79, Rs. 35 in
1985-1986. Thus, even at the end of the perspective
period in mid-'eighties per capita consumption for
this segment of the population would be below the
norm of Rs. 40.6 per month at 1972-73 prices.
In the Approach Paper to the Fifth Five Year
Plan it is stated: “Economic development in the last
two decades has resulted in all round increase in per
capita income. The proportion of the poor defined
as those living below a basic minimum standard of
Consumption, has slightly come down. Yet, the ab
solute number of people below the poverty line to
day is just as large as it was two decades ago. And
these people living in abject poverty constitute bet
ween two-fifth and one half of all India citizens.”
With regard to unemployment and underemploy
ment, the Expert Committee on Unemployment has
stated that the estimates presented in one dimen
sional magnitude are neither meaningful nor useful
as indicators of the economic situation. The draft
Fifth Five Year Plan (Vol. II), while reviewing the
situation with regard to unemployment in agricul
ture has stated: “In agriculture the incidence of un
employment and underemployment is high, particu
larly among the agricultural workers, and marginal
and small farmers who have a poor resource base
land and capital.” .
The agricultural workers get only less than 180
days employment in a year.
SOCIALIST INDIA
To achieve the goal of removal of mass poverty,
the Fifth Five-Year Plan has stated: “Our professed
goal of removal of poverty requires that the growth
strategy must seek not only a higher rate of growth
than observed in the past but also reduced inequality
in the distribution of income and consumption. The
composition of growth must be such as favours the
rural and urban poor. This calls for efforts in seve
ral directions. The pattern of production must lay
emphasis on food and other articles of mass con
sumption. There must be massive employment gene
ration which will sustain and will be sustained by
greater availability of wage goods. It is also essen
tial to augment social consumption and investment
with a view to maximising the efficiency and produc
tivity of vast numbers as well as to improve the
quality of their life. The institutional reform and
the fiscal policy must be oriented to reduce inequality
alongside increased productivity...”
It is obvious that the Planning Commission as
well as the Government of India are fully aware of
the situation and are very earnest in making efforts
to remove rural poverty as early as possible. The
two factors which have stood in the way of pro
gress in the field are land relations and methods of
production.
It should be noted that in the last 25 years, since
independence, the Governments both at the Centre
and State levels have enacted a series of legisla
tions to improve the tenurial conditions in the rural
areas. These include: a the abolition of interme
diaries, b. reforms of the tenancy system, c. ceiling
on land holdings, d. resettlement of landless agricul
tural workers, and e. consolidation of fragmented
holdings and the reorganisation of the small farm
economy. The abolition of the intermediary tenures
was expected to bring tenants into direct relation
ship with the State and make available surplus lands
to the State Governments for distribution to landless
agriculturists. In the bulk of the areas where
zamindari, jagirdari, inamdari and other intermediary
tenures existed 40 per cent of the total area legisla
tion for the abolition of these rights was enacted
during the early 'fifties. This was a good first step.
It is claimed that as a result of the abolition of these
tenures, more than 20 million tenants of former in
termediaries were brought into direct relationship
with the State and became owners of their holdings.
OBJECTIVES NOT ACHIEVED
The steps taken, however, do not seem to have
achieved the objective of giving land to the actual
tillers in many places. The land reform legislations
which were enacted to benefit share-eroppers and
small tenants were for the reforms of the tenancy
system. However, the basic principle that land
should go to the actual tillers is not realised. Then
again, in spite of legislation in nearly all the States,
there have been reports of evasion of the law. One
of the commonest ways in which tenants were ejected
from the land by landlords was by forcing them to
“voluntarily surrender” of their land. Even where pro.
visions were made in the law to verify such surrend
83 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
érs these provisions have been found to be ineffec
tive in preventing possible evictions. Studies under
taken by different organisations have revealed
the legal safeguards providing all tenants with secu
rity of tenure appear to have been violated in almost
all States. The legislation to aid tenants and share
croppers by regulation of rent has also been frus
trated. In practice there were varieties of arrange
ments governing rent transactions between landlords
and tenants, with the result that the tenant had
invariably to pay rents much higher than those speci
fied under the legislation.
The exhorbitant rent paid by the tenants and the
insecurity of tenure inhibited them from undertaking
improved practices of cultivation and thereby raising
their own economic levels in the rural areas. Similar
has been the position with regard to ceiling on land
holdings.
Dr. Frithjob Kunnen, an ILO Consultant, has
stated that “Ceiling Legislation hardly affected in
equalities at the village level: the laws did not seri
ously affect the rural upper class (except some
absentee or very big landlords). The present land
lords could retain their property and power. At the
same time, the law rarely benefited share croppers
and nearly never improved the situation of landless
labourers...”. He goes on further to comment that
“the sucess of all these regulatory measures is limit
ed. It proved difficult to enforce the reforms and
in quite a number of cases the laws remained un
implemented.”
It is generally accepted that the benefits of ag
ricultural development in the last two decades have
gone primarily to the upper income groups rather
than to the lowest income groups who need them
most. For example, even cooperative credit has been
monopolised by upper strata of village people. Ac
cording to a study of Utilisation of Cooperative
Loans, carried by the Planning Commission in 1965,
“only about 15 per cent had gone to members having
5 acres or less, against 39 per cent to those with
5 to 10 acres and 46 per cent to still larger cultiva
tors.” The same disequalibrium is reported in regard
to the distribution of fertilisers and improved seeds.
According to a Government report on working of
Community Development Projects and National Ag
ricultural Extension Service Blocks “nearly 70 per
cent of its benefits went to elite group and to the
more affluent and influential agriculturists.
gains to poorer agriculturists were considerably
smaller.”
GREEN REVOLUTION
In recent years there has been technological pro
gress of tremendous significance in the field of agri
eulture. Usually termed as “Green Revolution” it
has been made possible by the development of new
seed varieties under suitable conditions to increase
the yield of wheat and rice to two or three times more
than before. This technology of Green Revolution,
which is mainly based on the provision of inputs
sueh as better seeds and fertilisers, is basically one
SOCIALIST INDIA º * -- tº - . .
of intensive cultivation and is supposed to be size
neutral and not necessarily subject to the economies
that of scale. This technology can be applied to small but
economically viable units as well as to big farms.
Indeed, the more the stress in technology is on in
tensive cultivation the undeniable possibilities are that
cultivation of small economically viable units would
permit more intensive cultivation and would lead to
greater production per unit of land than in the case
of bigger farms.
This indeed has been the experience in some
places in our country and in Japan which has also
devised small tractors and other agricultural equip
ment and machinery for use on small farms. It
would, therefore, appear that the technology of Green
Revolution has not only the potentiality of greater
agricultural production which our country sorely
needs, but as well we can provide greater opportu
nities for employment through intensive cultivation
and in the process, perhaps, more equitable distribu
tion in income. In practice, however, though some
increase in agricultural production has been achieved,
the experience is that not only opportunities for
employment have not increased — in fact they have
deminished in some cases — the gap between the
rural rich and the rural poor has widened. The º
sure way to solve the food problem in the country
is to enable the vast number of small farmers, land
less peasants and agricultural workers to make their
full contribution by providing them with necesary
facilities.
WHAT IS THE REMEDY
The conclusion is irresistible that if the full poten
tiality of the Green Revolution has to be achieved
and the full benefit of the land reforms legislation
has to be secured for the rural poor, they must be
accompanied by the provision of necessary ancillary
services. While the State has taken elaborate meal
sures to establish these services, the experience has
been that they are, by and large, monopolised by
those who are in an advantageous position.
The question is what is the remedy to the situa
tion. Why, in spite of the best intentions, nothing
much could be done to change the conditions of the
rural poor. The only remedy is that the rural poor
is to be organised to help themselves. That alone
can give them confidence and strength to fight against
The injustices and take up constructive programme for
their economic upliftment. When organised, the
poorest of the poor will also realise the dignity of his
personality and important role he has been playing
and will have to play. The organisation of the
weaker sections of the people will further strengthen
the base of Parliamentary Democracy. And their
organised voice will then influence the trend of dis
cussion in Legislatures and pattern of politics out
side.
Now, we have also to consider what type of
organisations are needed. There have been attempts
in the past to have a sort of political organisation
of the type of Kisan Sabhas. These Sabhas are
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
mainly concerned with development of agriculture and
for removal of disparity between agriculture and the
rest of the economy. They might have been doing
useful work in their own sphere; but they are not
meant for the kind of work which is to be done for
the rural poor who have really no say in these orga
nisations. The other type of organisation have
been welfare or developmental organisations, both
official and non-official, which have been in existence
also for quite some time. But organisation for wel
fare work is not the answer.
The only type of organisation which will suit
is the Trade Union organisation. But the situation
in rural area is little different than that in the in
dustrial field. So, trade union pattern in the rural
area will have to be evolved to make it suitable to
meet the demand of the situation there. Among the
rural poor, there are self-employed people also. Trade
Union movement in the rural area should also em
brace them. We have already mentioned the term
rural poor to cover not only landless agricultural
workers but also marginal and subsistence farmers,
tenants and share croppers and rural artisans. Be
cause, if the resistance of the rural rich for pro
gressive changes is to be met effectively, it is essen
tial to ensure that the rural poor remain united and
maintain their solidarity. It is also essential that
Trade Union organisations of the rural poor be kept
aloof from party politics.
While it is desirable and indeed essential that
the Trade Union organisation of the rural poor must
work for progressive social and economic changes and
seek to influence both the Government policy and its
implementation, it is essential as well that such or
ganisations should be a strong constructive force for
economic development and social justice. The pro
test function has to be combined a great deal with
the function of production leading to greater econo
mic growth. In fact one of the major activities of
these organisations should be to ensure effective ins:
plementation of the progressive legislations as well
as programmes and policies of the Government de
signed to help the rural poor so that their benefits
reach those for whom they are primarily meant.
INTUC UNIONS IN PLANTATION
The late Wilfred Jenks, who was the Director
General of the ILO once said: “What of the poorest
of the poor, the landless labourer, the share crop
per, the rural self-employed; they are the largest
social problem throughout Asia. What is the res
ponse of Asian Trade Union to this immense and
Immediate challenge? What can Asian Trade Unions
contribute to the rural development and the creation
of productive employment. Postive answer calls for
a revolution in mental attitudes.” The rural poor are
helpless and they are deprived of even those benefits
which are specifically meant for them, only because
they are not organised. Their lot can only be im
proved by using their own organised might, as has
been the case with industrial workers. If tenants'
hterests are backed by tenants' Trade Unions, there
80CIALIST INDIA
is much better precondition for the successful imple
mentation of tenancy legislations. Organsied efforts
will have to be made to ensure that the share crop
pers, landless peasants and agricultural labour can
take advantage of the laws, passed for their benefit
and also press for suitable legislations for protecting
their interests.
It is true that many of our agricultural workers
and poor people suffer not only from economic dis
parity, but also from Social inequity and caste pre
judices. The only way to effectively deal with this
twin evil is to organise them in Trade Unions on eco
nomic class basis.
INTUC had under its banner some unions of the .
agricultural workers. But only in 1973, an all India
body—the Indian National Rural Labour Federation
—was formed for the purpose of organising the rural
poor under the INTUC.
It may be noted that the INTUC is the most re
presentative organisation in the plantation industry
—tea, rubber and coffee. The problems of planta
tion workers are very much similar to the rural poor.
In the sugar industry, INTUC is dominated. Out of
the total employment of about 10 lakhs in planta
tion industry, about 3 lakhs are under INTUC fold.
In the sugar industry, out of 1,22,000 workers, 75,000
are organised under INTUC. In agriculture, out of
a total employment of 5 crores, only about 85,000
have been organised under the INTUC banner.
TRADE UNION ACTIVITIES
It is a tremendous task to build a proper Trade
Union organisation for the rural poor. It will re
quire a dedicated batch of trained workers.
INTUC can achieve the objective of organising
the rural poor only with the active cooperation and
help from the Congress. For ideological reasons
also, this programme of organising the rural poor
has to be done with close cooperation and collabora
tion with the Indian National Congress which has
been following a progressive and positive role for the
good of the poorer sections of the people. The Con
gress will certainly get new vitality and strength
through such Functional Organisations.
The functions and activities of the Union
movement among the rural poor could be broadly
classified into two: a Normal Trade Union activities
and b. Constructive and cooperative movement.
1. To inculcate the spirit of organisation and
self-reliance among the poor and organise them in
Trade Unions.
2. To advocate and fight for the just cause of
the rural poor and for redressing social and economic
injustices.
3. To work for efficient implementation of the
principle of guaranteed minimum wage for all work
ers in the national community, including agricultural
workers. To work for the security and improvement
of service conditions of the agricultural workers,
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
 4. To introduce reforms to remove various
forms of indirect land exploitation, because of agra
rian structure.
5. To work for implementation of the existing
Land Reform Laws, e.g. Land Ceiling Act, Tenancy
Act, and Agricultural Workers' Minimum Wages
Act, etc.
6. To carry on proper study and suggest amend
ments of existing laws to plug loopholes and bring
about necessary improvements for the good of the
agricultural workers, share-croppers and to ensure
security and improve service conditions of agricul
tural workers.
7. To ensure enactment of new laws, wherever
found necessary to protect or promote the interests
of the rural poor.
8. To see that the surplus land available after
implementation of land reform goes to the landless
peasants and actual tillers. It is also to be seen
that house-sites are allotted to those who do not
have land for residential purpose.
9. It should be a part of the agricultural work
ers Trade Union movement to train workers, build
up a cadre and educate the mass people, about its
objective and approach. It is necessary to publish
literature on the subject, so that enlightened public
opinion is created in support of this movement.
10. To carry on economic survey and assess the
situation properly.
11. To bring the benefits of collective bargaining
to all workers.
12. . To protect and strengthen democratic ins
titutions and support movement and programme for
establishment of Socialism.
CONSTRUCTIVE MOVEMENT
Apart from carrying normal Trade Union activi
ties it is necessary to have a well formulated cons
tructive programme. It is to be realised that agita
tional approach is not good enough. Competitive
trade unionism on party line should not also be
allowed to creep in. It will be necessary to lay
down what socio-economic institutions would be
most appropriate for different categories of the rural
poor for their economic development.
Gandhiji once remarked that a village having
only agricultural activities, without industries of any
kind, is like a half paralysed body. Since that time
in history, when village and small scale industries
were destroyed as a result of onsluaght by the
mechanised and industrial revolution, the villages in
India have not yet recovered. In the modern time,
because of industrialisation, occupational pattern has
changed in the advanced countries and there has
been a shift from agriculture to industry. But the
historical process has been reversed in India and
other developing countries, where there has been a
shift of people from industry to agriculture, causing
immense preasure on land in modern industrial age
than in the middle age. This is one of basic causes
of rural poverty.
SOCIALIST INDIA ! .
Agriculture and industry are dependent on each
other in the development process. To maintain a
proper balance between agriculture and industry is
certainly a major part of development planning.
However, in this connection another aspetc is to be
taken note of. It has been stated in the report of the
ILO Advisory Committee on Rural Development in
1974: “Another important aspect bearing on the
growth of income of agricultural workers is that over
the next few decades, even if industrial and other
non-agricultural sectors expand at an accelerated rate,
the number of workers in agriculture in developing
countries will continue to increase, though the pro
portion of the labour force in agriculture will decline.
Owning mainly to its small initial base, the expansion
of manufacturing industry together with other non
agricultural activities, can hardly be expected to
absorb the whole of the annual increase in the total
labour force.
SPECIFIC SCHEMES NEEDED
“As will be seen from the developing world as a
whole between 1962-1985. while the non-agricultural
population is expected to increase by more than 100
per cent, the agricultural population will increase by
nearly 50 per cent. On assumption what the parti
cipation role remains practically the same, the extra
polated figures tend to suggest that by 1985, non
agricultural activities could create additional em
ployment for about 60 per cent of the increase in the
total labour force of the industry, while the remain
ing 40 per cent would still have to be absorbed in
agriculture.”
Regarding the situation that obtains today in
the rural area, specific schemes will have to be drawn
up suitably for the benefit of different categories
among the rural poor. Broadly speaking, they may
be divided into two camps—one having at least some
land though very small and the other having no
land at all.
Now, small and marginal farmers have land
holdings which are small and uneconomic. Agri
cultural output and income can be increased consi
derably in their farms also, by rotation of crops
which will be possible only by applying more and
better inputs-—water, improved seeds, fertilisers and
pesticides. Institutionalised credit will also have to
be provided. These facilities will not elude them,
as in the case now, if they can make organised effort.
For the purpose of introducing new technology or
.
modernisation, it may be necessary to organise them
in cooperative society.
Then there are agricultural workers. landless
people and village artisans who are wholly or parti
ally unemployed and who do not have any land at
all. Whatever surplus land is available, after en
forcement of the land ceiling laws, should be distri
buted among them. But the man-land ratio being
what it is, and the number of landless people being
so large, the problem cannot be solved by distribu
tion of land alone. So, it will be necessary to draw
up non-agricultural schemes to give them employ
REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
ment. There is enough scope for that sort of actl ganisation, an artisan or a spinner in the remotest
vities, road building, construction of houses, manu corner of the country, can feel secure about supply
facturing of brick and other building materials, dairy, of necessary materials, marketing and about his
paultry, piggery, spinning, weaving, sericulture, future. It will be necessary to have organisations of
fruits, gardening, multitude of schemes may be for the actual workers to carry on such activities, so
mulated and taken up on this basis. that scope for productive employment is increased
manifold.
The question is why the rural poor who really
do these works for others when employed, cannot Organisations of the rural poor having the
themselves take the initiative in these matters. The above functions and activities would thus become
reason is obvious. Individually one cannot engage constructive progressive forces for bringing about
himself in actual production work as workers and at the necessary transformation in the social and eco
the same time manage finances, raw materials, and nomic structure in the countryside and will be
marketing. That is why Gandhiji organised All powerful instruments for moving forward towards
India Village Industries Association and All-India the declared ideals and goals of the Congress Party,
Spinners Association. As members of such huge or viz. Democratic Socialism.

STATISTICS RELATING TO AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS AND CULTIVATORS ACCORDING

TO 1971 CENSUS

Workers Cultivators Agricultural % of Cultivators 9% of Agricul

(Rural) (Rural) Labourers to Workers tural Labour
1971 Census 1971,Census (Rural) 1971 ers to Workers
Census

STATES
1. Andhra Pradesh 1,54,23,999 56.50,423 65,54,395 36.63% 42.49%
2. Assam 38,36,809 23,87,853 4,00,251 62.23% 10.43%
3. Bihar 1,58,94,191 74,47,480 66.36,655 46.85% 41.75%
4. Gujarat 63,29,047 35,08,199 17,93.587 55.43% 28.33%
5. Haryana 21,87,530 12,71,235 4,12,713 58.11% 18.86%
6. Himachal Pradesh 11,95,896 8,99,229 52,411 75.19% 4.38%
7. Jammu & Kashmir 11,46,681 8,73,278 37,329 76.15% 3.25%
8. Karnataka 80,70,889 39,04,613 25.34,748 48.37% 31.40%
9. Kerala 52,81,004 10,68,823 18,14,824 20.23% 34.36%
10. Madhya Pradesh 1,33,89,643 79.58,172 39,53,179 59.43% 29.52%
11. Maharashtra 1,33,93,774 63,63,467 51,09,509 47.51% 38.14%
12. Manipur 3,33,288 2,42,056 12,658 72.62% 3.79%
13. Meghalaya 3,99,232 3,07,860 42,986 77.11% 10.76%
14. Nagaland 2,36,200 2.02,396 3,558 85.68% 15.00%
15. Orissa, 62.88,831 33.24,592 18,99.567 52.86% 30.20%
16. Punjab 30,08,697 16,14.255 7,46,065 53.65% 24.79%
17. Rajasthan 68,74,604 51,03,641 7,11,368 74.23% 10.34%
18. Tamil Nadu 1,09,73,282 44,20,636 41,80,735 40.28% 38.09%
19. Tripura 3.93,092 - 84,771 - 21.56%
20. Uttar Pradesh 2,39,06,118 1,55,09,555 53,10,831 64.87% 22.21%
21. West Bengal 90,65,656 39,04,520 31,72,565 43.06% 34.99%

UNION TERRITORIES
22. Andaman & Nicobar 33,786 6,398 2,095 18.93% 6.20%
23. Arunachal Pradesh 2,60,626 2,10,670 5,070 80.83% 1.94%
24. Chandigarh 8,537 1,909 891 22.36% 10.43%
25. Dadra & Nagar Haveli 34,987 25,348 5,934 72.44% 16.96%
26. Delhi 1,11,460 27,020 11,666 24.24% 10.46%
27. Goa, Daman & Diu 1,98,175 62,725 36,754 31.65% 18.54%
28. Laccadive, Minicoy & : - - - - - -

Amindive Islands 8,318 4 - 0.04% -

29. Mizoram - -------- - - - - -

30. Pondicherry
31. Sikkim
90,218 15,120t
42,864 16.75% 47.51%

ALL-INDIA TOTAL 14,83,74 590 7,65.44,432 4 55,69,979 51.58% 30.71%

- -------- - - -

*OCIALIST INDIA 87 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

 M.P. GOVERNMENT'S RESOLVE

1. In spite of difficulties we are determined to

step up food production.

2. 750 tube-wells are being energised at the

cost of Rs. 2 crore.

3. A high-power committee has been formed in

each district to help cultivators.

4. In current year 2,100 Gobar Gas Plants will

be set up to produce one lac ton of cowdung
ma.Ilure),

Issued by the Directorate of Information &

Publicity
M.P. Bhopal.

D.I.P, 3475

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 HARYANA has made spectacular headway in different fields since its
emergence as a separate State in the Indian Union. The following facts }
speak for themselves:-

FOODGRAINS

Haryana today is not only self-sufficient in its requirements of foodgrains,

but also has grown surplus from a deficit State in 1966. -

IRRIGATION

The total canal irrigated area in the State rose to 40.88 lakh acres in 1974
as compared to 33.57 lakh acres (13.59 lac hectares) in 1967, 68.
The number of energised tubewells in the State today stands at 1,33,000
as against 29,000 in May, 1968.

ELFCTRICITY

Whereas only one out of every five villages had been electrified by May,
1968, the electrification of the entire rural area was completed by Novem
ber, 1970. The State was first in the country to have achieved cent per cent
rural electrification.

INDUSTRY

The number of registered Small Scale Industries units in the State at the
end of 1973-74 was 14,308 as against 4,598 in May, 1968.

PURE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

The number of villages enjoying the benefits of pure drinking water supply
six vears ago was just 203. Today, it has increased to 745. This represents
a 267% improvement in the previous position.
º
TRANsport
Nationalisation of passenger transport was completed in November, 1972.
Haryana Roadways has a fleet of 1946 buses at present, as against only
567 in May, 1968. It is considered to be the most efficient service in the
country.

WELFARE OF WEAKER SECTIONS

Several Schemes for providing relief to the socially and physically handi
capped persons have been launched and all possible assistance is given to
the aged and infirm. High priority has been accorded to the uplift of the
Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.

ROADS

About 64% of the villages in the State have been linked by metalled
roads. Only 1500 villages had been linked by metalled roads in May, 1968
The number has since gone upto 4,258.

ISSUED BY : DIRECTOR, RELATIONS, HARYANA

DPR-Haryana-(D. 298-74) -

_*

SOCIALIST INDIA 90 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 19°


HARYANA's
PROGRESS
BANSI LAL
Chief Minister, Haryana
On the 26th Republic Day of
India let us remember, and renew
our pledge to the ideals set before
us at the time we became a Re
public. When India became a so
vereign democratic Republic, the
main aim before us was a social
order based on the principles of
Justice, Liberty, Equality and
Fraternity. And all these years
all the States of the Union, in
cluding the young State of Har
yana, have been working towards
the day when poverty, hunger and
disease will be no more.
Haryana, in all its development
plans, has had this objective in
mind. Work has been going on ac
cording to a well-planned strategy
to provide water, power, roads,
education, health facilities and
food in all parts of the State, and
to all sections of society. We are
proud to say that in the few years
we have had, we have managed to
create the basic infrastructure. We
have a long way to go yet but we
that with the co
are confident
Operation of the people we will
achieve our goals.
IRRIGATION FACILITIES
Some years back, Haryana, like
many of the other States, was de
ficit in foodgrains. Food, being the
foremost requirement, got top
priority. All our plans were gear
ed towards providing power and
irrigation facilities, and the latest
in agricultural inputs, and in a
matter of a few years our output
Increased from 26 lakh tonnes in
1966 67 to 45.43 lakh tonnes in
1971-72, making us one of the
leading surplus States. The last
two years have brought in their
Wake bad spells of drought with
the result that our foodgrains pro
duction has fallen, but, we have
nevertheless managed to export
SOCIALIST INDIA
some foodgrains to less fortunate vide well-equipped hospitals at all
States. district and tehsil level towns.
The State is also well-known for
Apart from power, we have con its industry. An indication of how
centrated on carrying irrigation fast we have developed in this
facilities to areas, which till very field is that in 1966-67 we had
4,500 small-scale units and now we
recently were drought prone. Far
mers in the areas of Mohindergarh. have 14,308 such units. In the
Bhiwani and Hissar districts, who field of large-scale industry too,
at one time were happy enough if the incentives offered by us have
they got one crop a year from their attracted a large number of indus
lands, now confidently look for tries to this region.
ward to a second crop. Our major Haryana is a State intersected
schemes have been the now fam
by some of the major northern
ous lift irrigation schemes to carry highways. Apart from these, prac
water to high altitudes in drought tically all parts have been made
prone areas.
easily approachable by metalled
roads. For the convenience of the
In the field of agriculture, des
pite all the latest inputs and tech travelling public we have provided
niques, the farmer is still, to a convenient halting places and
restaurants.
large extent dependent on the
vagaries of nature. Therefore, we
The pace of development ac
have concentrated as much on the tivity in the various fields is re
development of cattle in this re flected in the increase in the real
gion, so that the farmer, as also
per capita income of the State
the landless labourer, can have an from Rs. 354 in 1968-69 to Rs. 433
additional source of income. Har
in 1973-74. The annual compound
yana has always been known for rate of growth for this period has
its fine quality cattle and efforts
been 6.9 per cent. The rate of
are being made through intensive employment generated in the
cattle development projects not
State has been 11 per cent for the
only to preserve the quality but first six months of 1974 as against
also to improve it through the in
troduction of exotic breeds. To the all-India average of 8.4 per
cent for the same period.
provide a good market for milk,
milk cooperatives have been form
ed, which collect and send the milk
to our already functioning milk
plants at Jind, Bhiwani and
Ambala. Shortly we hope to have ADVERTISE
three more milk mlants function
ing at Rohtak, Faridabad and
Hissar. Our strategºv is to connect |N
the entire State with a milk grid.
In a welfare State, food and
shelter are the basic necessities to
be provided. To provide cheap
houses on easy instalment basis
to people belonging to the econo
mically weaker sections of society
as also those from other catego
SOGILIST
ries, our Housing Board is cons
tructing houses in different dis
tricts. In the field of education also
has been made to
|N||||
an attempt
spread it to the remotect villages.
Nearly every village has a primary
.
school at least within walking dis
tance.
REGULARLY
The health of our people has
always been foremost in our minds.
Efforts have been made to pro
91 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

We Have To Make
The Choice
GIANT ZAIL SINGH
Chief Minister, Punjab.
To be or not to be is the ques
tion. As evidenced by the grue
some murder of Shri L. N. Mishra,
we have reached at dangerous
crossroads of our destiny. One of
the routes, though long and tortu
ous, leads to social equality, jus
tice, freedom, human dignity and
prosperity for all. And the other
to negation of democracy, dignity
and decency as well as anarchy.
We have to make our choice. The
first enables us to march towards
egalitarian goal peacefully and
determinedly under the inspiring
leadership of Smt. Indira Gandhi,
our Prime Minister.
The other road is sought to be
taken by those who have marshal
led all the reactionary and fascist
forces of various hues under spuri
ous slogans and exhortations. The
votary of “total revolution” is try
ing to allure the people to this
path. It is an irony of circum
stances that these people, profess
ing to be non-violent, now talk of
a “revolution”. It is unfortunate
that the leader of the so-called
“people's movement” has suddenly
developed admiration and love for
the Chinese type of “revolution”.
Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, is
either deliberately trying to hood
wink the people about a “revolu
tion” or he is closing his eyes to
what the Chinese leaders had said
about the character and content of
a “revolution”.
MAO'S CONCEPT
Mao's interpretation of the idea
of a “revolution” cannot and
should not befool anybody. He has
frankly said: “A revolution is not
the same as inviting people to dim
ner or writing an essay or paint
ing a picture or doing fancy
needle-work. It cannot be anything
so refined, so calm and gentle or
so mild, kind, courteous, restrained
or magnanimous. A revolution is
SOCIALIST INDIA
an uprising, an act of violence, We have to pause and ponder
whereby one class overthrows an over the line-up of various politi
other”. cal forces. There is polarization
A “total revolution” cannot be of social and political forces. On
divorced from violence. If leaders the one hand, there are forces of
like Shri Jayaprakash Narayan progress, peace and socialist demo ; :
talk of a non-violent “total revo cracy ranged around Shrimati º
lution” they are either ignorant of Indira Gandhi and the Congress
or indulging in hypocritical clap Party. On the other are arrayed
trap or tactical subterfuge to mis forces of reaction fascism and obs
lead the gullible masses to attain curantism under the flag of JP,
their political ends. Vajpayee, Advani, Charan Singh
and others. The people cannot be
FORCES OF REACTION
befooled for long.
During the last one year or so,
under various pretexts and garbs, On the auspicious Republic Day,
violent gheraos, struggles, charac I would like the people of Punjab,
ter-assassination campaigns, rowdy particuarly to be vigilant so that
and violent demonstrations orga their State may continue to be the
nised by the leader of so-called vanguard of the people in every
“people's movement” produced a field of national activity. Our
political atmosphere surcharged brethren in other States are fac
with potentially explosive violence ing acute shortage of essential
culminating in the heinous crime commodities. We have endeavour
in Samastipur the other day. Who ed to provide them with whatever
soever may be the guilty person food we have. We have also tried
who threw the lethal missile at to supply to our people the basic
Shri Mishra and his companions, necessities—food shelter, clothing,
this is certain that the malicious medical aid and education in ac
inspiration for the brutal act was cordance with the spirit of the
provided by the fascist frenzy Constitution since my Government
whipped up by the “devotees of took over the administration on º:
non-violent total revolution”. March 17 1972.
TENDER NOTICE
SEALED tenders on percentage/item rate basis are invited from the
approved Contractors of Punjab P.W.D. Public Health Branch holding
Plumbing licence, for the following works.
Estimated Earnest Time Date on
S. Name of work. Cost Money Limit which the
No. tenders will
Rs. be opened
1. Prov. internal Public Health
services for 516 Nos. Houses
for the Industrial Housing
scheme Chheharta "Provid
ing internal W/S S.I. & Se
werage & all other works
contingent thereto. 1,65,000/- 3,300/- One year 28.1.75
Tenders will be received upto 15.00 hours on the dates given against
each work and will be opened in the presence of the intending con
tractors or their Agents. Every tender must be accompanied by either
a Treasury Challan showing the amount of earnest money deposited in
Govt. Treasury or a deposit...-at-call Receipt of a scheduled Bank or
National Savings Cerficates duly pledged in the name of the undersigned.
The tender 5': all be submitted on tender form, which will be issued
on payment of Rs. 2/- per form after the proof of Earnest Money, having
been deposited to the credit of the undersigned is shown.
Telegraphic or conditional tenders shall not be entertained.
Sd/-
(S. P. S. BEDI)
Executive Engineer,
Public Health Division, Amritsar.
92 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975
THE PRESENT POLITICAL SITUATION
Continued from Page 6
Congress workers should study it carefully in order Gram: “RUBSTORE” Phone: 28945
to understand and grasp the challenges that we are
facing currently. I will like only to emphasise the
fact that the common people of India, especially the
p00rest masses, industrial workers and others have ORIENTAL RUBBER TRADING CO.
refused to be beguiled by reactionary, anti-democra
tic and communal forces. These people are our (MYSORE) PVT. LTD.
mainstay. We have to strengthen our links with
them. The largest number of poor people in India,
the potential vanguard for social change in this REGD. OFFICE: 23, SILVER JUBILEE
country, are in the Congress. Therefore, any social PARK ROAD,
change without the Congress is unthinkable, because
BANGALORE-560002.
the poor masses, the worker, the small peasant, the
farm labour, the middle class, the intellectuals, who
need a revolution are in the Congress. Unless the
DISTRIBUTORS AND DEALERS FOR:-
Congress mobilises them there will be no social re
volution in this country.
The massive strength of the Congress must be TREAD RUBBFR AND OTHER RETREADING
MATERIALS.
utilised for social change to which we as a party are
wedded. We are committed to establish a socialist * AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL RUBBER,
State. We want to bring about a structural change POLYTHENE, P.V.C. HOSE PIPES.
in society make it egalitarian and just. Now the
time has come to implement this commitment. The * “CALI PLAST" PVC CONDUITS AND
people have faith in the Congress. Let us have faith ACCESSORIES.
in them and in ourselves.
* DUNLOP LONG LENGTH BRAIDED RUBBER
Let us fully comprehend the game of reaction HOSES AND ADHESIVES. -

and of anti-democratic forces, which are opposed to

all our basic values of democracy, secularism, social * INDUSTRIAL SAFETY EQUIPMENTS AND
ism and our foreign policy of anti-colonialism, non BINNY’S TARPAULINS.
alignment and world peace. Only when we fully grasp
* FOAM CUSHIONS, MATTRESSES AND
this design, we will be able to combat them politi
PILLOWS.
cally. This pamphlet, I hope, will be useful for all
Congressmen and women in this task.

PRAYERS OF "BOLD PEASANTRY." ANSWERED

The Cooperative credit in Andhra Pradesh is a much lauded three-tier
structure. The Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Bank (APSCB) at the
State-level, twenty-five cooperative central banks affiliated to the A.P.S.C.B.
and as many as 15,000 Primary Agriculture Credit Societies affiliated to the
Central Banks profer credit facilities for seasonal agriculture operations.
The short and medium-term loan rose from Rs. 2,418.48 lakhs in 1972-73
to Rs. 2685.32 lakhs in 1973-74. The ambitious target fixed for 1974-75 is
Rs. 3,500 lakhs, an all-time high.
The land Mortgage Banking structure in the State is a federal one with
the Primary Land Mortgage Banks at the taluq level affiliated to the
Andhra Pradesh Cooperative Central Land Mortgage Bank Limited, Hydera
bad at State level. -

There are as many as 184 Primary Land Mortgage Banks in the State.
During 1973-74, the Banks issued loans to the tune of Rs. 10.48 crores to the
ryots. The target for the current year is Rs. 15 crores.
Verily the cooperatives are the answer to the ‘prayers of the Bold
Peasantry, their country’s pride.”

THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION

AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
GOVT. OF ANDHRA PRADESH

U. P. MARCHES AHGAD
The Minorities
Get A Better Deal
Like other regions of the coun
try, Uttar Pradesh too is inhabi
ted by people of different religious
denominations. A number of so
cial rights have been given to
Harijans and other minorities un
der the Constitution and protec
tion of their life and cultural and
linguistic heritage has been guar
anteed.
The policy of “divide and rule”
adopted by the alien rulers had
not only accentuated the differ
ences between various castes and
creeds but also created hatred and
enmity among them. Hindus and
Changing
STUDE
Muslims were particularly affected
by it
When Mahatma Gandhi took
over the leadership of the politi
cal movement in the country, and
started the war for independence,
he made vigorous efforts to remove
the gap between the upper and
lower strata of society and to in
culcate a feeling of unity and
brotherhood among all Indians.
The Central and State Govern
ments have been striving to
achieve the ideals and objectives
set up by Mahatma Gandhi. Uttar
Pradesh, too, had been taking steps
in this direction. But it was felt
that more grant of legal rights
or guaranteeing protection to
minorities and Harijans was not
sufficient. Their implementation
was equally necessary. Several
significant steps have therefore
been taken within the last one
year, towards this end.
Face of U. P.
Orders have been issued to all
District Officers and Superintend
ents of Police to personally super
vise the arrangements made for
the protection of Harijans and
other minorities and to take severe
action against those who are found
persecuting them. A special cell
has also been set up under the
supervision of a Deputy Inspector
General of Police to enquire into
reports of persecutions.
MINORITY COMMISSION
A number of schemes have been
implemented in the State for the
improvement of the lot of Hari
jans, Backward Classes and other
minorities. At the same time,
efforts have been made to safe
guard the interest of Harijans and
minorities. A one-member Commis
sion was set up some time ago.
But it appeared, in the context of
the aims, that the Commission did
not have enough powers. Another
 high-power minority Commission
was therefore set up under the
Chairmanship of a retired judge
of Allahabad High Court. The
Commission has — as its members
—representatives of Muslims,
Sikhs, Christians, Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes. The Com
mission will study the various prob
lems and difficulties faced by Sche
duled Castes and Tribes, Back
ward Classes and minorities. It
will also keep a watch on the im
plementation of Government poli
cies in this regard.
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
A number of schemes have been
started for providing educational
ſ
!e
*
i facilities to Harijans and minori
in º
ties. Scheduled Caste students are
given free education from primary
to the highest classes. In addition,
technical education, scholarships
and hostel facilities are also given
to them. Eighteen per cent seats
are reserved for Harijan students
in hostels.
Apart from the steps taken for
the uplift and security of mino
rities, utmost attention is being
paid to the protection, progress
and development of Urdu, as Uttar
Pradesh have been the nursery of
Urdu language and literature. The
State Government is fully alive to
its responsibility and it has taken
many steps and given necessary
facilities from time to time in this
connection. The various steps
taken recently include appoint
ment of 4,823 Urdu teachers in
municipal schools (3,823) and
junior high schools (1,000), as
well as appointment of Urdu tea
chers in Government secondary
schools where students wish to
offer Urdu as an optional subject.
Ensuring availability of Urdu text
Łooks from class I up to class
VIII revision of Urdu text-books
and special grants (totalling Rs. 3
lakhs) to five prominent Urdu, Per
sian and Arabic institutions are
some of the other measures worth
mentioning here. Provision has
been made for financial assistance
to all institutions having Urdu as
medium. Admission facilities have
been given to Urdu-knowing can
didates in normal schools so that
shortage of Urdu teachers in ins
titutions can be made up.
An Urdu Academy has been re
cently set up by the State Govern
ment for the promotion and deve
lopment of Urdu literature. Fin
ancial assistance is given to Urdu
authors to enable them to get their
works published. Prizes are also
awarded by the Academy for out
standing Urdu publications.
It will thus be clear that the
State Government is actively en
gaged in the task of promoting
and developing Urdu.

N
-

Representation of students in University Court

Setting up of a Student Welfare Board
Facilities for education in agriculture, science, medical,'
engineering and other technical subjects
Availability of text books at reasonable prices
Increase in number and amount of scholarships at all levels
Reservation of 18 per cent seats in hostels for Harijans
Financial assistance to wards of freedom fighters
Supply of foodgrains, vanaspati and kerosene off to hosteſs
:

AN ASSURANCE TO THE STUDENTS

THE STATE IS WITH THEM
UPI 13-2
{
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A_*-a--A A-a--a-a-a- ---> - -º-º-º-º- _*. _ ~~~ -

SOCIALIST INDIA - 96 - REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

 A dish made
so quick
you'll eat it
double quick
Agro canned ---
*

péas & Agro

garam
masala
Cut open a can of Agro Peas.
They're Farm-Fresh. Cook it for
two minutes. Add some
Agro Garam Masala. Cook for another
two minutes and serve it hot.
A tasty dish ready in a jiffy.
Speed isn't the best part. Eating is IV
U.P. STATE
AGR0 INDUSTRIAL &
compoRATION LID. (P.F.D.)
22, Vidhan Sabha Marg
Lucknow (U.P.) - --- FDS-AGROI-A

B0DALIST, INDIA 97 REPUBLIC DAY NUMBER 1975

 BIHAR STATE COOPERATIVE BANK

(WHERE MONEY GROWS THE FASTEST)

• - " - . Rupees in Crores

*** { . . . r 26.11.74

Paid-up capital - 1.45 -

Reserves and other funds º . . 2.40 . -

Deposits -- ~~ J. 20.92
Loans and Advances - 24.59

Working Capital 88.00

*

The Bank allows attractive rates of interest on deposits.

All types of banking facilities are available from any of the
branches of the bank. Lockers are available in our Jamshed

pur and New Market Branches at cheaper rates.

Branches at-Bankipore, New Secretariat, Mussallahpur Hat,

New Market and Kankerbagh (Patna), Bistupur and
Golmuri (Jamshedpur) and Bihat.

C. V. Rai, N. K. Jha, - Mathura Pd. Singh,

Secretary. Managing Director. Chairman.

º
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Manufacturers of

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f Brºnches: Ranchi, Muzaffarpur & Jamshedpur.
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 BHARAT GOLD MINES LIMITED
(A Gover NMENT of INDIA UNDERTAKING)'
Manufacture and Sell -

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(Single Chisel Type) FOR ROCK DRILLING ! :- - --
We also undertake to manufacture - |
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And
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We execute on contract
EXPLORATION, SHAFT SINKING, TUNNELLING AND
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THE WORLD.

For details please contact: -

BHARAT GOLD MINES LIMITED

“RED GAUNTLET’’
OORGAUM (KGF) 563120
(Karnataka State)
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SOCIALIST INDIA - - - - .104 REPUBLIC DAY-NUMBER 1995
 INDIA IS GREAT

MAKE IT GREATER
BY

2 Defending The Republic

O

Defending The Constitution

O

Defending The Power

Of The People
O

THIS IS THE THIRTEENTH IN A SERIES OF ADVERTISEMENTS

DESIGNED BY sº SOCIALIST INDIA * IN PUBLIC INTEREST
 | |

SOCIALIST INDIA
Regd. No. D-(C)-90
Posted in CPSO New Delhi
On 25-I-75 (U 169)
Registered with the
Newspapers:
º:
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 JAGJIVAN RAM ON
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T. A. PAL ON PUBLIC SECTOR
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NINE MOMENTOUs YEARs
FEBRUARY 1, 1975 OF INDIRA GANDHI’s

30 p. PRIME MINISTERSHIP
(A CHRONOLOGY)

The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, paid homage to “Amar Jawan” at India Gate, New Delhi
on the Republic Day, 1975. Photo shows Smt. Indira Gandhi laying a wreath at the memorial dedicated
to the Immortal Soldier.

DEMOCRACY e socialism e SECULARISM e NON-ALIGNMENT


PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO THE NATION
No Short Cut Except
Through Hard Work,
Discipline And Unity
The President, Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
earnestly appealed to leaders of all political parties
to take concrete steps to check the drift towards
disruption and chaos, in his message to the nation
on the eve of Republic Day. The President cau
tioned that “violence is not only opposed to the
national ethos but is the very anti-thesis of the de
mccratic spirit”.
The following is the text of the broadcast :
On the eve of the 26th Republic Day, I am
happy to convey my greetings and good wishes to
my fellow citizens in India and abroad. This is
the first time I am addressing our people as their
first servant and I would like to take this opportu
nity to express my deep sense of gratitude for the
love and affection that the people have bestowed
on me in such abundant measure. It shall always
be my endeavour to justify the trust reposed in
me.
DISMAYED AT WIOLENCE
Our Republic has completed 25 years of its
eventful existence and tomorrow we will celebrate
our National Day. This is no doubt a joyous occa
sion but this is also an occasion for calm intros
pection. We have to draw a balance-sheet of our
achievements as well as failures and take a firm
resolve to overcome the obstacles that have come
in our way. Let every one of us on this sacred day
turn the searchlight inwards and examine how each
one of us may contribute our share to the nation's
well-being and progress.
It has been a testing time for the nation and
any one with the interest of the country at heart
will feel dismayed at the growing temper of vio
ſence in our midst. Violence is not only opposed
to the national ethos but is the very anti-thesis of
the democratic spirit and, if unchecked, will become
a grave threat to our integrity and survival. We
have chosen the path of democracy and peaceful
change, enshrining in our Constitution the dignity
of the individual and the unity of the nation. I of our economy.
would earnestly appeal to the leaders of all politi
cal parties to realise the gravity of the situation
and take concrete steps to check this drift towards
disruption and chaos.
We are facing a serious economic situation and
it will require the united effort of our people to
overcome the crisis. The spiralling of prices and
the shortage of food and other essential commodi
SOCIALIST INDIA
ties have caused serious hardships to our common
people. No doubt many extraneous causes are res
ponsible for our present plight and there is no easy
way out except through sustained and discplined
work. We as a nation must imbibe the ethics of
hard and honest work. Whatever may be one's
ideology, no nation can prosper without the un
remitting labour of its citizens. We have vast hu
man and material resources. We have laid the
foundation for self-sustaining economic growth. We
are one of the foremost industrial nations of the
world. Our scientists and technologists are second
to none. We have a glorious heritage. With all
these advantages we should march forward with
unity and courage and with faith in our destiny.
ECONOMIC CRISIS
I believe our basic problem is agricultural prog
gress. Our country has to be self-sufficient in food,
commercial crops and in the basic necessities of life.
This is a fundamental requirement of our political
and economic independence. To my mind if we
have to bring about a resurgence in agriculture we
have to evolve after careful study on integrated
land water use plan for the country. This will in
volve an appropriate combination of crops, animal
husbandry, fisheries and forestry with a view to
increasing agricultural production and productivity.
Again rural life will not thrive unless agriculture
is linked with a massive growth of small-scale agro
industries by adoption of modern technology on a
decentralised basis. With the people's enthusiastic
participation and determined action at every level
of administration we can make our villages throb
with a new life.
The world is now faced with an unprecedented
energy crisis. But in a sense this can be construed
as a blessing in disguise. We can from now on
orient our fuel economy to our indigenous resources.
The ultimate source of all earth's energy is the
sun, and trees are by far the most efficient means
known for tapping this solar energy. By growing
energy forets in every village and replanting with
religious zeal we can not only renew continually
the country's fuel resources but also save the soil
and the rivers and thus maintain the ecological
balance. This and activities like digging canals,
contour bunding, recycling of wastes, including hu
man wastes, can change the face of our country
side.
During the last year, industrial production
suffered a virtual stagnation. The Government
have adopted a policy of utmost utilisation of ins
talled capcity which, I hope, will improve the state
It is a pity that our richer classes are blindly
copying the life styles of the affluent societies of
the west and the industrial structure is largely
oriented to meeting the ever-increasing needs of
this small minority. This untenable concept must
change and the industry must be made to pro
duce articles of mass consumption at reasonable
prices.
Continued on Page 35
2 FEBRUARY 1, 1975
 tely of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Wol X No. 9
CONTENTS
Published every February 1, 1975
Saturday

President's Republic Day Message to the Nation 2

Editorial 3
*Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Road, New Delhi 110001 Stop Press 4
**hones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST Silver Jubilee of the Republic Celebrated 5
Nine Momentous Years of
EDITORIAL BOARD
Indira Gandhi's Prime Ministership 6
º: Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV
Palestine Liberation Organisation 10
º: (Chairman)
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Spotlight on Indian Agriculture
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Jagjivan Ram 11

O
Indian Agriculture: Quarter
Century's Report 13
-- BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
The Indian National Congress—II
is Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR H. D. Malaviya 16
* (Chairman) Status of Women in India
:“ Shri I. K. GUJRAL
Aruna Asaf Ali 19
: Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
". Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Multinational Monopolies in the Third World
sº Shri P. C. SETHI Y. Kasatkina and L. Komlev 23
President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia
John I. Hungu - 25
º Editor: CHANDRAJIT YADAV
:a Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN The Public Sector in India
T. A. Pai 27
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Indo-Zambian Relations Consolidated 28
Committee and printed at National Herald Press, P.M.'s Fruitful Visit to Iraq 29
* Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001.
Netaji's Birth Anniversary Celebrated 31

** views expressed by Contributors are not neces The Camps in the States 33
º: sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. P.M.'s Interview to “National Herald.” 35
* *
* *

50 men from each of the Services) presented arms

tororial.
The Gandhian Heritage
January 30, the day of Gandhiji's martyrdom,
*ich has been incorporated in the national calendar
* the Martyrs' Day, was observed with due solem
"; and a spirit of re-dedication to the ideals of the
*rtyrs, who laid down their lives in order that we
* live as Indians proud of our nationhood and
heritage.
This year, the Martyrs' Day had special signifi
ºe since we celebrated the Silver Jubilee of the
ºian Republic just four days earlier. In fact the
- Republic Day celebrations concluded on January 30,
º ** in the presence of President Fakhruddin Ali
" *med and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, a 150
, *g inter-services guard of honour (consisting of
*CIALIST INDIA –––.
and reversed arms as the buglers sounded the last
post. Then the salute was taken and two minutes of
silence was observed at Rajghat—in spite of pouring
rain. Earlier, the President and the Prime Minister
paid homage to Gandhiji by placing wreaths at the
“samadhi’’ on the occasion of the 27th death anni
versary. In the evening, at the Gandhi Smriti in
Tees January Marg, a programme of prayer and de
votional songs in various languages evoked many
memories of Gandhiji which have now become part
of the collective unconscious of the nation.
What is to be remembered is that far from be
ing a ritualistic exercise, the homage paid to the re
vered memory of the Father of the Nation—and of
the other martyrs—it was a reaffirmation that the
Gandhian heritage will not be squandered away by
the nation. Though many interpretations are being
bandied about Gandhiji's heritage and though many
pretenders claim this heritage exclusively for them
selves, it is plain to the people of India—and to all
friends of India abroad—that the continuity of the
i FEBRUARY 1, 1975
Gandhian heritage has been zealously maintained
only by the Congress Party.
Moulded by Gandhiji, the Congress Party,
though orphaned in 1948 when an assassin's hand
emptied the bullets on him, has resolutely dedicated
itself to the realisation of his dreams. The first three
Prime Ministers of India ensured that democracy,
socialism, secularism and non-alignment, which all
emanated out of the Gandhian philosophy became
part and parcel of our national life and also acquired
new dimensions and real substance. Especially dur
ing the last nine years of Smt. Indira Gandhi's prime
ministership a new dynamism was instilled into our
body politic and body social as can be gathered from
the brief chronology of the major events during this
period included in this issue.
Discussions on the tweedledum and tweedledee
of Gandhism and tall talk with newly coined Hindi
words, will not further the cause of Gandhism. Not
can self-styled Gandhians with illusionary haloes
around their heads promote its interests. All great
movements in history have been misinterpreted, dis
torted and misused. Hence had arisen schisms and
heresies right from the time of the Buddha onwards
—or even earlier. This is in the nature of the world.
of men and of things. But, under no circumstances
the fundamentals must be lost sight of. The funda
mentals of Gandhism are enshrined in our Constitu
tion, which we gave ourselves when we started the
great adventure of “India Unlimited” as a Republic.
This India Unlimited is a going concern. And it
would be kept going in spite of all odds and saboteurs.
all challenges, internal and external, and all loose
talk of bravado from subverters of democracy. The
Gandhian heritage will not be allowed to be frittered
away by the enemies of the people.

As far as the disposal of assets" Organisation. Shri Dharia said it

STOP PRESS
RABI CROP PROSPECTS GOOD
The Union Minister for Agricul
ture and Irrigation, Shri Jagjivan
Ram, said in New Delhi on Janu
ary 28 that the reports from the
States indicated a very good rabi
crop. The Minister, who was
addressing the Consultative Com
mittee of members of Parliament
for his Ministry, also added that
the downward trend in prices was
continuing and the availability of
foodgrains had been increasing.
Shri Jagjivan Ram was confi
dent that in spite of late arrivals
due to delayed harvesting, kharif
procurement would be as high as
last year. Already 1.9 million
tonnes of rice had been procured
and there was every likelihood of
our reaching the last year's figure
of 3.8 million tonnes of rice.
FOREIGN OIL COMPANIES
The Government of India intends
to take over three foreign oil
companies operating in India after
paying compensation. This was
revealed by the Minister for Pet
roleum and Chemicals, Shri K. D.
Malaviya at a meeting of the Con
Sultative Committee of members of
Parliament attached to his Minis
try, in New Delhi on January 27.
He said the method of takeover
was being considered by the
Government. The foreign oil com
panies proposed to be taken over
are Burmah Shell, Caltex and Oil
India Limited.
by Burmah Shell was concerned,
Shri Malaviya said that “we would
certainly keep that fact in view
while deciding about the compen
sation due to the company.”
Shri Malaviya told the members
that adequate quantities of crude
oil would be imported in the cur
rent year to meet the country's
requirements, particularly of in
dustries and agriculture. He said
there were difficulties in securing
supplies but efforts were being
made to get adequate quantities
of oil on a bilateral basis.
The Minister said if all went well
with onshore and offshore oil
exploration, the country could
hope to achieve “near self-suffi
ciency” in oil in the next six to
seven years. Much would, however,
depend on India's acquiring rigs,
drilling platforms and the country's
ability to transport oil from off
shore areas.
PANEL ON URBAN AFFAIRS
The Minister of State for Works
and Housing, Shri Mohan Dharia,
said in New Delhi on January 28
that the Government proposed
to set up a national advisory panel
on urban affairs to advise it on
various aspects of urban develop
ment. lt would be a standing body
of experts, including town-plan
ners and urban economists, he
added.
The Minister was inaugurating
a meeting of the expert group on
national urbanisation policy. The
meeting discussed the draft re
solution on policy as prepared by
the Town and Country Planning
was also proposed to set up a
technical unit to serve the advi
sory panel and assist the Ministry.
Shri Dharia emphasised the need
for a ceiling on urban property
and reiterated that a bill for that
purpose would shortly be brought
before Parliament. He said this
was a measure which had to be
brought forth as quickly as pos
sible to combat speculation and
achieve social and economic equity.
MORE ANTI-SMUGGLING STEPS
With a view to dealing more
effectively with the evil of smug
gling, the Government has ex
panded and strengthened the
anti-ssmuggling measures which
include organising mobile squads
against smuggling attempts along
the coast and checking parties at
various points. Steps have also
been taken to tone up the vigil
ance along borders with neighbour
ing countries.
A separate director has been
appointed to help in the inspection
of field formations, coordination
among customs houses, collectora
tes, the police, the navy and the
border security force. Two more
directors will look after telecom
munication and marine organisa
tion.
Closer coordination among in
telligence and investigating agen
cies will be achieved through a
newly created Directorate-General
of Revenue Intelligence and In
vestigation. This unit functions
directly under the Cabinet Secreta
riat.

Silver Jubilee Of The Indian Republic
Celebrated All Over The Country
On Sunday, January 26, the Re
public Day was celebrated with
austerity but with extra fervour as
it marked the Silver Jubilee of
the Indian Republic. The comple
tion of a quarter century of Par
liamentary Democracy was mark
ed by the nation's determination
to triumph over the problems fac
- ing us. In all the State capitals,
functions and parades were held
with the accent on economy.
President Fakhruddin Ali Ah
med's broadcast to the nation on
the eve of the Republic Day (the
full text of which is reproduced in
this issue on Page 2) set the tone
for the celebrations. Prime Minis
ter Indira Gandhi's interviews
granted to SOCIALIST INDIA
(published in last week's Republic
Day Number), “Link”, “Illustrat
ed Weekly of India” and “National
Herald” (published in the Sunday
morning issue of the paper) clari
fied many controversial issues and
contributed much to steel the will
of the nation to march ahead come
what may.
(These were no “bogus” inter
views as has been stupidly des
cribed by an irresponsible but
irrepressible columnist, “Nir
bhay” in “Motherland”. SOCIAL
IST INDIA and “National
Herald” had submitted the ques
tion in advance in consideration
of her preoccupations and visits
abroad and the Prime Minis
ter replied them, in writing.
Tape-recorded versions of the
interviews given to the other
two papers are in existence and
the interviewers, Khushwant
Singh and M. V. Rao, can testify.
Yet the mouth piece of the Jana
Sangh has made standerous re
marks. Surely the PM's Secre
tariat could not have foisted
“interviews” on the BBC, “News
week” “Asahi, Shimbun” and
Swedish television whose repre
sentatives had made a beeline
to the South Block to interview
the P.M.
800IALIST INDIA
A Correspondent
The celebrations in various parts
of the country were unaffected by
JP's call for “parallel” celebra
tions, except in Patna, Gwalior,
Jabalpur and Ballia. This is a
free country and it is an open so
ciety. Everybody has a right to
do what he likes. So it looks. But
even these “parallel” celebrations
were in a way tributes to the ex
cellent functioning of parliamen
tary democracy in this country and
to the Constitution of India, which
has guaranteed the fundamental
freedoms.
The Republic Day Parade in
Delhi was a pageant of colour and
sound and in the best of tradition.
The nation paid homage to “Amar
Jawan” when the Prime Minister
laid a wreath at the India Gate
Memorial and observed silence.
The President drove to the saluting
base accompanied by President
Raunda of Zambia in the horse
drawn carriage, which was escort
ed by the mounted guards. It was
a bright and sunny morning as the
President took the salute. Thirty
one guns boomed in the distance.
Several foreign dignitaries from
Iran, Iraq, Australia, Sweden and
Bangladesh were present.
Major-General E. D'Souza, GOC,
Delhi Area, commanded the parade
in which 2,000 jawans and officers
of the three Services and another
4,000 personnel of para-military
organisations, NCC, schools and
other organisations took part.
Vijayanta Tanks, models of INS
NILGIRI and INS KALVARI, field
and anti-aircraft guns and the
GNAT enthralled the audience.
The SEACAT ground to air mis
siles with their TIGERCAT launch
ing system were on display for the
first time reassuring all those as
sembled along the Rajpath and
others who saw on the TV that the
nation's security is in safe hands
with all the latest equipment.
A tribal dancing group from
Madhya Pradesh and school child
ren dancing with “lezim” provided
entrancing spectacle. The floral
“Save Wild Life” tableau was
breathtaking.
Since 1975 is the International
Women's Year, the accent was on
women in the Parade. India's first
woman IPS officer Smt. Kiran
Bedi led the police contigent.
Among Paratroopers women were
represented. A girl school's band
from Kerala was very impressive.
Another highlight of the Parade
was the revived flypast of seven
hunters trailing the national
colours. (It was a pity that in
one of them the mechanism for the
colours to trail did not function.)
But they executed the “lily flower
manoeuvre alright.)
The Parade ended with the re
lease of 2,500 baloons of saffron,
white and green colours.
In the evening, at the Mogul
Gardens, Rashtrapati Bhawan, the
President held a reception. The
presence of representatives of folk
dancers from many parts of India
lent much colour to the function,
which was attended by high digni
taries, Service Chiefs, diplomats,
M.P.s and others. (It was a bit
saddening that some of the invi
tees behaved as if they had never
eaten snacks, when they grabbed
the snacks and cups of tea.)
The “Beating Retreat” ceremony
at Vijay Chowk in which 600
bándsmen drawn from the three
Services participated provided a
colourful finale to the R-Day func
tions in Delhi.
The release of a special stamp
honouring the Parliament House
by the Speaker, Dr. G. S. Dhillon
provided philatelists with a souve
nlr.
In Srinagar and Bangalore, in
Bombay and Aijawl (Mizoram)
the Republic Day was celebrated,
as also in Chandigarh, Lucknow,
Bhopal, Simla and other cities.
In Gangtok, capital of Sikkim
(now that it is an associate State
of India), there were many func
tions, the main one being at Paljor
Stadium. Kazi Lhendup Dorji and
his colleagues attended the cere
mony at which the Chogyal and
the Indian political Officer took the
salute.
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
 NINE NMONMENTOUS

YEARS OF
INDIRA GANDHI’S

PRIME MINISTERSHIP

--A CHRONOLOGY

On January 24, 1975, Shrimati Indira Gandhi completed

nine years as the Prime Minister. A brief chronology of some
important events during this period are detailed below: ~

January 24, 1966 Elected leader of the Congress Party in Parliament on January
19, Shrimati Indira Gandhi is sworn in as Prime Minister.
January 26, 1966 In her first broadcast to the nation as Prime Minister, Smt.
Gandhi pledges herself to the ideals of democracy and secularism,
to planned economic and social advance, and to peace and friend
ship among nations.
a Lok Sabha approves the Tashkent Declaration.
February 21, 1966
February 25, 1966 India and Pakistan withdraw troops from each other's territory
in implementation of the Tashkent Agreement.
March 28, 1966 The Prime Minister arrives in Washington and is received by
President Johnson at the White House.
April 3, 1966 The Prime Minister returns to New Delhi after her 10-day tour
of France, USA, Britain and the Soviet Union.
June 5, 1966 The rupee is devalued involving a reduction in its external value
by 36.5 per cent.
July 7, 1966 The Prime Minister leave Delhi for Cairo, Brioni and Mos
cow.

In a broadcast to the nation just before her departure, she

suggested a new round of Geneva Conference talks, an immediate
ending of bombing in North Vietnam followed by a cessation of
hostilities as well as of hostile movements and actions on all sides
throughout Vietnam in full observance of the Geneva Agreement.
August 4, 1966 “Apsara," Asia's first atomic reactor, designed and built entire
ly by Indian scientists and engineers, completes ten years of opera
tion.
September 2, 1966 P.M. announces removal of restrictions on the making of gold
ornaments of more than 14-carat purity.
October 21, 1966 A “summit” of Heads of Governments of Yugoslavia, the UAR
and India begins in New Delhi.
SOCIALIST INDIA bº-º Q - . . . . . FEBRUARY 1, 1975
-

October 24, 1966 President Tito, President Nasser and Shrimati Gandhi address
a joint press conference in New Delhi at the end of “summit” talks.
A joint communique is also issued.
ſ November 1, 1966 Formation of Haryana.
December 18, 1966 It is announced that the Atomic Energy Establishment will
build a medium-sized plutonium plant for treating irradiated uranium
from the reactors being constructed at Tarapur and Rana Pratap
Sagar.
February 23, 1967 Smt. Gandhi declared elected to the Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli,
U.P. (Votes secured 143,602).
March 12, 1967 Shrimati Indira Gandhi, who is unanimously re-elected Leader
of the Congress Party in Parliament, is asked by the President to
form a new Government. Sworn in on March 13 as the Prime Min
ister.
October 8, 1967 P.M. leaves for East European tour.
l
October 21, 1967 P.M. returns from her tour of East Europe and the UAR.
November 4, 1967 The Mahajan Commission Report is published.
November 6, 1967 P.M. leaves for Moscow to attend the celebrations of the 50th
anniversary of the October Revolution.
January 9, 1968 The State of Emergency proclaimed in the wake of Chinese ag
gression in October, 1962, is terminated.
February 1, 1968 P.M. inaugurates UNCTAD-II in New Delhi. She calls for a
global strategy of development and an integrated programme of
international cooperation.
February 2, 1968 P.M. dedicates the Equatorial Rocket Launching Station at
Thumba as an international facility.
February 7, 1968 The National Integration Council is revived with P.M. as Chair
Inan.
March 2, 1968 The bank rate is reduced from 6 per cent to 5 per cent.
March 20, 1968 P.M. declares in the Lok Sabha that India will not sign the
nuclear non-proliferation treaty even if it should entail the stoppage
of foreign aid.
April 20, 1968 P.M. commissions the Rs. 33-crore fertiliser plant at Gorakhpur.
May 3, 1968 P.M. arrives in Bhutan and opens the 174-kilometre long Phun
tsoling-Thimpu highway.
May 19, 1968 P.M. begins a 14-day goodwill tour of South-East Asia—Singa
pore, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.
July 7, 1968 P.M. opens the third thermal unit of the Damodar Valley Cor
poration's power station. She commends cooperation among different
States and expresses the hope that this spirit will permeate the whole
country.
September 21, 1968 P.M leaves on a goodwill tour of South America—Brazil, Uru
guay, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago
and Guyana.
October 14, 1968 P.M. addresses United Nations General Assembly.
October 28, 1968 - P.M. launches the first India-built frigate at Mazagaon, Bombay.
She describes it as a milestone in the history of modern Indian ship
ping. -

October 28, 1968 The Government decides to set up a Petro-chemical Corpora

tion in the Public Sector with an initial authorised capital of Rs. 30
CrOres. -

November 4, 1968 A rocket experiment to study celestial X-ray sources is success

fully conducted from the Thumba Rocket Launching Station.
November 10, 1968
The Bailadila Iron Ore Mine, the largest mechanised iron ore
mine in Asia, is inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh.
January 11, 1969 P.M. returns to New Delhi after attending the Commonwealth
Prime Ministers' Conference.
April 3, 1969
The LIC completes record business of Rs. 928 crores.
April 6, 1969 The first reactor at the Atomic Power Station at Tarapore
starts generating 100 megawatts of power.
May 1, 1969 P.M. rejects in Rajya Sabha a suggestion that India should
ask both the USSR and the USA for a nuclear umbrella against any
threat from China.
May 3, 1969 Uenth of Pre-ident Zakir H-in-ºin,
80CHARIST INDIA t FEBRUARY 1, 107A
June 26, 1969 India releases 16,000 tons of the Pakistan cargo taken over
during 1965 Indo-Pakistan conflict.
July 2, 1969 The Government establishes a consortium of five Public Sector
undertakings to handle the business of electric power projects.
June-July, 1969 Visit to Japan and Indonesia. º
July 10, 1969 Bangalore session of the AICC at which Smt. Gandhi's “Note on
the Economic Policy” is debated; the nomination of the Presidential
candidate creates a division. |a
July 16, 1969 P.M. takes over the Finance Portfolio from Shri Morarji Desai.
July 19, 1969 The Government announces its decision to nationalise 14 major =
Indian banks in the country.
Broadcasting from AIR, P.M. says that the nationalisation of
banks is a continuation of the process which has long been under- º
WaW. º

July 21, 1969 P.M. inaugurates the “Yuv Vani”, the Youth Programme of
All India Radio. The programme is designed to encourage and fos- tº
ter youth activities. -

August 9, 1969 With President's assent, the Bill to nationalise 14 major com
mercial banks becomes an Act, replacing the earlier Ordinance. *
August 20, 1969 Shri V. V. Giri elected President.
August 20, 1969 The Union Cabinet decides to set up three coal-based fertiliser
plants, one each in Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Mysore. n
August 22, 1969 P.M. presides over the first meeting of the National Committee
for the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. -

August 27, 1969 The Atomic Energy Commission announces 10-year profile and
plans to build one 400 to 500 megawatt fast breeder atomic reactor
every year in the 1980s. The breeders will also use the country's
abundant resources of thorium to produce cheap electricity.
September 5, 1969 A Department of Banking is created in the Finance Ministry by a º
Presidential Order, amending the Allocation of Government busi
neSS. --

September 22, 1969 India's first super power medium-wave transmitter near Calcutta
is commissioned. - **

October 2, 1969 Birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi.

October 26, 1969 The President, in his capacity as the Visitor, appoints Shrimati
Indira Gandhi as the first Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru Uni
versity.
November 14, 1969 Donated Anand Bhavan to the nation.
November 20, 1969 Smt. Gandhi demands the summoning of the AICC. Shri Nijaling
appa “expels” her from the Congress—The Congress “Split” is com
plete when the Requisitioned AICC meeting is held in New Delhi. -
November 23, 1969 The quincentenary of Guru Nanak is celebrated. -

December 5, 1969 P.M. reiterates Government's commitment to abolish privy pur. *

ses and princely privileges.
December 6, 1969 P.M. inaugurates in Kanpur the Rs. 62-crore fertiliser plant set º
up by the Indian Explosives Limited. --

January 19, 1970 P.M. formally dedicates to the nation the first Atomic Power
-
Station at Tarapur and describes it as “a partial realisation of her
dream”. ~~ º

February 8, 1970 Inaugurates 140-foot high Rana Pratap Sagar Dam.

February 9, 1970 P.M. commissions Rs. 30-crore Urea Fertiliser Plant at Kota.

February 18, 1970 The Government decides to abolish “P” form for foreign travel .
undertaken once in three years from March 1, 1970. -

March 19, 1970 P.M. inaugurates drilling of the first off-shore oil well in Gulf
of Cambay.
April 2, 1970 P.M. inaugurates Meghalaya, a new autonomous Hill State s
Conveys greetings from the entire nation.
June 19, 1970 P.M. lays foundation of 3.6-mile-road bridge across the Ganga.
June 26, 1970 P.M. takes over the Home Portfolio.
July 7, 1970 The Atomic Energy Commission finalises a Rs. 127.5-crore scheme
for sateliite television coverage of every village and major town in
the country by 1980.
August 1, 1970 The Government sets up t three-member Monopolies Commission.
SOCIALIST INDIA 8 FEBRUARY 1, 1915
August 27, i870 P.M. indicates in Rajya Sabha that India has not ruled out nu
clear explosions for peaceful purposes. Says research is going on
in India on conducting nuclear explosions and the defence needs are
foremost when development of nuclear energy is considered.
September 5, 1970 Cabinet decides to derecognise all former rulers.
September 9, 1970 P.M. attends Third Conference on Non-aligned countries at
Lusaka, Zambia.
October 23, 1970 P.M. addresses the Silver Jubilee session of United Nations.
November 1, 1970 P.M. hands over Anand Bhavan, home of the Nehrus, to the
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund.
November 12,1970 Cabinet approves reorganisation scheme for nationalised banks.
December 27, 1970 President dissolves Lok Sabha and orders mid-term poll on the
advice of P.M.
January 20, 1971 P. M. inaugurates work on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in
Andhra Pradesh.
January 25, 1971 P.M. inaugurates new State of Himachal Pradesh.
February 2, 1971 Hijacked Indian plane blown up in Pakistan.
India bans overflights of Pakistan aircraft across Indian terri
tory. P. M. make statement in Parliament.
March 5, 1971 In 43 days of electioneering she travel over 86,000 miles and
addresses over 300 meetings. About 13 million people attend the
meetings and another 7 million line the roads.
March 17, 1971 The Congress Parliamentary Party unanimously re-elects Shri
mati Indira Gandhi as leader. Sworn in on March 18.
March 19, 1971 Fifth Lok Sabha convened. …

Statement in Lok Sabha about Bangladesh. P.M. asks world

community to recognise threat to peace in sub-continent. Says that
India will be constrained to take measures if world community fails
to bring about settlement.
August 9, 1971 India and Soviet Union sign 20-year Treaty of Peace, Friend.
ship and Cooperation.
P.M. leaves for Soviet Union.
September 27, 1971
October 24, 1971 to P.M. undertakes tour of Western Europe and U.S. to plead for
November 11, 1971 cause of Bangladesh. (Belgiam, Austria, U.K. U.S.A., France and
West Germany.)
November 11, 1971 Supreme Court upholds Election Commission's order declaring
that Congress (R) is the Indian National Congress.
November 29, 1971 P.M. inaugurates Nuclear Research Laboratory of the Indian
Agricultural Research Institute.
November 30, 1971 P.M. calls for withdrawal of Pakistani troops from Bangla
desh.
December 3, 1971 Pakistan launches attack on our airfields and crosses our
borders.
December 3-4, 1971 P.M. returns from Calcutta and broadcasts to nation at mid
night on the war.
December 4, 1971 P.M. makes statement in Parliament on the war.
December 6, 1971 Recognition of Bangladesh announced.

December 9, 1971 P.M. moves 26th Constitution Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha.
December 16, 1971 P.M. informs Parliament of the surrender of Pakistani forces
in Bangladesh. Holds consultations with Opposition leaders. An
nounces unilateral ceasefire in the Western Sector.
December 17, 1971 Pakistan accepts offer of ceasefire.
December 18, 1971 President announces the award of “Bharat Ratna” to Prime
Minister. (Conferred on January 26, 1972).
All-Party MPs felicitate PM in Central Hall of Parliament on
victory
January 20, 1972 Formation of Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
Hanuary 21, 1972 Formation of Manipur, Tripura and Mizoram.
January 24, 1972 P.M. releases the first volume of the Selected Works of
Jawaharlal Nehru — a 20-volume series of Nehru's writings,
speeches and correspondence.
March 19, 1972 Joint Declaration of the Prime Ministers of India and Bangla.
desh signed at Dacca.
500IALIST INDIA 9 FEBRUARY 1, 1975
June 14, 1972 P.M. addresses the plenary session of the UN Conference on
Human Environment at Stockholm.
June 28, 1972 P.M. arrives in Simla for talks with President Bhutto.
July 2, 1972 Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan signed.
August 11, 1972 Rajasthan Atomic Power Project becomes “critical”.
August 14-15, 1972 Midnight session of Parliament to mark 25th Anniversary of
Independence.
October 3, 1972 P.M. inaugurates first blast furnace complex of Bokaro.
December 29, 1972 P.M. inaugurates the underground rail project at Calcutta.
February 5, 1973 P.M. presented FAO medal of honour.
April 24, 1973 P.M. inaugurates work on Visakhapatnam Steel Plant in Andhra
Pradesh.
August 28, 1973 India and Pakistan sign an agreement on the humanitarian pro
blems left over by 1971 war.
September 5, 1973 P.M. leads Indian delegation to Fourth Conference of Non
aligned Nations at Algiers.
September 29, 1973 P.M. inaugurates India's fourth TV centre at Amritsar.
October 29, 1973 P.M. lays foundation stone of the Supa Dam, a major compo
ment of the giant Kalinadi Hydel Project. (North Kanara).
January 13, 1974 P.M. lays foundation stone of the Atomic Power Project at
Narora Distt. Bulandshahr (U.P.).
May 18, 1974 India carries out a peaceful nuclear explosion experiment.
September 17, 1974 Ordinance promulgated to check smuggling.
October 1, 1974 P.M.'s interview to AIR – Dehoarding of food stocks to be
pursued vigorously. -

November 22, 1974 Inaugurates the Narora Central Training Camp of AICC.
December 10, 1974 P.M. presides over the inaugural meeting of the National Com
mittee on International Women's Year.
January 12-14, 1975 P.M. visits the Republic of Maldives.
January 18-21, 1975 P.M. visits Iraq.

PALESTINE LIBERATION
ORGANISATION
The Chief Representative of the
Palestine Liberation Organisation
in India A. Hamid Fatehi has hail
ed India's decision to recognise
PLO as the sole representative of
Palestinians and to allow it to set
up in office in New Delhi.
Speaking at a meeting, organised
by the Indian Committee for Soli
darity with Palestinian struggle
in New Delhi on January 20, Mr.
Fatehi said that it was a good
augury that India's recognition
coincided with the tenth anniver
sary of the Palestinian struggle.
He said: “It also comes at a time
when Zionism is making frantic eff
forts to countermand the recent
United Nations decision to grant
peace and freedom to the Palesti
nian people.”
Mr. Fatehi condemned the attack
by “Zionist terrorists” on Indian
Embassy in New York recently and
said: “This is indicative of their
evil designs. “He expressed the
hope that India would play “an
even more active role...to further
SOCIALIST INDIA
the Palestinian cause and in the World Peace Council, Shri Romesh
fight against Zionism and imperial Chandra, referred to the UN deci
sion to recognise the PLO and
allow Mr. Yasser Arafat to ad
dress the world body. He said:
“A few years back, it was unim
aginable that Arafat would speak
at the UN General Assembly but
he did so at this session and won
over whelming support from al
most all the members except
Israel.”
Shri Shashi Bhushan, MP, also
deplored the attack on Indian Em
bassy and asked the Government
to close down all Zionist organisa
tions in the country. He said: “We
cannot let Zionism raise its head
in this country especially after
the dastardly attack on the Indian
Embassy in New York.”
Shri H. D. Malaviya, MP, said:
“Our foreign policy has always
given great weight to the Palesti
nian struggle and a PLO office in
the Capital will further strengthen
Indo-Palestinian ties.”
Reverend Sato, a Japanese peace
fighter and Vijendra Jain, a muni
Mr. Yasser Arafat cipal councillor were among those
The Secretary-General of the who spoke at the meeting.
10 - FEBRUARY 1, 1975

FOCUS
Indian Agriculture
JAG|IVAN RAM
This article reached SOCIALIST INDIA too
late for inclusion in the Republic Day Number last
week.
The approach to the agricultural development
upto the end of Second Plan consisted mainly in
undertaking general programmes of development for
the creation of additional facilities such as irriga
tion, soil conservation, land reclamation, use of
improved agricultural practices and tenurial reforms
for giving greater incentive to cultivators. In the
Third Plan, it was considered necessary to give
greater emphasis to the development of scientific
and progressive agriculture in an intensive manner
in areas having irrigation and assured rainfall to
secure maximum growth in production. To begin with,
this approach was reflected in the Intensive Agricul
tulal District Programme (IADP) from 1960-61 in
16 selected districts in various States. In view of the
encouraging results obtained, the Package Pro
gramme Approach adopted in the IADP was extend
ed to about 84 more districts, commonly known as
“Intensive Agricultural Area Programme Districts”.
The progress of agriculture in general and food
grain production in particular was quite encouraging
during the first three Five Year Plans with the ex
ception of the few years characterised by adverse
weather conditions. The foodgrains production rose
from 52 million tonnes in 1951-52 to 89.4 million
tonnes in 1964-65. During this period, the area under
foodgrains went up from 97.0 million hectares to
118.11 million hectares and the average yield per
hectare recorded a rise from 5.36 quintals to 7.57
quintals. However, in the next two years, viz., 1965
66 and 1966-67, which were characterised by acute
drought conditions, foodgrain production marked a
steep decline to about 72-74 million tonnes.
NEW STRATEGY
In order to mitigate the adverse effects of such
occasional droughts and other natural calamities
and to ensure sustained growth to meet the require
ments of growing population, a New Strategy for
Agricultural Development was formulated and put
into action from 1966-67. The New Strategy empha
Slses the application of science and technology to
agriculture and consists, as its key elements, of the
Cultivation of high yield varieties of seeds, multiple
ºropping, development of production oriented irriga
Wom, use of adequate fertilisers and plant protection
measures and building up of the necessary infra
structure like credit, farmers training and research,
In the sphere of commerical crops, the main tech
*6th Arist INDIA
nique for increased production is the Package Pro
gramme Approach. In cotton, some new varieties like
Hybrid-4, MCU-5 and Varalaxmi have given highly
encouraging results in terms of yield and fibre qua
lity. In the case of oilseeds, the cultivation of soya
bean and sunflower is being promoted.
Due to various efforts made by the Government
as well as the farmers, the production base has been
greatly strengthened and widened. The gross cropſ.
ped area has increased by 50 per cent from about 112
million hectares in 1948-49 to an estimated level of
170 million hectares at present. The area sown more
than once has doubled from a level of 13 million hec
tares to over 26 million hectares. The irrigated area
under all crops has almost doubled to a level of
about 45 million hectares.
GROUND WATER RESOURCES
An important development in irrigation has
been the increasing utilisation of ground water re
sources through tubewells, filter points and pump
sets mainly with the help of institutional credit and
investments by the farmers themselves. Ground water
development has received considerable impetus during
the Fourth Plan period. The number of shallow tube
wells went up from 2.45 lakhs in 1968-69 to an esti
mated level of 7.82 lakhs in 1973-74. From a level of
18.11 lakhs in 1968-69, the number of pumpsets
(both electrically operated and diesel operated) is
estimated to have gone up to 41.93 lakhs in 1973-74.
Fertiliser consumption which is an important index
of scientific agriculture, has gone up from less than
one lakh tonnes in 1950-51 to about 28 lakh tonnes
(in terms of nutrients) in 1973-74. It could have been
more but for the restricted availability of this impor
tant plant nutrient and its soaring prices in the
international market. Despite several-fold increase in
the prices of fertilisers and constraints of foreign
exchange resources, steps are being taken to main
tain and even to increase the imports of fertilisers.
The use of pesticides for plant protection has also
gained considerable popularity.
Cultivation of high yielding varieties constitutes
the major plank of the New Strategy for agricul
tural development. Under the Fourth Plan, it was
envisaged to increase the area under high yielding
varieties from a level of 9.2 million hectares in
1968-69 to 25 milion hectares in 1973-74. This target
has been achieved. About 60 per cent of the total
wheat area and about 25 per cent of rice area are
presently cultivated with high-yielding varieties.
While the wheat programme was a great success, the
high yielding varieties of rice and bajra have not
done so well. The achievement in respect of hybrid
maize and hybrid powar has also not been very en
couraging. In the case of rice, the varieties developed
earlier were not found quite suitable to different
agro-climatic conditions and water management posed
difficult problems. The grain quality was also poor.
To overcome these problems, research efforts
have been intensified and a large numbr of new varie
ties evolved. For popularising new varieties, the Gov
ernment has embarkad on a major extension effort
14 FEBRUARY 1, 1975
through the minikit programme under which small institutions like co-operatives and commercial banks
kits containing two kg. seeds of two new varieties of have been under continuous review in order to make
rice are being distributed to farmers, free of cost, agricultural credit production-oriented and also to
in various areas, for trial. This approach has also assist the weaker sections to obtain credit with
been adopted for the trial of new high yielding greater facility.
varieties of wheat which are resistant to rust attack.
In the case of new high yielding varieties of millets
and pulses also, similar efforts are being undertaken.
As a result of various development efforts made
under the New Strategy and the dynamic participa
tion of the farmers, agricultural production has re
corded considerable increases. The increase in agri
:
—
INCENTIVE PRICES
cultural production was as high as 6.7 per cent *
An important objective of the price policy for in 1969-70 and 7.5 per cent in 1970-71. Foodgrain
foodgrains and major commercial crops followed in production reached a peak level of 108.4 million tonnes
recent years is to ensure incentive prices to the pro in 1970-71 as compared to the highest level of 89.4
ducers. For this purpose the Government has been million tonnes in 1964-65 i. e. before the adoption
fixing minimum support andlor procurement prices of the New Strategy. It is true that, despite the
for various agricultural commodities. The support production potential created, it was not possible to
procurement prices are being fixed after considering maintain this growth in the subsequent years :
the advice of the Agricultural Prices Commission mainly because of adverse weather conditions in
which takes into account the available data on the
cost of production of different crops and other rele
kharif andlor rabi seasons. However, the strength º
acquired by the production base is reflected in the
vant factors while making its recommendations. In fact that even in 1972-73, a year of widespread
view of the increase in cultivation costs and in order drought, the foodgrain production, at 97 million
to provide incentives to the producers, these prices tonnes, was 25 million tonnes higher than in the
have been raised substantially in recent years. earlier comparable year, 1965-66.

Notable progress has been made in developing
the infrastructure for intensive agriculture. Problem
oriented multidisciplinary research efforts through
All-India Coordinated Research Projects for develop
ing improved varieties suitable to various agro-clima
tic conditions have been launched on a big scale. To
transfer this knowledge to the farms, a network of
extension and farmers’ training agencies has been
built up. The amount of agricultural credit advanced
to farmers has increased manifold. A policy of pro
gressive institutionalisation of agricultural credit
under “multi-agency approach” is being pursued.
While co-operatives are the main institutional sources
for providing agricultural credit, commercial banks
are supplementing this effort. Special efforts have
been made to increase substantially the flow of cre
dit to the weaker sections of the farming commu
nity. The loaning procedures and policies of credit
During the last 25 years, Indian agriculture has
been progressively switching over from a traditional
base to a modernised technological base. This
process of transformation is the result of sustained
efforts by the Government, the scientists and above
all, the farmers themselves. As a result, the pro
duction base has got widened and acquired a certain
strength which got reflected in the sustained levels
of production despite adverse seasonal conditions.
However, some challenging tasks are still ahead.
For example, considerable progress has yet to be
made in increasing rice production through the
spread of high yielding varieties. A breakthrough
is yet to be achieved in augmenting the production of
coarse grains, pulses and oilseeds. It is hoped that
the various research and development programmes
envisaged under the Fifth Plan will help achieve a
real breakthrough in all these crops.

10GATION OF
NATIONAL CAPITAL title.” KARNA
Pani Par
*N*-**~.
t -

Sagitpa''...}
inſtaur Vºl.
MLE-E.8-U T.”
- - warus

ss

º

INDIAN AGRICULTURE
Quarter Century’s Report
The development of Indian agri
culture was given the first push
forward after the fall of Burma
to the Japanese in the Second
World War when the Indian Cen
tral Cotton Committee and the
Imperial Council of Agricultural
Research—the predecessor of the
present ICAR–recommended the
"Grow More Food” campaign which
was launched during 1942. How
ever, the scheme could not make
any headway. As much as Rs. 320
million was spent in four years.
The production of neither food
grains nor of commercial crops in
creased by any considerable mar
gln.
The Government of India reori
ented the “Grow More Food” Cam
paign in 1951-52 making its scope
more intensive rather than exten
sive. Some areas with favourable
conditions were selected. Subse
quently a significant increase in
the production of foodgrains as
well as commercial crops had been
noticed until 1957-58 when things
took a different shape. Thanks to
the timely action of the Govern
ment, a team of foreign experts
was brought over to the country
to help Indian scientists devise
measures to speed up food produc
tion. The experts submitted their
report “India's Food Crisis And
Steps To Meet It” which formed
the basis of the Intensive Agri
cultural District Programme, the
first big experiment in planned ag
ricultural development in India.
THE IADP PROGRAMME
IADP went into operation at the
beginning of the Third Five-Year
Plan. The programme was intro
duced in seven districts where
agro-climatic conditions were pro
pitious for rapid growth in terms
of irrigation facilities and mini
mum natural hazards. The gross
area under IADP in 1960-61 was
4.5 million hectares of which 2
million hectares were irrigated.
By the end of 1970-71, the num
ber of villages covered under IADP
increased to 28,969. These villages,
80CIALIST INDIA
with their specialised organisations
and facilities for rapid growth
have been playing a significant
role in popularising the Hihg-Yield
ing Varieties of crops. It is calcu
lated that as much as 23 per cent
of the gross cropped areas was
brought under HYVs in these vil
lages, compared to the average of
9 per cent for the whole country.
The total area covered by improv
ed varieties of HYVs of food crop
increased from 200,000 hectares in
1966-67 to 2.1 million hectares in
1970-71.
wheat CULTIVATION
With the introduction of High
Yielding Varieties in 1965, the In
dian agricultural scene underwent
a qualitative change. A start to
this programme was given by con
centrating in the above said vil
lages. By 1970-71, the total area
under High-Yielding Varieties of
cereals for the whole country was
of the order of 12 million hec
tares and an additional production
of 30 million tonnes of cereals was
realised. The coverage under these
varieties during 1973-74 has been
estimated at 25 million hectares.
Another major programme un
dertaken simultaneously with the
introduction of HYVs was the
adoption of a package of new prac
tices. During the operation of this
programme, a number of new
breeds of rice and wheat-both
Indian and exotic—and bajra, jo
war and maize hybrids responsive
to large doses of fertilisers were
introduced.
Wheat cultivation has under
gone a revolution. Under a wheat
development programme, the Me
xican, Sonara-64 and Lerma Rojo
64, were imported in 1960. But
being not fully suited to Indian
tastes, experimental breeding pro
grammes were initiated at the
Indian Agricultural Research In
stitute and other five agricultural
universities in the country, as a re
sult of which amber-coloured
varieties suited to Indian taste were
evolved in the place of the original
13
red varieties imported from Me
xico. The yields of the new varie
ties in the principal wheat grow
ing areas increased within the
range of 900 to 2,275 kgs per
acre against the average of 450
kgs from the traditional Indian
varieties.
Production of rice also went up,
even though it has got to improve
further to meet the domestic re
quirements adequately. The rice
development programme was first
launched in 1966 when short sea
son High-Yielding Varieties of rice
were obtained from Taiwan and
the International Rice Research
Institute, Manila. The yields were
impressive but the crop was lar
gely susceptible to pests and di
seases. Therefore, by crossing
these dwarf varieties with strains
of Indian rice with the quality of
natural resistance to pests, a Se
ries of new varieties were bred and
released under the All India Co
ordinated Rice Improvement Pro
ject. Problems remained and a
dramatic breakthrough in rice pro
duction could not be realised. The
area under rice in India is the
highest in the world, excluding
China. But the yield in terms of
milled rice is among the world's
lowest. Intensive research to eli
minate the shortcomings is still on.
Much headway could be made
in bajra, jowar and maize produc
tion as well. The total area under
jowar in 1955-56 was 17.4 million
hectares with a production of 6.7
million tonnes. By 1971-72, the
total production amounted to 7.7
million tonnes. Similarly out of an
area of 11.4 million hectares un
der bajra the total production
during 1955-56 was 3.4 million
which increased to 5.3 million by
1971-72. The total production of
maize for the two years was 2.6
million tonnes and 5.1 million ton
nes respectively. Figures for the
year 1972-73 were: jowar—6.4
million tonnes; bajra—3.8 million
tonnes; and maiza—6.2 million
tonneS.
New crops like soya bean, sugar
beet and sunflower have also been
successfully introduced in the last
six or seven years. Soya bean of
fers tremendous possibilities of
changes in the cropping pattern
and crop rotations which can even
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
form the basis of a revolutionary
change in the food habits of the
people, going a long way towards
sclving the problem of protein
deficiency.
DRY LAND FARMING
Sunflower varieties imported
from the Soviet Union have prov
ed very promising and acceptable
as an oilseeds crop. Raising of four
crops in one year has been found
possible in many parts of the
country depending on rainfall and
irrigation. New varieties of sugar
cane, cotton and jute from the
existing local breeds also could be
developed. The introduction of the
new cotton variety, Hybrid-4, de
veloped in India has brought about
an upsurge in cotton production.
And with the current development
programmes, the country is likely
to produce more than its require
ment shortly.
The introduction of dryland far
ming has been yet another stride.
About 75 per cent of the cultiva
ted area in India is calculated to
be directly dependent on monsoon.
Even if all the irrigation potential
existing in the country is tapped,
not less than 55 per cent of the
total cultivated area would be de
pendent on rain. The rain-fed areas
now account for as much as
per cent of the total production
of food as well as major cash
crops. A coordinated project on
dryland agriculture has been there
fore launched since 1970 the re
sult of which has been encourag
ing. Research is also directed to
wards developing a series of alter
native cropping strategies on the
different weather models. Exploi
tation of ground water resources
is receiving due priority.
Droughts and floods do irrepa
rable damage to crops. States
were reeling under droughts dur
ing 1970-71. Six were effected dur
ing the next year. The number
rose to 14 in 1972-73. Agri
cultural production during these
years has clearly reflected the re
curring adversities of nature. In the
crop year 1972-73 the production
of most of the agricultural com
modities received a severe set back
due to widespread drought in large
parts of country as also shortages
42 of fertilisers and power supply for
tubewells and pumpsets and irregu
lar water supply from canals. Even
though the production prospects
for the next year were good in the
initial stages, production of all
crops suffered a serious set back
during 1973-74 too.
Reports of large-scale drought
and floods have been received dur
ing the current year as well. About
32 lakh hectares of cropped area
was affected by floods alone. How
ever, assessments by the Ministry
of Agriculture suggest that the
production of foodgrains as well
as commercial crops may go above
the present level.

Six years ago, we had taken a pledge to pull the State

out of the morass of backwardness and to turn it into the
foremost progressive unit in the country.

During this short spell, Haryana has come to occupy a

place of pride in the national set up, both in the fields of
Agriculture and Industry. The entire country-side has been
electrified and life-giving waters have been provided to
drought-stricken and parched areas. Haryana has set up high
standards of performance in all the fields of development e.g.
food-production, road construction, welfare of the backward
classes, education, health etc. of which we, the people of
Haryana, can be rightly proud of.

We are determined to improve upon this record during

the Fifth Five-Year Plan, which aims at the removal of po
verty, growth with social justice, economic self-reliance and
reduction of inequalities. I am confident that the people will,
as before, extend their whole-hearted co-operation in recon
structing the economy of the State and support the Govern
ment in combating anti-social elements who indulge in black'.
marketing, hoarding and corruption.

BANSI LAL
! I Chief Minister, Haryana
º
DPR-Haryana—(D. 219–72) -- -

* --. v.- : *.*** *** * * * : *-

_-

SOCIALIST INDIA FEBRUARY 1, 1975

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THE INDIAN NATIONAL
CONGRESS-II
A Brief History
H. D. MALAWIYA M.P.
Historic “Quit India” Resolution of August 1942
Under the Government of India Act of 1935, the
Congress ministries were formed in 1937-39 but the
outbreak of the World War II in September, 1939,
brought to an end the short-term Congress ministries
and the national movement again fought for freedom.
By now, the ideas of Congressmen were very much
crystallised in favour of a far-reaching economic
programme.
This feeling of the Congress was given expression
in the historic “Quit India” Resolution of August 1942
which clearly stated that the system of government
in free India should be such that “all powers should
belong to workers in the factories and peasants in the
fields.”
National Planning Committee
Here, it would be important to point out another
significant step taken by the Congress. The Hari
pura session of the Congress was held in 1938 under
the presidentship of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and
he appointed a National Committee with Shri Jawa
harlal Nehru as Chairman. In these hectic days, this
Committee could not do as much work as would have
been otherwise possible but had laid down the basis
for the planned development of India and can be said
to be the father of the National Planning Commission
which was created after India attained her independ
ence.
In August 1942 on the “do-or-die” call of
Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian people rose as one man
to wrest their freedom from unwilling alien rulers.
Maulana Abul Qalam Azad was the Congress Presi
dent and under him the Congress fought a heroic and
glorious battle. Unarmed and undaunted by the brute
force of the British rulers, the people of India rose
as one man. The national struggle for independence
was crowned with success in August 1947 and India
became free.
Heroic Role of the States’ people
It would be seen that in our account we have
made no reference to the great contribution made
by the people of the so-called “Princely India” of
the British times. The people of India's princely
States fought heroic battles against autocratic rule
and for freedom under the leadership of the All India
States Peoples' Conference. Though led and guided
by leaders of the Congress, it was nevertheless an
independent organisation. It threw up its own out
standing leaders like Jai Narayan Vyas, Balwant
Rai Mehta, Swami Ramanand, Sheikh Abdullah and
others. Since we are here giving a brief history of
SOCIALIST INDIA
Congress, we have not taken up the struggle of peo º
ple of Indian States which deserves a separate treat.
ment as history of the All India States Peoples'
Conference. But, we must emphasis, the movement
in the States was part and parcel of India's struggle
for freedom and was closely allied to the struggle for
freedom waged by the people of British India under
the leadership of the Indian National Congress.
The overwhelming problems created by Partition
and other factors engulfed the Government of free
India. While grappling with post-Independence prob:
lems, Prime Minister Nehru and the Congress never
for a moment lost sight of the basic urges behind our
struggle for Independence, the urge to root out the
s
poverty and nakedness of our people and build a -
new India.
Congress Party's Economic Programme
At its very first meeting after independence, the
All-India Congress Committee, in November, 1947,
at New Delhi, gave top priority to the question of
economic programme. In a Resolution adopted at its
meeting it was stated, “Our aim should be to evolve
a political system which will combine efficiency of
administration with individual liberty, an economic
structure which will help maximise production with
out the operation of the private monopolies and con
centration of wealth and which will create proper
balance between urban and rural economies. Such a
social structure can provide an alternative to the
acquisitive hegemony of private capitalism and re- º
gimentation of a totalitarian State.”
With a view to draw up an economic programme
for the Congress in accordance with these principles
the AICC appointed a high-level committee with
Jawaharlal Nehru as chairman. The report of the
Congress Economic Programme Committee laid down
the blue print for India's future path of develop
ment. All the plans and other schemes of Congress
which have since been worked and implemented in ,
India have their roots in the reports of this Commit:
tee over which Nehru presided.
The Report is a document of profound value and
it lays down the aims of our programme. It was
stated that the objective is to establish a just social
order and for this it is essential to bring about equit.
able distribution of existing income and wealth and
prevent the growth of disparities. It called for a
ceiling on incomes not exceeding 40 times the natiº
nal minimum needed for the primary needs of food.
clothing, etc.
The other sections of this report dealt with
agriculture, industry etc. About agriculture it sai"
that land should be held for use and as a source ºf
employment and should not become an instrument
for exploitation by the non-cultivating landholders.
It asked for a ceiling on holdings and large-scal”
development of village cooperative. The section 9."
industry emphasised public ownership of the bas”
and key industries and provided for the transſº
to public ownserhip of existing industries. It call*
for control and regulation of private industry as *
16 FEBRUARY 1, 1975
needed for the realisation of the objectives of na
tional policy.
Another important report of the Committee
dealt with the agrarian problem of India. A commit
tee under the presidentship of late J. C. Kumarappa,
the well-known Gandhian economist, published a
comprehensive report, known as the Report of the
Congress Agrarian Reforms Committee.
This Committee's recommendations cover all
aspects of the land question. It called for abolition
of landed parasitism and genuine rights for the
actual tiller. The main principles which should govern
the agrarian policy of the country, the Committee
said, should provide for the growth of the farmer's
personality and should have no scope for exploitation
of one class by another. The Committee recommen
ded a varied pattern for our mode of farming, in
cluding individual, cooperative, collective and State
farming.
Congress Planning Conference
It would thus follow that in the above two do
cuments of the Congress in the immediate post-in
dependence years, the Congress has recommended a
Socialistic set-up though that word as such has not
been used. Soon after, the then Congress President,
Dr. Pattabhi Sitaramiah, convened a Conference of
Chief Ministers of States and Presidents of Pradesh
Congress Committees in Delhi in April 1950, called
the Congress Planning Conference. Presided by late
Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, this Conference adopted
a minimum programme which really laid the blue
print for the creation of the National Planning Com
mission. The resolution of this Conference on Con
gress objectives said, “the Congress has declared
the establishment of a democratic classless society
in a non-violent and peaceful manner as its ultimate
objective.”
The first General Elections in Independent India
were held in 1951-52, in which the Congress every
where was returned in an overwhelming majority.
Having settled its policy, the Congress kept on rei
terating its objectives at the Nasik Congress under
Purushottam Das Tandon's presidentship in 1950 and
at Delhi Congress in 1951, Hyderabad Congress in
1953 and Kalayani Congress in 1954. All these Con
gress sessions were presided over by Nehru.
Historic Avadi Congress
By 1954, the Planning Commission had worked
for four years and the first Plan entered its fourth
year of implementation. These few years enabled the
Congress to understand that the new programme
had been welcomed by the nation. The stage was set
for a further advance. This occasion came at the
Avadi Session of the Congress in January 1955 held
under the Presidentship of U.N. Dhebar.
The Avadi Congress will remain a historic land
mark in the evolution of the Congress policy to
wards a Socialistic objective. The famous Avadi re
solution said, “In order to realise the objectives of
the Congress as laid down in Article 1 of the Cong
ress Constitution and to further objectives stated in
the Preamble and Directive Principles of State Policy
WOCIALIST INDIA -
17
of the Constitution of India, planning should take
place with a view to the establishment of a Socialis
tic Pattern of Society, where the principle means of
production are under social ownership or control,
production is progressively speeded up and there is
equitable distribution of the national wealth.”
Jawaharlal Nehru afterwards referring to the
Avadi resolution, said that it was not really a change
of policy because ever since Gandhi came to the
Congress the outlook of the Congress was broadly
Socialistic. He said that the Congress decision to
accept a Socialistic pattern was not a big jump but
was a natural thinking in keeping with our tradition
and gave precision to future work of the Congress.
He also emphasised that the Congress was not using
the word ‘Socialism' in the stereotyped sense. He
emphasised that India had to develop its own va
riety of Socialism. Socialism was to be attained in
India not by decrees but by hard work.
After Avadi, the 61st session of the Congress
was held at Amritsar in 1956. Before the Amritsar
Congress, the Congress Government had converted
the Imperial Bank of India into State Bank of India
and had natioalied Life Insurance business in India.
The Amritsar Congress hailed these steps and gave
the call for rapid progress of industrialisation laying
special stress on the development of industry of basic
importance. It also emphasised the development of
cooperative—and cooperation in various sections of
economic life.
Nagpur Congress in 1959
The next session of the Congress at Indore in
January 1957 under the presidentship of U.N. Dhe
bar further clarified the Congress programmes.
Nehru said that Socialism was a growing dynamic
concept and not something rigid. He added, “the
question before us is how to combine democracy with
socialism through peaceful and legitimate measures”.
The 63rd Session of the Congress met at Gauhati in
1958. It adopted a comprehensive resolution on land
reforms, particularly emphasising the extension of
cooperation and cooperatives in agricultural and
rural life.
The 64th Session of the Congress at Nagpur in
1959, again under U.N. Dhebar's presidentship, was
of outstanding importance in the matter of clarifi
cation of the Socialistic objectives of the Congress.
The comprehensive resolution of the Nagpur Cong
ress on planning may, in fact, be regarded as an
essay on the problems confronting India in relation
to Socialistic planning for a peaceful transition to
a democratic Socialist society. The resolution sug
gested the following steps: i. Public enterprises and
State trading should be conducted so as to yield
additional resources for public purposes. ii. Imports
should be strictly controlled and non-essential goods
should not be imported. Import duties should be
raised wherever possible. Imports and exports should
be coordinated to prevent accumulation of commit
ment which lead to undue pressure on foreign ex
change. iii. Expansion of Life Insurance and other
institutions engaged in stimulating and collecting
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
savings. iv. Pattern of production should be adjusted
as to supply essential needs of the people; v. Wages
and salaries should be increasingly dependent on
work done and on production and should be in rela
tion to the conditions existing in India. Profits in the
private sector should also be controlled. vi. The con
struction of large or expensive buildings, whether for
public or private purposes, should be discouraged ex
cept for such public structures as are considered ab
solutely essential for the Plan. Equipment for these
buildings should also avoid items of luxury. The spe
cifications laid down for public buildings should be
simpler. vii. While steps should be taken to see that
prices do not rise and further, it is necessary that ag
ricultural incomes do not fall with an increase in
output. It is essential for providing incentives for
increased output also leads to increased income.
The resolution said in the end: “The creation of
a democratic and Socialist society should be clearly
and unambiguously placed before the nation as the
objective of planning and all the implications of So
cialism in terms of the individual and cooperative
effort it requires should be clearly explained to the
people.
Of great significance is the Nagpur Congress
resolution on “Agrarian Organisational Pattern”.
This comprehensive resolution may be said to have
spelt out with clarity the Congress concept of evolt.
ving an agrarian pattern consistent with its Socia
listic objectives based on village panchayat and vil
lage cooperatives. Specially important is the clear
stand of the Nagpur Congress on cooperative farm
ing.
“The future agrarian pattern should be that of
cooperative joint farming in which the land will be
pooled for joint cultivation, the farmers continuing
to retain their property rights, and getting a share
from the produce in proportion to their land. Fur
ther, those who actually work on the land, whether
they owned the land or not, will get a share in pro
portion to the work put in by them on the joint
farm.
Nagpur and After: The Third General Elections
“As a first step, prior to the institution of joint
farming, service cooperatives should be organised
throughout the country. This stage should be com
pleted within a period of three years. Even within
this period, however, whenever possible and gene
rally agreed to by the farmers, joint cultivation may
be started.”
The resolution gave the call for energetic steps
to put a ceiling upon land holding suggesting that
the surplus land thus available “should vest in the
Panchayat and should be managed through coopera
tive consisting of landless labourers.”
The Nagpur resolution also gave the call for
State trading in food. It said: “The introduction of
State trading in wholesale trade in foodgrains is wel
comed and should be given effect to.”
Soon after the 64th session of the Congress
at Nagpur, U.N. Dhebar resigned from presidentship
SOCIALIST INDIA
of the Congress and Smt. Indira Gandhi took over
as Congress President. Her period of Congress pre
sidentship was marked by a vigorous propagation of
Congress policies throughout the length and breadth
of India through hectic tours. The next session of
the Congress at Bangalore in 1960 made a pointed
reference to the Nagpur resolution on Agrarian Or
ganisational Pattern” and reaffirmed it. The 66th
session of the Congress at Bhavanagar in 1961 and
the 67th session at Patna in January, 1962, under
Sanjiva Reddy's presidentship, while reiterating the
Congress objective of Socialism, laid stress on as
pects of orientation of country's economy. Bhava
nagar Congress said: “The development of a socia
list society requires a progressive change in the
way of life of the people. This necessitates the
growth of cooperative organisation in agriculture,
trades and industry throughout the country.”
The Patna Congress adopted the election mani
festo of the Congress for the Third General Elections
in India. The manifesto said that India had entered
a new era, “the greatest period of transformation in
her history.” For this not only political changes but
“basic social and economic changes” were necessary
so that a caste and faction-ridden backward society
may become a unified and integrated community
rapidly marching towards economic prosperity and
higher standards.
Chinese Aggression
In the Third General Elections, the people of
India gave their verdict in favour of the Congress
in no uncertain terms. It captured 353 seats in a
House of 494. Excluding Jammu and Kashmir, the
Congress secured 1,768 seats out of 2,685 in the
State Assemblies.
In October 1962, the Chinese treacherously com
mitted aggression against India and under the lea
dership of Jawaharlal Nehru and the Congress, the
entire nation stood up as one man to unitedly face
the aggressor. It was, however, at the same time
revealed that certain interests and groups in India
who had never taken kindly to the increasing orient
tation of the Congress towards Socialism under
Nehruji's leadership, utilised the act of Chinese per
fidy to attack not only the beloved leader of the
nation, but also to denigrate and seek revision of
India's national and international policies in the in
terests of domestic and foreign reaction.
They, of course, miserably failed, but these in
terests and groups have been existing all along and
have been ever active, as they are today, to force
the Congress to revise its accepted policies.
The Congress had been returned to power in the
Third General Elections but with reduced majority.
This had set Congressmen thinking. The rate of eco
nomic growth had not gone up according to expec
tations and wealth was increasingly concentrating
in fewer hands. Considerable industrial capacity re
mained unutilised. This state of the economy, along
with the organisational weakness which had crept
into the party set Congressmen thinking.
- Continued on Page 21
FEBRUARY 1, 1975

STATUS OF WOMEN
IN INDIA
ARUNA ASAF ALI
1975 has been declared by the United Nations to
be the International Women's Year. By doing so it
has posed the question clearly that the status of
women in varying degrees is obviously far from one
of equality with men all over the world, with the
possible exception of most of the socialist countries
where the whole State policy and its machinery has
been geared to ensure that women truly participate
in social production with their menfolk on absolutely
equal terms.
The 25th Anniversary of the formation of our
: Republic is indeed a significant occasion to take
stock of the position that the women of this country
enjoy and the progress they have achieved since the
days of colonial domination.
Our Constitution certainly provides for equality
and the fact that there should be no discrimination on
the grounds of sex, religion etc. is enshrined in the
Fundamental Rights and particularly in Articles 14,
15 and 16. The realisation by the founding fathers
of the Indian Constitution that women require Spe
cial protection is also evidenced in the inspiring
Directive Principles of State Policy in Chapter IV of
the Constitution which affirms the right of full and
equal franchise for all adults.
The Parliament of India has enacted various
laws which give equal rights to women in marriage,
divorce and inheritance. But a uniform civil code is
yet to be framed, because while enlightened sections
of the public are in favour of it, the backward
looking elements in religious minorities have yet to
grasp the far-reaching implications of such a law.
On mature reflection, however, we feel that even
if women can sometimes attain the pinnacles of poli
tical decision-making—our Prime Minister is an elo
quent example—by and large they have as yet to get
out of the morass of feudal oppression, a legacy we
have inherited from centuries gone by.
NATIONAL STRUGGLE
It is widely known that before Independence,
during the days of British rule, arrangements for
the education of the masses being practically non
existent, orthodoxy and dogmatism flourished
and
people, particularly women, remained steeped in
poverty and ignorance, shackled to traditions, cus
toms and age-old superstitions. But the
change had started revolving from the laterwheels of
years of
the nineteenth century. And several illustrious men
and women pioneered the social reform movement in
many parts of our country.
º
BOCIALIST INDIA
ſ
The dramatic ansd catalytic events of 1930,
when the Civil Disobedience Movement against the
British rule was initiated commencing with what was
known as the “Salt Satyagraha”, literally brought
about an upheaval in the minds of women. The news
that Sarojini Naidu and hundreds of women had
joined Gandhiji's “Dandi March” to manufacture
salt in defiance of the salt tax etc. lit the fire of
patriotism in women all over the country. During
the months that followed they filled the jails in their
hundreds. The old and the young, the literate and
the illiterate, wives and mothers of India's natioal
leaders, high and low, irrespective of their social
status braved the repression launched by the British
in their attempts to crush the national upsurge. All
sorts of brutalities were inflicted on women who
dared to defy the British authorities, faced their
bullets and lathis and flooded the prisons in thou
sands and thousands. This indeed was what is
usually known as a historic epoch but it was parti
cularly so for the women of our country.
NO SEX RIVALRY
The time spent in prisons in every subsequent
struggle was utilised by younger women prisoners to
educate themselves in politics by reading newspapers
and whatever literature could be smuggled in with
the help of some sympathetic jail officials. There
after the awakening that began in the '30s reached
new dimensions during wave after wave of uprisings
against imperialist domination, culminating in the
1942 uprising for total Independence, known as the
“Quit India” movement. Many known and unknown
women suffered enormous hardships during this in
surrectionary struggle which ultimately drove the
British out of India and thereby justified women's
claim to earn a position of complete equality in law
under the Constitution of the Republic of Free India.
This claim could not be overlooked because their
contribution to the cause of India's political emanci
pation was applauded and acknowledged in warm
terms not only by the leadership of the national
struggle particularly by Gandhiji and Jawaharlal
Nehru. By and large it is now taken for granted
that women can no longer be pushed back into the
kitchen-creche-kindergarten-world of earlier times.
It must, therefore, always be borne in mind
that the women's movement in India was not one in
which it was ever a question of man against woman,
born of rivalry between the two sexes. We refused
to think of ourselves as a class apart from the en
tire people of our country and insisted on being re
garded as citizens who were equally responsible for
the well-being and freedom of our country.
Besides, one must never forget that all the cele
brated reformers—such as Ram Mohun Roy and
others—were valiant champions of women's social
liberation. They raised their voice against inhuman
and oppressive social customs to which women were
subjected during the degenecrate feudal epoch in
India. What is more I must repeat that it is well
to always remember that women's right to educa
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
tion, to become economically independent and deter
mine for themselves their way of life, was born at
the outset in the minds of several great men—lead
ers who had the courage to wage war for our legiti
mate demand to be free and equal at a time when
we were not only slaves of a foreign power but also
enslaved by social obscurantism at its worst.
As stated above, when later on Gandhiji and
Nehru called upon us to participate in the struggle
against imperialism—the common enemy—Indian
Women responded in massive numbers demonstrating
that India could claim to be a civilised country of the
20th century. Unlike in several so-called advanced
Societies, the politically conscious men of India did
not oppose the fundamental truth that women were
not Inean to be subservient creatures.
There is, therefore, today no profession or aca
demic body in India where women have not entered
and have not made a mark. Smt. Ashima Chatter
jee, President of the prestigious Indian Science
Congress for the past year, is an eminent woman
chemist. Dr. (Kumari) Padmavati, the renown
Cardiologist, has just been elected to the Indian
Academy of Medical Sciences. Besides such out
standing persons, we have over 20,000 qualified
women doctors with graduate degrees and higher
qualifications, not to mention architects, engineers,
writers, artists, sculptors and last but by no means
the least, one who directs the destinies of nearly six
hundred million men and women, Smt. Indira Gan
dhi, India's Prime Minister for nearly a decade.
ON THE FOREFRONT
The academic world alone has a large share of
women participating in it in this country. In fact
there are 23,450 women teachers in the Universities
and graduate womens teacher in schools account for
94,000 and there have been women Vice-Chancellors.
Similarly in civic bodies eminent women have been
elected as Mayors in metropolitan cities, and at the
rural level they have led panchayats as Pramukhs
and many are being elected to hold ministerial posi
tions.
In the international Sphere many Indian women
were chosen to head world organisations and they
acquitted themselves with great ability. The UN
and its affiliated agencies provide many women of
distinction opportunities to render valuable help.
The administrative services in India have their
share of women in increasing numbers and there are
women in the armed forces including even a contin
gent of Parachute jumpers trained in medical relief.
In Broadcasting and T.V., several women find them
selves in executive positions and they are thus be
ginning to influence the functioning of the mechan
ism of the State in several spheres. In the world
of the film and the stage, from the early 'thirties of
this century women have crashed in with spectacu
lar results, a fact that could not have been foreseen
fifty years ago. The Indian film world has, how
ever, yet to produce Women who can influence the
SOCIALIST INDIA
direction and production of film of greater artistic
merit and social significance.
While in all these positions, there is equality of
pay and service conditions, disparity, however, re
mains as glaring as ever if we compare ourselves with
the more advanced societies in the world. The nega.
tive aspects of our movements have to be emphasis
ed and should be discussed during 1975. The women
of India are evincing considerable interest in doing
So specially since it was known that the Government
of India has taken positive steps to help them.
NEGATIVE ASPECTS
Women have, of course, full and equal rights
of franchise but out of 524 elected and nominated
members in the Lok Sabha there are currently only
25 women and in the Rajya Sabha they account for
18 out of a total of 241 members. This proportion
in the State Assemblies is maintained and should
be a cause of concern for all the progressive politi
cal parties who enjoy a national stature.
Again, while there are 2.8 million men who have
university degrees, there are only 700,000 odd women.
Out of them, it is estimated, there are only 150,000
who are employed. But we have only been speaking
of a minority as educated working women constitute
around 2.5 per cent of all employed women.
Our deplorable condition becomes apparent when
we consider the fact that only 18.72 per cent of In
dian women are literate even though the percentage
for men is not very much higher i.e. 39.45. Girls
drop out at different stages while in school (i.e. when
they attend it at all in varying proportion and
very much faster than boys, as they are required to
help the family at home. Though the reason for this
is primarily economic, it also reflects the persistence
of feudal values and age-old attitudes towards women,
The percentage of working women to the total
working population is approximately 19 and most of
them are employed in agriculture or in unskilled
sweated jobs in towns and cities. It is precisely in
this sector that their exploitation is more intensº
and equal pay for equal work does not exist.
In fact the minimum wages declared by G0V"
ernment notifications for labour in agriculture, in
plantations and in small industries, are hopelessly
inadequate in general and unbelievably low for
women. Unless the rights to equality of multitudes
of women as wage earners is recognised what is
termed as the “status” of women of the country Can"
not be considered as equal in law and practice by
any stretch of imagination.
The women's movement in India in this Inter"
national Women's Year has to face these facts by
striving to insist that the rights that exist in Our
Constitution must be implemented without further
delay. We are, in doing so, not seeking any favou"
because we have earned the right to equality by
FEBRUARY 1, 1975

participating actively in the fight against British
Imperialism, and by carrying on within our limita
tions the struggle against exploitation of man by
man. We are capable of sharing the tasks of national
development if given greater opportunities and have
been involving ourselves in actions to safguard
India's independence and for world peace.
That the vast majority of our sisters have to be
made conscious of their rights and responsibilities is
obvious. They have to be made politically aware
and the message of enlightenment has to be taken
from village to village and to the poorer pockets of
urban areas. In the factories and in the fields we
must help them to organise themselves and exercise
their inalienable rights to equality. Some helpful
social legislation has, of course, been enacted but no
effort has been made on the part of the Government
to set up an effective machinery for the implementa
tion of these laws in practice. We, who believe that
unless women are conscious partners in the cause
of eliminating discrimination in all its forms and
aspects, affecting every citizen, man and woman, owe
it to ourselves to set in unity and light the torch of
enlightenment wherever darkness prevails at pre
Sent.
The voluntary organisations in particular
should help the Government at the Centre and in the
States in their Social Welfare plan targets and co
operate with them wherever possible. It must be
borne in mind always that unless and until a com
plete state of involvement is brought about, genuine
equality can never be truly achieved and women will
continue to be exploited at home and at their place
of work. The State has the power to make special
provisions for women and children to overcome dis
abilities but the levers of power cannot operate as
long as women do not have the will to exercise their
rights and the strength to resist those who are op
BRIEF HISTORY OF CONGRESS
Continued from Page 18
There was a debate on the future patterns of
social policies. At this time, in August 1963, Shri
Kamaraj placed his Kamaraj Plan for Congress. At
the same time a meeting of the AICC at Jaipur in
November 1963, followed by the Bhubaneswar Cong
ress in January 1964, gave very concrete and clear
guidance for Socialistic policies of the Congress. From
Bhubaneswar emerged a clear and more consolidated
expression of Congress concept of Socialism than
ever before.
The Bhubaneswar resolution on Democracy and
Socialism clearly laid down that Indian planning
should be consciously so directed that it leads to
the creation of a Socialist society. It called for eli
mination of privileges, disparities and exploitation.
It warned against such trends in our economic deve
lopment as may lead to concentration of wealth and
means of production in a few hands. It called for a
telling on income and property in private hands, for
workers participation in management, completion of
r SOCIALIST INDIA
r
posed to the key concept of a woman's right to be a
free and equal citizen of India.
Educational facilities must be made available on
a much wider scale, vocational and technical train
ing centres made available for women, and a net
work of health centres must spread out in both urban
and rural areas. The domestic drudgery involved in
housekeeping can be lessened if kindergartens and
child-care centres are organised so that women have
the leisure to study and participate in the cultural
life of the country. We have an enormous field to
cover in the years ahead. Let us bear in mind,
therefore, that nearly 220 million women in the rural
areas are denied the minimum facilities of modern
development and are completely unaware of the pos
sibilities that science has opened up. This appalling
state of affairs must end and 1975 should see the
beginning of a movement when social reformers
spread out to every village in India. Thus women
can participate meaningfully in national develop
ment and help in ushering in an era of social jus
tice only when they can be equal partners in social
production and are not wholly dependent on men for
their livelihood.
1975 must be a year when the saying that the
free development of each is the condition for the
free development of all, both men and women, be
comes a reality and not remain a mere verbal plati
tude, to be mouthed by slogan-mongers and self
seekers. We do not wish to look upon the question
of our status in society in a superficial sense. We
do not wish to be a part of the status-conscious out
look, where wealth and its ownership determine a
person's position in society. We are confident that
a future with limitless possibilities for those who
want to broaden their horizons lies ahead of us. All
that we need to do is to mobilise public opinion and
learn the art of organising ourselves with such resour
ces as we have at our disposal.
entire programme of land reforms within two years
etc.
Defeat of Reaction within the Congress
Bhubaneshwar was the last Congress session
attended by Jawaharlal Nehru. He passed into his
tory in May of the same year. Nehruji was succeed
ded by Lal Bahadur Shastri after a consensus ob
tained by the then Congress President, Shri Kama
raj. In 1965, Pakistan attacked India. This war de
monstrated the strength of Congress policy of secu
larism and people of all faith vied with each other
in making supreme sacrifice for the motherland.
Lal Bahadur Shastri passed away at Tashkent
in January 1966. He was succeeded by Smt. Indira
Gandhi who defeated Shri Morarji Desai in a straight
contest in the Congress Parliamentary Party.
Morarjibhai's defeat was really a great setback
for those elements in the Congress who, even while
voting for Socialist policies, never really believed in
them and obstructed implementation in various
subtle ways.
(To be concluded)
21
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
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50CIALIST INDIA A2 FranUARY 1, 1"


MULTINATIONAL NMONOPOLIES IN .
"THE THIRD WORLD
According to a recent UN spe
tial study on the activities of the
m ul t in a ti on a 1 corporations
(MNCs), about a third of the
total foreign investments of these
corporations goes to the develop
ing countries. Of this, 18 per cent
are in Latin America, six per cent
in Africa, five per cent in Asia
proper, and three per cent in West
Asia.
The distribution percentage is
about the same. The break-up of
multinational companies' invest
ments abroad which goes to deve
loping nations is: 28 per cent
(USA), 38 per cent (Britain), 44.8
per cent (France), 33.8 per cent
(Federal Republic of Germany)
and 60 per cent (Japan). Taking
the different regions separately,
up to 70 per cent of the US multi
national investment in the Third
} World is concentrated in Latin
American countries; two-thirds of
the French, mainly in France's for
mer African colonies; and about
60 per cent of the British—in Bri
tain's former colonies in Asia and
Africa.
NATIONALISATION
While, according to these figu
res, the over-all investments of
the multinationals are larger in
the developed capitalist countries,
their average rate of profit in the
Third World is much higher than
in the former. Thus, the ratio of
the bulk of profit to the balance
“apital cost obtained by the US
ºultinational corporations in the
*eloped countries is 7.9 per cent,
While in the developing countries,
** 17.5 per cent. In the field of
º, especially, the profits the West
ºn Oil companies net from the
*loping countries greatly ex
*d the profits of other raw
*rial monopolies operating in
*ia, Africa and Latin America.
* nationalisation of the oil
jºins industry has been a
2^*n repeatedly advanced at
* 50CIALIST INDIA
Y. KASATKINA AND L. KOMLEV
Arab oil congresses, and despite
objective difficulties, connected
with financial and technical means,
a state sector is being created in
the oil industry of these countries.
The Soviet Union is giving subs
tantial support to their efforts,
and that, according to Western
writers, is worrying the oil mono
polies.
Like the oil-producing countries,
the copper-extracting ones also
seek to nationalise the property of
the multinationals as is seen in
Zaire, Zambia, Peru and (up to
1973) in Chile. In 1967, the copper
producing countries had founded
a council of their own on the lines
of the OPEC (Organisation of
Petroleum Exporting Countries).
However, this organisation has
come up against much greater diffi
culties than OPEC because of in
sufficient experience in combating
the multinational companies. The
latter feel themselves protected
against the demands of the cop
per-extracting countries for higher
taxes and other payments, since
the copper-producing countries,
fully realise that higher prices of
copper might lead to the use of
aluminium and other substitutes
for copper. A still more difficult
situation faces the developing
countries producing bauxite for
aluminium because of technologi
cal deficiencies.
The authors of the book Multi
national Companies and Social
Policy, published by the Interna
tional Organisation of Labour, be
lieve that in the coming decade it
may be quite possible to observe
an increasing growth of multina
tional subsidiaries in the develop
ing countries. These subsidiaries
will turn out semi-manufactured
and finished products meant for
export rather than the home mar
ket. An important reason condi
tioning the increase of multina
tional investments in the Third
World's processing industry is the
comparatively low wage level
there. Also of equal significance
are such factors as environmental
pollution in industrially-developed
capitalist countries, and in some
countries, the lack of free terri
tory for the building of enter
prises
EXPLOITATION STRATEGY
However, the main condition for
the multinational companies to
achieve their strategic goal —
the appropriation of profits and
Super-profits — is in keeping the
developing countries within the
system of world capitalist eco
nomy.
Disguised forms and methods of
economic domination have replac
ed the unconcealed plunder of the
colonial days, and the multina
tionals have broad opportunities
for manoeuvring in their use. The
specific conditions of export of
capital have brought to life diverse
forms of its merging with local
capital and the founding of mixed
companies.
Literally before our very eyes,
there has emerged, within the
framework of the world capitalist
market, a new, much more flexible
and, from the monopolists' point
of view, reliable mechanism of
price formation and, in the first
place, the formation of “transfer
prices.” It is, especially, these
“transfer prices” that the multi
nationals use to conceal their pro
fits.
Understating “transfer prices”
in countries with a high tax, the
multinationals raise them when
bringing in goods into a country
with a low tax, and seek to pre
sent their financial accounts to
that country. Attempts of the “re
ceiving” third countries to raise
taxes or limit the export of foreign
curreney can be brought to naught
by the “transfer prices” of the
thoroughly integrated multina
tional companies.
Furthermore, the imperialist
states guard the interests of the
multinationals in the Third
World. The financial resources of
the State, its customs policy, ex
port bonuses, the insuring of ex
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
port credits, etc., are all meant to
help the activities of the multina
tionals in the developing countries.
To strengthen their position
further the multinationals do not
miss a single opportunity to put
pressure on the political and
social life of the country. As the
UN report, “Influence of Multina
tional Corporations on the Process
of Development and on Interna
tional Relations,” notes, the re
ceiving countries are worried that
the foreign enterprises own and
control the key sectors of their
economy, that their actions
may entail excessive expendi
tures for the home economy,
and that they may, to a consider
able degree, encroach upon the
country's political sovereignty, as
well as detrimentally influence
social and cultural values.
DUAL ATTITUDE
There are many other disguised
forms of exploiting the Third
World countries by the multina
tional companies. Among them are
the setting of “extra-high” “inter
nal-firm” prices by them on indi
vidual components of the manu
factured product; various discri
minatory demands regarding the
use of patents, licenses, export
rights, goods marking, etc. And,
last but not the least, the export
of the country's irrecoverable
natural wealth without adequate
compensation which could be, for
example, the creation of a moder
nised economic structure, is also,
in effect, exploitation.
The governments of the deve
loping countries manifest a dual
attitude towards the multina
tionals. On the one hand, they per
mit them in one or another form
to penetrate into their economy
and even recruit foreign capital
and, on the other, they seek to
limit the companies' activities and
stop them from gaining control
over entire branches of the eco
nomy. The attitude of the deve
loping country's government to
the multinationals, naturally, de
pends on the former's socio-eco
nomic orientation, on the level of
development of its productive for
ces and internal sources of accu
mulation, and a number of other
factors. -
The American economist, D.
Fink, is certainly right when he
SOCIALIST INDIA
admits in his article, “The Role their investments and technology
of the Multinational Corporations for purposes of national develop
in the Economic Development Pro ment, and to gradually OuS.
cess” that the multinational cor foreign capital from those sectors
porations interfere in the inter which are most important for the
nal political life of the newly-freed development of the national eco
countries in which they have their nomy. This struggle is most suc
tranches. cessful in those branches of the
Referring to the prospects of economy, upon the produce of
relations between the developing which the functioning of the
countries and the corporations, he national economies of the impe
notes that sooner or later the peo rialist states depends (fuel, raw
ples of the young states begin to material), and where a united
manifest a sharply megative atti front of developing producer-coun
tude towards the penetration of tries like (OPEC) has been form
foreign capital and its seizure of , ed. The countries of socialist
dominating positions in the eco orientation are scoring the great
nomy of their countries. est success in this struggle against
Thus, a study of UN and other the multinational corporations.
works on the activities of the
multinationals in the Third World The statesmen of the develop
enables us to form certain genera ing countries are coming to rea
lisations: lise, to an ever greater extent,
that dependence on the foreign
The multinational corporations monopolies can be overcome
have penetrated into the key bran above all, by an expansion of ties
ches of the economy of most of with the world's socialist commu
the developing countries and nity. The Soviet Union and other
occupy dominating positions there. socialist countries support the
The unequal character of the in young states in their just demands
ternational capitalist division of for restructuring international
labour and inequality in the ties in accordance with the princi.
balance of forces between the . ples of peaceful co-existence and
multinationals and most of the mutual cooperation. The easing
young national states, is the cause international tension and the cons
of the former's exploitation of the tructive shifts in the relations bet
natural and manpower resources ween the East and West are
of Asian, African and Latin Ame creating favourable conditions for
rican countries. the struggle of the peoples of the
A struggle is developing in the developing countries against the
Third World to limit the activities neo-colonialism of the multina
of the multinationals, to recruit tionals.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PUBLICATION
OF URDU BOOKS
The Punjab Government have decided to provide financial
assistance to recognised and registered institutions|organisa
tions as also to individual writers of the State for publication
of Books in Urdu. All those interested are requested to send
their applications in prescribed form available from the office
along with MSS to the Director, Languages Department, Punk
jab, Patiala by 15th February, 1975.
Director
Languages Department, Punjab,
PATLALA
PRD-1141-44.75
24 FEBRUARY 1, 1975
 President Kenneth D. Kaunda
of Zambia
A Profile by
JOHN I. HUNGU
- The President, Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed,
presented the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for Inter
national Understanding for the year 1970 to Presi
dent Kenneth David Kaunda of Zambia on January
25 at an impressive function held at Vigyan Bhavan,
New Delhi.
i. The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi,
; was present on the occasion. Shri B. D. Jatti, Vice
President, who is the Chairman of the Jury, and
:: its other members were also present. Shri Y. B.
Chavan, Minister of External Affairs, in his capa
* city as the President of the Indian Council of Cul
– tural Relations, delivered the welcome address.
>
President Kaunda is the sixth amongst the re
tepients of this Award. Others were U Thant, Dr.
; Martin Luther King (posthumous), Khan Abdul
; : Ghaffar Khan, Yehudi Menuhin and Mother Teresa,
. . The recepients of the subsequent Nehru Awards
sº for 1971, 1972 and 1973 are President Tito, M. Andre'
º, Malraux and President Julius K. Nyerere. Out of
… these, President Nyerere is yet to receive his award.
* President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia arrived
in New Delhi on January 23 on a five-day State visit
to India. Apart from having talks with the Prime
* Minister, Smt. Gandhi, he received the Jawaharlal
Nehru Award for International Understanding at a
function held in the capital on January 25. Dr.
Kaunda was nominated for the 1970 award in May
1972, but could not come to India earlier because
of pre-occupation at home. Besides a citation, the
* Award carries one lakh rupees in cash (payable in
foreign exchange).
~
There are indications that the purpose of Dr.
Kaunda's visit to India went far beyond the cere
monies of award receiving. As an eminent lea
der of the non-aligned nations, the Zambian Presi
º lent was expected to discuss some of the regional
* issues in which the nations concerned were parti
º ºularly interested, such as the peace zone in the
ſº
Indian Ocean and the energy crisis.
. . The 51-year-old Zambian leader is a deeply re
* Igious man. A son of an evangelist, Kaunda hates
3 suffering, not for himself but for others. Since his
arly days of political career he has been upholding
* * belief that all human beings are created equal,
*nd they are endowed by Creator with certain in
alienable rights. Amongst these are life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness. When Zambia got its in
; *pendence, this remained the guiding philosophy
* ºf the ruling party in that country, the United Na
ºnal Independence Party, of which Kaunda is
the President,
80CIALIST INDIA
2^
jº
Because of his deep religious feelings, he some
times weeps when addressing meetings. He wept
for almost five minutes during his opening speech
to the third assembly of the All African Conference
of Churches which was held in Zambia early last
year. He told the delegates: “We have had people
professing to be Christians . . . .”, and then broke
down as he was about to add from his prepared
text: “Holding the Bible in one hand and a gun in
the other, and they (White South Africans) profess
the same religion as we do. We in Zambia refuse
to accept that. That is not Christianity”. He add
ed: “These are the people who have been responsible
for the human suffering which the African conti
nent has experienced since the days of slave trade”.
AFRICAN LIBERATION MOVEMENTS
Dr. Kaunda who until the beginning of 1960 was
still a prisoner of Her Majesty's Government joined
politics when he was a teacher at a mission school
in the Northern Province of the then Northern
Rhodesia.
His account of the prospects of success for
the liberation movement in Southern Africa will
be very much valued in India owing to the unique
position he holds as the leader of a country that
has traditonally played, owing to its geographical
location, the frontier role for the liberation move
ments in that area. President Kaunda is also
playing a key role in the current negotiations for
peaceful transition to the goal of African majo
rity rule in Rhodesia and Namibia.
The immediate results of this nascent detente
have already begun to crystallise. Ian Smith made
an unexpected conciliatory gesture by releasing
African nationalist leaders from detention and res
triction. These include Joshua Nkomo, President of
the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), and
Ndabaningi Sithole, President of the Zimbabwe
African National Union (ZANU). At the time of
the announcement of their release from detention,
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
the two men were in Lusaka conferring with Presi
dent Kaunda. The prime-movers in this unprece
dented development were President Kaunda and
John Vorster.
President Kaunda's primary motivation clearly
appears to have been Zambia's stated obligation to
actively support the cause of liberation and extend
the frontiers of freedom in Africa. In addition, be
cause of Zambia's geographical proximity to Rho
desia and the economic interdependence of the two
countries, it is within its interest to have a friend
ly Government in Salisbury instead of an unpredict
able and menacing racist minority group.
Zambian civilians, especially those living near the
border with Rhodesia, had been constant victims of
harassment and shootings by Rhodesian forces.
Another important factor for Zambia's as:
sumption of an active role in the diplomatic efforts
to secure a negotiated settlement is the Lusaka
Manifesto which was formulated in 1969 by seve
ral East and Central African Heads of State. The
Manifesto opts for peaceful change in Southern
Africa if, and only if, the White regimes there
are genuinely willing to negotiate transition to
democratic constitutions guaranteeing equal rights
and protection to all citizens. The Manifesto also
adds that African States, if requested will be : º

The urgency of this requirement crystallises
when seen against the economic hardship Zambia
has passed through during the last nine years direct
ly because of implementing UN sanctions against
Rhodesia, and the following precipitate closure of
the border by Ian Smith regime in 1973.
In a statement to Parliament on January 10,
1973, the day following the closure of the border,
President Kaunda reaffirmed his country's solidarity
with the freedom fighters and said that Zambia was
prepared to defend its borders against all acts of
aggression. He also said that the liberation of Sou
thern Africa was an unfinished task which Zambia
could not view as a placid observer.
Zambia which had already suffered the conse
quences of its geographical proximity to the illegal
regime of Ian Smith, could not be secure as long
as conditions of conflict prevailed in the areas around
it, he said.
Rhodesia had been the operational base for
sabotage against Zambia's key installations, and
prepared to act as mediators between the regimes
and the liberation movements in Southern Africa.
These appear to be the main considerations that
led President Kaunda to respond favourably to a
South African initiative calling for exploratory talks
to prepare the ground for a conference aimed at
achieving a negotiated settlement in Rhodesia.
A Nigerian journalist, Peter Enahoro, once des.
cribed Dr. Kaunda as a man who possesses the
evangelistic spirit of the late Kwame Nkrumah and
has shown in his unremitting resistance to South
Africa and Rhodesia that same stubbornness which
Nasser demonstrated in 1956 when he held British
military strength at Suez.
President Kaunda is well placed to inspire and
to become a living symbol of African emergence.
He especially illustrates the paradox of the life
which is that leaders who inspire greatly also offend
deeply; and Kaunda would rather not offend. *.
(In next week's issue the acceptance speech lof ~ :
President Kaunda will be published.)

RAJASTHAN CM’s In an appeal to students, the Trial production has started at

LETTERS
The Chief Minister of Rajasthan,
Shri Harideo Joshi, has written
letters to all the legislators in the
State to take active part in the
District Public Grievances Com
mittees and thus help resolve the
difficulties experienced by the
people. Shri Joshi observed that
many legislators were not attend
ing the meetings of these Com
mittees. The Chief Minister said
that in case the MLAs felt aggrie
ved with the attitude of District
Collectors and Superintendents of
Police, they could approach him
directly. -
In another message, Shri Joshi
advised Congressmen who attended
training camps in Phalsana (Sikar)
and Nawalgarh (Jhunjhunu) that
they should not get involved in
“group fightings” but prepare
themselves to fight the growing
forces of fascism and reactiona
ries,
Chief Minister asked the youth to
shun the agitational approach. He
said students should seek redress
of their demands by peaceful me
thods. The appeal came in the
wake of the agitations currently
launched by the students of Rajas
than University and some other
colleges.
FIRST Joint
SECTOR UNIT
Scooters India Limited, a Gov
ernment of India Undertaking,
will blaze a new trail when it of
fers its shares worth - Rs. 2.15
crores to the public, starting from
March 13. It will be for the first
time that a Public Sector unit will
be inviting equity participation
from the public.
. The total capital of the company
is Rs. 5 crores. Its installed capa
city is 1,00,000 two-wheelers and
30,000 three-wheelers annually,
the new plant and the prototypes
has been sent for road test and .
certification. The sale of scooters.
is also expected to begin from *
early March to coincide with the
sale of shares of the company.
Originally it was envisaged that
the State would hold 51 per cent
of the shares and the balance of
49 per cent would be shared by
Messrs Innocenti of Italy, the ori
ginal manufacturers of Lambretta
Scooters and Automobile Products
of India, their 10cal collaborators.
It seems now both Innocenti and
Automobile Products of India have
expressed reluctance to take up
the share capital. Innocenti, how
ever, have agreed to take up
equity capital worth Rs. 35 lakhs.
Thus Innocenti's holdings will
constitute 7 per cent of the total
share capital, the State's 51 per
cent and the balance of 42 per
cent will be distributed among
public shareholders,

THE PUBLIC SECTOR
v.
º
N INDIA
T. A. PAI
†. UNION MINISTER OF INDUSTRY AND
Nº CIVIL SUPPLIES
This article, intended for the Republic Day
ºlumber, reached as too late
º In order to appreciate the relevance of
ny particular economic structure, it is necessary to
inderstand the economic environment in which the
tructure is conceived, built and developed. When
we became politically free our economy was pre
Yonderently colonial and manufactures, if at all, had
ſtarted more in the processing or conversion sectors
han in the primary sectors. There was not any
*ignificant infrastructure for development in the
ºrm of power, transport, fuels, critical industrial
: aw materials and skills.
**-
º The level of population was low; there was no
iducation worth the name and inter-mobility of
leople, either geographically or in terms of differ
It disciplines of expertise, was insignificant. The
ndian activity was primarily concerned with trade
ind if there were manufactures they were more of
, sembly type than of the basics. We had started
roducing steel but we had not developed any com
etence to make either steel plant equipment or any
mining or metallurgical equipment by which we could
-tubstantially push forward our industries which
a were to manufacture industrial materials and inter
mediates from minerals and metals and agricultural
roducts as were available naturally.
BASIC concepts
. Not only the generation of income was low but
. . the levels of consumption were also low. There was
a certain degree of static contentment which arises
-sº ºut of self-sufficiency in the primary needs in a clois.
leted fragmented economy living in uncommunicat
ing insularity. At the advent of freedom we had
necessarily to build an economy because there was
ho economy as such. The political aspirations of the
People in terms of economic freedom were naturally
ºr an economic core represented by the legitimate
*mand of the people that they must be self-reliant
and there will be more economic equity.
*. The principle of economic equity was, therefore,
herent in the struggle for political emancipation
ºther we call it Socialism or by any other name.
We were, therefore, committed as a part of our herit
* of the struggle for independence to two basic
ºncepts, namely, economic self-reliance and econo
* equity. The Government had, therefore, to take
*Wºry large number of steps which have covered the
3 *tire gamut of economic policy, fiscal, monetary,
gºduction and distribution. It is, in this context,
that the inevitability of Public Sector in an under
WCIALIST INDIA
developed economy like ours will have to be under
stood.
In an economy which produces sufficient sur
pluses which will find its way to optimum utilisation
in basic sectors, there could possibly be
whatever for a substantial Public Sector.
no need
It will be
understood that when we started managing our eco
nomy it was partly feudal and partly mercantile.
Even in agriculture, the methods and inputs were
primitive and considering the pattern of land hold
ings and agrarian relationships, the question of in
creases in agricultural production did not arise un
less a cognate relationship could be established be
tween industry and agriculture.
In a low pitched economy where generation of
surpluses is low and distribution of surpluses is
limited, a massive investment has necessarily to
come from the Government. It is also not possible
to conceive of a frame of economic growth unrelated
to the growth of social utilities like education, hous
ing and health.
If these outlays are to come from the Govern
ment they have necessarily to be financed through a
process of taxation which at a stage of low surplus
generation in the economy tends almost to centralise
utilisation of public savings. The phenomenon,
therefore, that we see today of money surpluses not
being available for private investment is not unusual
but completely predictable in a given stage of socio
economic environment.
THE RATIONALE
Under the compulsion of the economic situation,
financing of the core sector of the economy had ne
cessarily, to be public and, as a result, the Govern
ment has to evolve fiscal measures in terms of which
there could be physical mobilisation of as much pub
lic savings as possible. This, indeed, is the econo
mic rationale of the system that we developed of
mobilisation of public savings through fiscal meas
ures and public investment in the core sectors of the
economy.
In a situation like this, there cannot be any
alternative to Government trying to convert itself
into a trustee of public savings for public invest
ment in areas of public utility. Whether it was
infrastructure or irrigation, technical education or
electrification, the Government necessarily had to
be the focal point of this development without which
neither agriculture nor industry could grow. This
is not basically contrary to the concept of mixed
economy. On the contrary, in the Indian situation
the basic complsions of a Public Sector provides a
rationale for a mixed economy in the sense of pri
vate entrepreneurs cultivating the areas where pub
lic investment is neither possible nor desirable.
Because the Public Sector has come to stay and
grow, as it must, certain responsibilities also de
volve on it. The first responsibility is, of course, to
earn returns. The second is to, progressively, en
large the conceptual frame of the management appear
Continued on Page 32
FEBRUARY 1, 1975

KENNETH KAUNDA’S VISIT
Indo-Zambian
Relations
Consolidated
India and Zambia have signed
three agreements on cooperation
in the fields of economy, culture
and technology. They have also
signed a protocol stressing the
need for closer relations between
the two countries. This followed
talks between the Zambian Presi
dent Kenneth Kaunda and Indian
leaders during his four-day visit
(Jan. 24-27) to India to receive
the Nehru Award.
During his stay in the Capital,
President Kaunda had talks with
Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi,
the External Affairs Minister Shri
Chavan and others. The officials of
the two sides met separately to
work out the details of the agree
ments later signed between the
two countries.
In his talks with Smt. Gandhi,
President Kaunda discussed the
Indian Ocean, the recent develop
ments in Africa and West Asia
and international situation in ge
neral. The External Affairs Minis
ter Shri Chavan, the Deputy Af
fairs Minister, Shri Bipin Pal Das,
and the Commerce Minister, Prof.
Chhattopadhyaya were among
those present at the talks.
Besides political developments,
the leaders of the two countries
also discussed the international
monetary crisis, and the hike in
oil prices. Dr. Kaunda praised
India's achievements during the
past 25 years despite “colossal”
problems.
The Health Minister of Zambia,
Dr. (Mrs) M. Bull who accompa
nied Dr. Kaunda had talks with
the Union Health Minister, Dr.
Raran Singh, on mutual coopera
tion in the fields of health and
family planning.
In a joint communique issued at
the end of the talks on January
27, the two countries urged the
SOCIALIST INDIA
developing countries to come clo
ser in various spheres to meet the
“grave difficulties” facing them.
They also called upon the deve
loped countries to “regulate” their
relations with the developing coun
tries on “just and equitable”
basis.
The communique reiterated the
adherence of the two countries
to the principles of non-alignment
and peaceful co-existence. It stres
sed the “imperative need” to keep
the Indian Occan as a “zone of
peace”, free from Big Power rival
ry. It said that the proposed ex
pansion of the naval base at Diego
Garcia by USA would “constitute
a threat to the peace and tran
quility of the region.”
The communique also referred
to President Kaunda's “full under
standing” of India's nuclear policy,
India's appreciation of the role
played by Zambia in bringing
about unity among the liberation
movements of Zimbabwe, situation
on the Indian sub-continent and
the need for still closer ties bet
ween India and Zambia.
Before leaving for Sri Lanka on
January 27, President Kaunda said
at Delhi airport that his visit had
“cemented” the relations between
the two countries. He said that he
had come to India to learn, to re
new friendship with India and to
cement it. “These objectives,” he
added, “have been achieved.”
Dr. Kaunda said that the ag
reements signed with India had
laid down the groundwork for fur
ther progress “in our joint endea
vour to increase the economic,
technological and cultural advan
cement of our people.” The Pre
sident Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
who saw President Kaunda off at
the airport said: “We are thankful
for the opportunity we have had
to exchange views with you on im
portant matters and have been
greatly impressed by the clarity
of your vision and the nobility and
generosity of your ideas.”
INDIA-PAKISTAN
PROTOCOL
Indian and Pakistan signed in
New Delhi on January 15 a proto
col providing for resumption from
" **** 28
February 15 of cargo shipping
services suspended since the 1965
conflict. The protocol also provi
des that shipment of cargo, not
passenger traffic, would be carried
out by both Indian and Pakistani
vessels on a 50:50 basis.
The protocol was signed on be
half of India by Shri M. Ramakri
shnayya, Secretary in the Minis
try of Shipping and Transport and
on behalf of Pakistan by Mr. K.
T. Kidwai, Secretary, Ministry of
Communications.
Shri Ramakrishnayya and Mr.
Kidwai told newsmen after sign
ing the protocol that the services
would carry cargo to be listed un
der the trade agreement to be
signed by the two countries.
Signed in pursuance of the
Simla Agreement of 1972 and the
protocol of November 30 last on
resumption of trade, the protocol
says that the direct shipping ser
vices would be restored from Feb.
ruary 15 on the principle of so
vereign equality and mutual bene:
fit. All cargo between the ports
of the two countries would be car
ried on the principle of equality
in matters relating to cargo lift
ings and freight earning on an an
nual basis. s
India has nominated the Direc
tor-General of Shipping, Bombay
and Patzistan the Director-Gene
ral of Ports and Shipping Karach
to coordinate the issues concern
ing the operation of services. The
two authorities will nominate the
shipping companies of their res's
pective countries to determine by
mutual discussion the details of
operation of the services. For this
purpose the representatives of this
shipping companies will meet a
early as possible. -
—º
Cº IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUARAT .
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
FEBRUARY 1, 197
 and peaceful settlement of out cluding agriculture, industries,
standing disputes among nations. irrigation and construction. These
P- M.'s FRUITFUL Discussing the situation in West experts have been sent under the
technical and economic coopera
Asia, the two leaders condemned
MISIT TO IRAQ the aggression against the Arab tion agreement signed in April,
people and reiterated their belief 1973. Under this agreement, train
that a just peace could not pre ing is being provided to Iraqi stu
vail in the region without the dents in various technical institu
India and Iraq have affirmed liberation of all occupied Arab tions in India.
their conviction that the develop territories and restoration to the
ing countries should strengthen Arab people of Palestine of their Mr. Saddam Hussein hailed
economic and technical cooperation full rights. They reiterated the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's
arrhong themselves to achieve full support of their Governments visit to Iraq as of “special signi
speedier and all-round progress. to the struggle of the Palestinian ficance.” Addressing the Indian
This affirmation was made in the
people to regain their homeland. delegation in Baghdad on January
joint communique issued on Jan 19 — the second day of Smt.
-uary 21 at the end of the Prime Smt. Indira Gandhi outlined the Indira Gandhi's stay there — Mr.
Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi's recent developments in the pro Hussain noted that the mutual
three-day visit to Iraq. The two cess of normalisation of relations goodwill visits were necessary for
*countries also called upon the among the countries of the Indian a realistic appraisal of world
- developed nations to place their sub-continent. Dr. Hussain ex developments.
*- economic relations with the deve
pressed his appreciation of the
iloping countries on an equitable initiative taken by India. He was Smt. Indira Gandhi was given
and just basis. confident that these developments a warm welcome when she arrived
would contribute significantly to in Baghdad on January 18. Mr.
The communique said Smt. stability and cooperation in the Saddam Hussein was among those
----
ºr Indira Gandhi and Iraq's Vice region as a whole. who received her at the airport.
--
-President, Mr. Saddam Hussein, In spite of a drizzle, a large num
tº held extensive discussions which
The two sides also reviewed ber of people had gathered at the
–-revealed a close identity of views airport to greet the Indian Prime
: -on all subjects. Both leaders wel the implementation of the agree
ments reached during the visit to Minister.
F-comed the process of decolonisa
India of Dr. Hussain in March
- tion in the former Portuguese Soon after her arrival in Bagh
2 -colonies in Africa. They also wel last year and expressed confidence
dad, Smt. Gandhi had talks with
is -comed the announcement that An in increasing the possibilities of
Mr. Saddam Hussein. The talks
collaboration between the two
gola would be independent. They which lasted ninety minutes
countries.
condemned the racist policies covered the international situation
being practised in South Africa. India has so far deputed over particularly the situation in West
400 experts to work in different Asia. She also attended a banquet
--- The two leaders stressed the im
fields of development in Iraq, in Continued on Page 32
: portance of the Indian Ocean being
- a Zone of Peace, free from foreign
military bases and great power
tº rivalry and tension. They called on
all concerned to renew their efforts
for the earliest realisation of the
objectives of the United Nations
resolutions in this regard.
Dr. Hussain referred to the
Gulf and the tense situation pre
Naåling there and along Iraq's
eastern borders. He pointed out
the extent to which this threaten
ed peace and security of the re
~. gion. Prime Minister Indira Gan
; dhi expressed the Government of
yº India's full awareness of the
. I dimensions of these problems.
" . Both sides underlined the neces
ºf sity of solving these problems in
2. accordance with treaty provisions,
in-ermational law and the princi.
RAes of the UN Charter, which The Prime Minister Shrimati Indira Gandhi with the Assistant Secre
i-Thºuded non-interference in the tary-General of the ruling Arab Baath Socialist party Mr. Shibly
2^i =emal affairs of other states al-Ayasami in Baghdad during her recent visit to Iraq.
5
9° s-->CIALIST INDIA 29 FEBRUARY 1, 1975
 Billiſ JDM IBASDIS Wily (AIIlālāſa is
faWDUIällt íſli |N|S|| |||||||||N

Rich natural resouces, mineral, A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

Comparatively more peaceful and positive approach towards -

cordial industrial relations. industrial development of the State,

A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy,

including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water 8 power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc,

Financial assistance to educated 15% Central subsidy for under

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes, Raichur.

For details, please contact:

\ DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560 001
i
—-

SOCIALIST INDIA
rRanuary 1, 19" º

Netaji Birth
Anniversary
Celebrated
The 79th birth anniversary of
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
was celebrated in the country on
January 23. In New Delhi a group
sculpture, depicting three soldiers
of the Indian National Army being
led by Netaji, was unveiled by the
Vice-President, Shri B. D. Jatti.
The group sculpture has been ins
talled at the Subhas Park, oppo
site the Red Fort.
The 20-ft. tall statue, depicting
Netaji pointing towards the ram
parts of the Red Fort, has been
set up on the pedestal that once
supported the equestrian statue of
King Edward VII. One of the three
statues flanking Netaji’s figure in
the group sculpture is of a woman
soldier, representing the famous
Rani Jhansi Regiment of the INA.
The woman's figure was added to
the statue at the suggestion of the
Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
The Rs 2.60 lakh, five-tonne
Sculpture has been cast by Sada
shiv Sathe a well-known sculptor
from Maharashtra, who completed
it in 15 months for the Delhi Mu
nicipal Corporation.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri
Jatti said Netaji had lived and
died for the country. His sacri
fices would always remain a sour
ce of inspiration to the coming ge
merations.
Recalling Netaji's role in the
country's freedom struggle Shri
Jatti said the deeds and sacrifi
tes of Netaji placed him on a high
pedestal in the minds of the peo
ple. It was now “our responsibility
to ensure that the country pros
pers and a sound base is laid for a
prosperous society for the people's
30cial and economic welfare.”
The Chairman of the Delhi Me
tropolitan Council, Mir Mushtaq
Ahmed, and the Mayor of Delhi,
Shri Kidar Nath Šahani, were
*mong the large number of people
who attended the unveiling cere
% *00IALIST INDIA • *--------
mony. Replayed on the occasion
was a broadcast of Netaji's speech
made in Berlin in November, 1943.
Tributes were paid to Netaji
Subhas Chandra Bose by Congress
leaders at a meeting held at the
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee
office. It was addressed by the
DPCC President, Shri H. K. L.
Bhagat, MP, Kumari Surender
Saini, Shri Jag Pravesh Chandra,
Deputy Chairman of the Delhi Me
tropolitan Council and Shri Shiv
Charan Gupta, ex-MP.
In Calcutta, the day-long cele
brations commenced with a meet
ing held at the ancestral home of
Netaji in the city. A number of
Japanese Generals, including Lt
General Saburo Isado, a war-time
highest ranking Japanese officer
who had close links with Netaji
participated.
In Calcutta the Governor of
Y. B. CHAVAN’s VISIT
TO YUGOSLAVIA
During his five-day visit to Yu
goslavia last week (Jan. 19-23)
the Extrnal Affairs Minister, Shri
Y. B. Chavan, discussed with pre
sident Tito and other Yugoslav lea
ders among other things the Non
aligned nations' approach towards
the latest international economic
and political developments.
Addressing a press conference
in Belgrade on January 23, Shri
Chavan said that his talks with
President Tito had been “really de
lightful and useful”. He said
though they covered a wide range
of international issues the focus
had been on what Non-aligned
countries should do in the present
situation. About India's attitude to
wards the world energy crisis,
Shri Chavan said: “India favours
eliminating the policy of confron
tation.”
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
81
West Bengal, Shri A. L. Dias, cere
monially received from Shri
Ananda Mohan Sahay, a former
Azad Hind Government leader, two
swords presented to Netaji by Ad
miral Yamoto for preservation as
souvenirs in the Netaji Research
Bureau Library which was opened
by Lt.-General Saburo Isado. An
other Japanese General, Lt-Gene
ral Iswaichi Fujiwara, presented
Japanese books to the library.
Speaking on the occasion, the
Chief Minister of West Bengal,
Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray, said
Netaji did not belong to any party
politics or any coterie. He belong
ed to the whole of India. The Chief
Minister said he would urge the
Centre to declare that January 23
the birthday of Netaji be observed
as all-India “Youth Day” as
Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday was
being observed as “children's day”.
Earlier on his arrival in Bel
grade, Shri Chavan said in a sta
tement that mutual consultations
had been “an important feature
of Indo-Yugoslav relations” and
had “deepened the close relation
ship existing between the two
countries.” The statement referred
to the common features of the
foreign policies of the two coun
tries. It said: “The policy of Non
alignment has been fundamental to
the foreign policies of both our
countries and we have been dedi
cated to the concept of Non-align
ment as an instrument of peace
and peaceful co-existence”.
During his stay in Yuguslavia,
Shri Chavan was given a reception
by India's Ambassador in Belgrade
Shri P. N. Menon. It was attended,
among others, by the Yugoslav
Foreign Minister Mr. Milos Minic,
other high-ranking Yugoslav offi
cials and members of the diploma
tic corps.
Later, Shri Chavan gave a din
ner in honour of Mr. Minic.
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
 sein expressed the hope that Smt. an enthusiastic welcome, espe
- - - -- ---------
Gandhi's visit would further cially by women and children who ||
CONTINUATION strengthen the ties between the hugged and kissed her. Smt. Gan
two countries. dhi also visited the ruins of an
cient cities — Nineveh and Hatra.
In her reply, Smt. Gandhi re After her return to Baghdad,
PM's IRAO VISIT ciprocated the sentiments ex Smt. Gandhi called on Prof.
Continued from Page 29 pressed by Mr. Hussein and said Shibly-al Ayasami, Assistant Sec.
that her talks with Iraqi leaders retary-General of the ruling Arab
given by Mr. Hussein in her had been “useful”. She referred Baath Socialist Party.
honour. to Iraq's rich cultural traditions
The delegations of the two and said that some of them were The Iraqi Press described Prime
countries met separately for about part of “our culture and educa Minister Indira Gandhi's visit to
30 minutes and decided to set up tion”. Iraq as “a step forward towards
working groups to explore possi During her stay in Baghdad
stronger relations between the
bilities of Indo-Iraqi cooperation two countries.” Al-Thawra, the
Smt. Gandhi laid wreaths on the
in various fields. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and organ of the ruling Baath Party,
In a brief speech at the formal said in an editorial that Indo-Iraqi
visited places of historical impor relations were in the interest of
meeting of the delegations of the tance.
two countries, Smt. Gandhi and the people of the two countries
Mr. Hussein stressed the need When Smt. Indira Gandhi visit and that they would help pro
for still closer relations between ed Mosul — on the banks of mote peace and stability not only
India and Iraq. Mr. Saddam Hus River Tigris—she was accorded in Asia but in the world.

PAI ON PUBLIC SECTOR segments of people. Given the correct leader

Continued from Page 27
segments,
ratus by bringing into it the different
which have so far been considered as excluded from
management functions.
The growth of the Public Sector is related to
the growth of a sense of participation in it by all
ship, inter-relationships between the Public Sector
and the Government, different segments in
the Public Sector and the different units in
the Public Sector can be so structured as to be com:
plementary and co-functional towards the common
objective. If the role of the Public Sector in our
economy has to be properly understood we must ap
preciate the objectives for which they were set up.

INDIA-POLAND
AGREENMENT
A two-year programme for colla
boration in several fields of Science
HINMACHAL’S
and technology with emphasis on
coal mining and non-ferrous me
tallurgy has been agreed to by FIFTH PLAN
India and Poland.
The Agreement was signed in OUTLAY—RS. 231.40 CRORES
New Delhi on January 21 by Dr.
A. Ramachandran, Secretary in
the Department of Science and Before After
Technology and Mr. Wictor (1973-74) (1979-80)
to
terms ofAmbassador
India, in Polish
Kinecki, the pact bet- 11 Lac Tonnes Food Production 14 Lac Tonnes
1.85 Lac Tonnes Cash Crops Produc 2.63 Lac Tonnes
ween the two countries signed in tion
March last year. 2.40 Lac Tonnes Fruit Production 4.11 Lac Tonnes
The programme provides for 4,200 Villages Electrification 8,180 Villages
collaboration in such areas of mi- | 13,507 Kms. Roads 16,447 Kms.
ning as study of difefrent para- 86 Per cent Primary Education 100 Per cent

meters, designing tele-monitoring 532 Public Health 584

services and development of min Institutions

ing equipment and machinery. It 2,728 Drinking Water 5,635 Villages

A decision to hold talks on a Supply
direct air link between India and
Poland was taken when the Polish
Deputy Prime Minster, Mr. Jan
Mitrega, called on the Civil Avia HIM LOK SAMPARK
tion Minister, Shri Raj Bahadur.
SOCIALIST INDIA -----
82 FEBRUARY 1, 1915

SPOTLIGHT
THE CANAPS IN
THE STATES
It is asserted by a section of
Congress leaders that a sort of
metamorphosis is taking place in
the Congress as a result of the
process initiated at the Narora
Camp, which has been successfully
followed with similar State camps
and grass-root district-level camps.
Those who have been through
these camps can claim to have
greater knowledge about them
point to certain features that are
apparently new to a nationwide
political organisation like the Con
gress which over the years had
come to live with its amorphous
character marked by indiscipline
and factionalism at all levels.
For instance, they have marvel
led at the fact that the tone set by
Narora in the matter of restricted
admission to the camp was strict
ly followed at the State camps,
without rancour or quarrel as to
who should or should not get ad
mission. In this connection, the
directives of the High Command
have been adhered to in all States
where the camps have so far been
held.
The State camps were to be at
tended by members of the PCC
executives, permanent invitees,
presidents and general secretaries
of DCCs, members of the Council
of Ministers, MPs from the con
cerned State and presidents of the
Zila Parishads in case they were
active members of the party. The
attendance naturally varied in each
case depending upon the size of
the State.
The observers have been surpris
ed that the directions not only
about “admission” were strictly
observed but the “austerity” clause
was also adhered to in most cases.
Probably West Bengal was the
only exception in the matter of
"austerity", where due to the
~ SOCIALIST INDIA
[.
camp's proximity to Calcutta, a with the country's largest trade
few Congress leaders preferred to
enjoy home comforts after the
camp hours.
The fact that only accredited
leaders at various levels were to
be invited to these camps accord
ing to the High Command's guide
lines, helped skirt the possible fac
tional disputes as also the much
maligned controversy over the
question of “cadre-building”,
though they remained basically
“training camps” for Congress
leaders.
Though some of the State camps
were nearly so large as the AICC
sessions, the atmosphere during
the discussions was in marked con
trast to the normal Congress con
gregations. For instance, most of
those who attended the camps, in
cluding Ministers and district lead
ers, set through the sessions and
actively participated in the discus
sions on political and organisa
tional issues. Lobbying was cons
picuously absent.
It may be mentioned that select-
ed central speakers spoke on
four different topics: Political situ
ation and tasks before the Cong
ress; Economic outlook and For
eign policy. The State leaders
touched upon regional problems
and Congress organisation and its
role. The Bihar-type movement
led by Jayprakash Narayan pro
vided the necessary background
for a stimulating discussions on
the political situation at all State
camps without exception.
The optimists in the party feel
that for the first time is the post
Independence history of the Con
gress, a churning process can be
said to have been initiated on a
nationwide scale, which is evi
dently to the dislike of the vested
interests in the party. This they
hold, will go deeper with the dis
trict-level Congress training camps
which have already started in
some States and are likely to be
completed by the end of February
or beginning of March.
There have been multi-pronged
efforts in this regard of which the
nationwide Congress camps form
only one part. Another prong is the
building of an independent organi
sation of the landles; rural labour
union centre, INTUC, as its orga
niser.
Much importance is attached to
this move as a pre-requisite for im
plementation of the 13-point prog
ramme as also to meet the poli
tical challenges from the entrench
ed vested interests in the rural
areas. The effort to organise Con
gress youth training camps is an
other prong. All the three prongs,
it is asserted, have to be seen as
integral parts of the Narora pro
cess and not in isolation from each
other, which may together help to
reorientate the Congress in the
desired direction.
Delhi Congress
Camp
The three-day camp of the Cong
ressmen, organised by the Delhi
Pradesh Congress Committee at
Shahpur Garhi village in the Ali
- pur block, decided among other
things to mobilise Congressmen—
and other people—to effectively
meet the attack launched by reac
tionary forces, vested interests
and communal elements symbolised
by JP's movement.
The DPCC President, Shri H. K.
L. Bhagat, MP, told reporters in
New Delhi on January 20 that the
camp also decided to organise six
more camps before February 15.
Several committees had been
formed to enlist the support of
people from different walks of
life.
Spelling out the plan of action
as chalked out by the three-day
camp, Shri Bhagat said in the
first phase 10,000 Seva Dal volun
teers would be enlisted. The com
mittee formed for this purpose
would have Shri A. N. Chawla and
Mirza Mohammed Usman as Chair
man and Convener respectively
There was also a proposal to or
ganise meeting of Block Congress
Committees and other workers by
March-end.
Within two months, the Cong
ress members of Parliament, the
Metropolitan Council and the Mu
nicipal Corporation and the Pre
FEBRUARY 1, 1975
sidents of District Congress Com
mittees would complete a joint
tour of all municipal wards. Be
sides a Central Coordination Com
mittee, there would be district co
ordination committees also.
Nearly 200 Congressmen, inclu
ding the Chief Executive Council
lor, Shri Radha Raman, the DPCC
President, Shri Bhagat, members
of the Delhi Metropolitan Council
and Delhi Municipal Corporation
and office-bearers of the Congress
committees at all levels partici
apted in the camp. Those who took
part in the first day's delibera
tions also included the Minister
for Information and Broadcasting,
Shri I. K. Gujral, and the AICC
General Secretary, Shri P. V.
Narasimha Rao.
INAUGURATION
Inaugurating the camp on Janu
ary 17, the Congress President,
Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, said that
democracy had functioned in India
better than in most countries and
it had come to stay. He said it
was the Congress Party alone
which was committed to parliamen
tary democracy and socialism as
a means to achieve the welfare
of the people. The movement laun
ched by JP in Bihar was not meant
to serve the cause of democracy.
The Congressmen in Delhi should
be vigilant and united against the
challenges of reactionary forces.
The Congress President asked
Congressmen in Delhi to organise
the landless labourers, the
Harijans, jhuggi and jhom
pri dwellers, residents of un
authorised colonies and other poo
rer sections of society and try to
solve their problems. The Cong
ressmen must identify themselves
with the people and strengthen the
Seva Dal, he said.
Shri Uma Shankar Dikshit,
Union Minister without Portfolio,
who addressed the camp on the
second day, repeated that the only
way of Government suited to India
was that of democracy. Neither
dictatorship nor any other mode
of running the administration
would suit the country.
He said that Gandhi and Nehru
aroused that faith of the coun
try in democracy, secularism and
socialism. Those who did not have
faith in these basic tenets of ideo
logy should not stay in the Cong
SOCIALIST INDIA
ress Patty. Shri Dikshit said de
mocracy did not mean dictation by
the minority, which some of the
Opposition parties were waiting
for. It was absurd to say that
the Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, was functioning like or
tending to become a dictator.
Those who charged her with this
were themselves undemocratic in
approach and believed in making
baseless allegations.
The main speakers on the third
day included the Union Minister
for Agriculture and Irrigation, Shri
Jagjivan Ram, the Minister for
Steel and Mines, Shri Chandrajit
Yadav and Shri Yashpal Kapur,
Convener of the Central Campaign
Committee.
Shri Jagjivan Ram said that
there was no cause for panic on
the food front as there was more
food available in the country than
the figures showed. He called
upon Congressmen to provide
active help in wheat procurement.
He said the participation in
training camps was provided in
the Constitution of the Congress
Party as one of the qualifications
for active membership. He said
the Congress should become a
cadre-based party as soon as pos
sible. There was no all-India al
ternative to the Congress. It was
more imperative now than before
that the Congress must serve more
effetcively the poor who believed
in its ideology and had expecta
tions from the Congress.
Shri Jagjivan Ram further said
that even today a good deal of
land remained with people who
were actually not tillers and the
final step in land reforms would
only be possible if only the actual
tiller got every piece of land. He
said that for a long time agricul
ture was going to remain the
foundation of the Indian economy.
“Agriculture in this country is not
given that importance which it
should get,” he felt.
Shri Chandrajit Yadav said JP's
movement symbolised reaction and
fascism and the Congress and Con
gressmen must face such forces
with resolute courage and determi
nation. No country could progress
without facing difficulties and odds.
The Congressmen must explain
this to the people who should be
mobilised. The Indian people had
34
practical wisdom and understood
and appreciated the truth when
told, he added.
Shri Yashpal Kapur asked Con
gressmen to shun groupism and
work unitedly. He asked the
Partymen to prepare time-bound
programmes of activities.
BPCC CANMP
The Union Minister without
Portfolio, Shri Uma Shankar Dik
shit, said in Bombay on January 2,
that there was no alternative to
Parliamentary democracy in India
and once the principle of rule by
majority was accepted and the
majority was achieved, the mino
rity should follow the rules of
the game. If the minority had to
have its own way, why hold elec
tions and incur expenses, he ask
ed
Shri Dikshit was addressing a
three-day camp of Congressmen
organised by the Bombay Pradesh
Congress Committee. Shri Dikshit
pointed out that the Congress was
wedded to the policy of secularism,
socialism and democracy. He said
that the Opposition had not played
its role in Parliament. To say that
it was the duty of the Opposition
only to oppose was a “foolish state
ment.”
The Minister for Steel and
Mines, Shri Chandrajit Yadav,
appealed to Congressmen to close
their ranks and preserve the unity
of the Party to face the challenges
of the current political situation
in the country. He said there was
widespread discontent in the coun
try and political atmosphere was
vitiated. In such a situation the
organisation must ponder whether
the Party had fulfilled its elections
promises.
The Minister for Industry and
Civil Supplies, Shri T. A. Pai, sug’
gested a dominant voice for work
ers in major industries like cement,
sugar, drugs, chemicals and tex
tiles with 51 per cent of the shares
held by the Central and State Go
venments and 49 per cent by the
workers and the people.
Others who addressed the Camp
included Shri R. K. Sinha, MP,
Sushila Adiverekar, MP, Shri Anna
Patil and Shri Rajni Patel, Presi
dent, BPCC.
FEBRUARY 1, 1975

Prime Minister’s
Interview To
“National Herald”
The Prime Minister, Shrimati
Indira Gandhi, expressed her con
fidence that although India had
been “doubly hit”—as an agricu
tural country and an industrial
country—by the world monetary
and oil crises, “with the new stra
tegies we have adopted we shall
regain a good deal of the tempo”
of development.
In an exclus’ve interview to the
“National Herald” on the occasion
of Republic Day, Smt. Indira Gan
dhi struck an optimistic note on
the economic situation and appeal
ed to the industrial workers and
wage earners to postpone their de
mands for just a while more.
“We are now concentrating our
efforts on the production of food
and other essential everyday arti
cles like common cloth and cook
ing oil.
“The power and transport crises
have also eased. But we must not
slacken our vigil with this im
provement, I would particularly
appeal to industrial workers and
wage earners to postpone their de
mands for just a while more.
“I realise they are bearing heavy
burdens. But any immediate in
creases in earnings without cor
responding increase in the avail
ability of essential goods will only
add to inflation and give no tangi
ble relief. The nation's interest
requires that they keep their de
mands in abeyance for some time".
Asked about the demands rais
ed from certain quarters for elec
toral reforms, the Prime Minister
declared that any “so-called re
form which abridged the right of
adult franchise would be unaccept
able to our people”.
MISGIVINGS
Smt. Indira Gandhi said, “Our
misgivings about the motives of
this agitation (for electoral re
form) arise from the fact that its
on different
shining lights have,
cccasions, been ardent adm'rers of
Marshal Ayub Khan's basic demo
cracy and other reforms of pseudo'
democracy. The ques:ion is plain
ly whether they are for adult
franchise or not”.
The agitators for electoral re
form included people of many
complexions. Some were big land
holders who had no sympathy for
the landless. Others had on Occa
demo
sions talked of partyle's
cracy but retreated hastily when
they found that it was not politi
cally expedient. “Some extreme
rightists and leftists who lack
basic faith in representative demo
cracy are also on the reform band
wagon for their own reasons.
“If the aim is to reduce election
expenses so that the poor and the
propertyless can have a greater
say in elections, we are all for such
reforms. I am ready to sit down
with those who are earnest in their
search for effective methods of
giving greater meaning to our de
mocracy”.
In reply to a question whether
a threat was developing to our de
mocratic institutions in the Silver
Jubilee Year of the Republic, the
Prime Minister said: “I am con
cerned at the growing propaganda
which is being carried on against
our political system. Its effect will
be to weaken the people's faith in
democratic institutions and in
themselves. This cannot be to the
country's advantage and will serve
the ends of those who want to
weaken the country”.
Smt. Gandhi dismissed as non
sense the charge by some Opposi
tion groups that the country was
heading towards dictatorship. On
the contrary, she said, it was the
Opposition which was trying to
bring about conditions of chaos
and anarchy which could enable “a
ruthless group to take over the
reins and suppress others”.
“That is the danger of their un
principled alliance,” she said.
The Prime Minister described
the recent series of agreements
with Pakistan in trade and other
fields as a “considerable advance"
in Indo-Pakistan relations but ex
pressed the hope that “responsible
people in Pakistan do not make
statements which arouse needless
misapprehensions.”
In an obvious reference to Prime
Minister Bhutto's remarks in the
course of a recent newspaper in
terview, Smt. Gandhi added, “Some
unbelievably fanciful statements
have been recently attributed to
us”.
Asked about the recent state
ments by Washington policy
makers about the use of force to
maintain the flow of Arab oil to
the western countries. Smt. Gandhi
replied that force was no solution.
It only generates new kind of
problems.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE of freedom and equality and her unceasing endea

Continued from Page 2
It is imperative that the public distribution sys
tem should play a vital role in channelling essential
commodities. It will also be necessary to establish
a fair exchange between the agricultural and indus
trial products.
We were privileged to receive many distinguish
ed world statesmen in recent months. These good
Will visits have helped to strengthen the bonds of
friendship between us and these countries. I was
happy to find keen appreciation by these leaders of
dia's foreign policy and her efforts to provide a
better and happier life for her people. They parti
°ularly welcomed India's commitment to the ideals
80CIALIST INDIA
vours to improve the climate of peace in the sub
continent. The world is watching the progress
our efforts in creating a new social order through
democratic means.
Friends. I am an optimist and I do not share
some people's gloom about our future. Our people
are mature and our Constitution has remarkable
resilience. But, as I have said earlier, there are no
short cuts to the attainment of our rightful place
in the world except the straight path of unity,
discipline, hard and honest work. While not mini
mising the enormity cf the challenge facing us I
firmly believe that it can and should be boldly met
and overcome by the united will of our people. May
God guide us to the right path.
35 FEBRUARY 1, 1975
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted ºn CPSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
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 WOMEN IN NATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
*

EUROPE IN '70s
+x

FEBRUARY 8, 1975 INDO-SOVIET ECONOMIC

30 p. RELATIONS

Flares and fireworks over the Central Secretariat at the end of the Beating Retreat ceremony on
January 29, 1975. This ceremony was attended by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi, civil and military dignitaries, members of the Diplomatic Corps and a large public running
into thousands.

*-m-
DEMOCRACY O SOCIALISM O SECULARISM º NON-ALIGNMENT
--> → • --> → ------------- - - ----

HiMACHAL Pradesh
CHIEF MINISTER’S
APPEAL
The recent earthquake has caused extensive damage to
both life and property in the Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti disſ.
tricts of Himachal Pradesh. Added to this calamity, high
velocity winds are now contiuously churning up blizzards to
add to the gloom in these devastated regions.
This was the severest earthquake in the Himalayan re
gion after the 1905 Kangra earthquake. Nine villages (four
in Kinnaur and five in Lahaul-Spiti) were razed to the
ground in five tremors. Reports of casualties and damage to
property continue to pour in.
It will take some time before the full extent of the
damage can be assessed as reports from the interior have
still to come in. Rescue teams have been able to visit only
those affected villages which lie along the main road. The
affected areas in the interior have been made more than
usually inaccessible because of the thick blanket of snow.
Since the fateful day of January 19, I have made several
attempts to visit the affected areas in the interior but these
efforts proved abortive because of extremely bad weather
conditions. Thus, the weather coupled with the traditional
inaccessibility of the areas have made relief operations ex
tremely difficult. This will add to the sufferings of the vic
tims.
The State Government is doing its utmost to alleviate
the sufferings of the people in the affected areas. But the
extent of the damage is so great that the State Government
alone will not be able to cope with the situation. The Cen
tral Government, the army, private organisations as well as
members of the public will have to supplement these efforts.
Indeed, I am obliged to the Centre for providing Rs.
1,00,000 from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. The State
Government is also doing all that it can do in the circum
stances, besides releasing Rs. 50,000 on the very day of the
accident for immediate relief.
But this will only touch the fringe of the problems.
Work has to begin immediately to provide much more relief
in keeping with the magnitude of the calamity.
The most urgent requirement is for cash donations.
Blankets, woollen clothes and medicines have to be sent to
the affected areas by all available means of transport. Many
organisations and individuals have started making donations
but it is not enough.
I, therefore, make a fervent appeal to the people all
over India to come forward with their donations, in cash and
kind, to help their brothers and sisters in distress in the re
mote Himalayan regions.
Y. S. PARMAR
Chief Minister of
Himachal Pradesh

DONATE IN CASH AND KIND

--- --->

o
St) CIALIST INDIA - FEBRUARY 8, 1975
Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Wol X Wo. 10
SUGIALIST Published every CONTENTS
February 8, 1975
Saturday
|NDIA
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Editorial
Road, New Delhi 110001 Corruption: Jana Sangh Style
Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST Rural Labour on the March
Prime Minister on “Stree Shakti.”
EDITORIAL BOARD JP's Brand of Ararchism
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Jag Mohan
(Chairman) 20 Years of Fruitful Economic
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Assistance from USSR
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Congress Training Camp at Ahmedabad
Land Reforms in the States 2111i
Europe in the '70s
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT Dr. V. Dashichev 53+353

Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Indian National Congress—III

H. D. Malaviya
(Chairman)
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Women and National Development—I
Lakshmi N. Menon
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
Aziz Imam on Indo-Iranian
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA
Relations -

Shri P. C. SETHI
An Emerging Multilateral Cooperation
Dr. W. L. Korneev
Lala Lajpat Rai
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO
Giani Zail Singh
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN
A View of Indian History
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Dr. Niranjan M. Khilnani ºc
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee President Kaunda’s “Nehru Award”
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah Acceptance Speech 29
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. Self-sufficiency in Crude by 1980
Mohan Chandra Joshi 32
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces Congress President at Orissa Camp 33
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. V. P. Naik on Employment Guarantee Scheme 34

BDITORIAL
Mischief In washington
The worst that was feared has been confirmed
with the latest news from Washington as we go to
the press. Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto has announced
that the decade-old embargo imposed by the US on
the supply of lethal arms to Pakistan is being lifted.
Now, his shopping list, which includes missiles for
air defence system, anti-tank missiles, jet fighters,
bombers and what not, is probably being processed
for quick delivery. It was with a sense of satisfaction
that Mr. Bhutto described that his visit was “fruitful”
r x>
you say’”. It looks that only one cat is out of the
bag. Some more may yet come out. Has Mr. Bhutto
promised a naval base for the US near the Pakistani
shore? Or has he succeeded in convincing the Ame
rican President and the Secretary of State that with
Sheikh Abdullah back in power the “Azad Kashmir”
problem will acquire a new dimension? Several other
questions also pop up.
All this is most distressing because with the in
duction of US arms into Pakistan there will be a
serious setback to the Simla spirit. The process of
normalisation will be hard hit. The series of initia
tives which resulted in the agreements to restore
trade, postal. travel, shipping and telecommunication
ties between India and Pakistan may get obfuscated.
What is more, the steadily improving bilateral
relations between India and the US will be naturally
vitiated by the lifting of the embargo. -

and “constructive”, whatever the latter word may

mean. And, he added the snide remark: “I better Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in a series of inter
not say more than that because the Secretary of views given during the Republic Day week had clearly
State has told me, you must be very eareful of what explained India's stand. In the Intervicv given to
*001ALIST INinra ****RUARY & 12:5
 the Japanese paper, “Asahi Shimbun”, she categori
cally stated that while India held out no threats to
Pakistan, “we would like Pakistan to
up any thoughts of threatening us”. And
she added. “We are not starting any nuclear
arms race in the region because we have no pro
gramme to manufacture nuclear weapons.” The Ex
ternal Affairs Minister, Shri Y. B. Chavan, and the
Defence Minister, Shri Swaran Singh, have within
the last one week made important statements reitera
ting the need for caution on the part of US in its
dealings with the countries of the sub-continent.
In this context, the sudden tilt once again in
favour of Pakistan is ununderstandable, especially
after all the statements by Dr. Henry Kissinger
during his visit to India and by the former US
give Ambassador in Delhi, Mr. Daniel Moynihan. (And
the new Ambassador, Mr. Saxbe has been sworn
in only the other day.)
Much is at stake. And it is hoped that the US
will realise that its own interests will not be served
by the lifting of the embargo. Should the US pro
mote arms race in spite of its many undertakings to
the contrary? Should it put in reverse gear the
machinery for working out better Indo-US relations?
Should the US be Janus-faced and speak with two
tongues? Should it behave like Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde?

CORRUPTION:
JANA SANGH
STYLE
The Jana Sangh image in Delhi,
which had never been so bright,
was further tarnished when a
Jana Sangh member of the Delhi
Municipal Corporation, Shri Shyam
Singh Chauhan, resigned last week
from the Party and told the Jana
Sangh Mayor, Shri Kidar Nath
Sahani in his face, “You and your
party are not only a party of rajas
and maharajas, capitalists and
businessmen, but also their
agents.”
The Jana Sangh had become,
Shri Chauhan went on, an organi
sation of “black marketeers and
money bags” and the way iron,
kirana, paper and textile whole
salers, who are members of the
party “are plundering the Delhi
Municipal Corporation through the
terminal tax is well known to
you.”
A few days later, the Jana Sangh
bosses did manage to win over
Shri Chauhan back to the party
fold but they could not save the
party from further disintegration.
Two senior members of the Cor
poration, Shri Jagdish Anand and
Shri Sohan Pal Sumanakshar quit
the party, disgusted with the ways
of the bosses. This left the party
in Corporation with a razor-thin
majority of two (including the
Mayor) in a House of 106.
The defections had come amidst
the rumours that the pro-RSS and
anti-RSS factions in the Jana
Sangh were at the loggerheads.
Both the defecting members al
leged that they were insulted by
other members. Shri Sumanakshar
added, “I have come out of the
SOCIALIST TNIDIA
party because I could not digest
these insults.” He said that he
had all these years helplessly
watched the anti-Harijan policy
of the Jana Sangh. The party lea
dership systematically frustrated
his attempts to protest against
these policies.
The party had not yet recovered
from these shocks (made worse
by rumours of more defections just
before the Mayoral election due in
April), when there came another
blow to the party in the form of
the second report of the Central
Bureau of Investigation which ex
plicity established the involvement
of the late Jana Sangh boss, Shri
Balraj Khanna, in the sensational
Rs. 36-lakh scandal in the Delhi
Municipal Corporation's Karol
Bagh zonal office. The report, re
leased in Delhi on January 31 and
that Khanna had taken thousands
of rupees from some former offi
cials and contractors of Corpora
tion belonging to the zonal office.
(Shri Khanna, who was Deputy
Mayor, had leapt to death from
the multi-storeyed building hous
ing the Jana Sangh organs, The
Motherland and Organiser last
summer under mysterious circum
stances. The allegations that
Khanna was liquidated by some top
people in the party were never
contradicted by the party bosses
or the party organs to the full
saticfaction of the people at large).
It may be recalled that Balraj
Khanna's son committed suicide
by shooting himself under myste
rious circumstances, a year ago.
The Jana Sangh in the Delhi
Municipal Corporation, as the
Delhi Pradesh Congress Commit
tee President, Shri H. K. L. Bha
gat, said in New Delhi last week
(Januarv. 29), is cracking under
the weight of its own corruption.
The grave and precise charges
levelled by those who were once
the most vocal supporters of the
Jana Sangh, against the party and
its leadership and the revelations
made by the CBI reports were only
the tip of the iceberg. More reve
lations may follow soon.
BIHAR CONGRESS CAMP
A three-day training camp will
be organised by the Bihar Pradesh
Congress Committee, at Rajgir
from February 9 to 11. The Camp
will be inaugurated by the Con
gress President, Shri Dev Kanta
Borooah.
Those slated for addressing the
Camp include, with the topics
given in brackets: Shri Jagjivan
Ram (Agriculture and Irrigation),
Shri H. D. Malaviya (History of
the Indian National Congress and
its Socialist Heritage), Dr. V. B.
Singh (Economic Outlook and
Planned Development with special
reference to private and Public
Secotrs), Shri R. K. Sinha (Our
Foreign Policy), Shri Jagdish
Joshi (Congress Programmes and
the Role of the Congress Organi
sation), Shri T. A. Pai (Industrial
Development and Civil Supplies),
Shri Chandrajit Yadav (Political
Situation and the Task before the
Congress) and Shri Darbara Singh
(Political situation and the Task
before the Congress).
The AICC General Secretary,
Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao and
Shri Uma Shankar Dikshit will
also address the trainees.
Shri P. V. NARASIMHA
RAO, General Secretary,
AICC, has taken over the
editorship of SOCIALIST
INDIA from this week.
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
 -
- - - * -
-------
Rural Labour On
The March
The First All-India Convention
of the Indian National Rural La
bour Federation was held at Bis
wan on February 1 and 2 under
the Presidentship of Shri B. C.
Bhagavati, M.P. President of the
INTUC and Chairman of the La
bour Cell of the AICC. It was at
tended by 350 delegates from all
over India right from Kerala to
Punjab and from Tripura-Assam
to Goa. (Biswan is a small town,
about 20 miles from Sitapur in
UP).
While inaugurating the Conven
tion, Shri D. K. Borooah, Presi
dent Indian National Congress
gave a stirring call to the landless
rural and agricultural labour to
organise under the banner of the
Federation to fight for their just
rights and appealed to all to or
ganise rural workers as industrial
workers so that they could secure
their legitimate rights. He further
said that the Convention is a his
torical one and will go a long way
in bettering the socio-economic
status of the rural labour who
had been hitherto neglected and
exploited. He also observed that
he considered himself fortunate to
inaugurate the Convention of ru
ral workers representing 15 cro
res living in the villages of India
and he hoped that it would be
the single largest union,--if orga
nised properly—in the country
and probably in the world.
‘Shri Bhagawati, in his presiden
tial address, said that this way
a humble effort by INTUC to or
'ganise rural workers and in fact
the prosperity of our country has
to be measured on the basis of
upliftment of the rural workers.
He appealed to all to help the Fe
deration to organise the rural
workers so that they could secure
their rights. .
Earlier, Shri Mahesh Tiwari,
Chairman of the Reception Com
mittee, welcomed the guests. Shri
G. M. Khode, General Secretary of
the Federation, gave a report of
the Federation's activities. In his
BOCIALIST INDIA
report, he stated that the idea
was mooted in 1971 at the Nagpur
Session of the INTUC to organise
the Federation and the first Pre
sident was Shri V. V. Dravid.
Thereafter, Shri Chandrika Pra
sad, MP became the President and
in 1974 Shri B. C. Bhagavati took
over as President and he himself
and Shri Chintamani Panigrahi,
MP were the General Secretaries.
Shri Buta Singh was the Organis
ing Secretary, when the new Exec
utive Committee was elected on
July 25, 1974. On August 15, 1974
the National Office of the Fede
ration was inaugurated at 162,
South Avenue, New Delhi, by Shri
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, President
of India.
The Conference was also addres
sed by Shri Kamlapati Tripathi
Shri B. P. Mauriya, Shri Balgovind
Verma.
Shri H. N. Bahuguna, Chief
Minister, UP, addressing the Con
vention said that country's free
dom would be in danger if any
of its constituents, like the land
less agricultural workers remain
weak or neglected. The Chief Mi
nister also pointed out that the
UP Government had taken seve
ral measures to give relief to rural
“BHOODAN" SILVER
JUBILEE GIFT
All surplus Government and
Bhoodan lands which have remain
ed undistributed will be disbursed
among the landless during the
Silver Jubilee Year of the Bhoodan
movement beginning April 18. The
proposal was conveyed by Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi to the
Vinoba
Bhoodan leader Acharya
Bhave (now in the third week of
his year-long “maun”) when she
met him briefly at Paunar Ashram
some time last month.
Briefing newsmen after the
Prime Minister's meeting with
Vinoba Bhave, Shri Shriman Nara
yan, a close associate of Bhave,
said that Smt. Indira Gandhi had
also told Bhave in a note that she
had asked the Chief Ministers to
collect land revenue in kind as
suggested by him.
The Maharashtra Chief Minis
ter, Shri V. P. Naik, and the Union
Minister of Health and Family
-> 5 FEBRUARY 8, 1975
workers and landless peasants by
distributing them lands and also
writing off old debts. He said an
organisation of this type would
go a long way in strengthening
the fight for rights of the rural
workers.
The Delegates' session was held
in the afternoon of February 2,
1975 and it passed the resolutions
proposed by Shri Chandrika Pra
sad, MP and seconded by Shri
Chimanbhai Mehta (Gujarat) and
Shri Premi from Punjab. In all 13
resolutions were passed.
U.P. CONVENTION
Earlier on February, 1975 the
Convention of UP landless labou
rers was held under the president
ship of Shri J. C. Dixit, MP Pre
sident, INTUC (UP State). It was
inaugurated by Shri B. C. Bhaga
vati. He appealed to the UP work
ers to organise rural labour and
make a strong organisation, Shri
V. V. Dravid, founder President
of the Federation and Vice-Pre
sident of INTUC addressing the
Convention said that he was
happy that the organisation was
taking roots and that UP had
been selected as the venue for
the first national convention.
Planning were also present at the
meeting.
RAJASTHAN TO TAKE OVER
EX-RULERS' FARMLANDS
The Rajasthan Government will
soon take over all agricultural
land, tanks, landing grounds, pas
tureland and “shikargahas” of
former princes under the Raj
asthan Land Reforms and Acqui
sition of Land Owners' Estates
(Amendment) Ordinance. The
Ordinance replaces an Act of the
same name enacted on April 13,
1964 but rendered ineffective by
the High Court.
Under the Ordinance, all trans
fers of agricultural land by the ex
rulers either by way of sale, mort
gage or gift made after April 13,
1964 will not be recognised by the
Government. Estate owners will he
entitled to compensation at the
rate of Seven times the net in
come from the land.

Prime Minister On
“Stree Shakti”
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Candhi, has called upon women
to organise a strong consumers'
movement in the country to thwart
the designs of profiteers, hoarders
and blackmarketeers.
Inaugurating the centenary ce
lebrations of the Young Women's
Christian Association (YWCA) at
Bombay on February 1, Smt.
Gandhi said: “Boycott, all things
that are connected with evil. I keshwari Sinha, for a sounvenir
am not against foreign goods. In
fact, ultimately we want one world
where each country shares what
it has with the other. But in India,
for some time at least, we must
restrict ourselves.”
The Prime Minister said women
had to bear the brunt of rising
prices and shortages and they
must therefore devise measures to
“face the challenge”. She said:
“We have to sit down and think
how best to face the challenge
and devise measures to meet them.
Agitations solve no problems. Let
us have some constructive think
ing.”
Smt. Indira Gandhi referred to
Acharya Vinoba Bhave's call for
developing “Stree Shakti" (Wo
man power) and said that she was
all for it. She, however, said that
it was possible only when enligh
tened women would come forward
in a spirit of dedication.
The Prime Minister said that in
the International Women's Year,
the women of India should adopt
constructive approach to the prob
lems facing the country. She said:
“We do not want to have conflicts
but we have to go about in such
a way that we solve our problems
through our own talents, know
ledge and experience.”
About India's progress, Smt.
Indira Gandhi noted that India had
made a great deal of progress
since independence but “it got lost
vastness of our
because of the
SOCIALIST INDIA
population and the gigantic pro
portions of our problems.”
The Prime Minister complimen
ted the YWCA for its secular po
licies and said that she was happy
to be associated with the YWCA
Centenary celebrations. She recal
led that she herself had once
availed of the facilities provided by
the YWCA in London. She said
that women formed the “largest
minority in the world.” and “by
helping this minority, YWCA is
helping the majority (men) as
Well.”
INTERVIEW TO
TARAKESHWARI SINHA
In an interview with Smt. Tar
brought out on the occasion of
the Eastern Zone Congress Wo
men's Conference on February 1,
Smt. Indira Gandhi said there was
a need for Women's Lib in India
not as a separate movement but as
“one which prepares them for a
more dynamic contribution to the
restructuring of our society.”
The Prime Minister stressed the
need for creating social awareness
among women and fully harness
ing their talents. She pointed out
that “too little attention is paid
to identifying and fostering the
talents of girls.” She said that
though there was no discrimina
tion against women in Government
persisted particularly in the pri
vate sector. “We are taking this
up and have been able to persuade
many States to do a way with this
disparity in drought relief pay
ments,” she said.
Smt. Gandhi drew a distinction
between the kind of Women's Lib
asked for in the West and the one
needed in India. She said: “The
women's liberation here truly be
gan when our freedom movement
became a mass movement under
Mahatma Gandhi. He had the poli
tical foresight to realise that if
women's power was harnessed, the
strength of the nationalist move
ment would be reinforced.” She
asked women to think for them
selves and view problems in the
larger perspective.
The Congress President, Shri D.
K. Borooah, has also called upon
CONGRESS PRESIDENT'S
CALL TO WOMEN
women to contribute their efforts
to save democracy from the for
ces of violence. Inaugurating the
Eastern Zone Congress Women's
Convention at Patna on February
1, Shri Borooah said that women
had a special role to play in check
ing the upsurge of violence and in
encouraging the forces of peace
and non-violence. º
EQUAL PAY FOR
WONMEN
Legislation to end discrimi
nation based on sex in pay
ment of wages and to ensure
to women the right of equal
pay for work is expected to
be introduced in Parliament
during the budget session.
The Government is also
considering setting up a per
manent cell in the Labour Mi
nistry to deal with the pro
blems encountered by women
and children in employment.
At a recent seminar organi
sed by the International Lab
our Office in Tokyo, it was
disclosed that India and Sri
Lanka are the only countries
which do not have any special
cell to look after the employ
ment needs of women.
The Government is keen to
see that women get equal op
portunities for public employ”
ment. Women workers in the
organised sector number
around 2.1 million and consti
tute 12 per cent of the nation's
Work force.
Cº. IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
 i_
J.P.'s BRAND OF
ANARCHISM
JAG MoHAN
Jayaprakash Narayan seems to me a humanist
with the heart of a poet and the predelictions of an
anarchist. How else can one explain his career ever
since he defied the British police in the 'forties? He
was so moved by the atrocities perpetrated by them
on the nationalists that he had don the mantle of
a Scarlet Pimpernel. In those days he was here, he
was there—and yet nowhere could he be found. He
became a legendary freedom-fighter.
Years later, when JP got acquainted with the
abominable conditions in which the landless were
living, he plunged headlong into the Bhoodan move
ment to alleviate their conditions. He became a
"Jeevan Dani”.
During the days of the Bihar famine, he was
again so touched by the plight of the people and the
slowness of bureaucracy in giving out the doles that
he got involved in relief work. He did the maximum
that any single individual could do.
Still later, when he came to know of the depre
dations of the dacoits of Madhya Pradesh, he went
to the root of the matter and decided to reform the
dacoits and thus ensure freedom for the people who
had suffered. He could effect the change of heart
among the dacoits in a miraculous manner.
Lastly, when he became aware of the atrocities
committed by the minions of Yahya Khan in what is
now Bangladesh, he was one of the first to focus pub
lic attention and build up public opinion against the
genocide that was going on.
Only one who is essentially a humanist and who
has experienced the instant revulsion of a poet to
man's inhumanity to man could have done all that
JP has done during the past three decades and more.
And whatever he did he did with a flourish — with
faith, originality of approach, freshness of vision,
contempt for rewards and the recklessness of an
anarchist.
“LOK NAYAK”
Now in 1974, a septuagenarian veteran of the
national struggle and one who had gone through the
entire gamut of politics from Marxism to Gandhism,
JP has decided to emerge from retirement into the
full glare of publicity to which a “Lok Nayak” is
entitled. Not that he willed it or wanted the halo.
But the ways of the world being what they are, un
wittingly he has become the leader of a movement
which has been hailed as revolutionary by his admi
rers and counter-revolutionary by his detractors,
MYCALIST RNDIA 2 *::RRUARY 8, 1975
Once again, therefore, the humanist, the poet
and the anarchist in JP are at work. He found the
masses in the coils of inflationary pressures and
soaring prices. He could not bear the reality of the
people being denied the essentials of life. All around
him he found corruption, black-marketing, hoarding,
swindling and racketeering. The students' movement
in Gujarat acted as a catalyst. And the almost dead
embers of revolutionary fervour got rekindled in him.
TOTEMISTIC SYMBOL
The situation in Bihar, his home State, which he
has known intimately from the days of the Bihar
earthquake, beckoned him. Abdul Ghafoor became
his bete noire and the Congress Party his bitter ene
my. He entered the fray. But it was a fluid political
situation towards which the Jana Sangh and the RSS,
the Anand Marg and the BKD (before the BLD emer
ged from it), the Swatantra Party and the Socialist
Party could not but converge. The astute, calculating
leaders of these parties and groups found in him a
Messiah, a leader with a charismatic personality, a
veritable banyan tree under which they could con
veniently take shelter and also thrive.
It is thus that JP, wittingly or unwittingly, has
become the magic-formula leader of parties with
different party programmes and structures. This
motley crowd worked out a united front under him
and spoke with one strident voice, because these par
ties and their leaders had one overriding passion—
the compulsive desire to overthrow the Congress in
the States and at the Centre and to topple the Indira
Gandhi Government by fair means or foul.
These Opposition leaders found in JP a fetishis
tic, totemistic symbol to weld themselves into an
alliance grander than the “Grand Alliance” of 1971.
They mouthed mealy phrases of rare unanimity,
endorsed whatever JP said and did and whipped up
a lot of enthusiasm among themselves and others, but
their eyes were set on the election whenever it may
take place. They are least interested in the partyless
democracy that JP has been talking about. And they
are not untainted by the corruption which JP has
been decrying. They are hardboiled, business-minded
politicians in whom humanism is never the forte.
Poetry, of course, would be an unknown factor; and
anarchism would be their despair!
They would get as much disillusioned with JP as
the latter would get frustrated by their moves and
shifts. As an old-time Gandhian who has been an
honest-to-goodness Sarvodaya leader, JP should have
pondered over the fundamental problem of ends and
means before he decided to achieve laudable ends
through doubtful and shady means. -
It is against this background that the JP agi
tation, which was sparked off by the events in Guja
rat, has to be objectively assessed. In Gujarat, the
agitation led by the students was a flop. None of the
objectives was achieved. Prices did not plummet
—unless much later when the Government launched
anti-inflationary monsures and an anti-smuggling
drive. Corruption has not been effaced. The move
ment which was artificially bolstered up frittered
away due to factions.
In Bihar the assembly has not been dissolved.
The schools and colleges conducted their examina
tions. The students did not desert their desks and go
after the fisher of future leaders. The administra
tive apparatus has not broken down. The industrial
workers and the agrarian labourers are still wary of
what is going on. His constantly shifting objectives
have been taking JP to Kurukshetra, where the battle
between the Pandavas and Kauravas could not be
simulated, and to Lucknow and other places.
The “total revolution” which JP has been harp
ing about has a mystique of its own. Concocted by
the humanist, the poet and the anarchist in him, the
concept of “total revolution” is rather vague.
TOTAL REVOLUTION
One of the cornerstones of JP's current philoso
phy is that the Indian democratic structure, with its
checks and balances, the traditions of the past two
and half decades and the fact that it has been func
tioning excellently much to the admiration of politi
cal scientists, must be scrapped. This is most upset
ting and heartrending at a time when we have just
celebrated the Silver Jubilee of our Republic and our
Constitution. Even though the Constitution has been
amended to suit the exigencies of the times, basically
it is a magnificent document and we have been only
greening under it. And there is scope for further im
proving it and making it an instrument for an inte
grated national life.
What JP is offering as an alternative lies someº.
where between the utopian concepts of the early
Socialists and the unworkable concepts of hippy com
munes. Anyone who has studied the history of demo
cracy, as it has evolved from Athens to Rome to
Geneva and Paris and Gettysberg, from Pericles to
Plato, from Rousseau to Jefferson, will be intrigued
by what JP is talking about. Has he given any thought
to the concepts of primary democracy, committee
democracy, representative democracy, the referendum
and delegated authority? What sort of amalgam is he
trying to create? Has he pondered over the implica
tions of personal choice, the criteria of competence
and economy and the time factor?
The theoretical aspects appear not to have been
worked out. Is it JP's contention that out of the cruci
ble of experiment he will work out a formula? One be
gins to suspect that it is all a lot of tall talk and a
gamble into the unknown which only an anarchist can
afford. The country at present cannot afford such
anarchy. There must be more production and certainly
not counter-productive flights of fancy. A resolute
national will is needed to get over the mess created by
worldwide inflation. “More production, just distri
bution, more exports”—that must be the slogan for
the difficult times through which we are passing.
The fight against corruption is another corner
stone of the JP movement. Nobody wants corruption.
Fiven as much as the Opposition is against it, so is
the ruling party. Although corruption of all kinds
SOCIALIST INDIA
has got woven into the fabric of our life, we have
remedies too through parliamentary, legislative and
- administrative means. What is required is constant
vigilance and the will neither to corrupt others nor
to get corrupted. Corruption is not anything peculiar
to India nor a recent phenomenon. Ways and means
have to be worked out conscientiously to weed it
out from our national life. It is inherent in capita
lism and in a mixed economy as we have in India.
Even in socialist countries it has not been eradi
cated. A long-term campaign may minimise but not
efface it, human nature being what it is. A prag
matic attitude is necessary.
Electoral reform is yet another cornerstone of
the JP movement. When we embarked on the voyage
of democracy 25 years ago, our founding fathers
could not have anticipated all the loopholes in the
structure nor the aberrations of men and women.
With the passage of time the need for reforms has
arisen. The Congress as much as the Opposition
parties has been keen on electoral reforms. After all,
if we have to make our democracy viable—and envi.
able to others—then we have to sort out our pro
blems and do the needful. In this regard, JP has
not been the first person to voice the demand. There
have been others. This matter needs looking into
seriously and I am sure a consensus can be arrived
at.
THE CONGRESS: A DYNAMIC PARTY
And, finally, the fourth cornerstone: the remo º:
val of the Congress Governments in the Centre and
the States. It is worth remembering that this year
the Congress is 90 years old. As the premier politi.
--
cal party it has had a commendable history both
before and after independence. Most of the Oppo
sition parties have been either offshoots of the
Congress or were the result of reaction to it. At
various times the Opposition parties have functioned
effectively; at other times they have been on the
treasury benches. But if they are divided, if they
lack coherence, if they lack vision, the blame can"
not be laid at the door of the Congress. It would be
worth their while to study the dynamics of “One
Party Democracy” in India and make fresh assess
ments and appraisals. But if the Opposition finds
fault with the masses who have immense political
intuition, if they want to scrap the democratic insti
tutions, if they want to lead this country towards
anarchy and make it an experimental ground for
alien forces to play havoc, then every thinking
person must resolutely say, “No, never”.
JP is a free man, functioning in an open society
and a free country. He is entitled to his humanism,
his poetry and even his anarchy. But he is not free
to foist his brand of anarchism on the country with
the aid of people whom he would have hated to
consort with.
As a national leader, he should be consciou"
that India is great. He should do his best to make
it greater. His present movement, if it goes furthe.
will only make India weaker and poorer. It is left
to him to make his choice. But the country ca"
withstand him and survive him. (courtesy: GANDH"
MARG).
: FEBRUARY 8, 1915

20 Years of Fruitful Economic
Assistance From USSR
On February 2, 1975, the Indo
Soviet economic cooperation com
pleted two eventful decades. Du
ring these years, the cooperation
between these two countries cove
red many significant fields such
as steel production, power genera
tion; production of coal, oil,
non-ferrous metals like aluminium,
copper, and zinc, drugs and phar
maceuticals, heavy machinery and
equipment, the manufacture of
precision tools, railway transport,
agricultural development, science
and technology and bilateral trade.
This phenomenal growth of
Indo-Soviet economic cooperation
was achieved because from the
very beginning the economic co
operation between these two
countries was oriented towards
promoting India's economic deve
lopment, through expanding bila
teral trade, promoting industrial
cooperation, facilitating the trans
fer of know-how, the training of
specialists and skilled , manpower
and a variety of other measures
designed to help India develop its
economy and achieve a great deg
ree of self-reliance.
STEEL PRODUCTION
In pursuance of this the Soviet
assistance has been largely made
available for the establishment of
basic industries like mining of raw
materials, ferrous and non-ferrous
metals, oil and power, heavy ma
chinery, drugs and pharmaceuti
cals, precision instruments and
the development of agriculture,
Science and technology.
Inclusive of the Soviet credit
for India's Fourth Five-Year Plan,
the Soviet Union has so far pro
vided about Rs. 1,022 crores.
There are about 80 projects which
have been built or which are under
Construction and designing with
Soviet assistance.
The fruitful course of Indo
Soviet economic cooperation was
launched by means of the econo
mic agreement signed on Febru
SOCIALIST INDIA
ary 2, 1955, for the construction of
the Bhilai steel plant. Bhilai which
now produces 2.5 million tonnes of
steel served as a training ground
for the future metallurgists of
India. Under the latest agreement,
the capacity of the Bhilai plant is
to be progressively raised to seven
million tonnes.
But Bhilai gave birth to Bokaro
which makes bid to become the
country's biggest steel plant with
an ultimate capacity of 10 million
tonnes. Bokaro has been hailed as
the last word in steel technology.
POWER DEVELOPMENT
The Indo-Soviet cooperation has
made a substantial contribution to
the growth of India's power supply
and the creation of a power indus
try.
Five thermal power stations at
Neyveli, Korba, Obra, Patratu and
Harduaganj and five hydro power
stations at Bhakra Right Bank,
Hirakud, Mettur, Balimela and Lo
wer Sileru have come up with a
total capacity of nearly 3 million
kilowatts. Besides, the Soviet co
operation enabled India to set up
its premier power equipment plant
at Hardwar with a capacity to pro
duce yearly equipment to gene
rate 2.7 million kilowatts of power.
The Soviet assistance for the
development of India's coal indus
try began in the early 'sixties.
India developed through the So
viet cooperation the Banki, Sura
and Khachhar underground mines,
the Manikpur open-cast mine in
Madhya Pradesh, the Kathara coal
washery, the mining equipment
factory at Durgapur and the cen
tral electrical and mechanical
workshop at Korba.
By another agreement signed in
December 1966, the Soviet Union
helped the establishment of five
open-cast mines with an annual
capacity of 6.5 million tonnes of
coking coal to meet the requires.
ments of Bokaro and Bhilai.
i 9
Besides these under a new
agreement, the Soviet Union is to
provide technical
building up two more
assistance in
open-cast
mines at Singrauli with a capacity
of 8 to 10 million tonnes each and
two highly mechanised mines at
Raniganj with an annual capa
city of 5.2 million tonnes.
The development of coking coal
deposits at Ramnagar in Bihar is
also being undertaken with the
Soviet assistance. This is esti
mated to produce about three
million tonnes of coking coal.
The Soviet Union is also help
ing India in the survey of coal
deposits in the Mirzapur area in
Uttar Pradesh.
The coal mining machinery plant
at Durgapur set up in coopera
tion with the Soviet Union can
manufacture 45,000 tonnes of
various items of coal mining
machinery.
OIL DEVELOPMENT
The cooperation in the oil indus
try occupies a special place in the
field of Indo-Soviet economic rela
tions. The saga of this coopera
tion began when the Soviet Union
sent its first oil delegation under
Prof. Kalinin to make a report on
India's oil prospects.
In concrete terms, the Soviet
Union has helped India establish
two oil refineries of three million
tonne capacity each at Barauni
and. Koyali. It is also committed
to assist the establishment of
India's biggest oil refinery at
Mathura with a capacity of six
million tonnes. Thus, out of eight
oil refineries in Public Sector, the
Soviet Union's assistance contri
butes to the establishment of three.
The Soviet Union has recently
offered technical assistance in
energy conservation, augmentation
of capacity, improvement in pro
duction patterns and improvement
in the service factor of the refi
neries.
The Soviet Union has also un
dertaken to help intensify oil
exploration work in the Assam
Arakan and Tripura sedimentary
basins. Already good oil deposits
have been discovered in Galoki
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
(Assam) and Tripura. The explo
ration of the Bombay High has also
been assisted by the Soviet spe
cialists. The Soviet Union has re
cently agreed to supply special
drilling rigs and equipment for
raising the rate of exploration and
extraction.
NON-FERROUS METALS
There has been significant So
viet contribution in the develop
ment of India's production of non
ferrous metals, particularly alumi
nium plant has been set up with
the assistance from the Soviet
Union and Hungary.
The Soviet Union has offered to
assist in establishing another five
lakh tonne aluminium plant in
Madhya Pradesh. The entire pro
duction from this is expected
to be sold to the Soviet Union, an
example of “production-coopera
tion” project, envisaged in the 15
year economic agreement signed by
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and
Mr. Brezhnev in December 1973.
In the field of copper produc
tion, the Soviet Union is helping
India develop the deposits at
Malanj-Khand in Madhya Pradesh.
This plant will be the most ad
vanced in this field in India. It
will produce about 30,000 tonnes
of copper. -
The development of indigenous
drugs and pharmaceutical indus
try was brought about largely with
the Soviet assistance. The surgi
cal instruments plant at Madras,
synthetic drugs plant at Hardwar
and the anti-biotics plant at
Rishikesh have all been built with
the Soviet assistance.
Prominent among the other pro
jects which have come up in the
country with the Soviet assistance,
is the heavy machine building
plant at Ranchi and the precision
instruments plant at Kota which
is now meeting a major part of
the country's demand for sophisti
cated control instruments.
The development of the Metal
lurgical and Engineering Consul
tants India Limited, (MECON) at
Ranchi has also received considera
ble assistance from the Soviet
Union. This was set up in coopera
tion with Gipromez, *he Soviet
SOCIALIST INDIA
Union's foremost metailurgical scientific cooperation and prepared
institute. a separate protocol.
In September 1974, a team of The Soviet Union is also help
Soviet experts held discussions ing in the development of compu
with their Indian counterparts on ter technology. A giant Soviet
the question of “production computer, BESM-VI, capable of
cooperation” in the field of ma performing a million operations
chine-tool building. This is another per second has been installed at
field of cooperation which has a the Bhabha Atomic Research Cen
great future. tre. The Soviet Union has offer
ed recently a “third generation"
The Soviet Union is helping In computer, one of its latest models,
dia in the construction of its first
to the Administrative Staff College
underground railway in Calcutta in Hyderabad.
costing about Rs. 140 crores.
PHARMACEUTICALS The expanding Indo-Soviet eco
The Soviet assistance in the nomic cooperation was facilitated
establishment of the Suratgarh by the framework designed in the
State Farm triggered off the suc early fifties for promoting Indo
cessful movement for more such Soviet trade. The first trade agree
farms in the country. There are ment was signed in December 1953.
now 14 of them and the machinery Since then four long-term trade
for five of them has been provided agreements have been signed
by the Soviet Union. during these 20 years, each more
or less synchronising with India's
The development of science and five-year Plans.
technology in India has also re
ceived considerable assistance and During this period, the trade
cooperation from the Soviet Union. turnover had grown from Rs. 1.3
The Indo-Soviet Joint Commission crores in 1953 to Rs. 430 crores
at its first meeting in February in 1973 and this is expected to
1973 gave great importance to reach Rs. 650 crores in 1974.
NOTICE INVITING TENDER
Percentage rate tenders obtainable on payment of Rs. 2/- each tender
form for the below noted works are hereby invited from the approved
WD Contractors/Labour & Construction Societies on 17–2–1975 at 3-30
P.M. and will be opened on the same day in the presence of the tend
erers or their representatives who may like to be present.
Sl. Description of work Amount Earnest Time
No. Money Limit
Rs. Rs.
1. Constg. Chilling Centre at 1,60,000/- 3,200/- 1 year &
Kalanaur. 6 months
2. Establishment of Rural-cum
Distribution Centre Gurdaspur. z
(composite to Milk Plant). 2,08,000/- 4,200/- 2 years
NOTE: Tenderers should give his complete address of correspondence
in his tender. Failing that tender is liable to rejection.
CONDITIONS:
1. Detailed N.I.T. and estimate can be seen in the office of the under
signed during working hours on a working day.
2. Conditional Tenders and tenders without earnest money are liable
to rejection.
3. No tender form will be sold/issued after 3-00 P.M. of the tender
ing day.
4. Earnest money in the shape of Cash, Deposit at Call/Treasury Chal
lan will be accepted.
5. The contractors shall have to keep in his possession a copy of PWD
Specification latest edition and show to the Executive Engineer on
demand on tender's day failing which tender is liable to rejection.
Sd/-
Executive Engineer,
Provincial Division
Punjab PWD B&R Branch,
Gurdaspur.
... -- FEBRUARY 8, 1918

CONGRESS TRAINING CAMP
AT AHNTEDABAD
On bahalf of the Ahmedabad
City District Congress Committee
as per the directive of the Gujarat
Pradesh Congress Committee, a
Political Training Camp of the
Congress workers of Ahmedabad
city was organised at Solabhagwit
Widyapith on January 18 and 19
1975. The flag salutation ceremony
on January 18 at 9-00 a.m. was
performed by the President Shri
Ahasan Husain Jafri.
In his speech, Shri Jafri pointed
out that the Right reactionaries
have launched an organised at
tack upon the democratic, prog
ressive and social forces in our
country. With a view to finish
them off at this critical moment,
it is necessary that our political
workers should have the scientific
and exact understanding of the
political situation prevailing in our
country and elsewhere and for that
such Training Camps are absolu
tely necessary. Till we get the
scientific and exact understanding
of the fast changing society and
situation, it would not be possible
for us to frame the exact image
and picture of the new society and
till then we cannot play the pro
per role in its formation.
The Shibir (camp) was inaugu
rated by Shri D. D. Khosla, AICC
Member. In this Training camp.
five sessions were held and the in
structive and subject-wise discus
sions took place as under:
1. History of the Congress:—
Shri D. I.). Khosla and Shri Kanti
lal Ghia; 2. Present political situa
tion and tasks before the Cong
ress: Shri Jashwant Chauhan; 3.
The Indian Constitution in light
of “Garibi Hatao”: Shri Harubhai
Mehta; 4. Foreign Policy of our
country: Shri Ganshyambhai Oza;
5. Economic perspective plan and
Tevelopment: Shri Jitendra Dho
lakia's note and Shri Jashwant
Mehta; 6. Problems of the Muni
cipal Corporation: Shri Vadilal
SOCMALIST INDIA
Kamdar; 7. Basis of the time
bound programme: Shri Chiman
Mehta; 8. Problems of the slum
dwellers: Shri Ramlal Ruplal; 9.
Urban Property ceilings: Shri
Manubhai Palkhiwala; 10 Trade
Unions and its problems; Shri
Chotumal Rana; 11. Democracy
and its movements: Shri Gulam
Hyder Momin; 12 Youths and
politics; Shri Navin Shastri; 13.
Problems of Congress Seva Dal:
Shri Murlidar Suman; 14 Prob
lems of minorities: Shri Dawood
bhai Desai; and 15. Scientific so
cialism: a discussion: Shri Jash
want Chauhan.
In this Camp, Gujarat Congress
leaders, Shri Kumudben Joshi,
Shri Prabodh Raval, Shri Magan
bhai Barot, Shri Yogendra
Makwana and Shri Bhikhubha
Zala, also remained present. One
hundred thirty-eight Congress
workers were invited to partici
pate in the Political Training
Camp. Out of them 119 attended.
In the Camp, the workers had il
luminating and thorough discus
sions regarding the Congress and
its problems and they have deci
ded to make the Congress an in
strument to solve the present
problems facing the people.
In the valedictory speech, the
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Com
mittee President. Shri Madhavsinh
Solanki, said that it was his plea
sure and privilege that he was at
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
11
tending the first District Cong
ress Workers' Camp of Ahmeda
bad Congress workers in Gujarat.
He said: “I have got full confidence
and great hope that the Congress
workers of Ahmedabad will be in
the forefront of movement of the
solution of the burning problems
of the jeople, make the Congress
an instrument for the speedy so
lution of these problems, and I
have supreme confidence that the
Congress workers of Ahmedabad
will act as ‘disciplined army' to
implement the Congress prog
ramme with exemplary zeal. I have
not an iota of doubt in my mind
that the Congress workers in Ah
medabad will, brighten the image
of the Congress in the eyes of the
people. I have full confidence that
under the Presidentship, steward
ship and leadership of Shri Aha
san Husain Jafri, the Congress
workers of Ahmedabad will be
come more united to take up the
challenge of coming elections.”
The Congress workers had shown
their active interest in the organi
sation of this Camp and acted as
a coherent group. The arrange
ment for food was excellent and
the entire credit goes to the Con
gress workers, Shri Kantilal
Shukla and Shri Dayabhai Patel.
The Trustee and Manager of the
Bhagwat Vidyapith gave complete
co-operation by giving their pre
mises for the Camp.
At the end of two days' Camp,
the Congress workers of Ahmeda
bad have come out with full confi
dence and higher understanding
regarding the organisation and
political knowledge. The Camp was
conducted in the most sincere and
useful manner. The camp has pro
ved a successful event in the his
tory of Ahmedabad Congress.
FEBRUARY 8, 1975

LAND REFORMS
IN THE STATES
Land distributed by the States
from the total area declared Sur
plus on the basis of the ceiling
laws operative both before
after the recent Constitutional
Amendment is calculated at 15.68
lakh acres. The surplus area dis
tributed before the last Constitu
tional revision was 15.50 lakh
acres.
ceiling und to bring about broad
uniformity is complete in Andhra
Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana,
Jammu and
Punjab,
Uttar Pradesh.
Kashmir, Karnataka,
Orissa, Rajasthan and
In Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
and West Bengal, the ceiling law
had been revised before the na
tional guidelines were issued. How
ever, considerable progress has
been made in these States in taking
and over surplus land and distributing
it.
The revised land ceiling law of
Maharashtra is yet to be assented
to by the President. It has been
Though most of the States have
provided restrictons on evictions,
limitations on the right of resump
tion of land by landowners for per
sonal cultivation in the Bihar and
Tamil Nadu, in some areas of
:
Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab
and Haryana security of tenants
is not adequately guaranteed.
In bringing about reforms in
consolidation of holdings, 14
States, namely, Andhra Pradesh,
Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kash
mir, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal
Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pra
desh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajas'
than, Uttar Pradesh and West
Bengal have already passed legis

It has been estimated that when

the revised ceiling laws are fully
implemented, an area of 40.62
1akh acres will be available
distribution. Perhaps, this can be
taken as a standard for assessing
the implementation of the land
ceiling laws in the States.
Among the States, West Bengal
ranks first in distributing the larg
est area of surplus land. The State
distributed 5.83 lakh acres—follow
observed that the Maharashtra
Land Ceiling Bill departs from the
national guidelines. The Bill is
being examined jointly by the
Union Government and the Maha
for rashtra Government to bring it
in conformity with the national
guidelines.
Likewise, the revised land ceil
ing law of Assam was enacted
with the assent of the Governer.
However, the Central Government
has advised the State to re-enact
the law with a view to obtaining
lations. The laws of Gujarat,
Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal
provide for voluntary consolida.
:
3.
tion while others have provision
for compulsory consolidation.
It has often been observed that
the implementation of land reforms
is a time-consuming process. Variº
ous stages have to be passed
through before surplus land is
mopped up for distribution. Many
instances have been reported of im:
plementation being delayed in
some States as a result of injunct -*

ed by Jammu and Kashmir with the President's assent. The Pondi tions or stay orders.
4.50 lakh acres. The Uttar Pra
desh Government distributed 2.02
cherry land reforms law has al
ready been enacted. A decision has
º
lakh acres and Maharashtra 1.89 been taken to extend the Punjab
lakh acres. Land Ceiling Law to Chandigarh
Comparatively, Andhra Pradesh
also. The Delhi land ceiling law ADVERTISE
is to be amended shortly. Naga
distributed the smallest area of land and Meghalaya do not pro
surplus land which is calculated at pose to enact land ceiling laws, as
872 acres, followed by Bihar with there is largely communal owner
797 acres. Haryana and Punjab ship of land in those States. IN
together distributed 1.29 lakh
acres. The areas of surplus land The abolition of intermediaries
distributed by Gujarat, Tamil is complete in almost all the
Nadu, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh States. Nevertheless, some of them
and Assam are .36 lakh acres,
still remain and steps are afoot
.44 lakh acres, .27 lakh acres, .21 to abolish them, as well. This has
lakh acres, and .11 lakh acres res
peetively.
been one of the main objectives of SUGILIST
With the recent revisions of land
ceilings, an additional 5.8
acres of surplus
lakh
land could be
taken over of which 12,660 acres
land policy during the Fifth Five
Year Plan, since it seeks to re
move impediments in ensuring
equality of tenure and opportunity
to all sections of the rural popu
lation.
|RDII. :
º

are in Kerala, 23,660 acres in

Tamil Nadu and 21,060 acres
West Bengal.
in
Revised land ceiling measures
have been enacted in almost all
the States and are , in different
stages of implementation. Revision
of the celling laws to lower the
However, much headway could
º
not be made in tenancy reforms.
The tenancy laws were introduced REGULARLY
with a view to bringing down the
rates of rent of agricultural land
leased out by landowners and to
º
mrovide security to the farmers. _

ºnAºnº Inºº, * *
*
- ** -** * * *
*Frt-u

ramuany u" .
—-
- - - - - -
EUROPE IN
THE '70s
DR. V. DASHICHEV
The author is the head of the
Sector for Foreign Policy Problems
in the Institute for the Economics
of the World Socialist System of
the Academy of Sciences of the
USSR.
The past five-year period holds
a special place in the history of
post-war development in Europe.
These were years of the “great
dialogue” between States belong
ing to two systems, a dialogue that
has in large part determined the
continent's future and its role in
the world. In substance, dynamism
and importance of events, and in
the breadth of their consequences,
this period is unique in the history
of European politics generally.
The treaties between the USSR
and the Polish People's Republic
On one hand and the Federal Ger
man Republic on the other, the
four-power agreement on West
Berlin, the expansion of Franco
Soviet cooperation, the regulation
by treaty of relations between the
German Democratic Republic and
the Federal German Republic, the
recognition of the German Socia
list State, the Treaty between
Czechoslovakia and the Federal
German Republic, the European
wide forum of 35 countries on se
curity and cooperation, the nego
tiations to reduce armed forces in
Central Europe, the achievement
of mutual understanding between
the USSR and USA on cardinal
questions of world and European
policy, the series of treaties on
economic, scientific-technical and
cultural cooperation between the
capitalist and socialist countries
of Europe—all these are links in
a great process signifying the
transition from the Cold War pe
riod and perilous confrontation to
a new historical period of peace
ful coexistence and cooperation
among States with different social
systems.
The historical importance and
B0CLALIST INDIA
mission of these events, their
deeply humanistic significance, lies
above ail in their having appre
ciably reduced the danger of war
between the two world systems, in
their serving as an important path
finder for solving the great task
of the present day—transforming
Europe into a continent of peace.
Europe has experienced over
450 wars in long history. Of these,
the last two escalated into world
wide conflicts causing the death of
tens of millions of human beings.
Neither Europe nor mankind could
survive a third such war in view
of the horrifying destructive power
of modern nuclear missiles.
HISTORIC JUNCTURES
But wars are only one aspect of
the history of our continent.
Europe is the cradle of contempo
rary civilisation. Its role in man
kind's development may be com
pared with a locomotive in terms
of social, economic, scientific
technical, and cultural progress.
Europe gave the world the bour
geois revolution—the gravedigger
of feudalism. It proclaimed the
great slogan of “Freedom, equality
and fraternity!” The flowering of
“industrial society” is associated
with Europe. The “Communist
Manifesto” appeared in Europe as
did the historic motto of “Workers
of the World, Unite!” Europe also
gave the world the Great October
Revolution, heralding the birth of
a new social order. After Russia,
socialism was established in an
other eight European countries.
The main line between capitalism
and socialism runs through Europe.
In our times, from Europe also
came the danger of a new world
conflict, a direct conflict between
the two systems. But Europeans
have mustered the wisdom, cour
age and determination to divert
development from a perilous “divi
sion of the field” into the waters
of peaceful competition. The great
principles of peaceful coexistence,
having emerged in Europe with the
first socialist state, were realis
tically materialised for the first
time in Europe. Initial and decisive
steps in the direction of a relaxa
tion in international tension were
made in Europe, and from there
18
the process expanded further. And
so Europe wrote a new page in
mankind's history and became the
prophet of a new era in interna
tional relations.
The significance of these historic
junctures becomes particularly
evident when the evolution of the
problems of war and peace in
Europe is traced, even if only in
broad outline. Once upon a time a
pentarchial structure of interna
tional relations prevailed in this
continent of ours. The fate of
peace was decided by five States—
England, France, Russia, Germany
and Austro-Hungary, through the
combinations of forces and coali
tions they formed. The “balance”
established by those States and
leading to the cleavage of Europe
on the grounds of inter-imperialist
antagonisms, could not withstand
the generated tensions and finally
led to the First World War.
In the between-wars period,
when a complex combination of
interimperialist contradictions was
compounded by antagonism bet
ween capitalism and socialism, the
confrontation between individual
countries and groups of countries
acquired an even more dangerous
character.
INDIVISIBILITY OF PEACE
This was graphically demonstra
ted in attempts to organise all
manner of blockades against the
USSR. It suffices to recall, for
instance, the Paris Peace Con
ference of 1919–1920 and the sub
sequent peace treaties: Versailles,
Saint-Germain, Trianon, Neuilly
and Sevres. It was on these trea
ties that the Versailles “peace” sys
tem rested, motivated not only on
the desire to consolidate the do
mination of the imperialist States
as a countervailing forces to others
but also by its most important
feature — the opposition of capi
talist Europe to the young Soviet
Republic. But the principle of
“omnes contra omnes” was domi
nant in the end. Thus from the
very beginning were the seeds of
a future world conflict sown in the
Versailles system.
Another similar example is that
of the Locarno Conference of 1925
followed by the signing of the
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
London Treaty on the West Euro
pean guarantee pact. This was
nothing but an effort by the West
ern States to achieve a modicum
of security in one part of Europe
at the expense of another, that is,
of the Soviet Union. Many other
examples of such agreements from
the between-wars period could be
cited, agreements predicated on the
objectives of a “division of the
field.”
In contrast to these policies, the
Soviet Union for the first time in
the history of international rela
tions immediately laid stress on the
idea of the indivisibility of peace,
reflecting the obvious law of deve
lopment that the general security
as well as the security of indivi
dual States or groups of States
were organically interdependent.
Soviet policy proceeded from the
view that it is impossible to assure
the security of one part of Europe
without the other, and even, less
possible to do so at the expense
or to the detriment of another part
and that collective efforts by all
Luropean States are needed to
keep the peace. The fact that the
Western States ignored this tenet
was of tremendous significance for
the future of peace in Europe,
especially during the period of
mounting danger of Nazi aggres
sion, and was one of the essential
circumstances enabling Hitler's
clique to propel mankind into war.
At that time, socialism was not
strong enough to ward off the
world-wide tragedy. But even then
it presented an invincible barrier
against which the forces of fascist
expansionism were smashed.
In the post-war period, the prin
ciple of indivisible peace became
more applicable than ever before,
acquiring truly universal signifi
cance. It was largely associated
with the appearance and speedy
development of super-destructive
nuclear missile devices for the con
duct of war, with the extraordi
nary upsurge of internationalisa
tion and with the development of
mutual dependence among States
and nations. But irrespective of
this, the old policy of cleavage and
confrontation was continued in
Europe. This policy was reflected
most fully in the creation and ac
tivities of the North Atlantic, Pact,
SOCIALIST INDIA
directed against the socialist coun
tries. Everything possible was
done to split Western Europe from
the socialist part of the continent.
In the West, the natural process
of integration was associated with
anti-socialist and anti-Soviet inten
tions. The “Little Europe” move
ment appeared (and in that con
nection we might recall the fate
of the main actors in the “Central
Europe” of the beginning of this
century). Closed West European
groupings and organisations came
into being (the West European
Pact, the West European Parlia
ment, the EEC and others).
BALANCE OF POWER
Understandably, there was no
question of peace or security as
long as the markets of Western
policy adhered to conceptions of
policy pursued from “positions of
strength,” the doctrine of “reject
ing communist”, the restoration of
capitalism, and so on. These doc
trines finally demonstrated how
risky and how totally useless they
were in the struggle against So
cialism. Deep-rooted changes were
called for in the mutual balance of
power between the two world sys
tems, and tireless efforts were
made by the diplomacy of the so
cialist countries to persuade West
ern policymakers that security
could not be developed on the prin
ciple of force, on an unstable “bal
ance of fear”, or on unilateral
grounds in Atlantic Pact frame
works. Without the participation of
all European States. Recognition
slowly dawned of the obvious truth
that Europe badly needed peace
ful coexistence and cooperation
among States regardless of social
system, that European security
was the categorical imperative of
our time. Willy Brandt put this
very well when he said: “Under
conditions of danger that mankind
might destroy itself, coexistence
has become a question of exist
ence.”
It thus happened that major
changes took place in Europe in
terms of ideas of how to build
peace on this continent. A new
more realistic approach was taken
to the entire range of mutual re
lations with the socialist coun
tries.
14 - r
This process of revising values
was attended by changes in views
on socialism itself as a new and
irrevocable social phenomenon.
Convincing evidence of this may
be found in the memoirs of the
former Federal German Repub
lic's Ambassador to Moscow, Hans
Kroll, who was in no way a fol
lower of communism: “The Russian
Revolution of 1917 was not simply
a shift in Government or a coup
d'etat. On the contrary, it must be
classified with events of such mag
nitude that they propel world his
tory, such as the rise and fall of
the Roman Empire, the founding
of Islam, the discovery of America
or the great French Revolution,
that is, with events that were de
cisive in determining the course
of history. As a result of the vic
tory of the October Revolution in
1917, the political and social pic
ture of our world changed dra
matically. No country, no matter
how distant, can long stand aside
from the influence of this historic
event.
Consequently, reasonable policy
makers in the West are compelled
to admit that the triumph of so
cialism in the East European coun
tries, the establishment of a world
socialist system — are manifesta
tions of the natural and inevitable
process of mankind's development
which have nothing in common
with the false theory of “export
ing revolution”. Socialism has be
gun to acquire “legitimacy” in
the capitalist West although this
does not imply that the forces of
the past have reconciled them
selves to it. They have, rather,
simply neen placed in the position
of not being able to impose their
will, to change the situation.
Today Europe has reached that
historical point in its development
when establishment of the system
of European security is realists.
cally possible to an extent that it
has never been before. Both the
Soviet Union and the socialist
countries are doing everything to
make that possibility a reality.
We can often read in the West
ern press that behind the peaceful
offensive of the Soviet Union,
“base designs” are concealed—for
instance, the “pacification” of
Europe so that the Soviet Union
Continued on Page 27
FEBRUARY 8, 1975

THE INDIAN NATIONAL
CONGRESS-III
A Brief History
H. D. MALAVIYA, M.P.
The halting implementation of policies, however,
continued as also the creeping stagnation within the
organisation. As a result in the 1967 General Elec
tions the Congress suffered a serious setback and
could not return to power in many States. This
caused self-introspection among Congressmen. A
meeting of the AICC was held. It was realised that
the setback was due to our not moving fast enough
on the road to socialism. A ten-point programme
was drawn up. It called for bringing the banking
institution under “social control”, nationalisation of
general insurance; increasing share of the State in
export and import trade; public distribution of food
grains, curb on monopolies and concentration of eco
nomic power; limitation ch urban income and pro
perty; acceleration of the implementation of land re
forms; minimum wage and credit against personal
security to agricultural labourers; provisions of
drinking water in rural areas; a Socialist Charter for
children; ending of privileges and privy purses of the
ex-rulers; provision of minimum needs for the entire
community by 1975.
Indira Gandhi defends Congress Policies
at Faridabad Session
Even after the acceptance of the ten-point pro
gramme by the AICC there continued the usual
dilly-dallying in implementation. The then Finance
Minister, Shri Morarji Desai, did not want to nationa
lise banks or General Insurance. In 1968, Shri Nija
lingappa, the then Chief Minister of Mysore, was
elected President of the Congress. During his tenure,
the ideas of Nehru were relegated to the background
and capitalist ideas in the garb of “more production”
started being paraded by some Congressmen. At the
Faridabad session of the Congress in 1969 was wit
nessed the strange spectacle of the then Congress
President Nijalingappa criticising Public Sector in his
Presidetnial address. Smt. Indira Gandhi stood up to
strongly defend the socialist line and thinking at the
Faridabad session.
A great blow struck India at this time. India
lost Dr. Zakir Hussain. By electing him as the Pre
sident of India, the Indian people had demonstrated
their firm faith in the secular ideal of which Dr.
Zakir Hussain was the embodiment.
Forces of reaction inside and outside the coun
try saw, in Dr. Zakir Hussain's death, a chance of
reversing India's domestic and foreign policies, an
attempt thwhich they had been unremittingly engag
ed through all the years. A closed clique which had
18
SOth Aºtºr £NDIA - - -
been functioning within the Congress and had be
come famous as the “Syndicate” plotted to instal a
man of their choice as the President of India.
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, was all
the time keen to implement accepted policies and on
the occasion of Bangalore AICC in early 1969, she
sent her note to the working committee which be
came famous as the “stray thoughts”. The Working
Committee and the AICC accepted it. Soon after,
with a view to nationalise banks as suggested in the
ten-point programme, Smt. Indira Gandhi took over
the Finance Portfolio from Shri Morarji Desai, who
resigned on the issue.
Conspiracy to oust Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
In the meantime, as the date for the Presidential
election approached, the Congress leadership got an
inkling of the conspiracy to oust Smt. Indira Gandhi
and to form a Government of what came to be known
as the “Four-Party Alliance” or “the Grand Alliance”.
Shri V. V. Giri became the nation's candidate against
the candidate of the Reactionary alliance, Sanjeeva
Reddy. Shri Giri's victory was a great defeat for the
Reactionary forces ranged against progressive poli
cies championed by the Congress.
The Reactionary clique inside the Congress now
came out in the open. Organisational machinations
continued and an attempt was made to attain arti
ficial majority in the Working Committee by illegally
removing Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Shri
Subramaniam. Later, they went a step further and
even “removed” Smt. Indira Gandhi from the
Congress.
The overwhelming maiority of Congressmen in
India strongly disapproved of the undemocratic acts
of the Congress leadership and rallied round Smt.
Indira Gandhi. An overwhelming majority of AICC
members signed a requisition for an AICC meeting
but Nijalingappa did not agree to it. The overwhelm
ing majority of AICC members with full voting rights
who represented the organisation at the Bangalore
AICC Congress and the Faridabad plenary session
gathered at the AICC meeting at Delhi in November
1969 and elected Shri Subramaniam as the President
who announced a new Working Committee.
Soon after, in December 1969, the renovated
Congress, having got cleared of such elements as
could not keep pace with the advancing times, met
under the Presidentship of Shri Jagjivan Ram, a most
respected and veteran leader of the Congress. The
Bombay congress chalked but a concrete programme.
As a measure toward its implementation, a Constitu
tion Amendment Bill to abolish privy purses
was placed in the Parliament. Syndicate leaders
like Morarjibhai and others voted against it. The
Bill could not secure the requisite two-thirds majority
by a fraction in the Rajya Sabha and was lost.
It was soon realised that implementation of pro
grammes faced difficulties due to the Congress not
having the requisite majority in the two Houses of
Parliament because of the defection of the non
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
believers in socialist policies who had entered the
Congress.
The Congress, under Smt. Indira Gandhi's leader
ship, decided to go to the people and seek their
verdict. The 1971 mid-term elections to the Lok Sabha
revealed that the people of India have full faith in
the Congress ideology and programme. The Reaction
ary “Grand Alliance” of the Jana Sangh, the Swa
tantra, the Syndicate and Socialist Party was trounc
ed. The Congress got more than two-third seats in the
Lok Sabha.
Liberation of Bangladesh
After the verdict of the people in the 1971 elec
tions to the Lok Sabha, the Congress set out to
redeem the promises. The Constitution was amended
and the supremacy of the Parliament elected by the
people was established. The privy purses and the
privileges of the princes were abolished. But the
nation was soon faced with an unprecedented prob
lem of influx of ten million refugees from Pakistan's
atrocities in Bangladesh. The people of Bangladesh
fought a great and heroic battle for their freedom
and India stood by them in their battle. In Decem
ber 1971, Pakistan attacked India and had to suffer
a humiliating defeat by Indian troops. Indian troops
came to control huge areas of Pakistan but soon after
they voluntarily withdrew setting an example to the
whole world.
Under the joint blows of the Mukti Bahini of
Bangladesh and the Indian troops, the Pakistan army
in Bangladesh was smashed to bits and 90,000 Pakis
tan soldiers were taken as prisoners of war. Indian
troops withdrew from Bangladesh and Bangbandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took over as leader of the
liberated Bangladesh.
The emergence of the People's Republic of Bangla
desh is a success of India's policy of Peace, Demo
cracy, Secularism and Socialism and by its creation
Bangladesh has immeasurably strengthened the
forces of Democracy, Secularism and Socialism on the
sub-continent. *
During these critical days, one of the hardest
tests through which our country had to go in its long
history, India was gloriously led by Prime Minister
Smt. Indira Gandhi. The quality and the wisdom of
her leadership, her humility in her triumph and her
firmness on principles won not only a great battle
for India but also enhanced India's prestige all over
the world.
People Reaffirm confidence in Congress
Thanks to India's peaceful and progressive fort.
eign policies coming down from the days of Jawa
harlal Nehru, the entire progressive humanity sup
ported the just cause of India. Special mention should
be made of the friendship and support extended to
India by the Soviet Union and the Socialist countries.
The terrible strain on Indian economy and re
sources caused by the Bangladesh crisis and the
Pakistan aggression upset Indian's planned develop
SOCIALIST INDIA
ment. The crisis was aggravated by two consecu
tive years of drought. The parties of Reaction, for
getting the dire need of united efforts to meet a
national crisis, resorted to usual methods of obstruc
tion and agitation to run down the Congress adminis
tration. The Congress under Smt. Indira Gandhi's
leadership decided to seek again the verdict of the
electorate. Confident of its performance, the Con
gress said in its Manifesto for the 1972 State Assem
bly Elections: “In asking our people for a mandate
to form Congress Governments in the States, the
Congress submits for scrutiny not merely our promises
but also our performance, more specially after the
Party had gone through a process of transformation
under the inspiring leadership of our Prime Minister
Smt. Indira Gandhi.”
In the 1972 elections to the State Assemblies,
the people again reposed full faith in the Congress.
The parties of Reaction and left adventurists were
rejected by the electorate.
In 1972, Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma took over
as President of the Congress. At the Gandhinagar
(Ahmedabad) session of the AICC in October, 1972
the Congress took a major decision on State take
over of trade in foodgrains, beginning with wheat.
Congress Session at Bidhan Nagar
The 74th session of Congress met at Bidhan
Nagar, Calcutta in December 1972 under the Pre
sidentship of Dr. Shanker iXayal Sharma. In its Reso
lution on Economic Policy, the Congress welcomed
the steps taken in pursuance of the decisions taken
earlier, e.g., nationalisation of General Insurance,
abolition of privy purses and privileges, the proposed
legislation on ceiling on urban property, increasing
State share in import trade, and States' pivotal posi
tion in export trade.
The Congress adopted a programme of action
directed, first, to strengthen the momentum and
vitality of the broad movement towards social justice,
and secondly, to impart a new dynamism to the pro
gressive forces in the country within the broad frame
work of Congress policies for achieving self-reliance
in strategic areas. The Bidhan Nagar resolution emº.
phasised that the two processes of growth and social
justice are inter-dependent.
Undeterred by the problems besetting the nation
and the economy, and undismayed by the failures
met in the process of implementation, the Congress
always stood, and stands today firm in its resolve
to fulfil the pledges it has made to the people and
fulfil the dreams of our great leaders and teachers,
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, and create
a new India of equality and justice and prosperity
for its toiling masses.
Congress Fights Reactionary Forces
This steadfastness of the Congress has always
been the thorn in the eye of the vested interests of
India. At every step they try to defeat implemention
of Congress policies and bring it down. A veritable
16 FEBRUARY 8, 1975
&onspiracy of foodgrain traders sought to defeat the
policy of State takeover of wholesale trade in wheat
as a result of which this attained only partial
success.
The difficulties of the economy, heightened by a
world wide inflation and the shooting up of oil prices,
are sought to be utilise to whip up public discontent
and violence and disorder. The forces of Reaction are
still active with support from the vested interests
and the reactionary forces outside the country
who are not happy with the emergence of India as
a powerful force of peace and stability in Asia.
The Congress stands firm on its slogans of
“Poverty must go; Disparity must diminish; Injustice
must end". Congress has emerged as a force of
socialism which enjoys the support of the toiling
masses of India for whom it stands, of the minorities
who know that the Congress is the best protector
of their interests, of intellectuals who find in Con
gress policies the rational and the democratic way
to attain the nations' objectives, and the youth who
find in the Congress objective of creating a classless
society in India an ideal worth fighting for.
In the words of our leader, Smt. Indira Gandhi:
“The Congress has been an instrument of democracy
and secularism. It must now also prove itself to be
the practical instrument of socialism. We have to
bend our energies towards the effective implementa
tion of our programme. In this task, we shall need
the cooperation of workers and management in fac
tories, of peasants and farmers on our land, of scien
tists and technologists, of students and other intellec
tuals. Our party cadres must equip themselves to har
ness the energy and sense of dedication of every
segment of society”.
13-Point Programme Adopted at Narora
In October last, Shri Devkanta Borooah took
over as President of the Congress. Under his energe
tic direction the Congress has been activised all over
India. On Shri Borooah's call Congressmen all over
India have revived and revitalised their links with
the people. Congressmen all over India have been
organising huge rallies and bringing about people's
mobilisation to prepare them to face the challenge of
Reactionary forces which are actively trying to upset
our democratic process, destroy our democratic in
READ
SU(HILIST
|N||||
SOCIALIST INDIA
stitutions, usher in facism and dictatorial rule and
revise all our policies in favour of the interests of
domestic and foreign Reaction.
On Shri Borooah's initiative, the Congress leaders
met at Narora in Uttar Pradesh where the economic
and political problems facing the nation, as also other
allied matters were thoroughly thrashed out. From
Narora emerged 13-Point three-month programe for
Congress Party and Government.
The vast organisation machinery of the Congress
is being geared up to implement the Narora pro
gramme. -
The Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi has said;
“We have begun but we have far to go. All mem
bers of the Party must make a tremendous and a conſ.
certed effort. We invite all our sympathisers, indeed
all those who wish for a better India to cooperate.”
Congress, indeed, is the organisation of India's
destiny. Ninety years of its existence has bestowed
upon it a heritage which no party anywhere in the
world can claim. Nursed by a galaxy of leaders among
whom have been some of the greatest men of our
age, Congress has attained wisdom and maturity.
Having passed through many fires and ordeals, it
has been tested and tried by the people of India
who repose in it their implicit trust and confidence.
Long ago, under Mahatma Gandhi's inspiration
the Congress identified itself with the DARIDRA
NARAYAN, the dumb, semi-starved millions of
India as Gandhiji called them. The Congress has
pledged that it stands for them and their interests,
and while Congress will protect all interests that
deserve to be protected, if every any interest comes
in conflict with the interests of the vast masses of
India, it will unhesitatingly sacrifice those interests
for the interests of the teeming millions.
A new India without classes and without dispar
ties, free from exploitation, of equal citizens living in
prosperity, friendship and amity—that is the Con
gress goal and the Congress will fulfil its historical
destiny.
(Concluded)
(From the booklet published by the Central Campaign
Committee, AICC.)
REGULARLY
17 FEBRUARY 8, 1975

Participation of Women In
National Development—l
LAKSHMI N. MENON
Ever since the end of the Second World War
and the organisation of the United Nations, the
question of national development has assumed a
new meaning and dimension. The term national
development lends itself to many interpretations.
The usual tendency is to identify national develop
ment with industrial development. I would, there
fore, at the outset, state that by national develop
ment is meant simultaneous growth and change in
all sectors of society: social, economic, and political,
and it includes agriculture, education, health and
all kinds of social and community services, industrial
development and social attitudes.
The UN has now a membership of 135 nations,
big and small, and comprises almost the entire
world, and there is a likelihood of its becoming a
world organisation in the strict sense of the word.
Under the auspices of the UN and its Specialised
Agencies, surveys are carried out from time to time
dealing with the aspects of life of the members, and
a good deal of the status of the member nations is
evaluated by these surveys.
The international surveys undertaken by the
UN determine our place in the comity of nations
according to population, per capita income, rate of
growth, percentage of literacy, standard of educa
tion; gross national product, and various other well
known norms laid down for such surveys. These do
enable us somewhat to compare ourselves with other
nations and seek means and methods of accelerating
our development. The result has been the division
of the world broadly into developed and developing
countries. This is perhaps not a happy way of bring
ing about mutual goodwill or correctly judging the
world. However we have to think in terms of more
developed and less developed countries, all of them
developing into better and nobler nations.
NEED FOR DEVELOPMENT
Since human society cannot remain static in a
rapidly changing world, development, that is, change
in the desired direction, seems to be the inescapable
basis of progress. Hence the need for development.
The satisfaction of the need for development
has released many forces, human and material, and
many changes have taken place in our Plan objec
tives, in determining our priorities and our attitudes.
Of these, the most important is the demand, conti
nuous and continuing, of women for a share in the
progress. This is the result of various factors which
have roused the consciousness of women to their
responsibility to the world in which they live.
socialist INDIA
This demand has become insistent because
hitherto the emphasis has always been on man's
participation. Plans and programmes are formulated
by men and for men in their execution, consciously
or unconsciously, women are ignored. They are
devoid of any thinking as to the contribution the
women are likely to make. This is not surprising as
men always had the monopoly of power, education
and skills, and opportunities for using them, long
before women woke up to the fact that they too had
a right to share the responsibility for development.
However, the emergence of a democratic educated
society in which women claimed and secured equal
opportunities for education and employment with
men introduced the new concept of partnership in
progress based on the equality of the sexes.
Participation of women in community life is as
old as the hills. In primitive communities women
shared the burden of existence along with men. They
differed in different tribes. What is taboo in one
may not be so in another tribe. The spheres of
participation were strictly defined and freedom of .|
International
© Women's Year
1975
choice was determined by customary taboos. In feu
dal society, which was based on agriculture, the
division of labour became so rigid that the belief
that women should devote themselves entirely to
things like domestic chores and certain agricultural
processes, the bearing and rearing of children, be
came widespread.
STRUGGLE FOR THE RIGHTS
The slow descent of women to slavery began in
feudal society and the cult “women for the home,
man for the world” was widely accepted. The exclu
sion of women from participation in public affairs
was not regarded as anything unusual. In the indus
trial age, the employment of women in factories
and away from home, opportunities for education
and higher education and the spread of democratic
ideals of equality have enabled women to demand
participation in all matters, domestic and public,
that concern not only women and children but so
ciety in general. This is only natural. For, when
democracy is acclaimed as the government of the
people, by the people and for the people women
have a right to be recognised as part of the people
sharing in common, both rights and responsibilities,
social and economic.
It is not necessary here to discuss the arduous
struggle and sacrifices women made to secure their
rights, but it is necessary to affirm that the goal is
still far away. When we know that even as enligh
tened country as Switzerland protected from the
ravages of world wars by its policy of neutrality,
FEBRUARY 8, 197s
Waited till 1971 to give its women voting right in
national elections, and that even now, there are
pockets of reaction in some areas of the world
where women and sometimes men too are denied
basic rights, it is possible to understand the natural
male reluctance to withhold power from sharing it
with women and his eagerness to defend it till he
could defend it no longer. -
Today we are living in a rapidly developing and
changing world where isolation is impossible and
the impact of thoughts and ideas irresistible. Women
in most parts of the world, as a result of political
changes and international pressures, have earned
some of the rights mentioned in the Universal Dec
laration of Human Rights. Many countries have also
adopted Conventions on Poitical Rights, the right to
elect and be elected to office, on the same terms as
men, Equal Pay for Equal Work also on the same
terms as men. But the acquisition of a right, im
portant as it is, is not so important as the freedom
to exercise it in order to pursue the end for which
it is meant. Here comes the rub.
To understand politics or economics and to have
the freedom to make use of the right granted by
law, a modicum of education is indispensable. If
this is not easily available in right proportion, at the
right time, the right acquired with so much difficulty
remains ineffective. It is, therefore, not surprising
that in most parts of the world, especially in areas
known as developing countries, where illiteracy and
poverty stalk side by side, there is no incentive for
participation in development. The alternative sug
gests itself as the eradication of poverty as the pre
requisite for the liquidation of illiteracy. This can
be done with success only by having State policies
giving top priority to education and employment
opportunity to use the skilis acquired by education.
FRIGHTENING FIGURES
It is perhaps advisable at this point to survey
the state of the world regarding literacy. Due to
various reasons, which need not be detailed here,
social and economic backwardness as well as politi
cal instability can be rightly traced to lack of edu
cation. The illiteracy figures for women, frighten
ing as they are, should convince us of the ineffective
ness of even the demand for participation. We are
told that one-third of the world's population is illite
rate. Among them the number of women exceeds
that of men. In Africa for instance, 69 per cent of
men and 87 per cent of women are illiterate. In the
Arab countries it is 65 per cent for men and 85 per
cent for women. In Asia it is 41 per cent for men
and 61 per cent for women. In the Latin American.
countries the figures are the same for men and
women, namely 29 per cent.
It is against this depressing global background
that we have to discuss the large-scale participation
of women in national development. Of course, there
are individual countries in Asia like Burma, Indo
nesia and Thailand, where it is claimed that illiteracy
has been practically wiped out. Unfortunately this
has not ensured full or even proportionate partici
ºCIALIST INDIA
pation of women as a matter of course. Without
education, not literacy alone, even limited partici
pation would be impossible. Educational backward
ness inevitably leads to economic backwardness.
Today in the technological age education is equated
with productivity and the status of a country, among
other things, is determined by the abundant sup
ply of educated persons available for development
programmes.
An uneducated person, to say the least, is a
drag on the economy, a national liability. Her ad
herence to traditional forms and beliefs, even when
supported by legislation, is a mere farce. I would
like to substantiate this with a few examples from
India. Child marriage was abolished more than 40
years ago. It still happens in rural and sometimes
in urban India also. The unequal and unjust law of
inheritance affecting the Hindus was changed in
1955 after marathon efforts by progressive groups
in Parliament, and against much opposition: but
few women seem to know the changed law. Similar
ly, dowry was abolished by law and made a punish
able offence. It is spreading faster than ever before.
Even the exercise of franchise is vitiated by igno
rance and illiteracy and the consequent incapacity
to understand the issues on which elections are
fought, therefore vote intelligently.
Strange as it may seem, women's participation
of a sort in national development in the economic
sphere precedes political participation. One recalls
the rapid and unprecedented involvement of women
in defence and other industries during the First
World War. In Britain, men were surprised at the
reserve of strength as well as intelligence shown by
women in undertaking tasks and responsibilities
hitherto regarded as the special preserve of men
and therefore beyond the reach of women. Having
suspended the militant struggle for sufferage, wo
men entered into new fields of national service
whole heartedly and with patriotic fervour, and
fulfilled their tasks with admirable efficiency. The
consequent increase of women in new sectors of
employment was steady throughout the intervening
years of the two wars and stabilised itself after the
Second World War. It is a common phenomenon
everywhere to rectify man-power shortages by utili
sing woman power.
A CONTINUOUS CONTRIBUTION
Even without the shortages created by war,
women were and are continually contributing their
share towards national development in diverse fields.
In agriculture, education, health, community deve
lopment and social welfare services women are play
ing an important part both under government and
through private and voluntary agencies and organi
sations. The unprotected and socially ostracised
young mother, the waifs and strays that haunt out
urban streets, the spastic, the leper, children and
babies, all these have claimed the attention and
concern of women long before governments became
aware of their existence. In many spheres of social
work women's contribution is inestimable. This does
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
 not mean that their participation should be restrict.
ed to these areas only.
What women have contributed so far to nation
al development is microscopic in relation to their
potentiality. In almost all fields of national develop
ment and activity, with a few notable exceptions,
they are confined to lower levels of developmental
activity. There is discrimination against women all
over the world, judged by their conspicuous absence
at policy-making and managerial levels. If the partl
cipation of women is to be effective, women must
have a place at high levels, purely on the basis of
competence.
Earlier, I referred to the difficulty of securing
adequate education in circumstances of poverty. It
goes without saying that in this technological age,
continuous education is necessary to keep pace with
the advancement of knowledge. This is perhaps the
reason why the movement for equal rights places
stress on equal opportunities of education and em
ploment. It is through education that the individual
gains economic and social freedom. Without these
all other freedoms seem meaningless. Whether we
want to understand the meaning of the vote or the
significance of planning, it is necessary to have
higher education. Unfortunately it is meaningless
to talk of higher education for the majority of wo—
men when they are not even literate. If what takes
place in India is the likely experience of countries
similarly placed, then it is certain that higher edu
cation is still the privilege of the well-to-do. Poverty
not only excludes vast numbers of eligible women
and men too, from pursuing higher education even
when they are capable of benefiting by it, but it
kills talent and initiative much to the detriment of
human progress.
INHIBITING ATTITUDES
Even when educational opportunities are availa
ble there is another limiting factor which needs our
serious consideration. I mean social attitude. Re
searches of the attitudes towards the new status of
women even in socialist countries have shown that
people have changed more in theory than in prac
tice. Social attitude decides how much and what
type of education woman must have, what her func
tions in society should be. No doubt this has changed
over the years as a result of wars, political cataclysm
and educational opportunities. In developing coun
tries as a result of political and social upheavals,
women's participation in liberation movements, so
cial barriers and prejudices has broken down. In
addition, there is the constant endeavour of the UN
and its Commission on the Status of Women to see
that the participation of women is encouraged at
all levels of administration and development. Pro
gress in this direction may not be much, but social
attitude towards women's participation is changing.
The very old ideal that successful academic work
militates against feminity is fast dying if it is not
already dead. The great argument about differential
curriculum for boys and girls is also laid to rest.
Even the hackneyed comments on the question how
much women resemble or differ from men in general
SOCIALIST INDIA - FEBRUARY 8, 1974
intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes, have ceased to
rouse the passions of earlier year.
The echoes of the great controversies whether
higher education for girls should serve the needs
and interests of women as home makers can still be
heard in male dominated communities. Well, it takes
Some time and a good deal of intelligence for the
male to realise that young women seek higher edu
cation and job opportunities for the same reasons
as men, and they too have compelling intellectual
interests and professional ambitions. It is satisfying
to note that in many countries the barricades are
breaking down and the roads to freedom are open
highways for all to travel.
EDUCATION AND CAREERS
But neither the achievement of academic distinc
tion nor the opportunities for higher education need
necessarily enhance women's participation in natio
nal development. Unfortunately, much of the higher
education that women are able to obtain by hard
work and sometimes against family and social pres
sures, is not put to proper use, or to any use at all.
The majority of girls of the elite class who generally
go in for higher education seem unmindful of their
social responsibility. For them it is an asset in the
marriage market and in social life. They seldom show
any interest for a professional career. Yet, I would
hesitate to say that their education is a dead loss to
society. As educated wives and mothers they make
a different kind of contribution to national develop
ment by rearing good citizens fit to live and work
in an educated society. Even so, a good deal of edu
cation is wasted due to inadequacies of counselling
and guidance.
Most girls, whether they come from the upper
or lower middle classes have no idea why they are
going in for higher education at all. They go to col
lege because others of their group do it and as a
means of keeping themselves occupied while waiting |
for marriage. There is always at the back of the
a woman'smind
woman's dutyand
is toindeed
fulfil that of the society, that t
her lief's mission as wife
and mother. Because of economic pressure and the
desire to have a better standard of living, many try
to combine family life and a profession. The idea
regarding work and woman as irreconcilable concept
is no more accepted and governments are forced to
withdraw the old order forcing women to quit job
on marriage. With the spread of democratic and |
socialist ideas and the realisation of the need to use
available talent for national development, women's
participation has completely changed its complexion
during the last few decades.
Yet, one should not carry away the impression
that God is in His heaven and all is right with W0.
men in the world. If that were so there is no need
for a women's liberation movement or a convention |
on discrimination against women. Perhaps it is re
levant at this point to examine the obstacles to wº
men's participation in national development, in spit”
of the fact that the law allows it and women arº
finally qualified to participate at all levels.
(To be Concluded)

AZIZ INMAN1 ON
INDO-IRANIAN
RELATIONS
Shri Aziz Imam, AICC General
Secretary, recently paid a five-day
visit to Iran at the invitation of
Iran's ruling Novin Party to at
tend its Third Party Congress. Re
presentatives from Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia,
Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and other
East European and South-East
Asian countries also attended the
Congress.
Giving his impressions of
visit, Shri Imam told SOCIALIST
INDLA that there was much good
will for India in Iran. He said
that the recent visit of Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi to Iran
and Shah of Iran's visit to India
had further strengthened the
friendly ties between the two coun
tries.
The following is the text
Shri Imam's address to the Novin
Party Congress:
AZIZ IMAM'S SPEECH
It is well-known that the Iran
Novin Party, pioneering
dynamic in character, has played
an effective role in the political
life of the country. We, in India,
follow with great interest the suc
cesses achieved by the Party in
winning elections and the sustain
ed efforts it makes to
the social, economic and educa
tional standards of the Iranian
people. The Iran Novin Party
rightly deserves the title of the
“Guardian of the Revolution”
given to it by Shahanshah Arya
mehr. It is truly following the prin
ciples of the Revolution, of
Shah and the people.
It is a matter of great satis
faction that both the Iran Novin
Party and the Indian National
Congress under their respective
dynamic leaderships are irrevoca
bly committed to the creation of a
democratic society, with political
parties providing the outlets for
w" GOCIALIST INDIA
the aspirations of the people. We,
in India, like you here, believe,
that the orientation of Party mem
bers in the democratic process, and
the course of amity and intellec
tual unity alone will reveal the
true face of a democratic society.
The Novin Party is alive to the
economic needs of the people and
a fundamental development of the
economy is its prime concern. Its
plan for industrial sectors through
out the country are exemplary;
the needs of electric power are
fully assessed and taken care of;
protection of national resources
has been given the vital import
ance it deserves and there are
genuine efforts to bring about
the maximum mechanisation of agri
culture and agro-business pro
jects. We are pleased to note those
developments.
We greatly admire the progres
sive measures undertaken at the
instance of the Shahanshah. Under
the inspiring leadership of our
Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, we in India have also
of
and
raise
the
Shri Aziz Imam addressing Iran's Novin Party's Third Congress at
Tehran.
21
brought in radical land reforms.
As all our friends are well aware,
India is a large country with still
larger problems. Yet we have
achieved great breakthrough in the
fields of science and technology
and by adopting modern methods
increased our agricultural and in
dustrial production.
The genius of your people lies
in the realisation that changes in
the economic and industrial fields
necessarily brought social activity
in their wake and that economic
revolution inevitably produced so
cial changes as well. To give to the
urges of the people a concrete
shape in the transformation
of society was a great fac
tor in the harmonious deve
lopments of your country.
Equally remarkable was the fact
that you have taken interest in
the development of the Third
World without which no durable
peace was possible. Your interest
in retaining the Indian Ocean as
a zone of peace from great power
rivalaries is a matter of great
satisfaction to us and other lit
toral countries.
ºn tº
º
tº
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
 It is a common way of life
amongst our two people that jus
tice is fair and free, and there is
complete freedom of press and
other forms of expression. Both
our people believe in the freedom
of press and speech which is guar
anteed in our Constitution and is
prominently included in the aims
and objectives of your Party as
well. Both of us believe the im
portance of the role that a free
press can play in guiding the peo
ple towards enlightenment as well
as towards social and economic
progress and political maturity. It
is reassuring for us to find that
your party aims at securing pri
mary and compulsory free educa
tion and all citizens should enjoy
the protection against unemploy
ment, disability and the insecurity
of old age.
We are further happy that one
of the major aims and objectives
of your party is to make every
effort “to preserve peace,” that
you hope for the realisation of a
tension-free world so that the dan
ger of war and the threat to human
civilisation is eliminated. This, in
deed, is a very noble objective.
Our party having been guided
by such champions of peace as
Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal
Nehru has always endeavoured to
establish peace in all parts of the
World. Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi is realising the dreams of
Gandhi and Nehru in the
traditions of the Indian people.
The bonds between our two
countries have always been very
strong and cordial. The friendship
between us was further cemented
by the recent visit of our Prime
Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, to
Iran and the subsequent visit of
Shahanshah Aryamehr and the
Shahbanou to our country. I would
like to take this opportunity of
extending to Mr. Hoveyda congra
tulations of my party on his elec
tion as the Secretary-General of
the Iran Novin Party and to con
vey to him our best wishes in the
fulfilment of the tasks entrusted to
him by his party.
I extend the greetings of my
best countrymen to the friendly people
of Iran.

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sGCIALIST INDIA FEBRUARY 8, 1975


An Emerging Multilateral Cooperation
; million ton capacity with Soviet
One of the most important
features of India's economic rela
tions with foreign countries dur
ing the last few years is a signi
ficant widening of its economic
ties with West Asian countries,
especially with Iraq, Iran and the
UAE. This has been necessitated
by the need for an adequate and
relatively low-priced source of
crude supply to India—a problem
which preoccupies a great num
ber of governments of the world
nowadays. -
It is stated in the Draft of the
Fifth Five-Year Plan that India is
to import during 1974-75–1978-79
crude and oil products for a sum
of Rs. 3,080 crores. This consti
tutes about 22 per cent of the
whole value of India's imports
during this period. It is natural
that India is greatly concerned by
this huge drain of foreign ex
change resources.
In this connection the develop
ment of mutually beneficial eco
nomic ties with the oil producing
States is of great importance. But
one can also see here how Indo
Soviet cooperation has been of
direct assistance in widening these
ties.
MATHURA REFINERY
According to press reports, Iraq
is to supply India during the next
12 years about 14 million tonnes
of crude from North Roumeilla oil
fields, which have been developed
with Soviet technical assistance, to
the Mathura refinery, which is be
ing constructed in India with So
viet assistance.
The Oil, and Natural Gas Com
mission (ONGC) of India, the ex
ports of which are now prospecting
oil in Iraq, has already done
pioneering work in India with So
viet assistance. Under the super
vision of Soviet scientists, over
8,000 Indians, engineers and fore
Imen, have been trained in the com--
80CLALIST INDIA * . ... . .
Dr. W. L. KORNEEW
plex science of oil prospecting and
extraction. Today, the ONGC has
at its disposal skilled manpower,
research and design institutes,
training establishments, production
boards, etc. All these enable
ONGC to play an important role
in India's quest for crude at home
and abroad.
The ONGC is also taking part
in oil prospecting in another West
Asian countries — Iran. The con
cessions secured by the Commis
sion in Iran are expected to yield
about six lakh tonnes of crude by
1978-79. Economic ties with
Iran are being strengthened in
other fields too. The exchange of
visits between Smt. Indira Gandhi
and the Shah of Iran has pro
moted to a great extent the deve
lopment of these ties.
CRUDE FROM IRAN
According to the agreements
reached in 1974, Iran is to supply
India annually 2.8 million tonnes
of crude for the Madras Refinery.
This figure will be increased to 3.6
million tonnes after the expansion
of the Madras Refinery. Besides,
Iran is to supply an additional one
million tonne of crude annually.
All these will lead to a subs
tantial increase in the total value
of India's imports from Iran,
which is 1973-74 increased by
about 20 per cent compared with
1972-73 and reached the high
figure of more than Rs. 145.3
crores. At the same time the value
of India's exports to Iran in
1973-74 was only 2.9 per cent above
the 1972-73 figure, which resulted
in a formidable unfavourable bal
ance of about Rs. 120 crores.
To reduce this deficit and at the
same time to maintain crude sup
ply from Iran, which constitutes
about 95 per cent of the total
value of India's imports from
Iran, India must increase its ex
ports to Iran. This task has been
made easier by Iran's need for
*-****
Indian iron ore for the metallur
gical complexes, especially for the
metallurgical plant in Isfahan,
which was built with Soviet as
sistance. At present the question
of expansion of this plant to four
assistance is under consideration.
This expansion will create favour
able conditions for India's supply
of iron-ore to Iran on an increas
ing scale.
Besides the supply of iron ore,
India is to export to Iran about
65,000 tonnes of rolled steel and
130,000 tonnes of steel rails. India
is also undertaking construction of
a railway line in Iraq. A substan
tial part of these supplies will be
met by the Bhilai Steel Plant, now
under expansion, to four million
tonne capacity through Soviet as
sistance.
TIES WITH UAE
The new year opened with fur
ther developments in India's eco
nomic ties with oil-producing West
Asian countries. The exchange of
views between Indian officials and
visiting delegations of the two
main Persian Gulf countries — the
UAE and Bahrein—showed good
prospects for further progress in
the development of economic ties
between India and these countries.
As was stated after the conclu
sion of the talks between India
and the UAE officials, the UAE
will supply India “a substantial
quantity of crude oil on best fav
ourable terms”. To pay for the
purchases of crude from the UAE
India is to increase its exports to
this country. This tasks facili
tated by the UAE desire to col--
laborate with India in the develop
ment of basic industries. It is re
ported that India will assist the
UAE in the field of fertilisers, steel
and cement plants and other indus
tries.
An Indian team of MECON–
Metallurgical and Engineering
Consultants (India) Ltd., India's
premier metallurgical consultancy
agency, visited Dubai in June 1974
and submitted its study report on
the building of a sponge iron and
steel complex based on iron ore to
be imported from India.
Continued on Page 28
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
 - ----------------- ------------------------,

Teſſmſeasºns why hillias

faſſàlſº ſº |N|S|| ||||||N

Rich natural resouces.mineral, A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests, waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

positive approach towards -

industrial development of the State,

A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy,’

including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water 8 power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc.,

Financial assistance to educated

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur.

For details, please contact?

\ DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 56000)

soolalist INDIA - - -
-- FEBRUARY s, 1975

Lala Lajpat Rai:
A Great Martyr
GIANT ZAIL SINGH
Chief Minister, Punjab
About three months ago while
I was on a visit to Ferozepore City,
I went to pay my respects to the
daughter-in-law of Lala Lajpat
Rai, Smt. Sarswati Rai. A silent
social worker, she is the embodi
ment of contentment and simpli
city. Her daughter Shanta, unfor
tunately blind by birth, is very
talented. She recites the Guru
Granth Sahib using the Braille
system and sings the sacred hymns
in a melodious voice. She is bles
sed, as if it were, by an inner eye
sight. I humbly asked her if
I could be of any service to the
family. She expressed her grateful
ness for the offer but politely dec
lined to accept any help. I felt that
it was worthy of a great daugh
ter-in-law of great martyr.
While I was there my mind tra
velled back to the memorable day
of October 3, 1928. A tumultuous
crowd had gathered in Bradlaugh
Hall, Lahore, after a mammoth
demonstration against the Simon
Commission. As this jostling, push
ing mass of people settled down
to a hushed silence, a clear, loud
and prophetic voice rang out:
LION OF PUNJAB
“Every blow aimed at me is an
other nail driven in the coffin of
the British Empire.”
It was Lala Lajpat Rai, the lion
of Punjab, whose mighty roar
poured forth the agony and grim
defiance of Indian people strug
gling to shake off the chains of
slavery. The great patriot's saying
echoed throughout the country and
inspired thousands of young men
and revolutionaries to stake their
all in the relentless fight against
the allier rule.
Only eighteen days after, on
November 17, 1928, he succum
bed to the injuries inflicted by the
lathi blows rained on him by a
British police official, The blood of
twº ºr ºniº
martyrs never goes unavenged.
The events, which took place in
the country after Lalaji's martyr
dom, proved how prophetic his
words were.
Born in Dhudike, a far-flung vil
lage in district Ferozepore, stands
a memorial now. Lalaji rose to be
one of the foremost and powerful
national leaders of his times by
dint of his crusading zeal, devotion
to the ideal, the cherished and
burning patriotic faith in the glo
rious destiny of India.
He had a brilliant academic ca
reer and could have attained any
eminent position in the legal pro
fession, but he sacrificed it at the
altar of freedom and chose the
path of suffering. He started his
political life as a pioneer in the
cause of social reform, women's
education, and uplift of neglected
and downtrodden Harijans.
But the fighter in him could not
be confined to this too limited a
sphere. How could his all-embrac
ing and towering personality
waste itself in endless arguments
in various courts. The soul of the
enslaved motherland beckoned to
him. He responded and plunged
himself into the national move
ment. He led an attack on the
British rule through his powerful
writing and oratory. Consequently,
he was exiled along with other pat
riots. But he would not sit quietly
and follow some peaceful vocation
in the USA. He continued his cru
sade against the alien tyrants and
advanced the cause of the Indepen
dence of India.
Back in India in 1920, he was
again in the thick of the battle.
His indomitable will to fight, clear
vision and dedication and devotion
to the cause of liberation and up
lift of the downtrodden, fired the
imagination of millions of young
men all over the country.
In the present set-up when our
democratic way of life is being
threatened by reactionary forces,
let us look for guidance to him and
take a pledge that we will be
worthy of the patriotic legacy he
left us.
I join millions of my country
men to nav homage to his sacred
moratºry on his hirthday,
M.
KAWAWA’S VISIT
Apart from matters of mutual
interest, the subjects that came
up for discussion during talks bet
ween the Tanzanian Vice-President
Mr. Rashidi Kawawa who paid a
week-long visit to India last week
(Jan. 15-21) and Indian leaders
included the need to keep the
Indian Ocean free from Big Po
wer rivalry, question of Israeli
withdrawal from occupied Arab
territory, and the situation in
Southern Africa.
Mr. Kawawa who arrived in New
Delhi on Jan. 15 had talks with
the Vice-President Shri B. D. Jatti,
Smt. Indira
the Prime Minister
Gandhi, the External Affairs Mi
nister Shri Chavan and others.
Speaking at a dinner hosted in
honour by Shri Jatti on Jan. 16
Mr. Kawawa referred to close
Indo-Tanzanian ties and said:
“Tanzania appreciates the techni
cal and trade relations that have
been growing between our two
countries. We have more than 500
Indian experts working in various
institutions in Tanzania while a
considerable number of our people
receive training here in many fields
each year.” He expressed the hope
that “coming years will see in
creased cooperation” between the
two countries.
Earlier Shri Jatti said that
Indo-Tanzanian relations rested on
“solid foundations”. He enumera
ted the identical features of the
foreign policies of the two coun
tries. He hoped that Mr. Kawawa's
visit would further strengthen
Indo-Tanzanian ties.
In a $oint communique issued
on Jan. 21 at the end of Mr.
Kawawa's visit, the two sides cal
led for maintaining the Indian
Ocean as a zone of peace. They
condemned the racist policies of
South Africa and extended sup
port to the liberation movements
of Africa. They also reaffirmed
support for the people of Indo
China “to secure , their national
objectives” and demanded Israeli
withdrawal from occupied Arab
lands. The need for the develop
ing countries to come closer was
also stressed in the communique,
-
Fººt7ARY 3, 1878

BOOK REVIEWy
z for sociology and history in the
A VIEW OF
INDIAN
HISTORY
DR. NIRANJAN M. KHILNANI
HISTORY AND SOCIAL DEVE).
LOPMENT (Volume I: Elites in
Modern India)
Dr. B. M. BHATIA,
Vikas Publishing House, Delhi;
1974.
Rs. 45.00
Contemporary India has produ
ced few historians who have
regarded history of their country
as more than a chronological
succession of names of imposing
kings and their triumphs and tra
gedies. K. M. Pannikar and D. D.
Kosambi made pioneering and crea
tive efforts in discerning the role
of peoples, their socio-economic
conditions and the significance of
social movements in India's long
and checkered history. While Prof.
Kosambi viewed history as “the
presentation, in chronological
order of successive changes in
the means and relations of produc
tion”, K. M. Panikkar gave more
integrated and balanced interpre
tation in scanning the role of
upper middle class and the feudal
aristocracy in generation a sense
of unity amidst diversity which in
turn helped in creating a power
ful trend towards a united polity.
It was the Aryo-Dravidian syn
thesis which Produced the concept
of a united India based on the
principle of federalism.
Dr. B. M. Bhatia, while disagree
ing with the economic interpreta
tion of Indian history and under
estimating the role of political
consciousness and ideology in gene
rating revolutionary movements,
has chosen to emphasise the role
played by elites in shaping the
course of events. Of the two
basic instincts, materialistic self
interest and love for power, the
latter is “more relevant to the
Sº YCIALIST INDIA
study of society”. The eminent
author is quite dogmatic on this
point, since he is convinced that
“power is a fundamental concept
same way as energy is for phy
sics.” He exhaustively quotes an
array of authorities like Mosca,
Pareto and Bertrand Russell to
support the cardinal idea of his ex
tremely well-written and lucid
survey of the Indian history in
the modern setting.
Briefly stated the essence of his
thesis is that “history is made
neither by the masses nor by ‘si
lently' working forces but by the
elites who, from time to time,
assert themselves; the motive
force behind elite action is acqui
sition of power; elite conflicts that
give substance and shape to the
course of history, centre round
acquisition andlor retention of
power; and, Indian history of the
British period is one long story
of power struggle among various
elites. In illustration of this last
point, the various communal con
flicts which grew both in scope
and intensity after the great War
were shown ultimately to be not
religious in character but elite
conflicts for mudane objects of
power and the privileges that
power brings with it. The present
book provides a fuller exposition
of this thesis.”
The author might have quoted
from Hans Morgenthau and Kau
tilya to further reinforce his argu
ments. There is no doubt that
power as a factor in motivating
both the individual statesman or
a group of people or still a wider
conglomeration of various interests
clustered together, which for the
sake of convenience may be called
elites, have played an important
part in generating and sustaining
struggles for national emancipa
tion and giving rise to socio-econo
mic changes of far-reaching signi
ficance. The author has given a
positive and plausible interpreta
tion of power in its dynamic
aspect as “a social process”.
In analysing and discussing, in
detail, the changing role and com
position of various elites who have
dominated the national scene from
1857 to 1947 and even earlier, the
author has filled many important
26
gaps in Indian history. He has
convincingly shown that an elite
can change with changes in the
individuals composing it or in
their descendents, or even through
the infiltration of extraneous ele
ments which may come either
from foreign-oriented sources or
from other parties.
In this context he has quoted
the “open letter” from the Chinese
Communist Party in 1933, which
advised “Indian comrades” to
“infiltrate into reformist political
organisation”. When in 1934, the
Congress Socialist Party was
formed, that also within the broad
elite of the Indian National Cong
ress, the Indian Communists moved
in the direction suggested in the
“Open letter” by establishing con
tacts with the new forum of the
Congress.
. The application of author's
theories of power and elites, not
withstanding their limitations, do
give sound and reasonable expla:
nations of such current questions
as failure of any other strong
political party (as an alternative
to the Indian National Congress)
to emerge on the political land
scape, the Hindu-Muslim rivalry in
the political arena both in the past
and also within the present con
text (though in a mellower and
subtle form) the origin and deve
lopment of the anti-Brahmin move
ments in the South and Maha
rashtra, the separatist agitations
in Andhra and in the Punjab which
eventually broke up such compact
politico-economic units as the old
Madras Presidency and the East
Punjab of Partap Singh Kairon's
days.
NEW ELITE
With the beginning of British
rule, Indian society, at least the
crust which came into closer con
tact with the new rulers, was com
pletely transformed. This gave
rise to a new elite in the country
which, in course of time, came to
assume the leadership in diverse
fields of social life—economic, po
litical, religious and cultural. It
is this new elite which has engaged
the scholarship of the author in
the first volume of the his survey
of modern Indian history.
While conceding the usefulness
- Continued on-Page 28
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
EUROPE IN '70s
Continued from Page 14
might strengthen its Far Eastern
hinterland against danger from
China, the weakening of NATO,
the undermining of the West Euro
pean integration, the desire to
have access to Western techno
logy, and the virtual establish
ment of “Soviet hegemony” over
Europe. Such ideas can only come
from persons who wish to reverse
or discredit the process of detente,
or who are still victims of the
ideas of imperialist diplomacy,
with its dedication to political
scheming and machinations. To
them the lofty moral objectives of
socialism's foreign policy are alien,
for socialism sees its historic mis
sion, its ideal, in consolidating
peace in Europe and in the world.
The 24th Congress of the Com
munist Party of the Soviet Union
stressed this very programme as
the leitmotif of the Soviet Union's
foreign policy, and this policy the
Central Committee of the CPSU
and the Soviet Government have
been pursuing consistently, per
severingly, dynamically and with
the greatest possible degree of
initiative. A long road has been
traversed in realising this pro
gramme, which has yielded re
sults. The historic merit for this
belongs personally to the Secre
tary-General of the Central Com
mittee of the CPSU, L. I. Brezh
nev.
A characteristic feature of the
peaceful offensive being conducted
by the Soviet Union and other so
cialist countries is its extension
along a broad front. Proceeding
from one of the most important
features of our period—the unity
and indivisibility of peace—Soviet
diplomacy aspires to deepen mu
tually useful cooperation with all
Western countries without excep
tion. Methods of playing off one
State against another are alien to
it. Testifying to this is the entire
experience of developing equally
fruitful cooperation between the
USSR and France, the Federal
German Republic, Great Britain,
Italy, the smaller countries of
Western Europe, and also with the
USA, Canada and others, for whom
the struggle for peace is basic.
The greater the number of
WOCIALIST INDIA
States and regions that are drawn Once Oswald Spengler forecast
into the process of detente, the the twilight of Europe in his book,
better it is for peace and progress. “Decline of the West”. He was
That is why the Soviet Union is very wrong. Neither have the pre
striving tirelessly for establish dictions of W. Lippmann about the
ment of a system of security not transformation of Europe into a
only in Europe, but in Asia and provincial peninsula of Asia come
other parts of the world. It upholds true. Just as inaccurate is the con
movement toward that end in three ception of Europe's “Atlantisa
main directions: political detente tion” and the shift of civilisation's
—military relaxation—comprehen centre to the USA (Pax Ameri
sive co-operation. This triptych of cana). They have suffered the
the policy of relaxation should be same fate as the doctrine of
crowned by an organised system “Europocentrism” which saw
of European security firmly based Europeans as a chosen elite called
on just, democratic principles of upon to rule mankind.
international relations, above all on
eqaulity, respect for sovereignty Today's Europe, comprising 34
and territorial integrity, non-re countries and 650 million people,
course to force and threat of force,
non-intervention in the internal
contains the world's largest indus
trial and scientific-technical com
affairs of others. The principle of plex, and is a storehouse of ideas
all-European cooperation for peace,
and cultural values. Unified, its
advancement and progress should potential can serve the progress of
find genuine application in the
mankind in growing measure. For
new Europe. Serving this cause has
this reason it must be a continent
become one of the principal criteria of genuine peace and cooperation.
of realism, wisdom, and responsi
bility in the policies of European Courtesy: “Review of Interna
States. tional Affairs”.
TENDER NoTICE No. 60 Dated: 22-1-75
Sealed percentage rate tenders are bºereby invited/reinvited for the
following works from Co-operative Societies, approved PWD, B&R con
tractors so as to reach in the office of the undersigned on 19-2-75 at
3.30 P.M. hour and will be opened on the same day in the presence
of the tendering contractors who care to be present:-
Sr. Name of work Approx. Earnest Time
No. Cost Money Limit
Rs. Rs.
1. Residential Quarters for 2 Nos.
head constable and 15 Nos.
constables police station at
Malerkotla. 2,75,000/- 5,500/- 6 months
2. Residential Quarter for one
head constable and 7 Nos. con
stable at police station,
Ahmedgarh. 1,30,000/- 2,600/- 6 months
CONDITIONS:
1. Detailed Notice inviting tenders can be seen in the office of the
undersigned on any working day during the office hours.
2. Tender forms can be had from the office of the undersigned on
payment of Rs. 2/- each form.
3. Conditional tender is liable to rejection.
4. Earnest Money in tºe shape of National Saving Certificate or De
posit at call will only be accepted. Tender received without earnest
money will not be entertained.
5. The work shall be carried out according to the PWD Specifications.
Sd/-
KULDIP SING SOND
--~~~~~º Executive Engineer,
Const. Division PWD B&R.
Malerkotla.
* v- FEBRUARY 8, 1975
A VIEW OF INDIAN HISTORY
Continued from Page 26
of the “elite approach” or “power
theory” in clarifying and elucida
ting many events of the past his
tory, it is difficult to accept au
thor's confident conclusion that
“modern India is what its elites
made it. Its history is, on the one
hand, the history of intra-elite
power conflicts and, on the other,
the role and response of India's
modern elite to changing histo
rical situations during British
Rule”.
While quest for power and the
determination of the elite to main
tain its base of power have been
recurrent and powerful factors
both in ancient, medieval and
modern elite to changing histo
there have been other factors such
as the role of ideas, the emergence
of powerful political and militant. the Congress Party in the early
ly religious personalities and the seventies.
resultant confluence of political up The elitist approach of Dr.
heavals in India from time to time. Bhatia along with sociological,
The direction of the Indian economic and ideological factors
national movement itself was al together can furnish a balanced
tered by Gandhiji's central empha integrated, cogent and purpose.
sis on non-violent means and his ful survey of the Indian scene
aversion to the British methods, both in its past setting and the
but love for individual Englishmen. current dynamic phase. It is
. That provided a moral edge to the multi-disciplinary approach -
the national movement. If which can point to future trends
Gandhiji was the soul of the na of India's socio-economic develop
ment.
tional movement, then Nehru was
its shining idealism while Moti Dr. B. M. Bhatia's painstaking
Lal Nehru and Sardar Patel fur and illuminating (it does shed
nished the practical realism. Simi light on many dark corners of the .
larly in the post-Nehru India, it Indian history) survey of India's
was a happy blending of Smt. past both in the nineteenth and
Indira Gandhi's idea of narrowing twentieth centuries especially in
the gulf between unbirdled afflu its socio-economic context, is a
ence and grinding poverty which valuable addition to the existing :
injected a healthy realism within meagre literature on the subject.

MULTILATERAL CoopFRATION year, which is equal to the pro operation which has immense
duction capacity at the first future potentialities. The success
Continued from Page 23
stage of the Bhilai Steel Plant. of Indo-Soviet economic coopera:
In this respect it should be point The capacity of HMBP is to be tion has thus enabled India and
ed out that MECON is also a pro doubled. the USSR to raise the level of in
ject of Indo-Soviet economic co All these are but the beginning ternational cooperation for deve:
operation, and is similar to the of an emerging multilateral co lopment.
well-known Soviet Design Insti
tute “GYPROMEZ”, with which
MECON maintains wide and close
ties. On the basis of Soviet tech
nical documentation, catalogues
and standards MECON is now
HINMACHAL’S
making designs for building of
metallurgical complexes both in
India and abroad, including many FIFTH PLAN
West Asian countries.

As for the supply of metallur OUTLAY-RS. 231.40 CRORES

gical equipment for these plants
a substantial part of it will be met Before After
by engineering plants built with (1973-74) (1979-80)
Soviet assistance such as the
Heavy Machine-Building Plant 11 Lac Tonnes Food Production 14 Lac Tonnes
(HMBP), Ranchi, Mining and 1.85 Lac Tonnes Cash Crops Produc- 2.63 Lac Tonnes
Allied Machinery Plant, Durga tion
pur, as well as the Heavy Electri 2.40 Lac Tonnes Fruit Production 4.11 Lac Tonnes
cal Plant, Hardwar. 4,200 Villages Electrification 8,180 Villages
13,507 Kms. Roads 16,447 Kms.
These plants constitute now the 86 Per cent - Primary Education 100 Per cent
main core of India's heavy engi 532 Public Health 584
neering and are in a position to - Institutions
produce all kinds of equipment for 2,728 Drinking Water 5,635 Villages
the setting up of metallurgical Supply
plants without much foreign as
sistance. For example, HMBP,
when it reaches its full capacity,
will be able to equip annually a
HIM LOK SAMPARK
steel plant for the production of
one million tonnes of steel per
social IST INDIA *s-- FEBRUARY s, 1914
 one or the other of the power blocs of the time. This
was an invitation to participate blindly in conflicts
PRESIDENT KAUNDA’S which were the creation of major powers in line with
their philosophy and in pursuit of their own national
“NEHRU AVVARD’” interests at the expense of the innocent people in the
world.
! º
ACCEPTANCE SPEECH Nehru, endowed with a rare depth of vision,
r courage, determination and a unique sense of com
mitment to the concept of independence, rejected the
:
invitation. Instead, he opted for the unbeaten paths
The following is a slightly edited version of the of positive neutrality and thus set in motion shifts
address by the Zambian President, Dr. Kenneth in the equilibrium of the balance of power in a bipolar
Kaunda, delivered at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on world. Nehru asserted India's national sovereignty
January 25, on the occasion of the presentation to him and the freedom of his people. Neither criticism nor
of the “Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International malignant campaigns against his policy nor even in
Understanding” for 1970. timidation diverted his attention from the road he
had chosen—chosen not for himself nor for India alone,
The international situation in Nehru's time was but for us all who now are proud to designate our
marked by threats to peace and security, by the selves as belonging to the Third World with clear
Cold War, colonialism and the world-wide reaction principles and a sense of direction. He founded for
against it, exploitation and racism among many us a cause for dedication, a mission which it is our
others. The world in Nehru's time was in turmoil and duty to fulfil in our own interests and for mankind's
grave events of the time almost brought it to the happy future.
brink of another world war. In a world threatened
by the grim prospects of the third world war, with NEHRU'S INESTIMABLE CONTRIBUTION
big powers ranged against each other, their fingers
ready on the nuclear trigger, Pandit Nehru together Had Nehru accepted the invitation to join bloc
with his comrades-in-arms like the late President politics, then many countries in the Third World—
Nasser and the revered leader of Yugoslavia, Presi in Africa, Asia and Latin America—would have found
dent Tito, would have found it safer to take the not guaranteed security under the nuclear umbrella
popular and yet hazardous line by accepting the but a dangerous threat to that security. We would
world-wide invitation to emerging nations of the Third have more often than not stood ranged against one
World to take cover under the nuclear umbrella of another, brother against brother, deeply involved in

stung by bees. I am not embittered. thus emerged as one of Africa's most

The Citation
The following Citation was read by
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
In the life of every nation, there are
occasions when its ethos is identified
with one man, who rises above oppres
sion and degradation and wages a strug
gle against them, and by his sufferings
and sacrifices, inspires his fellowmen to
liberate themselves. Such a man is
Kenneth Kaunda, the founder of mod
ern Zambia.
The son of a missionary, President
Kenneth Kaunda started life as a school
teacher, but soon became a freedom
fighter who challenged the indignities
of colonialism and apartheid and con
sequently suffered imprisonment from
time to time. As the moving spirit of
the African National Congress and
later, as the leader of the United Na
tional Independence Party, Kenneth
Kaunda was relentless in his fight for
freedom and unyielding in his adher
ence to non-violence. In the face of
atrocities, he urged his people to eschew
...’ violence and intolerance. Hence when
independence ... finally came, Kenneth
Kaunda could say with equanimity: “A
~ wnan who gathers honey experts to be
I have come out with a clear consci
ence ....”
Kenneth Kaunda combines rare
qualities of humility and compassion
with the dynamism he brings to his
onerous task of building a new nation.
Society, as President Kaunda sees it,
should be man-centred and devoted to
the overall advancement of man with
out prejudice of colour, creed or reli
gion. Not tensions and confrontation,
but co-operation and - understanding
among different peoples must form the
basis of a new society. In this res
pect, President Kaunda's path will
ensure peace and build bridges of un
derstanding and tolerance among the
different races of Africa.
A tireless champion of African unity
and freedom, President Kaunda has
constantly lent moral and material sup
port to the liberation movements inside
Africa. He has never slackened in his
efforts to press forward the case of op
pressed African. On their behalf, he
appeals to the conscience of mankind.
With his faith in reconciliation rather
than armed conflict, President Kaunda,
amongst others, has helped freedom
movements within Southern Africa and
has paved the way for their leaders to
nerot’ate with those in power. He has
respected statesmen.
Kenneth Kaunda is not narrow in
his Africanism. His humanism trans
cends parochial and racial boundaries
embracing all mankind. When the
leaders of the Non-aligned nations met
in Lusaka, Kenneth Kaunda pointed
out that in being together they were
not against anyone else, for there were
not three worlds but one. None amongst
those present at this historic confer
ence can forget how he proclaimed his
paean on peace - peace as the theme
of Non-alignment, peace based on de
velopment, peace based on justice.
We in India, share a special spiritual
kinship with Kenneth Kaunda. Deeply
influenced by the message and martyr
dom of Mahatma Gandhi, Kenneth
Kaunda has given concrete shape to the
essentials of Gandhiji's teachings. His
life and works have indeed been an
experiment in truth and non-violence.
We have before us a man of vision,
an internationalist of great stature, a
humanist in whom Jawaharlal Nehru
saw a kindred spirit. In honouring him
today, we recognise that like Jawahar
lal Nehru, Kenneth Kaunda is com
mitted to the same beliefs and ideals
which will prevail for generations to
conne.

#!' SAMſ) ALIST INDIA 29 FEBRUARY 8, 1975

ideoloigcal conflicts to the detriment of our national
interests and our sovereignty. The unity we have
built amongst the countries of Africa, Asia and Latin
America, the comparative peace and stability our
peoples enjoy would have been wrecked by violent
conflicts engineered and fanned by the super but
often selfish manipulators of the international politi
cal system. Indeed, detente between East and West
as we know it today would not be so popular in the
vocabulary of international relations. The tendency
would have been to settle the scores of major powers
in the Third World regions which would have been
turned into threatres of war where trials of strength
would have characterised international policies. That
there is much less evidence of this today is the result
of the understanding and co-operation among Third
World countries and the tribute goes to the founding
fathers of Non-alignment. Nehru's contribution to in
ternational peace and co-operation is, therefore, in
estimable and that is why we are happy to be asso
ciated with his name through this Award.
But crises in the world continue to grow in
number and complexity. The war in Indo-China has
not ended. The Middle East crisis continues with
peace and security threatened by the potential out
break of war again. Nearer home, the Southern
African crisis has not ended although the collapse of
the Portuguese empire has brought dramatic changes
in the region. The energy crisis, the crisis of world
food shortage, the world shortage in raw materials,
the crisis of population explosion, the problems of
environmental pollution, the deteriorating interna
tional financial situation, to mention but a few, all
together characterise the world today. Clearly, tur
moil is the dominant feature of our times. We are
not living in a tranquil world. We enjoy relative
peace under the shadow of conflict. The current
echoes of sabre-rattling by big powers signal the
dangers that still hang over small and medium States.
There seems to be no guarantee for the security of
Third World countries. Our unity is the only guar
antee. International Conferences do not appear to be
succeeding in providing practical and productive so
lution to the wide ranging crises.
Judging by the tremendous advances made in
science and technology and material progress in many
regions of the world, this is certainly one of the best
times in the history of mankind; but it is certainly
also one of the most frustrating. We have advanced
in all fields, but have not advanced in our sense of
justice. In fact, the world seems to suffer from moral
degeneration.
The current international situation is unsatisfac
tory and clearly calls for the re-structuring of the
world order. For centuries, the economies of the
Third World countries have been developed to give
support to the industries of developed countries.
This period has been characterised by dependence of
the Third World on industrialised nations. But now
we must talk about inter-dependence among nations
which is based on equality, mutual respect and co
operation for the benefit of all, The rightful claim
SOCIALIST INDIA
of the Third World to the control of its resources is
an assertion of national sovereignty.
Our reaction to the new challenges cannot be
one of conformity for fear of criticism. It must be
designed to serve the interests of our people. The
Third World, united under the banner of Non-align
ment and enjoying the advantages of their unity,
must remain fully committed to the realisation of
the principles for which Pandit Nehru stood and for
which he selflessly worked. As we fight the new
crises of our time, let us remember that men like
Nehru are seldom popular in their own contempo
rary times. They often live ahead of their times.
Their depth of vision, their wisdom and their courage
and determination to carry their programmes through
thick and thin often put them out of step with we
ordinary mortals. Nehru and his close comrades-in
arms defied the philosophy of the conventional times
of the cold war period. By the success of their
efforts, we today enjoy the fruits of their vision and
wisdom.
MINORITY RULE IN U.N.
One of the greatest problems we face in the re
structuring of the world order is what I might call
minority rule in the United Nations system. There
are great issue like the war in Vietnam and Cam
bodia, there are critical issues in the world today
which the United Nations, charged with the respon
sibility for the maintenance of international peace
and security, cannot deal with because of the sys
tem in which some nations can block the debate on
issues in which they have vested interests. Even
when the General Assembly makes positive decisions
to solve a critical problem, the Security Council can
sabotage the international effort in service of the
national interests of one or more of the member
States. How can peace and security be maintained
in the world in such a situation?
I submit that the quest for a new world struc
ture that secures peace and freedom for all, which
advances human rights and provides conditions for
economic and social progress is urgent. The capacity
of men and institutions to get mankind on the road
to a new world order is certainly unlimited. What
is lacking is the will. Narrow nationalism, particu
larly on the part of nations which have enjoyed the
full exercise of global power derived from the tremen
dous resources supplied cheaply by the Third World
for centuries, stands in the way of progress man
kind desires.
Clearly now we must base the future on new
political models in the re-structuring of the new
world political system. We want peace but we also
want our hard won freedom and justice. We want
inter-dependence but our relations with the rest of
the world must be based on reciprocity, mutual res
pect and on the principle of sovereign equality.
The Third World countries, bound by their com
mon policy of Non-alignment, have developed, clear
principles for economic, social and cultural co-opera
FEBRUARY 8, 1975
tion since the time of Nehru and his fellow founding
fathers. The solemn declarations of peace and under
standing made in Belgrade, Cairo, Lusaka, George
town and Algiers, have defined more concretely the
objectives and fields of co-operation. Our common
objective is self-reliance first within our nations and
then within the Third World. The scourge of infla
tion sweeping the world cannot successfully be
- fought unless we can work more closely in our pro
... grammes of co-operation. We must stand on our
own feet as we defend our national sovereignty and
further the aims and objectives of our freedom in
is a genuinely inter-dependent and peaceful world.
* The grave crises of our times require the vision,
*wisdom, courage and determination of a Pandit
*Nehru. For Pandit Nehru clearly showed how to
d'fulfil the aspirations of not only his people but of
*many others who suffer from oppression and exploita
*tion. If works of true merit leave monuments be
: hind, then Nehru truly left behind him a great monu
ment of achievement in Non-alignment. Its strength
and positive effect are internationally recognised and
accepted. Non-alignment is more meaningful today,
not only to the Third World but also to peace and
security throughout the world. At no other time
have countries representing more than half the world's
population stood together and worked together to
map out the future and to work together in shaping
the destiny of mankind.
--
WEEKLY of the
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Address all correspondence to
The Circulation Manager
SOCIALIST INDIA
AICC Camp Office
5 Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road
New Delhi 110001
(Phones: 383521 and 386494).
-DOLALIST INDIA ---------
we are in a better position today to succeed in
building peace than ever before. We will, if we have
a commitment to do so.
We in Zambia, therefore, appreciate and pay
tribute to the Government and people of India for
recognising the little contribution we have made to
peace and understanding in the world. But we also
accept our international duty to work relentlessly
regardless of sacrifice for peace and security in the
world and especially in Southern Africa. We are
committed to the principles of racial equality and
independence based on majority rule on our contl
nent. In this noble endeavour, no price is too high
for us to pay for mankind's happy future. We sin
cerely hope that the people of Southern Africa will
continue to receive the support of the rest of the
world which they have always enjoyed in their heroic
struggle for a just and durable peace. We are at
the cross-roads in shaping the destiny of Southern
Africa. We do not want to take the road of conflict
if we can. The road to peace is better. But this
depends upon the response of those currently res
ponsible for the outbreak of war.
We will also continue to work for peace in Asia,
in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world
wherever our contribution is worthwhile and mean
ingful.
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FEBRUARY 8, 1975

Self-sufficiency
In Crude
By 1980
MOHAN CHANDRA JOSHI
India can legitimately hope to
be self-sufficient in crude oil by
1980. This optimism is not based
on fantasy but on a realistic ap
praisal of the oil potential in the
off-shore regions both in the West
and in the East.
The break-through came in the
Bombay High, which confirmed
earlier calculations that our coun
try's off-shore regions were rich
in the liquid gold.
The Union Minister for Petro
leum and Chemicals Shri K. D.
Malaviya was not indulging in any
wishful thinking when he announ
ced at a recent news conference
that the country will be able
to attain self-sufficiency by 1980.
According to one estimate, the
country's requirement for crude
would rise from the present level
of 21 million tonnes to 32 million
tonnes in 1980. Shri Malaviya's
own estimate is that our consump
tion of petroleum products by
that year should not be more than
36 million tonnes and he is confi
dent that we may be able to pro- . . . established by mid-1976. However,
duce this quantity by then.
It was Shri Malaviya who laid
the foundation of India's genuine
search of oil when he first took
over the responsibility of the Pet
releum Ministry in the '50s. He
broke the strangle-hold of the fo
reign oil companies which were
not interested in oil exploration in
India. He sought friendly assis
tance from the Socialist countries
the Soviet Union and Romania—
to assist the public sector enter
prises in their effort to search for
crude oil and refine it. But for
Shri Malaviya's vision and deter
mination and Jawaharlal Nehru's
encouragement given to him, we
would not have had the basic struc
ture needed to attain self-suffi
ciency in oil.
SOCIALIST INDIA r
After Shri Malaviya's exit from
the Union Cabinet in early '60s
the Petroleum Ministry lost much
of its dynamism. But, fortunately,
he is again back in the same Mi
nistry and that too at a critical
time when there is a great strain
on oil economy. Call it luck or the
fruits of dedication, Shri Mala
viya's assumption of the charge
of the Petroleum Ministry almost
synchronised with the happy tid
ings for the second time from the
Bombay High.
BOMBAY HIGH
According to the Oil and Natu
ral Gas Commission Chairman,
Shri N. B. Prasad, the Bombay
High in the continental shelf on
the Western coast as a whole, has
a production potential of 10 mil
lion tonnes of crude. He estimates
that 100 wells would have to be
drilled to establish an annual pro
duction of 10 million tonnes. The
testing on the oil horizon in Bom
bay High has indicated a flow of
2,300 barrels a day, with gas at
the rate of 23,800 cubic metres a
day. -
Another heartening feature of
this crude is that it contains very
little of impurities—only a small
amount of sulphur. As the bot
tom of the oil zone has not yet
been reached, drilling will continue
till the depth of 2,100 metres. Tak
ing into account the results achie
ved in the region so far, produc
tion of one million tonnes will be
production depends on adequate
supplies of rigs, drilling and ancil
lary equipments. -
OTHER BASINS
Besides the Bombay High, India
has other off-shore basins along
its coast line. The potential oil
places include the Gulf of Cam
bay, Indo-Ceylonese trough, Ka
veri off-shore basins, the Bay of
Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar
Islands.
The ONGC already contracted
out the Kutch and Bengal basins
to foreign firms. It is now nego
tiating a deal with three foreign
companies for oil exploration in
Kaveri off-shore basins.
These negotiations are to be
completed shortly and the final
82
choice from among three will be
made. It is claimed that the deal ||
under negotiation will be far more
favourable to India than the two
earlier ones.
|
The Kutch basin was some time
ago contracted out to an Ameri.
can consortium, Reading and
Bates, and the Bengal basin to
another American outfit, the Car.
lesberg group, on the basis of
production sharing. The contract
will reach a cut-off point
after the companies have re.
covered their cost in oil and
twice that amount as profit. The
company will continue to receive
a certain percentage of oil even
after the cut-off period, though
this may be one fourth of their
original share.
These foreign companies had
to be involved in off-shore oil ex
ploration, because they are better
equipped than the ONGC today
and the choice is between self.
sufficiency with foreign collabora -
tion and slow progress. We have
no other option but to opt out
for the former.
All this does not mean that On
shore exploration of oil is being
given up. The ONGC has, in fact
stepped up the exploration active
ties to locate oil inland.
The surveys conducted during
the last one year from Oct. 1913.
to Oct. 1974 led to the discovery
of six structural and other interes
ting features besides collecting
the useful geological and geophy
sical data. The geological Sear
ches are going on for the explora:
tion of oil potential in many plar,
ces like Jammu, Kashmir, Hima.
chal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil
Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pra
desh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat,
Assam, Tripura, and Andaman Is
lands.
-
Simultaneously more than 8
score of Seismic Parties—10 in
Gujarat 3 in Assam, 2 each in W.
Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu and Rajasthan, one each in
Punjab, Uttar Pradesh have been
placed to locate the crude in
these areas. Over Rs. 3.44 crores
are being spent on the geological
and geophysical surveys during"
this period. Steps are being taken,
to manufacture the equipment re.
Continued on Page 34
FEBRUARY 8, 1978

CONGRESS PRESIDENT
AT ORISSA CANAP
The three-day “Narora-type”
camp of the Orissa Pradesh Con
gress Committee, held in the lat
ter half of January, was marked
by a sense of unity and discipline
in the State Congress. It was felt
at the Camp that while Party
members in general would have to
maintain discipline, the younger
elements in the Party would come
forward to resist the Bihar-type
movement, if Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan were to launch one in the
State. It was also decided to build
a strong cadre and to raise the
number of Seva Dal volunteers to
5,000. These volunteers would fol
low non-violent means but, as
the Congress President, Shri D. K.
Borooah, said while inaugurating
TWO WEST BENGAL
-
the Camp, they would retain their
right to self-defence to meet the
fascist movement. - -
The youth power of the Con
gress was visible at Bhubaneswar
the day after the Camp ended. A
group of students shouting slo
gans against the Chief Minister,
Smt. Nandini Satpathy, had to re
treat in the face of opposition
from the anti-JP volunteers who
had outnumbered the demonstra
tors. The Chief Minister praised
them when later they went to her
residence and reminded them of
the important role they would
have to play in the future. The
Chief Minister has already instruc
ted the police to act effectively for
maintaining law and order.
Shri Borooah told participants
at the camp that people were do
ing no service to the Congress by
praising both Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan and Smt. Indira Gandhi.
He reminded them that the exist
door of the Congress was as wide
as the door for entry. He made it
clear that former PSP members
would have to adjust themselves
to the discipline, policies and aspi
rations of the Congress Party.
Later, Smt. Satpathy told repor
ters that JP's was a fascist move
ment and no Congressman, could
be allowed to praise him overtly or
covertly in speeches, writings or
even in correspondence. Discipline
in the Party would be strictly
maintained and every partyman
should be aware of this.
Though the Congress Party in
the State Assembly is numerically
short of an absolute majority—it
has 70 seats in the 147-member
House—there is no doubt about
the stability of the 11-month old
Congress Ministry. The Opposition
also concedes that the Ministry is
assured of the support of at least
82 members, including Indepen
dents and seven CPI members.

MINISTERS RESIGN
Two West Bengal Ministers
resigned on January 29 in
consequence of the verdict of
Justice K. N. Wanchoo, who
constituted the one-man Com
mission and enquired into
complaints of nepotism and
corruption against five State
Ministers. Those who resigned
Were Shri Santosh Kumar
Roy, Minister for Relief and
Rehabilitation and Shri Suniti
Chattoraj, Deputy Minister
for Power and Irrigation.
The Commission, however,
exonerated the other three
Ministers. They are Shri Ajit
Panja, Health Minister, Shri
Sitaram Mahato, Forest and
Excise Minister and Shri
Govinda Chandra Naskar,
Minister of State for Health.
The Chief Minister, Shri The Union Minister for Communications, Dr. Shanker Dayal
Siddhartha Shankar Ray, told Sharma, releasing the commemorative stamp on the Silver Jubilee
a press conference in Calcutta
Soon after his return from
of India's Republic. Also seen in the picture is the Lok Sabha
Speaker Dr. G. S. Dhillon.
Delhi on January 29 that both
the Prime Minister, Smt. Meanwhile, Dr. Sharma has described the planting of “bombs” in
Indira Gandhi and the Con his Bhopal residence as “part of the political game”. It may be
gress President, Shri Dev recalled that two crude bomb-like objects were recovered from his
Kanta Borooah, had advised house on February 3. The Inspector General of Police (MP) who
him at Delhi to take suitable visited the scene and also had the objects tested said that it seem
action in line with the verdict ed to be a crude attempt to causea scare. While one person has been
of the Commission. arrested, the hunt is on for four others who reportedly visited Dr.
Sharma's house in a jeep on the night the “bombs" were planted.
SOCIALIST INDIA 83 . - - FEBRUARY 8, 1975

V. P. NAIK ON EMPLOYMENT
GUARANTEE SCHEME
The Chief Minister, Shri Vasant
rao P. Naik, said that India could
achieve self-sufficiency in food in
a matter of years if only the Cen
tre would enforce projects like
t he Employment Guarantee
Scheme (EGS) as evolved by Ma
harashtra to mobilise the vast un
employed rural masses for land
development.
Shri Naik told “Clarity”, a
Bombay weekly, in a special in
terview that the EGS endorsed by
all political parties in the State
aimed at providing productive em
ployment to 15 to 20 lakh jobless
men and women in the villages on
a permanent basis.
Shri Naik stated that a declara
tion unanimously approved by the
two Houses of the Legislature
on December 20, at Nagpur em
powered the State Government to
impose a special “employment
guarantee tax” for raising finan
cial resources required for the
EGS.
SPECIAL TAXES
The State would raise about
Rs. 25 crores a year from special
taxation on sectors that are able
to pay, “i.e., irrigated farming,
organised industry, gainful profes
sions, wealth and property hold
ing, lending unearned income, se
cured employment, etc.”
An equal amount (another Rs.
25 crores would be contributed
from normal budget or sought as
Central aid. The State Legislature
while appealing to the Centre to
“come to the aid of the Maha
rashtra Government in this pio
neering task” has emphasised that
the State should “proceed with the
scheme irrespective of whether it
received aid from the Centre or
not.”
The Chief Minister severely cri
ticised the apathy shown by the
Centre in the matter of assisting
egalitarian measures like the EGS
and monopoly procurement of cot
ton which were aimed at fighting
poverty in the rural areas.
Shri Naik said: "We are seek
ing to make the right to work a
tº CIAºlºr #Rºº
legal right in Maharashtra as a
step to make it a fundamental right
of a citizen. It is not as yet en
shrined as a fundamental right in
the Constitution.”
RIGHT TO WORK
About the scheme for compul
sory procurement of cotton, the
Chief Minister said that the Gov
ernment had moved in the matter
only after securing the Centre's
consent. “It is a measure intended
to free cotton growers, mostly poor
farmers from the clutches of mid
dlemen and traders. We need
credit facilities to the tune of Rs.
200 crores to work that scheme.
But the RBI is hardly prepared to
give us even Rs. 20 crores, that too
with a variety of restrictions. The
Centre's policy has made our posi
tion untenable in the cotton grow
ing areas. Farmers are resorting to
distress sales and smuggling to
neighbouring States to get over
their financial difficulties.”
The declaration adopted by the
State Legislature is on the lines of
a statement adopted by represen
tatives of all political parties in
cluding the Congress, PWP, CPI,
SP, Jana Sangh, CPM and Lal
Nishan Party. The initiative to
build an all-party consensus was
taken by Shri V. S. Page, Chairman
of the Maharashtra Legislative
Council, considered to be the ar
chitect of the EGS. A dissenting
note to the joint statement has
been appended by the CPM and
the LNP questioning the methods
adopted by the Government to im
plement the EGS within the exist
ing socio-economic framework.
AUTHOR OF EGS
Shri Page has evolved the EGS
on the basis of a scheme worked
out by him in 1968 on an experi
mental basis at Visapur, a small
village with a population of 5,000.
He made an attempt to provide
jobs to about 700 unemployed men
and women in the village as the
result of a survey but in the ini
tial stage only 50 persons, most
ly Harijan land labourers, respond
ed. Others did not because of so
otal inhibition,
: . . . 04
OIL SITUATION • * * * ~*
Continued from Page 32
quired for the exploration of the
oil, with in the country.
HURDLES OVERCOME
The biggest hurdle in our search
for oil is financial constraints pla
ced by the present economic si
tuation. The Finance Minister, Shri
C. Subramanium brought some
good news from Washington. He
has given assurance that the ex
ploration of oil and production will
not be delayed because of the shor
tage of funds. He has further said
that the officials of the World
Bank and International Monetary
Fund have shown enthusiasm over
the recent oil discovery in Bombay
High. In order to increase the rate
of production in Bombay High Rs.
500 crores would be required to
develop the field.
There is some misunderstanding
in the popular mind on the res
ponsibility of oil crisis in India
and in rest of the world. Vested
interests in our country and their
imperialist masters have exploited
the present situation to create
misunderstandings against the
Arab World. The Arab countries
had been victims of imperialist
exploitation of their natural
wealth— oil. The Western coun
tries became affluent while Arab
countries remained economically
backward. There is so much hue
and cry when the Arab countries
want to use oil for the economic
betterment of their own people.
Taking a narrow selfish view of
the oil crisis, it is evident that this
was a blessing in disguise: First,
it forced India to think in terms
of self-sufficiency in oil, a strete
gic item both in time of peace
and war. Secondly, it gave a new
sense of awareness to India and
other developing countries that
the natural resources can fetch
much higher prices in the inter
national market if they united
against the developed countries.
Given the will and determina
tion India is bound to reach its
goal of self-sufficiency in oil in
the not too distant future. Self
sufficiency in oil really means a
big boost for our political and
ecenomic development,
L FººtARY 8, 1878
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5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
New Delhi-110001.

*---------ee-e-ee-e-e --> -ese-e-e-e-e—s-s --------------------

S0CIALIST INDIA FEBRUARY 8, 1975

SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in CPSO New Delhi
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 8-2-75 (U 169)
INDIA SUCCEEDS WHERE
OTHERS HAVE FAILED
IN FIGHTING INFLATION
From K. C. KHANNA's article, “A Reprieve
from Inflation” in THE TIMES OF INDIA (Jan. 30)
India is one of the very few countries where
prices have been falling continuously since the end
of September though the decline has been too gentle
to bring much relief to the harassed housewife. The
index of wholesale prices—which is about the best
available indicator of the general price trends—dip
ped by no more than 4.5 per cent during the last
quarter of 1974 after having shot up by as much as
30 per cent. during the previous twelve months.
Even so, it is significant that the upward spin
of the price spiral was reversed long before the late
winter rains had improved the rabi prospects. What
is even more remarkable is that the downturn could
be sustained while nearly every other nation in the
non-communist world, industrially advanced or other
wise, was suffering inflation at the unusually high
rate of one to three per cent. a month.
Credit for this notable performance of the
Indian economy can at once be given to the package
of anti-inflationary measures unfolded by the gov
ernment in rapid succession towards the middle of
1974. In retrospect, there can be no question that
the credit squeeze, the dehoarding drive, the cuts in
public expenditure, the drive against smugglers or
tax-dodgers and the curbs on incomes, dividends and
the construction of highrise buildings did succeed in
simultaneously increasing the supply and bringing
about a substantial fall in the demand for a wide
range of essential commodities. Inevitably, the pres
sure on prices eased as a result.
Whatever the learned economists and the equally
pontific civil servants may say, businessmen usually
know better. As it happens, the wholesalers of cloth,
hessian, grain, oilseeds, pulses or pºpper, the stock
ists of cement, steel or non-ferrous metals, the bro
kers for stocks and shares, the merchants of basic
chemicals, dyes or paper and the estate agents and
property developers are almost unanimous in claim
ing that the markets are sluggish because “black
money” has disappeared.
MAKE
IT
GREATER
THIS IS THE FOURTEENTH IN A SERIES OF ADVERTISENMENTS
DESIGNED BY sº SOCIALIST INDIA ** IN PUBLIC INTEREST
Registered with the Registrar of
Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70
INDIA
IS
GREAT
ANTI-SMUGGLING STEPS BOOST
CUSTOM'S REVENUE
From A Special Correspondent of THE ECONO
MIC TIMES (Feb. 3)
The drastic measures taken against smugglers
have yielded results. The impact of the drive is ref
lected in the remarkable increase in the customs
revenue and value of goods seized, according to an
official report.
The report says customs revenue, increased by
85 per cent—from Rs. 524.02 crores in 1970-71 to
Rs. 974.20 crores in 1973-74.
The value of seized goods has also more than
doubled between 1972 and 1974. From Rs. 2,791 lakhs
in 1972, it has shot up to Rs. 5,009 lakhs in 1974 (up
to October 1974). The goods seized include gold,
watches, synthetic fabrics and yarn, silver, dange
rous drugs, vehicles and vessels, currency and other
articles.
The biggest catch, however, seems to be the
seizure of 48 sea-going vessels in 1974 along the
Gujarat coast. The largest number, ever seized, never
exceeded 15 in any previous year, the report says..
The Customs authorities also tried to get maxi
mum co-operation from the public and undertook
searches on the basis of information received. During
the first 11 months of 1974, over 8,000 such searches
were made and goods worth Rs. 4.83 crores seized.
The Department has introduced a scheme of re
wards to encourage public response to give informa
tion about smugglers' activities. In 1973-74 about
Rs. 90 lakhs were given as rewards to the public.
Besides cash awards for the public the Customs
Department also give appreciation certificates for
1. Exceptionally meritorious service rendered in un
dertaking a particular task even at the risk of life
and 2. Specially distinguished record of service.
So far 28 awards have been given for specially
meritorious service and 22 for specially distinguished
record of service.
 P.M.'s MESSAGE TO
THE PEOPLE
ºr

PURAB MUKHERJEE ON
INDIRA GANDHI

FEBRUARY 15, 1975 *

FOCUS ON RAILWAYS
30 p.

“The World Is Not For Destruction;

It Is For Development.”
& The “New York Times” recently approached
---
several world leaders for statements on the economic
'1.
state of the world. Prime Minister INDIRA GANDHI
responded and her message was published in a spe
cial supplement brought out on January 25, 1975
The full text is published below:

“Fear and hunger were dreaded enemies of the cave man.

In spite of spectacular technological progress, they remain
S0.

“The last few years have shown that military arsenals

do not bring security. Fear of annihilation has to some extent
achieved what wisdom and conscience were unable to do, and
has led to detente. Even hesitant steps towards peace are
welcome. Military detente must be supplemented by economic
detente and political cooperation, based upon equality and
mutual benefit among nations.
“The international economic system, which was evolved
after the Second World War, was considered to be safe and
durable. Recent events have shown that this optimism was
misplaced. The system seems to be breaking down. In many
countries there is evidence of emerging economic depression.
Our urgent task is to evolve an economic order which will
endure. We must recognise economic inequality as the most
glaring fact of the contemporary scene. The persistence of
poverty is not necessarily due to a moral failure of indivi
duals and societies but signifies an organisational failure of
human civilisation. If world leaders arrive at a clearer reali
sation that such inequalities threaten the very peace they
are trying to secure, there is some chance of their bestirring
themselves to find means of cooperation.
“The world is not for destruction; it is for development.”

DEMOCRACY SOCIALISM e SECULARISM e NON-ALIGNMENT

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 Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
CCNTENTS Wo X No. 1 ||

\ February 15, 1975

SUGIALIST Published every

Saturday Progress over the years (Charts) 2
|NDIA Editorial
Note
3
4

Prime Minister's Message of Hope

Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad to the People 5
Road, New Delhi 110001 P.M. on the Duty of Congressmen 6
Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST P.M.–From a Personal Viewpoint 7
P.M. on the Economic situation and on the
EDITORIAL BOARD Opposition Parties 8
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV P.M. On J.P.'s Movement 9
(Chairman)
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Purabi Mukherjee on Prime Minister
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Indira Gandhi 11
Son-et-Lumiere at Nehru Museum 13
Q9
India’s Battle against Inflation will succeed 14
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT Nagarjunasagar Camp 15
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Gopalpur Camp
(Chairman) Panchanan Kanungo 16
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Stepping up Sugar Production
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA Sumitra Kulkarni 18
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Women in National Development—II
Shri P. C. SETHI Lakshmi N. Menon 21
Book Review: A Timely Book on
India's Science Policy
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO K.R. 22
Executive Editor: JAG. MOHAN Communication 25
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Railway Production Units
P. N. Kaul 27
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah Tremendous Progress in 1974 29
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. Copper Smelter Plant Inaugurated
Mohan Chandra Joshi 33
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces Miscellany 34
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Planning: A Poem by Miroslav Holub 35

made an over-all survey of Indo-US relations. She

BDITORIAL
THE TILT ONCE AGAIN
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with the candour
so characteristic of her, has categorically stated that
the recent decision by US to supply once again arms
to Pakistan would make the task of improving Indo
American relations “most difficult”. In the course
of the longish interview granted to “The New York
Times”, she said that “these arms have always been
used against India, not once but several times” and
added with anguish: “Our young people have died.
There has been unprovoked aggression on us.”
. In recent weeks, in the course of the interviews
given to “Newsweek”, “Asahi Shimbun”, “National
Herald" and other papers, the Prime Minister has
2 80% A*IST, ºn DIA
has acknowledged that the former US Ambassador,
Mr. Daniel P. Moynihan had “worked very hard to im
prove relations and remove misunderstandings and
to an extent he succeeded.” And, referring to Mr.
William B. Saxbe, who has been recently sworn in
as the new US Ambassador to India, the Prime Mi
nister remarked that he “will be welcome and we
wish him success in trying to force a better relation
ship.” :
It may be recalled that on the eve of the visit
of the US Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger,
to India, the P.M. in an interview to “National
Herald” made a pointed reference to the fact that
“unfortunately they (the Americans) have regarded
India as marginal to their global strategy.” It is on
record that Dr. Kissinger during his talks both in
private and public after accepting that India is a
maior power in this area assured us that nothing
will be done to tilt the balance. But now there is
tilt once again. –
In the context of professions of friendship and
FEERUARY 15, 1975
 pronouncements of cooperation by the US towards
India, it is unbelievable that there could be this tilt
once again in favour of Pakistan to be followed with
large doses of lethal weapons of all manner to
Rawalpindi. It is apparent that this move is one
more vital plank of American “realpolitik” condition
ed by the oil crisis and fears of recession. Yet to
suit this age of inflation, the American Defence bud
get has been inflated by eight billion dollars. The
American moves in Indian Ocean and their plans
for possible invasion and take-over of oil-producing
countries all add up to grim picture of what is to
come.
It is understandable that several members of
Parliament agitated by all these developments should
be voicing the demand that India must go in for
nuclear weaponry, both tactical and strategic, to
offset the menace of the tilt. The Minister for
Energy, Shri K. C. Pant, who presided over the meet
ing of the Consultative Committee of MPs attached
to the Department of Atomic Energy, after giving
a patient hearing to the MPs correctly explained that
THE JAMA MASJID AND THE IMAM
Such is the nature of life that when town plan
ners, historians, sociologists and political scientists
had just concluded a seminar on rebuilding the Walled
City of Shahjehanabad and restoring its glory there
should have been a flare-up in and around Jama
Masjid resulting in loss of lives and property. Fortu
nately, due to timely action and firm steps taken, the
riot was contained and any possibility of the situation
developing into a communal conflagration was
scotched.
As we go to the press, more than ten days have
elapsed since the trouble started. Life is limping
back to normalcy though the curfew is on in the
evenings. The authorities are doing the needful
alongside public spirited leaders by rendering help
to the kith and kin of those who died and to those
whose shops and homes were either burnt or looted.
For quite some time trouble had been brewing
at Jama Masjid and at the focal centre was the so
called Imam of the Masjid, Syed Abdullah Bukhari,
who was nominated by his octogenarian father, Syed
Hamid Bukhari, as his successor in July, 1973. Even
though the ageing father had writen to the Govern
ment about his resignation, it was not accepted. The
Naib Imam, Syed Abdullah, even though not officially
recognised, started conducting prayers and enjoying
some of the pecuniary benefits of the Imamat.
A sort of cold war was developing since the
Waqf Board would not recognise the claims of the
Naib Imam and the latter started misusing the
prayer meetings for whipping up anti-government
propaganda through inflamatory speeches. It has
been alleged that last Independence Day when the
Prime Minister was addressing the nation at the
ramparts of the Red Fort, Syed Abdullah was having
a parallel meeting where he is said to have listed
imaginary and "unspeakable atrocities perpetrated
$6ératist ºtA
there was no question of India deviating from its
declared policy of using atomic energy only for peace
ful purposes. He also pointed out that this matter
should be raised on the floor of Parliament and that
the AEC cannot be burdened with the task of mak
ing decisions involving diplomacy and foreign policy.
Dr. H. N. Sethna, Chairman of the AEC, who was
of course present at the meeting, took great pains
to explain the nuclear capability of Pakistan in the
future. He explained that with all its deals and re
sources, Pakistan would take at least eight or nine
years to develop an atomic device.
India along with the Third World countries and
its friends elsewhere need not panic come what may.
Even if the tilt may be disturbing, we cannot afford
to lose our sense of balance and faith in ourselves
that “we are going to come out on top” about which
the Prime Minister has said time and again. This is
the time for the nation to get together and back
the Prime Minister unstintingly and wholeheartedly
and not get lost in counter-productive controversies
and agitations.
against Muslims.” Since then he and his followers
had been threatening the members of the Waqf
Board.
On February 2, when the Waqf Board was having
a meeting at a specially erected shamiana under the
presidentship of Shri Shah Nawaz Khan (Union
Minister of State for Agriculture, who is also in
charge of Waqfs), the Naib Imam's followers started
pelting the gathering with brickbats and soda bottles.
The Minister had to seek shelter in a nearby room.
And the Naib Imam gave a call to his followers
through the loudspeakers in the Masjid. As pande
monium broke out, the police had to be rushed and
firing had to be resorted to. The Naib Imam was
taken into custody under MISA. Nine persons died
and several others were injured in the melee.
The Waqf Board has been in the right since it
was not informed and no “dastarbandi” was held—a
ritual performed at which the Imamat is handed
over usually after the death of the ruling Imam.
Since the Imam was alive and was receiving his
salary, the Waqf Board did not take cognisance of
the Naib Imam becoming the Imam. What further
complicated matters was that the Naib Imam had
been collecting money in huge amounts from his
followers and from foreigners visiting the Masjid.
Besides the Naib Imam is said to have prepared a
charter of demands which he wanted to be fulfilled
by a certain date and when the Deputy Minister for
Home Affairs, Shri F. H. Mohsin invited Syed
Abdullah for a meeting, the latter refused to meet on
some ground or the other. All along, the Naib
Imam had been behaving in an autocratic manner and
utilising the Jama Masjid as his pocket borough.
Last Friday, the prayers were conducted by the
Shahi Imam, Syed Hamid Bukhari and it meant
much to those living in the area. And now from
behind prison bars, the Naib Imam has sent a mes
sage to, his followers counselling them to observe
peace. This is a good gesture indeed.
FE8?tary 18, 197s

When Shri Khushwant Singh, Editor of “The
IIlustrated Weekly of India” interviewed the Prime
Minister for the Republic Day Number of his jour
nal, he asked for a message to the people. He pre
faced the message with the comment:
“People like ours are always fired by indivi
duals. There was Mahatma Gandhi, then Jawaharlal
Nehru. Now, undoubtedly, the only one who can
lead us out of the morass is Indira Gandhi. She has
to fire the people with enthusiasm and hope.”
WHAT P.M. SAID
The Prime Minister said: “But once fired, they
should go ahead and act on their own. I don't think
the process of firing can go on continuously! This
is the whole point of democracy—that the individual
counts, not only in the sense that his vote counts,
but his freedom and responsibility to shape his fu
ture himself. He should not become merely a cog
in the machine. My whole endeavour is to streng
then the human being. If he has more self-confi
dence, then the country, as a whole is stronger. And,
believe me, in spite of the shortcomings of Govern
ment and of various political parties, our country
is far stronger today than it ever was, and is daily
growing even stronger. You have just referred to
farmers who are doing well, saying that it pays to
grumble. Unfortunately this is happening in all sec
tions and gives a wrong view of the economy. It is
SOCIALIST INDIA
-
Prime Minister’s
Message Of Hope
To The People
being said by some that Government policies have
brought the economy to the brink of ruin. On the
contrary, the more discerning observers have noted
that we have handled the problem of inflation far
more competently than many other democratic Gov
ernments. Our progress in science and technology has
given our economy vitality and resilience. This is
what matters in a world full of uncertainty. We have
the capacity to face challenges.”
When Shri M. V. Rao, Editor of “Link” inter
viewed the P.M. recently, he also asked for a “spe
cial word to the people”. Here is what the P.M. said:
“At any moment of uncertainty the responsibi
lity of the people is much greater. So is the respon
sibility of the Government. But the Government's
strength is the people. The Government is nothing
by itself. If the people will take the trouble to un
derstand what has caused the difficulties, the Gov
ernment will be in a stronger position. The Govern
ment should certainly be criticised for its shortfalls
and faults, which are many; but I think that the
tendency today to ignore all the achievements is
something which weakens not so much the Govern
ment, as the people's will for further effort and
achievement. In all these agitations, what is serious
is not that they are aimed against the Congress or
against me personally or even against democracy
although democracy is very important to us. I feel
sorry that they are aimed against the cohesiveness
of the country, against all those things which have
kept the country together and have kept it basically
strong. This can only be in the interests of those
who do not wish India well.
“I hope that the people will study the situa.
tion and understand what is happening, who is in
terested in keeping India weak and what should be
done to counteract that. If India is weakened, it is
the poorer people or the middle-classes who will
suffer the most, no matter what they feel today.
“And, as I said all these people who have
launched these agitations have said nothing positive
about what policies they will adopt. You remove
the Government, what comes in its place? There are
certain international pressures. How will they meet
them? If they don't approve of our foreign policy,
what policy will they have in its place? These are
matters which the public have to think about.
They have to ask in what way this peculiar collection
of parties and individuals can strengthen India's eco
nomy, and strengthen the country domestically and
internationally.”
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 In the course of the interview given to “Natio
nal Herald”, the P.M. made an appeal to industrial
workers and wage earners thus :
“I would particularly appeal to industrial wor
kers and wage earners to postpone their demands
for just a while more. I realise they are bearing
heavy burdens. But any immediate increase in
earnings without corresponding increase in the
availability of essential goods will only add to
inflation and give no tangible relief. The nation’s
interests require that they keep their demands in
abeyance for some time.”
And, through an answer given to the question
naire submitted by “Socialist India”, she reiterated
that:
“The determined endeavour to keep down ext:
penditure and to regulate credit should continue. It
Prime Minister On
The Duty Of
f economic groups and classes that it has been able to
Congressmen
—AND ON THE CONGRESS
“The duty before Congressmen is clear. They
should defend democracy, defend the Constitution,
and defend the power of the people. Workers of our
Party also have a special responsibility to preserve
the standards of public life. They should close their
ranks and stand up unitedly to those who are in
dulging in denigration and creating an atmosphere
of despondency. They have to show by their action
that the Congress and the country are in fighting
trim.
“As I have repeatedly pointed out, political par
ties have two vital sources of inspiration — their
contact with the people and the power of their
ideals. The Congress can be revitalised only by
working more closely with the masses and by cons
tant endeavour to live up to the ideals of secular
ism, democracy and socialism.
“The distinguishing feature of the Congress is
that it has following in all regions, among all re
ligious and social groups, and among all economic
classes. It is the one party which has won the con
fidence of the minorities and the weaker sections.
“One of the defects of political parties is that
people in positions of authority tend to perpetuate
their hold and exclude newcomers. We should take
special care to avoid this and constantly encourage
new talent -- just as a great river is always renewed
by fresh waters.”
(From the interview to “Socialist India”)
“By persuading Congressmen to think of and
speak to the people about fundamental issues of
SOCIALIST INDIA
is of utmost importance that demands for increases
in wages or allowances, whether of Government em
ployees or other workers, must be held in abeyance
for just a while longer. Otherwise the hard-earned
hope of economic stability will again be dissipated.
We should not let that happen.
“Our watchwords for the next few months should
be greater production and greater economic discip
line. Supplies of essential goods—foodgrains, com
mon cloth, cooking oil—should be improved both
through organised increase in production and through
better distribution. Demand should be kept in check
through willingly accepted restraints on the part of
wage-earners and salaried classes and by discourag
ing extravagance in the consumption of cement,
steel, petroleum products and other such crucial
commodities and of all luxury articles.”
democracy, secularism and independent foreign
policy and to work together, sinking their faction
differences, to protect and promote these basic poli
cies. The genius of the Congress is not to be ex
clusive but to be inclusive. It is because the Con
gress has brought together so many social and
hold the country together. The extensiveness and
diversity of its following and the tradition of allow
ing its membership the fullest freedom to express
even dissent has sometimes led to situations which
would be exploited by the Opposition. We should
enforce greater discipline in the party without
making it monolithic.
(From the intervicw to “National Herald")
“That is true. But you know, ours (the Congress)
is a very loose sort of party. It has not got much
discipline and it has not at all been energetic. Even
those people who believe in our programmes have
not really gone to the people in the way they should
to explain them. Whereas from the Rightist parties,
there are all kinds of whispering campaigns and
other types of campaigns, spreading all kind of
falsehoods. I think that the Congress President is
energising the party and drawing up various
plans.....
“I don't think we are having only camps. Camps
are places where you collect people and where vari
ous local problems and other things are thrashed
out. If there are misunderstandings, they are clear
ed. But that is only the beginning of a programme;
that is not the end of the programme.....
“One of the objectives of these camps is just
that. We had the national level camp, then we are
having the provincial level camps and then the dis
trict level camps. This is how the workers are en
abled to go to the people.
“I do not think that it would be good to make the
party a narrow party because we have to function
in India as it is, and our society as it is. Unless
there is a special reason, when people are obstruct
ing work and so on, just to push them out and en
able them to add to the Opposition would not be a
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
wise move. The Congress has always been a very
broadbased party. We have to see what is the best
way of getting certain things done.
“But the point is whether we would really be
more effective. It is very difficult to generalise on
this. Would we be more effective by having, say a
PRIME MINISTER
From A Personal
Viewpoint...
On January 28, the BBC
telecast an interview given by
the Prime Minister to its New
Delhi correspondent, Mr. Mark
Tully, which was actually car
ried on Jan. 6. This interview
was featured in a midt week
programme to commemorate
the Silver Jubilee of India as a
Republic and also the comple
tion of nine years of Smt.
Indira Gandhi's prime minis
tership.
Reproduced here is the con
cluding portion of the inter
view including a couple of
questions and answers that
were not telecast.
QUESTION: Could I now turn
to some personal questions? For
nine years you have been the
Prime Minister of this country.
Don't you find that sometimes you
worry that you are not remaining
in contact with the people of this
country, you live a lonely and
rather an isolated life?
PRIME MINISTER: I doubt if
anyone in the world is more in
contact with such a very large
number of people as I am. There
is no day when I don't have hund
reds of people from all parts of the
country—and sometimes different
parts of the world—to see me. I
have an open house in the morn
ing for about an hour—or some
times for two hours if I have the
time. Then I travel a great deal
and whenever I go anvvhere I
meet not only the officials but I
meet anybody who wants to meet
me there, so that their petitions,
their personal domestic problems
and political problems—all these
things come up to me all the time.
QUESTION: When you go to
places, don't you sometimes get
SOCIALIST INDIA
smaller party? I don't think that we would be bº.
cause our aim has been to
phere in which people want to go along with these
policies even for their own personal interests, even
if they do not wholeheartedly believe in them.”
(From the interview to “Link”).
the impression that places are be
ing cleaned up, new roads are be
ing built up merely because the
Prime Minister is coming? There
fore, you don't get the true pic
ture.
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't
think so because I do not think
any new roads are made and if they
are made, then it is a permanent
thing for the area and it is a good
thing. But I am not isolated in
that way because even when I am
going through, roads are full of
people. Nobody can bring hund
reds and thousands of people and
collect them in that way all along
the routes. They are people of all
kinds and they stop me on the
road to speak to me, to give me
petitions and once or twice when
I noticed policemen stopping them,
I stopped the car, got out and got
(the petitions) myself.
QUESTION: You once said you
did not like party politics and yet
you are a politician par excellence
—a highly successful politician.
How do you remain a highly suc
cessful politician if you find politics
distasteful ?
PRIME MINISTER: I think be
cause I am not really... this im
age of me as a highly successful
party manoeuvrer is absolutely...
if it pleases people they can cer
tainly have it...but it is not true.
And it is because I have tried to
stay above party and I have no
group in the party, I think that I
am able to manage. If I were to
narrow the party, then I could not
keep the party together or the
country together.
QUESTION: But your master
step in splitting the Congress
Party in 1969 was a highly politi
cal decision and it required deep
knowledge of the politics in your
own party.
PRIME MINISTER: I had deep
knowledge of politics. And I think
that applies not only to politics in
India but to politics anywhere be
cause that has been a very deep
interest (to me). Since I was a
7 FERRUARY 15, 1975
create the sort of atmos
very small child I have followed
national and international events,
trends and how people act and re
act—not only politicians but others
also. But I did not “split” the
party. You forget that I was
thrown out of the party and had I
not been thrown out, I certainly
would not have split it. But I was
thrown out along with some of the
main people and then we found
that majority of the party was
with me and not with those few
people who wanted to take such
an anti-democratic step... I would
say it was not in the interest of
the party.
(The following portion was not
telecast)
QUESTION: It would not be
unfair to say that you are partly
responsible for engineering the
Split.
PRIME MINISTER: No, cer
tainly not. Why should it be?
I was Prime Minister and the
Prime Minister has a major say in
who should be President, and
throughout this has been (so).
Suddenly five people decide—or
fewer than five, four perhaps—
that they are going to have a
President. And they were whisper
ing, though not aloud—it was not
even whispering. It came out in
newspaper articles that the whole
purpose of having this other Presi
dent was to remove the Prime
Minister. Now this is hardly
honest or fair politics—or in the
party cause. I have no doubt that
had the other person won. al
though I have nothing against him
as a person, but for this reason the
party would have been finished.
QUESTION: But do you now re
gret this Split in the party?
PRIME MINISTER: No. I don't
think so. I think that, although
I did not foresee it, it gave new
life to the party and to the coun
try and it has given us the oppor
tunity of seeing many people in
their true colours, because the
part that left us, they are now
willing to join up with the party
which was largely responsible for
creating an atmosphere of hatred
which led to Mahatma Gandhi's
assassination and at the same
time, although we are sometimes
accused of being with the Commu
nists because the Communist Party
of India supports some of our
measures, they are actually going
with the more extreme wing of
the Communist Party, which is the
Marxist one.
(The following was telecast)
QUESTION: I said before that
you have been Prime Minister for
nearly nine years, coming up to the
tenth year. This has proved risky
for some people—particularly Ayub
Khan of Pakistan and Khrushchev
PRINME MINISTER
On The Hopeful
Economic Situation
The respite in prices is a direct
consequence of the Government's
efforts to curtail money supply
and public expenditure and to
stimulate production. Timely
winter rains have generated a Few countries have escaped the
new sense of confidence on the
agricultural front.
But the fall in wholesale prices
has not been promptly reflected in
retail prices. Many interests are
at work to promote a psychology
of nervousness and disquiet. This
was the purpose of the concerted
campaign abroad and at home to
spread the impression that large
scale deaths would take place. No
PRIME MINISTER ON
OBSTRUCTION IST TACTICS
OF OPPOSITION PARTIES
IN PARLIAMENT
“A few people in the Opposition
take up most of the time. Our own
people get little opportunity to be
heard and are often shouted down.
We have refrained from shouting.
However, in the last session, our
members have raised their voices
80t.f4t ts'ſ rººf?
of Russia. Do you feel any chills
running down your spine as you
approach your tenth year in office?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, why
should I? I would not feel chilly
just having to go. I think that
in a democratic system, it is only
right that people should come and
go and I certainly would not feel
bad about it. But the problem is
that when the country is facing a
very difficult situation, you cannot
say, I am going to leave the boat
and let it fend for itself.
QUESTION: In a democratic
society, as Prime Minister, do you
see the need to build up an alter
native leadership should you feel
that you have to go or fall ill or
something like that?
such thing happened. Except in
two small pockets the government
distribution machinery was equal
to the task.
We are now concentrating our
efforts on the production of food
and other essential everyday arti
cles like common cloth and cooking
oil. The power and transport
crises have also eased. But we
must not slacken our vigil with
this improvement.
impact of the world monetary
and oil crises. We have been hit
doubly—as an agricultural country
and as an industrial country. All
our imports have become costlier.
This difficulty has also coincided
with a period of failure of the
monsoon, requiring larger imports
of food. Whatever happens, food
remains our first concern. We
have arranged for imports and
these, with domestic procurement,
because they felt that they were
being bullied. So there was a
reaction. But as a party we have
been comparatively quiet. . . . .
“It is a real problem because
democracy presupposes a respon
sible Opposition. If the Opposi
tion says: “We do not like your
policy, so we will not allow you
to function,” then the system
cannot work.
“Take Britain. The Labour
Party has a very much smaller
Some 64 their policies
º rºſtt'Aity 18, 197s
PRIME MINISTER: It just is
not possible, because I think peo.
ple have to choose whom they
want. If I say, “Well, so and so is
good person”, then immediately
there are a lot of people who will
see to it that he does not come in
because after all there will be
rivals.
QUESTION: Do you ever get the
itch to go or you get fed up with
it all?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, one is
fed up with anything. But it is a
very challenging task and I think
there is very little time to sit and
think whether one could leave it
or not.
have given us sufficient stocks to
meet the country’s demand.
Because of the exorbitant rise in
fertiliser prices, farmers are tend
ing to use less fertiliser. But our
scientists are helping them to work
out new combinations of organic
and chemical fertilisers.
We have also reduced the con
sumption of petroleum products.
friendly countries have also helped
us by assuring us oil supplies.
Our own efforts to substitute coal
for oil, wherever possible, have
also made some progress.
Our economic growth is affected
but I am confident that with
the new strategies we have adopt
ed we shall regain a good deal of
the tempo.
From the interview given by the
Prime Minister to “National
Herald” and published in its issue
of Jan. 26).
are bound to be, and are, radically
different from those of the Conser
vative Party. But the Conservative
Party—even though they are not
in as small a minority as each of
the parties here—allows the
Government to function.
“Our Opposition parties say the
Congress got only 40% or 45%
votes. A number of parties to
gether are called the Opposition.
But which one of them has a
substantial share of votes? They
are very very small parties of
different ideologies and different
 programmes. I just do not know
what their concept of democracy
is. In this agitation it is said that
democracy has failed. But which
system, according to them, will
function—unless they are advo
cating a system which uses
suppression?”. . . .
“In the last year and a half we
have hardly had any dialogue with
the Opposition because, no matter
what subject is discussed, the
talk becomes acrimonious. Many
of them speak more for the press.
“For example, on the eve of the
session before the current one, a
meeting was arranged between us
and the Opposition. It was a before the meeting, they decided
friendly meeting in which we told
them that we would like to discuss
major issues with them, the most
important being food. They sug
gested many other subjects. So,
nearly two hours were spent with
each person giving his suggestions.
These included corruption, edu
cational reforms and so on. It
added up to a long list and all
the subjects could not possibly be
fitted in.
“It was decided that they would
inform the Minister for Parlia
mentary Affairs what subjects they
would like to start with. But
nothing happened. Finally, as a
paper on agriculture, which was
an urgent matter, was ready, we
suggested that it be taken up
while they made up their minds
on the other subjects. The Minis
ter for Parliamentary Affairs
spoke to the different parties and
a date was fixed. Two days
not to come on the plea that the
parties had been approached sepa
rately, and the subject had been
chosen by us. One or two parties
were willing to have the discus
sion but the meeting was cancelled.
So, in spite of a good beginning,
we never met at all.
“Then we called a meeting on
Sikkim. We were first told that
they would not come, because of
the short notice, but fortunately
they changed their minds.
“So it has now become difficult
to have any useful discussions
with them. Previously, whenever
there was an important matter,
we could meet and discuss it
across the table. When we meet
the Opposition leaders individually,
they sound quite reasonable, but
when they come together. ...
well.--..
“And if you draw their attention
to it (how it will all end up) their
stock answer is: “Do you think you
are a greater nationalist than we
are?” ”
(Excerpts from the interview
given to Shri Khushwant Singh
and published in “The Illustrated
Weekly of India” of January 26).

direction towards the solution of any of our problems.

Prime Minister On
JP's Movement
“It is totally wrong to compare this movement led
by Mr. Jayaprakash Narayan with the movement
for freedom led by Mahatma Gandhi. The motives
are different, the methods are different and the
entire historical context is different. It is difficult
to say what the present movement stands for. But
it is clear what it is against. It is against the Congress,
i.e. my party, it is against me personally and all
that I have stood for — and stand for. People in the
movement are making it clear now that they were
all along against my father's policies. Many state
ments have been made to suggest that there is no
great liking even for our parliamentary system. But
it is not at all clear what is intended to be put in
place of this system.
We learn there have been slogans against cor
ruption, but amongst the supporters of the move
ment are those whose misuse of office has been
established by enquiry commissions and whose cor
ruption is known to the people in other ways and
the leaders of the movement have not repudiated
this and said that they don't want their support. I
don't think that the movement has made a deep
impression on the masses.”
(Excerpt from the interview given to a corres'.
pondent of the Japanese newspaper, “Asahi Shim
bun” on January 24).
FASCIST MOVEMENT
“But in the movement itself, I don't see any
SOCIALIST INDIA
Many people and parties who are involved in it are
trying to make out that an elected majority has no
meaning and if the people persist in supporting cer
tain policies, then the people are wrong. This is why
I have called it “fascist'.
“The fascist movement was that of a few people,
a few classes, who were convinced of their righte
ousness and their class interest. They knew exactly
what they wanted and went all out to get it. They
were willing to use any kind of slogan to attract
people. This is what some of the present groups are
doing.”
(From the interview given to Shri Khushwant
Singh of “The Illustrated Weekly of India”).
UNACCEPTABLE TO PEOPLE
“Our misgivings about the motives of this agi
tation arise from the fact that its shining lights
have, on different occasions, been ardent admirers
of Marshal Ayub Khan's basic democracy and other
forms of pseudo-democracy.
“The question is plainly whether they are for
adult franchise or not. Our nationalist movement
won this right for the people after great sacrifice.
Any so-called reform which abridges this right will
be unacceptable to our people.
“The agitators include people of many political
complexions. All of them speak of reform. But some
are big landholders who have no sympathy for the
landless. Others have on occasions talked of party
less democracy but retreated hastily when they
found that this was not politically expedient. Some
extreme Rightists and Leftists who lack basic faith
in representative democracy are also on the reform
bandwagon for their own reasons.
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 “If the aim is to reduce election expenses so that
the poor and the propertyless can have a greater
say in elections, we are all for such reforms. I am
ready to sit down with those who are earnest in
their search for effective methods of giving greater
meaning to our democracy.....
“I am concerned at the growing propaganda
which is being carried on against our political sys
tem. Its effect will be to weaken the people's faith
in democratic institutions and in themselves. This
cannot be to the country's advantage and will
serve the ends of those who want to weaken the
country. . . . .
GRAND ALLIANCE
“It is evident that all anti-Congress parties are
getting together: parties which are against demo
cracy, some which are against Secularism, others
which are against Socialism and a few which are
against Non-alignment. Parties which are against
the basic tenets of the Congress will naturally
oppose the Congress. But the people are entitled to
know what policies this heterogeneous combination
intends to pursue at home and abroad.
“Will they retain and defend adult franchise and
parliamentary institutions? Will they bring about
transformation along Socialist lines? Will they con
tinue to pursue the policies we have pursued in regard
to West Asia, South-East Asia and our own sub
continent? Will they maintain the framework of
Non-alignment and strengthen our existing relations
with the developing world? Will they jettison
friendship with proven friends? The Grand Alliance
speaks with contrary voices on all these matters....
DICTATORSHIP CHARGE: NONSENSE
“It is nonsense to say that I am taking the coun
try towards dictatorship. On the contrary the Oppo
sition is trying to bring about conditions of chaos
and anarchy which could enable a ruthless group to
take over the reins and suppress others. That is
the danger of their unprincipled alliance.
“The effect of the constant talk of corruption
has been to undermine faith in democratic institu
tions. This is what the Fascists did in Italy and
Germany. Rightist and Leftist groups abetted them
and quite a number of decent middle-class elements
indulged in Hitler and Mussolini-worship in the
mistaken belief that they would raise national
honour.
“The Nazis and Fascists repeated lies with such
persistence that ultimately some of them were be
lieved. That is the purpose of harping on corrup
tion. The Opposition is repeating the wildest allega
tions without any obligation of having to substitute
these statements.
“We have already witnessed the first result of
these tactics in the foul murder of Mr. L. N. Mishra,
I had hoped that this tragedy would induce self
searching in the country, but many Opposition lea
ders and papers have gone on to make the most
fantastic charges.
SOCIALIST INDIA
“Their objective is obvious. They have openly
announced that their aim is to ‘push her aside'. It
is obvious that their anger against me is not be
cause of my person but because of the policies which
I represent. Also because they feel that because of
these policies I have been able to thwart the Opposi
tion's designs.
“Let us examine some of the charges they level
against me. They accuse me of dictatorship, but
which action or statement of mine can be cited as bº.
ing dictatorial? They blame me for the Spilit in the
Congress. Groups have split away from the Congress
from the very beginning. Also, the 1969 Split was
due not to me but to those who tried to force mino
rity of the party and expelled those from the Con
gress who, as was proved later, had the clear sup
port of the majority. I am accused of weakening
State Governments and in the same breath for
giving all-out support to State Government.
“I have also read of some people supporting a
few of my colleagues, although disapproving of me.
Is it the contention that my senior colleagues do
not approve of the Government's and the party's
declared policies? Have they acquiesced merely
because of lack of courage to speak out? Is this not
a reflection on their integrity? This is an effort to
divide the party.”
(Excerpts from the interview published in
National Herald” of January 26.)
“But the movements themselves are not manned
by those who are facing hardships; they are initiat
ed by people who are definitely against our policies
— internal as well as foreign. The people they
choose for criticism are people with certain view
points. It is also a fact that certain forces outside
take quite a deep interest.
RSS INVOLVEMENT
“The base of these agitations is, in many places.
the RSS — no matter who the leader is or what
they say. The RSS is wedded to violence. Even
though in a particular meeting or procession or rally
they may not be violent, violence is increased by
such agitations and by the respectability given to
people who have all along believed in violence. This
is what I mean when I say that the movement is
fascist in character. How did Fascism abroad oper
rate? It started off by sowing distrust in democra
tic and parliamentary institutions, by loudly preach
ing narrow national chauvinism, by recklessly
promising all kinds of things — you know, like total
employment, total efficiency — and at the same time
through campaigns of hatred against political or
racial or religious groups and by resort to violence.
This is precisely what some of our political parties
are doing today.
“I think basically the people's judgement is sound
and they have not paid heed to these anti-democra
tic, anarchist and destructive forces, but these for:
ces I think are making almost a last-ditch stand."
(Excerpt from the interview given to Shri M. W.
Rau of “Link.”)
10 FEBRUARY 15, 1975

January 26, 1975 marked the 25th anniversary
—the Silver Jubilee——of the Indian Republic. It is
with pride that we, the people of India, celebrated
the day. For, in spite of ups and downs, floods and
droughts, wars and agitations, inflations and other
challenges, we have survived as a modern nation in
this ancient land of ours.
During this quarter century, which is only a
segment of the 5,000 years of our continuing civili
sation and culture, we have preserved our integrity
and maintained our national identity.
For nearly two-thirds of these two and a half
decades, Jawaharlal Nehru, as the heir of Mahatma
Gandhi, moulded the nation according to the best
traditions of the Congress and the tenets of our na
tional ethos. He made it possible for the words of
the Constitution of India—written down by the
Founding Fathers in the best of their wisdom—to
become reality.
Nehru launched the Five-Year Plans to invest
freedom with the economic substance. He initiated
the policy of Non-alignment and forged it as an
instrument of peace. He made it possible for as to
emerge as a modern, secular nation—and as the
largest democracy in the world.
For a brief while, Lal Bahadur Shastri, held the
reins of the Government as the Prime Minister. But,
death claimed him prematurely. He died in distant
Tashkent as a martyr of peace.
For the last nine years, it has been left to Shri
mati Indira Gandhi to become the instrument of his
tory to shape the progress of one-seventh of man
kind which constitutes our nation. Elected leader of
the Congress Party in Parliament on January 19, 1966,
she was sworn in as the Prime Minister on January
%—just two days before Republic Day, 1966.
During the last nine years, we have been the
SOCIALIST INDIA
PRIME MINISTER
INDIRA GANDHI
PURABI MUKHERJEE, M.P.
General Secretary, AICC
privileged witnesses to a radical transformation of
the politic and body social in this sub-continent of
ours. Indira Gandhi has revitalised and transformed
yond recognition the Congress Party of which she is
the inspiring leader. During the Parliamentary
elections of 1971 and Assembly elections of 1972 and
1974, she established rapport with the masses in a
phenomenal manner and enabled the Congress to ful
fil its historic role.
The miracles she performed before, during and
after the Bangladesh crisis have now been enshrined
in the annals of world history. Out of the misery
of millions, out of the sacrifice of hundreds of thou
sands, out of the war that was thrust on us, a new
nation was born to join the community of nations.
Indira Gandhi converted the moment of victory
into a moment of high moral courage and vision by
offering unilateral ceasefire on the Western front
with Pakistan thus making a reality of what Nehru
had admired in Ashoka. It is this same spirit of re
conciliation which inspired her initiatives during and
after the Simla talks.
Indira Gandhi has been described by some with
superficial understanding of India and Indian politics
as the “Empress of India” as “the Most Powerful
Woman in the World” and as a “Woman with the
Heart of a King”. These are strange titles for a
democrat who was responsible for the eradication of
the vestiges of princely privileges, for one who gave
currency to the phrase, “Power rests with the Peo
ple”, and for one who is the pride of the women as
well as the men of the country, who have elected her
Prime Minister, just as she was elected the President
of the Congress Party in 1959-60.
APPRENTICESHIP
Indira Gandhi's years of apprenticeship have
been the subject matter of several books and
articles. Still they deserve mention for one can see
the organic development of her personality, stage by
stage. She could not have been anything else but
what she is today.
She was born in Allahabad on November 19,
1917—and five days separate her birthday from that
of her father—in the year of the Russian Revolution
and a little before Mahatma Gandhi took over the
leadership of the Indian Revolution. Hence, Jawa
11 FEBRUARY 15, 1975
harlal Nehru called her “the child of revolution”, and
Sarojini Naidu, as “the soul of New India”.
Growing up in Anand Bhavan she saw at close
quarters the leaders of the nation from Mahatma
Gandhi downwards as also vast groups of peasants
and satyagrahis who came to meet Motilal Nehru,
Jawaharlal Nehru and Kamala Nehru. The word
“independence” acquired special meaning for her as
she witnessed her elders being arrested and kept in
prison.
Indira Priyadarshini's formal education was at
the League of Nations School at Geneva, the Pupils'
Own School, Poona, and at Shantiniketan under the
benevolent eyes of Gurudev Tagore. Later she went
to Somerville College, Oxford. But, her longer edu
cation was through the experiences of the national
movement and through her wide reading, especially of
the letters which her father wrote from prison which
provided her with the world view, which is one of
her assets.
Participation in politics, wether as the leader of
the “Vanar Sena”, the “monkey brigade” of the
youngsters who defied the British police or as the
founder of the Children's Section of the Charkha
Sangh was a foretaste of the organisational work
which she was to do later. The spell of incarceration
at the Naini Central Jail (1942-43) was in a sense
her post-graduate education.
It was politics that brought Indira close to
Feroze Gandhi who was a comrade in the fight for
freedom as he was a comrade in life. After Inde
pendence, he contested in the first general elections
from Rae Bareli and become a doughty parliamenta
I’lan.
In the post-independence period, as the official
hostess of her father's residence at Teen Murti,
Indira Gandhi was at the epicentre of international
diplomacy with the leaders of the world foregather
ing there. The scores of trips to countries east and
west, capitalist and socialist, along with the first
Prime Minister of India, gave her an unequalled in
sight into international politics.
NINE YEARS
Indira Gandhi's appointment as the Minister of
Information and Broadcasting in Lal Bahadur Shas
tri's cabinet in 1964 provided her the opportunity to
know the working of government machinery from
the inside—and all about bureaucracy and red-tape.
By then, she was doubly bereaved, Feroze hav
ing died in 1960 and Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964. Her
main source of strength was her own well individu
ated self—and her chief consolation was in looking
after her two sons, Rajiv and Sanjay.
In time to come, volumes will be written about
Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister of India. Justice
cannot be done to her work within the limited scope
of this interim assessment. At the most, a few high
lights can be indicated,
SOCIALIST INDIA
During the last nine years, phenomenal chang.
es have taken place in the country and they all
bear the imprint of her vision and style of politics.
Radical changes have been effected in such a man
ner that patterns of living in every field have
changed for the better and are still changing.
For instance, the Congress Party itself has unk
dergone a transformation after 1969 and it will
be never the same again. The forces that were im
peding the Congress from fulfilling its destiny
have been pushed aside. The deadwood has been
relegated to the scrapheap of history. When all the
values that the Congress has held dear and when
all the traditions that had animated the Congress
for over seven decades were at stake, Indira Gandhi
acted swiftly and surely. Bank nationalisation prov
ed that bold measures could be pushed through in
spite of opposition.
Subsequent history, especially during the 1971
and 1972 elections, amply confirmed that her poli
tical intuition was correct and what she had done
was good for the Party and for the country.
The Congress, thoroughly revitalised and its elec
toral strength considerably enhanced in the Centre
and in the States could ensure the country's unity
and security. The Congress regained its dynamism
and became conscious of its responsibilities of main
taining democracy when a multiplicity of negative
parties are busy undermining the democratic struc
ture.
Since then, other far-reaching economic and
political measures have been taken. The nationali
sation of coal mines was a measure designed to
manage our fuel resources better. The abolition of
privy purses and princely privileges, again in the
teeth of Opposition, as well as legislative and judi
cial quibbling, removed the vestiges of a feudal.
parasitical order which claimed to be “more equal”
than the others and diverted crores of rupees that
used to be given to them towards social ameliora'.
tion. In the course of implementing the Ten-Point
Programme, the greatest success was the restora
tion of Parliament's right to amend the Funda
mental Rights of Constitution in the larger inter
ests of the nation.
As briefly mentioned earlier, the emergance
of Bangladesh in the sub-continent much to the dis
comfiture of some super powers and the realign
ment of the politics of India, Bangladesh and Pak
istan are positive achievements of the nine years of
Indira Gandhi's Prime Ministership. Bold challenges
have faced, calculated risks have been taken: and
desired results have been achieved. Besides initia
tives have been taken in several directions to con
solidate our friendly relations with neighbouring
countries and super powers as well.
The wisdom of Indira Gandhi in having the
Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Co-operation with
the Soviet Union signed on August 9, 1971, at a
crucial time when much was in jeopardy, has come
to be appreciated by one and all, here and abroad.
The visits that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi paid
12 FEBRUARY 15, 1975
to the capitals of the world have paid off dividends
and consolidated our position in the context of the
countries of the “Three” Worlds.
Another signal achievement of these nine
years and one that has made every Indian proud of
himself and boosted the image of India abroad was
the Pokharan blast—the explosion of the nuclear
device for peaceful purposes on May 18, 1974, that
reverberated throughout the world.
This period has not been one in which Nature
has been kind to us. We have had three droughts
of extra-ordinary magnitude. Their aftermath had
also to be faced. The latest challenge is that of in
flation, which is a global disaster under the im
pact of which almost all countries are reeling.
Strong, anti-inflationary measures had to be adop
ted and Indira Gandhi adopted them. A vigorous
campaign has been launched against smuggling,
profiteering, hoarding and other anti-social activi
ties. Some indications of improvement in the econo
mic conditions are available. With the recent good
rains and a bumper rabi crop assured, the prospects
for 1975 are good.
AS A PERSON
The year 1975 has been declared as the “Inter".
national Women's Year”. It should be a matter of
pride for all womankind that Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi has entered the tenth year of her service
to the country. Of course, she herself insists that
she should be regarded as a “person” and not as a
“woman”. But the fact she is doing with such abi
lity and distinction, what is supposed to be a man's
job (why, many men's jobs), keeping her mind cool
and preserving her feminine grace has to be
acknowledged. Her radiance and poise in the midst
of the most pressing events have intrigued many.
Her inexhaustible energy has amazed her biogra
phers.
Indira Gandhi lives modestly at No. 1 Safdar
jang Road, which is perhaps the most modest
among the Prime Ministers' houses of the world.
Here, in the company of her small family of her
sons, Rajiv and Sanjay, their wives Sonia and
Menaka; and the first son's two children, Rahul
and Priyanka, Indira Gandhi lives a life that is
free of any kind of pomp. Flowers, books and her
grandchildren are her main preoccupations, when
the cares and burdens of office are able to spare
her some time of herself. The company of intellec
tuals and correspondence with them—ranging from
Andre Malraux to Buckminister Fuller to Ivan
Illich is one of her diversions.
Indira Gandhi, like her father who had kept
by his bedside the verse from Robert Frost, the
American poet, is always conscious that:
“The woods are lovely, dark and deep
But I have promises to keep
and miles to go before I sleep”.

Andrews, Sir J. C. Bose and Dr. tenance of the Library, include

SON-ET-LUMIERE
AT NEHRU
MUSEUM
Nearly 1,200 letters exchanged
between the late Seth Jamnalal
Bajaj and various leaders of emi
nence including Mahatma Gandhi
were presented by Shri Ram
krishna Bajaj on January 25 to
the Nehru Memorial Museum and
Library for being preserved in the
archives of the Library. The cor
respondence between the late Bajaj
and Mahatma Gandhi covers the
period 1917-42 and in all there are
about 400 letters exchanged bet
ween the two.
The remaining 800 letters were
exchanged between Bajaj and other
leaders and personalities like
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Moti
lal Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru, C.
Rajagopalachari, J. B. Kripalani,
Seth Govind Das, Vallabhbhai
Patel, Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan,
B. C. Kher, Dr. Zakir Husain,
Miraben, Vinoha Bhave, C. F.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Verrier Elwin.
Jamnalal Bajaj was born in a
poor family in Jaipur State in
1889 but rose to be the wealthy
adopted son of Bachhraj of
Wardha. He came into early con
tact with Pandit Madan Mohan
Malaviya, Rabindranath Tagore
and Lokamanya Tilak. He first met
Gandhiji in 1915 and found in him
his spiritual guru. He requested
Gandhiji to adopt him as his
“fifth son” to which Gandhiji
agreed.
The objects of Nehru Memorial
Museum and Library include the
acquisition, maintenance and pre
servation of papers of nationalist
leaders of modern India and other
eminent Indians. This makes
a valuable centre for research and
provides an enormous body
source material to scholars.
has also acquired microfilms
important collections of unpublish
ed papers available abroad.
The other activities of the
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund,
which is responsible for the main
18
projects for bringing out a three
volume biography of Jawaharlal
Nehru, production of a lengthy
documentary film on Nehru (by
Shri Vithalbhai Jhaveri, who pro
duced the well-known film bio
graphy of Mahatma Gendhi) and
the sound and light spectacle at
Teen Murti House, which was
Jawaharlal Nehru's official resid
ence as Prime Minister for 16
years.
The sound and light (“Son et
Lumiere”) spectacle is being direc
ted by E. Alkazi. Its script has
been written by Shri Ali Sardar
Jafri. On completion the project
will be gifted to the Nehru Memo
rial Museum and Library, which
will manage them as part of its
it
activities.
of The first of the three volume
It
of biography of Nehru is also expec
ted to be published soon. The
biography, written by Dr. S. Gopal,
will in essence be the history of
the movement for national free
dom and that of the first 17 years
of independent India.
FEBRUARY 15, 1975

India's Battle Against
Inflation Will Succeed
REASONS FOR HOPE
Amidst the economic gloom which appears to
be all-pervading, a glimmer of hope and optimism
is now clearly discernible. It is the wholesale price
index which surprisingly provides this optimism;
for full four months now, the wholesale index has
not only displayed a rare stabilisation of prices but
has in fact registered a not insignificant price fall
of 4.6 per cent.
This price decline took place during the last
quarter of 1974 and was extended during January
1975. The latest price index figures show a margi
nal increase of 0.3 per cent but commodity-wise
break-up shows that the broad picture of price sta
bility is not disturbed.
It is noteworthy that for full 18 months the
prices had been rising continuously and steeply, re
gistering during one year, 1973-74, a price rise of
30 per cent. No doubt the decline of 4.6 per cent in
the wholesale price index after the back-breaking
price spiral of the previous year is too meagre to be
felt in the lives of the common man. But the impor
tance of the phenomenon is not to be underrated.
Its importance lies in the fact that this price dec
line has taken place amidst the continuing rise in
prices in the international markets. In fact, in some
of the advanced Western countries the price spiral
is now in its most acute phase, and this includes not
only the United States of America but also Italy,
France and even West Germany.
Two questions which naturally project them
selves are: what are the factors which have led to
the wholesome behaviour of prices during the last
few months? Secondly, will this trend continue or
will it prove to be a short-lived respite? Clearly the
two issues are inter-linked. Some idea of the pro
spects ahead can be formed if the factors which
have brought about price stabilisation are identi
fied.
In this context, it is notable that the price dec
line in the last quarter of 1974 took before the re
cent winter rains brightened the rabi crop pros
pects. It stands to reason that the very good out
look of the rabi crop should further help the eco
nomy on the price front. Having said that one
should not overstate the points of optimisim in so
far as prices go.
The reasons for this projection are to be found
in the factors which helped bring prices under con
SOCIALIST INDIA
trol during the fall of 1974 when strident price rise
threatened to wreck the economy on many fronts.
What brought about the control of the price
monster last year: the anti-inflationary package, |
the wage-dividend curbs, the checks on money sup:
ply and the dear credit policy? These measures did
contribute to price stabilisation. But by themselves
this package might have been defeated in its objec
tives. It was the dramatic and swift drive against
top smugglers, coupled with the raids on hoarders
and black money operators which came in the wake
of the anti-inflationary package that did the trick.
What in economic terms is the significance of
the MISA's application against smugglers and other
big sharks who commit economic offences? Its sig:
nificance is very great—far more than is generally
realised. This significance is derived from the fact
that the “parallel economy” consisting of black
money—smuggling operations constitutes the biggest
single malaise of Indian economy. If this malaise is
even partly or temporarily removed, the economy
shows its healthy undertones. This in fact is what
has transpired. The actions, however short-lived,
against the economic sharks by the application of
MISA has temporarily at least put black money in
the corner. And this in turn has given the economy
a better look on the price front. The hoarders are
somewhat “shy” at present out of fear. And the
generation of black money has slowed down as a
result of the set-back to the smugglers.
The ever-present danger is to be gleaned from
the available statistics. According to official
claims, some 700 big sharks in the smuggling and
black maney world were nabbed by governmental
agencies during the high-pitched drive last year
end. An amount of approximately Rs. 100 crores
was frozen or confiscated in the process.
While these are impressive figures, it is clear
that they just touch the fringe of the problem.
How much is the stock of active black money? Some
time ago, it was placed at Rs. 1200 crores to Rs. 2000
crores. While accurate calculations are difficlit,
the latter figure might be more appropriate if one
takes into account the many-faced activity of black
money. Impounding Rs. 100 crores out of this
huge quantum therefore means knocking out just
a tiny fraction.
A foolproof plan is being devised for the dis’
tribution and production of essential commodities
on a national scale with the involvement of the
people—the consumers. This sort of plan is im:
portant for the economy for it will not only extend
the gains of the recent price stabilisation, but will
activate the economy considerably by giving *
bounce to the people's purchasing power and secur"
ing it a fair deal. But here too, the plan can
only be implemented if together with economic
decision-making a political determination is lent
to its implementation.
14 FEBRUARY 15, 1975

Nagarjunasagar
State-Level
Camp
The Andhra Pradesh Congress
Committee held the State level
Trading Camp on January 7, 8
and 9, 1975 at Nagarjunasagar on
the lines of the Narora Central
Camp. * :
Nearly 250 persons were invit
ed to the Camp. They comprised
PCC Executive Committee Mem
bers, AICC Members from the
State, Members of the Executive
Committee of Congress Legisla
ture Party, Members of the Cabi
net, Chairman of the three Regio
nal Planning and Development
Committee, President and one Sec
retary each from the DCCs, Par
liament Members from the State,
Z. P. Chairman and Chairmen of
various State Corporations who
happened to be Congressmen,
Chairman and Deputy Chairman of
Legislative Council, Deputy Spea
ker, Representatives of INTUC,
Youth Congress, NSU, and
Womens' Wing, Freedom Fighters'
Wing. Backward Classes' Wing
and Seva Dal of APCC. Out of
them, 178 persons participated.
A sub-committee under the
Chairmanship of APCC President
Shri V. Venkatanarayana and a
reception committee under the
chairmanship of Shri V. Purushot
tam Reddy, Excise and Mines Min
ister, looked after the arrange
ments. The camp was arranged
at Nagarjunasagar historically
famous for its Buddhist shrines,
at Nagarjuna University, etc.—on
the bank of Krishna river with its
calm and picturesque sorroundings.
All the participants travelled to
the Camp in buses. The Camp was
conducted in specially arranged
tents. Simplicity and austerity
were maintained.
From the AICC, Shri Shankar
Dayal Singh, MP, was incharge of
the Camp. Nine other Central lead
ers, Sarvashri Uma Shankar Dik
shit, Union Cabinet Minister and
Treasurer. Shri K. Brahmananda
Reddy, and Shri K. Raghuramayya,
Union Cabinet Ministers from the
State, Shri Aziz Imam and Shri
P. V. Narasimha Rao, General Sea
*otº-rººf in DTA
retaries, AICC, Shri Shankar in anti-democratic movements in
Ghosh, Minister for Finance, West Urban centres; 2. Denigrating the
Bengal Government, Shri Yashpal image of parliamentary institu
tions; 3. Trying to settle issues in
Kapoor, MP, Shri Jagadish Joshi,
MP, Shri Henry Austin, MP, and street through agitations; 4.
Shri N. C. Parashar, MP, addressed Weakening of the political party
the trainees. system; 5. Reflection of social con
The Camp was inaugurated by
tradictions in elections; 6. Oppor
tunistic alliances among political
Shri Aziz Imam and on the ninth
forces; 7. Money influence in elec
evening, valedictory address was tions; 8. Encouraging violence; 9.
given by Shri Uma Shankar Dik Character assasination.
shit. The APCC President, Shri V.
The trainees were instructed
Venkatanarayana, presided on all
the three days. Apart from the 8 about various positive steps to be
central leaders, 39 participants taken up to counteract these cons
from the State participated in the traints in the Indian body politic.
discussion covering about 28 hours The Camp highlighted the need
on the three days. In the evening, to build up moral and ethical stan
cultural programmes were arrang dards in public life and to incul
ed. A famous social drama Mala
cate again the Gandhian spirit in
palli was enacted on the first day all walks of life. The Camp endors
and a vocal light music consert ed the 13-point formula adopted
on the second day. at the Narora Central Camp and
In the course of discussion, the in particular stressed the need to
get the Land Ceiling Act imple
following nine types of disturbing
trends in the political field have mented effectively in the State. It
was decided to hold the district
been identified: 1. Involving the
Youth, Students and intellectuals training Camp immediately.
--
At the Nagarjunasagar State-level Camp: From left to right are Shri
K. Raghuramaiah, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Shri
Shankar Dayal Singh, A.I.C.C. Representative for A.P.C.C. Training
Camp. Shri V. B. Raju, M.P., Dy. Leader, Cong. Parliamentary Party,
Shri J. Vengalarao, Chief Minister A.P., Shri Veeramachanani Ven
kataravana, President, A.P.P.C., Shri Aziz Imam, General Secretary,
A.I.C.C., Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, General Secretary, A.I.C.C., Shri
Shankar Ghosh, Finance Minister, West Bengal. At the rear: Shri T.
Venkatramayya, Organising Secretary, A.P.C.C.
18 FEBRUARY 18, 1075
 Everything—yes, everything
costs somuch moretoday

Life insurance
worth Rs.2.500/- for 30 years |
still costsyou as little as
just One Cup of teaadays -

(say,25p). /

º:
assuming you are 3000w

:i
Peace of mindin
your reach with
LIFE INSURANCF

GOPALPUR CAMP AND AFTER
Beginning A New Chapter In
Orissa Politics
Liberated from the yoke of Re
actionary and feudal rulers
Orissa looks forward to stabiltiy, a
positive growth in economy and
meaningful social changes. In spite
of rich natural resources—mines,
forests, a vast seacoast, etc.—there
has been little progress in the
field of economic growth in Orissa.
Among other things, frequent
changes in governments (for most
part a coalition government cons
tituted by parties having different
ideology), is a major reason for
its slow progress.
The people of Orissa are making
offorts to bring about stability in
Orissa's body politic. Though the
Congress has only 70 seats in the
147-member State Assembly, the
PANCHANAN KANUNGO
stability of the Ministry is beyond
doubt. The Opposition concedes
that the Ministry is assured of the
support of at least 82 members
including some Independents. Even
some BLD members are waiting
to join the Congress. That is why
the Opposition did not press for
a division during the last Assem
bly session.
The unity within the Congress
ranks was evident at the three
day Narora-type Training Camp
held at Gopalpur recently. The
Camp was attended by all State
Congress leaders.
The Gopalpur Camp was the true
expression of the spirit generated
at Narora.
When a Scheduled Caste MP,
Shri Anadi Das, believed to be a
“disident” youth leader, was ask
ed about his reaction to the Gopal
pur Camp, he said that the Camp
would strengthen the progressive
Government of Smt. Sathpathy.
Moreover, the Congress in
Orissa seems inclined to adopt the
model of West Bengal where young
people were reportedly responsible
for the party's success at the
polls. The policy of allowing young
people to spearhead the counter
offensive was successfully tested
in Bhubaneswar the day after the
camp ended. When a group of stu
dents marched to Smt. Nandini
Satpathy's residence shouting anti
Government and pro-JP slogans,
it was countered by another group
numercially stronger shouting pro
Government and anti-JP slogans.
It is hoped the unity among
Congressmen, the coordination and
cooperation among the party and
its different wings such as Youth
Congress, Students Wing, Wo
men's Front and Labour Wing
Front evident at Gopalpur would
lead Orissa to prosperity.

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80CIALIST INDIA 17 FEBRUARY 15, 1975


STEPPING UP
SUGAR
PRODUCTION
SUVilt RA. KULKARNI, M.P.
It is well-known that world
prices of Sugar have sky-rocketted
to astronomical figures during the
past few months. From the level
of £168 per ton in January 1974
the prices prevailing in October
November, 1974 were as high as
£690 per ton. Almost all studies
and forecasts indicate that right
until 1980 world prices were likely
to rule firm and in any case are
not likely to fall below £450 per
ton. Contrasted with this the inter
national ruling price of sugar has
been around Rs. 340 per quintal
for free sugar and Rs. 151 for levy
sugar. Our exports of sugar which
were small until 1973-74 are likely
to touch approximately Rs. 360
crores during the calendar year,
1974. It is the purpose of this
article to put forward a hypothe
sis that India can increase the ex
port of sugar still further so that
the annual earnings of foreign ex
change for each of the years,
1975-76 to 1979-80, would be of
the order of Rs. 800 crores to Rs.
1,000 crores.
FREE AND LEVY SUGAR
This can be achieved through
exporting not less than 10 lakh
tons and not more than 12 lakh
tons of sugar annually. With In
dia's total production of sugar
amounting to 40 lakh tons exclu
sive of “khandsari” which ac
counts for another 5 lakh tons and
“gur” jaggery which his also ma
nufactured in huge quantity, it is
not difficult to locate the surplus
of 10 to 12 lakh tons of sugar, for
export purposes.
If the Government takes the
following measures, we can achieve
this objective:
We produce 40 lakh tons of
sugar per year. Out of this 70 per
cent is levy sugar and 30 per cent
is free sugar. We have a stock
SOCLALIST INDIA
of 9 lakh tons of sugar carried
forward as on November 1, 1974.
We release 2 lakh tons of levy
sugar per month and 1 lakh tons
sugar for free sale per month. The
total release is 36 lakh tons which
is the total annual consumption of
sugar in the country. The surplus,
therefore, will be 4 lakh tons as
on November 1, 1975. If we add 40
lakh tons to 9 lakh tons as of
November 1, 1974, we will have 13
lakh tons surplus sugar. There
fore, easily and boldly 10 lakh tons
can be taken out for export and
3 lakh tons of surplus can be left
for covering buffer stock require
ments.
Instead of 2 lakh tons, 1.8 lakh
tons of levy sugar was released
in July, August and September
1974. Similarly, only .8 lakh tons
of free sugar was released in the
same period instead of 1 lakh tons.
That means 2.6 lakh tons of sugar
was used as against 3 lakh tons
in one month. This shows .4 lakh
tons saving per month. If this be
multiplied by 12 months, 4.8 lakh
tons will be further available as
surplus during the year ending
November 1, 1975 and onwards.
The same policy can continue to be
adopted for locating further sur
pluses.
In partial substitution of sugar
“khandsari” can be issued thorugh
public distribution system. “Khand
sari” is available at Rs. 290 or
Rs. 300 per bag. In fact there is
greater profit in “khandsari” to
the traders because there is no
excise duty nor levy and, there
fore, many “gur” producers have
switched over to “khandsari”. Be
sides, “khandsari” is already be
ing used as adulterant with sugar.
So we can substitute the present
ration of sugar by giving 20 per
cent of “khandsari” if necessary.
Otherwise it is much better that
in addition to the present quota
of sugar we should issue some
“khandsari” to meet consumer re
quirements. Hotels are using
cyclamate as sweetening agents.
Therefore, “khandsari” will any
day be a better sweetening agent.
For this purpose, we have suffi
cient production of “khandsari”.
Huge foreign exchange earnings
from exporting sugar will out
18
ewight small subsidy of 80 paise
that the Government may have
to do. Thus, we can get at least
40,000 tons of extra sugar for ex
port purposes.
Internationally, one by one
grade of sugar is traded with
E-30 Crystals but in India we
produce five grades of sugar
crystal A,B,C,D, and E. In fact,
there is no difference in the sweet
ness of any of these grades. With
each higher grade of crystal there
is loss in sugar production. If we
keep only one grade, E, the pro
duction will increase by 50 per cent.
That means we shall have the
same effect as if we had 12.5 new
factories set up without any ful'.
ther investment which have gone
into production immediately. Be ..
sides, some 100 crores of capital
investment will be saved in the
bargain.
GRADES OF SUGAR
In fact in theory we have abo
lished A and B grades of sugar
crystal but there is no ban on the
production of A and B grades of
sugar. Naturally, sugar industry
in the private sector continues to
produce A and B grade crystal
sugar and sell it under the table
at exorbitant rates. But the Gov.
ernment should show the courage
not only to abolish but also ban
the sale of A, B and C grades of
Sugar.
Of the 250 sugar factories in the
country, 100 are in cooperative
sector and 150 are in the private
sector. The private sector will
vehemently object to the abolish
ing of multiple grades on the
ground that they have invested :
heavily and they cannot suffer
huge losses. In fact only 12 or 13
factories in western UP and North
ern India have carbonation process
whereby higher grade sugar is
produced. For further grade pro
duction Rs. 6 to 7 lakhs are extra
invested in each factory. This
amount has already been reap
over and over again through eart
lier years of sale at inflated prices.
In the name of better crystal
sugar, the industry has made ex"
orbitant profits at the cost of the
poor people. In fact, a country like
India cannot afford the luxury of
bigger crystal sugar and nowher”
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
in the world big crystal of sugar
are popularly used.
Again nobody uses sugar in a
solid form. Finally it is always
converted in a liquid form, so why
do we need the luxury of beauti
ful bigger crystal particularly
when the Sweetness in terms of
quantity remains the same. In the
production of each higher grade
of sugar crystals, the expenses are
higher by only 50 paise per bag,
but the industry charges nothing
less than Re. 1 per bag. In fact,
C grade sugar is priced Rs. 12 to
15 more per bag than E grade,
and A grade sugar is priced Rs. 30
more per bag, than E.
GRADE ABOLITION
This is the height of exploita
tion. Therefore, all the grades can
be and should be abolished.
This kind of outright exploitation
by the private sector sugar indus
trialists should be forthwith stop
ped. By abolishing these multiple
grades, we will get 2 lakh tons of
extra sugar. Once we adhere to
producing E-30, which is the inter
nationally accepted grade, we
should rigidly stick to it and ensure
that no adulteration of grades
takes place as is being done today.
This will increase our international
reputation and will cut out un"
necessary production losses.
One hundred quintals of medium
quality “gur” can be converted
into 50 quintals of sugar. Even at
Rs. 170 per quintal of “gur" the
cost of sugar so produced will be
around Rs. 350 per quintal. This
is also the price of the free sugar
within India. This price is still
much cheaper than the internatio
nal price of Rs. 900 per quintal.
The Tamil Nadu Government has
already a scheme for converting
“gur” into sugar. The Central
Government should also adopt this
method. There is a huge produc
tion of gur to absorb this stock
to the trade which is less than 1
per cent.
Free sugar is already being ex
ported and it should be further
encouraged because its price is
much less compared to the inter
national price of Rs. 900 per quin
tal.
Sugarcane is a tropical crop
and, therefore, though northern
India produces it, the yield is
SOCIALIST INDIA
much less than in south and wes
tern India. The respective yield of
sugarcane per hectare is given in
the table below.
Sugar content is also less in
north than in south. To augment
the sugar yield in the north we
should take sugarbeet production
alongside the sugarcane. North
Indian climate is suitable for this
purpose and in the field of sugar
cane, sugarbeet can also be shown.
Sugarbeet has many advantages
over sugar cane: a. Sugarbeet is a
short duration crop of six to seven
months as against the sugarcane
takes 12 to 15 months to ripen;
b. Sugarbeet is riched source of
sugar as it has 11 per cent sugar
recovery while sugarcane in north
India has only about eight per cent
to nine per cent recovery; c. Cost
of sugarbeet cultivation comes to
Rs. 1200 per hectare while the
cost of sugarcane works out to Rs.
2500 per hectare. If both sugar
beet and sugarcane are grown to
gether, the cost is about Rs. 5,300
per hectare.
INVESTMENT
We can easily produce 4 lakh
tons of additional sugar from
sugarbeet, from 50 sugar facto
ries located in Western U.P., Har
yana, Punjab at additional cost
of Rs. 150 crores. If we were
to produce extra 4 lakh tons of
sugar from sugarcane we would
need 30 more factories each cost
ing Rs. 7 crores: 30 x 7:210 crores.
Thirty factories at Rs. 7 crores
works out Rs. 210 crores invest
ment. But by resorting to sugar
beet cultivation, the capital invest
ment can be reduced from Rs. 210
crores to Rs. 150 crores only.
Thus, sugarbeet for cultivation
can get us net profit of Rs. 60
crores plus 4 lakh tons of extra
sugar production for exports.
The economy of present sugar
factories can be improved by in
duction of sugarbeet as an addi
tional raw material because the
90 tons of sugarcane per hectare
22 ->
70 º ->
70-75 " ºr an ->
30 " p- -> ->
40 * -> -- ->
19
crushing season will then be of
200 days as against 130 to 140
days when only sugarcane is used
by the factories.
Longer season will bring down
the manufacturing cost, which will
reduce the retail price and yet
maintain high margin of profit.
In 1920 north India had only a few
sugar factories. But in 1932-35,
within a span of three years, 100
factories came into existence be
cause of the Central Government's
support. If the foreign Govern
ment of 1930 could offer incentive
for sugar factories, I think the
popular Government of free India
should not hesitate in supporting
the sugarbeet production and help
instal sugar extracting machines
in the present sugar factories.
Therefore, incentives must be given
for cultivation of sugarbeet in
north India. We can bring about
revolutionary changes in sugar
production in India which will go
a long way to help the economy
of the country. Sugarcane and
sugarbeet are identical in sweet
ness and whiteness. The entire
Europe lives on sugarbeet. So why
eannot we in India do the same.
Like oil, sugar has become ex
cellent investment commodity in
the world market. The West Asia
with its Petro-dollars has already
entered the international market,
as a new broker in sugar. We
should take advantage of this as
we have already done with Iran,
having signed a contract last
year.
If these steps are taken, we
would create a surplus of nearly
25 to 28 lakh tons of sugar in
addition of our present-day con
sumption. Therefore, the only thing
that we need is the will to or
ganise sale business of sugar pro
duction and its sales within India
and abroad. And in view of the
present-day foreign exchange dif
ficulties it is essential that with
out further loss of time we take
up these measures.
in Maharashtra
in Madras
in Gujarat
in Western U.P. and Punjab
in Haryana
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 Bill [00ſ IBASDIS Wily (AIIlālāſā is
faWDUIalſº ſº |N|S|| |||||||||N

Rich natural resouces, mineral,

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

Comparatively more peaceful and positive approach towards -

cordial industrial relations. industrial development of the State,

A package of incentives subsidy,

including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water 8 power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc.

Financial assistance to educated 15% Central subsidy for unders

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes, Raichur.

For details, please contact?

\ DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560 001
i
SOCIALIST INDIA FEBRUARY 15, 1975

PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT-II
The greatest, the most persis
tent and subtle opposition to wo
men's participation especially at
the higher levels, comes from the
reluctance of men to share or sur
render power. They generally do
not mind women in the lower eche
lons of professions where power,
if any, is limited and initiative
neither needed nor valued. But
then there are what are termed
the commanding heights of po
wer which should be theirs and
theirs alone. Usually the justifi
cation given is that women are
not interested in the work as
men are; they either get married
or seek a job only to fill in the
gap in their lives after marriage
or that they do not continue in
their jobs long enough to rise to
policy-making levels.
To some extent this may be
true. But then one may ask, what
about the women who have given
up marriage to pursue their pro
fession ? One would imagine that
their competence might lead them
to these heights. The hardened
male who already has the mono
poly, may think otherwise. He
might applaud her competence,
might even go to the extent of
complimenting her by saying that
women are like music and they
can create ethos without words.
They do not realise that it is not
enough to flatter a women's va
nity. Yet, even when acknowled
ging woman's claim to positions
of responsibility, the male is loathe
to part with the power which has
been his almost since the dawn of
life.
FACT AND FICTION
The lament of President of the
Zonta Club of Madras is relevant:
“Even the acquisition of skill or
long experience does not guaran
tee equal treatment at the pro
fessional level,” said she. “They
are just being tolerated as engi
$0ſIALIST INDIA
LAKSHMI N. MENON
neers, architects and technical tea
chers.” It is pertinent to ask how
many women hold programme
planning and policy-making posi
tions in India or anywhere in the
world. This may seem strange in
the context of our freedom strug
gle, our Constiution, and the fre
quent boast about the position of
women in India and the important
part they are playing.
Often facts are really stranger
than fiction. Today in India, besi
des the Prime Minister there is
not a single woman holding cabi
net rank in the Union Ministry.
Time was when the Indian dele
gation to the UN was led by a wo.
man in successive years. After
twenty-five years of progress and
advancement in education, we do
not find a single woman on the
delegation to the current session
sy International
ºf of Women's ear
ºf 1975 - - -- - -
of the General Assembly. There
are hundreds of engineers and law
yers among women in India. I do
not think there are women judges
or a chief engineer anywhere in
India except Kerala.
A woman here and a woman
there may be holding a position
high enough to be marked, but
one swallow does not make sum
mer. In the case of the vast ma
jority of eligible women whose
competence and experience should
really entitle them to positions of
authority there is hardly any in
centive for greater participation
in national life. Where they do
well is in the private sector, where
competence is given priority over
political pressure and party con
siderations,
21
One main factor which prevents
effective participation of women
in any national development plan
is her own life pattern. If there is
anything discontinuous' in this
universe it is to be sought in the
woman's life. Her education is not
specially designed for anything.
She follows the course set for men
since the entire objective of the
movement for the emancipation
of women is to achieve equality
with men. This education she in
terrupts or abandons altogether
merrily for matrimony. Even the
most professionally qualified and
ambitious woman does not hesi
tate to say at least a temporary
farewell to both profession and
ambition to make a home, raise
and rear a family. If she is al
ready deeply interested in a job
she does not mind giving it up
for the time being and has to wait
for some time, for the picture
squely “empty nest” period, when
she might, if she so wishes, gather
the broken threads of her past
and re-enter the job she has for
saken with a definite disadvan
tage.
DUAL ROLE
In many countries the married
woman is at a disadvantage and
the extent of her participation be
comes limited by the circumstances
mentioned here.
Nobody can deny that unlike
men, women under all circum
stances have a dual role to play,
when they enter public and pro
fessional life. Nature has designed
her to perform tasks, at once dif
ficult and need, for the preserva
tion and betterment of the race,
This instead of becoming an ad
vantage has proved a definite han
dicap in her anxiety to partici
pate in the endeavour to create a
better world. This is due to the
failure of society to studv and
evaluate the intangible results of
women's all-too-important partici
pation in national life. The contri
bution towards, and enrichment of
human resources without which
no development is possible, is to
be deemed as the uniqueness of her
participation. Added to this, she
brings in her experience and skill
obtained through education which
may give claritv and a new diree
tion to a world rent by private
jealousies and public conflict.
Continued on Page 28
FEBRUARY 15, 1575

BOOK REVIEWy
*
A Timely Book
On India’s
Science Policy
K. R.
SCIENCE POLICY STUDIES
Edited by A. Rahman
and K. D. Sharma
Somaiya Publications Pvt. Ltd.,
New Delhi.
Rs. 80
The need for improved planning
and imaginative policies for eco
nomic development has never
been so urgent as in recent
years. Nowhere does this need
have greater relevance than in the
area of science and technology,
for an imaginatively drawn science
policy would not only accelerate
the technological and industrial
development of the country, but
also provide a strong base for
social and economic progress.
Though India was one of
the few countries to incorporate
scientific research as part of its
overall planning, studies to deve
lop a comprehensive and consis
tent science policy, suited to the
growing and changing demands of
the country, have yet to be pro
perly organised.
THE PRIORITIES
The lack of machinery for col
lecting information and for un
dertaking the necessary studies
resulted in inadequate data for
science policy decisions. Till re
cently there were no detailed stu
dies or a systematic collection of
works of scholars on the various
facets of science policy vis-a-vis
the specific problems of India.
The book, under review, which
aims to provide a comprehensive
study of the various aspects of
India's science policy should there
fore be welcome particularly by re
search workers, science policy
planners and others interested in
this field of study,
80CIALIST INDIA
Covering the period from 1939
to 1966, the papers selected for
this volume, provide basic and
factual information on relevant
topics and suggest ways and
means for the effective utilisation
of India's natural resources, scien
tific organisations and manpower
to accelerate its development.
The introductory section, which
appropriately enough begins with
a chapter on the views of Nehru,
the architect of India's science po
licy, brings out the government's
commitment to the development
of science and technology such as
planning and organisation of
scientific research, manpower uti
lisation, scientific institutions, re
search and industry, international
collaboration, transfer of techno
logy and so on.
The section on science policy,
focusses attention on the need for
a concerted national policy to pro
mote and sustain science and tech
nology as an effective instrument
of the country's economic and so
cial development.
The first paper in this section
by A. Rahman, K. D. Sharma,
Uma Sen and Sudarshan Malik,
while suggesting steps to hasten
the scientific development in the
country, provides a brief account
of the existing situation which
emerged as a result of various
developments that took place in
the field of science and techno
logy during the past three deca
des.
The authors assert that since
the relative importance and priori
ties in science change at a rapid
rate, due to national developments
as well as advances in other coun
tries, it is necessary to evaluate
continuously the requirements of
the country and adopt suitable
measures to relate the science
policy of the nation with its over
all social and economic policies on
the one hand and international
developments on the other. They
call for developing an overall na
tional perspective for science and
technology and work out the rela
tive priorities. This, they feel,
would be able to help in the ba
lanced progress of different sec
tors of science and technology in
relation to national development,
The most significant landmark
in India's scientific and technical
pursuits since independence was
the adoption of the Science Policy
Resolution by Parliament in 1958.
This resolution and the draft re
solution on science and technology
adopted by the Congress Party at
its Bombay session in 1966, (both
included in this section) reveal
the faith and hope of the Govern
ment and policy planners in
science and technology as an in
strument of economic and social
progress. Since 1958, the policies
of the Government in the field of
science and technology have been
largely guided by the science po
licy resolution.
The last paper on the topic of
science policy in the second sec
tion by Ashok Parthasarathy
gives a competent account of the
growth and development of science
policy in India. It analyses the re
cord of science policy-making in
India and the functions of govern
ment and the agencies involved
in its formulation and implemen
tation. Parthasarathy highlights
the causes of the widespread
doubts about the vitality and ca
pacity of India's scientific institu
tions and the increasing frustra
tion among sientists.
The paper brings out the need
to restructure the science policy
apparatus in the light of the new
developments taking place in the
country and to create conditions
under which science policy mat
ters are generally turned over to
competent individuals and groups
so that the policy could be made
more effective in future.
PLANNING IN SCIENCE
As regards planning in the field
of science and technology, our
experience has been marked by
notable successes in certain res
pects. There have been failures
too in certain respects. The fai
lures have been basically due to
complexity of our problems and
lack of vigilance and foresight on
the part of planners which ed
wrong decisions on crucial mat
ters.
The need for judgement of a
high order, objectivity and the
ability to assess competence of in
dividuals involved in decision
making is highlighted by Dr. S.
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
Bhagavantam in the first paper in
the section devoted to various
aspects of planning in science and
technology.
Disappointment is often expres
sed at the inadequate returns in
terms of economic growth or pro
ductivity from investment on
scientific research and develop
ment. Dr. B. D. Nag Chaudhuri,
who pleads for a more effective
strategy for science in India pro
vides a brief discussion on the
various factors that determine the
relation between the investment
on research and development and
the growth in economic producti
vity.
RESEARCH PROGRAMMIES
Prominent among the factors
are the programmes to which the
research is oriented, the type re
search, technological level of the
country, and the economic matu
rity and proper application of re
sults of research in various sectors
of economy. He suggests, that
“scientific research and develop
ment in our country should not
only be turned to development
needs but research projects should
be carefully selected and planned
in consultation with all concern
ed and after making a cost-bene
fit analysis.”
A similar view is expressed by
A. Rahman, who points out that
the question of choice and selec
tion of areas and problems of re
search have to be viewed in its
broader aspects. He feels it is ne
cessary to assess critically our
achievements and try to revise the
programmes of research as to cor
relate it to national aims or other
clearly defined objectives.
Dr. Y. Nayudamma, in his pa
per on science and management,
points out that the policies for
development will be meaningful
only if major technological chan
ges could help increase production
in various sectors of economy.
For this, he calls for a deliberate
and effective strategy to plan
programmes, mobilise resources
and talents and to coordinate and
integrate science and technology
with development. His observa
tions on the various aspects of
science management, outlined
in this paper, should serve as a
guideline for future action.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The problem of proper utilisation A way to solve this problem.
of manpower is presented in the according to him, is by establi
fourth section of the book. “Man shing science as an important
power is an asset if duly channe national activity and developing
lised, and a liability when left un scientific research in the country
utilised”, observes K. Ray, who through “growing our own peo
feels that the major problem faced ple”. He says the emphasis should
by the country regarding man be to develop know-how indigen
power is due to under-utilisation ously and to cultivate people who
would be able to tackle the tasks
of personnel resulting in brain
drain. Dr. Nayudamma notes that that lie ahead. This, points out,
would lead to better results with
the flight of personnel from India
and their reluctance to return a “potential for continuous growth
home are mainly due to limited though it would seem to be slow
scope for serious work and delays and harder at the beginning.”
in recruitment. The solution to
this problem, he feels, lies in pro Of the various contributions of
per planning with regard to pro science in improving the economic
growth of our country, none
duction of manpower and its uti
lisation to avoid shortage or sur could be more important than the
plus of personnel. role of science in improving the
industrial growth of the country.
The main reason for brain Section six, discusses the role of
drain, according to V. M. Dande Scientific research in the indus
kar, is the prevailing status and trial development of a country.
income structure of the intellec The contributors in this section
tual profession which is unequal include Dr. Atmaram, Dr. Nayu
in relation to the rest of the eco damma, Dr. Vikram, A. Sarabhai,
nomy and also within the intellec Ashok Parthasarathy, Kamalesh
tual ranks. The remedy, he obser Ray, Dr. S. Bhagavantam, B. C.
ves, lies in removing this inequa Guha, N. Lakshminarayanan and
lity. M. M. Suri.
Prominent among the papers While Dr. Atmaram deals with
included in the section on science
Some of the aspects of applied
organisations are those by the
sciences in India, Dr. Nayudamma
late Prof. M. C. Mahalanobis, discusses some of the obstacles in
Dr. Husain Zaheer and the
late Dr. H. J. Bhabha. While Prof.
the way of effective utilisation of
the results of research and the
Mahalanobis' paper is devoted to Ways to overcome these. Both of
the institutional aspects of scienti
fic work. Dr. Husain examines the
them stress that the most impor
tant task for a developing nation
organisation of scientific research
is to develop their resources and
at various levels in the country.
acquire the skill and the means
WIDER PERSPECTIVE for this. Dr. Atmaram feels that
the role of scientists and techno
Dr. Bhabha's paper looks at the
problem of development of science logists in a developing country
and science organisations in a like India should be to help “in
wider perspective. This paper,
Solving the vital problems of the
which is the text of a speech he country, namely, how to put to
delivered at the International maximum advantage the limited
Council of Scientific Union in resources of the country within
the shortest possible time for the
January 1966, brings out his
strong views on scientific deve
benefit of the people.”
lopment as a powerful tool for About effective utilisation of re
economic and social transforma
search, Dr. Nayudamma says:
tion.
“It is the potential users' capacity
Referring to the problems of to appreciate and actually utilise
underdeveloped countries, he says, the relevant technology made
“The problem of developing the available by research that is deci
underdeveloped countries is the sive”, he observes.
problem of establishing modern
science in them and transforming While it is true that the major
the economy to one based on part of the industrial production
modern science and technology." machinery in India has been built
23 FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 on the basis of imported know
how, contributions made by Indian
institutions, scientists and techno
logists have been no less im
pressive. The confidence of our
scientists today, in spite of
threats of cancellation of assis
tance from abroad, reflects the
country's growing strength and
its scientific and technological
competence.
In a comprehensive paper on
foreign collaboration, Kamalesh
Ray examines the repercussions
of foreign collaboration on our
national economy. He rightly
points out that imported know
how cannot lay the foundation of
a national economy, for “indiscri
minate foreign collaboration un
dermines a country's basic eco
nomy through unnecessary drain
on foreign exchange, competition
with indigenous undertakings,
diversion of work to parties out
side the country and demoralising
the local entrepreneurs and ex
pertise”.
The role and problems related
to the effective utilisation of
science as a means for economic
development is discussed in detail
in section seven. Prof. Mahala
nobis' paper on objectives of sci
ence and technology provides the
entire background and progress
of research and development in
India. Dr. Nag Chaudhuri gives
an analytical view of the various
problems relating to the develop
ment of science and technology.
Dr. D. S. Kothari writes about
the relation between education,
science and development.
Dr. V. K. R. V. Rao draws
attention to some of the impor
tant elements of the organisation
of human factors for economic
growth and calls for the adoption
of a far more positive approach
to the productive use of human
factor.
The last section of the book con
sists of three papers. The first
one is on “Scientific research in
India” by B. V. Rangarao, the
second on “Scientific Societies in
India” by A. Rahman, N. Sen and
N. Rajgopal, and the last a “Re
Science with
view of Studies on
Special Reference to India” by
Dr. Aquiel Ahmed.
One of the drawbacks of this
well-arranged book is that it fails
to present views related to some of
the latest developments that took
place in the field of science and
technology. But this does not, in
any way, reduces the effectiveness
of the book. The book is interest
ing not only in the range of sub
jects covered, dealing as it does,
with important aspects of Indian
science policy but also in the
the objectivity shown in evaluating
the failure and successes of
India's scientific and technological
pursuits during the past three de
cades.
There are several valuable sug
gestions and recommendations in
this book. One hopes that our po
licy planners would look into them
early and try to remove the short
comings and inadaquecies in the
present system of planning for
the development of science and
technology. The opinions expressed
in the various papers should stimu
late further debate on related sub
jects and should serve as a guide
line for future actions.

NEWS AGENCY
POOL IN
YUGOSLAVIA
The Yugoslav News Agency,
“Tanjug”, in cooperation with 14
national news agencies from Non
aligned countries launched on
January 20 a worldwide pool to
exchange information. This idea,
to expand mutual exchange of
news among the Non-aligned
countries, was put forth at the
United Nations ten years ago,
which received a new impetus at
the Algiers Summit of the Non
aligned countries.
The present members of the
pool are Alzeria, Egypt, Iraq,
Libya, Tunisia, Mali, Sudan,
Afghanistan, Burma, Bangladesh,
India, Malaysia, Cuba and Mexico.
It is estimated that the potential
participants wºuld be about 30.
The UN Information Office will
also contribute to the pool.
The members of the pool select
about three news items and tran
SOCIALIST INDIA
smit them to the “Tanjug” which
from their ºwn rews services
are in turn relayed by “Tanjug”
in English, French and Spanish
through four 30 KW transmitters.
Now this is being done everyday
by the “Tanjug”. The recipients of
such emmissions are the agencies
themselves or anyone else interest
ed.
Explaining the working of the
pool the Editor-in-Charge, Mr.
Jovan Miric, said in Belgrade that
until recently the public in Non
aligned countries were informed
about the world events mainly
through the major world news
agencies. “There are many coun
tries where we do not have our
own correspondents. But we are
very much interested in them.
Now through the pool we
have every day some news items
to choose from,” he said. Mr.
Miric went on to say that the
news items of the major world
news agencies bore the stamp of
someone else's politcal interests,
and that very little was known
about many countries except for
reports of great natural calami
24
ties and changes in the regime.
But even such information gave a
picture of complete instability in
those countries.
The Zagreb daily “Vjesnik” in
a commentary said that the pool
world prevent “misinformation”,
what is considered to be delibe
rate distortions, and “destroy the
distorted picture of Non-aligned
and developing countries”.
Now-a-days “Tanjug” sends out
the messages received by it from
the leaders of various Non-aligned
countries — including Prime Min
isters of India and Sri Lanka, Pre
sidents of Yugoslavia and Tunisia
and others — on the inauguration
of the pool.
will
CE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUJARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
FEBRUARY 15, 1975

COMMUNICATION
JP: PRESUMING
TOO MUCH
JP has been pleased to claim
that the Bihar movement led by
him is even more peaceful than
the freedom movement led by
Mahatma Gandhi. It sounds some
what presumptuous. Gandhiji mo
bilised the entire nation against
foreign domination to emancipate
this sub-continent and immediately
after the Chauri Chaura violence
withdrew his movement in 1921
when success was almost within
his reach.
Is there anything even far fet
ched by common in between these
two movements. While the one was
prompted by the noblest sentiments
of patriotism and sacrifice the
other is only the off-spring of po
wer politics, personal ambitions
and continuous frustration. In
fact, it is the very negation of
the first. JP has simply gathered
a motley crowd of heterogeneous
elements who have nothing com
mon in between them except anti
Indira feeling and are busy in
strengthening their own respect
ive bases in his name and are mo
tivated only by their partisan ends.
The presence of bombs, explo
sives and lethal weapons in Col
lege hostels, the killing of inno
cent students who appeared in the
examinations and the wide-spread
damage and destruction of rail
ways and other Government pro
perties amply prove the falsity of
his tall claim. Can JP conscienti
ously deny that his agitation, in
spite of his occasional emphasis on
non-violence, has in fact contri
buted a lot to creating hatred, bit
terness and an atmosphere of vio
lence in the country which has to
a large extent been responsible for
the ghastly tragedy at Samasti
pur.
JP is free not to withdraw his
movement even on the best and
most sincere advice from his own
Sarvodaya colleagues and can
even arrogantly threaten to fur
SOCIALIST INDIA
ther spread it to other parts of the
country, but he would be ignoring
the lessons of the brutal murder
of Shri L. N. Mishra only at great
national risk.
No doubt that there is great
discontent in the country and the
people are suffering and groaning
under economic hardships and
strains but it is nothing peculiar to
India alone, because this crisis to
day is a world phenomenon, still
he may for some time exploit this
explosive situation and fish in
troubled waters, but he cannot
bring about any socio-economic
transformation nor any moral re
generation through these vested
interests and reactionary forces
that have somehow rallied round
him for personal gains.
The content and shape of his
too much talked of “total revolu
tion” or “counter-revolution” still
remain vague and undefined, and
I very much doubt if all the parti
es with him even sincerely believe
in and subscribe to it.
He calls himself a Gandhian,
but his ways and methods are the
very antithesis of Gandhism and
are likely to further aggravate the
present miseries and agonies of
the people by creating all-round
confusion, chaos, and anarchy in
the country. It is really unfortu
nate that JP at this critical hour
has aligned himself with forces
that have been and are inimical to
our freedom, ordered progress and
democratic way of life
For Congressmen and all other
progressive people and parties, it
is an hour not only of great test
and trial but rather of now or
never and it is high time when
they all should unite and consoli
date to meet this gravest fascist
challenge to our parliamentary
system, cultural heritage and all
the basic values of life which we
have been nourishing and fighting
for since the days of our freedom
struggle under the illustrious lea
dership of the Father of the Na
tion. JP's latest call for organising
parallel rallies and functions on
the sacred National Republic Day
only further confirms that his
movement is purely political and
all talk of fighting corruption in
high places is just a smoke screen
to cover his real objective of dis
25
rupting, undermining and toppling
down the legally constituted de
mocratic governments.
NAWAL. KISHORE
M.P.
S. AFRICA KEPT OUT
OF CALCUTTA. T. T.
The following statement was
issued by Mr. M. Moolla, Chief
Representative, Asian Mission of
African National Congress, based
in New Delhi, on Feb. 5.
The West Bengal Sports Minis
try's decision which is in accor
dance with the policy of the Gov
ernment of India not to allow
South Africa from participating in
the World Table Tennis Tourna
ment (Calcuta, February 6 on
wards) fully conforms with world
public opinion and reflects the
basic spirit of various United
Nations resolutions calling for the
total isolation of racist South
Africa.
In welcoming India's stand as
correct and principled the Asian
Mission of the African National
Congress of South Africa wishes
to place on record its deep appre
ciation and gratitude to the Gov
ernment and people of India for
their consistent and steadfast sup
port rendered to the cause of op
pressed and exploited South Afri
cans for decades now.
By its refusal to allow the
South African team, notwithstan
ding its composition, to compete in
an international event the Govern
ment of India has not only adher
ed to U.N. resolutions but made a
significant contribution to the
true cause of non-racial sport in
South Africa. India's stand must
be viewed against the background
of racist South Africa's increas
ing isolation, particularly in the
sporting field, and is a fitting re
ply to South Africa's attempts to
hoodwink the world into believing
that sports in our country is based
on merit and not on colour and
thereby seek re-admission inter
nationally through the back-door,
as it were. South African Sports
Minister, Dr. Piet Koornhof's re
cent statement (January 27, 1975)
Continued on Page 28
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 ~

- rº-2 | " - - T -

*- |--

-
ºlº | | | || GMTUC I | -

7 flights a week to New York.

11 flights a week to Europe.
Qur 747s fly 8 times a week to London,
4 times to Frankfurt, 5 times to Rome and Paris
and our 707s twice to Moscow and once to
Geneva and London.
One flight daily by 747 via the Middle East and
- Europe. The return trip will cost less than the
one-way fare if you fly on our Excursion Fare.

Also every week:

3 flights to
EAST AFRICA
10 flights to
SOUTH EAST ASIA
6 flights to
JAPAN

2 flights to
MAURITIUS
2 flights to
AUSTRALIA

18 flights a week to the Middle East.

5 flights to Kuwait and Beirut, 3 to Dubai and
Bahrain. 2 each to Abu Dhabi, Dhahran

; indſºnandone to Aden. Muscat Doh, A. A Z & Z-Z/XY/, // 1


Railway Production
Units Forge Ahead
P. N. KAUL
Independent India inherited a sick railway sys
tem in 1947, impaired by the economic depression
of the thirties and subsequently mauled by in
tensive usage during Second World War. The coun
try's partition also depleted the railway assets.
Soon began the efforts to streamline, improve
and modernise the country's railway system. Indian
Railways were then mostly dependent on import of
railway equipment. Their requirements were of
vast and varied nature, from small items like cot
tons, pins, keys and spikes, to giant main line loco
motives.
Today India is one of the very few countries
which have adequate knowledge of the functioning
of railways in all its aspects. The equipment indus
try is capable of exporting a part of its products,
besides meeting the country's requirements.
SUSTAINED EFFORTS
The setting up of the Chittaranjan Locomotive
Works in West Bengal in 1950 set the ball rolling.
The progress achieved by this first ever production
unit of the railways provided an impetus to extend
the production activities in other sectors.
Production at the Chittaranjan Locomotive
Works (CLW) was launched on January 26, 1950.
The first steam locomotive was driven out of the
assembly lines on November 1, 1950. Originally
planned for production of steam locomotives, CLW
reached a production level of 137 steam locomotives
per year in 1959-60. With the progressive introduc
tion of diesel and electric traction, the production
in CLW was subsequently diversified to include
diesel and electric locos.
The production of broad gauge steam locomo
tives in CLW was discontinued in July 1970 and
that of metre gauge steam locomotives in January
1972. It has produced 2,351 steam locomotives.
Electric loco production was taken up by CLW
in 1961-62, with a small order for DC locomotives.
Later, manufacture of AC freight locomotives was
taken up and up to the end of 1973-74, a total num
ber of 450 broad gauge electric locos have been
turned out.
Commencing production of diesel hydraulic
a shunting in 1967-68, CLW turned out a total num
ber of 217 diesel locomatives including 10 N.G. ZDM
3 loces. by 1973-74.
With sustained efforts to develop indigenous
production of components for electric and diesel
hydraulic locomotives, CLW has gradually increas
ed the indigenous content of electric locomotives to
approximately 78 per cent and of diesel hydraulic
shunting locomotives to approximately 66 per cent.
The Diesel Locomotives Works in Varanasi, set
up in collaboration with American Locomotive Com
pany, started manufacturing broad gauge main line
diesel locomotives in 1964. The initial production was
of locomotives received in “knocked down” condition,
and progressively the entire manufacture of the lo
comotives was taken up at Varanasi itself. The
manufacture of metre gauge diesel electric locomo
tives was commenced in 1968-69. In addition, DLW
has been entrusted with the responsibility of manu
facturing essential spares for supply to the railways.

INDIAN RAILWAYS: worth about Rs. 500 crores annually,
have decided to accord price prefer
NATION'S LARGEST ence for indigenous goods over im
ported ones.
UNDERTAKING Shri Bery said, in fact, the railways
laid “greatest stress” on development
of indigenous stores. In 1951–52, the
About 8 million people, or roughly railways were importing about 30 per
1.5 per cent of the country's population cent of their requirements and today
travel by rail every day, according to this had been brought down to rough
Shri M. N. Bery, Chairman of the ly ten per cent, he added.
Railway Board.
The railways are running about Shri Bery said the railways, the
nation's largest undertaking with an
11,000 trains daily, serving 7,000 sta
tions and have a fleet of about 11,000 investment of Rs. 5,000 crores, em
ploying about 1.5 million people,
locomotives. 36,000 coaching vehicles
and 3,84,000 goods wagons. bought annually about 60,000 items of
rolling stock components, electric trac
With an investment of Rs. 5,000 tion, signalling and telecommunication
crores and a staff strength of about equipment.
1.5 millions, the railways are the
nation's largest undertaking. The outlay for railways, he said,
Shri Bery gave these figures while had been about 20 per cent of the
total outlay for the various plans. He
addressing a seminar organised by the
said: “Our modernisation plans have
Institute of Marketing and Manage always been so chosen to maximise,
ment, Delhi on Jan. 22.
at any given point of time, the indi
The railways, whose annual pur genous contribution. This has, in it
chases of stores and equipment are slef provided our indigenous industrial
SOCIALIST INDIA 27
base with a potent factor for deve
lopment and growth”.
Shri Bery said the research and de
sign organisation and production units
of the railways were ready to provide
the technological back-up needed by in
digenous manufacturers. There was
also a nucleous development cell in the
Railway Board which acted as a direct
ing agency for special problems. “In
fact, our aim is to cover entire gamut of
production and development so that the
indigenous market is expanded as quick
ly as possible so as to reduce the de
pendence on imports of essential re
quirements of the transport undertak
ings”.
But at the same time, Shri Bery
said, the industry had a reciprocal con
tribution to make in the marketing of
new technology and development of
more efficient production techniques.
The Government, as the consumer,
were the largest buyer in the country:
and to satisfy the expectations of the
Government as a buyer, there had to be
close liaison between the buyer and the
supplier, Shri Bery said.
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
The DLW has by 1973-74 turned out 549 B.G., 148
M.C. and 21 B.G. diesel electric shunters.
A notable development has been the indigenous
deseign and production of high horse power diesel
electric shunters, specially adapted for use by Steel
Plants and other Public Sector Undertakings. The
prototype locomotive is currently under trial, and
the further programme of manufacture calls for
meeting the entire requirements of the Steel Plants
and Public Sector Undertakings for such locomotives,
which were hitherto imported.
Since its inception, the design development wing
of DLW has been striving towards progressive in
digenisation to eschew dependence on imports. The
indigenous content of the diesel electrics is now at
the level of approximately 86 per cent.
Soon after independence, in collaboration with
the Swiss Car and Elevator Manufacturing Corpora
tion, the Integral Coach Factory at Madras commen
ced production in 1955. The first shell was comple
ted on October 2, 1955 and was turned out for ser
vice in the presence of Jawaharlal Nehru. The ICF
had achieved its rated capacity of 750 coaches a year
during 1973-74 and a notable landmark was the
production of the 10,000th coach which was turned
out during 1973-74.
The Integral Coach Factory is laid out in two
separate units. The shell division manufactures the
body of the coach along with the bogie trucks. At
the other unit, the furnishing division, coaches are
fitted with panelling, seats, berths, windows and
other passenger amenities.
The shell division of the factory was set up at
a cost of Rs. 7.35 crores and commenced production
with 350 broad gauge third class shells every year.
The furnishing of these shells was initially under
taken by the zonal railways but the work was cen
tralised at PER when the furnishing division was
set up in 1962, at a cost of Rs. 3.69 crores.
The factory has produced a large variety of
broad and metre gauge coaches required for Indian
railways, and including electrical multiple units re
quired for the suburban services. In addition, the
manufacture of the Rajdhani rakes and Deluxe ex
presses was undertaken successfully at integral
coach factory which have also produced metre gauge
rail cars.
In recent years, integral coach factory has en
tered the international market by export of coaches
and bogies to Burma, Thailand, Taiwan, Zambia, and
currently orders are under execution for the supply
of coaches to the Philippines, and bogies and spare
components for Taiwan.
Three railway workshops—Amritsar workshop
on the northern railway, Samastipur railway work
shop on the north-eastern railway and the Golden
Rock workshop on the southern railway are at pre
sent engaged in the production of wagons. Produc
tion of wagons in these workshops was started
after 1960. Before that, these workshops were pri
marily meant for periodical overhaul and major re
pairs to locomotives, carriages and wagons. These
workshops are producing between 1,800 to 2,000
wagons every year.
The Railways' Research Designs and Standards
Organisation has played a leading role in the suc
cessful implementation of production programmes of
the manufacturing units. To meet the railways' mul
tifarious needs, the RDSO has provided comprehen
sive research and design expertise and, as is well
known, designed the euipment for a number of over
seas buyers. They have also been inspecting the ma"
terial exported to various countries.
India-made equipment is today in use on the
railways in many countries including Burma, Ceylon,
Thailand, Korea, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, East Africa,
Iran, Iraq, New Zealand, Hungary, Poland and Tur
key.

WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION world in the lower levels of naſ. more at the policy-making
tional service. and managerial levels, so that
Continued from Page 21 their thinking and planning
The reason why women are con
The enlightened education wo spicuous by their absence at the for a peaceful world order may be
man with her male counterpart top of anywhere in the profession brought within the realms of pos
has qualities which are needed in or in public life is the deeprooted sibility.
the world today. These should be prejudice against women as a MOOLLA'S STATEMENT
allowed to grow and develop and class. Deep down in man's heart
not be suppressed because of the and deeper down in society's think Continued from Page 5
hardships of her dual role. More king, there is the feeling of rival on the decision by cricket ad
over, the anxieties of the married ry, a fear, may it be legitimate, ministrators in the Transvaal to
woman on the job can be mitiga that he would be reduced to insig introduce mixed race cricket at
ted, if not completely eliminated, nificance. Unmindful of the chaos club level next season as “not in
by the State pursuing a well defin that the world is in today, the accordance with the Government
ed and deliberate policy of pro male-dominated human race is policy” should dispel any doubts
viding those amenities, like crea moving towards self-annihilation. that Black sportsmen are in for a
ches, nursaries, mid-day meals, To prevent such a catastrophe and new and fair deal.
etc., which will make things easy reorganise the world community, The international community is
for her to devote more time for there is one solution which should called upon to emulate India's
participation in national develop be tried. I would plead, or rather stand by rigidly applying U.N. re
ment. This is already done in some demand, that women's organisa solutions calling for a total boy
countries where a larger propor tions should concentrate more cott of South Africa so long as
tion of women participate. but as on the increased participation apartheid and racism remains its
is usual, in the male-dominated of Women at all levels and declared policy and way of life.
SOCIALIST INDIA 28 FEBRUARY 15, 1975
Tremendous Progress In All Directions In 1974
IN SPITE OF INFLATION, J.P.'s Movement, OBSTRUCTIONIST
TACTICS OF OPPOSITION PARTIES AND PROPHETS OF DOOM

JANUARY Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, 11 India and Bulgaria sign an

1 Keel of an estuarine dredger Uttar Pradesh and West agreement to avoid double
to be the biggest so far built Bengal and two Union Terri taxation.
in India, laid at the Garden tories, Chandigarh and Delhi—
Reach Workshops, Calcutta. agree among themselves to
15 Work on the year-long third
National Educational Survey
— Direct tele-communication link provide for free movement of
goods by trucks on payment of begins.
between Bombay and Colombo
road tax at a single point. 18 An agreement between India
inaugurated.
30 Work inaugurated on the Rs. and the USA regarding the
8 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi disposal of American-held
42-crore Western Kosi Canal
inaugurates the Ghaziabad at Khojpur, Madhubani district, rupees arising out of PL-480
Unit of Bharat Electronics Bihar. and other aid programmes for
Ltd. to produce electronic mally signed.
equipment for the air defence 31 The first steel melting shop
at Bokaro designed to produce 19 Oil struck at a depth of 962
ground environment system. metres in the first well drilled
17 lakh tonnes a year, com
9 Foundation-stone of Rs. 15 missioned. in the Bombay High structure.
crore transformer factory of 21 A mineral belt containing a
BHEL laid at Jhansi. — The Union Cabinet approves
reserve of about 5 crore tonnes
the first nickel-cum-cobalt plant
12 Foundation-stone of the coun of wollastonite and calcite
to be set up at Sukinda in
try's fourth atomic power plant discovered near Belka-Nahar
Orissa.
laid at Narora, Uttar Pradesh. in Sirohi district, Rajasthan.
— The Geological Survey of India
14 A protocol providing for colla discovers existence of sedi MARCH
boration in the field of oil
mentary barytes, first ever in 3 Foundation-stone of a Naval
exploration and production
India, in Mangampeta. Cudda Science and Technical Labo
signed between India and the
Soviet Union in New Delhi. pah district, Andhra Pradesh. ratory to develop modern naval
weaponry laid at Visakha
15 Foundation-stone for an Agri FEBRUARY patnam.
culture University at Faizabad 2 The Vikram Sarabhai Space
laid . 5 India and Bulgaria sign agree
Centre designs and builds a ments which provide for a
16 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi “digital plotter” which can five-year trade and payments
lays the foundation-stone of draw sketches, write any arrangement, a protocol on
the IFFCO fertiliser plant at language and even cast one's economic, technical and scien
Phulpur near Allahabad. horoscope in a jiffy, guided tific co-operation and the
by a computer. abolition of visas for the
21 Deposits of about 14-crore nationals of the two countries.
tonnes of iron ore and valuable 3 “Sagar Samrat”, India's first
atomic metals found at Tiru offshore mobile drilling plat 9 Fourth “Leander” class frigate
vannamalai and Sevathur in form, spuds the first oil well for the Indian Navy, TNS
Tamil Nadu. in Bombay High structure. “Dunagiri”, built at the Maza
gon Dock, launched.
29 Prime Minister of India and 5 An agreement for Indian — Oil struck at Charali near the
Sri Lanka reach agreement on technical assistance for setting
Rudrasagar oilfield in Assam.
the future of the 1.50,000 per up a fertiliser plant in Iraq
sons of Indian origin in Sri signed. 10 Yuv Vani starts from Jammu
station of AIR.
Lanka left uncovered by the 6 India and Federal Republic of
1964 Agreement. Germany sign an agreement in 12 Parliament approves FSS0
– Eight States—Bihar, Haryana, the field of nuclear power (Acquisition of Undertakings
Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and generation. in India) Bill, 1974.

India Unlimited Is A Going Concern x Help It To Prosper

*6th Attº'ſ rºptA #2 trfºr tº 18, 1975
13 Telecommunication link bet Mazagon Dock, Bombay, MAY
ween India and Maldives launched. 5 Mangalore declared a major
established. port.
28 Under an agreement signed in
15 Indian Council of Agricultural New Delhi, Iraq will provide 16 India and Bangladesh sign in
a loan of $ 110 million to India New Delhi a border demarca
Research signs two separate
agreements with International for the import of 2.8 million tion agreement.
Maize and Wheat Improvement tonnes of Iraqi crude during 18
1974. India carries out underground
Centre and the International
nuclear experiment at Pokhran,
Rice Research Institute for
Under an agreement signed in in the Rajasthan desert.
scientific co-operation in re New Delhi, the Bharat Heavy
search on rice, wheat and 22 India and Senegal sign in New
Electricals Ltd., will supply
maize. Delhi agreements on economic
to Malaysia three high pressure
boilers and ancillaries worth co-operation and mutual trade.
Uranium found in the rock
about Rs. 10 crore. 28 Kothari Committee on recruit
foundations in the Sonrai area
30 ment and selection methods for
of Jhansi district, Uttar Electronics Corporation of
Pradesh. All India and Central Services
India develops a computer
known as TDC-16 which can set up.
AIR and Deutsche Welle of
make 400,000 additions and
West Germany sign in New subtractions a second. JUNE
Delhi a three-year protocol for 1
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi The Vikram Sarabhai Space
cooperation in the field of
radio and television. lays the foundation-stone of a Centre successfully flight-tests
Rs. 250-crore fertiliser project RH-100 rockets employing heli
17 Lunar crater “Bassel” named at 5 Paradip. cal welding technology, deve
after the late Dr. Vikram Sara loped for the first time in the
bhai at the Sydney meeting of The first-ever tripartite meet country at the Centre.
the International Astronomical ting between India, Pakistan 12 Large deposits of lead, zinc
Union. and Bangladesh begins in New
Delhi. and copper found at Deri in
the Sirohi district of Rajasthan.
India's first Lion Safari Park
Foreign Ministers of India, Pa 21
declared open at Nehru Zoo kistan and Bangladesh sign in India extends a standby credit
logical Park, Hyderabad. New Delhi an accord to clear of Rs. 5 crore to Nepal.
18 Oil struck in the third layer in the way for the normalisation “Basant” the, first agricultu
the Bombay High structure at of relations among the three ral aircraft designed and built
countries and the establishment indigenously, rolls out of the
a depth of 1,600 metres.
of a durable peace in the re Hindustan Aeronautics Limi
22 The Minerals and Metals rion. ted.
Trading Corporation signs
with Poland, for the first time. India and Pakistan conclude a 22. An ordinance amending the Es
a direct contract for supply of a bilateral agreement listing sential Commodities Act, 1955,
process mica valued at Rs. 1.22 out priorities to be given for to provide for more deterrent
restoration of normal relations punishment for blackmarket
crores during 1974-75.
between the two countries. ing, hoarding and profiteering,
23 Geological Survey of India promulgated.
20 President Giri inaugurates at
begins work on the Siwalik
National Fossil Park at Saketi. Itanagar, the new capital town “Jagdoot”, the 21,800 DWT
Sirmur district, Himachal ship of Arunachal Pradesh. multi-purpose bulk carrier, the
Pradesh. 27 India and UNDP sign in New biggest to be built so far at the
Delhi a four-year agreement Hindustan Shipyard, launched.
Under an agreement signed in for establishing, for the first 27 Super thermal power station at
New Delhi, India will build the time in India, a sponge iron
Chukha hydro-electric project Koradi, near Nagpur, starts
plant at Kothagudem in An
in Bhutan. dhra Pradesh. generating power.
28 Indian Space Research Organi 28 India and Sri Lanka sign a
24 Telugu becomes official lang
uage at taluk level in Andhra sation announces that the 300 comprehensive border agreer
Pradesh. kg mechanical prototype of the ment under which Kachchativu
first Indian Scientific Satellite becomes part of Sri Lanka.
26 Bharat Heavy Electricals, Project (ISSP) has been suc JULY
Bhopal, develops for the first cessfully “mated” with the
6
time in India an electro inter-cormos rocket in the So The Companies (Temporary
hydraulic “governor” for hydro viet Union. Restrictions on Dividends) Or.
dinance, 1974 and the Additio
electric power stations. 30 Repatriation of about 93,000 nal Emoluments (Compulsory
27 The second bucket dredger Pakistani prisoners of war and Deposit) Ordinance, 1974 pro
“Kichodhara” being built at civilian interness completed. mulgated.
SOCIALIST INTPIA 30 FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 9 First of the four units of Guja
rat's first hydro-electric project
at Ukai, near Baroda, commis
sioned.
— The Daryabad branch of the
Rs. 200-crore Sarda Sahayak
irrigation project commission
ed.
12 Tuticorin declared the tenth
major port of the country.
14 Bauxite deposits estimated at
105 crore tonnes with 45 to 59
per cent of alumina content and
said to be the second biggest
deposit in the world, discover
ed in Koraput, Kalahandi and
Sambalpur districts in Orissa.
17 The President promulgates
Compulsory Deposit Scheme
(Income-tax Payers) Ordin
ance, 1974.
— India and UN Fund for Popu
lation Activities (UNFPA)
sign in New Delhi a five-year
agreement involving a UNFPA
grant of about Rs. 30 crores for
India's family planning prog”
ramme.
19 President V. V. Giri inaugu
rates helicopter division at Hin
dustan Aeronautics Ltd., Ban
galore
20 The Nuclear Research Labora
tory at IARI, New Delhi, is
formally handed over to India
by the United Nations Develop
ment Agency.
22 Reserve Bank of India raises
the bank rate from seven to
nine per cent.
26 India and Bhutan sign in Thim
pu an agreement under which
India will set up a cement fac
tory at Pagli, Bhutan.
27 India and Bangladesh sign
agreement in New Delhi under
which India will supply 500
wagons to Bangladesh.
AUGUST
2 India and Japan sign in Tokyo
an agreement under which
Japan will provide a loan
amounting to Rs. 29.81 crores
to meet part of the foreign ex
change costs of the Bhatinda
fertiliser project.
5 A contract for a sponge steel
complex at Dubai to be built by
India signed at Ranchi with the
United Arab Emirates.
8. India and Indonesia sign in
Jakarta a continental shelf
agreement.
9 The Union Minister of Petro
leum and Chemicals announces
in Parliament that oil has been
SOCIALIST INDIA
struck at a well at Galeki,
Assam, which can produce 150
tonnes a day against the cur
rent production of 20 tonnes a
day in other wells.
26 The Lok Sabha passes unani
mously the Constitution
(Thirty-fourth) Amendment
Bill seeking to insulate states'
land ceiling and land tenure
laws against litigation.
28 Rajya Sabha approves the
Constitution (Thirty-fourth)
Amendment Bill.
SEPTEMBER
1. The perlite expansion plant of
Talcher fertilizer project
Orissa commissioned.
3 Foundation-stone of a Rs. 8.
crore scooter factory laid at
Futwah, near Patna.
7 Parliament adopts Constitution
Amendment Bill seeking to
make Sikkim an associate state
of the Indian Union.
9 Parliament approves the Oil
Industry (Development) Bill,
1974, which seeks to set up an
oil development fund by impos
ing a cess by way of excise
duty on crude and natural gas.
— Parliament adopts Payment of
Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 1974,
providing for the payment of
minimum bonus of 8.33 per cent
in respect of the accounting
year 1973.
14 India and Pakistan sign in
Islamabad agreements for the
resumption of postal telecom
munication and travel facilities
and a protocol on the exchange
of pilgrims to shrines.
17 India finishes seventh with four
gold, twelve silver and twelve
bronze medals at the Seventh
Asian Games in Teheran.
– Ordinance promulgated to en
able detention of smugglers
under the Maintenance of Inter
nal Security Act (MISA) up to
a maximum period of
years.
18 Foundation-stone of a concrete
dam for the 690 mw Salal
power project in J. & K.
20 “Paraphelgic Home”, the first
of its kind in Asia, for total re
habilitation of critically diabled
jawans opened at Kirkee near
Poona.
— An electronics testing and de
veloping centre to test com
mercial electronics products, is
inaugurated at Baroda.
31
21 An Ordinance promulgated for
the take-over of 103 sick tex
tile mills.
— India and Romania sign in
Bucharest a five-year protocol
enabling India to export 13 mil
lion tonnes of iron ore and im
port among other things, 1.5
million tonnes of fertilisers
and 14 drilling rigs.
26 Indian Space Research Organi
sation announces that the
prototype of the satellite sepa
ration system to eject its satel
lite into orbit has been suc
in cessfully ground tested.
— India's first NCC air squadron
for girls inaugurated at Ban
asthali in Rajasthan.
OCTOBER
11 India and Bulgaria sign in Now
Delhi an agreement for co-ope
ration in the fields of science
and technology.
— The first unit of the thermal
power plant at Bhatinda in
Punjab commissioned.
— Under an agreement signed at
Tripoli, India agrees to buy
Libyan crude and provide Libya
with oil technicians.
15 Indo-Pakistan postal and tele
communication links restored.
— Government of India lift the
14-year-old ban on travel to
Portugal.
19 India's widest flyover inaugu
rated in New Delhi.
25 India signs the biggest single
contract for supplying 500
huses to Zaire in Kinshasa.
28 India and the USA sign in New
Delhi an agreement for estab
lishing a joint commission on
economic, commercial, scientific,
technological, educational and
cultural cooperation between
the two countries.
1 India to get Rs. 10 crore worth
of microwave communications
two
equipment from Hungary un
der a protocol signed in New
Delhi.
— Rs. 64-crore ammonia urea
complex of the Indian Farmers'
Fertilizer Cooperative commis
sioned at Kalol in Gujarat.
10 The Khetri Copper Smelter
starts functioning in Jhunjhunu
district of Rajasthan.
12 India and Bangladesh sign an
agreement in New Delhi under
which India will provide an
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 emergency credit of Rs. 10 10 The country's first high-power'. agreement demarcating the
crores to Bangladesh. ed sophisticated Air Route continental shelf boundary bet
18 Indo-Pak talks on the resump Surveillance Radar (ARSR) ween the two countries.
tion of overflights and air links commissioned at the old Juhu India and Bangladesh sign pro
begin in Rawalpindi. airport in Bombay. tocol in New Delhi under which
India and Hungary sign in New two countries agree to abandon
Delhi a memorandum of un 11 India and Iran sign in Tehe
their balances in freely conver
derstanding under which India ran an agreement to establish tible currencies from January
will supply a complete coke a joint shipping company with 1, 1975.
oven plant to Hungary. Iran holding 51 per cent of the Third oil well on Bombay High
India and Pakistan establish equity shares to expedite the spudded after successful pro
telex lines. trade and economic cooperation duction tests on the first two
between the two countries.
20 The new Rs. 12.22 - crore wells.
“double-decker” rail-and-road 14 The second 120 mw unit at 20 Indian Navy's second “Sea
bridge across the Godavari on Koradi super thermal power King” Anti-Submarine Air
the Calcutta-Madras national station near Nagpur commis I.N.S. Garuda in Cochin.
highway opened to traffic. sioned.
sign a trade 21 INS “Saravahana” the first
22 India and GDR
The 1000-tonne-per-day ammo establishment of its kind in
protocol envisaging turnover of
Rs. 100 crores between them nia plant for the joint sector India to give submarine train
Southern Petrochemical Indus ing and escape and diving train
during 1975.
23 INS “Himgiri” commissioned at tries Corporations, said to be ing, commissioned at Visakha
Bombay. the largest in the World, com patnam.
missioned at Tuticorin. 25
20 India and Pakistan sign in New The President reissues the or
Delhi a protocol for the re 16 The President gives assent to der preventing those detained
sumption of trade between the the Conservation of Foreign for smuggling activities or vio
two countries. Exchange and Prevention of lations of foreign exchange re
India and Romania sign in New Smuggling Activities Bill which, gulations from exercising their
Delhi a trade protocol for 1975 among other things, provides fundamental right to move
for a turn-over of Rs. 113 for preventive detention. courts for legal remedy.
crores. Extracted from YOJANA
17 India and Indonesia ratify the
DECEMBER
1 The Adaptive Rice Research
Centre at Baronda near Raipur
in Madhya Pradesh develops a
new strain of paddy, said to
be the longest variety in the HIMACHAL'S
World.
The first of the seven units, to FIFTH PLAN
make butterfly and other types
of industrial valves, especially OUTLAY-RS. 231.40 CRORES
for thermal and atomic power
stations, the first of its kind in Before After
Asia, inaugurated at Banga (1973-74) (1979-80)
lore.
India and Czechoslovakia sign 11 Lac Tonnes Food Production 14 Lac Tonnes
in New Delhi an agreement
providing for exchange of tele 1.85 Lac Tonnes Cash Crops Produc 2.63 Lac Tonnes
vision and radio programmes on tion
a regular basis. 2.40 Lac Tonnes Fruit Production 4.1.1 Lac Tonnes
The nine-year old embargo on
trade between India and Pakis" 4.200 Villages Electrification 8.180 Villages
tan ends under the agreement 18,507 Kms. Roads 16,447 Kms.
signed by the two countries on
November 30, 1974. 86 Per cent Primary Education 100 Per cent
9 India and Pakistan exchange
last batch of 1971 pre-war de 532 Public Health 584
Institutions
tainees at Wagah checkpost.
India and Norway sign in New 2,728 Drinking Water 5,635 Villages
Delhi an agreement under which Supply
Norway will extend to India an
assistance of nearly Rs. 7.5
crores for strengthening the fa
mily welfare programme in HIM LOK SAMPARK
rural areas.

SOCIALIST INDIA 32 FEBRUARY 15, 1975


The Copper Smelter Plant Will Save
Foreign Exchange Worth Rs. 60 Crores
The inauguration by the Prime
Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, of
the Rs. 117-crore Copper Smelter
Plant and its dedication to the
nation at Khetri in Rajasthan is a
significant milestone in the
country's bid to achieve economic
self-sufficiency. The smelter plant
is the thirteenth of its kind in
the world. It is ready except
for the fertiliser section, which
will start working in October.
The whole project, a landmark
in the engineering history of
India, will help not only in saving
foreign exchange of Rs. 60 crores
but will also remove the country's
dependence on copper imports to a
great extent.
The plant will help conserve
foreign exchange by processing
both indigenous and imported
copper concentrates upto 31,000
tonnes armnually. India, at the
moment, needs 65,000 tonnes all
of which is imported. The demand
is likely to rise by 15,000 tonnes
a year during the Fifth Plan
period.
In her address, Smt. Indira
Gandhi stressed the need for
maintaining industrial peace so
that a climate conducive to foreign
investment in the country could be
created. She said that there was
no short cut to progress if firm
foundations for the industrialisa
tion of the country had to be laid
and centuries-old backwardness
was to be removed.
PM'S ADDRESS
The Prime Minister denoun
ced the movement launched
by Shri Jayaprakash Narayan and
said that at a time when the
world was passing through an era
of economic crisis an agitation of
this kind could sap the vitality of
the nation. Agitation and slogan
mongering never solved any
problem or brought relief. What
would serve the purpose was the
hard work, unity and dedication,
she suld.
*6th AR fºr TNT,IA
MOHAN CHANDRA JOSHI
Smt. Gandhi said that launching
agitations, levelling allegations
of corruption and raising slogans
for changes in the educational
system were actually designed to
divert the people's attention from
real issues. We must realise that
meaningful steps could be taken
to achieve progress only with the
cooperation of all. She pointed
out that the effect of disruptive
slogans must be neutralised by
the people.
The Prime Minister referred to
the difficulties the nation was
passing through, and said these
were not peculiar to India. Even
Socialist countries which were
once considered immune to world
economic disturbances had begun
to feel the impact of the crisis.
The impact had been harder in
the case of developing countries
like India.
The Prime Minister referred to
the impact of the oil crisis on
world economy and said she
would not blame the exporting
countries,
for having been ex
ploited by affluent consumers all
these years, they had a right to
ask for a remunerative price for
their resources. Similarly, India
would be justified in demanding
remunerative prices for her raw
material exports like the iron-ore
commensurate with the increase
in the cost of fertilisers or
imported by her.
Smt. Gandhi also referred to
the multiplicity of trade unions
and said that at a time when the
need was for raising production,
such divisions did not serve
country or the workers.
Both the Prime Minister and
the Minister for Steel and Mines,
Shri Chandrajit Yadav paid
homage to three workers who were
killed in a mine accident at Khetri
a few days ago.
Shri Yadav, in his speech, said
that the country was spending Rs.
60 crores on importing copper, a
vital metal. Fourteen years of
labour had at last begun yielding
fruits and the Smelter Plant
would go a long way in helping
the country move towards self
reliance in the production of
copper. He complimented Indian
scientists and engineers who help
ed build the project.
YADAV'S SPEECH
Briefing newsmen, Shri Yadav
said that the Khetri complex was
now much better than in its
earlier phases. Though it could be
argued that the cost of production
was rather on the high side, one
had to remember that international
market for copper fluctuated a
great deal. Besides, the question
of availability of the metal was
also there. India, therefore, had
to look for its own sources. He
said that Khetri had to be develop
ed as it had copper deposits worth
29 million tonnes.
The Minister said that the
situation would considerably im
prove when Malaj Khand copper
mines would start working.
A fertiliser plant would come
up in Khetri complex which will
utilise gases from the smelter
plant. The first phase of ferti
liser plant—a sulphuric unit—was
ready. Eventually it will produce
200,000 tonnes of tripple super
phosphates.
The project was cleared by the
Centre in the middle of 1969, but
actual work started in 1970-71.
So far, Rs. 103 crores have been
spent on it. The project will cost
about Rs. 138 crore when it is
completed in October, 1975. The
smelting side consisting of a con
centrator, a smelter and a refinery,
oil
costs about Rs. 128 crores. The
fertiliser side, costing about Rs.
16 crores consists of a sulnhuric
acid plant. It will start produc
tion by the end of this month.
The project authorities feel
the
that the price of our conner, which
is a fluctuating commoditv in the
international market, will SOon
compare well with the international
market.
It is not a labour oriented pro
ject as all the work is being done
mechanically. More than a
thousand persons are emploved at
present with 20 foreign experts.
*rººrºº 18, 1573

MISCELLANY
Y. B. CHAVAN'S LETTER
TO DR. KISSINGER
The Minister for External
Affairs, Shri Y. B. Chavan, has
conveyed to the US Secretary of
State, Dr. Henry Kissinger,
India's serious concern over any
change in the United States arms
policy vis-a-vis the Indian sub
continent. In a letter, addressed
to Dr. Kissinger, Shri Chavan has
drawn his attention to the likely
consequences of any such change
in the US policy and told him
that this would revive tension on
the sub-continent and lead to a
serious setback even to the slow
process of normalisation now
under way.
Shri Chavan said in the letter
that India had appreciated the
Simla Agreement and its assuran
ces that it would not encourage
an arms race on the sub-continent.
Shri Chavan pointed out that
any change in the United States
policy would amount to a revival
of its old and discredited policies
and Indian public and parliamen
tary opinion was bound to react
strongly to any resumption of
arms supplies to Pakistan. He
also indicated to Dr. Kissinger
that this might adversely affect
the sincere efforts of India to
build the Indo-US relations on a
mature and constructive basis.
The Minister pointed out that
there was absolutely no threat to
the security of Pakistan. It was
a very crucial time when both the
countries were making serious
efforts to normalise their relations
although the progress had been
slow. Any induction of military
hardware into Pakistan at this
juncture would only serve to
induce the Snirit of confrontation
in that country.
Shri Chavan pointed out that
already with the growing super
power naval rivalry in the Indian
Ocean there was tension in this
region and arming Pakistan now
would only he fatal. He drew Dr.
$o CHA1,151 INDIA
Kissinger's attention to the history
of 20 years which was a glaring
proof of American arms being
used against India.
SWARAN SINGH ON
DEFENCE PREPAREDNESS
The Defence Minister, Shri Swa
ran Singh, said on February 8
that India could not be cowed
down by Pakistan's build-up of
arms. He also declared that India's
Non-alignment policy would be
continued and India would march
ahead without fear of any foreign
power.
The Defence Minister, who was
addressing a gathering of free
dom fighters at Ludhiana, said
India never lagged behind in its
defence preparedness. Eighty to
ninety per cent weapons like
tanks and machine guns for the
army were manufactured and naval
ships worth about Rs. 30 crores
and five kinds of planes are being
built in the country.
Shri Swaran Singh appealed to
the freedom fighters to extend
their help to the Government in
bringing in a socio-economic revo
lution in the country.
The Chief Minister, Giani Zail
Singh, said his Government would
not bow before communal forces
which were exploiting the students
to create disturbances in the State.
The meeting passed several re
solutions expressing concern at
Pakistan's move to augment her
military might with the help of
the US. The conference appealed
to freedom fighters of Pakistan to
help consolidate India-Pakistan re
lations. The resolution also urged
the Governments of Pakistan and
India to faciliate mutual goodwill
visits of persons believing in pro
motion of Indo-Pak friendship. It
appreciated recent efforts of India
and Pakistan to normalise trade
relations.
In a resolution on economic si
tuation it viewed with grave con
cern the present acute shortage of
power which hampers agricultural
and industrial production.
The resolution on the amend
ments to present election system
urged that elections must be made
simpler, quicker, independent and
inexpensive so as to make Vidhan
Sabhas and the Lok Sabha real re
presentative bodies of the people.
K TRIPATHI AND US DIKSHIT
Shri Kamalapati Tripathi has
been appointed the new Railway
Minister. He succeeds L. N. Mishra
who died in the Samastipur bomb
explosion last month.
Shri Uma Shankar Dikshit, hi
therto Minister without portfolio,
has taken over the charge of Mi
nistry of Shipping and Transport
from Shri Tripathi.
These changes were announced
in New Delhi on February 10.
NEHRU BRIGADE TURNS
WASTE INTO WEALTH
A high-level working group is
soon to be set up by the Depart
ment of Science and Technology
which would study the problem of
and make suggestions for the
reclamation of waste material—
paper, tin, bottles, etc. The Plan
ning Commission had prepared a
report on this subject in 1967
but apparently no follow-up action
was taken.
Now the interest in recycling the
waste was revived by the Prime
Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, who,
addressing a children's gathering
in New Delhi on November 14
(Nehru's birthday) last year, had
urged them to launch a campaign
to collect the waste material for
reclamation. Later a similar plea
was made by the Minister for
Industries and Civil Supplies, Shri
T.A. Pai, at a meeting in Bombay.
Shri Pai had revealed that 35
per cent of the country's require
ment of paper could be met by
recycling waste paper.
Responding to the suggestion,
the Delhi Unit of the Nehru
Brigade has started a waste paper
collection campaign. About 200
volunteers of the Brigade go
round the main bazars of Delhi
on cycles every Sunday for a
couple of hours picking up papers.
Already, they have collected two
tempos of such waste.
The Chief Organiser of the
Nehru Brigade, Shri Ramesh
Datta, said that when they had
collected some ten tempo-fulls
of such waste, they would hand it
over to the Director-General of
Khadi Bhandar for manufacturing
khadi. He said efforts were being
made to involve children in such
civic activities, right from their
primary education stage.
FEBRUARY 15, 1975
 megawatts
precise as a surgical needle,
megatons
PL A N N | N G certain as next spring
march
around the table
in the cold dry glow
MIROSLAV HOLUB of cigarettes,
Czech poet, born in 1923. Son of a rail and the gradual welding
way worker and language teacher, he was of fantasy
trained to be a clinical pathologist. A widely with the steel bars of numbers,
travelled man of two cultures, he is consider"
The future
ed an important Modern European poet.
to three decimal points
Around the table, exactly.
from hand to hand,
from file to file,
from column to column, But sometimes,
march when all's finished and signed,
the excavators,
the new-born,
the refrigerators that are and the apples,
the refrigerators that will be, the books,
white and gleaming the refrigerators
like an antartic flotilla, pipe up
just for the heck of it,
without a reference number,
the preserves that are and in quiet urgent voices—
the preserves that will be,
red and green,
spendid as the pages and what about yourselves, friends,
of the kings of the glass castle, what about yourselves,
to how many decimal points exactly,
your goodselves today,
the excavators that are and
your goodselves tomorrow,
the excavators that will be,
to how many points exactly
black and heroic
at home
as a storm in a teacup,
and in the street,
and with your wife
and friends.
the new-born that are and
the new-born that will be
with bulging eyes
And morning
and a temporary shortage
of dummies, and evening
and on the way up
and on the way down,
march to how many decimal points exactly
fluorescent lamps, you yourselves, friends?
books of poetry,
telescopes,
overcoats, And we should have an answer to that
moulds, in this year's plan.
35 FEBRUARY 15, 1975
SOCIALIST INDIA
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted ºn PSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 15-2-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792170

A COOPERATIVE SOCIETY
INDIA
OF KASHMIRI WOMEN

IS O. P. SHARMA

The Kashmir Handicrafts Cooperative Society Ltd., for

women started in 1966 with a grant of Rs. 30,000 from the
GREAT Central Social Welfare Board as working capital hºs made
tremendous headway. During the first year a scheme of
training-cum-production for 30 women member-workers be
longing to the economically weaker sections of the people
was launched and a stipend of Rs. 80 per month was paid
to each of them. The production of handicrafts gained mo" |
mentum and the sales gradually went up from Rs. 15,625 in
NWAKE 1968-69 to Rs. 64,000, including handicrafts worth Rs. 18,000
exported, in 1972-73.

The society has 75 associate members, who work at

home and are paid on piece work basis. In order to encourage
IT them to earn more and raise production the society is pro
viding a bonus of 3 per cent to those earning between Rs.
20 to Rs. 80 per month and four per cent to those earning
between Rs. 30 to Rs. 40 per month. The workers earning
GREATER above 40 per month are entitled to six per cent bonus.

QUALITY GOODS
The society started with traditional embroidery and
switched over to a coarser type of needle embroidery done
in fine wool. The society also undertakes crewel embroidery
or hook stitch work and production of table mats, bed covers,
cushions, etc. which are in demand with the Central Cottage
Industries Emporium and also Handicrafts and Handloom
Export Corporation of India besides consumption in the local
markets.

The society was awarded the Gold Medal in 1970 and a

THIS IS THE FIFTEENTH
Certificate of Merit in 1971 for displaying the best products
IN A SERIES OF in the State Industrial Exhibitions organised annually by
ADVERTISENMENTS the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The society which is
DESIGNED BY still in its infancy, looks forward to the future with hopes
“ SOCIALIST INDIA ** and expectations.

IN PUBLIC INTEREST From KURUKSHETRA Jan. 1, 1975

 PRESIDENT’s ADDREss
TO PARLIAMENT
-

PROBLEMs OF HILL
AREAS
FEBRUARY 22, 1975 *
FOCUS ON COAL
30 p.

P. M. INAUGURATES
WOMEN’S RALLY

: On the occasion of the inaugura

tion of National Women's Day,
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi said
at New Delhi on February 16 the

:
º
following after speaking in Hindi:
“I see some representatives
other lands and I welcome them
here on behalf of the Indian wo
of

iM men.

“We have chosen this day, which

ABOVE: Prime Minister being welcomed by some of the
women leaders at the NDMC Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, where
she inaugurated the Basant Panchami (Sundey February 16).
BELOW: Women from the nearby rural areas who had come
to the rally get the “feel” of the P.M.
is the first day of spring, for the
“Women's Day” because spring is
the time of renewal. It is a time
of new life. It is a time when
fresh ideas and fresh beauty erupts
all over the world and we hope
that the women of India and the
women of the world will unite to
gether to bring new beauty into
our world to fight against wars
and hunger and want, to fight for
friendship and cobperation, to fight
for those ideals which women have
always held high, to fight not only
for those big things, but to fight
what is dearest to the heart of
every woman for her home. for a
better future, for her children and
if we achieve a better future, it
is not only for women, it is for
the men and women of the world.
So, in our fight and in our struggle
and in our work it is not for wo
Continued on Page 7

International
© Women's Year
1975

f *- -
DEMocracy e socialism e SECULArism -> NON-ALIGNMENT

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESs To PARLIAMENT
Dont's Fritter Away National
Energies in Acrimonious
Controversies And Agitations
Following is the text of the Pre
sident, Shri Fakhruddin Ali
Ahmed's address to Parliament de
livered on the opening day of the
Budget Session on February 17:
Honourable Members.
I welcome you all and summon
you to another year of hard work
in the service of the nation. We
begin the year on a confident note,
having responded with determina
tion to the unforeseen and stupen
dous challenges of the last four
years. In the face of continuing
rise in prices, the foremost concern
of the Government in 1974 was to
impart a measure of stability to
the economy. The Government
adopted a comprehensive strategy
to control inflation and this was
put into operation from July, 1974.
Besides increased mobilisation
of resources and economies in non
Plan expenditure, money supply
was restricted through an appro
priate monetary policy. A vigorous
drive was launched against econo
mic offences like smuggling, hoar
ding and tax evasion and
against spurious units indulging
in malpractices in scarce materials.
Consumer expenditure was res
trained by limiting dividend in
comes and impounding increase in
wages and salaries and a part of
additional dearness allowance.
Public distribution was streng
thened and arrangements were
made for adequate import of food
grains and essential raw materials
and commodities. The annual Plan
for 1974-75 was reviewed and out
lays on the core sectors were rais
ed to boost production. Vigorous
action was also taken to improve
utilisation of capacity in power
plants, rail transport, coal produc
tion, steel plants and other pub
lic Sector industries.
This concerted action began to
yield results towards the end of
September, 1974. Despite an un
SOCIALIST INDIA
satisfactory kharif crop, caused
by poor rainfall in many States,
prices began to fall and there has
been a weakening of the inflatio
nary forces. The availability of
essential goods has generally im
proved. The general outlook for
the rabi crop is good.
Production in public enterprises
has shown a significant rise in the
first nine months of this financial
year. Fourteen per cent more elec
tricity is being produced by ther
mal plants and improvement of
34 per cent in the production of
power by DVC plants merits spe
cial mention. Since shortage of po
wer still persists in a number of
States, high priority is being given
to the completion of power pro
jects.
About two million KW of power
capacity is being added in
1974-75 and another three million
tonnes more coal will be produc
ed this year. Steel production is
going up and Public Sector engi
neering industries are doing re
markably well. More railway wa
gons are being moved daily.
NO COMPLACENCY
I congratulate workers. farmers,
and other sections of the people
for the determination. courage
and identity with national purpose
shown by them in supporting the
Government's programme of eco
nomic stabilisation.
The Government is aware that
there is no room for complacency
as there are still sizable imbalances
between supply and demand in se
veral important sectors of the eco
nomy. The international economic
situation is also full of uncertain
ties.
The monetary and fiscal measu
res and the action against econo
mic offences will be continued with
vigour. Simultaneously, Govern
2 FFPRUARY 22, 1975
ment will intensify measures to
remove limitations in the infras
tructure and to increase production
in vital sectors. In the internatio
nal sphere, we shall continue to
work for the evolution of a just
and viable economic order in co
operation with developing coun
tries as well as developed coun
tries which have shown under
standing of our problems.
We have been hard hit by
the sudden and large increase
in the prices of oil, food and
fertilisers. Articles of com
mon consumption have been
affected and great hardship has
been caused to the people. There
is a very heavy draft on foreign
exchange. Even a significant in
crease in our export earnings—in
the first eight months of 1974-75,
the increase was 36 per cent—is
not adequate to fill the gap. Special
efforts and arrangements are ne
cessary to deal with the problems
of oil importing developing coun
tries. Some of the oil exporting
countries have helped us in this
regard.
There has also been some action
at the international level. But
these measures fall short of the
needs of the situation. The severe
damage caused to the economies
of developing countries has to he
recognised and redressed through
purposeful cooperative effort on a
global scale. We shall continue to
take appropriate initiatives in this
direction both through bilateral
negotiations and in international
forums.
In adition to the emphasis on
increased production and use of
coal, we are going ahead with oil
exploration on an urgent basis.
The recent discoveries in the off
shore Bombay High structure are
promising. The Government has
decided that this oil field should
be developed to the production
stage with the greatest expedition.
It is being planned that the first
stage of production should begin
in 1976 and that in another four
years, the production from this
area shorld go un to 10 million
tonnes. The future outlook for
production of oil from off-shore
and on-shore areas is reassuring.
There is understandablv Some
anxiety about the Fifth Five-Year
Continued on Page 24
Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Wol. X No. 12
CONTENTS
February 22, 1975
SOCIALIST Published every
Saturday President's Address to Parliament
|NDIA Editorial
Congress President to sum up Camp Results :
Parliament: Acrimonious Start to Budget Session
J. M. Deb
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad RSS hits Headlines
Road, New Delhi 110001
Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST

EDITORIAL BOARD
A Correspondent
Prime Minister's Address to CPP
Reflections on “The Statesman” Centenary —I
:
Jag Mohan
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Y. B. Chavan on US Arms Supply to Pakistan 1;
(Chairman) Problems of Hill Areas
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Prof. N. Tombi Singh 11
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Women in India
Purabi Mukherjee 15
Nandini Satpathy Government's
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT War against Dowry 17
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Coal: The Primary Source of Energy
(Chairman) Prof. Siddheshwar Prasad 18
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Two Successful Years of Coal Mines Authority 19
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA A View from London 20
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Developing Countries must not
Shri P. C. SETHI wait for assistance
Jagjivan Ram 22
Vorster acts tough at Capetown Summit
John I. Hungu 23
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO
Arab Oil Problems: Largest Donors of Aid 27
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN
Tripura CM interviewed 28
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Miscellany 29
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee Training Camps for Congressmen
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah S. V. Inamdar 31
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. Biswan Convention
Gopalji Mehrotra 32
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces P.M. inaugurates National Women's Day 33
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Panchayati Raj Day 34

It was only natural that these announcements

should have been received with thunderous cheers
EDITORIAL from both the Treasury and Opposition benches. No
body would have anticipated that fares and freight
rates would be spared. The dumbfounded Opposition
did manage to let out some faint murmurs, but that
Remarkable Railway Budget was of no consequence.
The whole tenor of Shri Tripathi's speech was
Kudos must go unreservedly to Shri Kamalapati equally remarkable. He said that “the Railways are
Tripathi for the remarkable Railway Budget that he seeing the end of the tunnel” and that the year
presented on Thursday in which for the first time in ahead will be “a year of promise, stabilisation and
several years passengers and other railway users steady growth all round”. This is good news for
have been spared a rise in fares and freights. The the Indian Railways is the nation's largest Public
new Railway Minister also made a magnanimous Sector undertaking with an investment of over
gesture by announcing his decision to condone the Rs. 5,000 crores and a staff strength of about 1.5 mil
break in service of all railway employees who had lion. About 8 million people or roughly 1.5 per cent
Participated in the strike last May, except those of the country's population travel every day. About
“harged with sabotage or violence. Only small 11,000 trains run daily, serving 7,000 stations. And
ºncreases in freight rates for foodgrains and iron and its fleet consists of 11,000 locomotives, 36,000 coach
"manganese ore for export have been indicated to ing vehicles and 384,000 goods wagons.
*ure an additional Rs. 39 crores during the year. This big enterprise was faced with terrible odds
will make it a Rs. 23 crore surplus budget. last year. The former Railway Minister, the late
*OCIALIST INDIA FEBRUARY 22, 1975
 Shri L. N. Mishra (to whom a handsome tribute was
paid in the budget speech of his successor) resolutely
set his heart to put the wheels back on the rails
after the May strike that crippled operations in many
parts of the country. The many schemes that Shri
Mishra had initiated for quick recovery and rehabi
litation have obviously borne fruits for coal loadings
went up to 8,901 this January from 7,300 eight
months ago. And originating freight is expected to
go up to 192 million tonnes which will be 7 million
tonnes more than the 1973-74 figure during which
period, incidentally there was a loss of 11.8 million
tonnes due to the strike.
From even a casual reading of the speech, it can
be gathered that the railway system is “working on
all cylinders”. The situation should improve consi
derably since all the cancelled trains will be resumed
from March 1 and plans are afoot for the building up of
loco coal stocks. Besides, powerful locomotives are ex
pected from Czechoslovakia and later these are to
be fabricated locally in a phased manner.
What is more, Shri Tripathi said, “We aim at
making all railwaymen feel that there is an identity
of interests between them and the management and
both must strive for a common national and corporate
goal. The well-being of the staff forms a corner
stone of this policy.” This coupled with the an
nouncement of condoning the break in service of the
railway employees should go a long way in improving
industrial relations and in minimising agitation. In
these difficult times of inflation when fortunately
both agriculture and industry are poised for better
performance this year, the railways have a vital role
to play. The new Railway Minister has given more
than enough proof that it will for the good of the
country.
HARYANA POLL OUTCOME
The Haryana poll outcome has not made any
material change in the respective positions of the
parties. Of the three seats, the Congress had held
one and the Opposition the remaining two. After
the recent elections, the Congress wrested the Nuh
seat from the non-CPI Opposition, which had backed
the Independent candidate, but it lost the Rori seat
to the Opposition. The Meham seat has remained
with the Opposition as before. Thus, the reverse in
Rori has been offset by a resounding victory in Nuh.
The Congress majority in the State Assembly has
been unaffected. Considering the fact that commu
nal and reactionary elements had formed a mini grand
alliance, this is a creditable performance. And this
is one more proof that the electoral machinery and
the democratic processes are working excellently.
And, there has been no mention of rigging among
the Opposition parties!

CONGRESS PRESIDENT and programmes. In this context, It is understood that the Cong
these sources hold that the camps ress President Shri D. K. Borooah
TO SUM UP
brought into focus not only those will be taking into account all
CAMP RESULTS trends which have so long “ham political and organisational factors
-
strung” the Congress but also while preparing his report of the
those that would help the Party to cadre-training camps for the Con
With the series of the Congress go forward. gress Working Committee.—IPA.
State cadre training camps now
coming to an end on February 19,
Congress President Shri D. K.
Borooah is expected to sum up the
results and experience of the camps
for the Congress Working Com
mittee which is likely to meet
sometime early next month.
Last weekend the last of the two
camps were held one in Kerala on
February 16 and 17 and the other
in Pondicherry on February 19.
According to AICC sources,
manifestation of divergent ap
proaches in the different State
camps was nothing unexpected.
What was new was that for the
first time, the Congress President
and other members of the CWC
had a closer look and contact with
those who are supposed to “feed
the Party from below”.
It is pointed out that the prog The President, Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, present
ramme of the cadre-training camps ed the “Bharat Ratna” award to Shri V. V. Giri,
was worked out at Narora with a former President, at a function held in Rashtrapati
view to eventually forge a “fit in Bhavan, New Delhi on Feb. 19, 1975.
strument” which could help the Photo shows Shri Giri with Prime Minister Indira
Congress to implement its pledges Gandhi on the occasion.
SOCIALIST TNTDIA 4. FEBRUARY 22, 1975

PARLIAMENT
ACRIMONIOUS
START TO
BUDGET
SESSION
J. M. DEB
Inscrutable are the ways of poli
tics. That is perhaps why it is
said that nothing is unfair in the
game of politics. When Shri Lalit
Narayan Mishra was alive, he was
to the Oposition parties in Par
liament the symbol of corruption
and they demanded his head on a
platter. Now that he is dead, they
are crying hoarse as to why the
Government could not save his
life!
The Opposition parties, who made
the late Railway Minister their
principal target in the winter ses
sion of Parliament on the import
licence episode, availed of his tra
gic death and gave the budget
session an exciting start. They
began with an attempt to censure
the Government on the Samasti
pur bomb blast incident. Surely
they had a plausible explanation
and they expressed it quite can
didly. Their battle against the late
Shri Mishra, they argued, was on
moral ground even though it vir
tually amounted to assassination
of his character, but his physical
elimination had never been their
objective. The Government's point
of view, however, was that repeat
ed campaign of vilification had
created an atmosphere of political
hatred, bitterness and intolerance
which had led to the unfortunate
tragedy.
NO COMMON GROUND
There was thus no common
ground between them and the
seven-hour debate, which continu
ed till about midnight on the first
business day of the session, ran on
parallel lines, each pointing his ac
|SOCIALIST INDIA
cusing finger at the other. Appa
rently, the Opposition strategy was
to attack Government right, left
and the centre on all fronts and
on any ground, plausible or other
wise. In this, Shri Mishra, dur
ing his life time, became their con
venient whipping boy. His death
provided further grist to their anti
Government propaganda mill. They
demanded during his life time a
Parliamentary probe to ascertain
his guilt and they now returned to
the demand to find out the circum
stances of his tragic end.
But how far did they succeed in
this objective? In a secmingly
paradoxical situation like this, the
ruling party, quite expectedly, was
fully prepared to pay its political
opponents in their own coin. As
the debate revealed, the Congress
members hit back as hard and
with as much force as possible to
expose the Oposition's real moti
vation.
Among the members on the Con
gress benches, the most effective
speaker was Shri N. K. P. Salve.
Normally he speaks in a pleasing
manner that rarely offends his tar
get. But on this occasion he minc
ed no words, spared no adjectives.
In fact, he was a little too frank.
Not only had he considered the
motion as “no more than plenty
of sanctimonious political hum
bug”, but he also questioned the
Opposition's objective in bringing
forward the motion and thought
it was “to burst a bloated bladder
of lies, wild allegations and utterly
baseless charges.” He ridiculed
the concern sought to be shown by
the mover of the adjournment mo
tion, Shri Madhu Limaye, about
the death of Shri Mishra as “sheer
hypocrisy”.
Shri Salve's next target was no
other than the irrepressible Shri
Jyotirmoy Bosu who by now creat
ed a record of having moved the
maximum number of censure mo
tions, either in the form of no-con
fidence or adjournment motions.
The Marxist member earlier de
monstrated detailed knowledge of
the technique like an expert ballis
tic and explosive expert. But this
expertise later proved to be his
undoing. Shri Salve recalled Shri
Bosu's earlier carrier as an army
Captain in the pre-independence
days and had a full dig at him.
“Shri Bosu", he quipped sarcasti
cally, “had the benefit of faithful
ly serving the British army which
experience most of us do not have
unfortunately. The imaculate pre
cision with which he described the
Samastipur incident made me feel
that he seemed to have done the
whole thing himself!”
OPPOSITION MUD-SLINGING
Shri Bosu's aim in showing his
knowledge of bomb blast was to
carry conviction with his audience
of a deep-laid official conspiracy,
but it turned out to be an oppor
tunity for the Congress member
to turn the table against him.
Curiously enough, the Marxist
member, who rarely allows the
grass to grow under his feet, pre
ferred to remain silent. Evidently,
he thought that discretion was the
better part of valour.
Another Congress member, Shri
H. K. L. Bhagat, was equally frank.
He roundly condemned the Oppo
sition criticism on the incident as
“a crude attempt at blackmail and
mud-slinging at the Government
and the ruling party.”
The mover of the motion sought
to drag the Prime Minister and
quoted what she was supposed to
have told the late Shri Mishra
prior to his death, implying there
by that he was sought to be got
rid of: Fortunately, Smt. Gandhi
was present in the House and she
exposed the lie by her candid re
marks that this was absolutely
false and untrue. Even after this
categorical contradiction, Shri Jyo
tirmoy Bosu returned to it later.
It is indeed an irony in a Parlia
mentary democracy that the Oppo
sition attach greater importance
to hearsay than to what the Prime
Minister herself announced on the
floor of the House. This made Shri
Salve conclude his speech with a
lament that “In 27 years we have
failed to give to this country a
responsible Opposition. This is the
greatest misfortune of this coun
try.”
Another inflammable issue which
the Opposition in both Houses of
Parliament seized to put the Gov
ernment on the mat was the Jama
Masjid incident. Here also thev
tried to give it a political twist
and met with the same fate. Thev
Continued on Page 34
FEBRUARY 22, 1975

THE RSS HITS
HEADLINES
A CORRESPONDENT
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh hit the headlines on Feb
ruary 17 when newspapers report
ed that the “total revolutionary”
JP had condemned the move to
ban the RSS. After two-day con
sultations with the Opposition
leaders, JP told newsmen that
“the RSS was, as its very name
implied, an organisation of volum
teers serving the country”
and that it would be a serious
misuse of emergency powers if it
is banned. This he had to do some
he has to depend so much on the
RSS and its political wing, the
Jana Sangh, for the support he is
getting for his agitation in Bihar.
This might sound strange for it
was the very same JP, who after
the assassination of Mahatma
Gandhi, was very critical of the
RSS and its set-up. Yet now, under
the pressure of politics, the “Lok
Nayak” has had to give almost a
“good conduct” certificate to the
RSS.
DEORAS IN PANIC
For some time now the boss of
the RSS, Shri Balasaheb Deoras
has been having a series of meet
ings with JP and other Opposi
tion leaders, like Chaudhury
Charan Singh. Besides he has been
travelling a lot all the way from
the South to the North, contacting
the “Baudhik Pramukhs” and
“Pracharak Pramukhs”, “Shara
rik Shikshan Pramukhs” and
“Nidhi Pramukhs” as well as
“Chalaks”, “Karyavahs” and
“Pracharaks”. In panic over the
possible move of the government
to ban the RSS, Shri Balasaheb
Deoras has adopted a double-pron"
ged move to talking big and sur
reptiously organising his “Cha
laks”.
With much bravade he has said
that the RSS would not “take it
lying low” and that if his RSS
is banned it will be the beginning
of the end of democracy in India.
The Organiser and The Mother.
land, the mouth-pieces of the
Jana Sangh and the RSS, imme
SOCIALIST INDIA
diately started publishing edito
rials and special articles, extolling
the virtues of the RSS. In an
editorial of The Motherland was
the following passage
rhetoric: “The RSS
in high
Cadres are
the pride of India. They are the
salt of the Indian earth... It (the
RSS) lives in the hearts of the
people—and thrives on the affec
tions of the people.”
In another article, there was a
reference to what had happened in
Bangladesh and also a clear-cut
mention that in India a similar
move was on since the government
was contemplating a ban on the
RSS.
UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES
It may be recalled that an offi
cial note on the activities of the
RSS said that its activities are
being watched.
A part of the note read as fol
lows: “Though the RSS claims to
be a cultural organisation and its
avowed objects are linked with
religious and cultural matters, the
Government is aware that several
prominent members of this orga
nisation undertake activities of a
political nature. The Government
keeps a careful watch over such
activities of the members of this
organisation for initiating appro
priate action under the law as and
when unlawful activities come to
notice.
“The Government considers the
activities of the RSS to be of such
a nature that participation in them
by Government servants would
attract the provisions of the Cen
tral Civil Service (Conduct) Rules
that no Government servant shall
be a member of, or be otherwise
associated with, any political party
or organisation which takes part
in, subscribes in aid of, or assists
in any other manner any politi
cal movement or activity.”
In this connection, Shri K.
Brahmananda Reddy, the Home
Minister, is reported to have com
mented that this was only “a
periodic exercise' 'and that no de
cision has been as yet taken.
The idea of the ban has been
exercising the minds of many
Congressmen and the leaders of
the Sampradayikta Virodhi Samiti.
In fact, a deputation led by
Shrimati Subhadra Joshi, M.P. had
called on the Prime Minister and
acquainted her that in Bihar the
RSS members were openly violat
ing the agreement between Sardar
Patel and the late Guru Golwal
kar by indulging in political ac
tivities.
Subsequently, at the Prime Min
ister's behest, the deputation had
called on the Law Minister, Shri
H. R. Gokhale to discuss the legal
and political implications.
In this context it will be worth
while to recall what the Prime
Minister said categorically about
the RSS involvement in the agita
tions of today:
“But the movements themselves
are not manned by those who are
facing hardships; they are initiat
ed by people who are definitely
against our policies choose for cri
ticism are people with certain
viewspoints. It is also a fact that
cerain forces outside take quite a
deep interest.
RSS INVOLVEMENT
“The base of these agitations is,
in many places, the RSS—no mat
ter who the leader is or what they
say. The RSS is wedded to viol
ence. Even though in a particu
lar meeting or procession or rally
they may not be violent violence
is increased by such agitations and
by the respectability given to
people who have all along believed
in violence. This is what I mean
when I say that the movement is
fascist in character. How did
Fascism abroad operate? It strated
off by sowing distrust in democ
ratic and parliamentary institu
tions, by loudly preaching narrow
national chauvinism, by recklessly
promising all kinds of things—you
know, like total employment, total
efficiency — and at the same time
through campaigns of hatred
against political or racial or reli
gious groups and by resort to viol
ence. This is precisely what some
of our political parties are doing
today.
“I think basically the people's
judgement is sound and they have
not paid heed to these anti-de
mocratic, anarchist and destruc
tive forces, but these forces I think
are making almost a last-ditch
stand.” (Except from the interview
given to Shri M. V. Rao of the
“Link”.).
FEBRUARY 22, 1975

PRIME MINISTER’S ADDRESS TO CPP
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, said in New Delhi on Feb
ruary 15 that the Congress Party
would not deviate from its basic
policies notwithstanding the fact
that some of its measures might
be unpopular because the Indian
“revolution has still to be com
pleted.” She was addressing the
Congress Parliamentary Party on
the eve of the budget session of
Parliament.
Referring to the political situa
tion and the state of the Party,
the Prime Minister warned that
the Congressmen should not fall
into traps laid by others. “We can
not expect 100 per cent support
from other parties.” She said the
Congress had not shown much dis
cipline. The Party MPs should
work for unity within the Party
which was broad-based and should
be more effective. “We should try
to live with those with whom we
have differences,” she added.
Smt. Indira Gandhi pointed out
that economic difficulties, the food
problem, rising prices and growing
unemployment affected several
other countries also but the Oppo
sition parties in those countries
were not exploiting the difficulties
to topple the Governments which
had only slender majorities. “The
Opposition parties there realise
that stability is of utmost import
ance to their countries.”
PUBLIC SECTOR
She said there existed global diffi
culties in Western Europe, Eastern
Europe and other countries. But
the Communist countries had not
blamed the capitalist countries for
their own problems. “We may be
long to any group but we should
see what we can contribute to the
solution of our economic prob
lems.” Some of the stern meas
ures taken by the Government are
not very popular. But we have to
see to the stability of our economy,
not to our popularity.”
The Prime Minister said what
ever Shri T. A. Pai (the Union
Minister for Industries and Civil
Suplies) had said on public partici
pation in the equity of Public Sec
tor industries was censistent with
SOCIALIST ENE)]º
Cabinet decisions taken from time
to time. She said the Govern
ment had no intention of moving
away from the Party's declared
policies. The situation in the
country now demanded that pro
duction should be increased. The
Government had been liberal
set up industries in backward
areas. “But we have not drifted
from our policies. All our worry
is about the future.”
ELECTION EXPENSES
The Prime Minister said that
the Government had succeeded in
not only stabilising prices
there was a visible downward trend
also. The trend could continue
further with greater public co
operation. Despite difficulties,
production this year had increased,
procurement had been better and
public distribution had improved
irrespective of Opposition criti
cism.
She said despite several national
calamities and aggression against
India, the country had been able
to make progress. The Congress
had not lost vision. The Govern
ment had taken several measures
to better the lot of the poor.
On election expenses, the Prime
Minister expressed her readiness
to discuss the issue with the
Opposition. She said she had no
doubt that the Oposition would try
to create problems for the Govern
ment in the coming (budget) ses
sion of Parliament but she advised
the members to avoid acrimony.
“We should be united to face mat
ters with boldness and courage",
she added.
Smt. Gandhi pointed out how
parties like the Jana Sangh and
the Bharatiya Lok Dal were try
ing to undermine the position of
the Congress by utilising Shri
Jayaprakash Narayan's influence
and urged the members to counter
their activities. In this connection,
she said she had made no state
ments against the person of Shri
Jayaprakash Narayan for whom
she had respect.
The Prime Minister said the im
portant thing was that JP was not
acting as an individual but as
T FººtARY 38, 1975
leader of the Opposition parties
who were carrying on the agita
tion. The issues which these par
ties were raising should be under
stood in correct perspective. A
proper appreciation of the forces
behind him would lead to the con
clusion that nothing would come
out of a dialogue.
Surveying the international
scene, the Prime Minister said that
to
the US decision to consider re
sumption of arms supply to Pakis
tan would create an unsettling
effect on the normalisation of re
lations on the sub-continent. She
also described the hartal threats
by the Prime Minister of Pakistan,
Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, opposing
but the steps being taken by the
Centre and Sheikh Abdullah, as
“interference in the internal affairs
of the country.”
The Prime Minister was empha
tic that despite these threats, In
dia would continue its efforts for
normalisation of relations with
Pakistan. She said some advance
had already been made in this
direction as reflected by trade and
telecommunication agreements.
The CPP adopted a resolution
condoling the death of the former
Railway Minister, Shri L. N.
Mishra. The resolution, while
placing on record the services ren
dered by Shri Mishra, expressed
the Party's re-dedication to the
cause to which Shri Mishra sacri
ficed his life.
P. M. ON WOMEN’s DAY
Continued from Cover Page
men alone, it is for a new human
being and a new and a better
world. Let us hope that this ye ºr
we can achieve—we cannot per
haps attain the ideals, but if we
can achieve a new unity and a new
understanding of the problem's
which face women all over the
world, and men also, then the two
can combine to change this world
to make much better use of the
power and the knowledge which
we have today to help all those
who need help and to have the
spirit of spring and beauty
amongst us.
“I thank you all and I give you
a all my good wishes.”

PoleMic.
Reflections On
“The Statesman”
Centenary—l
JAG MoHAN
(Part I: The BALLYHOO and
PART II: THE HULLABALL00–
Next Week)
Who would begrudge “The
Statesman” celebrating its centen
ary? One hundred years—that's
no joke. Any institution that has
survived for 99 years and 365 days
and then joins the ranks of the
centurions deserves congratula
tions. So, we extend to “The
Statesman” our best wishes—but
with the hope that it will radically
change its imperialist psychology
and adjust itself to Republican
India,
“The Statesman”: 100 Years
Old: 1875-1975.” Thus announces
the hoarding. From the Victorian
era to the Indira Gandhian era.
From “God Save The Queen” to
“Jana Gana Mana”. From Britan
nia Rules The Waves” to “Sare
Jehan se Achha, Hindustan
Hamara.” From the Tommies to
the Jawans. From Rudyard Kip
ling to Nirad Chaudhuri. From
Anglo-India to the Indo-Anglica.
From Robert Knight, the founder
editor, to N. J. Nanporia. From
Paul Knight to N. A. Palkhiwala.
From Miss Gladys Yule to C. R.
Irani. From the one-anna news
paper to the 35 paise daily—with
the “Consumer Service” pull-out
given gratis thrice a week.
BAYARD OF INDIA
A hundred years of history,
chronicled and commented upon
in the pages of “The Statesman.”
But has “The Statesman” lived up
to the vision and expectations of
Robert Knight, its founder? That's
a hudnred-rupee question?
Robert Knight, true to his name,
was Knight with a quill in his hand
—and not a sword. In an age of
merchant adventures, mercenaries,
SOCIALIST INDIA
freebooters and plunderers, he was
man with conscience, a man with
vision and a man with goodwill to
the “natives.” In his lifetime, he
was hailed as the “Bayard of
Indian journalism” — the knight
without fear and without reproach.
Why?
Robert Knight rendered yeo
man service. Brief facts of his
professional life should be enough.
In 1858, he was editing the “Bom
bay Times”. By 1861, he was able
to amalgamate the “Bombay
Times,” the “Bombay Standard”,
“The Telegraph” and “The Cou
rier” into “The Times of India.”
But he was in search of pastures
new and decided to move over to
Calcutta—the then capital city
with a lot of capital. And the
public of Bombay gave him a
grand public dinner and presented
him a purse of one lakh of rupees.
In 1872, Knight started “The Indian
Economist.” Then he became an
Assistant Secretary in the Depart
ment of Agriculture, Government
of Bengal and edited “The Agri
cultural Gazette”. But he clashed
with Lord Northbrooke over the
famine policy and resigned his
job.
In 1875, he started, with the
money raised from 24 of his busi
ness friends, “The Indian States
man”. The first issue appeared on
January 15. It was priced just
one anna at a time when the
other newspapers were priced four
annaS.
FRIEND OF CONGRESS
About the same time, he had
negotiated another deal. He
bought over “The Friend of India”
started in 1817 by William Carey,
Joshua Marshman and William
Ward, the Baptist missionaries in
the Danish settlement of Seram
pore. William Carey, a cobbler
turned evangelist, who came to be
known as the “Wycliffe of the
East” was a true friend of India in
those remote days for he and his
friends has also started the Ben
gali newspaper, “Dig Dursan”.
“The Friend of India” was bought
over for Rs. 30,000 by Robert
Knight and the press was shifted
from Serampore to Calcutta. For
some years it was run as a weekly
and later incorporated with “The
Statesman”. The name is still
8 FEBRUARY 22, 1"
there in the masthead atop the
editorial.
Robert Knight was a friend of
Allan Octavian Hume and William
Wedderburn, the founders of the
Indian National Congress, to whom
he often acted as a friend, philo
sopher and guide.
One even suspects that Robert
Knight should have read Karl
Marx’s “Letters on India” to the
New York “Daily Tribune.” For
his preoccupation with the econo
mic situation in those days, his
deep concern for the people of the
land, his contempt for the rapaci
ous rulers, his radical outlook and
his association with nascent na
tionalism, all indicate that his
missionary fervour was animated
by a sort of “Marxian” approach
to history. Some day it is hoped
proper research would be done to
discover the missing link.
A “WONKY” SOUVENIR
For all the great services ren.
dered by Robert Knight to India,
his name should have been trumpe
ted during the centenary celebra
tions of the paper which he start
ed. His portrait should have
adorned the front page of news.
paper on January 15 — and the
hoardings.
Instead what happens. Robert
Knight is almost ignored. There
is not even a mention of his name
in the editorial “100 Years Old"
published in the issue of January
15. The centenary supplement
brought out on January 20 simi:
larly ignores him. There is no re.
ference to him. Nor a photo
graph. (There is only a casual
mention of Paul Knight, one of
the two sons of Robert Knight).
Desmond Doig (the not so Junior
Statesman) in his report of the
celebrations in Delhi confesses
“So, though they remained un"
mentioned at the quiet ceremo”
the founding fathers of “The
Statesman”, William Carey, Joshua
Marshman, william Ward anº
Robert Knight, were present in
spirit as were a scrutiny of past
editors.” But Doig was careſ.
enough to mention that R \.
Goenka of the Express Group ºf
newspapers was among the V*.
present. The only two other names
clubbed with Goenka were Prº"
Bhatia and K. Rangachary).
 The 180-page souvenir brought
out to mark the centenary with
over 70 pages of advertisements
treated Robert Kinght in a nig
gardly manner. There was just a
single column photo with a couple
of hundred words of biographical
details alongside. Two of his in
nocuous articles were reproduced.
And nothing about William Carey.
No flashback to the times of Carey
and Knight. This was rather
strange—and even “wonky” to use
the language of “Junior States
man.”
But why were Robert and Wil
liam Carey ignored—rather sup
pressed? Because “The States
man” as it evolved during the de
cades of this century did not live
up to the vision and expectations
of the Founding Fathers.
Once the nationalist upsurge be
gan to sweep the country, “The
Statesman” became the bulwark of
imperialism. Its office in Chow
ringhee was an extension of the
Whitehall as well as Clive Street.
Looking after and protecting the
jute interests—the beginnings of
the Jute Press in India started at
“The Statesman”—and the tea
plantations, the chambers of com
merce, the industrial enterprises,
the oil empire and so on which
were all in British hands was its
raison d’etre. When the erstwhile
British rulers feared that India
may not continue to be the Kohi
noor in the diadem of British
royalty and that some day the sun
would set on the British empire,
“The Statesman” became the rally
ing point of the British imperial
ism. It was keen to keep the Union
Jack flying aloft however ragged
the banner may become.
DURING WORLD WAR II
In the days of our national strug
gle, when newspaper after news
paper had to pay security deposits
and quite often close down, “The
Statesman” merrily carried on
with the patronage of Delhi.
During the Second World War
period when the nationalist move
ment gathered fresh momentum
and everything was at stake “The
Statesman” played the ignoble role
of a quisling paper in this soil.
Sedulously it treated its loyal read
ers of “babus and boxwallahs”
with anti-nationalist, reactionary
tripe—brazenly some times and in
80CIALIST INDIA
a sophisticated manner at other
times. Once in a way its editors
championed for the people as
when the Bengal famine occurred.
Similarly when any glaring exam
ple of official misdemeanour came
to light, they did splash it to win
readers and influence people.
The paper's aim was to emascu
late the national will for liberation.
That is why we could not produce
a Frantz Fanon from amongst us
but only a toady like Nirad Chau
dhuri. That is why we still like to
cling to bacon and eggs and scotch
and soda, three-piece suits and tie.
“CRANK'S CORNER”
During the time of the negotia
tions for the transfer of power, the
role of “The Statesman” was SO
notorious that M. Chalapathi Rau
Wrote in the “National Herald” a
famous editorial entitled “Sell out
or Quit". This was with refernce
to the “Crank's Corner” of
Stephens (a former editor of the
paper) a column that assidously
propagated imperialist ideology.
Some day from out of the files
of “The Statesman” the real his
tory of the last chapter of imperial
domination of our country can be
written. We cannot expect to
know much about this aspect from
the history of “The Statesman”,
an Indian member of the editorial
staff in Calcutta is said to be writ
ing now.
In view of all this past record
of “The Statesman”, those
charge of the centenary celebra
tions planned a clever ballyhoo.
It was a phased programme with
celebrations in Calcutta and Delhi,
with get-togethers, dinners and
booze parties to which they are by
privilege entitled. In order to side
track its imperial past, it resorted
to unfurling of “The Statesman”
standards “with Gothic types and
blue embossed on a paler blue.”
They raised a lot of din and dust
with vintage car rallies, which is
all that they could think of.
And, of course, the centenary
souvenir that should have fetched
a tidy bit of money, so welcome
when “The Statesman” is
ported to be in dire
ancials traits. What a miserable
mess they made of it? No mention
of Malcolm Muggeridge, the most
celebrated among those who had
sat at the editorial desks of “The
Statesman”. No reminiscenes from
him naturally. (And, what a piece
with mordant wit he would have
written poohpoohing the pukka
sahibs)
No casual mention even of Ben
jamin Guy Horniman who had
worked first in “The Statesman”,
before he blazed the trail for
Indian journalism through his
“Bombay Chronicle.” No illuminat
ing articles with illustrations
about the India of 1875. Instead
there were some inane articles by
some former members of the edito
rial staff with vapid reminiscences
and a compilation of snippets of
editorials over the years.
This souvenir was noteworthy in
one respect. It did not carry any
customary message from the Presi
dent of India nor from the Prime
Minister, they were conspicuous by
Ian their absence. Instead there was
an article by Lord Mountbatten of
Burma the last Viceroy of India
and free India's first Governor
General, which was all about how
“The SEAC” and the “Phoenix”,
the journals for the fighting
forces, were printed at the
Statesman Press during the Second
World War: A harkback to imperi
alist splendour, which is as it
should be with “The Statesman.”
This is the ballyhoo of “The
Statesman” centenary. More about
the hullaballoo next week.
in
MRS. MARGARET THATCHER
ON SMT. INDIRA GANDHI
During her election canvas
sing for party leadership Mrs.
Thatcher had stated that there
were three women who had
become Prime Ministers in
other countries. She singled
out Mrs. Gandhi for whom she
had special praise as a very
able and charming Prime Min
ister. But she overlooked the
fact that all three women
Prime Ministers, Israel's Mrs.
Golda Meir, India's Mrs. Gan
dhi and Sri Lanka's Mrs. Ban
daranaike, are socialists. Ex
re cept that she is a female, the
fin comparison must end there.
(Sunder Kabadi in “Amrita
Bazar Patrika”).
FEBRUARY 22, 1975

Y. B. CHAVAN ON
US ARMS SUPPLY
TO PAKISTAN
The Minister of External Affairs,
Y. B. Chavan, made the following
statement in the Lok Sabha on
Feb. 18 on the reported arms sup
plies by USA to Pakistan:
The Government of India has re
ceived reports that the United
States is considering the possibi
lity of resuming arms suplies to
Pakistan. Press despatches from
Washington and Islamabad have
also hinted that the ten-year old
American arms embargo may be
lifted and that the United States
may supply sophisticated weapons
to Pakistan. According to our in
formation, this question was also
discussed during Prime Minister
Bhutto's official visit to Washing
ton on February 5 and 6 although
no decision has been announced.
The Government of India views
the supply of American weapons to
Pakistan with grave concern as it
will have serious repercussions on
the peace and stability of sub-con
tinent. We have taken up this
matter with the U.S. Government
at the highest level and have
brought to its attention the conse
quences of the reversal of their
present policy on the process of
normalisation on the sub-continent.
On January 28, I addressed a
letter to the Secretary of State on
this subject and conveyed to him
our deep concern about the harm
ful effects of arms supplies to
Pakistan on the peace of this re
gion as well as on Indo-American
relations. I particularly emphasis
ed that Pakistan's fears about
military threat from India are
wholly fanciful and unwarranted
as both India and Pakistan are
committed in the Simla Agreement
to work for friendly and harmoni
ous relationship and the establish
ment of durable peace in the sub
continent and to settle all their
differences through peaceful
means.
It has always been India's policy
to promote peace, stability, co
operation and good-neighbourly re
lations among the countries of this
area on the basis of equality, sove
reignty and respect for independ
ence and territorial integrity of all
States. Despite the unfortunate
past, we have made special efforts
to bring about normalisation and
reconciliation with Pakistan....
These hopeful trends will be jeo
pardised and the promise of co
operation replaced by the spectre
of confrontation—by an American
decision to induct sophisticated
weapons into the sub-continent. It
will not only create new tensions
between India and Pakistan but
also revive old misgivings about
the United States’ role in the re
gion.
a In recent months, both India
and the United States have made
sincere efforts to improve their re
lations. The Secretary of State
himself stated while in India last
year that the United States does
not wish to encourage an arms
race in the sub-continent. In view
of the past history of the Indo
American relations, it is our earn
est hope that the United States
will carefully consider all implica
tions, its decision to supply wea
pons to Pakistan will have on the
relations between our two coun
tries. We also trust that the Unit
States Government will not reverse
its present policy of non-induction
of weapons into the sub-continent
as this would not be in the inter
ests of the United States, India,
Pakistan—or peace of this region.

HARYANA has made spectacular headway in different fields since its emergence as a separate State
in the Indian Union. The following facts speak for themselves:-
FOODGRAINS
Haryana today is not only self-sufficient in its requirements of foodgrains, but also has grown surplus
from a deficit State in 1966.
IRRIGATION
The total canal irrigated area in the State rose to 40.88 lakh acres in 1974 as compared to 83.57 lakh
acres (13.59 lac hectares) in 1967-68.
The number of energised tubewells in the State today stands at (1,33,000) as against 29,000 in May,
1968.
ELECTRICITY
Whereas only one out of every five villages had been electrified by May, 1968, the electrification of
the entire rural area was completed by November, 1970. The State was first in the country to have
achieved cent per cent rural electrification.
INDUSTRY
Theagainst
as number of in
4,598 registered small scale industries units in
May, 1968 i the State at the end of 1973-74 was 14,308
14

PURE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

The number of villages enjoying the benefits of pure drinking water supply six years ago was just
-

303. Today, it has increased to 745. This represents a 267% improvement in the prveious position.
TRANSPORT
Nationalisation of passenger transport was completed in November p 1972. Ha ryana Roadways has a fleet
-

of 1,646 buses at present, as against only 567 in May, 1968. It is considered to be the most efficient
service in the country.
WELFARE OF WEAKER SECTIONS
Several schemes for providing relief to the socially and physically handicapped persons have been
launched andofall
to the uplift the possible assistance
Scheduled is given
Castes and Backward ğa.
to the aged and inflrm. High priority has been accord ed

ROADS
About 64% of the villages in the State have been linked by metalled roads. Only 1,500 villages had been
linked by metalled roads in May, 1968. The Number has since gone upto 4,258.
ISSUED BY DIRECTOR, PUBLIC RELATIONs, HARYANA
DPR. Haryana (D, 214-72)

PROBLEMS OF
HILL AREAS
Prof. N. TOMBI SINGH, M.P.
The following paper was distri
buted at the Central Training
Camp for North-East Region held
at Shillong from Feb. 6 to 8.
The North-Eastern areas com
prising five States, namely, Assam,
Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland
and Tripura and two Union Territo
ries, Arunachal and Mizoram, form
a sensitive and strategic border
post which has no parallel in the
country in respect of many prob
lems—social, political, economic
and several others. The problems
are closely inter-linked and inter
dependent so that nothing short of
a comprehensive approach can
solve any of the problems confron
ting the strategic areas. The quan
titative factor of population and
the apparent unity seen in the
* tribal character of the people of
- these areas could not save these
areas from being split up into se
veral States and Union Territories
as there was no bond strong
enough to keep the different tri
bes and ocmmunities together
within one administrative um
brella,
There were times when this
basic reality was ignored, particu
larly during the British regime
whose motto was “Divide and
Rule". But in the case of this
strategic zone the British policy
was not only the devision of the
people but also to keep the entire
hilly region in complete isolation
from the rest of the world by den
ying all means of communication
to the people whose counterparts
in the rest of the country were
awakened into the new world, if
not by the inspiration of the for
reign rulers, at least by virtue
of their natural and geographical
advantages. Many of the tribal
pockets in the hill areas are still
isolated worlds. A motorable road,
a telegraph office, a water tap
and such other basic amenities of
life are still blue moons to most
of the interior hill areas.
SOCIALIST INDIA
This prolonged suffering in iso
lation by the several tribes and
communities had resulted in the
emergence of hardened feelings of
individualities expressed in the va
rious social and cultural traditions
of the tribes. Each of the States
has come up with adequate justifi
cation as solid individuals and an
attempt has however been made
in this note to find the common
factors which will enable us to
generalise some of the problems.
Under the existing circumstances,
it is difficult to say whether only
a programme of economic deve
lopment, however comprehensive
it might be, might be able to solve
the problem facing the zone. What
is prosperity crowned with emo
tional harmony of the people. An
appreciation of this basic issue
should precede all our endeavours
particularly in the forming of our
organisational strategy and prog
rammes for this zone.
THE WAY OUT
While the North-Eastern Council
can trim its programmes and
strategies in the governmental
front, the Congress organisation
which is the only All-India Party
by virtue of its chequered expe
rience and broad base can meet
the challenge of the situation by
running deep into every pocket
with its ideology and development
programmes. To this end a special
Cadre of highly trained and dedi
cated congressmen has to be built
up. Members of this cadre shall
live and work among the people
in the interior villages foregoing
if necessary, most of the ameni
ties of the modern life. They
should be noble souls who could
give their todays for the tomor
rows of the backward people ge
nerously and unhesitatingly. This
is what is demanded by the exist
ing circumstances. Our organisa
tion must be able to meet this de
mand. Volunteers for this noble
task, I believe, can be enrolled in
their thousands. A big effort is
called for. We have seen in the
past that no casual approach to
wards the awakening of this area
had ever succeeded.
The recognition given to Rani
Gaidiliu by Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru in the early 'thirties for her
anti-British campaign indicated
that the Congress and for that
- 11
matter the national leadership was
closely watching the interest of
the hill areas of the zone with
sympathy and care even before
the attainment of independence.
Beginning with the conferment of
full Statehood to Nagaland upto
the re-organisation of the North
Eastern areas in the existing
shape, the Congress Party has
shown its practical approach to the
political problems of these areas.
It has to be pointed out in this
connection that our organisation
under the inspiring and able lea
dership of Shrimati Indira Gan
dhi did take a bold realistic step
in passing the “Reorganisa
tion of the North-Eastern Areas
Act” in the year 1971, which was
incidentally the year of liberation
for Bangladesh. There are many
political parties which are opposed
to the idea of small States like
ours, purely on financial conside
ration. They have not taken pains
to study the peculiar problems ob'.
taining in this zone. The Congress
Party, however, took the right
steps in the right direction. May
be, the way is long towards the
final goal. What is needed at this
juncture is taking the organisation
to grass-roots.
As a result of their long isola
tion, the hill people have a gene
ral tendency to suspect those who
are outside their areas. Any out
sider, even with the best of inten
tions, has naturally to be very
cautious in dealing with them.
The term “outsider” does not apply
only to the plains' people. Any
man belonging to another tribe or
village is subject, more or less, to
this general tendency of suspicion.
Under the existing circumstances
however, a greater sense of mu
tual understanding and coopera
tion, has ushered into the minds
of the tribal people so that their
vision and outlook are becoming
gradually broader and more com
prehensive day by day. We can
take advantage of this welcome
development. Our special cadre of
workers dedicated to the nromotion
of national and ideological cons
ciousness in the hill areas may
have to adopt the following strate
gies for lasting and useful re
sults:
1. Reforms envisaged must be
on the basis of local context, and
programmes and propaganda
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
 Billil [00ſ IBASDIS Wily (AIIlālālā is
faWDUIalſº ſº |N|S|| ||||||N

Rich natural resouces, mineral, A num er of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State & the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A Sta
sitive approach towards -

industrial development of the State,

t
WN

\\
W
\\ º
yºr
|AEA-

A package of incentives subsidy,

including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water & power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc.

**

#º
sº
Financial assistance to educated 15%
unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur.

For details, please contact?

Y DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedl, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560 001
|
_

SOCIALIST INDIA 12 FEBRUARY 23, 19"

should be realistic and original,
that is to say, it should look as
if the whole thing is no imposition
from outside but a natural upris
ing among the indigenous people.
2. The greatest handicap to or
ganisational work in the hill areas
is the orthodox clan-feeling among
the tribes. In the present situation
in many of the tribal areas the
support of a big clan or tribe or
family is a great factor in the suc
cess of a tribal politician. A well
planned offensive has to be laun
ched against this narrowing ten
dency. A Congress worker moving
from tribe to tribe to spread the
message of the organisation shall
have naturally an uphill task in
this respect. Until, however, this
tendency is uprooted, nationalist
and ideological politics will be of
not much meaning. Hence the em
phasis upon removal of narrow
casteism.
3. The instinctive fear or ap
prehension in the mind of a mem
ber of a small tribe about his or
her being overpowered not by me
rit but by superiority in numeri
cal strength by the majority is
the basic factor underlying all hos
tilities and suspicion in the tribal
areas. What is most unwanted is,
therefore, a big brother attitude,
particularly from those who do
not belong to that clan. The gene
ral resistance to the opening of
units of the Congress organisation
in some of the hill areas or where
ever it has happened has to be ac
counted for by the absence of ade
quate assurance to the tribal peo
ple to the effect that the Congress
movement and its organisational
process is immaculately democra
tic and indigenous.
4. The first reaction to an or
ganisational campaign in the hill
areas is one of self-defence against
a big onslaught. Nothing can be
more unfortunate than this. On an
alysis, one finds that the suspicious
beginner has a fixed notion of a
Congressman and his work which
consists of certain dress habits
and the activities of a self-styled
leadership which has no touch of
any sense of service and sacrifice
but ever craving for power. This
might be true of the general con
text in the country too. But its
relevance in the virgin areas of the
North-Eastern zone is tremendous.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Human values and the virtue of of all the so-called superior cas
trustworthiness are undamaged tes by sharing the privacies and
among the tribal people, in spite sufferings of their tribal brothers
of the onslaught of modern civi" particularly in the interiors. Ex
lisation. They can sacrifice to the pansion of Congress movement in
utmost for cause they consider the hill areas will succeed through
true and worthwhile fighting for. our sincere workers not only well
A special cadre worker may there trained in ideologies but in the
fore move into the interiors with praetical experience of living as
this optimism that once he would true Congressmen. Mere slogan of
be able to convince about the just indianisation and of bringing our
ness of his mission, his new find hill brothers into the mainstream
is going to be his own ideal. of Indian life and thought, may
have no meaning unless there is an
CHANGE IN ATTTTUDE
5. The greatest grievance of a
agency to tackle the problem ear
nestly.
hillman against his counterpart in
the Indian plains is his inability
to adjust with him. If we require 6. A programme of socio-econo
changes in the attitudes of the mic consolidation is a great need
hill people, we should expect as of the hour so far as this hilly
Congressmen that the change region is concerned. Socially the
should come from those more ad process canot be quick. A vigo
vanced not only as a gesture of rous programme of constant mu
generosity but as a voluntary re tual contacts among the various
form initiated by the more power tribes and communities shall have
ful section of the community to be taken up. In due course, the
whose desires and objectives ac tribes which appear water-tight
tually form the main stream of compartments at present, may
national life in every respect—so through such contacts emerge
cial, economic, political and what combined into a colourful indivi
not. The foreign missionaries duality, not necessarily of course,
through their highly dedicated destroying the traditional beauties
workers won over the hearts of the in social conventions, handicrafts
hill people as if they formed part and culture of the individual tri
and parcel of the backward fami bes. The emergence of such a mul
lies. ticoloured bouquet of nice samples
We talk of indianisation of the of civilisation jealously preserved
hostile elements in the hill areas. small pockets of man over the
It would have been more appro ages, could be our objective in the
priate if we call for tribalisation social and cultural plan.
TENDER NOTICE NO. 39 DATED 28-1-75
Sealed percentage rate tenders from the L&C Societies'approved
contractors of Punjab PWD B&R Branch on prescribed form obtain
able from this office on cash payment of Rs. 2.- each are hereby
invited so as to reach this office on 24–2–75 at 3–30 P.M. The tenders
will be opened on the same day in presence of those contractors who
will care to be present at that time. Other terms and conditions of the
contract can be seen in the oftlee of the undersigned on any working
day during office hours. Farnest money in shape of deposit at call
and Treasury Challans will be accepted. Earnest money in shape of
cheques and cash will not be accepted. The sale of tenders will remain
open upto 3-00 P.M. on the above date.
Sr. No. Name of work Approx. Earnest Time
cost Money Limit
1. Const. of bridge over Ghagar
river near village Mandvi on
Lehragaga Hamirgarh Mandvi
Road 4 span of 50’ each
(Remaining work). 4,50,000|- 9,000|- 4 Months
Sd/-
Executive Engineer
Sangrur Provi. Divisian
PWD B&R Branch, Sangrur.
18 FEBRUARY 22, 1975
 |
7 flights a week to New York.
11 flights a week to Europe. One flight daily by 747 via the Middle East and
Qur #: fly 8 times a week to London,
4 times to Frankfurt, 5 times to Rome and Paris
É. The º trip will cost less than the
one-way fare if you fly on our Excursion Fare.
and our 707s twice to Moscow and once to
Geneva and London.

Also every week:

3 flights to
EAST AFRICA
10 flights to
SOUTH EAST ASIA
6 flights to
JAPAN
2 flights to
MAURITIUS
2 flights to
AUSTRALIA

18 flights a week to the Middle East.

5 flights to Kuwait and Beirut, 3 to Dubai and
Bahrain. 2 each to Abu Dhabi, Dhahran
and Teheran, and one to Aden, Muscat, Doha
and Cairo. Zºº / / × 2-//, Y/ 2 / / /

WOMEN
|N INDIA
PURABI MUKHERJEE
Since its inception the United
Nations has been working for the
advancement of women and for
providing them equal opportunities
in all walks of life. Besides the
“Charter of United Nations” and
the “Universal Declaration of
Human Rights” for safeguarding
the interests of women, as far
back as in 1946 the United Nations
constituted a “Commission on the
Status of Women,” followed by
several conventions and resolutions
like the Equal Remuneration Con
vention, 1951; Convention on the
Political Rights of Women, 1952;
International Covenants on Econo
mic, Social and Cultural Rights
and Civil Political Rights; the Dis
crimination (Employment and
Occupation) Convention, 1958; the
General Assembly's Declaration on
Elimination of Discrimination
Against Women in 1967; etc.
Despite these provisions, and
notwithstanding the progress made
during the past two decades, a
wide gap persists all over the world
in the socio-economic, political and
cultural life of women and it is be
ing increasingly realised that “dis
crimination against woman is in
compatible with human dignity
and with the welfare of the family
and of society.” That it is an
“obstacle to the full development
of the potentialities of women in
the service of their countries and
of humanity.”
HISTORIC LANDMARK
The declaration of 1975 as the
Women's international Year, to
quote UN Secretary-General Kurt
Waldheim, “coincides with the
time of increasing aWareness
throughout the world of the ex
treme importance of the achieve
ment of equality of men and wo
men, not only as a fundamental
principle of human rights, but also
as a necessary prerequisite for so
cial and economic development and
stimulus for world peace.”
SOCIALIST INDIA
The year 1975 is thus a historic
landmark in the calendar of
women's progress as it has been
proclaimed the International
Women's Year by a resolution of
the United Nations General Assem
bly,
India has also joined the comity
of nations to celebrate this year in
a befitting manner. In order to
finalise the programme for the
year and to review its implemen
tation, a non-governmental body
known as the “National Committee
on International Women's Year”
has been constituted. With Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi as the
president, Smt. Aruna Asaf Ali as
the chairman of the working group,
International
O Women's Year
1975
and eminent women members from
academic, public, social and cul
tural fields, the committee held its
first meeting on December 10, 1974,
at which Smt. Gandhi emphasised
the vital role women have to play
in shaping the destiny of the na
tion—and indeed of all humanity.
Besides this, volunteer organisa
tions of women representing the
entire country have formed the
“Indian Committee for the Interna
tional Women's Year.” This in
cludes both large and small orga
nisations of working women, rural
women, such institutions as the
Girl Guides, Nurses Association
and women from various religious
and social welfare organisations
and trade unions. Both the
National and the Indian commit
tees will coordinate their efforts
and supplement each other's works.
In ancient India, particularly
during the Vedic Age, women en
joyed a high status in the home as
well as outside. Many of them be
came poets, mathematicians and
theologians. They had a certain
measure of freedom and effective
say, for instance, in the selection
of their husbands. This is evi
dent from the social custom of
holding “Swayamvars.” Life used
to be considered incomplete and
imperfect without women, who
used to play a significant role in
15
all fields, including the cultural
social, religious and political.
Unfortunately, women gradually
lost their original position. The
purdah system, the practice of
sati, child marriage, polygamy, en
forced widowhood, the dowry sys
tem, etc. reduced women to a posi
tion of a liability. However, some
efforts were made in the beginning
of the 19th century to improve the
position of women and to remove
th social customs, traditions and
practices which forced them to a
life of unhealthy discrimination.
NEW IMPETUS
With the advent of Independ
ence a new impetus was given to
social reforms for women. The
Constitution granted them equality
of status and opportunity. The
Directive Principles empowered the
State to make special provisions
for the progress of women. There
are, in fact, a wide range of con
stitutional and legal provisions to
protect and safeguard the interests
of women from exploitation etc.
Legal disabilities with regard to
marriage, inheritance, guardian
ship, adoption etc., have also been
removed.
In the past two decades, the
country has no doubt made spec
tacular strides in promoting the
interest of women.
The literacy rate among women
has gone up from about 7.9 per
cent in 1951 to 18.7 per cent in
1971. During 1946-47 to 1973-74,
the enrolment of women went
up from 36.8 lakhs to 244.01
lakhs in primary schools, 3.2 lakhs
to 45.37 lakhs in middle schools,
and 0.2 lakhs to nine lakhs in col
leges and universities. Some 66
per cent of the girls in the age
group 6-11 years attended school
in 1973-74 as against about 25 per
cent in 1950-51.
According to the 1971 census,
there were nearly 8,00000 women
graduates in the art and humani
ties, 4 000 commerce degree hold
ers. 406 agricultural graduates,
82,000 science graduates, 3,500
engineers, 16.000 doctors, etc.
The expectation of life among
women in 1971 was 45.6 years as
against 31.7 years during 1941-50.
Women in India have increas
ingly started venturing into new
avenues of public and private em
ployment, such as the Indian Ad
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
 ministrative Services, the Indian
Foreign Services, the Indian Police WOMEN EMPLOYED IN ORGANISED SECTOR
Services, as mountaineers, pilots The Labour Minister was asked in the Lok Sabha re
etc. Their invigorating participa cently by a member to furnish :
tion in local, State and national (a) How many women are in employment in the organis
politics has also been forthcoming ed sector;
and gaining prominence. (b) How many men are there in organised sector;
(c) How many men or women are there on live register
All this does not mean that we for employment for the past three years; and
have come to the end of our (d) How many men and women out of them are in the 20
endeavours for promoting equality to 30 and 31-37 age group?
between men and women in the The Minister's reply was as follows :
country. There still is a wide gap (a) & (b) The number of women and men employed in
in the opportunities and facilities the organised sector of the economy” at the end of December,
available to women as compared to 1973 was 21.09 lakhs and 170.08 lakhs, respectively.
men. (c) & (d) The number of women and men on the Live
Register of Employment Exchanges at the end of December in
the last three years is as follows :-
For instance, even in 1973-74,
for every 100 boys, there were 62 Year Women Men
girls in primary schools, 43 girls in (figures in lakhs)
middle schools, 36 girls in second 1971 5.83 45.17
ary schools and 31 girls receiving 1972 61.33
college or university education.
1973 72.99
The expectation of life of women is
lower than that of men. The per The classification of work-seekers, according to age
centage of women in Parliament groups, is available for the following groups:
even in 1971 is about 5.5 of the
below 14 years, 15 to 19, 20-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54 and
total strength of both the Houses. 55 or more.
The number of women and men work-seekers in the
The implementation of the con nearest relevant age-groups are given below :
stitutional and legal provisions for No. of work-seekers at the end of December
women is not yet fully effective in
several fields. There are a host of Age 1971 1972 1973 T
Groups Women Men Women Men Women Men
customs, regulations and practices
which discriminate against women. (figures in lakhs)
The Indian Committee on Interna 20-24 2.97 23.07 3.94 T31.66 T 4.70 35.34
tional Women's Year is expected to 23-34 1.22 9.7 1.72 12.81 2.15 17.06
work out ways and means of prac 35-44 0.23 1.8 0.31 3.38 0.33 3.63
tically overcoming the innumer
able obstacles which prevent wo * Covers all Public Sector establishments and non
men from playing fully the socio agricultural establishments in the private sector
economic role which is theirs. employing 10 or more workers.

EXPORT OF COAL
The Union Government has
finalised arrangements to ex
port 25,000 tonnes of coal by
the first week of March. This
was revealed by Shri K. S. R.
Chari, Secretary in charge of
the Coal Department under the
Shri Chari said many advanc rent year. He estimated that
ed countries had been looking the profits earned through ex
for alternative energy sources port of a million tonnes of
and this led to a new empha coal at the current world
sis on the use of coal. Japan, prices should finance a coal
France and West Germany had project of one million tonnes
made enquiries if India had of annual capacity.
coal for export.
(More about Coal on Pages 18
According to figures availa and 19). a

Union Ministry of Energy, in ble with the Ministry of

an interview to a Calcutta,
daily on January 30.
Shri Chari said the Govern
ment decision to increase coal
exports “as much as our re
sources permit” follows the
sharp rise in the price of coal
on the international market
—from $12 a tonne to $40 for
ordinary coal and $140 for
coking coal,
Energy, India had exported
2,70,000 tonnes of coal from
April till November last year.
This is 1,51,00 tonnes less 08 IT KERALA QR KASHMI}
than the export figure of the ASSAM OR GUARAT
previous year's corresponding THIS IS MY COUNTRY
period.
Shri Chari said that there
was a distinct possibilitv of
India exporting about 3,000 000
tonnés ºf 60al during the eurs -***************--------

5001Aºtº ſnºRA 14 ##RRTARY 42, 1973


Nandini
Satpathy
Govern
ment’s
War
Against
Dowry
The Orissa Cabinet proposed on February 9 the
following three amendments to the Dowry Prohibi
tion Act of 1961:
1. A person denying conjugal rights to his wife
on the ground that dowry has not been given or was
insufficient may be sentenced to a year's imprisonment
or to a fine extending upto Rs. 10,000 or both. The
Courts will have the power to pay the whole or a
part of the fine to the wife as compensation.
2. The husband may be given a chance to see
logic. The Court may drop the proceedings if he
undertakes to allow conjugal rights to the wife and
not to realise the dowry. If, however, the wife com
plains that the husband has not carried out the un
dertaking, the case may be reviewed from the stage
it was dropped.
3. The Court may order the payment of main
tenance by a husband to his wife if he is convicted
of the offence of denying conjugal rights to his
wife. Till her claim for maintenance is disposed of,
the husband shall cease to have the right to trans
fer any of his assets.
These amendments will require the Union Gov
ernment's concurrence since the Act is a Central
legislation, but there can be no doubt about Smt.
Nandini Satpathy's and her Government's eanestness
in exterminating this aberration of Indian Society.
THE GROWING CHASM
. . In July last, Smt. Satpathy authorised all Dis
trict Magistrates to accord sanctions to prosecutions
inder the Act. This power, till then, was with the
State Government. It was felt that greater conve
"lence in obtaining sanction may bring to light many
"ases which otherwise would have gone unnoticed.
This was followed by a publicity drive through
°ut the State. Apart from the officially-sponsored
*mpaign, there were public meetings and debates in
Women's educational institutions on the evils of the
80CIALIST INDIA
dowry system. Independence Day in 1974 was vir
tually the anti-dowry day. Ministers and social wor
kers held anti-dowry meetings.
The theoretical framework for the campaign was
provided by a pamphlet Smt. Satpathy wrote. With
remarkable candour she took to task the negative
political leadership which ignored basic problems of
Society and preferred pointless agitations over petty,
local issues. She cautioned against the growing chasm
between people and their leaders which, she said,
was inevitable when the leadership was unconcerned
with the realities of everyday life. If this continued,
“there would soon be a very dangerous situation.
Using people's despair and misery as pretexts, an
irresponsible and disastrous leadership would seek
to establish itself. Before it was finally extinguished,
exploitation of people, suppression of civil liberties
and wanton misuse of public funds would have cros
sed all limits”. The task of a responsible leadership,
therefore, was “to act to infuse contemporaneity and
justice into society and abolish practices based on
superstition, opportunism or conditions which no
longer existed”.
Apart from the privation the system caused to
middle-class and poor families, it was, according to
her, objectionable on two further grounds. Firstly,
it devalued the self-respect both of the bridegroom
and the bride. The bridegroom who demanded dowry
was, in effect, saying that he was worth no more
than the value of the dowry. So far as the bride was
concerned, there was nothing more humiliating than
to be told that she was not her husband's equal and
that a dowry could perhaps make up for her defi
ciencies.
The second objection was dowry's effect on
family life. If a dowry was extorted, the wife would
never forgive her husband and his relations for the
misery they have caused to her parents and her un
expressed rancour would inevitably affect their con
jugal life. The husband forfeits the wife's love and
devotion for ever and no dowry can be sufficient com
pensation. “The mutual hostility underlying their
relationship”, Smt. Satpathy argued, “does not even
spare their children. The child's personality does not
develop in a normal, healthy manner and his moti
vation towards anti-social conduct can no longer be
checked either by his sense of belonging to the family
or by the regard he has for his parents, for he has
no such sense and no such regard.”
The campaign, understandably, has drawn cri
ticism and ridicule from her political adversaries
who say this is a piece of realpolitik and that she is
trying to divert public attention from real issues.
“What are real issues " Smt. Satpathy asks.
“Isn't the penury of millions of families real? Isn't
the permanent jeopardy to the life and happiness of
millions of couples real?
“The negative leadership I had referred to is
already in action. It has become accustomed to poli
tical activity unrelated to social realities. All that
I can say is that my understanding of politics is dif
ferent.”
FEBRUARY 22, 1975

Coal: The Primary Source Of Energy
UNION DEPUTY ENERGY MINISTER
The world today is faced with
an unprecedented energy crisis,
has led to galloping inflation and
dislocation of the world economy.
In such a situation every country
is in Search of a stable and long
term supply of fuel and energy re
sources. India is fortunate in hav
ing sizeable deposits of coal re
serves. This has given a new
dimension to our exploitation of
coal and other energy resources.
Coal being the primary source of
energy in India, the coal industry
has got to be modernised and
rationalised for meeting the diffi
cult energy situation.
It is the twenty-first month of
nationalisation of coal industry
which in a way warrants a review
of our performance in the fulfil
ment of the objective of nationa
lisation. Although at that time I
was in the Ministry of Industrial
Development, I happened to be
closely associated with the late S.
Mohan Kumaramangalam in for
mulating the scheme which led to
the taking over of 214 coking
coal mines by the Central Gov
ernment in October 1971, their
nationalisation on May 1, 1972,
taking over of 464 non-coking
coal mines in January 1973 and
their nationalisation on May 1,
1973, with the principal objective
of ensuring a rational and coor
dinated programme of develop
ment of coal production and of
promoting optimal utilisation
the coal resources consistent with
the growing needs of energy
the national economy.
COAL PRODUCTION
Besides increasing coal produc
tion, the benefits expected to flow
from nationalisation included
regularisation of a large number
of workers who had been employ
ed as casual labour by the private
mine-owners, ii. ensuring Wage
Board pay scales for all workers
iii. abolition of the various mal
practices in the employment of
mine workers, iv. implementation
SOCIALIST INDIA
Prof. SIDDHESHWAR PRASAD
of welfare measures for workers,
v. regularity in the payment of
their provident fund and other
dues, vi. re-opening of a number
of mines which had been closed
by the private mine-owners, vii.
correct reporting of production
and despatch statistics, and viii.
large scale investment and deve
lopment of coal mining activity
in scientific manner for future
growth of this vital energy sector.
The production of non-coking
coal has gone up from 60.6 mil
lion tonnes in 1972-73 to 62.1
million tonnes in 1973-74. The
increase in production is on the
rise as a result of various steps
taken by the Coal Mines Authority
to reorganise the industry into
viable units—e.g., 215 mines in the
eastern division have been reoga
nised into 86 units; and the 214
coking and 187 non-coking coal
mines of B.C.C.L., into 87 units.
Recently, a production fortnight
was organised in the respective
divisions of the Coal Mines Autho
rity which showed a promising
trend in this direction—in the Wes
tern Division in Wardha area alone,
the daily production registered a
45 per cent increase in production
(from 3,942 tonnes per day to the
fortnight to 5,730 tonnes per day
during the fortnight). The normal
monthly production of the area
during December rose from
1,00,000-1,05,000 tonnes to 1,40,000
of tonnes. The overall daily produc
tion on December 3 last year was
of 66,000 tonnes and on January 1
this year, it was 76,000 tonnes.
The production of coking coal
did not catch up this tempo in
i.
the initial stages, and in fact, it
showed a decline from 178 million
tonnes, in 1970-71 to 158 million
tonnes in 1973-74 due to various
factors. But this, too, is now pick
ing up fast. Prior to nationalisa
tion, the daily production in 81
ner cent of the total collieries in
Jharia was less than 1,000 tonnes,
18
whereas much higher production
from most of these units is feas.-
ble by proper investment and
scientific development.
There have been some observa
tions or apprehensions about the
coal mining industry's capacity to
fulfil its Plan targets. But if the
recent trends are any guide, I do
not know why our workers should
not be able to even exceed them.
And the workers. I am glad, have
come to realise that nationalisa
tion has really been aimed at im
proving their working conditions
and wage structure so that they
can contribute, without any kind
of reservation, to the fulfilment
of the real targets of nationalisa
tion of the coal industry. A hea'-
thy worker-management com"
munication has been established
with the recent dialogue which
resulted in a settelement of the
long-pending demands relating to
wages and other matters. The
effect has been pronounced in all
spheres, as the workers and
management are seen in a sort of
continuous dialogue to discuss not
only their difficulties and grievan
ces, but also the production pro
grammes of the industry.
OTHER IMPEDIMENTS
Inadequate rail transport, fre
quent power breakdowns, non
availability and delay in the
delivery of certain essential items
of machinery, inadequacy of work
ing capital and explosives and
foreign exchange for import of
certain equipment have been other
impediments to the programme of
accelerating production. All these
are being tackled and gradually
removed. An important develop
ment in this direction has been the
recent integration of the Depart
ment of Coal and Power under the
Ministry of Energy—the electricity
industry being the largest single
consumer of the coal industry,
and the coal-mining industry hav
ing largest dependence on and
stake in the power sector.
There had been a substantial
loss of production in the Bengal
Bihar coalfields due to power
shortage and breakdowns in the
early part of 1974—estimated to
be between 8,000 and 10,000
tonnes per day in the estern divi.
sion. The Eastern Division of Coal
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
Mines Authority required 72 MW
of power for a daily coal produc
tion rate of 80,000 tonnes fixed for
achieving the target of 95 million
tonnes. The Damodar Vally Cor
poration had to supply 51 MW out
of this 72 MW. The Bharat Cok
ing Coal Ltd. required 76.5 MW
to 81 MW of power. As a result
of effective remedial measures
taken by the Department of Power,
the position of supply to these
coalmines has considerably im
proved in the last three months.
The daily requirement of wag
ons corresponding to the coal pro
duction target of 95 million tonnes
was estimated at 10,100. The
average supply has been improving
since April 1974 from 7,140 to
about 8,500 in December 1974. and
it is expected that it would reach
the 9,000 level soon to enable
achieving estimated production of
88 million tonnes and its distribu
tion. The Coal Mines Authority
and Bharat Coking Coal Ltd., on
their part, have taken various
measures such as reorganisation
of sidings, centralisation of load
ing points, maximising loading in
rakes, etc.
We have already initiated ad
Two Successful
Years Of Coal
Mines Authority
Coal is a national asset that
must be utilised for the nation's
welfare. Hence the takeover of
the coal industry on January 31
1973. And the formation of the
Coal Mines Authority Limited in
June, 1973.
Heaving a total manpower of
almost 4 lakhs, CMA is among
the largest employers among the
public sector enterprises. CMA is
entrusted with the development
of almost the entire non-coking
coal and a substantial part of the
medium coking coal sectors, with
its 341 mines stretching from
Assam to Wardha Valley.
In the first two years of natio
nalisation, a number of major
SOCIALIST INDIA
vance action for procuring plant
and machinery costing about Rs.
219 crores in the first two years
of the Fifth Plan and substantial
orders have been placed by the
Coal Mines Authority on the in
digenous as well as foreign sup
pliers. The programme of maxi
mising the capacity of indigenous
heavy industry units for manufac
turing the plant and machinery
required by the coal industry has
been intensified, and the question
of advancing sufficient working
capital by the nationalised banks
is also under active consideration.
The coal industry's demand of
explosives is likely to go up from
the present level of 15,000 tonnes
to 35,000 tonnes per annum by
the end of the Fifth Plan in view
of the increase in coal production
target. The indigenous produc
tion of explosives from the exist
ing units is expected to be raised
from the present 41,500 tonnes to
49,000 tonnes per annum during
the Fifth Plan. To augment the
production capacity, two plants are
being set up in the Public Sector—
Slurry Explosives plant by the
F.C.I. Ltd., possibly in collabora
tion with suitable foreign agencies,
tasks have been accomplished:
—Short term and long term
plans have been drawn up and
requisite arrangements for supply
of inputs have been made.
—The Central Mine Planning
and Design Institute has been
established to evolve plans for
development of the coal industry,
to undertake mine design and to
carry on R&D activities.
—An integrated organisational
structure has been built up, con
sistent with the objectives of
nationalisation.
—Production has increased. CMA
is confident that its 1974-75 tar
get of 62 million tonnes will be,
by and large, met. This will re
present an increase of 18 per
cent over 1973-74.
—Despatches of coal to priority
industries have improved subs
tantially.
—Basic improvements have been
made in the conditions of the
19
and the Bhandara Nitroglycering
explosive plant jointly by the
CAM and DGOF. With these and
other steps being taken, the pro
duction targets of coal industry
are likely to be achieved within
the time schedules.
An important point which must
exercise the mind of each and
every one engaged in the coal
mining industry is the impact of
nationalisation for the common
man. For, the people as a whole,
though no doubt concerned about
the overall production and its
contribution to economic deve
lopment are more concerned
about the availability and
price of coal for their daily
domestic consumption. They cons
titute the largest number (65 per
cent) of consumers, but 5 per
cent of the total production as
against 95 per cent of the total
production being consumed by the
5 per cent consumers comprising
the power, cement and other in
dustries. The regular and easy
availability of coal to these con
sumers at a reasonable price must
be our primary concern and no
effort should be spared in ensuring
this.
large labour force engaged in the
coal mining industry. Today the
minimum basic wage, even for an
unskilled worker, is Rs. 325 per
month, plus other allowances and
benefits. A five-year programme
for workers' housing has been
drawn up and CMA operates 120
creches for working mothers and
hospitals with over 300 doctors.
But this is just the beginning.
To fulfil the objectives for which
it was created, CMA is continuou
sly going forward with improve
ment in working conditions at
the mines; towards getting the
right materials and equipment at
the right time. And steps are be
ing taken to have a more efficient
transport and distribution system.
Because of the internation m!
oil crisis, coal is now of vital im
portance to the country. and CMA
is geared to harness India's mºst
important source of energy to
wards comprehensive economic
development in a concerted man
ner.
FEBRUARY 22, 1975

A VIEW FROM LONDON
The following is from “So It's Reported” a
popular Column written by “A Correspondent” in
“India Weekly” published in London.
Supplements and “special surveys” to which
“posh” newspapers treat their readers from time to
time have their uses as money-spinners; as vehicles
of objective information their usefulness is more
problematical; and it is fortunate, perhaps, that few
people ever bother to read them.
This general observation applies to the “Indian
Trade and Industry Survey” published by the “Finan
cial Times” last Wednesday (Jan. 29). It was some
thing of the poverbial Curate's Egg—good in parts.
On the whole the Indian contributors to it—K. K.
Sharma (Delhi Correspondent), P. C. Mahanti (Cal
cutta Correspondent) and D. P. Kumar— presented
a fairly objective picture of the state of Indian
industry and were worth reading, particularly Kumar
on the growth of electronics and progress in the
development of atomic energy. One cannot say the
same of Kevin Rafferty, the “Financial Times” Asia
Correspondent, who has contributed the lion's share
to the Supplement.
His productivity and industry are certainly
admirable; but his approach to the subjects he tackles
and his judgements, less so; and like most of his
Western colleagues he is too anxious looking for flies
in the ointment to be able to see the ointment. This
compulsive bad habit is exemplified in his piece head
ed “who has gained from the growth since Indepen
dence”. Since it is no longer possible to deny that
“in overall economic terms. . . .India has done better
than ever it did under the British”, he casts around
for evidence to prove that the benefits of progress
have not reached and even claims that “the proportion
of those below the poverty line has not decreased and
has probably grown.”
HALF TRUTH
This is a half-truth if not less than a half-truth.
No serious observer of the Indian scene since Inde
pendence would deny that not sufficient has been done
to press forward with policies of distributive justice.
But to suggest that the “80 per cent of the people in
India who live in the villages have been constantly
neglected” is an absurd if not stupid exaggeration.
Even on his own statistical basis his claim is unten
able. He says, for instance, that the number of
people living below the poverty line is today “250
million at least”. That must mean that over 300
million are above the poverty line. The total popula
tion of undivided India was just under 400 million at
the time of the “transfer of power”. Consequently,
even if only 300 million people in India are today
living marginally above the poverty line, that would
be no mean achievement. At least it would imply
that some benefits of development have percolated
down to the common people. But although writing
for a financial journal, Rafferty, evidently is not
strong in his mathematics and one only trusts that his
knowledge of the rest of Asia is somewhat better
SOCIALIST INDIA
than his knowledge of India. Otherwise one would
fear for those among the City gentry who take him
as their economic guide on the most populous conti
nent in the world.
As unual, factual and hard news this week, too,
has been in inverse proportion to subjective nonsense
and mischief-making concoctions. On the same day
that it published its “Survey” the “Financial Times”
carried a brief item from its Man in Delhi reporting
that “India and Pakistan are to exchange ‘purchase
oriented' delegations to find what commodities each
can buy from the other. “This was as a sort of
footnote to a report from its Man in Karachi quoting
the Pakistan Commerce Secretary as saying, charac
teristically, that Indo-Pakistan trade agreement”
provides enough safeguards against the possibility of
India trying to act as a ‘Middle-man' between Pakis
tan and Bangladesh”. The next day the same
correspondent reported that “Indian airlines have
chosen the European Airbus for its domestic routes,
and if the Government approves it will order at least
ten aircraft”. K. K. Sharma added that the European
Airbus “has been chosen in preference to the Boeing
727, the DC-10 and the Russian TU-154... on grounds
of the good seating capacity of the Airbus and its
economical fuel consumption.”
HARD HEADS
Meanwhile the “Daily Teelgraph” which broke
the news of agreement by Britain in furnish further
£20 million aid to India a day late in a piece by a
member of its diplomatic staff, Mr. John Miller. But
if it was late in giving the news, it was quick in
vigorous and even angry editorial headshaking. Under
the title “Aid needs Fresh Thought,” it asked “Is
this aid worthwhile?” But the question was largely
rhetorical. Obviously, it did not consider it worth
while; indeed, it considered aid as positively harmful
to all concerned and concluded with the remark : “It
is time to think again about aid. Soft hearts must
have hard heads on top.” Nobody would accuse the
“Telegraph” lead-writers of having soft hearts, but
whether the hardness of “heads on top” in their
case suggests realism or Ossification of the higher
centres must remain a matter for conjecture,
On Monday (Feb. 3) Michael Hornsby of the
“Times” surprised us with a piece of good news.
“India, one of the developing countries most severely
affected by the rise in oil and commodity prices,” he
reported, “may be better placed than many by the
turn of the decade if exploration for offshore oil con
tinues as promisingly as it has begun. In less than
a year three test wells sunk in the so-called Bombay
High structure, an area of nearly 1,000 square miles
in the Arabian Sea about 40 miles to the North West
of Bombay, have all struck oil.” Having done his
good deed for the week, on Tuesday he returned to
his normal self with a characteristically malicious
piece headed “Signs of Dacca-Delhi rift.”
But malice was not the only noticeable feature;
what was equally remarkable was its Alice-Through
The-Looking-Glass logic. “An Indian protege (note
the choice of the term) Bangladesh has hardly been
a success,” Hornsby remarked, “and many sensitive
Indians winced last week at the speed with which
Mrs. Gandhi, the Indian Prime Minister, rushed off a
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
telegram to Shaikh Mujib congratulating him on the
'assumption of the high office of President.’ Hardly
evidence of a rift! He did not identify the “sensitive
Indians” who had winced, but their identity could
easily be guessed from what followed. “The Mother
land”, we read further down, “the most vigorous
journalistic defender of Hindu interests in India and
a mouthpiece of the Jana Sangh opposition party,
interpreted Mrs. Gandhi's gesture as a signal that
she was planning to concentrate power in her own
hands in the same way. As usual there was
enough plausibility in this hyperbole
not to dismissed out of hand.”
had to find “sensitive Indians” nobody
“Times” Man would go seeking them
editorial staff of the Motherland. But, then, there
has for some time been a rapport between the “Times”
Men in Delhi and what is most reactionary, backward
looking or subversive in Indian politics.
GUARDIAN TOO
Unfortunately, not only the “Times”. The
“Guardian.” Men, too. On Thursday (Jan. 30) Walter
Schwarz, possibly finding few corpses to count and
report on, turned his attention to other matters—
specifically India’s “frontier problem” which he des
cribed as “worse than any in the world, except
Israel’s “and which he believes we have succeeded
in making worse-still by a ‘fatal mixture of humbug
and xenophobia”. While nobody would question
Schwarz's talent for sly malice the level of his poli
tical understanding can be judged by the fact that
he considers Kashmir (described as “India-held”) as
“New Statesman” entitled “The Birla Letters.” This
correspondent has no wish to enter into a dispute
between George Verghese and his employer, K. K.
Birla; nor has he any quarrel with Bhargava in his
touching effort to present Verghese in the role of a
martyr in the noble cause of editorial freedom, though
on the evidence so far produced by Bhargava and
others the role seems a little unconvincing. But
since he quoted a comment in this column on “I'affaire
Verghese” (without however naming the column or
just this journal), let it be said that this correspondent
for it is not persuaded by anything that Bhargava has
If one said to change, much less withdraw that comment.
but a If anything quite the reverse...
among the
PRIME MINISTER’s INTERVIEW
A SLIGHT CASE OF CENSORSHIP?
The following comment on the BBC's interview
with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is by the Politi
cal Correspondent of the “India Weekly”.
The BBC-1 in its Midweek programme on
Tuesday (Jan. 28) treated us to an interview
with Indira Gandhi. For this it deserves full
marks. Or does it? It is pertinent to ask the
question because comparing the interview that
was broadcast with the integral text of the
interview, we find that several questions—im
portant enough for the BBC interviewer to put
them to the Prime Minister who obviously con
sidered them worth replying. This raises two
further questions on which we are entitled to an
anSWer.

a frontier problem between India and Pakistan.
Again, while he seems to take Bhutto's recent call
on the people of Kashmir to go on strike if there is
an agreement between Mrs. Indira Gandhi and Sheikh
Abdullah in his stride as if it were perfectly in order,
he finds nothing dinhonest in insinuating
“when it comes to the crunch” the Indian
Minister will not abandon “for ever the chance of
another glorious military diversion (presumably
against Pakistan) from the everyday miseries of the
electorate”. Anyone who can made such a monstrous
suggestion needs psycho-therapy.
His second report headed ‘End of a honevmoon,
start of a courtship”, which appeared on Friday,
purported to analyse India's relations with Bangla
desh and China. Like his other Western colleagues,
Schwarz has never forgiven India for helping
people of Bangladesh in liberating themselves, nor
has he forgiven the leaders of Bangladesh, from
Sheikh Muiib downwards, for basing their policies
on friendship and cooperation with India. The drift
of his argument, therefore, seemed to be determined
by his sense of schadenfreude at the thought that
not only the structure of Indo-Bangladesh friendship,
but Bangladesh itself is about to collapse. Schwarz
should not be too cocksure about this. Neither Indo
Bangladesh friendship nor Bangladesh independence
are quite as brittle as he imagines. On the other
hand. Bhutto's little jokes, which he quotes
amused approval, might yet come home to roost,
though by then Schwarz may well have moved to
n" r" "tºwns and not-nóv writilº remembor what he
wrote least of all he himself.
Finally, G.S. Bhartava's piece in last
The first question is why were they omitted
from the interview as put out by the BBC. The
second question is: whose decision was it to
emit them and whether, before it was decided
to omit them, there was any consultation with
that Delhi or the Indian High Commission in London
Prime and an understanding reached on what should be
broadcast and what should not be broadcast?
As far as we know, there was no such consulta
tion or understanding, though we remain open
to correction on this point. But, if, as we
suspect, the omissions were made entirely on the
BBC's own discretion, then it would seem to us
an unacceptable exercise of arbitrary censorship
on the part of the BBC. One can hardly imagine
a British Prime Minister's interview given to an
All-India Radio interviewer being similarly treat
the ed by the Indian broadcasting authorities; and
if it were, there would be just cause for the
strongest possible objection by the British
Government.
It may well be said that fault is not the
BBC's, but our own. Indian political leaders,
from the Prime Minister downwards, are acces
sible for foreign media men—perhaps too acces
sible; and they do not insist on laving down any
strict conditions before giving interviews. But
there is a limit to this kind of indulgence and,
in future, if foreign media men want interviews
with with the Prime Minister, they should be asked
to give an undertaking that such interviews
would not be censored but put out as they are
rivan, unless chnnrns are made through mutual
rrnaultations. Thlº is not too much to ask.
week's

Developing Countries Must Not
Wait For Assistance
The following is the text of the
address by Shri Jagjivan Ram,
Minister for Agriculture and
Irrigation to the International
Symposium on “World Food
Crisis” at Khartoum on February
2. The Symposium was sponsored
by the Sudanese Government.
Developing countries fortunately
are endowed with material and
human resources that are needed
to meet the challenge. It is not
that developing countries have
not made any progress in this re
gard so far; it is only that greater
efforts and more progress is re
quired.
Vast land resources now employ
ed on cultivation of commercial
crops in developing countries, some
of which are used as raw material
for industries in the developed
countries could be diverted for
production of foodgrains to eradi
cate hunger and malnutrition, but
question is if such diversion would
be in larger interest of world com
munity as a whole.
ANIMAL RESOURCES
Untapped land, water, animal,
and human resources have to be
put to maximum use in shortest
possible time. Most promising large
area of high production potential
is Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra
plain of north India comprising ºn
area of more than 100 million
acres of rich alluvial soil capable
of yielding more than one billion
tons of foodgrains. Realisation of
this potential will require maior
effort by India and for an assis
tance from world's developed and
affluent nations would naturally
to welcome. This accomplishment
will also require cooperation of
our neighbouring countries such
as Pakistan, Nenal, Bangladesh
and Bhutan. Development of irri
agtion is one of the most impor
tant factors which will help in
performing the task in view.
There are considerable untan
ped forest and fisherv resources
awiting exploitation. It is not pos
sible to exploit these resources
SOCIALIST INDIA
JAGJIVAN RAM
adequately due to financial con
straints though we have one of
the best forest research institutes
in the world as also one of the
largest forestry cadres.
The part that development of
animal resources particularly in
arid and semi-arid areas can play
in giving the rural population a
better economic health cannot be
over-emphasised. The development
of dairy and the leather industry
in particular offers a good scope.
In India we have been able to
develop necessary skill and techno
logy for the development of dairy
and manufacture of leather goods.
It is not mere increase in food
production which will eradicate
malnutrition and hunger but there
has to be an integrated socio
economic change in the rural
land tenure system is another area
requiring immediate attention on
the part of the national Govern
ment.
We in India have taken up land
reforms as pivotal to the restruc
turing of the rural economy.
Already the various intermediaries
between Government and tenants
have been removed and there is
now a direct relations between the
State and tenants. We are now
in next stage of our land reforms
trying to ensure that the land truly
belongs to the tiller.
In all these processes of utilis
ing untapped material, animal and
human resources available within
each developing country, greater
emphasis has naturally to be
placed on making full use
of scientific and technological pro
gress which the world community
has made of late. The climatic,
geographic and socio-cultural con
ditions vary from country to coun
try and in large countries like
India and Sudan they varv from
region to region. Fruits of scien
tific and technological research
have, therefore, to be annlied not
onlv in consonance with the
climatic and geographical condi
tions but also socio-economic
22
situations prevailing in these
regions.
It is therefore, not surprising as
we in India have learnt at great
cost that mere copying and appli
cation as such of advanced sophis
ticated technologies from deve
loped countries are not always
beneficial to developing countries
where relevant conditions are so
different.
NEW TECHNIQUES
We have succeeded in evolving
a variety of Mexican wheat seed
which has higher proteins content
than the original one. There are
many areas where achievement of
the technological research have
been applied with modification con
sistent with our own situation,
which have yielded very promining
results. Similar research efforts
made in other developing countries
have proved beneficial. It is in
this area I feel that the develop
ing countries have a lot to give
to one another. Since research
is conducted in these countries
taking cognisance of practical
situations and difficulties these are
bound to be far more relevant to
one another.
May I take this opportunity to
assure once again our fellow deve
loping countries of our willingness
to share with them our experience
in this field. I am glad to sav
that quite a large number of
people not only from developing
countries but also from some deve
loped countries are already avail
ing of the facilities at our research
institutions in various fields and
agricultural universities which
deal with disciplines relevant to
the development of rural economy
including animal husbandry, mar
keting, etc. We would be hanny
to enlarge such cooperation
further. Only in this way through
cooperative effort and exchange
of information and experience, we
can march ahead and face the
situation with promise.
India and Sudan have a long
history of mutual cooneration. I
would like to assure Government
of Democratic Republic of Sudan
of our very keen and earnest de
sire to cooperate further both on
bilateral and multilateral basis
in common task of eradicating
hunger, malnutrition and improv
ing quality of life of our peoples.
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
 *—-
Vorster Acts Tough At
Capetown Summit
The full implications of the
coup in Portugal in Southern
Africa have yet to be seen. None
theless, in recent months, the pro
spects for compromise between
Blacks and Whites have seemed
brighter, especially in Rhodesia.
In January, a summit meeting
was held in Capetown between the
South African Prime Minister, Mr.
‘John Vorster, and eight Black
homeland leaders, on matters of
mutual concern to the republic's
17 million Blacks and four million
Whites.
Among these homeland leaders
were Chief Kaizer Matanzima
(Transkei), Mr. Lennox Seba
(Ciskei), Chief Lucas Mangope
(Bophutatswana), Chief Gatsha
Buthelezi (Kwa-Zulu), Professor
Hudson Ntanwisi (Gazankulu),
Dr. Cedric Phatudi (Lehowa),
Chief Patrick Mohephu (Venda
land), and Chief Wesses Mota
(Basotho).
The summit, which was the
second to be held in South Africa
between Black and Whites in less
than a year, was thought to be the
right opportunity for Mr. Vorster
to bring to South Africa the
climate of detente which he has
endeavoured to create lately out
side the Republic's borders. But
it ended without any compromise.
MAIN ISSUES
Two main issues were raised at
the talks by the Homeland leaders:
i. the future of the urban Blacks
who are still considered to be a
transient labour force in “White
areas”, and ii. the release of Black
nationalists, among whom are
former African National Congress
(ANC) leaders, Mr. Nelson Man
dela and Mr. Walter Sisulu, detai
ned at Robben Island and other
penitentiaries for alleged crimes
against the security of the State.
During the meeting, the South
African Prime Minister turned
down the suggestions that Blacks
SOCIALIST INDIA
JOHN. I. HUNGU
should be allowed to share power
and decision-making with their
White countrymen in a new and
meaningful way. However, he in
dicated that homeland leaders
would eventually have sole power
in their “independent countries”
to which South African Govern
ment would continue to extend
financial assistance and technical
expertise. Mr. Vorster also re
jected the demand that political
detainees be granted a general
amnesty.
During the discussion on the
status of the urban Blacks, nine
million of whom live in White
areas outside their homelands, the
homeland leaders failed to achieve
their initial aim, to get the right
of home ownership as a guarantee
of their permanency in White
areas. When the summit closed,
the outspoken Zulu leader, Chief
Buthelezi, expressing disappoint
ment over the outcome of the
meeting, said that he did not quite
understand the difference between
“discrimination” and “differen
tiation”. Africa, he said, was
watching whether the South Afri
can Primer could transplant his
moves for racial peace (in Rho
desia) in South Africa.
According to the beliefs of South
Africa's apartheid doctrine, Afri
cans are deprived of all political
rights in the White areas because
they are supposed to enjoy such
privileges in their own Bantustan
homelands. These homelands are
nothing more than reservoirs for
cheap Black labour. Over-popula
ted and underdeveloped they are
unable to support the people they
already hold, let alone the mil
lions of Bantustan citizens who
live in White towns and farming
areas. Because they enjoy no
political status outside the Ban
tustans, these Africans are re
garded as guest workers who can
be returned to the Bantustan as
soon as they raise any demands.
Since the Bantustans offer no
thing but deprivation, this system
keeps wages low and is part of a
modern form of slave labour. The
talk of independent Black States
living in harmony with and within
the White republic has never been
a more than a threadbare justifi
cation for exploitation and ra
cialism. But the Bantustan system
offers the only possible overt way
for Africans to organise them
selves and in recent years the idea
that these areas might be used as
Black power centres from which
to attack the White citadel, has
gained strength.
RESTRICTIONS
In view of all this, it was not
surprising when the South African
Government in 1972 clamped down
on the political activities of Ban
tustan leaders. In a directive sent
out by the Department of Bantu
Administration, the Bantustan
leaders were forbidden from mov
ing outside their areas without
written permission, which must be
applied for three months in
advance and before any arrang
mements have been made. The
directive rules out not only con
tact between the leaders, but bet
ween them and their citizens in
White urban areas.
Leaders who undertake such
visits must take an European
official with them, and must first
obtain written premission. Con
tacts between the Black politicians
and Whites are also strictly con
trolled. Any communication with
private European (White) institu
tion outside of the homelands
must take with the help of the
Department of Bantu Administra
tion in Pretoria.
This demonstrates
that Ban
tustans are nothing but a sham;
and South Africa cannot claim
that it is leading the homelands
to self-government as equal to
White areas of the Republic while
treating leaders of the Bantustans
as political prisoners. The South
African Government also cannot
claim that Africans, in their own
areas, are allowed to enjoy poli
tical rights.
The most significant implication
of the measures taken in 1972 to
Continued on Page 28
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS
TO PARLIAMENT
Continued from Page 2
Plan. A Plan has a framework
and a coherent system of objec
tives as well as a detailed prog
ramme indicating targets and the
availability of resources necessary
for achieving them. The basic
framework of the draft Fifth Plan
and its objectives remain unalter
ed. At the same time, the extra
ordinary developments in the eco
nomic sphere, both external and
internal, call for adjustments in
the sequence and composition of
detailed programmes.
Meanwhile, the annual Plan for
1975-76 is being prepared giving
emphasis to economic stability and
increased investment in crucial Sec
tors—agricultural production, ir
rigation, fertilisers, power, steel,
coal and oil exploration. It is also
proposed to intensify development
programmes benefiting the less
developed regions and the wea
ker sections of the community in
cluding Scheduled Castes and Sche
duled Tribes. Programmes under
the Small Farmers Development
Agency and those for Marginal
Farmer and Agricultural Labour.
drought prone areas and the com
mand areas are being accelerated.
NUCLEAR POLICY
A review of the national effort
in 1974 will not be complete with
out reference to the major ad
vance that we made in the nuclear
field—the underground experiment
of May 18, 1974. I congratulate our
nuclear scientists and engineers
on this signal achievement. We
have reaffirmed our determination
to use nuclear energy only for
peaceful purposes and our reasons
for undertaking the experiment
have been appreciated by most
countries. The Government will
continue to give a place of impor
tance to science and technology as
instruments of economic advance
ment.
I am happy that the extensive
talks held between the represen
tatives of the Government of India
and the leaders of the State of
Jammu and Kashmir have yielded
positive results. The Government
will shortly make a statement in
this regard. We wish the people
of Jammu and Kashmir speedy
SOCIALIST INDIA
progress as an integral part of
the nation.
Honourable Members, when the
nation is straining every nerve to
meet formidable challenges, it is
regrettable that some groups have
been doing everything possible to
weaken the will of the people and
to sap the cohesion and unity of
purpose, so vital at such times.
They claim that their object is
total revolution and elimination of
corruption but the actual result is
violence and disruption of politi
cal and economic life.
NEED FOR REFORM
The Government is fully con
scious of the need for reform in
several spheres of national life and
welcomes suggestions. Indeed, our
objective is to bring about a trans
formation of society and to change
the quality of life. It is the essence
of the democratic system that
changes are brought about through
the widest possible discussion and
agreement. Mere disruption of the
existing system or institutions,
with no better and workable alter
native, will only endanger the sta
bility and progress of our coun
try.
The Government is anxious that
the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill,
which has been before you for
some time now, should be consi
dered and finalised during this
year. This will provide the legal
framework to deal with corrup
tion among political executives and
in administration. The Govern
ment will shortly discuss with the
leaders of political parties propo
sals for changes in the electoral
law. Whatever reforms are intro
duced should be such as will com
mand the widest possible public
support and consolidate the sys
tem of parliamentary democracy
enshrined in our Constitution.
As regards education also, the
Government has worked out prog
rammes for reform of the exami
nation system, vocationalisation of
secondary education, regulation of
enrolment for higher education
and introduction of a system of
non-formal education. Previous
experience shows that schemes of
educational reform fail to gather
momentum unless they are widely
accepted by State Governments,
teachers, parents and students.
Meanwhile, considerable disturb
24
ance is caused in scholastic career
of millions of young people. The
State Governments have taken
steps to implement some of the
programmes of reform. We are
anxious that more far-reaching
changes in the educational system
are introduced through the widest
possible discussion.
I appeal to all sections of the
people to ponder seriously over
these fundamental issues, offer
positive and constructive sugges
tions and criticisms and cooperate
with the Government in working
out national solutions. This is the
democratic way. Any other way
will lead only to chaos and dis
illusionment.
I may now refer to developments
in Sikkim. Elections were held
there for the first time in April.
1974. On the unanimous resolution
of the elected Assembly, a new
constitutional framework was pro
mulgated by the Chogyal on
July 4, 1974. Responding to the
expressed wishes of the people of
Sikkim, you approved a Constitu
tion Amendment Bill in Septem
ber, 1974 incorporating specific
provisions for strengthening Indo
Sikkim relationship, including the
representation of Sikkim in our
Parliament. We congratulate the
people of Sikkim on the progressive
realisation of their democratic as
pirations.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
In our relations with the outside
world, we have naturally continued
to attach special importance to
the consolidation of friendly rela
tions with our neighbours. In De
cember, 1974, we had the privilege
of welcoming the King of Bhutan.
The visit served to consolidate
further the visit of Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in May
last, settling the land boundary
questions which had remained un
resolved for nearly a generation.
I feel confident that the two count
tries will resolve any issue which
may arise in the same spirit of
understanding and cooperation.
There has been increasing co
operation with Afghanistan in the
political and economic fields. We
look forward to the visit of Pre
sident Daud next month.
During the recent visit of the
Prime Minister of Nepal, there was
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
a detailed exchange of views on
various aspects of Indo-Nepal re
lations. It was recognised that it
was in the interests of both India
and Nepal to do their utmost to
strengthen bilateral relations keep
ing in view, at all times, the prin
ciples of reciprocity and mutual
benefit.
I am particularly gratified that
the cordial relations between Sri
Lanka and India were further
strengthened by the amicable set
tlement of the long outstanding
questions of Kachhativu and the
maritime boundary in the waters
of the Palk Bay as well as the
status of persons of Indian origin
in Sri Lanka.
GOODWILL VISITS
The exchange of visits between
the Prime Ministers of Maldives
and India strengthened the friend
ly relations between the two coun
tries. The visit of the Prime Min
ister of Mauritius, Sir Seewoosagar
Ramgoolam, helped to further
strengthen our close ties with that
country.
The goodwill visit of President
Ne Win of Burma in April, 1974
consolidated our mutual coopera
tion and understanding on bilate
ral and international questions.
Several steps were taken towards
normalising relations with Pakis
tan. Progress has been slow but
not discouraging. Agreements
have been worked out for the re
sumption of postal services, tele
communication links, travel faci
lities and trade between the two
countries. We hope that the
healthy trend towards settling dif
ferences bilaterally and through
peaceful means will gather mo
mentum and that Pakistan will
realise the futility of rearming it
self by procuring arms from vari
ous sources, as this will hinder
reconciliation and the establish
ment of durable peace on the sub
continent.
A continental shelf boundary
agreement was concluded with
Indonesia. We were honoured to
receive the King and Queen of
Malaysia in December. 1974. Their
visit served to underscore the
friendship and understanding bet
ween our two countries.
There is a marked increase in
§OCIALIST INDIA
the tempo of our political and
economic relations with the coun
tries of East Asia. With Japan,
our relations remain friendly and
our trade ties are growing. As
you are aware, the Government is
taking steps to establish formal
contacts and more direct relations
with the Provisional Revolutionary
Government of South Vietnam.
Our traditional ties with the
Arab World have continued to be
marked by solidarity and close co
operation. We have had exchange
of visits at the highest level with
a number of Arab countries such
as Iraq, Sudan, the Arab Repub
lic of Egypt and the United Arab
Emirates, during which we have
had discussions on our common
policies and have entered into a
number of agreements in the eco
nomic and technical fields. The
situation in West Asia is a cause
for grave anxiety. Lasting peace
in West Asia will not be achieved
until justice is assured to Pales
tinians and Arab territories seized
by aggression are vacated. We
welcome the presence of the
Palestine Liberation Organisation
in the United Nations.
Our Prime Minister’s Visit to
Iran and the visit of the Shahan
shah of Iran to India contributed
to the strengthening of relations
between the two countries. We
have agreed on a number of long
term projects which should bring
our countries closer in economic
and other fields.
AFRICAN SCENE
An event of great significance
to the cause of liberty and free
dom in the world was the change
in the Government in Portugal.
An agreement has been entered
into for resumption of diplomatic
relations between India and Portu
gal. We welcome the opening of a
new chapter of friendship and co
operation with that country.
In the progress of the African
peoples towards independence. a
new era has dawned. Some of the
Portuguese colonial territories are
on the threshold of independence,
in others the process has begun.
Apparently, these events are
having an impact on the illegal
regime in Rhodesia; we have no
doubt that in Zimbabwe too a set
tlement will be reached for the
25
establishment of majority rule and
the end of discrimination.
South Africa cannot remain un
affected and we sincerely hope that
the logic of these events and the
inevitability of the outcome will
be clear to this last bastion of
colonialism and raciliasm and that
there will be an end to the sup
pression of human liberty and
other forms of persecution which
have earned them the censure of
the civilised world.
NEW INITIATIVES
The visits of Dr. Kenneth
Kaunda, President of Zambia and
Mr. K. Kawawa, Vice-President of
Tanzania further strengthened
economic and technical coopera
tion between India and these coun
tries. We wish to strengthen our
ties with the developing countries
of Asia, Africa and Latin America
through economic and technical co
operation. We have developed ex
pertise in a number of fields and
have a large reserve of trained
and experienced man-power and
thus have the capacity to respond
to the requests of friendly deve
loping countries for cooperation in
economic development. Similarly,
many of these countries can help
us in several ways. A positive
aspect of the oil situation is the
enormous possibilities it has open
ed up for mutual cooperation bet
ween developing countries.
We greatly appreciate the sup
port given by the USSR to our
policy of Non-alignment and
friendship among all nations and
to the initiatives taken by us to
expedite the process of normalisa
tion on the sub-continent. Indo
Soviet cooperation is growing in
all fields.
During 1974, we had the privi
lege of receiving the Prime Min
isters of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia,
the GDR and Hungarv. The ex
change of views with these leaders
has deepened our mutual under
standing.
India and Yugoslavia have con
tinued their close cooperation in
the Non-aligned movement and at
the United Nations and other in
ternational forums.
During the visit of Dr. Henry
Kissinger to India in October, 1974,
there was expression of mutual
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
desire for better understanding
and a mature relationship bet
ween India and the United States
of America. An Indo-US Joint
Commission, which will provide an
institutional framework for co
operation, was formed. We hope
that the United States will con
tinue to support the trend towards
normalisation of the sub-continent
and will not take any steps which
may adversely affect it.
The European Economic Com
munity is taking a progressively
more liberal attitude towards the
problems of development. Over a
third of India's trade is with the
countries of the Community and
we look forward to increasing co
operation with them.
Relations with Australia and
New Zealand have remained close
and cordial based on a growing
understanding on Asian questions.
Both these countries have shared
the concern of the littoral States
regarding the need to maintain
the Indian Ocean as a Zone of
Peace, a matter to which we at
tach very great importance.
We are convinced that the crisis proven capacity to overcome chal
in the international economic or lenges.
der and the enormous problems
I wish you success in your
facing developing countries can be endeavours.
resolved only if there is peace and
G. L. NANDA'S CALL FOR
absence of tension throughout the
world. REFORMS
Shri Gulzari Lal Nanda, MP,
Honourable Members, during
has called for reforms within the
this session you have to consider
the Statement of Receipts and Congress to strengthen it. In a let
ter to Congress MPs, the former
Expenditure and the Demands for
Grants for the coming financial Home Minister, has listed five
year, which is crucial from the points regarding the “important
direction in which we have to
point of view of further stablising
the economy and giving it a firm move”. He also suggested ceiling
direction. Of the new legislative on election expenses by political
measures that will be presented to parties.
you, the most important one deals The letter said: “It would be a
with the imposition of ceiling on negation of the whole basis and
urban land. You have as many as spirit of democracy to place can
didates in an election on a grossly
34 Bills pending before you in
various stages. Some of these are unequal footing by enabling a
of far-reaching importance. You party to make unlimited use of
have a full and strenuous program funds for the benefit of any of its
candidates.”
me ahead of you I appeal to one
and all not to fritter away national Shri Nanda also emphasised the
energies on acrimonious controver need for administrative reforms
sies and agitations but to give a to make the Government a fit in
constructive and confident lead to strument for realisation of its so
the people of India, who have a cialist goals.

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SOCIALIST INDIA 26 FEBRUARY 22, 19"

 Development Fund and the Isla —Abu Dhabi, development Fund—
ARAB OIL producers mic Bank. £208,333,000;
—Islamic Bank (set up by 24
Recently, Iraq announced 2.5 Islamic countries for develop
million-dollar aid each to Somalia
World’s Largest and Mauritania within the frame
ment aid £37,500,000;)
—Special Arab Fund for Africa—
work of Arab aid to the African
countries. These funds will help
£208,333,000;
Donors Of Aid the two countries to overcome the —Arab Technical Assistance Fund
effects of drought. - for Africa—£6,252,000;
A World Bank official noted
—Arab Investment Company —
Saudi Arabia is already the £104,166,000;
that the Arab foreign aid is “in
world's largest donor of financial —Arab Fund—£500 million;
the first stages of the pipelines.” —Libya is providing development
assistance to developing countries
providing more money than the money on an ad hoc basis.
US, it has been revealed. The
Kuwait, Mr. Hamad noted,
plans to divide the investments of KUWAITI AID
Arab State's aid—including that its approximate £3,750 million in
to Egypt, exceeds £1,750 million annual oil revenues in three ways. Kuwait's exemplary record of
a year. It will sink about one-third in assistance to under-privileged
This compares well with the Kuwait and the Arab region. nations of the Arab world and
total official development assist Another third will be invested in other countries in the process of
ance from the Western industrialis the industrialised nations. The development was carried a stage
ed nations and Japan of £3,017 final third will go into the deve further this month when the
million in 1974. loping countries. Kuwaiti National Assembly at its
final session before summer recess
“We are going into the magni He hopes the Arab countries approved Government bills to help
tude of figures that matter”, says can do a better job of develop countries that are suffering most
Abdel-Latif al-Hamad, Director ment than have the industrialised from high oil prices, as well as
General of the Kuwait Fund for nations. These countries have the other aid schemes.
Arab Economic Development. advantage he believes, of hot
being former colonisers, and of Following a resolution of the
His fund alone has £1,375 having brown-skinned people.
million in capital available to lend Arab Petroleum Exporting Coun
at low interest rates to the world's tries (OAPEC) at its meeting in
In addition, Mr. Hamad counts Cairo last June the Kuwaiti Na
poor nations. Furthermore, the on keeping down the size of the
fund has the ability to borrow up tional Assembly has not ratified a
staff of his banking institution. Government proposal to contribute
to £5,000 million without going to He says the American foreign-aid
the assembly in Kuwait for autho five million dinars—about £5.7
establishment used up as much as million—to the fund out of which
risation.
half of the money in salaries and Arab League members which are
other overheads. hardest-hit by the oil crisis can
NEW FUND
On a basis of aid as a percent draw long-term interest-free loans.
Saudi Arabia recently set up a age of gross national product,
new fund with a capital of around Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are ELIGIBLE FOR LOANS
£1,250 million to extend loans to already doing 10 to 15 times bet The fund, collected by Arab oil
developing countries. It will lend ter than the United States, notes states, is now expected to total
up to half the cost of projects of Mr. Hamad.
economic or social benefit. The some £35 million. The countries
loans are to be paid and repaid Mr. Hamad hopes Arab foreign eligible for the loans which are
in Saudi rials. aid will sufficiently stimulate food repayable in up to 25 years, are
North and South Yemen, Syria,
production in the poor nations to
The Saudi Development Fund Somalia, Mauritania, Lebanon and
prevent mass-famine, buying time Jordan.
is the fifth in a series of such
to raise living standards and re
funds established by oil-producing duce population growth.
Arab states. Kuwait was the first Among the other bills passed
country to do so with its Fund by the Assembly on the same day
DEVELOPMENT FUNDS and designed to help the Third
for Arab Development in 1963,
followed by the Arab Fund for World was one to increase the
He would like to see the U.S.
economic and social development and other developed nations co capital of the Kuwait Fund for
in 1971, Libya's Development operate with the new Arab Arab Economic Development from
200 to 1,000 million dinars. In
country to do so with its Fund development funds in this process
for African Development founded of stepping up agricultural growth. spite of the name of the Fund,
in 1974, non-Arab countries in Africa, Asia
Besides the Kuwait and Saudi and elsewhere have benefited
Additionally, the Arab countries Arabian development funds, Mid from soft loans provided under
participated in the establishment dle East development funds the scheme.
of the Non-aligned Countries' include: Continued on Page 34
SOCIALIST INDIA 27 FEBRUARY 22, 1975

TRIPURA CNM
INTERVIEWED
The Tripura Chief Minister, Shri
Sukhamoy Sen Gupta, feels confi
dent that if the Centre helps his
Government with adequate finance
to implement the various tribal
welfare schemes, the present “un
rest” among the tribals of the
State would “not linger on.”
In an exclusive interview, Shri
Sen Gupta told IPA that after “de
reserving” the areas that had been
declared reserved for five of the
19 tribes of Tripura by the former
Maharaja in the 'thirties. it had
been provided that no land belong
ing to any tribal could be trans
ferred without prior permission of
the Government. It was also pro
vided that even land belonging to
non-tribals, adjacent to any tribal
holding, if required to be trans
ferred, should go to the tribal
neighbour, if the latter could buy
it.
As for “de-reserving” the Chief
Minister explained that it had been
found that there were “more tri
bals outside the reserved area
than inside”. Moreover, if any tri
bal migrated from one reserved
area to another, it was generally
resented by the local tribal inha
bitants. Besides, a sizeable part of
the reserved area had already
passed into the hands of the non
tribals. Hence it was felt that by
bringing all tribal lands under one
category, the tribals could be
given protection against enforce
ment. Now after “de-reservation”,
transfers of all tribal holdings
throughout the State came under
the same restriction.
-
The Chief Minister also said that
he had discussed the issue with all
parties before the Ordinance “de
reserving” the former reserved
areas was promulgated. He denied
that the Ordinance had been pro
mulgated with any “design”
against the tribals. The Ordinance
was only an integral part of a
comprehensive scheme for the wel
fare of the tribals. Now the Gov
ernment proposed to set up as
many as 45 tribal blocks in the
State. These blocks would cover
all the tribes, including the Mizos
who are permanent residents of
this State.
The “Jhumiyas” (shifting cultiva
tors) would be settled in regrouped
villages as part of this scheme.
In these villages, the “Jhumiyas”
would be provided with all the
basic amenities of life. Instead of
giving cash to the “Jhumiyas”, the
Government would take the res
ponsibility for developing the land
for settled cultivation. During the
first three to four years that it
would take to develop the land, the
Government would also maintain
the “resettled family” of the
“Jhumiya”. To finance this “Jhu
miya” resettlement scheme, there
would be a Tribal Welfare Corpo
ration. The Corporation would ad
vance the money which the “Jhu
miya” would repay in each instal
ments.
TRIBAL WELFARE
Shri Sen Gupta said the Govern
ment would require Rs. 10 crores
for implementation of the scheme
over a period of five years. Money
would also be drawn from the said
Corporation to recover land from
big land-holders. If any particular
non-tribal land-holders was found
to have “illegally” grabbed tribal
land, it would be recovered from
him. In case the particular land
holder had no other land in any
part of the State, the Government
would consider paying the land-hol
der the “due price” for the land
recovered from him. The Chief
Minister said that for the current
year, the State Government had
asked for Rs. 25 lakhs from the
Centre.
In this connection, the Chief
Minister said that next to Megha
laya, Tripura had the “largest” tri
bal population among all the States
under the North-Eastern Council
(NEC). Yet, the per capita ex
penditure for the tribals of Tri
pura was the “lowest” among all
the States in the NEC.
On tribal welfare, the Chief Min
ister said the proposed paper
mill was part of the tribal welfare
schemes. He said the Government
proposed to settle “Jhumiya” in
the neighbourhood of the proposed
paper mill. They would be encour
aged to cultivate bamboos which
they would be able to sell to the
paper mill directly. This would en
sure, according to his estimate, an
average daily earning of Rs. 6 to
Rs. 7 to a bamboo cultivator. At
present “Jhumiyas” preferred
fields where bamboos grew.
Shri Sen Gupta said he had been
“under pressure” to set up the
paper mill in the private sector,
but he would not yield to that
pressure and would insist on set
ting it up in the Public Sector. He
did not agree to allow the private
sector to set up the Khandsari
sugar mill in his State. That sugar
mill in Public Sector had already
started production. Besides, the
proposed jute mill with a capacity
to use nearly half the jute produc
tion of the State, would also be in
the Public Sector. He would not
“mortgage” the natural resources
of Tripura to private capitalists,
he said.
With the discovery of oil and the
“biggest” reserve of natural gas of
the country in his State, the Chief
Minister visualised bright pros
pects. He said that Russian ex
perts, according to his information,
had found that Tripura was actual
ly “floating on oil”. He, therefore,
felt confident that a petrochemical
industrial complex would be deve
loped in his State. The Chief Min
ister also said that as against the
constitutional provision for reser
vation of seven and a half per cent
jobs for the tribals, the Govern
ment had reserved 30 per cent of
jobs for the tribals in keeping with
the percentage of tribal population
in Tripura. Shri Sen Gupta said if
the tribals had been treated “with
sympathy” earlier, things would
not have become “complicated”.
CAPETOWN SUMMIT
Continued from Page 23
clamp down on the political acti.
vities of Bantustan leaders is sur
ely that the threat of Black Ban
tustan power has had its
effect. The lesson is that slave
labour must be treated as slave
labour.
The whole theory of separate
development was invented on the
basis that it can be shown to be
manifestly fair and just; this was
necessary not only to pacify South
Africa's White thinking, but to
sell the system to the world. With
the 1972 directive, the credibility
of the Bantustans has collapsed.
In other words, the pretence with
which apartheid had been invested
is falling to pieces.

MISCELLANY
- though so far only top smugglers
CENTRAL BUDGET
The emphasis in the Central
Budget this year would be on
channellising the scarce resources
into “priority areas” to give the
economy a push in certain well
defined directions.
This was indicated by the Union
Finance Minister, Shri C. Subra
maniam, at the meeting of the
Consultative Committee of MPs
attached to the Finance Ministry
on February 10. Shri Subra
maniam said that the overall
picture of Indian economy was
“not depressing.” He, however,
noted that remedial measures were
needed for removing “certain im
balances and distortions” which
had crept into the economy. He
asked the members to wait and
see what action the Government
proposed to take to remove them.
Shri Subramaniam contested
the suggestion that large sections
of industry had been hit by
recession and said that the general
index of industrial production in
1974 had shown an increase as
compared to 1973. Heavy indus
tries, particularly electrical equip
ment, he pointed out, had shown
substantial improvement. The pro
duction in Public Sector industries,
the Minister said, had registered
a rise of about 12.5 per cent over
the past two years.
Shri Subramaniam informed the
committee that power generation
had risen by six per cent in 1974
and was likely to go up by two
million KW in 1975 and another
three million KW in 1976.
About smuggling, the Finance
Minister assured the members that
“effective and ruthless” measures
would be taken to root it out. He
said that the inflow of smuggled
goods had declined sharply since
the anti-smuggling operations were
launched last year. He told the
committee that the Government
proposed to introduce a bill for
the takeover of the assets of
smugglers. He said that such
legislation would be introduced
after thorough legal examination
SOCIALIST INDIA
so that it stood scrutiny in any earning and 24 million tonnes
court of law.
non-revenue earning. The tar
The Finance Minister said that get was, however, scaled down
to 197 million tonnes—174
had been arrested the Department million tonnes revenue-earning
and 23 million tonnes non-re
of Revenue Intelligence was pro
cessing the cases of those at the venue earning—when the sup
lower rung. The Government, he plementary proposals were
said, was determined to take all made in August. Against the
measures to break the smugglers' target of 174 million tonnes
of revenue-earning traffic, the
ring.
railways have already achiev
ed 125.6 million tonnes during
D. P. DHAR ENVOY
April–December.
TO MOSCOW
The former Planning Minister DEPOSITS OF
Shri D. P. Dhar has been appoint
ed India's Ambassador to Soviet PUBLIC SECTOR BANKS
Union. He succeeds Dr. K. S. Shel *=
<=
vankar who moves to the Indian
Embassy in Norway. This was an
nounced in New Delhi on Feb
ruary 1.
Shri Dhar, who will have the
1974
(PRov, )
status of a Cabinet Minister, will
(besides his normal ambassadorial
duties) explore the possibilities of
further cooperation between India
and the various agencies of the
Council for Mutual Economic Co
operation (COMECON).
1973
DROP IN RAILWAY
DEFICIT
Despite the railway strike
which resulted in considerable
loss of revenue, the indication
are that at the end of the cur.
rent financial year next month
its deficit will be considerably
less than earlier feared. The
estimate is based on a sharp
decline in revenue shortfall
from Rs. 100 crores in Aug
ust 1974 to Rs. 78 crores in
November. It is believed that
but for the additional instal
ment of dearness allowance
granted to the railway staff,
there would probably have
been no deficit at all.
The level of traffic is also
likely to be higher in 1974-75.
This is significant considering
the railway strike and the
fact that the originating tra
fic of 185 million tonnes in
1973-74 was 16 million tonnes
less than that in 1972-73.
The railways” original tar
get of total originating trafic
for 1974-75 was 217 tonnes—
193 million tonnes revenue
29 FEBRUARY 22, 1975
 ARE YOU EDUCATED. .....?
and STILL UNEMPLOYED. .....?
IF SO,
HERE IS GOLDEN
of being self-employed by establishing an INDUSTRY
Punjab Govt. provides the following facilitieslas
sistance to the educated unemployed persons under
the “Employment Promotion Programme'.
1) FINANCIAL-ASSISTANCE
SEEDIMARGIN MONEY
Under this scheme, the scheduled banks will give
financial assistance in the form of loans to the extent
of 80% of the cost of the project provided the State
Govt. contributes 10% of the total cost as margin
money seed capital and the balance 10% is provided
by the entrepreneurs from their own sources. The
10% margin money seed capital contributed by the
State Govt. shall be in the form of soft loan (G) 4%
and the following types of industries trades will be
covered:
i) Manufacturing industries;
ii) Processing industries;
iii) Servicing jobbing units such as electro-plant
ing, heat-treatment, tailoring, ambroidery,
dry cleaning, welding, vulcanising, tyre re
treading, printing, textile and radio repairing,
electric motor rewinding, etc.
iv) Small business ventures such as typing ins.
titutions, photographylphotostating, plying of
scooters and car taxies, etc., etc.
v) Other miscellaneous works such as poultry,
dairy (Milk processing only), printing presses
etc.
PRD-75|1228-42
SOCIALIST INDIA
OPPORTUNITY
Eligible educated unemployed persons can ap
ply direct to the Banks|Punjab Financial Corporation
for finanical assistance and thereafter claim margin
money'seed capital from the Punjab State Small In
dustries Corporation. The application form can be
had from the financial institutions directly.
2) TRAINING FOR SELF-EMPLOYMENT
Entrepreneurial training is imparted to prospec
tive entrepreneurs to enable them to give proper
shape to their project reports worthy of acceptable
to banks financial institutions and to train them to
establish and run the factory successfully. A suit
able amount of stipend is also paid during the train
ing period.
3) BUILT-UP FACTORY ACCOMMODATION SHOP
CUM-FLATS.
Built-up factory sheds Shop-cum-flats are allot
ted to the entrepreneurs for setting up industries as
and when these are available, and advertised in the
press.
For further details, please contact the Srdistt.
Industries Officer of your district|Project Officer (In
dustries) at Malerkotla and Hoshiarpur, OR Joint
Director (Technical) Directorate of Industries, In
Punjab, at Chandigarh.
HARDIAL SINGH, IAS,
Director of Industries, Punjab.
FEBRUARY 23, 1975

Training Camps For
Congressmen
S. W. INAMDAR
It is really encouraging and ex
hilarating to see that the High
Command of the Congress is de
finitely serious in building up a
cadre of the Congress, through a
series of training camps conducted
at all levels. The Congress Seva
Dal has been doing this, since its
inception, for its members. The
present need is to grasp the cur
rent problems and handle them
with proper understanding, as to
face the opposition and convince
the public of the correctness of
the Congress ideology and met
hods.
Training in a broader sense of
the word will go a long way to
achieve this objective. Training, as
every one knows, is a means of
equipping individuals and groups
to act in a particular way as a
second nature. Training, as a mat
ter of fact is something more
than knowledge; for knowledge is
knowing things while training is
knowing as well as doing things
in a way as far as possible per
fect or efficient. The right type of
training as a matter of fact should
develop initiative, independent
should not be too near a locality
to be disturbed now and then, nor
should it be too far so as to have
no contact with the people for
whom we have to work.
3. Discipline is the greatest fac
tor that needs attention in the
camp. Atmosphere of discipline
can be created by observing very
simple ruler and practices as fol
lows: a. Systematic and logical
setting up and arrangements of
the camp should be made by pay
ing attention to every expected
conveniences, requirements and
difficulties including very minor
things, for the inmates.
b. Every one should stay for the
whole duration of the camp as
camp life is itself a training.
c. Thorough cleanliness should
be maintained including latrines,
urinals, washing of utensils and
disposal of refuge in the camp. A
special worker should be entrusted
with this duty for all 24 hours of
the day.
d. There should be sign-boards
and guidelines marked with
chunam for the information of the
campers. No one need be required
to ask about anything in the
camp. conspicious sign posts
should serve this purpose.
e. Routines, such as getting up
at a particular time, national
prayer, punctual attendance in
classes, forming queue or line
wherever there is a rush, self-con
trol and peace when certain pro
grammes take place, should be
insisted upon and defaulters
should be made to feel the wrong
done by them.
f. Daily flag salutation, singing
of national songs in chorus sports
and entertainments as relaxation
whenever possible will necessarily
add to the spirit, tempo and grace
of the camp.
g. All inmates of the camp
should be treated as equals with
out any special facilities or treat
ment and everyone should be al
lotted camp duties by rotation.
This means there should be mini
mum or no servants or outside
volunteers in the camp.
h. Charts in conspicuous letters
and places should be exhibited in
the camp to hammer or go deep
into the minds of the campers the
material such as: i. Aims and
objects of the Indian National
Congress; ii. Conditions for active
membership; iii. Programme for
the year; iv. Policy statements
from prominent leaders; v. Appro
priate slogans on the current prob
lems; vi. National Anthem, Vande
Mataram Flag song; vii. Flag
salutation procedure; viii. Photos
of prominent Congress leaders and
office-bearers; ix. Chart, showing
the organisational set-up, wings,
etc., of the Congress; and x.
Achievements of the Congress
Government during the current
year.

thinking, progressive outlook, in

terest in one's own activities and HORTIOULTURE PLAYS VITAL ROLE
sense of discipline and duty. IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

Here are some hints on training

camps which will help a long way 1. Working to common purpose by generating employment.
to achieve the real objective of
training and make every Congress 2. Helping orchardists through the supply of necessary inputs for
man a trained and disciplined production and marketing.
worker of the Congress:
3. Fruit plants, fertilizers, pesticides, literature, technical know
DISCIPLINE
how and credit facilities are being made available within their
1. In spite of financial difficul
ties, attempts should be made to easy approach.
have the duration of the training
4. Various fruit products are manufactured in the State Canning
as long as possible. Camp life it
self is a training which depends Units for supply to Indian and foreign markets. The “Himcu'
upon duration and practice.
fruit products have now become popular everywhere.
2. In training camps much im
portance has to be given to the 5. Horticulture in Himachal steps into the future with confidence
surroundings and the atmosphere. and with a hope for prosperity and better status to all.
These create a deep and more last
ing impression on trainees than HIM LOK SAMPARK
anything else. The camp-site
SOCIALIST INDIA 81 FEBRUARY 22, 1975

Biswan Convention
GoPALJI MEHROTRA
Inaugurating the three-day
national convention on the rural
labour organised by the National
Rural Workers' Federation at Bis
wan (20 miles from Sitapur in Ut
tar Pradesh) on February 1, the
Congress President, Shri Dev
Kanta Borooah, called upon the
rural labour to fight in a democra
tic and peaceful manner for their
just, legal and human rights like
food, clothing, shelter and mini
mum wages. He also suggested
the imposition of some sort of
taxation on big farmers on the
pattern of what the Tamil Nadu
Government has done to better the
socio-economic conditions of the
rural poor.
The Congress President said that
the Congress and the Government
under the leadership of Smt. Indira
Gandhi were determined to do jus
tice to the hitherto neglected lot
of the rural poor, who constituted
a fourth of the country's popula
tion. When these 15 crore work
ers got their due, this would be
the world's most singular achieve
ment, he added.
Never had the Gulzar Shah Mai
dan witnessed such a huge gather
ing of over 10,000 rural workers,
including a considerable number of
women workers. Over 200 dele
gates had come from Andhra Pra
desh, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra,
Haryana, Rajasthan and even Goa,
Kerala and Tripura. The INTUC
workers had made all the arrange
ments.
The Chief Minister, Shri H. N.
Bahuguna, said the country's free
dom would be in a peril if any of
its sections, like the rural labour
remained weak. He said the State
Government had taken several
measures to ameliorate the lot of
the weaker sections like writing off
credit against old rural debtors,
asking cooperative banks to gua
rantee 10 per cent loans to weaker
sections, etc. The Chief Minister
announced that the State Govern
ment would do everything possible
to raise the living standard of the
weaker sections.
The Union Minister, Shri Kamla
SOCIALIST INDIA
pati Tripathi, said that organising vention included Shri B. P. Maurya,
the rural labour was essential be Union Minister of State for Civil
cause without an organised body, Supplies and Shri Bal Govind
its voice might not reach the Gov Verma, Union Deputy Minister for
ernment. He warned big farmers Labour.
and landlords against exploiting The UP Branch of the federation
the rural poor. was inaugurated with Shri Jagdish
The President of the Indian Na Chandra Dikshit as the President.
tional Trade Union Congress, Shri He was elected unanimously in the
B. C. Bhagwati, who presided, presence of Shri Bhagwati, Shri D.
asked the workers to build up their K. Borooah and Smt. Maragatham
own leadership. Chandrasekhar, the AICC general
Others who addressed the con secretary who was also present.
TENDER NOTICE
Sealed item rate tenders on the prescribed forms are hereby invited
from the contractors enlisted with C.P.W.D./P.W.D. (B & R) P.R.P.W.
Department & Coop. L & C Societies entitled to undertake the work,
noted below on 17–3–1975 at 15–00 hours. Tender form will be issued
on payment of Rs. 2/- upto 2–30 P.M. on that day. The tenders will
be opened on the same day and time in the presence of the tenderers
or their authorised agents who may like to be present at that time :-
Sr. Description of Work Approximate Earnest Time
No. Amount Money limit
Soil stabilisation of Roads in 5,500/- 8 Months
Rs. 2,72,850/-
Grain Mandi, Amritsar i.e.
1) Preparation of sub grade
ii) Providing & laying soil sta
bilised soling coat.
iii) Providing and laying soil
stabilised wearing coat as
per specifications & condi
tions of approved NIT.
NOTE: Bricks and stone metal required will be supplied by the
Deptt. bill of cost at mandi site.
Tenderers should give their complete address and correspondence
in his tende” failing that tender is liable to rejection. Tenderer's
rate on prescribed form received by the post/telegrams will not
be entertained.
CONDITIONS:
1. Hydrated lime shall be brought to site in gunny bags and shall
conform to latest I.S.I. specifications and in addition shall pass
physical tests as per P.W.D. specification 3.a (2).
2. Quartity of hydrated lime shall be tested from time to time from
random lots of gunny bags at the site of works at the cost of the
contractor. Lime shall not be brought to the site unless its quality
has been approved by the Engineering Incharge.
3. Any lot, not conforming to the specifications shall be rejected and
shall be removed from the site of work by the contractor before
further work is executed.
4. Road roller is to be arranged by the contractor at his own cost
if departmental road roller is used, hire and running charges of
the same will be charged from the contractor.
5. Detailed NIT and estimate can be seen in the office of the under
signed during working hours on any working day.
6. Conditional tender and tender without earnest money are liable
to rejection.
7. #. º:ay.
form will be sold/issued after 2–30 P.M. of the tender
8. Earnest money in the shape of cash/deposit at callſtreasury challar,
will be accepted.
9. Labour and construction cooperative societies tendering for the
wor's will produce certificate from the concerned Asstt. Registrar
Coop. Societies to the capability of their tendering. Without ce--
tificate no tender will be issued/sold to any society. Only works
will be eligible for tender and they will have to deposit the re
quisite earnest money for the work so tendered.
10. The tendering contractor/societies should bring with their regis
tration letters.
Sd/-
(Surat Singh Rattan)
Executive Engineer,
Panchayati Raj P.W.D. (C. & M.) Divn,
JULLUNDUR.
$3 FEBRUARY 22, 1975

P. M. INAUGURATES
- NATIONAL
WOMEN’s DAY
The Prime Minister Smt. Indira
Gandhi has asked women to pro
tect the nation's cherished ideals.
Inaugurating the International
Women's Year at the NDMC in
door stadium in New Delhi on Feb
ruary 16, she said that women
“should fight for friendship, co
operation and a better future not
merely for themselves but for all
mankind.”
The Prime Minister was received
at the stadium by the Union Edu
cation Minister Prof. Nurul Hasan.
While girl cadets of the NCC pre
sented a guard of honour, about 30
girls (drawn from States and
Union Territories) greeted her at
the entrance. Later, over 200 girls
gave a smart display of physical
training.
Addressing the large gathering
of women, Smt. Indira Gandhi ask
ed them to help in shaping a new
society and usher in new social at
titudes. The responsibility for giv
ing a new direction to the society,
she pointed out, devolved more on
the younger generation of women
particularly those in colleges and
universities. Smt. Gandhi regret
ted that while women elsewhere in
the world were fighting for their
rights, millions in India were not
even aware of the rights given to
them by the constitution “let alone
the responsibilities that go with
these rights.”
The Prime Minister said that
though women played an import
ant role in India's political life they
faced many social and economic
disabilities. She said that no field
of achievement was beyond the
capacity of women and they should
develop their talents to the full.
Smt. Gandhi said that it was not
enough to merely occupy a high
office. The higher the position, she
pointed out, the more responsibi
lities it entailed. She said that she
considered herself as “the first ser
vant of the people.”
The Prime Minister referred to
the present difficulties and said
that they offered new challenges of
SOCIALIST INDIA
which women should make the
best use. She expressed the hope S. B. CHAVAN SUCCEEDS
that women would join hands to V. P. NAIK
fight against poverty and hunger.
She asked them to protect the na
tion's ideals at a time when cer The Congress Parliamentary
tain forces were indulging in vio Board, at its meeting in New Delhi
lence and falsehood. on February 14, decided that the
Agriculture Minister of Maharash
Earlier, in her welcome address, tra, Shri S. B. Chavan, should suc
Smt. Aruna Asaf Ali, one of the ceed Shri V. P. Naik as the Chief
conveners of the International Wo Minister of the State.
men's Year, said that the twen The AICC General Secretary,
tieth century had seen many revo
Smt. Maragatham Chandrasekhar
lutions but the most important of
them was the one for the emanci told newsmen after the Board
meeting that the Board appreciat
pation of women. She said that ed the services rendered by Shri
it was a happy augury that the
Naik as Chief Minister. “There
IWY was inaugurated on the
Basant Panchami Day as it was was no question of asking him to
on this day that Jawaharlal Nehru go for lack of confidence in him.”
and Kamala were married and the she added.
people of Delhi had felicitated The Maharashtra Congress Le
Kamala as the daughter of Delhi.
Smt. Gandhi, Smt. Aruna Asaf Ali gislature Party elected Shri S. B.
Chavan as its leader in place of
said, was thus the “granddaughter
of Delhi.”
Shri Naik at a meeting in Bombay
on February 20. The new Minis
The Lt.-Governor of Delhi, Shri try was scheduled to be sworn in
Kishan Chand, and the Chief Exe on Friday (February 21). The
cutive Councillor, Shri Radha budget session of the State As
Raman were among those who at sembly starts on February 24.
tended the function. The IWY in Shri Naik presided over the last
Delhi has been jointly sponsored meeting of his Cabinet on February
by 50 women's organisations. 19 and took leave of his colleagues.
TENDER
Sealed tenders on percentage rate basis on prescribed form
obtainable from the office of the Executive Electrical Engineer,
Punjab PWD B&R. Branch, Patiala on payment of Rs. 2'- each are
hereby reinvited by the undersigned from the first class contractors
registered with the Electric Wing of the PWD B.&R. Branch and
Electric Wing of the Capital Project Organisation. The tenders will
be received in this office upto 3–00 P.M. on 5–3–75 and opened at the
same time in the presence of any tender or their authorised
lepresentative who may like to be present.
Sr. No. Name of Work Estirnated Earnest
Cost Money
1. Pdg. Electric Installation in the
staff quarters attached to Court
Complex at Barnala (Distt. Sangrur) 57,000- 1,200
2. Pdg. Electric installation in the
main buildings (G.F.) work-shop
blocks, Adda-Tax, Yard Master and
Duty Inspector, Diesel Pump, cycle
Stand and campus-lighting attached
to Bus Stand at Patiala (Workshop
block and campus lighting) 80,000- 1,600
i) The tenders must be accompanied by earnest money in the shape
of the deposite-at-call of any Scheduled Bank or Treasury
Challan. Tenders without earnest money will not be accepted.
ii) Full particulars, Plans and Schedule of work etc. can be seen
in the office of the undersigned during the office hours on any
working day.
Sd/-
(M. L. MITTAL)
Executive Electrical Fºngineer
Pb. PWD B&R Branch, Patiala.
83 FEBRUARY 22, 1975

PANCHAYATI RAJ DAY
In this year of the Silver Jubilee
of the Panchayati Raj movement
which incidentally received the
blessings of Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru, it has been decided to
honour the memory of one of the
chief architects of Panchayati Raj
in India, the late Balwantrai Mehta.
In the fitness of things the Execu
tive Committee of the AICC Pan
chayati Raj Cell decided to observe
Shri Mehta's birthday on February
19 as the first programme of its
Silver Jubilee celebrations.
Blessing it, the Prime Minister,
Smt. Indira Gandhi in her message
has said:
“The Panchayati Raj Movement
was started to secure the active
participation of people in the de
mocratic process at the grassroots
PARLIAMENT
Continued on Page 5
pressed for a judicial probe into
the alleged police excess in the
Jama Masjid area. Another six
hour debate followed but the op
position lost its case at the end.
Their only gain on this occasion
was to carry the CPI along with
them. The CPI staged a walk-out
when the judicial probe rejected.
The CPI-M and other opposition
parties also appeared to be plan
ning a walk-out, but they were a
little late as the House by then
adjourned for the day.
In the debates both on Samas
tipur bomb blast and Jama Mas
jid incident, the Home Minister,
Shri K. Brahmananda Reddy, fac
ed angry interruptions from the
Opposition, but he kept his cool.
He has had long administrative
experience behind him and is not
the man to get easily perturbed.
While he firmly justified official ac
tion, he was conciliatory in his
tone when it was necessary. In
the Jama Masjid affair, he justified
the police firing. Nevertheless, he
did not totally reject the demand
for judicial probe and expressed
his readiness to discuss the subject
later with all sections of the House.
He appealed to members to contri
bute to restoration of peace, nor
SOCIALIST INDIA
level. A second objective was to
enlist people's cooperation in na
tion-building programme.
“Panchayati Raj institutions
have made some contribution to
the strengthening of our political
structure, but the movement needs
to be revitalised especially to har
ness people's energy for construc
tive works in the rural areas and
for the creation of national as
sets.”
Pradesh, Territorial and District
Congress Committees, throughout
the country, were advised to com
memorate the occasion in a befit
ting manner. It was also stressed
that apart from enlightening par
ticipants about Balwantrai Mehta
and his contribution, emphasis
should also be laid on the signi
ficance of Panchayats especially in
carrying out the developmental ac
tivities increasingly for a prosper
ous, united and strong India.
malcy and amity in the disturbed
areas.
There was, however, one issue
that came up in the week on which
there was a consensus in the two
Houses of Parliament. It was the
possible United States arms aid to
Pakistan. It was a measure of
concern of the members and the
Government at this development
that the issue figured first in the
President's inaugural address and
later both the Congress and the
Opposition members expressed
their concern at the possible re
sumption of arms supplies to Pak
istan. Several of them in the Rajya
WORLD'S LARGEST
DONORS OF AID
Continued from Page 27
Yet another Bill authorises the
Kuwaiti Government to contribute
$30 million to the new Arab Bank
for Economic Development in
Africa.
Qatar's aid to developing coun
tries was a $16.4 million loan to
India in 1968, at 5.5 per cent
interest, and an 11 year maturity.
Later $2.9 million and $1.5 grants
were extended to Mauritania and
Bangladesh.
34
It may be recalled that Balwant.
rai Mehta laid down his precious
life as the Chief Minister of Guja.
rat during 1965's Indo-Pak war,
The then Prime Minister Lal Baha
dur Shastri commented on his sad
demise thus: “It was a life of suf
fering and dedication throughout".
Mehta was jailed eight times for
participating in the freedom move
ment and served, in all, 7 years'
imprisonment. Chosen unanimous
ly as the Chief Minister of Gujarat
in September 1963 he looked after
the welfare of the people. Earlier
he had been an AICC General Sec
retary, Chairman of the Pancha
yats' Reorganisation Committee
and Vice-Chairman, Reception
Committee, Bhavnagar Congress.
It was this Committee which
brought to the fore the ever-con
vincing recommendation of three
tier system for Panchayats for
successful implementation of the
“Power-to-People” philosophy.
Sabha demanded that a resolution
condemning the US stand was
passed.
Their feelings were further in
censed when the Minister for Ex
ternal Affairs, Shri Chavan, an
nounced the likelihood of the US
trying to establish a (naval) base
in Pakistan. Diego Garcia caused
enough anger in this country and
now a base in Pakistan was almost
the last straw on the camel's back.
As expected, Shri Chavan warned
the US that their arms supply to
Pakistan would not be in the inte
rest of America, Pakistan, India,
nor in the interest of peace.
The United Arab Emirates' total
loan commitments were $51 mil
lion by March 1974. In May 1974
it was decided to quadruple the
capital of its development of $500
million and to extend aid to non
Arab developing countries.
Iraq signed in March 1974 an
agreement with India for the sale
of 2 million tons of oil, of which
almost half is to be financed by
$100-110 million of credit at 2.5
per cent over 10 years with a
five-year grace period and a 39
per cent grant element. It had
also extended last month a $51
million loan to Bangladesh.
FEBRUARY 22, 1975
 i
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SOCIALIST INDIA FEBRUNRY 2’, 1975
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in PSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 22-2-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

INDIA MAKE
IS - IT
GREAT GREATER

Women’s Welfare Activities

In Delhi
The Chief Executive Councillor Delhi, Shri Radha Raman,
gave a break-up of the steps taken by the Delhi Administration
in the past for the uplift of the women in Delhi.
He said as against the enrolment of 1.93 lakh girls of
6-11 age group in 1968-69 in Delhi schools, the enrolment in
1973-74 stood at 2.52 lakhs and the target for the end of the
fifth Five-Year Plan has been fixed at 3.42 lakhs.

Similarly, in the age group of 11-14, there were 85,000

girl students attending schools in 1963-69 and there were 1.09
lakhs in 1973-74 and the target for the Fifth Plan has been
fixed at 1.57 lakhs. For the age group 14-17, the figures for
1968-69 were 54,000 which rose to 80,000 in the year 1973-74
and in the Fifth Plan the target has been fixed at 1.14 lakhs.
Shri Radha Raman said out of the 15 colleges run by
- - - - - the Delhi Administration, 9 are exclusively for women. In the
- rural areas, the girl students are being provided free transport.
: The Delhi Administration is running 60 women welfare
- centres, where they are given training in arts and crafts.
He said the Social Welfare Department of the Delhi Ad
ministration is running 9 institutions for women, namely
Abhaya Mahilashram, Nari Niketan, Home for Widows, Homes
for Girls, Mahila Sadan, Observation Home, Production-Cum
Training Centre, Home for Leper Women and After-Care
Home.

He said sewing machines in large numbers are given to

widows besides assistance to ailing and pregnant women.
Merit scholarships are given to all Harijan girls who
score more than 55 per cent marks in the Classes VIII, IX
and X. Hostels for working women and Harijan girls have
also been opened.

THIS IS THE SIXTEENTH IN A SERIES OF ADVERTISENTENT'S DESIGNED BY

* SOCIALIST INDIA ** IN PUBLIC INTEREST
 SPOTLIGHT ON THE Budget
ºr

ECONOMIC survey -74-75

*
MARCH 1, 1975 T. A. PAL ON PUBLIC SECTOR
30 p.

ALL ABOUT

THE KASHMIR ACCORD

INSIDE

** A MILESTONE IN

THE

ONWARD MARCH

OF OUR NATION”

Prime Minister

DEMAND FOR

PLEBISCITE

**IRRELEVANT"

Sheikh Abdullah

SHEIKH MOHAMMED ABDULLAH was unanimously

elected the leader of the Congress Legislature Party of Jammu
and Kashmir on February 25 in the presence of the Congress
President, Shri Dev Kanta, Borooah and Dr. Karan Singh,
Union Health Minister. Syed Mir Quasim, the outgoing Chief
Minister, proposed the name and it was seconded by Shri G. L.
Dogra, the outgoing Finance Minister. Eighty-four of the
86-member Legislature Party were present. Photo shows Syed
Mir Quasim garlanding the Sheikh.
-
DEMOCRACY © SOCIALISM º SECULARISM e NON-ALIGNMENT

SPOTLIGHT
INDIAN ENGINEERING
TRADE FAIR
PRAGATT MAIDAN
NEW DELHI
The Indian Engineering Trade Fair, claimed to
be the first ever of its kind in India on the model of
international specialised trade fairs, which was in
augurated on Feb. 10 by the President of Indian Re
public, Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed closed down on
Feb. 28. Organised by the Association of Indian En
gineering Industry it aimed at developing business
and comercial opportunities in domestic and export
markets. The Fair provided to the world at one place
an idea of the engineering industry in India. Its other
objects included export promotion of engineering
goods and technical services, development of indus
trial projects between India and other countries and
promotion of ancillary build-up and sub-contracting
at a national and internatioal level.
In his inaugural address, the President mention
ed that the idea of holding specialised trade fairs of
this kind would help dispel the wrong notion that
India was still a backward country. “India today
ranks among the first dozen industrial nations of the
world. There is, however, inadequate realisation in
overseas countries and for that matter, even in our
own country, of the volume and range of our indus
trial production.”
The President felt that this trade fair was being
held at an opportune time when there was an ungent
need to increase the volume of the country's export
trade. “There is no doubt that a great potential exists
for boosting our exports of engineering goods and
services. India can be a partner in the progress of
other developing nations through the supply of tech
nical know-how and consultancy services”. The Pre
sident further stated that if the production of engi
neering goods in India has increased twentyfive times
in the last three decades, it should increase by an
other twentyfive times in the next five years.
EXPORTABLE SURPLUSES
On behalf of the Association of Indian Engineer
ing Industry, it was stated that the objectives of the
Association in organising the Fair were that the In
dian engineering industry might act as a junior part
ner with major engineering exporters, aiming at fore
ign exchange earning of Rs. 8,000 million by the end
of the current decade and also that the industry
might build is exports on the basis of exportable sur
pluses so that domestic markers were fullv satisfied.
The other obiectives of the Fair were that the engi
neering industry in the country might fully utilise its
inherent advantages of skills, low costs and abun
SOCIALIST INDIA
dant labour and that it might assist through export
of technology, skills and equipment and sub-contrac
ting arrangements, other developing and less deve
loped nations to achieve economic and technical ad
Vance.
The products on display at the Fair reflected a
significant capsule of the engineering industry in the
country and indicate the industry's ability to compete
in the world market.
Since the attainment of independence (1947),
when industrial production was at a level of Rs. 4,000
million of which engineering production represented
no more than Rs. 1700 million, the Indian engineer
ing industry has made significant progress with its
production in the last 25 years having increased by
twenty-six times to the tune of Rs. 44,000 million.
Viewed in the historical perspective of India's
technical skill in ancient times when the country Was
a leading industrial nation, the present development
of the engineering industry has been possible owing
to the strength flowing from the transfer of techni
cal skills from generation to generation.
The national objective of industrialisation called
for the building of basic industries, such as, mining
and production of ircm and steel, aluminium and
other metals, machinery and machine tools, electrical
and mechanical equipment, power plants and heavy
engineeriny equipment, railways, ship-building, air:
craft and automobile manufacture, electronics and
host of other engineering indsutries.
SHARING EXPERIENCE
India's sharing of experience with other develop
ing countries would be possible owing to the ski’ſ"
developed through a quick process from primitive tº
intermediate technology, with an emphasis on sophi
stication. This could cover direct cooperation between
India and the other nations as also joint cooperation
in third countries, both of a technical and technical
cum-financial nature.
Exports of engineering goods from India would
principally be to countries in South and South-East
Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe.
These markets will benefit more in trading with
India for non-traditional goods than with developed
countries having advanced technologies. Trading with
such countries will lead to greater opportunities and
eapital flow, quicker development of skills and large.
economic benefits. This in turn, will inevitably "d
to greater regional co-operation on a much Wider
econcrimic front. s
In respect of trade with developed and highly
advanced countries, the Indian engineering industry
is keen to develop some form of partnership, but it.”
necessary that the advanced nations should see tle
compulsion to buy from trade, so that both trading
partners can avail of the maximum benefit accruiné
from such trade.
After inauguration of the Trade Fair on Fºº
ruary 10, several overseas technical and buying dele
gations have visited the Fair. The visitors are repº.
Continued on Page 32
MARCH 1, 197"
Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

CONTENT Wol X No. 13

NTS March 1, 1975
SOGIALIST Published every
Saturday
|NDIA Indian Engineering Trade Fair 2
Editorial 3
Barpeta Poll in Retrospect 4
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Highlights of the Central Budget 4a
Road, New Delhi 110001 Reflections on “The Statesman” Centenary—II
Phones: 388521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST Jag Mohan 4b
Finance Minister's Economic Survey 5
EDITORIAL, BOARD
A Milestone in our Nation's
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV March Forward -
(Chairman) A Correspondent 7
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Press Review: Accord Hailed 8
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA The Kashmir Accord: Prime Minister's
Statement in Parliament 9
Sheikh Abdullah's Statement 11
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Agreed Conclusions 12
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Central Laws applicable to J and K 12
(Chairman) RSS on warpath due to panic 13
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Central Training Camp at Shillong 15
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA Party News 17
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA I.Y.C. State Camps
Shri P. C. SETHI Panchanan Kanungo 19
Indo-EEC Trade Seminar
-- 21
N. K. Pande
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO Indo-Yugoslav Relations Consolidated 23
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN Book Review: India and Yugoslavia
J. M. Deb 25
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA The States 26
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee Bhilai Forges Ahead 27
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah Miscellany 28
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. T. A. Pai on the Public Sector—I 29
Correspondence on Kashmir 33
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces The Railway Minister's overall Survey 36a
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Prime Minister on Opposition Parties 39

But the accord was hailed from all quarters. Only

EDITORIAL
THE KASHMIR ACCORD
Once again Prime Minister Indira Gandhi elec
trified the nation with her announcement of the
Kashmir accord. With a perfect sense of timing,
which is her forte, and with a style, which is all her
own, she made known the modalities of the six-point
“agreed conclusions” and placed the relevant texts
before the Parliament on Monday last. There was
no mincing of words, but there was much eloquence.
"A milestone in the onward march of the nation.”
It is with these words she ended her statement and
it left her numerous critics in Parliament, public and
the press dumbfounded. In Parliament amidst the
thunderous cheers a few murmurings could be heard.
SoCIALIST INDIA
the Jana Sangh and the RSS, as well as communalist
elements, both Hindu and Muslim, could not wel
come it. This was understandable. And, across the
border, Mr. Bhutto was also understandably agita
ted.
The Biblical saying that there is a season for
everything and a time for every purpose comes to
mind. Sheikh Abdullah, the charismatic leader of
Jammu and Kashmir, now aware of the critical times
we are living through and fully convinced that trust
has been re-established, decided to respond to the
Prime Minister's effort to secure the support of all
democratic and socialist forces in the united endea
vour to lead the country forward. He is back in the
mainstream of Indian nationalism. The earlier de
mand for the plebiscite has been acknowledged to be
irrelevant. And it has also been realised that hands
of the clock cannot be put back.
With mature statesmanship and with a give-and
take policy on both sides, the Prime Minister and
MARCH 1, 1975
Sheikh Abdullah, as well as their emissaries, worked spirit of conciliation. It is a triumph of the vitality
out a viable solution which had been eluding for the of democratic functioning. Let it continue to be so.
past 22 years. The initiative that Jawaharlal Nehru
launched has at last come to fruition. Kashmir's Chaudhry Shafi, the veteran freedom fighter
accession which has never been in doubt and which and associate of Sheikh Abdullah, after hearing the
is final and irrevocable will now acquire new dimen details of the accord recited a couplet in Urdu
sion with full-hearted integration on the part of the in the Central Hall of Parliament which runs as
populace. With his oratory, with his magnetic per follows: “Asman hoga Sahar ke noor se aina
sonality, with his rich sense of values, the Sheikh posh, aur zulmat raat ki seemab-e-pa ho jaigee”,
will be able to weld the people in Ladakh, in the Translated in English, it says. “The skies will be
valley of Kashmir and in Jammu to work together aglow with the brightness of the dawn and the dark
for the common good. A new chapter has been open ness of the night will take on the silvery hues of
ed. The oppening lines have been already written mercury.” May it be so always in Jammu and Kash
with Syed Mir Qasim stepping down so gracefully Inli'.
and with the Sheikh Saheb taking over the reins of
Government. The socio-economic reforms about which
the Sheikh had been dreaming these many years A REQUEST
are waiting to be implemented. All secularist, democ
ratic and socialist forces in Jammu and Kashmir will All PCCs, TCCs and DCCs of the Congress are
be regrouped to meet the challenges of today both requested to send regularly reports of their acti.
within and without the State. vities for publication in SOCIALIST INDIA.
The Kashmir accord, as the Prime Minister re Letters to the Editor on matters of Public inte
marked, is an entirely domestic matter, settled in a rest are also welcome.

BARPETA ELECTION
IN RETROSPECT
Barpeta of Assam rejected the
“Janata” candidate and helped the
Assam Congress to have its face.
The seat fell vacant following
Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's elec
tion as the President of India. The
Congress candidate. Shri Ismail
Hussein Khan who had been an
Assistant Secretary of Barpeta
District Congress, won the election
in a four-cornered contest, by a
margin of about 28,000 votes.
Though Shri Khan had to con
tend with three other candidates,
the main contest was between Shri
Khan and the “Janata” candidate,
Shri Biswa Goswami, a Socialist
leader of Assam whom all the non
Communist, anti-Congress parties
supported. Besides the SP, the
CPI(M), RCPI, RSPI, SUCI, Jana
Sangh, Congress (O) and the two
regional parties, the People's De
mocratic Party and the Plains
Tribal Council of Assam, rallied
round Shri Goswami. The Cong
ress was supported by the CPI.
Barpeta roused more than usual
interest in political circles, because
of the “Janata” candidate.
The anti-Congress circles coun
ted on a number of factors, First,
the 9 Assembly constituencies co
vered by this Lok Sabha constitu
ency experienced an acute food
SOCIALIST INºbta
scarcity last year and naturally,
it was believed, the electorate
would be bitter against the Cong
ress. Secondly, even at the stage
of selection of Congress nominee
for the seat, there was faction
fight in the Congress. The suppor
ters of the “Janata” candidate be
lieved, this would favour them.
Thirdly, the Muslim votes which
have been traditionally the Cong
ress “reserve” in Assam were ex
pected to be divided since one Mus
lim Congress leader entered the
election fray as an Independent.
Fourthly, nearly 10 per cent of
the electorate here are Plains tri
bals who faced “police repression”
last year when the Bodo Sahitya
Sabha, backed by the Plains Tri
bal Council of Assam, launched
BARPETA RETAINED
The Congress has retained the
Barpeta Parliamentary seat in As
sam in the by-election held on
Feb. 20. The Congress candidate,
Shri Ismail Hussein Khan, defeatº
ed his nearest rival Shri Biswa Go.
swami (Socialist) by over 28,000
votes in a four-cornered rontest.
The other two candidates Shri Ab
dul Samad Chaudhury and Shri
Krishna Kanta Barua (both Inde
pendents) polled about 3,500 and
6,000 votes respectively. The Bar
peta seat was vacated by Shri
4 MARCH 1, 1975
an agitation for recognition of
Roman script for Bodo language.
Further, a section of students who
fought a long-drawn battle against
the Government for a good part
of last year on certain demands
has some following in Barpeta and
this was expected to help the
“Janata” candidate.
The result shows that the com
bined effect of all these factors
was not enough to ensure the
“Jamata” candidate's victory. The
main reason is that most of the
parties who combined behind the
“Janata” candidate do not have
any organisational base in the con
stituency as a whole. Hence,
sheer number of parties behind
the “Janata” candidate did not
bring victory.
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed on his
election as President of India.
The Congress President Shri
Dev Kanta Borooah who turn”
ed 61 on February 22 (the day
the election results came) wel
comed the Congress victory as
a “birthday gift.”
The President of the Assam PCC
Shri Lalit Kumar Doley, in a mes
sage congratulated the electorate
of Barpeta for extending their
“overwhelming support to the Con
gress candidate who represents the
prograssive democratic forces."
He said that Congress victory had
vindicated the cause of Democracy,
Sncialism and Secularism.
 NEW TAXES To YIELD Rs 288 CRoRES:
BUDGET DEFICIT OF Rs 225 CRORES
SUGAR, TEA, CEMENT, PETROL, CLOTH, corporate dividends derived from new companies en
CIGARETTES TO COST MORE gaged in high priority industries, exemption from
wealth tax of equity shares in new companies en
LEVY ON AIR-CONDITIONERS, COSMETICS, gaged in certain priority industries and incentives to
SAFES INCREASED
greater savings.
RS. 5960 CRORE PLAN OUTLAY
The total Plan outlay for 1975-76 will be Rs.
BUDGET AT A GLANCE 5,960 crores representing a 23 per cent increase over
(RUPEES IN CRORES) the current year Plan size of Rs. 4,844 crores. The
emphasis is on agriculture, energy and such sectors
1974-75 1974-75 1975-76 that support these two.
Budget Revised Budget
REVENUE
The investment in agriculture, according to the
Finance Minister has been raised from Rs. 193 crores
Receipts 5640 6485 6875
to Rs. 270 crores. The allocations will go to the Ag
(Plus) 239 ricultural Refinance Corporation, Drought Prone
Expenditure 5408 5860 6491 Area Programme, Marginal Farmers Development
(Plus) 232 (Plus) 625 (Plus) 384 Scheme, agricultural research and education.
(Phus) 239 The Budget support for the power sector will be
CAPITAL Rs. 140 crores with substantial provision for conti
Receipts 3099 2997 3429 nuing projects already started.
Provision for coal development has been stepped
Expenditure 3457 4247 4277
up substantially from Rs. 141 crores to Rs. 229
(Minus) (358) (Minus) 1250 (Minus) 848 crores.
Overall Deficit 126 625 464
The investment in fertilisers has risen from R.S.
(Minus) 239(X)
192 crores this year to Rs. 276 crores in 1975-76.
(Uncovered Deficit) 225 The States are to invest Rs. 900 crores in power
(X) Effect of Budget proposals. projects.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS Plan expenditure on petroleum will shoot up to
Rs. 255.25 crores.
No change in income tax for non-corporate tax NUCLEAR ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
payers.
Relief for middle-class families from burden of Ample provision has been made in the Budget
higher education of children. Tax concession avail for pushing up the development of nuclear energy.
able for individuals up to a gross total income of The Budget estimates provide for an outlay of over
Rs. 188 crores. In view of the successful nuclear ex
Rs. 12,000 per annum and restricted to two children.
periment at Pokharan, the Government has laid con
Concessions liberalised in respect of long-term siderable emphasis on the peaceful uses of nuclear
savings through provident fund, life insurance etc. energy. The nuclear fuel complex will be developed
Incentive bonus scheme for Government emplo and several heavy water plants are to be commis
sioned.
yees who do not withdraw sums from provident fund
accounts during the year. HIGHER OUTLAY FOR DEFENCE
Income-tax exemption limits liberalised for sala The Finance Minister announced an increase in
ried assessees in respect of house rent allowance and the defence budget with a capital outlay of Rs.
leave travel concessions. 237.76 crores. The defence expenditure during
Some tax relief for Indian technicians employed 1975-76 will be Rs. 2,448.78 crores. Defence prepared
abroad. ness will cost the national exchequer 21 per cent of
the budget. The increase has been partly due to pay
Retrenchment compensation to workers exempt ment of higher dearness allowance and increase in
from income-tax up to a maximum of Rs. 200,000. the pay scales of the defence personnel. Defence
Disincentives for borrowings from public by non capability in all fields will be improved considerably.
banking and non-financial companies.
THE ouTLAY For DELHI
Measures to improve investment climate include A total outlay of Rs. 141.36 crores has been
extension of tax holiday (in the case of certain in provided for the Union Territory of Delhi in the
dustries commissioned, ships built and hotels opened Budget. This is Rs. 17.94 crores more than what was
extended upto April 1, 1981) exemption of inter provided for in the revised estimates in 1974-75.
SOCIALIST INDIA MARCH 1, 1975

Reflections On
“The Stateman”
Centena ry—ll
JAG wohan
(Part—I The BALLYHOO pub
lished last week Now Part—II—
The HULLABALOO)
The hullabaloo about the free
dom of the press in India was
raised by “The Statesman” as
part of its Centenary celebrations.
In its editorial entitled “100
Years Old”, published in its issue
of January 15, 1975, the sutra
about the newspaper and the free
dom of the press was enunciated
in high falutin language. On
January 20, in the Centenary Sup
plement there was an article,
“Pressures on the Press” by a
Special Correspondent which pro
vided detailed commentary on the
Sutra.
The sum and substance of both
the editorial and the explanatory
article for the sake of brevity can
be listed as follows:
1. Over the last 100 years, “The
Statesman” has acquired a “per
sonality” of its own, “which dis
tinguishes it for good or ill from
its contemporaries.”
2. It has acquired over the
years a “skill” by exercising dis
cretion and achieving “the bal
ance between what a newspaper
owes to the community, the execu
tive and its own convictions.”
3. It is such skills and attitude,
“passed on from one generation to
another", which is spoken of as
being “typcal” of the newspaper.
4. In India only “lip service to
a free press continues to be duti
fully paid, but there is no lack of
proposals, often officially inspired,
for a press dedicated to purposes
defined exclusively by the party
and government in power.
5. Any paper that has lasted for
so many years “cannot easily ad
just itself to such conditions” and
must face the “new challenge.”
6. Till the middle of 1969, “the
SOCIALIST INDIA
official attitude towards the Press
in India appeared to be dictated
by Jawaharlal Nehru's views which
he had expressed in December,
1950, at a conference of news
paper editors.”
7. After the Split in the Cong
ress Party in 1969, according to
some “knowledgeable Minister”,
the change in the Government's
attitude was dictated by “the im
perative need to gather as much
support as possible from every
possible direction.”
8. The attack on the press was
“sounded off by the Prime Minis
ter herself when she criticised
those newspapers which did not
find it possible to support her
bold decision to nationalised 14
major banks.”
9. Since then, Shri I. K. Gujral,
Shrimati Nandini Satpathy, Shri
K. Raghunatha Reddi, and others
conspired to carry out a coup
d'etat to take over the newspapers.
The working paper on the delink
ing of newspapers from other
business interests was scooped by
“The Statesman” and published.
According to the scoop, certain
amendments to the Indian Com
panies Act were to be brought in
by which voitng rights were to
“divorced from shareholding” and
a number of restrictions were to
be imposed on shareholdings in
newspapers. Public trustees (gov
ernment secretaries) were to be
appointed. Editors were to be elec
ted by the working journalists.
And so on. The Nachiketa publi
cation (owned by “The States
man”) “What Price A Free Press?
the Statesman Case” exposed the
government's machinations.
10. However the Damocles sword
is still hanging. “The Government
is losing patience.” Some senior
counsel for the government is re
ported to have said, “It is in our
mind to control the newspaper in
dustry. We shall see, examine and
control.”
11. It is unnecessary “to decide
whether the attitude of the Gov
ernment and some of their arti
culate supporters is based on com
munist thinking and communist
planning.”
12. But it is enough that the
attitude is “illiberal and out of
tune with democratic ideals.”
It must be confessed here and
4b
now that this tendentious article
with many wild allegations cannot
be easily summarised. Hence
readers are advised to read the
article in full. May be the four
page Centenary Supplement has by
now become a collector's copy. But
in their own interests, “The
Statesman” should be bringing out
reprints of the article possibly for
free distribution to uphold the
freedom of the Press in India!
It must be also confessed that
it will not be possible to reply to
all the points raised in the article
as the report on the economics of
newspapers is being awaited. Be
sides another two-part article at
least must devoted to this subject
in the context of the recent sur
vey on the freedom of the press
in India conducted by Shri Chan
chal Sarkar's Press Institute of
India.
TRUSTEES STORY
For the present purpose, it will
be enough to scrutinise the tall
claims the leader in “The States
man” and to expose the sancti
monious humbug expounded in the
article.
Here is a revealing extract
from the autobiography of the for
mer Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of “The Statesman”, the
late M. C. Setalvad (lawyer, jurist,
a long-time Attorney-General and
Parliamentarian). In his book “My
Life” (published by N. M. Tripathi
Private Limited, Bombay), Setal.
vad recounts in detail the ups and
downs of the ill-fated experiment
With Trustees that “The States
man” conducted for some time.
Anyway, it gives some clues to
the “persoality” of the paper.
Here's is the extract:
“Some time after I ceased to be
the Attorney-General, I was asked
by Choksey of the Tatas whether
I would agree to serve as a Trustee
of The Statesman. Ltd., of Calcutta.
“The Statesman', a daily in Cal:
cutta, had been published and coº
ducted by Europeans interested "
industry, and the Andrew Yu!”
organisation had the major intº
rest in the Company owning tº
paper. Some industrialists like th:
Tatas, Martin Burn, Mafatlals and
others had arranged to take ov"
the shares of the Company.
Continued on Page 36”
MARCH 1, 19"

Finance Minister’s Economic
Survey For 1974–75 Hopeful
Of Economic Growth
A very cautious forecast that
the coming year may witness an
overall improvement in the per
formance of the economy was
made by the Finance Minister,
Shri C. Subramaniam, in the course
of his annual economic survey,
which he presented to Parliament
on February 24.
A slowing down of the rate of
price increase in 1974-75 was also
forecast.
The survey considered that it
would be unrealistic to expect
“dramatic changes” overnight in
the performance of the economy
though it averred that the worst
was over regarding inflation.
However, the survey rejected
the fears expressed by some seg
ments of industry about recession.
On the other hand indicators point
to gradual increase in industrial
production.
The survey also indicated that
the Budget might contain mea
sures “to sustain business confi
dence in investment and export
markets”. The survey indicated
that “much needed stimulus” to the
economy is on the cards.
The survey predicated its opti
mistic assumption on the trend in
agricultural output. As the Indian
economy will have to reckon with
a highly uncertain international
environment, the resumption of an
“orderly process of growth with
stability is, therefore, crucially
dependent on our ability to impart
a new element of dynamism to
Indian agriculture, it noted.
Although the unprecedented eco.
nomic crisis of 1974-75 has been
set down in the survey without
any attempt to slur over the de
tails, it managed to wring a cheer
out of the gloomy situation. This
has been made possible largely by
the decline of five per cent in the
wholesale price level in the last
quarter of 1974. As a result, the
survey said the index at the end
of the year was only 18.8 per cent
higher than a year ago, sizeably
smaller than the 26 per cent rise
between December 1972 and 1973.
Here, below is an agency report
of the survey :

Assessing the prospects for the coming year,
the survey predicts a bright Rabi crop, recovery in
industrial production and weakening of inflationary
pressures following strong governmental measures.
Reiterating its previous year's stress, the survey
regards agricultural output as the main factor,
which would determine the overall outlook for
1975-76.
“The resumption of an orderly process of
growth with stability”, it says, “is crucially depen
dent on our ability to impart a new element of dy
namism to Indian agriculture”.
Along with the injection of new dynamism
in the agricultural sector, the survey stresses the
great importance of strengthening the system of pro
curement and public distribution of foodgrains as
an “essential component” of a strategy for price
stabilisation.
Discounting fears of a recession voiced by cer
tain sections of the industry, it also warns the Gov
ernment of any premature relaxation of fiscal and
credit curbs and strongly advocates the continuance
of the present policy of fiscal and monetary res
traint.
Describing the current year as one of “unpre
cedented economic challenges” faced by the econo
my since independence, the survey says that the
"determined action” on the part of the Government
helped to moderate the rigours of inflation, which
had reached dangerous proportions during the first
half of the year “demonstrating vividly the basic
restlinece of our democratic polity in grappling with
crisis situations”.
The survey notes that the wholesale price level,
after reaching its highest peak in the week ending
SOCIALIST INDIA
September 21, 1974, showed a welcome decline of 5
per cent in the last quarter of 1974, as a result, the
index at the end of December 1973 was 18.8 per cent
higher than at the end of December 1973, as against
an increase of 26 per cent between December 1972
and December 1973.
The survey points out that this declining trend
in wholesale prices, notwithstanding the unsatisfac
tory production during the 1974 Kharif season, was
indicative of the weakening of inflationary pressures.
BRIGHT PROSPECTS
According to the survey, the improved prospects
for the coming Rabi crop can be expected to have
a further stabilising influence on prices. The fact
that by now the impact of the sharp increase in pri
ces of petroleum products appeared to have been
largely absorbed in the price structure lent support
to the view that “the worst may be over on the
price front.”
The survey, however, warns that in view of the
precarious nature of the balance between demand
and supplv of basic goods and the known instabilitv
of agricultural output, it would be unwise to assume
that the struggle against inflation had been brought
to a successful conclusion.
According to the survey, it is imperative that the
“needed stimulus” to the Indian economv is nian
ned “in the context of continued overall emphasis
on fiscal and monetary restraint.” It discounts anv
possibility of recession but also notes that the insis
tence of some segments of industrv to maintain nri
ces, in the face of consumer resistance, at a level
vielding abnormaliv high profit margins in the last
two vears micrht lead to snme temnorary reduction
in capacity utilisation in certain sectors.
5 MARCH 1, 1975
 The survey highlights the fact that in spite of
the unprecedented efforts at mobilisation of finan
cial resources both by the Centre and the States, in
1974-75, the budgetary outlook still continues to be
unfavourable. It notes that the budgetary deficits of
the Central and State Governments are unlikely to
be contained within limits laid down at the time of
presentation of those Budgets.
Nevertheless, it is a matter of some satisfaction
that during the current year so far, deficit financing
by the Central and State Governments has been run
ning at a rate significantly lower than during the
corresponding period of 1973-74.
The survey estimates that the combined result
of the tax proposals contained in the regular annual
Budget for 1974-75 as well as the second Finance
MASSIVE SAVINGS ANTICIPATED
Even in the first year of the Fifth Plan, the
Centre has levied additional taxation which would
be adequate to reach the target set for the Plan
period as a whole. According to the economic sur".
vey for 1974-75, the additional resources expected
in the current financial year were of the order
of Rs. 690 crores. In a full calendar year, these
would be Rs. 935 crores.
The survey says: “The five-year yield of
these measures would be more or less equal to
the target of additional resource mobilisation set
in the draft Plan for the Centre. In addition,
savings of the order of Rs. 200 crores are antici
pated through economy measures.”
Act, the increase in postal rates and the enhance
ment of railway fares and freights twice in the year,
was the mobilisation of a record amount of Rs. 690
crores by wav of additional financial resources by
the Central Government in 1974-75. In a full year
these measures are expected to yield an additional
amount of Rs. 935 crores and the five-year total is
nearly equal to the target of additional resources
mobilisation laid down for the Centre in the draft
Fifth Plan.
The States also made important efforts at addi
tional resource mobilisation and these are expected
to yield Rs. 358 crores in 1975-76.
The survey refers to the disappointing perfor
mance of the industrial sector in the Fourth Plan
period when the average rate of growth achieved
was onlv 3.9 ner cent per annum, as against the Plan
target of 8-10 per cent. The growth rate in 1973,
accordino to the index of industrial production, was
a mere 0.7 per cent. However, the survev visualises
an imporvement in 1975 as it expects a growth rate
of 2.5 per cent and for the fiscal year 1975-76, its
estimate is 3.5 per cent as against 0.5 per cent in
1973-74.
The survev analvses the various factors which
have contrihuted to the unsatisfactorv performance
of the industrial sector. Its finding is that consider
ing the efforts which are now being made to increase
the production of such critical inputs as electricity,
SOCIALIST INDIA
coal and steel, it is reasonable to expect an accele.
ration in the rate of growth of industrial production.
However, it is emphasised that the long-term outlook
for industrial production will be influenced crucially
by the trend of Public Sector investment as well as
the behaviour of output of raw materials of agricul
tural origin.
The survey refers to a noteworthy improvement
in the performance of Public Sector undertakings as
well as significant gains in output of industries like
electricity, steel and coal during April-December
1974.
The survey emphasises that the industrial slug
gishness, which is basically due to bottlenecks in
the supply of certain critical inputs, cannot be dealt
with effectively through a general reflation of de
mand, made possible by an expansionary fiscal mone
tary mix. It recognises that the slow pace of Public
Sector investment may affect the demand for the
output of capital goods industries. However, the
stagnation of industrial investment, it points out, is
due basically to a deficiency of real savings rather
than a general deficiency of demand in the Keynesian
sense of the term.
PRICES TO FARMERS
The survey admits that the capital market has
been depressed since the imposition of restrictions
on dividend declarations in July, 1974. However, it
points out that data relating to approvals by the
capital goods committee and demand for funds from
the term financing institutions do not indicate any
visible slackening of private industrial investment in
1974-75. The survey, however, recognises that invest
ment behaviour is often subject to unpredictable
moods of pessimism and optimism and, as such, it
emphasises the need to watch the situation carefully
so as to facilitate a flexible response to the emerging
situation.
The survey reviews in detail developments in
the operation of public distribution system and price
policies. It analyses the unsatisfactorv performance
-
of procurement of wheat out of the 1974 Rabi crop.
Referring to the fairly satisfactory trend of procure"
ment out of the 1974 Kharif crop, the survev sug
gests that recent experience indicates that higher
procurement prices do not necessarily guarantee
higher procurement.
The survey, however, emphasises that the ab:
normal circumstances of the last two years do not
in any way minimise the importance of providing
remunerative prices to farmers as a means of Secur
ing higher production.
Referring to the complex issues raised by pricº
and distribution controls, the survev points out that
nn the face of it. sharn increases in nrices of ""
trolled commodities need to be avoided in a high"
inflationary situation. However, if nrices of inn"
goino into the nroduction of controlled commoditiº
cannot he lent in check, a ripid price control """
become a hindrance to increased nroduction, thereby
accentuating the phenomenon of shortages.
Continned on Page 3"
-- - - -- t - - MARCH 1, 1975

A Milestone In
Our Nation’s
March Forward
A Correspondent
“A milestone in, the onward
march of our nation”. It is with
these nine words that the Prime
Minister characterised the Kash
mir accord, in the course of her
prepared statement in the Lok Sa
bha on February 24.
In a statement released soon af
ter, Sheikh Abdullah said, “How
ever, since the basic trust had
been re-established I could no lon
ger withold my cooperation in po
litical life in whatever capacity the
people of the State and the coun
try wanted me to function.”
And the same day, Sheikh Ab
dullah was elected leader of the
Kashmir State Legislature Party
in the presence of the Congress
President and Dr. Karan Singh.
The next day he was sworn in as
the Chief Minister of J and K.
With that, the 22 years of poli
tical wilderness (including incar
ceration) for the Sheikh Sahib en
ded. He was back in the main
stream of national politics. It was
a time for rejoicing in the Valley
of Kashmir.
As the Prime Minister had ex
plained, “Sheikh Abdullah had
played a notable part in the free
dom struggle and in the accession
of the State of Jammu and Kash
mir to the Indian Union.” In spite
of subsequent estrangement, in the
words of the Prime Minister
Sheikh Abdullah’s “commitment to
basic national ideas and objectives
had remained unchanged.”
PLEBISCITE IRRELEVANT
In fact he had reaffimed that
Kashmir's accession to the Indian
Union was “final and irrevocable.”
He also admitted that in the pre
sent context, the demand for ple
biscite was “irrelevant”.
Yet, politics being what it is, it
took 22 years to resolve the mat
ter with an eloquent gesture of
statesmanship on the part of both
the Prime Minister and Sheikh Ab
dullah,
SOCIALIST INDIA
Sheikh Abdullah and his emis
sary Mirza Afzal Beg, the Prime
Minister and her emissary, Shri G.
Parthasarathy (son of the late N.
Gopalaswamy Ayyanger, who had
so eloquently pleaded for India in
the Security Council about Kash
mir) had been for well over two
years in constant touch with one
another. Discussions and negotia
tions had been afoot without any
glare of publicity. The hurdles had
to be got over. There had to be
resilience from positions of stren
gth. There had to be give and take
on both sides. In the course of
these talks, Shri Swaran Singh,
Syed Mir Qasim and Shri P. N.
Dhar were also involved. And
they contributed much.
Democracy was at work. Talks
mean words being thrown about
like the ping-pong ball from court
to court. Persuasion had to be re
sorted to. Finally the ardous talks
had to come to a momentous close
and action had to be taken. The
breakthrough in verbiage had to
be effected. And it was done.
The Sheikh and Beg Sahib had
to be convinced that the clock can
not be put back. Nor can the wa
ters that had followed down
Jhelum and the Jammu go back
to the snowy mountains. The rea
lities had to be accepted.
At the same time the India Go
vernment too under the leadership
of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
had “to secure the active coopera
tion and involvement of all
mocratic, secular and progressive
forces in the country” — especi
ally in the sensitive area of Kash
mir. And who was the most ideal
man to effect this except the
Sheikh, who has lived a dedicated
life for the well-being of
people. For well over 40 years, he
had been in public life. But
he has been all through a secula
rist, a democrat and a socialist.
This above all, he has been the
“Sher-e-Kashmir”.
Jammu and Kashmir had to be
brought into the mainstream
national life in the true sense of
the word, since across the border,
the mercurial leaders of Pakistan
have always indulged in threats
and actual war. With arms from
China and the US at their beck
and call, Pakistan has been the
T * .
most incorrigible element in the
sub-continent.
Hence, the Sheikh, with his
charismatic personality and with
his following, became a must to
get the people of Jammu and
Kashmir involved in the grand
experiment launched by India 25
years ago. It was not merely the
question of minorities and Muslims.
It was a much larger question of
this state which had acceded to
India, after Independence under
dramatic circumstances being im
peded in its development by a
semi-colon. The full stop had to
be banged somewhere, sometime.
From then on it could take off.
Hence the State's Special Status
under Article 370 has been safe
guarded.
VISION OF NEHRU
The vision of Jawaharlal Nehru
had to be realised. The principles
and values for which Maqbool
Sherwani died as a martyr at Bara
mula had to enshrished. The
Jammu and Kashmir for which
Gulam Mohammed Sadiq worked
so much had to be ensured of a
grander way of life than before.
For ensuring all this, Sheikh Mo
hammad Abdullah had to be
the brought back into the mainstream.
It was a pity Mridula Sarabhai was
not alive to witness the dramatic
developments.
The Union has, of course, made
two minor concessions. Central le
gislation enacted for J and K after
1953 on such matters in the Con
current list as social welfare and
de cultural affairs may be amended by
the state legislature in the usual
manner. The Supreme Court's dis
cretion in certifying an appeal over
the objections of the local High
Court has been suspended.
Otherwise there is no wholesale
his repeal or even review of Central
laws extended to Jammu and Ka
shmir during the last two decad
es. When such review has been
conceded, the enforcement of the
amended statutes will depend on
the President's assent. Otherwise
the jurisdictions of the Supreme
Court and the Election Commis
of
sion have been left practically un
disturbed.
The Centre has still the power
to deal with secessionist and sub
versive elements as well as the
right to impose President's rule
if and when necessary.
MARCH 1, 1975
 A new chapter has been opened.
And, with the Sheikh Sab as the
Chief Minister of Jammu and Ka
shmir, a new era has just begun.
Much is expected. In spite of the
mischievous communal elements,
both Hindu and Muslim, he will
forge ahead and carry out the re
forms he had been patiently wait
ing to initiate all these years.
There is a very important les
PRESS REVIEW
ACCORD HAILED
The following is a sampler of
editorial comments on the Kash
mir Accord:
“Sheikh Abdullah's return to po
wer in Jammu and Kashmir marks
the end of an unhappy chapter in
the history of this sensitive state
and the beginning of a promising
new one. The accord between him
and Mrs. Gandhi is not only un
exceptionable but also perhaps the
best that could have been devised
under the circumstances. It is in
spired no doubt by the spirit of
give and take, indispensable in de
mocracy, but its overriding merit
is that while giving the Sheikh
enough to satisfy him, it does not
compromise the substance of the
existing constitutional relationship
between the Centre and Kashmir.”
–THE TIMES OF INDIA
“The return of Sheikh Abdullah
to office as the head of the gov
ernment in Jammu and Kashmir is
an epochal event in the history of
free India. The smoothness with
which the transition has taken
place is tribute to the resilience
and maturity of Indian democracy,
for it is only in a true democratic
set-up that even the most serious
differences can be harmonised and
reconciliations effected within the
framework of common loyalty to
the country.
—THE INDIAN EXPRESS
“It is some testimony to Sheikh
Abdullah's stature that in the
quest for an opportunity to serve
his people he has given up almost
all the demands with which he
SOCIALIST INDIA
son that the Opposition leaders can here and elsewhere probably they
learn out of the return of Sheikh cannot get over the hurdles. Still,
Abdullah. If he can forget and if they have the country's inter
forgive and if he does not have an ests at heart, they can still do so
rancour rankling in his heart, be by discussing all their problems
cause of larger interests of the with the Prime Minister and even
nation, then there is enough scope resolving them. Detente can cer
for our Opposition leaders to get tainly work here too. Unfortuna
their problems thrashed out. But, tely the Opposition leaders suffer
with their bloated egos and their from an inhibition against detente.
subservience to vested interests
started the negotiations with the history does not permit such exer
Prime Minister, now happily cli cises.”
maxed in a complete settlement.” –PATRIOT
—NATIONAL, HERALD
“What is , refreshing aobut “Mrs. Gandhi has displayed a
Sheikh Abdullah's letters to the maturity and courage which should
Prime Minister is his acceptance of give her strength to apply these
Jammu and Kashmir's total iden same gifts in other areas of na
tity with the Indian Nation State tional reform and endeavour. Al
together, the Kashmir accord is a
and the inspiring principles that
guide it. Though he inevitably rais fine acihevement—a sign of stren
ed the question, of going back to gth. Only those who are weak in
the ‘position of 1953', he was rea their own convictions of India's
list enough to agree with the Prime unity will distrust it.”
Minister when she insisted that -THE HINDUSTAN TIMES
TENDER NoTICE
Percentage rate tender for the works noted below are invited on
13.3.75 at 3 P.M. from the L. & C. Societies PWD Contractors on the
prescribed forms obtainable from the office of the undersigned on pay
ment of Rs 2|- (Rs. two only) per tender form. These will be opened
at the same time in the presence of contractors or their authorised agents
who would like to be present.
Sr. Name of Work Approxi Earnest Time
No. mate Money Limit
1. Construetion of an open founda
tion Bridge 5 spans of 10 ft.
each on Dhamian Choe, on
Hariana, Shamehurasi Road
K.M. 13. Rs. 1,00,000.- Rs. 2,000 - 3 Months
2. Constg. Remaining items in
I.T.I. Hoshiarpur. Rs. 1,25,000|- Rs. 2,500 - 7 Months
CONDITIONS:
1. Conditional Tenders Tenders without earnest money will not be
entertained.
2. Other details of N.I.T.[Drawings etc. can be seen in the office of the
undersigned on any working day during the office hours.
Sdl
(Jagir Singh)
Executive Engineer
Construction Division
PW.D. B&R Branch
Hoshiarpur.
MARCH 1, 1975
 DOCUMENT
THE KASHMIR ACCORD
PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT IN PARLIAMENT
ON JAMMU AND KASHMIR
The Prime Minister, Shrimati
Indira Gandhi, made the following
statement on Jammu and Kashmir
in both Houses of Parliament on
February 24, 1975:
In pursuance of Government's
policy to secure the active coopera
tion and involvement of all demo
cratic, secular and progressive
forces in the country it was consi
dered desirable to have a dialogue
with Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah.
Hon’ble Members are aware that
Sheikh Abdullah had played a sidered important that the Sup
notable part in the freedom strug
gle and in the accession of the
State of Jammu and Kashmir to
the Indian Union. He formed and
headed the Government of the
State for a number of years after
Independence. Despite the differ
ences which led to the subsequent
estrangement it seemed clear
from the public statements made
by Sheikh Abdullah as well as per
sonal talks with him that his com
mitment to basic national ideals
and objectives had remained un
changed. He reaffirmed that the
accession of the State to the
Indian Union was final and irrevo
cable. His main area of concern
was about the legal and constitu
tional changes made after August,
1953.
AGREED CONCLUSIONS
It was decided that Mirza Afzal
Beg whom Sheikh Abdullah named
for the purpose and Shri G. Par
thasarathi whom I entrusted with
the task should examine these
changes in depth and make annro
priate recommendations. After
extensive discussions they reach
ed agreement on various points
which are incorporated in the
Agree Conclusions, a conv of
which is placed on the Table of
SOCIALIST INDIA
the House. These conclusions
formed the subject matter of fur
ther discussions at a political level
in which Sheikh Abdullah, Syed
Mir Qasim, the Chief Minister of
the State, and Sardar Swaran
Singh participated. As a result of
these an understanding has been
reached as disclosed in the letters
exchanged between me and Sheikh
Abdullah, copies of which are plac
ed on the Table. I shall refer to
certain basic features of the
understanding.
The Agreed Conclusions have
been formulated within the frame
work of the Constitution of India.
The constitutional relationship be
tween the State of Jammu and
Kashmir and the Union will conti
nue as it has been and the exten
sion of further provisions of the
Constitution to the State will
continue to be governed by the
procedure preseribed in Article
370. There will be no weakening
of the ties which exist between the
Union of India and its constituent
units of which the State of Jammu
and Kashmir is one.
The existing jurisdiction of the
Centre to deal with activities
directed towards questioning, or
disrupting the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of India, or
bringing about cession or secession
of any part of the territory of
India from the Union, will also
continue. It has also been agreed
that any amendment of the Con
stitution of the State on certain
specified matters of importance
will not become effective unless the
assent of the President is obtain
ed. The Agreed Conclusions seek
to reassure the State that in case
the State Government comes up
with any proposal-to-change any
Central law made after 1953. on
matters in the Concurrent List
such as social welfare measures,
cultural matters, social security,
procedural laws and the like, the
grant of assent to the Bill will be
sympathetically considered.
SUPREME COURT
A proposal was made by Mirza
Afzal Beg that the jurisdiction of
the Supreme Court in relation to
the State should be curtailed.
This was not accepted as it is con
reme Court should continue to
have its original and appellate
jurisdiction to the matter of Writs,
appeals and other matters. How
ever, it was agreed by collateral
letters (Copies of which are plac
ed on the Table) that the provision
in Article 132(2) enabling the Sup
reme Court to grant special leave
on the refusal of a certificate by
the High Court need not apply to
the State. Action on this, will,
however, be taken only when the
State Government comes up with
a proposal in this behalf.
Hon'ble members will notice
that the question of nomenclature
of the Governor and the Chief
Minister could not be settled. This
is a matter which is provided for
in the State Constitution which at
present uses the expressions
“Governor” and “Chief Minister”.
A change in the nomenclature can
be made onlv by amendment of the
State Constitution by the State
J.eorislature. So far as the Chief
Minister is concerned. there
should he no ohioction to +ho adon
tion of the designation “Wazir-e-
Azam” in the State if the larrisla
#11 re of the State of Tammu and
Kashmir amend its Constitution
accordingly. Until this is done.
MARCH 1, 1975
 the present designation
continue.
Sheikh Abdullah was very an
xious that to start with, the con
stitutional relationship between
the State and the Centre should be
as it was in 1953 when he was in
power. It was explained to him
that the clock could not be put
back in this manner. Mirza Afzal
Beg pressed for the transfer of
provisions relating to Fundamen
tal Rights to the State Constitu
tion, the removal of the supervi
sion and control of the Election
Commission of India over elections
to the State Legislature,
the modification of Article 356
to require the State Government's
concurrence before imposing Presi
dent's Rule in the State. It
not found possible to agree to any
of these proposals. I must say to
the credit of Sheikh Abdullah that
despite his strong views on these
issues, he has accepted the Agreed
Conclusions.
Government
The State is
agreement with the understanding
reached and the approach in re
WEEKLY of the
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Address all correspondence to
The Circulation Manager
8OCIALIST INDIA
AICC Camp Office
5 Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road
New Delhi 110001
(Phones: 388521 and 886494).
$ºCIA-ºrº nºrA
would gard to political cooperation with with a view to further strengthen
Sheikh Sahib and his followers, as the bond between the State and
being in the interests of the State the Union. We have every confi
and the country. dence that he will make his own
Hon'ble members will have seen distinctive contribution to the task
the statement made by Mirza of strengthening the nation and
Afzal Beg on February 6, 1975 to sustaining its ideals.
the effect that in the changed cir
cumstances plebiscite has become The settlement that has been
irrelevant and that the name and entirely domestic
reached is an
objectives of the Plebiscite Front matter. It has been the endeavour
have to be changed accordingly. of Government to find satisfactory
We have been informed that this
solutions for political problems in
statement was endorsed at the re
a spirit of conciliation. The man
cent meeting of the Executive ner in which differences with
Committee of the Party and that Sheikh Abdullah have been re
and Mirza Afzal Beg has been entrust solved shows the vitality of the
ed with the task of calling a meet functioning of our democracy. It
ing of the General Body of the is my sincere hope that the agree
Front for taking the necessary ment will open a new era of under
was follow up action in this regard. standing and cooperation with
those in the State of Jammu and
POLITICAL COOPERATION
Kashmir who had not associated
As is disclosed in the letters ex themselves with the mainstream
changed, Sheikh Abdullah has of national life during the last two
stated in clear terms that the
decades. It will also amply de
future of Jammu and Kashmir lies
monstrate the identity of interests
with India and that as one who
and ideals of the people of the
in cherishes the ideals of democracy, State with those in the rest of
secularism and socialism, he has India and mark a milestone in the
come forward with his cooperation onward march of our nation.
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10 MARCH 1, 1975

SHEIKH
ABDULLAH'S
STATENTENT
text
The following is the
Sheikh Abdullah's
statement,
issued on Feb. 24.
The history of my life has been
an Open book. Ever Since 1931, 1
was involved in, and in Iact nad
the honour of leading, the suruggle
for bringing democratic rights to
the people of Jammu and Kashmir
and 1 also participated in
national movement for the coun
try's freedom. I have had the
privileges of being a comrade-in
arms of Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana
Azad, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,
Badshah Khan and a host of other
freedom fighters in those eventful
years. Our dedication to demo
cracy and secularism and a society
based on equality and social justice
bound us together. It was this
commitment to common ideals
which led us to choose to remain
with the Indian Union and I, as
their humble representative, en
dorsed the accession. Later as a
member of the Indian Constituent
Assembly I made my contribution
to the framing of the Indian Cons
titution and was one of
signatories.
NEHRU'S INITIATIVE
It was a sad day not only in my
personal history but in the history
of Jammu and Kashmir and the
history of India when, ignoring
all this, I was put behind bars. In
subsequent years I was subjected
to spells of internment and, along
with my followers, kept out of the
political life of the State and the
country. However, no amount of
personal suffering shook my faith
in my basic values and ideals and I
continued to serve the people in
such ways as I could, fighting the
forces of communalism and cham
pioning the cause of liberty,
equality and justice.
It was initially the late Pandit
Hawaharlal Nehru who initiated, a
process of dialogue. Unfortunately,
his death intervened. It was left
80CLALIST INDIA
to Nehru's daughter, Prime Minis
ter Indira Gandhi, to think of
pursuing the dualogue and of in
volving me once again and more
fully in the political life of the
State and the country. I told her
I was ready to make my contribu
tion. I explained to her that in
my view for me to be really effec
tive the status quo ante prevailing
of at the time when I was last in
office in 1953 should be restored.
On her part she explained the
many difficulties that would be
there in trying to put the clock
back and that one had realistically
to take note of all the develop
ments that had taken place in the
two decades that had since elapsed.
the However, we both agreed that
these problems should be examined
and discussed further to
whether a satisfactory basis could
be evolved in order to enable me
to extend my co-operation in the
fulfilment of our common values
and objectives.
POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS
Many of these issues were legal
and constitutional in character.
was decided that Shri G. Partha
sarathy and Mirza Mohammed
Afzal Beg should jointly explore
them. It has been a long and
difficult exercise. Both these
friends applied themselves to the
task with a rare sense of devotion
its and they arrived at certain con
clusions regarding what was fea
sible within the framework of legal
and constitutional possibilities.
Since then I have had further
discussions at the political level
with the Chief Minister of
State, Syed Mir Qasim, the Union
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
Minister, Shri Swaran Singh, and
the Prime Munister, Smt. Indura
Gandhi, herself. The result of this
dialogue is set out in the letters
exchanged between me and the
Prime Minister of India and the
agreed conclusions between Shri
Parthasarathy and Mirza Afzal
Beg to which they refer.
Basically what has been achiev
ed is a re-establishment of trust
and confidence born out of shared
ideals and common objectives of
the kind which was there all
through until 1953. Ultimately,
fundamental political relations rest
on trust and confidence. Legal
and constitutional arrangements
are but the instruments to give
expression to the basic unde,”
see standing. I have repeatedly made
it clear that I was not seeking
power. If that had been my ob
jective, I would have got it long
ago. However, since the basic trust
had been re-established, I could
no longer withhold my co-operation
in political life in whatever capa
city the people of the State and
the country wanted me to function.
It
As my colleague, Beg Sahib, has
stated already, in his capacity as
President of the Plebiscite Front,
the happy developments arising
out of this dialogue with the
Prime Minister and her colleagues
provide a changed context in which
plebiscite as a means to achieve
the goal of the party has been
rendered irrelevant. He has also
indicated that due processes will
be initiated in this regard. On my
own part, it will be my endeavour
to help regroup all secular and
the democratic forces in the State
regardless of their party labels.
MARCH 1, 1975

AGºvt ED COuvCLUSI unS
following is the text of
The
Agreed Conclusions between Mirza
Aizal Beg and Shri G. Partha
Saraunu, the emissaries of Sheikh
Apulullah and Shrimati Indira
Gandhi respectively.
1. The State of Jammu and
Kashmir, which is a constituent
unit of the Union of India, shall
in its relations with the Union,
continue to be governed by Article
370 of the Constitution of India.
2. The residency powers of legis
lation shall remain with the State;
however, Parliament will continue
to have power to make laws relat
ing to the prevention of activities
directed towards disclaiming, ques
tioning or disrupting the sovereign
ty and territorial integrity of India
or bringing about cession of a part
of the territory of India or sec
ession of a party of the territory
of India from the Union or caus
ing insult to the Indian National
Flag, the Indian National Anthem
and the Constitution.
3. VV uere any provision of the
Uvusuuuuon OL India nad been ap
pueu Lo Line Slaue of Jammu and
nasululr Willl auapua Lions and mo
uuicaudns, such adaptations and
Inouilcaudns can be altered or
repealed by an Order of the Pre
sluent under Article 370, each in
uv.uual proposal in this behalf
being considered on its merits; but
provisions of the Constitution of
India already applied to the State
without adaptation or modification
are unalterable.
4. With a view to assuring free
dom. to the State of Jammu and
Kashmir to have its own legisla
tion on matters like welfare mea
sures, cultural matters, social Se
curity, personal law, and proce
dural laws, in a manner suited to
the special conditions in the State,
it is agreed that the State Gov
ernment can review the laws made
by Parliament or extended to the
State after 1953 on any matter
relatable to the Concurrent List
and may decide which of them, in
its opinion, needs amendment or
repeal. Thereafter, appropriate
steps may be taken under Article
SOCIALIST INDIA
254 of the Constitution of India.
The grant of President's assent to
such legislation would be sympa
thetically considered. The same
approach would be adopted in re
gard to the laws to be made by
Parliament in future under the
Proviso to Clause 2 of that Arti
cle; the State Government shall
be consulted regarding the appli
cation of any such law to the State
and the views of the State Gov
ernment shall receive the fullest
consideration.
5. As an arrangement reciprocal
to what has been provided under
Article 368, a suitable modifica
tion of that Article as applied to
the State should be made by Presi
dential Order to the effect that
no law made by the Legislature
of the State of Jammu and Kash
mir, seeking to make any change
in or in the effect of any provi
sion of the Constitution of the
State of Jammu and Kashmir re
lating to any of the undermen
tioned matters shall take effect
unless the Bill, having been reser
ved for the consideration of the
President receives his assent; the
matters are:
CENTRAL LAWS
APPLICABLE TO
J AND K
Central laws enacted by Parlia
ment and applicable to Jammu and
Kashmir in the Concurrent List
are mainly laws relating to labour
welfare, professional and such
matters.
Among other Central laws ap
plicable to the State is the Act
relating to essential commodities.
Legislations adopted by Parlia
ment and extended to Jammu and
Kashmir include Official Trusts
Act, Trade Unions Act, Industrial
Disputes Act, Payment of Bonus
Act, Employees State Insurance
Act, Employment Exchange (Com
pulsory Notification) Act, Provi
dent Fund Act, Workmen's Com
pensation Act, Payment of Wages
Act, Employment of Children Act,
Industrial Employment (Standing
Orders) Act, Coal Mines Labour
13
For “CORRESPONDENCE
ON KASHMIR” please
turn to Page 83
a. The appointment, powers,
functions, duties, privileges
and immunities of the Gov
ernor; and
b. The following matters rela
ting to Elections, namely,
the superintendence, direc
tion and control of Elec
tions by the Election Com
mission of India, eligibility
for inclusion in the electo
ral rolls without discrimi
nation, adult suffrage, and
composition of the Legisla
tive Council, being matters
speifcied in Sections 138,
139, 140 and 50 of the Con
stitution of the State of
Jammu and Kashmir.
6. No agreement was possible on
the question of nomenclature of
the Governor and the Chief Minis
ter and the matter is therefore
remitted to the Principals.
MIRZA MAHAMMED AFZAL
BEG
G. PARTHASARTHI
New Delhi,
Dated: November 13, 1974.
Act, Minimum Wages Act, Coal
Mines Provident Fund Act, Work
ing Journalists Act, Motor Trans
port Workers Act, Maternity Be
nefits Act, Contract Labour Act
and Factories Act.
The professional laws applicable
to the State are Chartered Ac
countants Act, Notaries Act, Costs
and Works Accountants Act, Indian
Medical Council Act, Diplomatic
and Consular Officers (Oaths and
Declarations) Act, Drugs and Cos:
metic Act, Architects Act, Dentist
Act, Registration of Births and
Deaths Act.
The other Central laws exten:
ded to the State include Essential
Commodities Act and Road Trans"
port Corporation Act.
_*
Cº IT KERALA OR KASHM18
ASSAM OR GUIARAf
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
MARCH 1, 1915

RSS On Warpath
Due To Panic
The following is an IPA report
from Lucknow about a recent
press conference of Shri Balasaheb
Deoras, the RSS chief at Luck
now.
There has been a flurry of
activity among the RSS leadership
which has suddenly been gripped
by panicky reports that a ban on
the organisation was being con
templated by the Union Govern
ment. According to RSS
Sarsanghchalak, Shri Balasaheb
Deoras, it all started with a news
item in a New Delhi English daily
about the possibility of a ban on
RSS. The fact, however, was that
the panic was touched off by an
“authentic report” conveyed by
Jana Sangh leader Shri Atal
Behari Vajpayee when he rushed
from Delhi to Lucknow to inform
the RSS leader about the possibi
lity of a ban on RSS.
Because of some reason best
known to the RSS leadership, it
was not prepared to state that
the report about the possible ban
was conveyed by Shri Vajpayee.
However, the talks that the Jana
Sangh leader had with Shri
Deoras on the morning of Feb
ruary 1 brought about a noticeable
change in the attitude of the RSS
leadership. They removed the
curtain of secrecy which usually
shrouds their work, and came out
in the open to denounce the Con
gress leadership and the “Com
munists”.
Shri Balasaheb Deoras has been
going round the country address
ing and inspecting RSS rallies for
the last several months. He had
started his tour from South India,
then came to Bihar and toured
eastern U.P. Till he reached
Lucknow, his tour remained un
publicised according to the usual
RSS practice. There was however
advance publicity of his visit to
Lucknow.
5001ALIST rºſpla
On February 1, after he had parties, including the Congress, by
talks with Shri Vajpayee, a press its views on various problems.
conference was hurriedly called.
It was at this press conference When a friendly pressman in
that the RSS leader burst out sisted that the activities of the
against those who were criticising RSS were confined to non-political
the business community and the matters, Balasaheb Deoras said:
bureaucracy for the present eco “It is disputable what constitutes
nomic ills, held the Congress politics and what does not. Poli
leadership responsible for all the tics and socio-cultural activities
evils and the CPI for misguiding react on each other. Even cultural
and confusing the Congress lea and religious matters have politº.
dership. cal significance”.
It was also at this press confe Shri Deoras clarified at the RSS
rence that he issued the warning rally that for over 2,000 years the
to the Government that the RSS “cultural empire” of Hindus was
was “strong enough” to defeat
spread from Egypt to Japan and
any move for ban on the organi the day the Hindus realise their
sation by the Government of
greatness the weaknesses of India
India. “The RSS will not take it would vanish. The RSS was try
lying down”, he added. ing to inculcate this realisation
among the Hindus “who are the
WRITTEN STATEMENT real life of the country and who
are the inheritors of India's great
How angry Shri Balasaheb culutral heritage”.
Deoras was over the reports of
the ban on RSS was revealed in As for the future orientation of
the RSS, Mr. Deoras extended his
the very first sentence of his
written statement. “It is difficult full support to the movement
to believe that such a wrong step launched by Shri Jayaprakash
could be under contemplation Narayan, although he also assert
unless the Government has lost ed that the RSS was not behind
its balance”, it said. the movement. He, however, said
that individual RSS men “in their
It added: “Probably under the capacity as citizens of this coun
influence of CPI and its lobby in try”, were with the movement.
the Congress, the Government The success of the Bihar move
intends to subvert democracy, ment, according to him, was due
assume dictatorial powers and to genuine grievances of the
establish one party rule in the people and the popularity of Shri
country. The move to ban the RSS Jayaprakash Narayan. “Jaya
would be first step in this direc prakash Narayan has brought a
tion.” new awakening and a new
consciousness to the people. It is
However, what he refrained from a movement for the good of the
saying in the written statement people and the country”, he added.
he said in the reply to the ques
tions of pressmen and later at the INVOLVEMENT WITH JP
RSS rally.
At the RSS rally, Shri Deoras
At the press conference Shri enlarged on the RSS political
Balasaheb Deoras removed the ideological outlook. He launched
long standing misunderstanding his maior attack on the Congress
that the RSS had no interest in leadership. And while expressing
politics and its interests were his concern at the economic and
confined to purely socio-cultural moral conditions of the country,
and religious matters of Hindus. the RSS leader said that the
Replying to a question he said ruling partv and its leaders were
that the RSS was a non-political trying to shift the blame for the
organisation only to the extent present situation on businessmen
that it did not participate in the and the bureaucracy. But the
elections and did not seek power leaders of the ruling nartv were
for itself. But it definitely sought the men who had forced business
to influence the country's politics men to indulge in unethical prac
with its ideology and the political up the loss by other means”, he
MARCH 1, 1975
tices by forcing them to donate
handsomely to the funds of the
ruling party. “They had to make
said apparently justifying the un
ethical actions of the traders and
businessmen. The bureaucracy, he
said, was honest when the British
rulers were here, but became
dishonest after ruling party
started “misusing them in every
way”. It was because of all these
acts of ommission and commission
of the ruling party that there was
lack of political morality in this
country.
The situation, according to him,
had become more complicated
because of the infiltration of the
Communists in the Congress as
they were now in a position to
influence the Congress and had
succeeded in their designs to some
extent. Many Congressmen were
now talking in their terms. They
had become an “evil influence” On
the Congress, Mr. Deoras claimed.
NIZAMABAD
DISTRICT CAMP
The following is an abridged
version of the report on Nizamabad
(A.P.) DCC level training camp
sent by the Andhra Pradesh Con
gress Committee General Secre
tary, Shri T. Hayagrivachari, to
the Congress President:
The Nizamabad District Con
gress Training Camp was held on
the February 8 and 9, 1975 at
Nizam Sagar. Out of the 175 in
vitees, 146 attended. They includ
ed, among others APCC President,
Veeramachaneni Venkatanarayana,
Chief Minister J. Vengalarao, Par
liamentary Congress Party Deputy
Leader V. B. Raju, Revenue Minis
ter P. Narasa Reddy, Power Minis
ter G. Rajaram, Social Welfare
Minister Bhattam Srirama Murthy,
APCC General Secretaries T. Hay
agrivachari and Pragada Kotaiah,
Organising Secretary T. Venkatra
mayya and Agro-industries Corpo
ration Chairman M. Naravana Red
dy. Shri Madhavarao Deshpande,
DCC President, presided.
At the outset on February 8, at
8-30 a.m. Shri Veeramachanani
Venkatanarayana hoisted the Con
gress flag and inaugurated the
SOCIALIST INDIA
JANA sangH REvises
ITS OPTIONS
The re-election of Shri. L. K.’
Advani as the Jana Sangh Presi
dent for the third term was
guided by the revised options that
the party set before itself, accord
ing to knowledgeable party
SOurces.
Rajmata Vijaye Raje Scindia, it
is pointed out, would have been
a misfit in view of the “total
revolution” posture of the party
which it has adopted in confor
mity with the movement led by
Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, these
sources said.
Out of the two candidates, Shri
Advani and Shrimati Scindia, the
latter asked to be spared the
responsibility for presidentship on
grounds of ill-health, leaving the
door open for Shri Advani to get
elected “unanimously”. With this,
the Jana Sangh has again main
tained its record of having yet
camp. In his address he narrated
the history of the Congress, the
values it nourished and the role it
is playing now in regard to deve
lopment and progress in the coun
try. He stressed the need for all
to rise upto the values cherished
by the Congress in the past and
to do justice to the great trust
imposed by the people on the Con
gress. -
Briefing the participants about
the Narora Central and Nagarjuna
Sagar State level training camps,
he said that the basic training in
the theory and practice of the
Party, in regard to the problems
facing the country and the efforts
to solve them is very much neces
sary for the effective and success
ful functioning of the Party.
The Chief Minister Shri J. Ven
galarao, in a brief but effective
speech, congratulated the DCC for
holding in a befitting way the first
District training camp in the State.
The Chief Minister spoke about
various developmental and prog
ressive measures undertaken by
the State Government in Nizama
bad District and outside, particu
larly in the fields of agricultural
and industrial development and in
regard to the upliftment of weaker
sections in the society. He stress
14
another president elected without
a contest.
The change in the choice of the
Rajmata whose name had almost
been endorsed by all those who
mattered in taking such decisions
in the hierarchy was also advo
cated by those who believed that
the party could steal the limelight
both inside the JP camp and
outside it only if it could adopt a
“radical posture”. Smt. Scindia
at the head of the party, in this
context, was considered a negation.
• Meanwhile, the party was also
called upon to review the situation
after it was apprehended that the
Bharatiya Lok Dal was depending
heavily on the Rajmata for build
ing a “national alternative” of its
own conception. The willing with:
drawal from the scene by Smt.
Scindia thus helped to overcome
an inconvenient situation for not
only Smt. Scindia but also the
Jana Sangh leaders.
ed the need for undertaking indus
trialisation in the State, particu
larly in the backward areas. He
said that the State Government
was determined to implement effec
tively the land reforms in the
State.
Shri V. B. Raju spoke about the
political, economic and social situ
ation in the country and about
nine disturbing trends in the body
politic as identified at the Sagar
camp. He stressed the need for
unity in the Party and said the
action-oriented approach was ne
cessary to tackle the day to day
problems.
Many speakers complained about
the indifferent and non-cooperative
role of the administration in regard
to people's grievances.
At the end the camp gave a slo
gan of “Political unity and econo
mic action” for Congress workers.
It stressed the need to organise
the rural poor and suggested their
organisation under one banner. It
felt that the Party should organise
itself more effectively and be a
prime mover in decision taking and
guiding the Government. It dir
ected the Party to see that the
bureaucracy, was moulded into a
positive and conducive institution
for economic and social change.
MARCH 1, 1975.

REPORT -
--- –2
Central Training
Camp At Shillong
The AICC Central Training
Camp for North-East Region was
held at Shillong from February 6
to 8, 1975. The Camp was meant
for delegates from Manipur, Me
ghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura Aruna
chal. The group from Nagaland
representing the Nagaland Natio
nalist Organisation headed by its
President Shri P. Demo, attended
the Camp as observers.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Cong
ress Committee played host to the
campers. The attendance (total
173) in the camp was as under:
Manipur 43; Meghalaya 74 Tri
pura 18: Mizoram 18; Arunachal
6; and Nagaland 14.
The AICC General Secretary,
Smt. Purabi Mukherjee was pre
sent in the Camp throughout and
participated in the debates. The
other General Secretary, Shri P.
V. Narasimha Rao, who inaugurat
ed the Camp was present on two
days on February 6 and 7. Other
leaders who visited the Camp and
addressed the Campers, were:
1. Shri Lalit Kumar Dóley, Pre
sident, Assam PCC;
2. Dr. Shankar Ghose, Finance
Minister, West Bengal;
3. Shri Bipinpal Das, Deputy
Minister, External Affairs;
4. Dr. Y. S. Parmar, Chief Mi
nister, Himachal Pradesh;
5. Kumari Amala Seren, Deputy
Minister, Education, West Bengal;
6. Smt. Margaret Alva, M.P.;
7. Shri Harshdeo Malaviya, M.P.;
8. Shri N. C. Parashar, M.P.: and
9. Smt. Syeda Anwara Temur,
Minister, Assam.
The background papers which
were discussed at the Central
Training Camp, Narora in Novem
ber last, were the basic documents
for discussion at Shillong Camp
also. In addition to these papers,
the following papers were placed
before the campers:
SOCIALIST INDIA
a. A document on political situa
tion.
b. Paper on Problems of Hill
Areas by: i. Prof. N. Tombi Singh,
M.P. and ii. Shri Rishang Keish
ing, Finance Minister, Manipur.
Condolence resolutions were pas
sed at the Camp on the death of
the following Congress leaders: 1.
Shri L. N. Mishra; 2. Shri Omeo
Kumar Das, Assam; and 3. Shri
Nishikanta Sarkar, Tripura.
The programme started with a
oclourful ceremony of flag-hoist
ing by Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao.
A NOVEL FEATURE
A novel feature of the Camp
was that it was presided over by
Presidents of different PCCs of
the North-Eastern Region by ro
tation. Smt. Purabi Mukherjee took
the Chair when the proceedings of
the Camp started. At the outset,
Shri J. E. Tariang, President, Me
ghalaya PCC, welcomed the leaders
and the campers.
Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, in
his inaugural address, called upon
all Congressmen to dedicate them
selves with redoubled determina
tion to fulfil the promises made to
the people. He pointed out that
the States in the North-East Re
gion, being sentinnel States of
India, required utmost importance
in their economic development and
to provide all amenities to enable
them to participate in the main
stream of national life. Shri Rao
drew the attention of Congress
men to the dangers posed to de
mocracy in the country and called
upon them to defeat the evil de
signs of anti-democratic and anti
national forces. -
Smt. Purabi Mukherjee, in her
Presidential address, pointed out
that the training camp was orga
nised to fulfil the provisions of the
Congress Constitution for training
of Active Members. She said that
the problems of North-East Region
would he studied by the AICC Ge
neral Secretaries through discus
sions with the leaders of different
States of the Region in Order to
find proper solutions.
Shri Shankar Ghose presented
the document on “Political Situa
tion”. While initiating discussion
on this topic, he spoke at length
15
on the history of the Indian Na
tional Congress and its socialist
heritage. He said the Congress
was the greatest unifying force in
the country. He pointed out that
it was well before independence
that the Congress had initiated
the programme of planning on so
cialist lines since its leaders were
well aware that political indepen
dence without the development of
economy in planned manner would
have no meaning.
a. At this critical economic junc
ture in the country and looking
at the hardships of the people,
the Opposition, spearheaded by
Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, is try
ing to destroy democratic institu
tions to create political and eco
nomic chaos and to lead the coun
try to anarchy. Our people have
infinite faith in their democratic
institutions and they have boldly
withstood many calamities with
courage and fortitude.
NAKED DICTATORSHIP
b. The Congress is fully aware
that the so-called “people's candi
dates” are nothing but an attempt
by Shri Jayaprakash Narayan to
revive grand alliance of those very
forces rejected by the people.
c. It is hardly surprising that
in the name of fighting corrup
tion, all the communal and ob
scurantist elements as well as the
vested interests, have extended
their support to the demand of
dissolution of Assemblies. RSS
and Anand Marg, which are the
driving forces behind this agita
tion, have scen in it an opportu
nity to establish naked dictator
ship of the propertied classes in
which left adventurists like the
CPI-M are also conniving.
d. This Training Camp calls
upon all the Congress workers,
students and sympathisers to ac
cept and meet the challenge of
anti-democratic forces of violence
with courage and determination.
This Camp also resolves to pre
serve at all costs the unity, soli
darity and integrity of the sove
reign country of ours. It calls unon
all those persons and grouns who
are still trving to pursue a wrong
path of insurgency and violence
and demonstrating a separatist
MARCH 1, 1975
mentality to shun that path and
accept the peaceful, democratic
and constitutional way of life. This
Camp 1eels that all the solution
of hili problems, problems of the
vallyes and problems of maintain
ing the ethnic, linguistic and cul
tural identity and achieving all
round development of the North
Eastern Region lie in the Constitu
tion of India.
This Camp is convinced that
only through national and emo
tional integration these areas of
the North-Eastern Region can
prosper and achieve the cherished
goal of ushering in socialism
through democratic means.
The morning session February
7, started with Shri Lal Thanha
wla, President, Mizoram PCC in
the Chair.
Shri Shankar Ghose replied to
the questions posed during the
course of discussion on economic
paper and deliberations on the
subject were closed.
The paper on the problems of
hill areas was placed before the
campers by Shri Rishang Keishing
who explained therein its salient
points.
Smt. Purabi Mukherjee reques
ted the leaders of the participant
States to send to the AICC a re
Sume of their State problems so
that it could be placed before the
Government authorities at the
Centre and also published in the
form of booklet by the AICC.
Smt. Margaret Alva and Shri
H. D. Malaviya, MPs then addres
sed the campers.
In the afternoon Shri Bipinpal
Das adressed the campers and ex
plained the foreign policy of Non
alingment pursued by the Govern
ment of India.
After the afternoon session of
the Camp, the campers were trea
ted to a cultural programme in
which cultural troupes from all
the States of the region partici
pated. Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao
and Dr. Y. S. Parmar thanked the
Conveners and participants in the
programme for their excellent per
formance. They stressed necessity
of promoting and preserving the
cultural heritage of the country
and assured that the Congress
would do its utmost at the Central
level to encourage the same.
appreciation, Smt. Purabi Mukher
jee alinóuñced a reward of Rs.
2,000 to the boys and girls who
participated in the cultural prug
Irannine.
The morning session February 8,
started with Shri Manmohan Leb
Barman, President, Tripura PCC,
in the Chair. Dr. Y. S. Parmar,
Chief Minister, Himachal Pradesh,
addressed the campers and spoke
on the problems of hill areas. Shri
N. C. Parashar, MP from Himachal
Pradesh laid stress on the need for
participation of Congressmen in
the implementation of Congress
programmes. Shri Bochuaka (Mi
zoram), Shri Selkai (Manipur),
Shri Prem Khandu (Arunachal),
Shri S. I. Shome (Tripura),
Shri Mohan Singh (Meghalaya)
and Shri P. Demo, President, Na
galand National Organisation, Na
galand, also addressed the campers
highlighting the hill problems in
general, and of the respective Sta.
tes, in particular.
Smt. Mukherjee, in her conclud
ing remarks, assured all help to
the States in the North-East Re
gion and called upon Congressmen
In to strengthen the organisation
from the grass-roots level.

CAMPAIGN FOR ASSISTING ENTREPRENEURS

At Morinda. On 1415.3.1975.
The Department of Industries, Punjab has launched a programme
under which camps are being organised at various places particularly in
the industrially backward areas to provide assistance to entrepreneurs
on the spot. One such camp was earlier organised at Anandpur Sahib
during the last month and now the campaign is being organised at
Morinda on 1415.3.1975. The venue of the campaign will be opposite
the factory of Raja Ram & Sons on main Road. During the campaign
necessary technical guidance and other relevant information would be
given to the entrepreneurs regarding various formalities involved in setting
up industries. Application forms for registration, allotment of plots sheds
were available, financial assistance etc. shall be got filled and received
on the spot.
Special facilities, being granted to the educated unemployed
persons, war widows, ex-servicemen under the Employment Promotion
Programme, would also be explained and necessary formalities would also
be got completed on the spot.
Apart from the assistance of the Expert of the Industries Depart
ment the services of the expert Officers of SISI Ludhiana, Banks and
Corporations such as Punjab Financial Corporation, Punjab State Small
Industries Corporations etc. would also be available.
All interested are requested to participate.
HARDIAL SINGH, I.A.S.
Director of Industries, Punjab.

PRD-751274-88

SOCIALIST INDIA 16 MARCH 1, 1975


PARTY INEVAVS
r
SHILLONG CAMP
The three-day Central Training
Camp for Congressmen of the
North-East Region ended on Feb
ruary 8 at Shillong with a call to
all “those persons and groups who
are still trying to pursue a wrong
path of insurgency and violence
and who are demonstrating a se
paratist mentality to shun that
path and accept the peaceful, de
mocratic and constitutional way of
life.”
Apart from the four background
papers, as distributed at the
Narora Camp in November last
year, the Shillong Camp also dis
cussed a document on political
situation which called upon the
“campers” to face unitedly the cur
rent agitation launched by Oppo
sition parties led by Shri Jaya
prakash Narayan.
Though a host of issues came
in for discussion at the camp, the
success of the camp was recorded
when the respective delegations
spoke about the problems of their
State or Union Territory. Prof.
Tombi Singh, MP and Shri Reish
ing Kishang, Finance Minister of
Manipur read at the camp two
scholarly papers on the problems
of the hill areas (Prof. Tombi
Singh's paper is reported else
where in this issue).
The delegation from Mizoram
pointed out that the Mizoram Pra
desh Congress Committee should
be permitted to initiate talks for
the political solution of the Mizo
problem since a Government ini
itative was not possible, more so
after the recent happenings (in
volving the assassination of three
top police officials). The Mizoram
delegates' argument was that the
door should not be shut, and that
at least the “party window” should
be kept open to encourage peace
talks when feasible.
. Those who attended the camp
included the AICC General Sec
retary, Smt. Purabi Mukherjee and
the Chief Minister of Himachal
Pradesh, Dr. Y. S. Parmar, The
80CIALIST INDIA
Nagaland Nationalist Organisa
tion delegation attended the camp
as observers.
SITAPUR CAMP
The three-day camp for Cong
ressmen organised by the Sitapur
District Congress Committee con
cluded its deliberations on Febru
ary 14 at Sitapur with a mass
rally later. Answering questions
from the participants at the con
cluding session, the Union Minis
ter of State for Steel and Mines,
Shri Chandrajit Yadav, said that
the Congress Party took note of
the pleas of some of its members
for a dialogue with Shri Jayapra
kash Narayan, whose movement
the Party had come to assess at
its Narora Camp as “reactionary
and anti-democracy.”
Earlier, addressing the camp,
the Union Deputy Minister for
Labour, Shri Bal Govind Verma,
asked for tackling problems of
backward classes in a different
and distinct manner from the one
being followed in the case of Hari
jans. He said that the problems
of the backward people were dif
ferent from those of the Harijans.
Much had been done to resolve the
difficulties of the Harijans, speci
ally during the Chief Ministership
of Shri Bahuguna. The problem
of backward classes, he pointed
out, was economic while that of
the Harijans was more related to
social side.
Shri R. K. Sinha, MP, warned
the Congressmen of “Trojan
horses” of Shri Jayaprakash Nara
yan within the Congress and want
ed them to be on their guard
against such elements. Those, who
had joined the Congress during
past 20 years, must look to the
Party, its leader, Smt. Indira
Gandhi and the Central leader
ship for their guidance.
Shri Sinha said JP's movement
had created a vicious atmosphere
which was responsible for the mur
der of Shri L. N. Mishra, yet the
“self-styled Lok Nayak” believed
that his movement was more non
violent than that of Gandhi.
Those who addressed the camp
also included the Chief Minister,
Shri H. N. Bahuguna, Shri Triloki
Singh, MP, Shri Jagdish Dikshit,
17
MP and Shri Harihar Narain
Chaube, President, Lalitpur Dis
trict Congress Committee.
KERALA PROCESSION
An estimated one lakh persons
took part in the huge procession
which the Congress Party took
out on February 16 through the
main roads of Cochin as part of
the Party's “anti-Jayaprakash
Narayan and Save Democracy
campaign.” The Congress Presi
dent, Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, led
the procession. Accompanying him
in a decorated jeep was Shri A. K.
Antony, President of the Kerala
Pradesh Congress Committee.
They were followed on foot by
the Congress Ministers and other
Party leaders.
Later addressing a public meet
ing, Shri Borooah said the Cong
ress and the millions of people
behind it would prove that demo
cracy could not be destroyed. On
the other hand, they would pre
serve democracy and establish
democratic socialism by giving a
fitting rebuff to JP and the “anti
national” forces behind him.
Shri Borooah said the Congress
under the leadership of Smt.
Indira Gandhi was trying to estab
lish genuine socialism. The Cong
ress alone could do this. He said
the CPI-M, both in Kerala and
West Bengal, tried to introduce
socialism through non-democratic
methods of violence and terror.
People had revolted against this in
West Bengal with the result that
the CPI-M had been completely
wiped out of the State.
READ
SOG|LIST
|NDIA
REGULARLY
MARCH 1, 1975
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RoCIALIST INDIA 18 MARCH 1, 1975

-

I. Y. C. STATE
CANAPS
PANCHANAN KANUNGO
The Indian Youth Congress has
started organising camps in differ
ent states. The idea was inspired
by the Narora Camp organised by
Indian National Congress. The
idea materialised in the last week
of December at Faridabad in Har
yana, where three-day national lea
dership training camp was organi
sed by Indian. Youth Congress and
National Students Union of India
jointly. Some state-level camps
have been organised and others
are yet to be held. The state camps
followed by district camps are sup
posed to spread the Faridabad
camp spirit—to regenerate the
sense of fellow feeling and brother
hood among the members of Youth
Congress and to train them to
work for the transformation of
our poverty-ridden and tradition
LATEST AICC PUBLICATIONS
Narora Training Camp Booklets
Booklet
Booklet
Booklet
Booklet
Postage Extra
Kindly place your orders with :
(Hindi version of the above booklets also available)
SOCIALIST INDIA
bound society to a classless, caste
less society.
According to reports received, so
far, the Rajasthan Youth Cong
ress had organised the camp at
Rajsmund, Udaipur, from Janu
ary 28 to 30. The camp was inau
gurated by Shri Chandrajit Yadav,
Minister for State for Steel and
Mines and addressed by Shri Tulsi
das Dasappa, MP, Sri Priya Ran
jan Das Munshi, MP, (President,
Indian Youth Congress), Shri H.
D. Malviya, MP, Shri R. K. Mishra
and Shri Narsimha Rao, General
Secretary, A.I.C.C.
The Gujrat State Youth Cong
ress camp held at Dhinaja from
Feb. 1 to 3 was inaugurated by
Shri P. R. Das Munshi, MP and ad
dressed by Sarvashri H. D. Mala
viya and R. K. Mishra.
The Bombay camp (Feb. 7 to 9)
was also inaugurated by Shri P. R.
Das Munshi, MP, Central Ministers
Sarvashri Raghunatha Reddy and
B. P. Maurya and Shri H. D. Mala
viya, MP were the guest speakers
at this camp. :
The North Zone camp which
was held at Rajpura of Punjab
Number 1. Present Political Situation
Number 2. The Economic Outlook
Number 3. Organisation of Rural Poor
Number 4. Public Distribution System
Indira Gandhi-Prime Minister
—by Purabi Mukherjee 00.25
The Publications Department,
All India Congress Committee,
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
NEW DELHI.
from Feb. 9 to 11. Shri P. R. Das
Munshi, MP inaugurated this
camp.
The 3-day Delhi camp which
ended on Feb. 12 was also inaugu
rated by Shri P. R. Das Munshi.
Shri Priya Ranjan Das Munshi
emphasised at these camps that
Youth Congress with its millions
of trained soldiers had come for
ward to fight all sort of exploita
tion and corruption in society in
spite of all odds posed before it by
the forces of reaction. He
also told his Youth Congress
friends to go into the villages with
the positive aim to wash away the
age-old socio-cultural taboos like
untouchability, dowry etc. He said
that the best way to counter the
J.P. movement was to expose the
dangers posed by the evil forces
like capitalists, monopoly presses,
corrupt and rejected politicians,
left extremists.
Among other things, the trainees
were treated with lectures on the
history of Congress Party, the pre
sent economic crisis, the present
political situation by the various
speakers.
Prioe
00.25
1.00
00.50
00.25
MARCH 1, 1975
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Indo-EEC Trade
Seminar
N. K. PANDE
The Generalised Scheme of Pre
ferences (GSP) for 1975, export
opportunities for some select pro
duct groups in the European Eco
nomic Community market and the
difficulties faced in the GSP quota
utilisation were among the sub
jects discussed at a two-day semi
nar on Indo-EEC trade under GSP
in New Delhi on February 4
and 5.
Under the GSP, the EEC allows
imports of manufactured and
semi-finished goods from deve
loping countries, including India.
The Scheme has been in operation
since January 1, 1971, and governs
India's exports to the EEC. The
Scheme for 1975 has many new
improvements like reduction in the
number of sensitive products from
51 items to 16 items; establish
ment of a Community reserve for
some sensitive products continua
tion of duty-free treatment in Bri
tain and Denmark for some of
India's traditional products and
reduction in GSP rates of duty on
several products of interest to
India.
The seminar was first of a
series arranged with the active
cooperation of the EEC to assist
Indian exporters to make better
use of the GSP. It was co-spon
sored by the Indian Institute of
Foreign Trade and the Trade
Policy Division of the Ministry of
Commerce. Similar seminars have
since been held in Bombay and
Tamil Nadu. The last in the series
is currently being held in Calcutta.
EXPERT TEAM
An EEC expert team, led by
Dr. P. Cecchini, Director in the
Directorate-General of External
Relations of the European Com
munity, is participating in these
Seminars. At the Delhi seminar,
select product groups like engi
neering products, handlooms and
handicrafts were discussed while
SOCIALIST INDIA
at Bombay a productwise exami
nation of the trade possibilities of
product groups like textiles under
the GSP scheme was done.
CHANGES SOUGHT
India asked the EEC to consider
introducing the GSP for two or
three years at a time instead of
extending it every year. Shri S.
G. Bose-Mullick, Secretary for ex
port production in the Commerce
Ministry, also called for the sim
plification of administrative and
custom procedures and to do away
with sub-ceilings on as many items
as possible.
The EEC is the biggest trading
partner of India. Yet India's share
is less than one per cent in the
global trade of the Community.
Shri Bose-Mullick said that India
wanted a liberalised GSP because
it wanted to increase trade with
the Community.
Shri Raunaq Singh, President of
the Federation of Indian Export
Organisations and Chairman of
the GSP Task Force set up by the
Government, elaborated on the
need for further improvements in
the GSP. He said lack of infor
mation on quota utilisation is a
great handicap for the exporting
community.
The leader of the EEC team
explained the GSP system and its
future evolution. He conceded that
the growth of trade between deve
loping countries and the commu
nity was slow. However, he em
phasised this growth had been
still less without GSP. Referring
to India he said GSP alone cannot
solve all the problems faced by
India. That is why a Commercial
Cooperation Agreement was signed
between India and the EEC in
December, 1973, which opened up
prospects for economic cooperation
agreements resulting in the in
creased trade between India and
the EEC.
Regarding the plea for further
improvements in quotas for India
Shri Singh said some of the exist
ing quotas were not fully utilised.
For example, India utilised only
50 per cent of the concessions
offered for tobacco. Full utilisa
tion of quotas could substantially
increase the trade.
Mr. A. Pitrone, a member of the
21
EEC delegation said that because
of various technical, legal and
other reasons GSP was made valid
for one year only. About quotas
it was explained that the expor
ters should send their goods in
such a way that they should reach
EEC ports during January or
February.
Shri K. K. Jhalani, Vice-presi
dent of the Engineering Export
Promotion Council, suggested the
waiving of the validity period of
the Certificate of Origin. He also
spoke about the EEPC plans for
setting up a warehouse in Rotter
dam.
Shri B. Ramadorai, General
Manager of the Handlooms and
Handicrafts Export Corporation,
stressed the need for a totally
new approach regarding the im
port of oriental carpets by the
EEC. He submitted that the car
pet industry of traditional sup
pliers like Iran, Turkey and
Afghanistan was sharply declining
and India and some other countries
of the Asian region were the only
suppliers now. Indian quota for
carpets was very low, he added.
Speaking to the newsmen at the
end of the Delhi seminar Dr.
Cecchini indicated that the GSP
may continue beyond the agreed
period of ten years. Though there
is nothing in writing to the effect
but the indications are that the
scheme will be a permanent fea
ture.
ORIENTAL CARPETS
Dr. Cecchini welcomed the In
dian suggestion for the introduc
tion of GSP for a longer period
and said it required to be exami
ned. Perhaps this question could
be raised next year at UNCTAD.
However he personally felt that
extending the period may not be
of any help because in certain
cases the quotas were in value
terms. Which meant that lesser
benefits than what is intended
will flow due to inflation. He said
there was no reason to fear that
tariff concessions given under the
GSP could be withdrawn any
moment.
Dr. Cecchini said a stage had
been reached in the
member
State of EEC when some of
Continued on Page 82
MARCH 1, 1975
 Bill JDM IBASDIS Wily (AIIlālāſa is
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Rich natural resouces.mineral. A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

positive approach towards -

industrial development of the State,

A well developed infrastructure
including a string of financial &
development agencies like
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB.
\!!!
on project reports, supply of land,
water & power at concessional
rates, price preference etc.,

Financial assistance to educated .

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur.

For details, please contact?

\ DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001 i
ſåsued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 56000)

SOCIALIST INDIA 23 MARCH 1, 1975


Dr. A. WRATUSA*S VISIT
INDO-YUGOSLAW
RELATIONS
CONSOLIDATED
The special relationship bet
ween India and Yugoslavia forged
by Jawaharlal Nehru and Presi
dent Tito was further consolidated
by the recent visit of Dr. Anton
Vratusa, Vice-Premier of Yugos
lavia to India. With his presence
in Delhi, the seal was set on many
initiatives launched by both coun
tries in the recent past and fresh
fields for active collaboration have
been explored. India and Yugosla
via will collaborate in joint ventu
res in the fields of ship-building,
food processing and leather indus
try. Besides, both countries are
exploring the posibility of coopera
tion in nuclear energy.
It may be noted that trade bet
ween India and Yugoslavia has
improved after they changed the
mode of transaction from rupee
account to free foreign exchange,
on January, 1, 1973. Earlier, the
trade had declined from Rs. 22.7
crores in 1971-72 to Rs. 19.8 cro
res to in 1972-73. Thereafter, it
rose to Rs. 31.4 crores in 1973-74,
which showed that the new system
has proved better. In 1974-75, the
level is expected to move up to
Rs. 80 crores.
Exports from India increased by
nearly 90 per cent from Rs. 12.45
crores in 1972-73 to 23.55 crores
in 1973-74.
It was noted during discussions
that the trade turnover in 1974
75 would be substantially, higher
than the previous year. Yugosla
via has contracted to buy 10,000
tonnes of steel and 20,000 tonnes
of pig iron-worth Rs. 4.5 crores.
To finance tie-ups in industrial
fields both bilaterally and in third
countries, the first step has been
taken to establish a joint banking
institution. This will also facili
tate trade and prevent intermedia
ries from meddling.
Dr. Vratusa told a news confe
rence on February 13 that it had
SOCIALIST INDIA
been agreed by the Joint Commit
tee of the two countries at its
New Delhi meeting to set up a
sub-committee to explore how bila
teral financial relations could be
given an institutional set-up to fa
cilitate the funding of joint ven
tures.
“I do not exclude the possibility
of an Indo-Yugoslav mixed bank,”
he said pointing out this was the
first time that the subject had
been discussed in the joint com
mittee. The panel that had been
set up would report to the two
Governments within a few months,
he added.
Dr. Vratusa and the Commerce
Minitser, Shri D. P. Chattopadh
yaya, are the co-chairman of the
Joint Committee. Before they met
newsmen, they signed the agreed
minutes of the Joint Committee
meeting.
Dr. Vratusa said that one of
the concrete achievements of the
spheres for cooperation not only
in joint ventures, but in third
countries. Although no such ven
tures in third countries had come
up, he thought that both time and
circumstance were favourable now.
TRADE COUNCIL
The Joint Committee has deci
ded to set up a council comprising
representatives of trade, industry
and banking to oversee the task
of enlarging and promoting clo
ser and long-term ties between the
economies of the two countries.
Another outcome of the meeting,
according to the Yugoslav Vice
Premier, is that his country now
appreciated that it could collabo
rate with the Indian ship-building
industry.
A review of bilateral industrial
collaboration in the Joint Commit
tee showed that cooperation in the
fields of wheeled tractors and trac
tor components, crawler tractors,
diesel engines and spares had
progressed satisfactorily. An ex
port-oriented leather processing
unit was being established in Mad
ras where an iron foundry might
also be set up when negotiations
now in progress are concluded.
Dr. Vratusa said that other pro
mising areas were food processing,
metal industry and science and
technology.
India and Yugoslavia also set
tled a ticklish issue stemming
from the November 1967 devalua
tion of the pound sterling. Both
countries signed an accord provi
ding that the claims by either side
should be settled by taking into
account half the change in parity
of the sterling on November 18,
1967.
India and Yugoslavia signed a
five-year agreement on Scientific
and Technological Cooperation by
which the two countries would
exchange scientists, research wor
kers, specialists and scholars and
also initiate joint research prog
rammes.
Dr. A. Vratusa, who signed the
agreement on behalf of his Gov
ernment described it as a “very
important contribution to further
deepening our friendly ties.”
The Foreign Minister, Shri Y.
B. Chavan, said by implementing
the agreement, the two countries
would “not only be adding a fur
ther dimension to their already ex
tensive bilateral relations but also
making it easier for each other to
keep pace with new attainments
in this important field.”
The agreement provides for ex
change of scientists, specialists,
scholars and documents. The two
countries will also organise semi
nars and joint research program
mes. The agreement lays down
ways of promoting co-operation
between the respective scientific
organisations. It will, in the first
instance, be in force for five years
but it can be extended for a fur
ther period of another five years.
Dr. Vratusa also called on the
Law Minister Shri H. R. Gokhale
and discussed the strategy to be
adopted by the developing coun
tries in the forthcoming Geneva
Session of the Conference on the
Law of the Sea.
Cº. IT KERALA OR KASHMI}
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
MARCH 1, 1975
 TRIPURA CORDIALLY INVITES YOU

TO
SET UP INDUSTRIES HERE
If You Set Up Industries In Tripura, You
May Get The Following Facilities:-
1. Worksheds with all the modern facili
ties in the Industrial Estate.
2. Industrial loan at liberal terms
3. Subsidy on consumption of power
4. Supply of raw materials at a reason
able cost
5. Free Technical know-how
6. Allotment of land at a subsidised rate

Subsidy on the transport cost of im

port of raw materials into Tripura
and export of finished products to
other parts of India
And

15% Subsidy on Capital Investment

for the setting up of new industries
and the expansion of the existing
Industries.

For details please contact:

THE DIRECTORATE OF INDUSTRIES
GOVERNMENT OF TRIPURA,
AGARTALA.

ISSUED BY THE DIRECTORATE OF

INDUSTRIES, GOVERNMENT OF
TRIPURA.

-----

SOCIALIST INDIA
MARCH 1, 1975
 ––––––rrºr
BOOK REVIEWy
INDIA AND
YUGOSLAVIA
J. M. DEB
DECENTRALISATION IN INDIA
AND YUGOSLAVIA
Nageshwar Prasad.
Published by Navachetna Praka
shan, Varanasi.
India and Yugoslavia in a way
stand at the identical crossroads
of history. Both countries attain
ed their liberation about the same
time. In 1945, Marshall Tito led
his men through the arduous
struggle against fascist occupation
to victory. India, too, attained her
course of self-suffering and non
violent resistance. It is this simi
larity in the development stage of
their history that lends a special
meaning to any study of two sys
tems prevailing in the two coun
tries.
In the process of shaping their
respective economic development,
both India and Yugoslavia faced
the same problems. As the plan
ning process developed in India
soon after independence, the au
thorities realised that the plan
ning will not serve its purpose if
prepared at the top echelons. It
must get into the grassroots, in
volving the people at large. In
India, the movement and thinking
over this vital issue was inspired
by, if not derived from, the teach
ings of Mahatma Gandhi, and the
experiment in community develop
ment and the Panchayat system
followed.
WIDE SPECTRUM
Yugoslavia also conceived of
similar approach. For some time,
a centralised direction and control
over the development process was
tried there. But soon the system
had to cope up with internal and
environmental challenges. The
Yugoslavs, being pragmatists,
switched their attention to the
problems of bringing the masses
SOCIALIST INDIA
into the actual process of develop
ment. This led to the evolution of
a new institutional pattern. This,
in a way, the Indian and Yugoslav
experiences flowed from the same
problem although the level of per
spective was different in both the
countries.
A general study both in theory
and practice of this process, of
decentralisation in India Yugos
lavia, is bound to prove useful es
pecially to those at the helm of
affairs in the two countries. Nage
shwar Prasad, a Senior Research
Fellow in Political Science at the
Gandhian Institute of Studies, has
made a very valuable contribution
to this understanding through his
book Decentralisation in Yugosla"
via and India.
While dealing with the theories,
his study not only takes into ac
count the official concept of decen
tralisation in India but also the
non-official concept—the Gandhian
or the Sarvodaya trend, of which
Vinobha Bhave and Jayaprakash
Narayan are the two principal ex
ponents. The author has been clo
sely associated with Jayaprakash
Narayan for over two decades and
has also done an empirical study
of the Satyagraha launched by
the Sarvodaya workers in Tamil
Nadu in 1965. His main fields are
political development in India and
Gandhian theory and practice as
unfolded in the Sarvodaya move
ment. Quite expectedly, his study
of the non-official concept of de
centralisation in India has been
subsumed under the Sarvodaya
theory.
The book would be useful from
another point of view also. The
study not only deals with the forms
of decentralisation in both the
countries and describes in detail
the institutional form, its struc
ture and functions, its adminis
trative and electoral process, and
finally its financial vitality, but
the scope of study is also exten
ded to the working of the system
in both countries, and an evalua
tion of the functioning of the sys
tem on the basis of published se
condary sources and official ma
terial.
What adds to the value of the
book is a comparative study (com
parison and contrast) of the two
systems indicating in legalistic
formalistic sense their salient
points of similarity and dissimi
larity.
Prasad is modest in not claiming
perfection for his study of the
Yugoslav system. His explanation
is that material on the Yugoslav
system is scanty and negligible.
Thus it proved to be an uphill task
for him to weave the entire net
work of the Yugoslav theory and
practice regarding decentralisation.
It would therefore be uncharitable
to the author to judge his work
without bearing this limitation in
mind but it should be readily con
ceded that even with this limita
tion, he has tried to present an
excellent analysis of the Yugoslav
system with authentic documen
tation. He delves fairly deeply
into the whole history and back
ground of the Yugoslav system of
decentralisation: how in the begin
ning the whole development in the
politico-economic sphere was
characterised by an excessive cen
tralisation and how its new expe
riment in, and excursion into, de
centralised socio-economic polity
was the result of a constellation
of forces, both internal and exter
nal.
While the initial experiment fol
lowed assumption of power by
Tito in 1945, the wholesale emu
lation of the Soviet pattern did not
last long. The end-product of the
Yugoslav planning was “vertical
planning”, (a term coined to de
note the Soviet system) in other
words over-bureaucratisation and
over-centralisation.
BRILLIANT STUDY
The author gives detailed and
important reasons for changing
the Soviet pattern to centralisa
tion. Not only Soviet promises
were honoured more in breach
than in execution, the eventual
expulsion of Yugoslavia from the
Cominform in June 1948, he thinks,
came as the last straw on the
camel's back. The immediate im
pact of the Cominform resolution
calling for economic blocade was
felt on the entire Yugoslav eco
nomy. Out of this development,
along with other reasons, emerged
what has come to be known as
Continued on Page 32
MARCH 1, 1975

THE STATES
,-
RAJASTHAN GOVERNOR'S
ADDRESS
The Rajasthan Governor, Shri
Jogendra Singh, has reiterated the
State Government's earnestness in
enforcing the land ceiling laws
and distributing the excess land
to the landless.
Delivering his address to the
Rajasthan Assembly which began
its budget session on February
17, the Governor said that a spe
cial drive to confer “khatedari”
rights on the tillers and distribu
tion of pass books had already
been launched. He reviewed the
progress made on various fronts
in the State during the year. The
per capita income he said had in
creased by eight per cent.
About agriculture, Shri Jogen
dra Singh said that though there
had been a shortfall in kharif
production, the rabi crop was like
ly to go up from 31,00,000 tons to
42,00,000 tons. He told the Assem
bly that two-thirds of the Rs. 105
crores provided by the Centre for
the second year of the Fifth Plan
would be spent on irrigation,
power and agriculture. The work
on the first phase of the Rajas
than Canal, he said, would be
over by the year-end.
The Governor said that the most
significant achievement of the
Government during the year was
the allotment of about 5.5 lakh
housing sites to the landless,
members of the Scheduled Castes,
Tribes and other Backward class
es. This, he said, was in keeping
with the decisions taken at Narora
last year.
Referring to the development
activities in the State, Shri Jogen
dra Singh said that the Centre
had prepared a scheme under
which Rs. 1 crore would be spent
on the expansion of copper and
zinc projects at Khetri and Udai
pur.
The Governor also outlined the
steps taken by the Government
to provide relief to the people in
SOCIALIST INDIA
the scarcity-hit areas. He said determined efforts to step up
that the Government had divert agricultural production as that
ed Rs. 1.5 crores from its resour was the only way to prevent re
ces to relief works. Besides, Rs. currence of drought. He said the
10.19 crores had been provided most important among the steps
for this purpose on the recommen taken by the Government in this
dations of the Sixth Finance direction was construction of
Commission. irrigation projects to reduce
dependence on rains.
M. P. GOVERNOR'S
The Governor stressed the need
ADDRESS
for generating more electricity to
meet the growing requirements in
The Governor of Madhya Pra the fields of agriculture and in
desh, Shri Satyanarayan Sinha, dustry. He said that Korba,
in his address to the State Assem Amarkantak and Satupura power
bly on February 17, described as projects proposed to expand their
capacity. Under the rural electri
“sad and reprehensible” the cli
mate of violence generated by fication programme, he said, 87,00
agitations in various parts of the villages would be electrified and
country. He said that such an 1,68,500 pumps energised during
atmosphere posed a serious threat the Fifth Plan.
to the progress of democracy in
the country. He called upon the In a reference to the situation
members to make concerted efforts
on the industrial front, Shri Sinha
to check these “dangerous tenden said that the Centre had issued
cies.” licences for 67 units with a total
capital outlay of Rs. 242 crores
Shri Singh referred to the and employment potential of
drought situation in the State
and said that the Government had
25,000. He said 14 large and
medium units had been set up in
taken immediate steps to meet the backward regions as part of the
situation. He told members that Government's efforts to develop
the Government was making backward areas.
HORTICULTURE PLAYS VITAL ROLE
INHIMACHAL PRADESH
1. Working to common purpose by generating employment.
2. Helping orchardists through the supply of necessary inputs for
production and marketing.
3. Fruit plants, fertilizers, pesticides, literature, technical know
how and credit facilities are being made available within their
easy approach.
4. Various fruit products are manufactured in the State Canning
Units for supply to Indian and foreign markets. The “Himcu'
fruit products have now become popular everywhere.
5. Horticulture in Himachal steps into the future with confidence
and with a hope for prosperity and better status to all.
HIM LOK SAMPARK
MARCH 1, 1975

BH ILA
FORGES
AHEAD
The Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP),
the most successful of the Public
Sector steel undertakings, is once
again on the verge of crossing the
two-million tonne mark in the
production of steel. This level of
production was first achieved in
1972-73 but the production had
declined. The authorities are now
confident that they would achieve
a production of 2.01 million ton
nes of ingot steel this year and
set a target of 2.05 million tonnes
for 1975-76 which will give an 81
per cent utilisation of capacity.
The task of achieving higher
production corresponding to the
plant's present capacity of 2.5 mil
lion tonnes would be facilitated
if certain additional facilities could
be provided at the plant. These
include two soaking pits, an elip
tical track in one of the units and
adequate supply of inputs. While
the plant has its own captive
mines for iron ore, it is facing
shortage of coking coal, refracto
ries and water.
The shortage of coking coal is
most acutely felt as its stock dir
ectly determines the level of steel
production. This year the pro
duction had to be cut down on
Several occasions due to the
shortage of coking coal. The sup
ply during the railway strike fell
to dangerously low levels and two
of the blast furnaces could not
operate. Today, the plant has a
stock for five days' consumption
against eight to ten days which
it would like to keep. The railway
movement will, therefore, have to
be improved.
ult in a saving of 20 to 25
cent in the consumption of coking
coal. The detailed project re
port for this has already been pre
pared and the second blast furnace
has been selected for the purpose.
In case of refractories of which
there is a serious shortage due to
delay in the supply of indigenous
manufactures and constraints
foreign exchange, the BSP is
pressing for the setting up of the
proposed refractory plant at Bhi
lai. It envisages production of 1.10
lakh tonnes of refractories per
year which will provide the plant
with adequate supply.
Due to scarcity of rain this
year, the plant is now facing a
shortage of water. The water sup
ply to the township has been cut
to maintain adequate supply to the
plant. If the low level of water
continues in the reservoirs,
could affect production but
State Government has assured the
BSP of improved supply to meet
the requirement of water for the
4-million tonne expansion, the
BSP is depending on the comple
tion of the Mahanadi project sche
duled for 1977. The Centre has al
ready agreed to meet one-third of
the cost of the project.
EXPANSION WORK
However, despite these cons
traints the BSP authorities
confident of achieving higher pro
duction. The confidence of
authorities is reflected in
general atmosphere in the city.
The Bhilai, that was a mere mass
of land 20 years ago, is now a city
with its well-laid network
roads and modern housing facili
ties. A large number of ancillary
industries have also come up in
the vicinity of the plant. The tech
nical assistance provided by the
BSP has enabled the ancillary in
dustries to produce even some of
the sophisticated items required
by the plant.
per cians as also the Soviet ex
perts who have provided the ne
cessary training. The eighth coke
oven battery now nearing comple
tion at the plant is a wholly indi
genous effort and stands in sharp
contrast to the first battery in
which even the masonry work of
laying refractory bricks was done
by the Soviet experts. The overall
on indigenisation in the expansion is
likely to be about 70 per cent.
The most important unit under
the expansion programme will be
the 3,600-mm plate mill which
will initially produce 9.50 lakh
tonnes of finished plates per year
and would be later expanded to 12
lakh tonnes.
The plant's requirements of
iron ore are to be met entirely
from its own captive mines in
Rajhara-Dalli region. The present
proved reserves of the mines are
it
sufficient to meet the BSP re
the quirement of four million tonnes
of iron ore per year.
The original schedule for the
completion of expansion pro
gramme was December, 1976
which was later revised to Sep
tember, 1978. However, with the
cut in the outlay now proposed by
the Planning Commission, the ex
pansion is likely to be delayed
further. While the BSP had ask
ed for Rs. 110 crores for its com
mitments for 1975-76, indications
are
are that the Planning Commission
may not agree to more than Rs.
the 45 crores. The matter is being
the
pressed further by the BSP and
various exercises are now going
on. If, however, the outlay is not
increased, the expansion is likely
of
to be delayed by another two
years.
READ

Expansion work is now on for

. The BSP is also launching ma
Jor experiments to reduce the con
Sumption of coking coal. For this
purpose, a scheme for injection of
coal dust in the blast furnace has
been prepared. If the experiments
are successful, they would res
SOCIALIST INDIA
SUG|LIST
stepping up the capacity to four
million tonnes. One of the most
important features of the expan
|NDIA
sion is going to be the high per
centage of indigenisation which is
a tribute both to the capacity of REGULARLY
the Indian engineers and techni
27. FEBRUARY 22, 1975

MISCELLANY
BOKARO INTRODUCES
UNIOUE WELFARE
SCHEMES
Bokaro Steel has always shown
extreme concern for its employees
and done whatever possible that
the prevailing conditions in the
country permitted. Among others,
the Employees Family T Benefit
Society was introduced last year
with the same objective in view.
This Society was founded with the
objective of providing financial re
lief to the deceased members.
In the event of a death, natural or
otherwise, of a member, the rest of
the members pay a sum of Re. 1
each. The total amount thus col
lected goes to the nominee of the
deceased member. The membership
is obviously open to all employees
of the company. Already about
15,000 employees have subscribed
to this scheme and a few payments
have also been made under the
scheme. Efforts are being made
to cover each and every employee
under the scheme.
Recently another welfare scheme
has been introduced. The manage
ment has decided to pay from the
benefit fund Rs. 6,000 in addition
to what is being paid under the
Compensation Act, if a worker is
totally disabled while on duty in
an accident and if he is a member
of the benefit fund.
In his Republic Day message,
Shri K. C. Khanna, Managing
Director of Bokaro Steel, announc
ed that another family benefit
scheme was under consideration
under which the fund equivalent to
90 per cent of the total collection
out of the members will be contri
buted to the first daughter if mar
ried after the age of 16.
Bokaro Steel was perhaps the
first among all the public sector
undertaking in the country to
come forward with both financial
and organisational assistance to
the cooperative movement. This
was done with a view to helping
the employees to procure food and
SOCIALIST INDIA
other essential items of daily con
sumption at a reasonable rate.
The company has so far granted an
interest-free loan of Rs. 17.5 lakhs
to the Employees Cooperative Con
sumers Stores. The Cooperative
Stores played an important role
during the lean months last year
by supplying 1,000 tons of Patiala
wheat which had been procured
through the State Government.
Wheat apart, rice and some other
items were supplied at a rate
much lower than the price prevail
ing outside. The items supplied by
these stores included even text
books at 5 per cent rebate and
exercise books for school children
at controlled price. Efforts are
being made to supply 8 kgs of
wheat to each adult.
INDO-SAUDI ARABIA TALKS
The Oil Minister of Saudi Ara
bia, Shaikh Ahmed Zaki Yamani,
said in New Delhi on February 8
that a new era would open in the
Indo-Saudi relationship with the
setting up of a Joint Commission
to work out details of economic
cooperation. He said an agreement
to establish the Commission would
be signed by the end of the month
when a Saudi Arabian Minister
Would visit New Delhi.
The Saudi Arabian Minister,
who was addressing a press confer
ence, reiterated that his country
was opposed to the crude price
hike. He said, “As a matter of
fact, we are trying to decrease
prices. I do not think there will
be any more increase in 1975. We
have already decided to freeze the
price upto September 1975 and we
hope we can extend it, further in
1975.”
Asked about the possibilities of
increased crude supply to India,
Mr. Yamani said, “We did not go
into the details. We were not ask
ed to increase the supply.” He
further said his country had a de
velopment fund to assist develop
ing countries. India too could make
use of it. The loans from the fund
would be on soft terms with a
long duration for payment.
About the increased volume of
trade between the two countries,
Mr. Yamani said this would dis
cussed by the proposed Commis
sion since it was for expert groups
to go into the details. Once “we
succeed in creating business bet
ween our two countries, Indian ex
perts and Indian companies can
work out details,” he added.
Mr. Yamani, at the outset, said
he had a chance to exchange views
and discuss in general terms the
possibilities of economic coopera
tion between the two countries
and worthwhile economic problems,
including the relationship between
oil and raw materials, operating
in the industrialised world.
INDO-AFRICAN FRIENDSHIP
ZINDABAD I
The Government of India's deci
sion not to allow racist South
Africa to compete in the World
Table Tennis Tournament at Cal
cutta not only accords with vari
ous U.N. resolutions calling for
total isolation of Pretoria-regime
but also conforms with the inter
national public opinion against
apartheid and racial discrimina
tion.
In welcoming India's decision as
friendly, correct and principled the
African Students Association
(ASA) wishes to place on record
its deep appreciation and gratitude
to the Government and people of
India for their open-hearted sup
port rendered to the cause of
struggling South Africans and
others on our continent. In this
regard, ASA not only fully sup
ports India's stand but also
appeals to the international com
munity to emulate India's stand by
rigidly applying U.N. resolutions
passed against South Africa till
she continues with her universally
condemned apartheid policy.
In the meantime, ASA is in
formed about a covert campaign
against the laudable Indian deci
sion being conducted by pro-apar
theid elements. These South Afri
can agents want the friendly
Indian people to believe that the
South African Table Tennis Board
(SATTH) is “non-racial sports
body” and therefore India should
have allowed its team to partici
pate in the World Tournament.
But the truth is otherwise. The
SATTB is a racial body because it
has not even a single white mem
Continued on Page 82
MARCH 1, 1975

T. A. PAI on
How The Public Sector Can
“Give Guts” To Economy—l
In view of the interest genera
ted by the Union Minister of In
dustry and Civil Supplies, Shri
T. A. Pai's address to the Forum
of Financial Writers' seminar held
in New Delhi recently, SOCIALIST
INDIA is reproducing here the
text of the address:
I felt all the more honoured
by the invitation to give the va
ledictory address at this Forum
of Financial Writers, as I am basi
cally an outsider to economic jour
nalism. It is, doubtless, in confor
mity with the spirit of the times
that different cultures should
meet, sporting sign posts—“Tress
passers welcome—Poaching per
mitted”. The fact of my being
Union Minister of Industry lends,
nevertheless, relevance to my pre
sence, but the dictates of prudence
tilt the balance in favour of my
keeping generally away from eco
nomic journalists and drawing my
lessons from a discreet distance. I
am conscious that leading econo
mists have gathered and got close
during the last few days to ex
change thoughts and optimistic
notes, breathing, now and then,
heavily on the common man with
spine-chilling forecasts, if the gov
ernments of the day choose to ig
nore this or that.
There is no doubt that the world
economy is under an unprecedent
ed strain—at least to the extent
that the present generation has
not witnessed in the past one alike.
Inflation all around, a deep energy
crisis, setbacks to economic
growth, oil prices, fuel shortages
in many parts of the world, distor
tion in the patterns of world trade
—it is certainly not a pleasing
situation for the common man to
ponder.
To an assembly of talents in a
forum of this kind it is a situation
for unctuous cogitation and
remedial dissection. In seeking
SOCIALIST INDIA
answers to many problems facing
the governments the world over,
your contribution is, therefore,
bound to make a difference and a
significant one at that.
MAIN CAUSES
The goal of a developing coun
try can be briefly postulated—it is
to bring itself as rapidly as possi
ble into the twentieth century and
with the apparatus of individual
and group well-being—food, cloth
ing, education, health service,
housing entertainment and trans
port—which are associated in
every mind, urban and rural, with
the twentieth century existence.
The task is, therefore, to over
come the backwardness and
poverty, because of which things
associated with modern civilisation
are now denied. One cause of
poverty is an oppressive social
structure which channels return
from the many to the few and
which denies the individual the
natural reward of his efforts at
self-improvement.
Another is possibly an ineffici
ent apparatus of public adminis
tion, which denies to the country
the things—law and order, educa
tion, investment in roads, power
etc. which are possible only, when
there is an effective and incorrup
tible public authority. One more
factor is that poverty is, itself, a
principal cause for its own perpe
tuation to the sense that poverty
denies the country capital for in
vestment, revenues for education
or purchasing power for consumer
products, which are an incentive to
effort.
Where do we stand now, parti
cularly in this part of the world,
rather in our own country? Life
is still so burdensome to vast Sec
tions of the country's rapidly rising
population that their weariness
cannot be taken for unquestioning
resignation or submission despair.
The common people do not and
need not understand the sophisti
eated language in which the in
tellectuals here and elswhere ex
pound the philosophy and dyna
mics of planning. They must feel
the fruits in order to perceive it
and when the fruits are a mixed
bag their faith in planning is
bound to be a cynical one.
Sacrifice is, no doubt, a must at
every level but the enjoyment of
a reasonable portion of fruits of
planning, now and then, should
not be looked upon as an unpatrio
tic indulgence. Such enjoyment
helps reduce the tension and the
sense of insecurity, which now
grips large sections of the popu
lation. In a country like India, na
tional income, as a measurement
of progress, is misleading from one
point of view. The quantitative in
crease in money terms, even at
constant prices, even when it is
substantial, does not convey the
great qualitative changes that lie
behind.
TWO CONCEPTS
The modernisation of agriculture
over considerable tracts of the
country, the diversification of large
industries, the diffusion of small
industries with the help of electric
power, the spread of banking, the
acquisition of technical skills by a
new generation are instances of
economic advance, which the
figures of national income cannot
adequately reflect. On the other
hand, when national income is
divided by the figure of India's
population, the resulting per capita
income suggests, still, a degree of
poverty. Economic progress is not
a fact of sentimental appreciation.
It does not easily lend itself to
measurement when the variables
are so large in number and their
dimensions are so vast as in India.
At the advent of freedom, we
had necessarily to build an eco
nomy because there was no worth
while economy as such. The poli
tical aspirations of the people in
terms of economic freedom were
naturally for an economic core,
represented by the legitimate de
mand of the people that they must
be self-reliant and there will be
more economic equity. We were,
MARCH 1, 1975
 therefore, committed, as a part of
Oui liei iuage OL Our Suruggle IOC
1Iluepeuuuuce, LO LWO basic CO11
Cepu S, llaiuely, economic Sell-re
luauce anu econoliuc equity Gov
erillileilu nad, eLiloreLore, Lo Lake a
Very iarge Ilumper OL SuepS WIllCIl
have covereu Line entire gamut of
economic policy—IIScal, monetary,
production and distribution. It is,
in thus context, that the inevita
builty of Public Sector in an un
derueveloped economy will have to
be understood. In an economy
which produces sufficient surpulses
finding its way to optimal utilisa
tion in basic sectors, there should
possibly be no need whatsoever for
a specialised Public Sector. In a
low-pitched economy, where gene
ration of surpulses is low and dis
tribution of surplus is limited, mas
sive investment has necessarily to
come from the government. It is
also not possible to conceive of a
frame of economic growth unrela
ted to the growth of social reali
ties like education, housing and
health. There cannot there fore,
be any alternative to government
trying to convert itself into a trus
tee of public savings for public
investment in areas of public uti
lity.
Whether it was infrastructure
or irrigation, technical education,
the government has necessarily to
be the focal point of this develop
ment, without which, neither agri
culture nor industry could grow.
Public Sector will and should ex
pand to the extent resources are
available in basic industries, espe
cially. If the period of gestation in
this sector has become longer than
can be justified on economic
grounds, the deficiencies are orga
nisational and would need to be
corrected.
WORLDWIDE INFLATION
In the Indian situation, the basic
compulsiveness of a Public Sector
provides the rationale of a mixed
economy, in the sense of private
entrepreneures cultivating the
areas where public investment is
neither possible nor desirable.
The problem of mixed economy
is not only how to keep the mix in
equilibrium but also to make the
Public Sector more economically
responsible and the private sector
SOCIALIST INDIA
more socially responsible. India
Ilas Certain Ila Lural auvauluages LOI’
expalusiou all rulouc Secuur.
Govel'Ilment 1S Imore Iavoura Die
placed unan the private Secuor in
raising domestic ilnance and
ioreign excilange resources iOr
Lue Llew eliuerpriseS.
The recent hike in the oil prices
and the resultant in Ilalion
Over the World has underScored
two very important factors in
World economy:
i. The industrialised countries
can no longer take supplies of
raw materials for granted and
they have to be ready to pay rea
sonable prices; and
ii. There is no escape from a
concept of complementarity of
production among the industrialis
ed countries and the more deve
loped among the developing coun
tries if the industrialised coun
tries have to escape either soaring
inflation or recession.
This is because the dependence
of industrialised countries on oil
is much more critical and, if they
have to fight back depression,
they will have to export in subs
tantial quantities. This they can
not do in a high cost economy
unless they have a production co
operation with the more developed
among the developing countries.
The new world situation, there
fore, has brought in a new world
economic order of complement
arity and cooperation and distinct
from compartmentalisation and
confrontation.
The Government of India is
acutely conscious of the imbalance
created by the expanding balance
of payments gap and has adopted
a network of important policy at
titudes. The first is to work for a
great degree of flexibility and
selectivity in the system of indus
trial licensing and financial infra
structure. The objective of this
policy is to optimise use of ins
talled capacity in selected areas,
to introduce greater selectivity in
credit planning, to make more
money available for purchases of
capital goods and to expand the
export efforts.
These policies obviously are cal
80
culated to cope with a situation it.
Wuch liquiquly nas been lesseuvu
Lile as an all L1-1Illuationary Suep and Liu
ecollomy has also to pe Saved iruin
reCessloll.
EXPORT EFFORTS
In our export efforts, we are
now planning not only to sell
all
goods put also enter into turn Aey
conuracts as also Subcontracuug
arrangements. With World flrms pe"
cause it is in the interest of both
that transfer of finances should be
pari-pasu transfer of equivalance
in labour costs.
We have also started working
out common production arrange
ments with our friends in the Mild
dle-East and West Asia in terms
of which the industries which can
set up quickly in India would be
financed by these countries with
an understanding that part of the
product will go to them. The new
export strategy will be of parti
cular relevance to the industrialis
ed countries because they will find
increasingly impossible to function
at competitive cost levels unless
they work out production comple
mentarity with the developed
among the developing countries.
We do believe in mixed economy
and Government of India's policies
have been based on a concept of
a mixed economy; but within the
parameters of a mixed economy
it has always been understood that
the Public Sector will have the
commanding heights. This only
means that the Public Sector will
provide the guts to the economy
so that there is no feeling that
keys to the economy are held by
individuals and not the people of
India as a whole.
We are now trying to expand
the concept of Public Sector both
in content and in form. In con
tent we are trying to establish
Public Sector presence in nod
consumption sectors as a stabilis"
ing force and we are also trying to
modify the content of Public Sector
by content Public Sector compa"
nies from 100 per cent Gover.
ment equity to minority public
participation. This is an exercise
in public participation and also in
mopping up public savings.
It is understood that the class"
MARCH 1, 1975
cal capital market is today a myth
in a developing country like India
and, therefore, we have now to
transform the concept of buying
a scrip in a company on the basis
of share prices quoted in news
papers to the concept of partici
pation in companies in the func
tioning of which people in the
area have direct interest. In my
view, public participation in deve
loping economies in this particular
fashion can substantially perform
the functions of a developed capi
tal market in industrialised coun
tries.
We have received a large num
ber of proposals for transfer of
plants on 100 per cent export
basis. It is necessary to make it
clear that it is neither possible
nor desirable to announce a global
policy on an issue like this. You
will appreciate that we are inter
ested in export and, therefore, a
proposal based on 100 per cent ex
port will necessarily have very ex
peditious and favourable conside
ration.
EQUITY PARTICIPATION
We also would like to make it
clear that we are acutely con
scious of the process of techno
logical obsolescence. At the same
time, it also has to be appreciated
that we cannot import technologies
which do not synthesise with the
framework of expertise and infra
structure in this country. Again,
we are absolutely committed to
keep technological imports limited
to areas where indigenous com
petence is absent but has to be
generated and should be generated
quicklv with external technological
assistance.
We are not averse to equity
participation but we want to limit
it to spheres where the stake of
the foreign colloboration in the
production per se is a condition of
sustained production of requisite
quality and quantity standards.
Such participation should normally
he below 40 per cent but it could
be well above it in cases where
there are significant nrosnects of
exports and the technological input
is such in which equitv sharing
at higher levels is in national in
terest.
* --
Tinniſvº, #Wa inflnsfºrſal aſ Friałłrin
In Indin presents a nºcture ºn whºch
rrnºy Arts ºr rvºny A
there are great possibilities of
growth but also some immediate
obstacles. The biggest obstacle in
my view has so far been our atti
tude to industrialisation.
treated the government and the
industries as on opposite sides of
the fence and the inter-sectoral
balance has, to a large extent,
blinded us to the more important
realities of the economic situation.
What we are trying today is to
consider each investment basically
as national investment, which it
4 physically also is, considering the
order of participation of financial
institutions in the investments
which has taken place even in
the private sector so far. As far
as Public Sector is concerned, the
concept of dichotomy between the
government and the functioning
units has to disappear and, as far
as the private sector is concerned,
production in the nodal industries
is as important to the country as
they would have been had they
been in Public Sector. We are,
*
ſ they can function very well.
therefore, basically trying to bring
in an approach geared on indus
trial priority rather than sectoral
precedence.
We are trying to bring in a com
plete revolution in the attitude of
the Government vis-a-vis industria
lisation in this country. We have
achieved significant success al
ready and we do feel that in the
course of the next two to three
years pilgrimage to Delhi by in
dustrialists all over the country
will no longer be treated as waste
ful occupational hazard but as
rewarding inter-communication be
tween agencies engaged in
common endeavour of building in
dustrial India.
This is an aspect of industrial
culture which my mind, is of grea
ter significance than any other
aspect in keeping up with the dif
ficult situation ahead of our eco
nomy.
CHANGE IN CONCEPT
You may be aware that the
State-owned Scooters India Ltd.
have offered 49 per cent of their
equitv shares to the public and
this is the first Public Sector com
panv to offer equity particination
to the public. As a matter of ge
neral policv. enviitv in Public Sec
tor concerns had so far been exclu
st
sively derived from government.
My principal effort has been to
elevate the conceptual level of the
project from a government pro
We
ject to a national project. This
does not, in any way, mean that
the differential character of these
projects has changed, as Govern
ment would necessarily have mini
mum 51 per cent holding.
This concept has received con
textual support from today's con
straints on investible money with
the government. I am confident
that what we are going to do is
not only correct in the present
situation of tight money but also
critical in long-term range of se
curing a sense of participation of
Indian investing public in Public
Sector projects. We feel assured
that the Public Setcor projects can
secure such subscription because
we have been able to generate ade
quate confidence in their function
ing to demonstrate that, given cor
rect environment and leadership,
We are also going in for pub
lic deposits in some selected Pub
lic Sector projects which would
give them higher liquidity, absence
of which has been constraining
their operation in the present tight
money situation.
The production in the industrial
sector is certainly behaving better
than last vear. In the first quar
ter of 1974-75, the rate of growth
was 3.2 per cent as against minus
1.8 per cent in the corresponding
quarter of last vear. Advance in
formation available with resnect to
the production in a large number of
industries, which account for a
substantial weight in the index,
shows that this rate of growth is
likelv to be maintained during the
rest of the year also.
It is likely that 1974-75 would
show a rate of growth between
three and four per cent. Although
this is better than last vear's it
is far below the conntry's indus
trial potential as well as the rate
nf growth which was a chieved in
the earlv sixties. The main task of
nuhlic nolicv in the cominor ven rºs
is to sten un the rate inf ºrrowth
of nroduction in line with the tarº.
gets,
(To be Concluded)
MARCH 1, 1975
-- . v approach, Yugoslavs have created litical field, his interest in decen.
a sense of belonging to the whole tralisation—the main theme of
CONTINUATION process of production among the the book—is well-known. The
working men. author, like many others, hold JP
in high esteem, as one of the most
From Prasad's brilliant study, spirited and vocal advocates of
INDIA AND YUGOSLAVIA both countries can learn much. It
decentralisation. In fact, it is un
Continued from Page 25 is hoped that it would stimulate der the inspiration of his ideas
further researches in this direction that the author's interest was
workers' self-management or, in in the two countries. kindled in this study.
other words, decentralisation in
the sphere of economy and polity. The book is, perhaps, appropria However, it would be interesting
This has given the workers the tely dedicated to the Sarvodaya to know the author's latest views
freedom to retain the profit ac leader, Jayaprakash Narayan. Al on the subject how the Sarvodaya
cruing to the enterprise after though, JP has become a contro leader's new-found interest in po
meeting the taxes etc. By this versial for his activities in the po litics as helped his economic ideas.

WNDIA AND EEC INDO-AFRICAN FRIENDSHIP henchmen for their reported move
to censure India for not allowing
Continued from Page 21 ZINDABAD racist South Africa and Zionist
labour-intensive industries were no
Israel to participate in the World
longer profitable to run. Such Continued from Page 28 Table Tennis Tournament and
industries could be transferred to
calls upon the peace, freedom and
the developing countries. About ber, not to mention the non-exist sports loving people the world
the GSP for 1976, he said it was over to do so.
ing African membership. Racism
expected to be ready by May-end is racism whether Indian, White
for presentation to the EEC Coun or Black. KHOSI MSIMANG (MISS)
cil of Ministers. In view of the
Vice-President,
recession and oil crisis, which had
affected the EEC countrios as While re-expressing our full African Students Association,
well, the prospects for 1976 GSP support to the Government and M-17, Greater Kailash,
were not “best”. But basically people of India, ASA condemns the New Delhi-110048.
there would be some improve International Table Tennis Federa
ments compared to 1975. tion's boss, Mr. Roy Evans and his February 12, 1975

ENGINEERING TRADE FAIR

Continued form Cover II
ted to have been highly appreciative of the range
and diversity of equipment displayed at the Fair and
the technological advance achieved by the Indian
engineering industry. The delegations that visited the
Fair included those from USSR who showed keen in
terest in heavy engineering machinery and produc
tion, from Malaysia who were basically interested in
negotiating with manufactures of drums and barrels,
oil firing machinery and equipment and biscuit mak
ing machinery, from Philippines who were mainly in
terested in textile machinery and special silk proces
sing machinery for unreeling of cocoons for silk
manufacture, from UNIDO who sought to identify
areas where sub-contracting with Indian engineering
firms would be possible, from Uganda who evinced
interest in textile machinery, from Canada whose in
terests were mainly in textile machinery and wires
and cables and from Indonesia who were interested
is collaborating with India in advanced industrial
Sectors.

READ SU(HIALIST REGULARLY

|N||||
-

SOCIALIST INDIA 82 MARCH 1, 1975


CORRESPONDENCE
ON KASH IMIR
The following is the text of the
letters exchanged between Sheikh
Abdulla and the Prime Minister.
CONFIDENTIAL
3, Kotla Lane,
New Delhi
Dated : 11.2.75
My dear Prime Minister,
I have seen the text of the
conclusions reached between Shri
G. Parthasarathi and Mirza Mo
hammad Afzal Beg on the various
constitutional issues concerning
the Centre-State relationship
between the State of J and K
and the Union of India. I have
studied the document and have
also had discussions with you. As
you are aware, it is my view that
the constitutional relationship
between the Centre and the State
of J and K should be what it was
in 1953. Nevertheless, I am
happy to say that the agreed
conclusions provide a good basis
for my cooperation at the political
level and for Centre-State
relationship.
I apreciate that the main pur
pose of the dialogue was to
remove mis-apprehensions on
either side to ensure that the
bond between the Union and the
State is further strengthened
and to afford to the people of the
State full scope for undertaking
social welfare and developmental
measures.
The accession of the State of
J and K to India is not a matter
in issue. It has been my firm
belief that the future of J and K
lies with India because of the
common ideals that we share. I
hope you would appreciate that
the sole reason for my agreeing
to cooperate at the political and
governmental levels is to enable
the State Government to initiate
measures for the well-being of
the people of the State wihch I
have always considered as my
sacred trust. It will be my cons
tant endeavour to ensure that
the State of J and K continues
to make its contribution to the
SOCIALIST INDIA
sovereignty, integrity and pro
gress of the Nation. By the same
Loken, I am sure that the Central
Government would cooperate with
the State Government fully in
respect of measures to be under
taken by the State Government
to further the progress and wel
fare of the people of the State
as an integral part of India.
The country is passing
through a critical period and it
is all the more necessary for all
of us who cherish the ideals of
democracy, secularism and so
cialism, to strengthen your hands
as the leader of the Nation and
it is in this spirit that I am
offering my whole-hearted co
operation.
Your sincerely,
Sd/- S. M. Abdulah
Shrimati Indira Gandhi,
Prime Minister of India,
New Delhi.
O Sd/- Indira Gandhi
CONFIDENTIAL
New Delhi,
February 12, 1975
Dear Sheikh Saheb,
I am happy to receive your
letter expressing your concurrence
with the conclusions reached bet
ween Mirza Mohammed Afzal Beg
and Shri G. Parthasarathi, on
certain constitutional aspects of
the relationship of the Centre with
the State of Jammu and Kashmir
and offering your whole-hearted
cooperation at the political and
governmental levels to further
promote the well-being of the
people of the State of J and K. I
am aware of your views on the
Centre-State relationship in res
pect of the State of J and K. I
have already explained to you that
the clock cannot be put back and
we have to take note of the reali
ties of the situation. I am appre
ciative of the spirit in which you
have expressed your agreement
with the terms of the agreed
conclusions.
The agreed conclusions have
been examined and I am in a posi
tion to inform you that such
appropriate executive action as
may be necessary to give effect
to them will be taken. I have
been in close touch with the Chief
TMinister of the State who is in
33
agreement with the aproach in
regard to political cooperation with
you and the understanding reach
ed about the relationship of the
State with the Union.
The Central Government
would undoubtedly continue to co
operate with the State Govern
ment fully in respect of measures
to be undertaken by the State
Government to further the pro
gress and welfare of the people of
that State, which is of equal con
cern to the Central Government.
As pointed out by you, the
country is passing through a cri
tical period and it is a matter of
great satisfaction to me that a
person of your stature who made
an outstanding contribution during
the freedom struggle should come
forward again to cooperate in the
task of strengthening the nation
and sustaining its ideals.
Yours sincerely,
Sheikh Mohd. Abdullah.
3, Kotla Lane,
New Delhi.
COLLATERAL LETTERS
The following is the text of the
Collateral letters exchanged bet
ween Mirza Afzal Beg and Shri G.
Parthasarathi.
November 13, 1974
Dear Shri Parthasarathi,
In the course of our discus
sion, I made a proposal that
appeals to the Supreme Court
under Article 132 of the Constitu
tion of India from the decision of
the High Court of Jammu and
Kashmir, should lie only on a
certificate under clause (1) of that
Article. After a detailed dis
cussion on this, you had agreed
to the proposal and stated that it
can be implemented by an Order
under Article 370 making suitable
modification to the modifications
made under Article 367.
Kindly acknowledge receipt
of this letter.
Yours sincerely,
Sd/- Mirza Mohammed Afzal Beg
Shri G. Parthasarathi,
31, Aurangzeb Road,
New Delhi.
Continued on Page 38
MARCH 1, 1975
 QTGRTTT taa Etats
aft

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aff. Túi Tà à aſ a gººſe
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frºT gºſ. §o Wo, o o o
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(Tää, ärås # ºf )
qīqat gºſz (3) to 9, o o o Törå
(ºr ſtårt ä ºf )
gºt gºſz (3) to 8, ooo ºf
(śīlā ātāstā ºf )
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(aff air. Tº q+ )
*Tú #t tº faitā āfīā; ºt
afāfā g. grºT. to º, o co ºf
afāfā ārā āRTHT grºTº to go ºf
aft fääu gºtº to 9, oo o Tºf
(aft ºf HT: āt ºf)
āfāq; at # 8, o so go aſ grºTº
à faffiat à 3TTºſſ". Tº a Hà a ſºr
Traži Tº faith a gºtº to 9, o o o Tââ
(Tää, ärästä ºf )
its HRHat gºtº to 8 o o sºa5
㺠9.3ss gºtº-gſ à fift & 2-8-99.
f:ffiz FT Isq àas ºf THT
aſſº êt f:ffiz attfää

faātū GTTTTTT â, fºr:-

fºasts,
&Eq saa tº tea wizārī,
*Treath, wagº

SOCIALIST INDIA MARCH 1, 1975

ECONOMIC SURVEY
Continued from Page 6
As such, there is no alternative but to revise
controlled prices from time to time go as to pre
serve a reasonable incentive to higher production.
The survey notes that in the absence of effective
arangements for distribution, price controls may
not provide any genuine protection to the consumers
and that it is precisely in such an atmosphere that
black markets flourish, giving rise to generation of
vast sums of black incomes. It, however, warns that
since, basic supply and demand conditions vary from
one commodity to another, no single solution can do
justice to the variety of circumstances prevailing in
different branches of the Indian industry.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
While reiterating the pivotal role of agriculture
in our economy, the survey observes that agricultu
ral production seems to have lost some of the momen
tum for growth exhibited by it in the late sixties.
According to the survey, the index of agricultural
production reached a peak level of 131.6 in 1973-74.
However, it was only marginally higher than the
previous peak level of 131.4 reached in 1970-71. The
fact that population since then has increased at an
annual rate of 2.2 per cent underscores the imbalance
between availability and requirements as a result of
the sluggishness of agricultural output.
The survey refers to the bright prospects for
the forthcoming Rabi crop. However, on account of
a sizeable decline in production during the 1974
Kharif season, the survey's estimate is that the food”
grains outnut in 1974-75 would be more or less on
the same level as in 1973-74.
As regards commercial crops, according to the
survey, the production of raw cotton is expected to
register an increase in 1974-75 even though the sub
group index of commercial crops may record a dec
line. The survey estimate that the overall index of
agricultural production is unlikely to record any
significant increase in 1974-75.
Pointing out that one of the disturbing develop
ments which holds up the growth of institutional
credit is the high level of overdues of primary agri
cultural credit societies the survey emphasises the
need to enforce a firm discinline in the disbursement
and recovery of institutional loans.
According to the official estimates, the national
income increased by 3.1 per cent in 1973-74. Conse
quently, the per capita income showed a small rise
of onlv 0.9 per cent. The survev has expressed dis
appointment at the rate of growth of national income
during the Fourth Plan period which averaged about
3 ner cent ner annum as against 57 envisaged in the
Plan. According to the survev. the growth of na
tional income in 1974-75 is likely to be about 1 per
cent.
With retrard to savings and investment in the
*ennomv during 1973-74, the survev states that in
*ation seems to have adverselv affected both sav
'nºs and Invesfment in all sectors of the economy. In
SOCIALIST INDIA
aggregate terms, the survey's prognosis is, that
while domestic saving might have been about 10 per
cent of national income, the investment is stated to
be around 11 per cent of national income in 1973-74.
The survey estimates that there is unlikely to be
any improvement in the savings and investment ratio.
in 1974-75. Emphasising the great importance of
raising the rate of saving and investment, the sur
vey points out that this is an indication of the task
that lies ahead in our quest for a more dynamic eco
nomy.
The survey brings out that as a combined result
of smaller expansion in bank credit both to the Go
vernment and to the commercial sector, and a dec
line in foreign exchange assets of the banking sys
tem, there has been a visible reduction in the rate of
growth of money supply in the current year. The
expansion of money supply amounted to Rs. 337
crores between March 31, 1974 and January 31 this
year as against Rs. 960 crores witnessed during the
corresponding period of 1973-74.
It reviews major developments in credit policy
and points out that as a result of a more selective cre
dit policy, the rate of growth of bank credit to the
commercial sector during the current year so far has
also been significantly less than during the corres
ponding period of last year.
HIGHER EXPORTS
According to the survey, monetary and fiscal
policies during the current year have made a distinct
contribution in creating an environment more condu
cive to price stability. In the background of strong
inflationary pressures of last two years, the survey
suggests that while credit needs of industries pro
ducing mass consumer goods and of sectors such as
exports have to be fully met so as to facilitate in
creased production, the overall emphasis of credit
policy must still be on restraint.
A bright spot in the economy, the survey ob
serves, has been the behaviour of our exports which
increased by 26 per cent in 1973-74 and by a further
36 per cent in the first eight months of 1974-75.
However, because of a steep increase in prices
of fuel, fertilisers and foodgrains, our imports have
increased still faster leading to a sharp deterioration
in the trade balance. Since imports went un by 54
per cent the trade deficit was as large as Rs. 425
crores in the first eight months of 1974-75.
The survey notes that borrowings from the TMF
(amounting to Rs. 488 crores in the current vear)
have so far cushioned the imnact of deterioratinn in
our trade balance on the external reserves. How
ever, since IMF loans have to be rennid in three to
Raven vears. the survev emnhasises +he need to re
flºre our denendence on imported fuel, fond and fer
*lisers and to increase our exports in a big way in
-
the coming years.
In this connection. it has drawn attention to the
fact that our recent export performanee mnsf not In"I
us into any false sense of complacency sinee the bnik
MARCH 1, 1975
of the increase in exports was due to fortuitous fac The profits of the Public Sector enterprises
tors connected with the international commodity before tax for 1974-75 are expected to go up
boom. The survey warns that unless we intensify our Rs. 273.24 crores. This would be Rs. 123.09
export promotion efforts, it would be difficult for us crores more than the profits of these under
to increase our exports in the face of an increasingly takings for 1973-74, which amounted to Rs.
unravourable international environment. 150.13 crores.

PUBLIC SECTOR PERFORMANCE POINTS TO RENTENMBER

The performance of the Public Sector stands National income at constant (1960-61) prices
out brightly in an otherwise gloomy industrial (estimated)—one per cent.
front during 1974-75.
Industrial production (estimated—3.5 per
“It is a matter of considerable satisfaction,” cent.
says the Annual Economic Survey, “that many
Public Sector undertakings continue to record Wholesale prices (April-December)—27.2 per
higher levels of production. cent.

The survey indicates a significant increase in Money supply (as of Jan. 31, 1975)—3.1 per
the output of industries like electricity genera cent.
tion, steel and coal during April–December 1974
as compared to the corresponding period of Foodgrains output—104 million tonnes.
1973. -

Additional resource mobilisation by the

According to the survey, the output of elec Centre (Rs. 935 crores for a full year)—Rs. 690
tricity went up by six per cent of saleable steel Crores.

by 10.4 per cent and of coal by 8.5 per cent.
Besides the performance of heavy industria)
units like the Hindustan Machine Tools, the Hin
dustan Cables, the Bharat Heavy Electricals and
the Mining and Allied Machinery Corporation was
very encouraging.
Exports and imports (based on April-Nov
ember figures)—36 and 54 per cent respectively.
External aid utilisation (gross)—Rs. 1,081
CrOres.
Debt servicing—Rs. 601 crores.

Statement about ownership and other particulars about the newspaper titled SOCIALIST INDIA,
New Delhi, required to be published in the first issue every year after the last day of February:
FORM IV (SEE RULE 8)
Place of publication New Delhi
Periodicity of its publication Weekly
Printer’s Name V. N. Malhotra
Nationality—whether a citizen of India Indian
Address * -- AICC Camp Office, 5 Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
New Delhi.
Publisher's Name V. N. Malhotra,
Nationality—whether a citizen of India Indian -

Address AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road

New Delhi
Editor -
P. V. Narasimha Rao
Nationality—Whether a Citizen of India Indian
Address AICC Camp Office, 5 Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
New Delhi.
Names and address of individuals, who own the news The Weekly is owned by the All India Congress Com
paper and partners or shareholders holding more than mittee, Indian National Congress. -

one per cent of the total capital.

I, V. N. Malhotra, hereby, declare that the particulars given above are true to the best of my know
ledge and belief.
*

1st March, 1975 .

Sd/-, V. N. MALHOTRA
Printer and Publisher

socialist INDIA 36 MARCH 1, 1975


Railway Minister’s Overall Survey
The Minister for Railways, Shri
Kamalapati Tripathi, presented to
Parliament on February 20 the
Railway Budget for 1975-76 which
proposes no change in the pas
senger fares and freight rates ex
cept rationalisation of tariff on
foodgrains and iron ore and man
ganese ore with effect from April
1 to secure an additional Rs. 39
crores during the year.
Presenting the Budget, the Mi
nister announced his decision to
condone the break in service of all
railway employees who had par
ticipated in the May strike except
those charged with sabotage and
violence.
Shri Tripathi reported consider
able improvement after the strike.
In the last few months railway
men had displayed a keener sense
of responsibility and greater de
votion to duty. There had been
all-round increase in productivity.
The rationalisation of freight
rates on foodgrains, iron ore and
manganese ore would enable the
railways to earn a surplus of Rs.
23.03 crores instead of a deficit
of Rs. 15.97 crores at the present
concessional freight rates on food
grains, iron ore and manganese
ore.
Shri Tripathi said that the inci
dence of this proposal on prices
on an average would be as low as
2.5 paise per kilogram. This margi
nal expenditure, he hoped, would
be absorbed by the good rabi crop.
WATERSHED
Describing 1974-75 as a “veri
table watershed, marking the
end of cheap sources of energy
and the emergence of rising staff
costs”, Shri Tripathi said that the
year was expected to end up with
a deficit of Rs. 128.19 crores.
Shri Tripathi said that food
grains and pulses were carried
at rates below the bare operating
costs. Approximately half the
quantity was carried on Govern
ment account for public distribu
tion and the balance was consign
ed by private parties. In the cur
SOCIALIST INDIA
rent year the Railways would suf
fer a loss of Rs. 34.5 crores in lift
ing 14.5 million tonnes of these
commodities. In 1975-76, this loss
is expected to go up to Rs. 35
crores on the movement of 15.5
million tonnes. By bringing the
commodities generally prescribed
as foodgrains within the frame
work of standard tariff and plac
ing the bulk of them i.e., wheat,
rice and jowar in the “second low
est classification” of goods, there
would be additional revenue of
Rs. 35.5 crores. This would just
about neutralise the loss.
The incidence of this proposal
on prices on an average will be as
low as 2 1/2 paise per kilogram.
This marginal expenditure, the
Minister hoped, would be absorbed
by the good Rabi crop.
PASSENGER TRAFFIC
Shri Tripathi observed that our
economic outlook for the year
1975-76 was less gloomy if not
positively better. Indications were
already available that the various
measures taken by the Govern
ment for containing prices and for
giving a fillip to industrial and
agricultural activities are begin
ning to bear fruit. In view of the
happy development in the indus
trial, the agricultural and the min
ing sector, one could legitimately
be optimistic about higher offer
ing of traffic to the Railways.
Since the Railways were working
at higher efficiency a target of
210 million tonnes, including 190
million tonnes of revenue traffic
has been fixed for 1975-76. The
revenue earning traffic would thus
be up by 18 million tonnes over
the current year's tonnage.
Passenger traffic had lately
been showing a mixed trend. The
total number of passengers car
ried in 1973-74 was almost the
same as in the previous year. The
suburban traffic continued to grow
but the non-suburban traffic had
been short by 51 million passen
gers. This trend had been further
accentuated in the current year.
The fall in the non-suburban pas
senger traffic was mainly due to
the cancellation of trains arising
out of the shortage of loco coal.
Now that the production of coal
had begun to gather momentum.
it should be possible for the Rail
ways to build up their coal stocks
Subject to this contingency res
toration of cancelled trains would
be commenced from the first of
March and would be progressively
increased in the next few months.
Shri Tripathi emphasised that
economy in expenditure was essen
tial to mitigate to some extent the
burden of rising prices and mount
ing staff costs. The Railways had
set an economy target of Rs. 50
crores in working expenses, which
had been fully achieved during
1974-75.
Referirng to labour relations
Shri Tripathi said that during the
last few months the railwaymen
had displayed keener sense of res
ponsibility and greater devotion
to duty. In appreciation of the
all-round increase in productivity
he had decided to condone the
break in service of all railway
employees, except those who were
charged with sabotage or violence.
“I firmly believe that only an en
lightened management evokes the
best response from its employees.
Apart from augmentation of per
sonnel cadres. I expect senior rail
way officers to establish direct
contacts with the staff working
under them, so as to maintain
good industrial relations. It is only
by fostering the spirit of mutual
understanding and confidence that
agitations can be avoided. We aim
at making all railwaymen feel
that there is an identity of inte
rests between them and the man
agement and both strive for a com
mon national and corporate goal.
Well being of the staff forms a
corner stone of this policy”.
The Zonal Railway Administra
tion had been directed to deal with
all service matters speedly and
sympathetically wherever emplo
yees are not charged with sabo
tage or violence. The Railway
Board, he said, were giving finish
ing touches to a comprehensive
scheme to upgrade a number of
posts at all levels in the non-gazet
ted cadres. This should improve
career prospects of employees as
well as give them greater job sa
MARCH 1, 1975
STATESMAN CENTENARY
Continued from Page 4b
Each of them took substantial
blocks of the shares of the Com
pany and re-organised it.
“Article 82 of the Articles of
Association of the Company gave
the editor of each of the Com
pany's newspapers or periodicals
reasonable, customary and neces
sary editorial freedom and laid
down the policy of every news
paper, periodical or other publica
tion of the Company. The policy
broadly was to uphold the princi
ples of democratic government as
set out in the Constitution of India
and especially the fundamental
rights provided by it, foster good
will between India and other coull
tries, particularly Commonwealth
countries, further all sound and
democratic plans for India's eco
nomic advancement, showing due
regard for the part which private
enterprise may play in the deve
lopment of the country and seek
to promote a united, free, peace
ful, prosperous and democratic
India. The Article also provided for
a body of trustees who were ‘to
safeguard the policy laid down in
Article 82’
RUDE SHOCK
“As I had not been concerned
with journalism excepting in the
very early year of my life at the
Bar, I agreed to become a Trustee
with some hesitation. My co-trus
tees were S. M. Bose, the then Ad
vocatc-General of Bengal, G. L.
Mehta of Bombay, A. L. Muda
liar of Madras and K. C. Neogy
of Calcutta. The first meeting of
the Trustees took place at Cal
cutta in December, 1963, and I
was elected the Chairman of the
Board of Trustees.
“My Chairmanship of the Board
of Trustees of the Statesman Ltd.
received a somewhat rude, though
not unexpected, shock in the latter
part of 1968.
“The story is interesting, as
showing how difficult it is for in
dustrialist proprietors of a news
paper to give editorial freedom to
its editor and how the experiment
so honestly and laudably launched
by the industrialists who had re
organised The Statesman in 1963
failed. Probably, this novel experi
ment owed its origin to the Tatas,
and, particularly, to J.R.D. Tata,
SOCIALIST INDIA
the chief of the far-flung Tata
complex, who enjoys a deserved re
putation as the most liberal and
enlightened of Indian industria
lists. It was, therefore, truly a
matter of regret that it should
have been brought to an end prin
cipally at the hands of the house
of the Tatas.
“It was customary for the Trus
tees to meet once or twice a year
at Calcutta, and the Trustees’
meetings were, as a rule, preceded
by a lunch by the Chairman of
the Board of Directors, at which
the Trustees met the Directors.
TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS
“After the reorganisation, Charl
ton, who had been the Deputy
Editor of the paper, was offered
the appointment of editor for
three years from the 1st of April,
1964, on the expiry of the term
of the then editor. Soon after
Charlton's appointment, one could
hear at the usual lunch given by
the Directors comments in regard
to the editorial policy of the paper.
Sir Jehangir Ghandy, who was
then the Chairman of the Board
of Directors, representing the
Tatas, and other Directors fre
quently talked of the unfavourable
impression which the editorial
policy of the paper was having
upon certain ministers. This fact
was evidently troubling them and
Sir Jehangir Ghandy desired that
the Trustees should consider the
policy pursued by the Editor.
“Thereupon, the Trustees invited
Charlton to their meeting and de
cided that they should have infor
mation from the Editor as regards
the freedom allowed to editors in
democratic countries. Charlton
having submitted to us a detailed
note on the subject, the Trustees
looked, at the next meeting, at
the various editorial comments
made by Charlton and were of the
view that the policy pursued by
him was in accordance with the
requirements of the Articles of
Association.
“S. M. Bose, one of the trustees,
having resigned the trusteeship
for reasons of health, the Trustees
had, under the Articles, to fill the
vacancy. Sir Jehangir Ghandy, re.
presenting the Tatas, suggested to
me that I should invite Palkhi
vala, who was connected with the
Tata organisation, to be a Trustee,
36b
This obviously was inappropriate.
because the Trustees were suppos
ed to be independent of the indus
trialist proprietors of the news
paper. I suggested the appoint
ment of S. R. Das, the retired
Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court, with his consent, as a trus
tee in the vacancy which had
arisen, and the suggestion was ac
cepted by all the Trustees.
“Charlton having retired, the
Directors decided in January, 1967,
to appoint Pran Chopra, who was
already on the editorial staff, to
be the editor. This resolution of
the Directors was approved by the
Trustees.
PRAN CHOPRA
“The general elections of 1967
brought into power in Bengal the
United Left Front, and, apparent
ly, the editor's handling of the
U.L.F. news items and its policy
was not liked by some of the
Directors. I remember J. R. D.
Tata and Palkhivala seeing me in
this connection at my residence
and complaining of the manner in
which the editor, Chopra, was
editing the paper and publishing
news reports, which, they said,
clearly showed a communist bias.
They suggested that the Trustees
meet and change the editor, I
pointed out to them that the Direc
tors should have thought of this
before appointing Chopra in 1967
and entering into a term-agree
ment with him. However, I promis
ed to convene a Trustees' meeting
to consider the matter.
“Before the meeting which took
place in October, 1967, we met,
as usual, the Board of Directors
at lunch, the Chairman of the
Board at the time being Sir Biren
Mukherji. The policy of the paper
was again discussed; but the
Directors did not all seem to be
of one mind. At the Trustees'
meeting which took place the fol
lowing day, we considered the com
ments of some of the Directors
against the editorial policy and the
news items published in the paper.
We sent for Chopra, and, after
examining the relevant editorial
comments and news items in dis
cussion with him, we reached the
conclusion that the policy pursued
by The Statesman was “in no man
ner a deviation from the policy
prescribed by Article 82 of the
MARCH 1, 1975
Company's Articles of Associal
tion.
“The attempt to get the Trus
tees to control or remove Chopra
having failed, the next Chairman
of the Board of Directors, Palkhi
vala, an eminent lawyer concerned
with some of the Tata concerns,
seems to have thought of putting
an end to the whole trouble by
the legal device of amending the
Articles and getting rid of the
Trustees altogether. That course
was certainly permissible for the
Directors to adopt as representing
the shareholders if they thought
it right to do so in the interests of
the concern. But the way in which
this was done struck me as most
improper. Instead of approaching
the Trustees and informing them
of the desire of the Board of
Directors to amend the Articles by
omitting the Scheme which had
brought in the Trustees, the Direc
tors passed a resolution without
communicating with the Trustees
to amend the Articles so as to de
lete all references to the Trustees
in the Articles.
“The first intimation of this fact
which I received was a letter from
Palkhivala in July, 1968, inform
ing me that the Directors had had
resolved at their last meeting to
call an extraordinary general meet
ing of the Company at the end
of August, 1968, for deleting the
provisions in the Articles relating
to the Trustees. I wrote in reply,
complaining of the manner in
which the Trustees had been
treated by the Directors. I said:
MOST IMPROPER WAY
“‘If the Directors were of the
view that the scheme of manage
ment under which the policy of the
newspaper was entrusted to the
Trustees had not worked saticfac
torily, they could certainly have
intimated this view to the Trus
tees at a meeting or otherwise and
the Trustees would have had no
option but to bow themselves out
of the Trust.
“‘Instead of doing this, however
a proceedure has been adopted,
which appears to us to be highly
improper and discourteous. It gives
the impression of dismissal of the
Trustees by the backdoor.”
“The view I expressed in my
letter had the approval of some
of the Trustees whom I consulted,
sorratºrs.T INDIA
one of them being S. R. Das. He
had said in a letter to me: I fully
agree with your views. I have sent
a telegram to you this morning,
1eading, ‘Your draft approved I
agreed to be a Trustee at your
request; little did I anticipate that
we would be so shabbily treated.’”
If this is the background of “The
Statesman” then all the hullabaloo
it has raised about the freedom
of the Press in India is suspect.
If the Board of Directors of “The
Statesman” could so brashly treat
the Trustees, then are they — or
for that matter the Editor to whom
they have entrusted the paper—
to be considered as the champions
of the freedom of the Indian
Press 2
DISCOURTEOUS, TOO
In passing two points must be
taken note of. The eminent lawyer
and virulent critic of the Govern
ment, Shri N. A. Palkhivala whom
the Board of Directors wanted to
make a Trustee at one time, as
mentioned by M. C. Setalvad, is
now the Deputy Chairman of the
“The Statesman.”
And, the retired Chief Justice
of India, Shri S. R. Das, who was
brought in by Setalvad as a Trus
tee after Shri S. M. Bose resign
ed, is now the Chairman. He is the
very same Shri Das, the one-time
Trustee who wrote the letter to
Setalvad on the shabby treatment
of Trustees and confessed, “I fully
agree with your views. I have sent
a telegram to you this morning
reading, ‘Your draft approved. I
agreed to be a Trustee at your
request; little did I anticipate that
we would be so shabbily treated.’”
That was in 1968. But now he is
firmly ensconced as the Chairman
of the Board of Directors.
Presiding over the Centenary
Celebrations at Calcutta, Shri Das
said, “All our workers have form
ed and acted as a homogenous
team and thereby contributed to
the excellence of the contents of
the paper and its external set-up.
It is the combined efforts of all
our distinguished editorial staff
and other categories of workers
that have enabled the paper to
achieve the success it has done
during the past 100 years of its
life.”
But these words must have
sounded hollow to the workers of
87
“The Statesman” Delhi, who have
been treated more shabbily than
the Trustees. Since last May, there
has been a lot of trouble between
the workers and management. For
95 days the Delhi edition could
not be brought out. Nineteen work
ers of various departments have
been suspended. The workers' can
teen has been closed down. The
office of the employees' union with
in the premises was asked to be
vacated. At the moment, 205 cases
instituted by workers against the
management are pending in the
Labour Court. Meanwhile the sus
pended workers are not getting
even the subsistence wages as per
the model standing rules.
The trouble started because “the
workers of “The Statesman”, New
Delhi demanded the payment of
linkage dearness allowance at the
same rate as is paid to the rest of
the newspaper employees in the
country in accordance with the
Wage Board formula and the
National Industrial Tribunal
Award. While, all the newspapers
in the country are paying linkage
D.A. for 121 points, “The States
man’ Management is paying link
age D.A. to its workers for only
110 points. The amount per worker
comes to only Rs. 6.05. The union's
offer to accept the arbitration on
the issue by the Union Labour
Minister, Mr. K. V. Raghunatha
Reddy, and Mr. O. P. Behl, Execu
tive Councillor, Labour, Delhi Ad
ministration, was also rejected by
the management. Driven to the
wall the workers had to launch a
peaceful agitation.”
According to the General Sec
retary of the Union, Shri T. M.
Nagarajan, the management has
now employed ex-servicemen to
“terrorise and browbeat the work
ers.” The workers were so fed up
that they staged a demonstration
when the Vintage Car Rally was
staged as part of the Centenary
Celebrations in Delhi. And the
workers' leaders have gone up and
given evidence before the Fact
Finding Committee on Newspaper
Economics.
Naturally, these suspended
workers have been denied the Cen
tenary bonus of Rs. 300 and the
metal trav given to all employees
as a memento.
This is all the more tragic since
all Tata enterprises have a repu
MARCH 1, 1978
tation for excellent employee-em
ployer relations. Jamshedpur still
continues to be a model for pri
vate and public sector enterprises
in labour relations. It is ununder
standable that in “The States
man”, in which the Tatas have
considerable stakes, labour rela
tions should go so awry as all this.
A newspaper which has treated
its trustees and workers alike
shabbily should not go about with
missionary fervour as the champion
of the freedom of the press of
India. It should first put its own
house in order and maintain mo
dalities of decency.
The animus that “The States
man” has been nursing against
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and
the Congress since 1969 deserves
to be explained at length. Though
“The Statesman” utilised the
casion of the Centenary to give
vent to its spleen, the proper
time and the proper occasion will
be chosen in the not to distant
future to reply to the points rais
ed by “The Statesman.”
COLLATERAL LETTERS per employees. This would ensure
that the welfare activities and re
Continued from Page 33 lief measures to the staff in time
November 13, 1974 of distress did not suffer for
Dear Beg Saheb, want of funds.
I acknowledge receipt of your
letter dated the 13th November, The gross traffic receipts at the
1974. The proposal referred to existing level of fare and freight
therien was discussed between us rates had been estimated at Rs.
1631.86 crores in 1975-76. Goods
at length and agreed to by me.
so It can be implemented by an appro earnings had been assessed at Rs.
1045.50 crores against the expected
priate Order of the President in
accordance with the procedure earning of Rs. 899.82 crores in the
current year.
prescribed under Article 370.
Passenger earnings had been es
Yours sincerely,
timated at Rs. 477.06 crores, that
Sd] G. Parthasarathi is Rs. 71.21 crore more than the
Mirza Mohammed Afzal Beg, revised estimates. Other coaching
Camp: New Delhi.
earnings were also expected to im
prove from Rs. 68.58 crores to Rs.
RAILWAY MINISTER'S 76.10 crores.
SURVEY
oc Explaining the estimates for
Continued from Page 36a 1975-76, Mr. K. S. Bhandari, Finan
tisfaction. With effect from the cial Comissioner of Railways, told
next financial year the level of newsmen that these were “realis
Government contribution to the tic”. Even this year the Railways
Staff Benefit Fund had also been would have carried 172 million
doubled from Rs. 4.50 to Rs. 9 tonnes of revenue earning traffic.

NOTICE INVITING TENDER

Sealed item rate tenders are hereby invited by the undersigned

from approved contractors of Punjab PWD, B&R Branch|Labour
Construction Co-op. Societies for the following works on the prescribed
form obtainable from the office of the undersigned on payment of
Rs. 2'- each on demand and shall be received on 17.3.75 at 3.00 P.M.
and shall be opened by the undersigned at the same time in the
presence of the contractors or their representaitves who like to be
present.
Sr. Name of work App. cost Earnest Timc
No. Money Limit

1. Widening & strengthening Dasuya

Ropar Road (Sec. Hoshiarpur Tanda).
Collection of broken stone metal
13” to 24” (40mm to 63mm) gauge
for widening.
Group No. I.R.D. 0 to 7500 61,000- 1300- 3 Months
Group No. II R.D. 7500 to 16400 72,000- 1500- 3 Months
Group No. III R.D. 16400 to 21400 72,000- 1500- 3 Months
Group No. IV R.D. 21400 to 26500 70,000- 1400- 3 Months
Group No. V. R.D. 26500 to 36000 84,000- 1700- 3 Months
2. Collection of broken stone
metal 1” to 2" (25mm to 50mm)
gauge for widening.
Group No. I R. D. 0 to 16200 81,000'- 1700- 3 Months
Marshal A. A. Grechko, Defence Group No. II R.D. 16200 to 26500 92,000- 1900'- 3 Months

Minister of the USSR, who was in CONDITIONS:

India on an official visit from 1. Tender by telegramſby post and not on prescribed form shall
February 24 to 27, held, during not be entertained.
y y 2 Other details of N.I.T. can be seen in the office of the undersigned
his talks with his Indian counter
- - situated at Staharry Road, Hoshiarpur on any working day dur
part, Shri Swaran Singh, wide ing the office hours.
range discussions concerning 3. No tender will be issued after 2.30 P.M. on the date of opening
tr. 9 --- - - - - of the tender without the specific permission of undersigned.
India's military and logistics prob- 4 The tenders will be considered only of such contractors as have
lems. Marshal Grechko Was ac- been enlisted and have paid enlistment renewal fee.
companied by a delegation of top Sd
experts including Air Marshal A.
P. Kutakhov and Chief , of the
Central Works
e
5..."rº"; a
vision, -
B
r.

Navy, Admiral Gorshkov, Hoshiarpur.

SOCIALIST INDIA 88 MARCH 1, 1975


Prime Minister On
Opposition Parties
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, has
deplored the attempts of some Opposition parties to
weaken the country by trying to undermine the Con
gress Party and its policies—and even attempting to
“dislodge” her.
Addressing Party workers, in Madras on Feb. 22,
she referred to the “big giants” of the political par
ties of the north and the south who had pitted their
strength against the Congress, according to a PTI
message.
The latest strategy of these people, she said, was
that if she could be removed from power, the leader
of the Opposition parties that had joined together
could perhaps be “weaned” away from those parties
and brought to the Congress side.
The Prime Minister said it was not important
whether she was in power or not. The important
thing was what sort cf government could keep India
united and strong, especially in the present difficult
period, and try to solve its problems.
If the problems could not be solved by a strong
government, could they be overcome by a weak
coalition made up of parties with different policies
and points of view? Could they keep India united
and strong to face outside pressures and internal
difficulties, she asked.
Smt. Gandhi contended that those who had join
ed under a common banner to remove her had no
alternative economic and foreign policies according to
a UNI message.
She denied that the Congress was going Com
munist. This was a deliberate propaganda by some
people to divide the Party.
The Prime Minister said she would like to assure
that mo Partyman wanted the Congress to go the
Communist way, “Otherwise, they would not be in
the Party.
Some people used statements of certain CPI
leaders to “divide us.” What the CPI leaders said
was “not our concern because we have a definite
direction to go. If anybody accepts our policies and
programmes, there is nothing wrong about it and
they are welcome to do so.”
NO DEVIATION
Srime people had criticised the foreign policy of
her Government, stating it was too close to the
Soviet Union's. What was wrong to be friendly with
a country which had been “friendlv towards us and
stocd by us at the time of our difficulties and when
we were attacked on all sides? Should we leave them
and make friendship with people who do not want us
and those who are friendly with our enemies,” she
asked.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Smt. Gandhi asserted that nobody had pointed
out a single instance when the Government had
deviated from the basic policy of the Congress all
these years.
Stating that a “deliberate attempt” was being
made by certain forces to create confusion. Smt.
Indira Gandhi said the “most popular slogan” of
corruption was being raised to take political advant
age of the situation and not to end the evil of corrup
tion. Many times when corruption charges were
looked into, they proved to be baseless.
While she would not hold brief for anyone who
was corrupt, she could say that honest attempts were
made to root out corruptions and people had been
removed from the government for this reason.
In a bitter attack on the Opposition, Smt. Gandhi
said what was happening today was that all Oppo
sition parties, “which are no better than us,” were
painting a picture as if corruption was only in the
Congress. “They deliberately ignore corruption in
other parties, corruption of black money and known
leaders who are corrupt."
THE SLOGANS
Another slogan raised by the Opposition parties,
she said, was “protection of democracy.” If there
had been any party, which reallv had protection of
democracy in mind, it was the Congress. If after
independence the Congress had chosen a different
pattern and had a one-party government, there would
have been no partv to challenge it. The Congress
had, however, stood by democracy and protected it
as it sincerely believed in it.
The Prime Minister said the Congress had lost
elections and there had been times when several non
Congress governments functioned in the country.
“But we did not raise a hue and cry that the elec
tion system is wrong and manipulated.” The Cong
ress had functioned as a dignified Opposition party
and preserved decorum in legislatures.
She attributed the Congress reverses in recent
by-elections partly to the prevailing economic condi
tions. Much had been made out of Congress de
feats. “I do not know whether it is a trend or choice
of wrong candidates,” she said.
Smt. Indira Gandhi said the country was “not
sitll out of the woods though there was a downwºrd
curve in prices." A tremendous degree of discipline
was needed to meet the challenge and the crisis.
She said that though inflation was a global
phenomenon, Opposition parties deliberately ignored
this aspect and attempted to divert public attention
through slogans such as corruption.
Smt. Gandhi asserted that India was perhaps
the only country to have curbed the inflationary
trend through strong measures. “I have said what
is important is not the survival of the Government,
but we should not do anything that will jeopardise
the country's future.” Certain measures might have
annoyed the people, but this could not be helped.
The country's interests were more important..
39 MARCH 1, 1975
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in PSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 3-8-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

I.T. RAIDS YIELD ruling family, including Smt. Gay

Rs. 13.64 CRORES
|NDIA Assets worth Rs. 13.64 crores
were seized in 1,615 searches con
ducted by the officers of the In
come Tax Department during the
first 10 months of 1974-75, accord
IS ing to the latest official figures.
Officers seized cash worth Rs.
2.83 crores, jewellery worth Rs.
7.52 crores, bullion worth Rs. 47.70
lakhs and other assets worth Rs.
GREAT 2.81 crores.
The largest number of 284 sear
ches were conducted in Patiala
where cash worth Rs. 24.39 lakhs,
jewellery worth Rs. 51.09 lakhs,
bullion worth Rs. 10,000 and other
assets worth Rs. 32.13 lakhs were
seized.
In Bombay 177 searches were
oonducted. The break-up of the as
sets seized is: cash, Rs. 54.76
lakhs; jewellery, Rs. 2.24 crores;
bullion, Rs. 22.50 lakhs and other
assets worth Rs. 50.58 lakhs.
In Gujarat, 189 searches were
MAKE made in which cash
20.89 lakhs, jewellery
worth Rs.
worth Rs.
59.87 lakhs, bullion - worth Rs.
13.43 lakhs and other assets
amounting to Rs. 33.92 lakhs were
seized.
IT
Rs. 10-Crore Haul
From Jaipur
GREATER Gold bricks, gold coins, diamond
studded jewellery and other valu
able articles estimated at about Rs.
10 crores have been unearthed
from the premises of the former
ruling family of Jaipur.
The Income Tax authorities, who
THIS IS THE SEVEN
have been carrying out searches
TEENTH IN A SERIES in Delhi and Jaipur simultaneous
ly since February 11, said, “This
of ADVERTISEMENTS is not the end of it yet.”
DESIGNED BY The Income Tax authorities were
assisting the intelligence unit at
“SOCIALIST INDIA.” Delhi in the search strategy.
An official press note said. “Un
IN PUBLIC INTEREST. deterred by strong opposition from
certain members of the Jaipur
atri Devi, MP, the team of intelli
gence officers and men of the
Income Tax Department laid their
hands on many strong rooms and
achieved a significant breakthrough
into the very citadels of the hidden
treasure.”
Smuggled Goods
Worth Rs. 88
Crores Seized
The value of smuggled goods,
seized in the last two years is Rs.
88.31 crores. Synthetic fabrics and
yarns alone account for Rs. 40
crores. The arrests, under the anti
smuggling provisions of the Main
tenance of Internal Security Act
total 517.
The anti-smuggling operations.
according to officials have created
serious problems for firms in
Dubai and Hongkong who thrive
on sending contrabands to India;
they find it difficult now to dis
pose of their stocks and to ar
range credit for the import of
goods.
An official review says that
there has been a progressive de
cline in goods seized since Sep
tember last year but cites it as
a proof of reduced smuggling.
The drive, it says is being step
ped up through vigilance on the
West Coast by mobile parties of
shore guards and reinforcement
of the wireless network.
As suggested by the study group
of the Cabinet Secretar’at. - the
preventive marine fleet has been
strengthened.
Nearly 40 launches eonfiscated
from smugglers, too are also
being used by the anti-smuggling
staff.
Tamil Nadu accounts for the
largest number of arrests under
MISA—T4—followed by Guiarut
72. West Bengal 66, Punjab 52.
U.P. 39, Maharashtra $6 Kera'a
30, Bihar 26 and Assam 20. In
Rajasthan three persons were de
tained and in Haryana two.
 -

P. M. on THE opposition
–AND ON CONSTITUTION
ºx
Rss AND IMPERIALISM
-
MARCH 8, 1975 FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

30 p. IN INDIA

25TH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE

t
CONSTITUTION

AND

. PARLIAMENT
:
º
º

our constitution will ENDURE

On February 26, 1975, the 25th

º anniversary of the Constitution
. and Parliament was celebrated at

r the Central Hall of Parliament in

New Delhi. ABOVE: President
ſ Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed addressing

ſ the MPs. RIGHT: The Ministers

and MP's listening with rapt atten
tion.

*-mm -

DEMocracy e socialism a seculanism • Non-Alignment

NEWS PICTURES

Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah tak

ing the oath at the swearing in cere
mony at Jammu on February 25.

Mrs. Helvi Linnea Sipila, Assistant

Secretary General United Nations,
The Prime Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, gave a luncheon to dealing with social and humanita
H. R. H. the Prince of Wales at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi rian affairs, and also Secretary
General of the International Wo
on February 21, 1975. Photo shows Shrimati Gandhi with Prince men's Year and the U.N. Confe
Charles (right) and Admiral of the Fleet, the Earl Mountbatten rence on Women being presented
a plaque by Smt. Purabi Mukher
of Burma (left). jee, MP and AICC General Sec
retary.
Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Wol. X No. 14
CCNTENTS
March 8, 1975
SOCIALIST Published every
Y.

Saturday
|NDIA Editorial 3

Comment: The Budget 4

Congress Parliamentary Party's Statement 5
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Prime Minister on the Opposition 6
Road, New Delhi 110001
Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST Budget Proposals 7
Tension in the Sub-continent
EDITORIAL BOARD D. D. Singh 10
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Sheikh Abdullah: A Profile 12
(Chairman)
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY J and K Ministry Sworn in;
Profiles of the New Ministers 13
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA
A Chronology of Kashmir Politics 14
T. A. Pai on the Public Sector 15
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT RSS: An Arm of Imperialism
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Tapeshwarnath Zutshi 17
(Chairman) Commission to improve the Status -

Shri I. K. GUJRAL of Women urged 19

Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
Ban on NAP -

Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Mohan Chandra Joshi 20

Shri P. C. SETHI
Redeveloping Shahjahanabad -

Om Mehta 21

Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO Delhi Jolt to Jana Sangh 24

Executive Editor: JAG. MOHAN Silver Jubilee of the Constitution;
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Prime Minister on the 25th anniversary 25
Sheel Bhadra Yajee's Suggestions. 26
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee Seminar on US Intervention 28
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah P.M.'s address to ESCAP 29
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001.
Parliament: The Kashmir Accord -

The views expressed by Contributors are not neces J. M. Deb 31

sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Marshal Greckho's visit to India 32

WHO’S AFRAND OF Notwithstanding the fact that in recent times

LOK NAYAK-JI?
Certainly not the Indian National Congress.
Notwithstanding the fact Lok Nayak-ji has some
the Congress candidates have lost in a few by-elec
tions to the so-called “Junta” candidates.
Notwithstanding the fact that Shri Mohan Dharia
has been dropped from the Council of Ministers for
his obstreperous behaviour. -

supporters within the Congress, who may or may
endorse his impossible demands.
Notwithstanding the fact that the finest hour
of his recent politicking career was when he addressed
the Jana Sangh plenary session and completely iden
tified himself with that party with a hoary history.
He is reported to have said, “If the Jana Sangh can
be described as a Fascist and Right Reactionary
Party, so could I be!”.
Notwithstanding the fact that about a lakh of
people with an odd medley of Opposition leaders
participated in his rally in Delhi on Thursday thus
giving their assent to the Charter of Demands, which
he presented to the Speaker and the Vice-President.
stage-managed by the Jana Sangh, which concluded
its session the previous evening, the rally was as
good or as bad as any other.
Notwithstanding all these facts, the Congress is
not afraid of Lok Nayak-ji.
There is no panic in the Congress ranks. There is no
wavering in the minds of its leaders. There is no
question of any dilution of its proclaimed ideals nor
any compromises in its pragmatic approaches to the
day-to-day problems.
The Congress is like the house built on the rock
that can withstand gusts of Opposition winds and
tremors of earthquakes. For decades on end, it has
been discharging its responsibility of leading the
nation from servitude to freedom, from the chaos
after partition to planned living, from the Cold War
all around us to Non-alignment and from the clean
slate to many achievements. The Congress being of
the people of India has all along worked for the wel
fare of the people. But it must be remembered that
the backlog of centuries cannot be wiped away within
27 years.
The Indian National Congress under the dynamic
leadership of Shrimati Indira Gandhi has displayed
remarkable resiliency and a sense of renewal as well
as of resurgence. Enjoying the mandate of the mil
lions of the country and facing innumerable odds
foisted on us, the Congress Government both at the
Centre and in the States has done the best under
the circumstances. Only the Congress can take the
nation forward come what may.
But there is a deeply laid conspiracy among the
Opposition parties that willy nilly they must dislodge
the Congress from power and alienate the people
from the Congress. Manoeuvres glore have been
worked out by different combinations and permuta
tions of the Opposition parties. Bogeys have been
raised. Innuendoes and insinuations against the
Congress leaders fill the air. With relentless energy
the Opposition has been whipping up a campaign of
slander against the Congress. And calumny is
spread.
In the latest phase of this virulent campaign
against the Congress, the arch reactionaries and the
enemies of the people have ganged up under the
umbrella conveniently provided by Lok Nayak-ji. In
his band-wagon are all the prophets of doom, the
frustrated politicians without any foothold, the dis
gruntled elements, the communalists, fly-by-night
characters and the obscurantists of all shades. In
their desperate bid to gain power they have resorted
to creating rifts within the Congress. And Lok
Nayak-ji (who has aspirations of becoming Vishwa
Nayak-ji to lead the “total world revolution")
has indulged in what the “National Herald” has
described as “politicking of the most reprehensible
kind”. Lok Nayak-ji's “naked call to revolt” has
been dismissed with contempt it deserves by the
leaders and the Congress Parliamentary Party has
passed a unanimous resolution reaffirming its faith
in the leadership of Shrimati Indira Gandhi. This
is much more than a mere formality, which will be
re-endorsed by the people of this country in millions
from Kerala to Kashmir, from Gujarat to Assam.
The Congress has been in India's life and part of it.
It is even now and will continue to be so. The Prime
Minister as the leader of the Congress and as the
friend, philosopher and guide of the nation has been
the author of the many initiatives which have brought
renown to the country. Along with the Congress
President, who with his immense energy has revi
talised the Congress organisation from bottom up
wards within such a short time, the Prime Minister
will chalk out the lines of action. Yes, the battle
lines will be drawn, since Lok Nayak-ji has opted
for confrontation. His words are militant and his
stances are belligerent. But the Congress is not
afraid of Lok Nayak-ji.

THE BUDGET
Shri C. Subramaniam's
ever budget was on the whole
well-received. If editorial
ments are any indication,
it can be asserted that the bud
get was hailed with accolades
and choice expressions. The Hin
dustan Times judged it as “a cre
ditably pragmatic effort.” The
Indian Express found it to be
“practical and functional in nature
and approach.” . The Times of
India entitled its editorial on the
budget as “for stability
growth.” The National
opined that the Finance Minister
had done “a reasonably good job”
and averred that he
“done even better than the pro
phets had predicted.” The States
man concluded that the
nance Minister had “accomplished
in good measure his main and
highly difficult task of reconcil
ing the conflicting objectives of
checking inflation and promoting
investment in growth.”
PREDICTABLE REACTION
The Opposition leaders, as was
expected, found the budget “dis
tressing” (Subramanian Swamy),
“sadistic” (fl. K. Advani), “anti
peºple" (Raj Narainy "wordy and
pompous” (S. N. Mishra) “petty
accountant's budget” (Hiren Muk
herjee) and “cheerless” (Madhu
first Limaye). This was understandable,
since in the public eye they had
com to justify themselves as doughty
then champions of the poor and down
trodden. They all pointed out that
the imposts on tea, bidi and ciga
rettes would affect the middle and
lower classes and that the increase
in the price of petrol would
ultimately push up the cost of liv
ing.
Shri S. Bhoothalingam, former
Director-General of the National
and Council of Applied Economic Re
Herald search voiced the opinion of many
hh-imwh dm w holmw ha mwhdb
economists when he said that Shri
had
C. Subramaniam had “done well
in both continuing the anti-infla
tionary thrust and giving impetus
Fi
to production and investment.”
Indeed Shri Subramaniam explain
ed his “basic philosophy” of se
curing simultaneously “the che
rished socio-economic goals of de
velopment, security of the country
and growth along with social jus
tice” in the context of scarce re
sources, eroded savings and the
economy that is just recovering
from “inflationary ravages.”
Hence he resorted to enhanced
exclsa lavies cºn air-cºnditionars,
cosmetics, toilet products and ra
yons. This ought to curb produc
tion and check consumption. From
cigarettes, bidis and textiles, some
money ought to come to the
exchequer. But what is most im
portant is that the extension of
tax holidays, the easing of curbs
on dividends, the exemption of
certain equity shares from wealth
tax and similar proposals would
definitely ensure the flow of sav
ings into industrial production.
Similarly other proposals would
restrict domestic consumption and
release the surpluses for export.
Another remarkable feature is
that he has given high priority to
agriculture and energy in his en
daeavour to “balance two perma
nent but somewhat conflicting
needs”—the short-term necessity
of keeping inflationary pressures
in check and the important re
quirement of sustaining the tempo
of development.
With the success of the well-de
vised anti-inflationary measures,
the end of stagnation in indus
trial production and expansion of
production, the economv is on the
road of recovery. And Shri Sub
ramaniam's budget, whatever the
critics may say, has been func
tionally designed to suit the
trea and guarantea better times,

Congress
Parliamentary
Party's Statement
The Executive Committee of the
Congress Parliamentary Party at
its meeting in New Delhi on
March 5 unanimously adopted a ly, we must move on to achieve,
statement reiterating its faith in
the leadership of the Prime Min
ister, Smt. Indira Gandhi.
The Executive deplored the cam
paign started by anti-democratic
forces to disrupt and divide the
united ranks of the Congress and
cautioned Congressmen to remain
vigilant against such “subversive
attempts.”
The statement said: “Anti-demo
cratic forces, having failed in their
attempts to confuse the Indian
masses and having been frustrated
in their efforts to deviate our peo
ple from their chosen path of de
JAGJIVAN RAM's REBUFF To JP
The Union Agriculture Minister. Shri
Jagjivan Ram, has urged the Sarvo
daya leader, Shri Jayaprakash Narayan,
to place democratic values above every
thing else.
In a statement issued in New Delhi
on March 5, Shri Jagjivan Ram referred
to JP's statement calling upon Cong
ressmen to give a lead to save the
Congress from destruction and said:
“I am glad that in spite of all
his labours to expose the weaknesses
and shortcomings, real or imaginary, of
the Congress, he has now made it
amply clear that the Congress would
not be harmed and should not be des
troyed.”
Shri Jagjivan Ram said: “I appre
ciate his anxiety in this respect as he
is conscious of the fact that the Cong
ress alone with its all-India character
can hold the country together. But
may I request him to ponder over
what he has been doing during the
past few months. Has he not been
trying to bring together political parties
with conflicting ideologies and diverse
interests but with one common objec
tive of weakening and undermining
the Congress? Has he not wittingly or
unwritting served the cause of those
who have nothing" but their own poli
tical axe to grind.?” r also suffered in the cause of freedom
Replying to JP's reference to the
Congress manifestoes, Shri Jagjivan
SOCIALIST INDLA
mocratic Socialism, have now
started a campaign to disrupt and
divide the united ranks of the Con
gress.
“The Executive of the Congress
Parliamentary Party deplores such
an attempt and reiterates its faith
in the leadership of the Prime
Minister, Smt. Gandhi, and takes
this opportunity to caution Cong
ressmen to remain vigilant against
such subversive attempts. United
for our masses, the cherished goals
of Socialism through parliamen
tary democracy.”
The meeting of the Executive
was attended by all the members
except three who are out of sta
tion—the Congress President, Shri
D. K. Borooah, Shri Y. B. Chavan,
and Shri Swaran Singh. Shri Jag
jivan Ram was also to attend but
could not do so owing to a prior
engagement.
The main theme of the discus
sion which formed the basis of the
statement released to the press
was the attack on the Congress
Ram said that evidently JP had no
quarrel with the substance of these
manifestoes.
“The Congress Party unequivocally
stands by its pledges. But what needs
to be recognised is that there can be
no quick or easy solutions to the prob
lems confronting the country. The opi
nions may differ regarding the pace of
implementation of various program
mes. The complex nature of these is
sues cannot be whisked away”, the
Agriculture Minister said.
The statement added: “The country
faces grave problems and challenges.
We are passing through a phase in our
national life which calls for an atmos
phere of united endeavour. This is
hardly the time to sow doubts and dis
sensions in the minds of people about
the leadership of the ruling party. The
Congress has passed through a storm
in 1969 and thereafter we have been
trying under the leadership of the
Prime Minister to take it forward and
to strengthen it, so that it can serve as
an instrument to effect the transfor
mation of our society through peaceful
and democratic means, which has been
our cherished goal. The need of the
hour is to work with faith, unity and
trust in each other. As one who has
struggle, I shall request Shri Narayan
to place democratic values above every
thing else.”
Party by the Reactionary alliance
of anti-Congress parties. The de
bate was in the context of Shri
Narayan's statement. The meet
ing was presided
Indira Gandhi.
over by Smt.
Briefing newsmen, the Deputy
Leader of the Party, Shri V. B.
Raju, said that he felt that a cam
paign was on to disrupt the party
and confuse the people.
Y. B CHAVAN's
APPEAL TO JP
The Minister for External Affairs,
Shri Y. B. Chavan, told the CPP Ex:
ecutive, “I was really amazed to read
in the press a reference to me sugges
ting that I should do something to dis
rupt the ranks of the Congress Party,
I would like to tell Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan that, like him, in my humble
way I have made a contribution to
the freedom struggle and I have con
sistently stood for the unity and soli
darity of my party. º
“In the present circumstances of
India, the Congress Party, under the
leadership of Smt. Indira Gandhi, is
the only political party that can offer
a viable, constructive and effective so
lution to the complex national prob
lems. Any attempts from other outside
political elements to disrupt the Cong
ress party will be strongly resisted by
Congressmen.
“At the present moment the voice
of Shri Jayaprakash Narayan is a
voice representing reactionary alliance
in the country. Any talk of a dialogue
with this voice is a trap laid by the
reactionaries which no sensible Cong
ressman would walk in.
“I would appeal to Shri Narayan
not to resort to such moves that are
aimed at disruption.”
MOHAN DHARIA
Shri Mohan Dharia, Minister of State
for Works and Housing, res: kried from
the Union Council of Ministers on
March 2 following a letter sent to him
by the Prime Minister informing him of
her decision to dorp him from the
Council. An announcement issued from
the Rashtrapati Bhavau late in the
evening said, “The President, on the
advice of the Prime Minister, has been
pleased to accept the resignation of
Shri Mohan Dharia from the Council
of Ministers and to relieve him with
immediate effect.”
Before his assignment as Minister of
State for Works and Housing, Shri
Dharia was in the Planning Ministry
as a Minister of State. He was induc
ted into the Council of Ministers in
1971.
MARCH 8, 1975
 P.M.'s REPLY TO DEBATE ON PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS:
Does The Opposition Suffer From Some
Psychological Malady ?
The proceedings in Parliament
during last week were brightened
by Shrimati Indira Gandhi. Her
replies to the debates in the two
Houses on the motions of thanks
to the President on his budget-eve
address were hard-hitting in con
tent and vivacious in delivery. If
her speech in the Rajya Sabha im
pressed the members for its poli
tical punch and forthrightness, her
reply in the Lok Sabha did not
fail to amuse even the Opposition
at which her needling repartees,
deeply penetrating ironical arrows
and cuts and thrusts were direct
ed.
In both the Houses, the thrust
of Smt. Gandhi's speech was
directed at the agitation which the
non-CPI conglomeration of the Op
position parties is presently carry
ing on under the leadership of JP.
Her main complaint was that the
Opposition was not playing the
game in accordance with the norms
necessary to sustain a parliament
ary democracy. It was one thing
to criticise, she said, but quite an
other to oppose just for the sake
of opposing the Executive. Again,
it was the Opposition's right to
criticise the Executive for its mal
functioning and shortcomings but
certainly not to obstruct policies
voted by Parliament as, once voted
upon, they no longer remained the
policies of the ruling party but
became national policies.
Without naming the CPI-M and
the Jana Sangh, though obviously
referring to the two, she said while
one section of the Opposition
sought to wreck the Constitution
from within, the other functioned
within it without any faith in its
essential precepts.
At the same time, she offered
to discuss with the Opposition any
national issue and even have a
round-table conference on electoral
reforms.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Even while deploring the Oppo
sition's tendency to belittle the
achievements of the country
during the past 27 years, Smt.
Gandhi did not fail to chide some
of the partymen by saying that
“unfortunately some in my own
party lack confidence and are be
set with pessimism.
Here below is a slightly edited
version of the Prime Minister's re
ply to the debate on the Presi
dent's Address in the Lok Sabha
on February 27. Only the inter
ruptions have been deleted for the
sake of continuity.
Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, yester
day we had a meeting of Mem
bers of Parliament to renew our
allegiance to the Constitution. As
I sat there watching the portraits
of the luminaries of our indepen
dence srtuggle and thought of the
speeches one hears and the re
marks and comments that are
quite often made outside and also
about what Indians say when they
go abroad, I wondered why it is
that so many people think that
to serve the country means to con
demn it. So often when people get
together or meet foreigners, they
seem to find pleasure in decrying
what has been done here. I doubt
if there is another land where
elected representatives and others
are so given to running down their
own system, their own people and
even, if I may say so, themvelves.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MALADY
I do not know if this is some
deep seated psychological malady,
So far as the Opposition is con
cerned, it cannot be merely be
cause they are out of power, be
cause I think all of them have
formed government in one State
or another and when they had
their SVDs, UDFs and all the
other initials, there was the same
inadequacy and a kind of imbal
ance. Unfortunately, some in my
own party also lack confidence and
are beset with pessimism...
As I have said earlier, the Op
position has every right to criti
cise the executive. In fact, democ
racy is the one and the only poli
tical system which assigns a recog
nised role to the Opposition.
But in parliamentary democracy,
the Opposition also has a respon
sibility not to obstruct policies
which are voted upon by the Par
liament. Once they are voted upon
by the Parliament, they are not
just the policies of a party, they
do become national policies, and
this understanding is lacking.
Some people — political parties,
political groups — are candid
enough to admit their lack of faith
in parliamentary democracy, but
still would like to remain to wreck
the system from inside. Others
swear by parliamentary democ
racy without accepting any of its
elementary conventions, and to
day an agitation is being carried
on in the name of cleansing the
system or altering it. So far as I
can make out, they are not sure
themselves of their real objec
tives.
Several ideas have been put
forward in rapid succession. At
first scrapping the present repre
sentative institutions in favour of
indirect rule through people's com
mitees, and this by people who
strongly dislike the Soviet idea
which began, I mean, in the same
way. Next was a proposal for
majority rule. Majr uoyrti
majority rule. Majority rule was
criticised — and a proposal was
made for proportional representa
tion.
Now it is said that the elections
will be fought within the present
system but without money. Yet vast
Continued on Page 33
MARCH 8, 1975

FINANCE MINISTER
C. SUBRAMANIANM'S
BUDGET PROPOSALS
-
Presenting the Budget for 1975-76 to Parliament
on February 28 the Finance Minister, Shri C. Sub
ramaniam proposed additional taxation yielding
Rs. 239 crores for the Centre. The budgetary gap
of Rs. 464 crores will thus be scaled down to Rs. 225
crores.
Receipts during the next year, net of States'
share of taxes and duties, are estimated at Rs. 10,543
crores and expenditure at Rs. 10,768 crores.
Gross tax revenue including the effect of Budget
proposals is estimated at Rs. 6,840 crores. The
Budget proposals are expected to yield Rs. 288 crores.
This is made up of Rs. 250 crores under Union excise
duties, Rs. 34 crores under customs, Rs. 11 crores
under corporation tax and Rs. 2 crores under central
sales-tax reduced by Rs. 9 crores under income-tax.
The States' share to taxes and duties taking into
account the effect of budget proposals will be Rs.
1,382 crores.
Thus, the next tax revenue of the Central Gov
ernment will be Rs. 5,458 crores comprising Union
excise duties Rs. 2,921 crores, customs Rs. 1,284
crores, corporation tax Rs. 781 crores, income-tax
Rs. 247 crores, interest tax Rs. 60 crores and other
taxes and duties Rs. 165 crores.
Non-tax revenue including interest and dividend
receipts will be Rs. 1,656 crores. Market loans are
esitmated at Rs. 325 crores, External loans Rs. 613
crores and loan repayments Rs. 1,395 crores. Small
savings and provident fund collections together are
placed at Rs. 531 crores. Other receipts are estima
ted at Rs. 565 crores.
Total estimated expenditure of Rs. 10,768 crores
comprises development outlay of Rs. 5,868 crores
(55 per cent), Defence outlay of Rs. 2,274 crores,
Interest payments of Rs. 1,188 crores, Statutory and
other transfers to State and Union Territory gov
ernments of Rs. 622 crores and other expenditure of
Rs. 776 crores.
Development outlay of Rs. 5,868 crores com
prises Rs. 3,674 crores on economic services, Rs. 562
crores on social and community services and Rs. 1,623
The Budget has crossed Rs. 10,000 crore
mark for the first time.
The total receipts estimated are Rs. 10,304
crores and expenditure Rs. 10,768 crores.
Last year's level was Rs. 8,865 crores.
Central Budget was less than Rs. 1000
crores in the mid-fifties,
GOCTAMNET INºA
crores on transfers to State and Union Territory
Governments for development purposes as also Rs. 9
crores of Plan expenditure included under General
Services.
The Finance Minister's major revenue raising
effort is confined to indirect taxes. The excise duties
alone are expected to yield Rs. 250.47 crores out of
the total tax proposals in the Budget amounting to
Rs. 288 crores.
Following are the details of the excise duty pro
posals:
The basic excise duty on free sale sugar is step
ped up from 30 per cent ad valorem to 374 per cent
ad valorem. The yield will be an additional revenue
of Rs. 30.25 crores. No change is proposed in the
present effective rate of duty on levy sugar, which
now accounts for 65 per cent of the total internal
releases, so that the average citizen is assured of his
quota of sugar at a reasonable price.
All the khandsari units will work under the nor
mal central excise procedure and pay duty at 17.5
per cent ad valorem yielding an additional revenue
of Rs. 19.60 crores.
The basic duty on loose tea produced in zones
I, II, IV and V is proposed to be increased by 10 to
15 paise per kilograms. The present basic duty on
tea produced in Zone III will be reduced by ten paise
per kg. since 90 per cent of it is exported. It is
proposed to raise the ceiling limit on the quantum
of rebate admissible for exported tea from 75 paise
per kg. to 85 paise per kg. The net effect of the
proposed changes will be an additional revenue of
Rs. 3.40 crores.
The basic duty on cement is being increased from
30 per cent ad valorem to 35 per cent ad valorem
yielding additional revenue of Rs. 15.95 crores.
The duty on motor spirit is proposed to be raised
by ten paise per litre. The duty on furnace oil is
also proposed to be increased by three paise per
litre. The levies on petroleum products will yield
an additional revenue of Rs. 26 crores. It is proposed
to increase by Rs. 2,000 per tonne the excise duty
on commercial grade aluminium which will yield an
additional revenue of Rs. 15 crores.
TOBACCO PRODUCTS
The favourite revenue yielding item of all Fin
ance Ministers — tobacco in various forms — has not
been spared by Shri Subramaniam either. He pro
poses to raise additional revenue of Rs. 26.88 crores
from tobacco and tobacco products. There
would be a uniform total excise duty of rupees three
per kg. on non-fluecured un-manufactured tobacco
other than that used for the manufacture of cigaret
tes. It is also proposed to levy a duty of Re. 1 per
thousand on hand-made bidis. This levy will be re
stricted to bidis sold under brand names. The duty
on machine-made bidis will be stepped up from Rs.
3.60 to Rs. 4.60 per thousand. A duty of ten per
cent ad valorem on chewing tobacco sold under brand *
names and on snuff is proposed to be levied,
MARCH 3, 1978
 The effective basic duty on cigarettes will be
increased by five per cent ad valorem at all price
levels except that the ceiling level of basic duty will
continue to remain at 250 per cent ad valorem. The
basic effective duty on smoking mixture is being
raised by five per cent ad valorem.
The various proposals made by the Finance
Minister on textiles yield an additional revenue of
Rs. 49.10 crores. These includes adjustments in the
rates of duty on rayon and synthetic yarn increased
duties on super-fine and fine cotton yarn, enhance
ment of compounded levy on powerlooms and a
two-tier duty structure on cotton fents and rags.
The duty on air-conditioners is proposed to be
raised from 75 per cent ad valorem to 100 per cent
ad valorem. Similarly, the duty on parts of refri
gerating and air-conditioning plants and machinery
is being raised from 100 per cent to 125 per cent
ad valorem. Duty on refrigerators and refrigerat
ing machinery and appliances, as well as air coolers,
is however, being kept unchanged.
The basic duty on cosmetics and toilet prepara
tions is being raised from 30 to 40 per cent ad
valorem. Shampoos will, henceforth, pay a basic
duty of 40 per cent. The duty on safes, strong
boxes and similar articles will go up from 10 per
cent to 20 per cent ad valorem. The combined re
venue effect of these proposals will be Rs. 7.65
CrOreS.
LUXURY GOODS
The excise duty is also increased on synthetic
organic dye-stuffs, chinaware, porcelainware, glass
and glassware, packing and wrapping paper, pulp
boards and duplex and triplex boards, electric wires
and cables and electric fans. It is also proposed to
rationalise the tariff entries and exemption notifica
tions relating to gramophones, record players, tape
recorders, permanent magnets, vehicular tyres, com
ponents of motor vehicles, wool tops, concession for
the use of rice-brand oil and minor oils, for the
manufacture of vegetable products. It is also pro
Out of every rupee which the Finance
Minister will collect during the current year 27
paise will come from excise, 12 paise from
customs, seven paise from corporation tax, two
paise from income-tax and two paise from other
taxes. Non-tax revenue will yield 16 paise,
loan repayments 13 paise, market loans, small
savings and provident funds eight paise, ex
ternal loans six paise and other receipts five
paise. The deficit of two paise remains un
covered.
From every rupee thus collected, the Gov
ernment will spend 34 paise on Plan and 21 paise
on other development expenditure. Defence will
cost 21 paise. interest payments 11 paise, statu
tory and other transfers to States and Union
Territories six paise and other expenditure seven
paise.
RQCIALIST TNT)1A
Non-development expenditure has been kept
under strict control in the new Budget.
The amount under this head this year will be
only Rs. 776 crores — seven per cent of the
total expenditure. This does not include expen
diture on defence, interest payments and statu
tory grants to the States.
This is regarded as considerable achieve
ment considering that the total non-develop
ment expenditure includes such obligatory
items as Parliament, audit, judiciary, external
affairs, tax collection charges, pensions and aid
given to countries like Nepal, Bhutan and others.
posed to rationalise the tariff for exposed cinema
tograph films and to increase the differential bet
ween coloured films on the one hand and black
and white films on the other.
There will be an excise duty of 15 per cent ad
valorem on graphite electrodes and anodes.
The Finance Minister announced that with a
view to widening the coverage of taxable goods he
proposed to introduce a new item in the Central
Excise Tariff Schedule which, with few exceptions,
will cover all goods produced for sale or other
commercial purpose not elsewhere specified in the
Schedule. Goods covered under this new item will
be chargeable to a nominal duty at the rate of one
per cent ad valorem.
No change has been proposed in the rate of
income-tax in the case of non-corporate tax-payers.
The Finance Minister announced a package of
measures for improving the investment climate.
These measures will reinforce the other policies that
the Government has announced for encouraging
greater production in certain vital sectors. The
measures include extension of tax holiday, exemp
tion of inter-corporate dividends derived from new
companies engaged in high priority industries, ex
emption from wealth tax of equity shares in new
companies engaged in certain priority industries and
incentives to greater savings,
ExCISE NET WIDENED
The Finance Minister has introduced a new
measure to give relief to middle-class families. In
respect of children attending degree or post-gradu
ate courses in medicine, engineering or other tech
nical subjects, the amount of deduction will be Rs.
1,000 per child and in respcet of children attending
degree or post-graduate courses in other subjects
or diploma courses in medicine, engineering or other
technical subejcts the amount of deduction will be
Rs. 500 per child. The new concession will be avail
able in the case of individuals whose gross total
income does not exceed Rs. 12,000 per annum and
is restricted to two children. This will cost the
Government a loss of Rs. 7 crores in full year and
a little over Rs. 4 crores in 1975-76,
---
º MARCH 8, 1075
 The Finance Minister announced the following
concessions to promote savings. He said that he
had decided to liberalise the concession currently
available under the Income-Tax Act in respect of
long-term savings through provident funds, life in
surance, etc., So as to allow a deduction in respect
of 100 per cent of the first Rs. 4,000 of the quali
fying savings plus 50 per cent of the next Rs. 6,000
of such savings plus 40 per cent of the balance.
Government employees who do not withdraw
any amount from their provident fund accounts
during the year will be allowed a bonus on the sub
scription made by them to the Fund. This will be
calculated at the rate of three per cent for emplo
yees drawing pay upto Rs. 500 per month and one
per cent for employees drawing pay above Rs. 500
per month.
INCENTIVES FOR SAVINGS
Income-tax exemption limit, applying to sala
ried assessees and relating to house-rent allowance
and leave travel concession is being liberalised.
Indian technicians employed abroad are also pro
posed to be given some tax relief. It is also pro
posed to exempt from income-tax retrenchment com
pensation paid to workers upto a maximum of Rs.
20,000.
The exemption from income derived from live
stock breeding and poultry and dairy-farming will
be restricted to Rs. 10,000 for a year.
The Finance Minister's other proposals relat
ing to direct taxes are:
The basic rate of income-tax in the case of
closely-held industrial companies is being raised
from 55 per cent to 60 per cent on the entire income
of such companies, where the taxable income ex
ceeds Rs. 2 lakhs subject, however, to marginal re
lief. The yield in a full year will be Rs. 4 crores
and in 1975-76 RS. 3 crores.
Under the Interest Tax Act. 1974, in comput
ing the taxable income of non-banking non-financial
companies, only 85 per cent of the interest paid by
them on public deposits will be allowed as expendi
ture for tax purposes. Yield: Rs. 10 crores in full
year, and Rs. 7.5 crores in 1975-76.
The tax holiday concession for industrial un
dertakings that go into production before April 1,
1976 and ships which are brought into use before
that will be extended for a further period of five
years. The concession at present available to ap
proved hotels irrespective of date has been modi
fied. It will be applicable only in case of approved
hotels which start functioning before April 1, 1981.
The exemption has been withdrawn in respect
of dividends paid by companies out of their tax holi
day profits attributable to the extended periods.
Shareholders will, however, not stand to lose, since
it is proposed to increase the quantum of tax holi
day profits in the case of companies from 6 per cent
80CIALIST INDIA
to 7.5 per cent per annum of the capital employed
in new industrial undertakings, ships or hotels.
Exemption from income-tax will be available to
inter-corporate dividends derived by domestic com
panies from new companies engaged in the manufac
ture of fertilisers, pesticides, paper and cement.
The initial depreciation allowance at the rate of
20 per cent of the cost of machinery and plant will
be extended to the pesticides industries.
Investment in equity shares of new companies
engaged in priority industries will be exempt from
wealth tax for a period of five years.
The development rebate will be extended to ships
which will be acquired before January 1, 1977 pro
vided orders for their acquisition were placed be
fore December 1, 1973.
JANA SANGH MAYOR
RESIGNS:
Most Expensive Mayor:
Shri Kidar Nath Sahani resign
ed as Mayor of Delhi on February
28 after the ruling Jana Sangh
lost its majority in the Delhi
Municipal Corporation following
defections from the Party.
The leader of the Congress
Party in the Corporation, Shri
Kishore Lal, commenting on Shri
Sahani's ouster, said that before
levelling charges against the Con
gressmen, he should remember
that at the time of his election as
Mayor in April last, he had failed
to get all the Jana Sangh mem
bers’ votes. Shri Kishore Lal urg
ed the former Mayor to accept the
fact that the extent of corruption
among his partymen had created
cracks in his party.
Shri Kishore Lal, leader of the
Congress in the Municipal Corpo
ration recently revealed that dur
ing the last 11 months Shri Sahani
presided over only 35 out of 70
meetings for a total of 16 hours
and 45 minutes. And the fabu
lous amount of Rs. 1,25,116 had
been spent on him which works out
at Rs. 124.49 for every minute.
MARCH 8, 1975

Tension In The
Sub-continent
D. D. SURI
It was not just a coincidence
that Soviet Defence Minister Mar
shal Grechko's high-powered mili
tary delegation arrived in New
Delhi just when the US decision
to lift the embargo on arms sup
plies to Pakistan was announced
in the Press. New Delhi, which
had been informed about the de
cision a few days earlier, obvious
ly considered it of great psycho
logical value to ensure that the
Grechko visit already planned
synchronised with the announce
ment. That not only softened the
blow, but also tended to establish
who is the real friend, thereby
taking the wind out of the sail of
those who advocated closed rela
tions with USA at the cost of
friendship with Russia.
Lobbies of Parliament were agog
with caustic comparision between
the “faithful ally” of Pakistan
and “reliable friend” of India.
Opinion outside was no less criti
cal of the “devious” diplomacy of
the Americans and the statement
of Foreign Minister Chavan that
the US decision “is a retrograde
step and will not further the
cause of peace in the sub-conti
nent” is endorsed wholeheartedly.
His assurance that “the Govern
ment is fully conscious of its res
ponsibility and confident of na
tion's capability to meet the con
sequences of this unfortunate de
cision” went home equally well,
particularly because of the pre
sence of the Soviet military dele
gation in the capital.
“DISHONEST’’ ARGUMENTS
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
described the decision as re-open
ing of old wounds and charcter
ised the arguments advanced in
its favour as “dishonest”. . Mem
bers of Parliament were one with
her in feeling strongly that the
decision would mar the recently
improving relations between the
two countries.
Resentmetn over this renewed
SOCIALIST INDIA
tilt towards Pakistan, however, is
not accompanied by panic, except
perhaps in the economic sense.
Whatever US thoughts may be
about Indo-Pak parity, no one in
this country seriously thinks that
Pakistan can match India's mili
tary strength because of the vast
disparity between the size and re
sources of the two. But the nui
sance value of Islamabad's fever
ish activity in increasing its arm
ed forces is a threat to normalisa
tion of relations between the two
countries and a source of tension
in the sub-continent. It will also
worsen the already serious econo
mic situation.
America may or may not place a
limit on its supplies of lethal wea
pons to its ally at reduced pri
ces, but India has the capacity to
make its own weapons and also
buy from elsewhere. At any rate
arms from US, which is the big
gest manufacturer and trader of
lethal weapons, are known to
have reached Pakistan from de
vious channels. It is thus the
spirit rather than the substance
behind the decision that has upset
India.
AMERICAN CLUMSINESS
It seems that Islamabad's per
sistence to create a bogey of
India's nefarious intentions to
swallow its neighbour has paid
dividend and American Govern
ment has accepted the view that
Simla Agreement notwithstanding,
there is a ring of genuineness in
Pakistan's fears. That is consi
dered disastrous for peace in the
sub-continent.
Pakistan will doubtless try to
buy as much arms as it can by
begging and borrowing money
from the Arab friends in case
America insists, as it says, on cash
sales. Indications of this are avail
able from news and views appear
ing in pro-Government newspapers
of that country. They talk of im
mediate acquisition of 900 tanks
and 300 aircraft, besides ground
to-air and air-to-air missiles. Such
activity will naturally increase the
economic burden of India, for she
must also increase her military
potential, as the discussions with
the Soviet delegation indicate.
American clumsiness in tack
ling the issue of arms is not con
sidered unusual. They seem to
10
have flair for bungling. Delhi,
however, feels strongly that there
was hardly any need for Dr. Kis
singer to create wrong impressions
during his visit to Delhi in Octo
ber last, and follow it up by pro
testations of friendship between
the two largest democracies, talk
of removing tensions in the sub
continent and raising the economic
standard of the developing world
when his country had every inten
tion of continuing to be the lar
gest purveyor of lethal weapons
in South-East and West Asia. To
announce the decision about lift
ing the arms embargo when the
new US Ambassador was on his
way to Delhi and for Dr. Kissin
ger to accuse India of lack of res
traint in acquiring nearly one bil
lion dollar worth of arms a year
is considered bad in taste, parti
cularly as it is admitted that Pak
purchase of arms has not been
less than 800 million a year.
If the decision has been made
by the US Government clumsily
and at an inopportune moment, it
has nevertheless been a triumph
for Pak diplomacy. Mr. Bhutto
clearly knows the art of winning
friends and keeping them by his
side. He did not just ask for the
homage due to an ally, but won
his point as a reliable friend. There
undoubtedly is more sympathy for
him and his representatives in the
Pentagon than for any one else.
ARMS RACE
Observers feel that the lifting
of the arms embargo and Marshal
Grechko's visit to New Delhi might
well start armament race in the
sub-continent, after the pace had
been set in West Asia. US decla
rations that they have no inten
tion of promoting an arms race
has no meaning, for once the door
of sophisticated weaponry can be
is opened, Pakistan's acquisition
limited only by its capacity to ar
range funds, which it hopes to
procure in abundance. Similarly,
the statement that India can buy
from US is meaningless in the
light of earlier experience and the
fact that the pattern here has un
dergone a radical change during
the last decade. Resultantly Pa
kistan will freely buy from the
United States and India will de
pend on the own and Soviet
Continued on Page 34
MARCH 8, 1975

11 ſº a yueek to Europe.
Qur 747s fly 8 times a week to London,
4 times to Frankfurt, 5 times to Rome and Paris
and our 707s twice to Moscow and once to
Geneva and London.
7 flights a week to New York.
One flight daily by 747 via the Middle East and
Europe. The return trip will cost less than the
one-way fare if you fly on our Excursion Fare.

Also every week:

3 flights to
EAST AFRICA
10 flights to
SOUTH EAST ASIA
6 flights to
JAPAN

2 flights to
MAURITIUS
2 flights to
AUSTRALIA

18 flights a week to the Middle East.

5 flights to Kuwait and Beirut, 3 to Dubai and
Bahrain. 2 each to Abu Dhabi, Dhahran
ifºrndon. “Aden. Muscs. Don. Aºazºr-Ayaſa/º
-
-

Sheikh Abdullah:
A Profile
Born on December 5, 1905, in a
well-to-do family of Shawl dealers
in Soura village, near Srinagar,
Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had
his early schooling in Srinagar. He
took the M.Sc. Degree from Ali
garh Muslim University.
He began his career as school
teacher in a local Government
school. Touched by the abject po
verty of the people smarting under
the stresses and strains of the
feudal-cum-autocratic rule, Sheikh
Abdullah resigned to serve the
people through the political plat
form. He organised a study circle
of the educated young people who
under his guidance participated in
discussions and debates. The move
ment took a start from this very
forum and the people rallied round
the young leader who organised
them to fight for the rights as
early 1931.
Sheikh Abdullah became a sus
pect in the eyes of the rulers of
the day who spared no efforts to
put curbs on his activities. But re
pression by the Government only
lent a keener edge to his popular
activities. The movement steadily
gained momentum and the Sheikh
became the acknowledged leader of
the people.
POPULAR APPLAUSE
He won popular applause for his
courage of brave all the stresses
and strains imposed on him by the
autocracy. The people called him
“Sher-e-Kashmir” (Lion of Kash
mir). Soon after he was arrested
for championing the cause of the
people.
An organisation of the people
came into being in 1932 which was
named “Muslim Conference”. The
Sheikh became its first President.
Members of all communities rallied
round this organisation and with
the passage of time the need was
felt to rename it in keeping with
its growing national complexion
and outlook. The Muslim Confer
ence was converted into National
Conference,
socray,TRT INTIA
The leadership came forward
with a concrete programme reflec
ting the urges and aspirations of
the people and a blue-print enti
tled “Naya Kashmir” was drafted
which formed the Magna Carta of
the politically wide-awake people
of the State.
A landmark in the State peo’.
ple's struggle had been the “Quit
Kashmir” slogan given by Sheikh
Abdullah as far back as 1946. It
was a clarion call to the people
of Jammu and Kashmir to rise in
an organised manner against auto
cracy in the State and press for
a responsible Government.
This was a period of struggle
for the people of the State who
braved all types of repression. The
leader of the movement was ar
rested and tried for sedition in
1946. During this period of deten
tion he was elected President of
the All-India State People's Con
ference. The State people's move
ment gained sympathy and en
couragement of the Indian
tional Congress leadership.
AFTER PARTITION
Freedom came to the country in
August 1947 and the sub-continent
was partitioned. At that time
Sheikh Abdullah and his colleagues
were behind the bars. Leaders of
the National Conference were re
leased unconditionally. In
meantime Pakistan launched
aggression against the State. The
leader controlled the situation and
mobilised all the democratic forces
to meet the threat to the territorial
integrity and national honour.
He was appointed head of the
administration. A born adminis
trator, the Sheikh energised the
State's administration to face Pak
istan's aggression and restored
peace and tranquillity in the
affected parts.
In March 1948 Sheikh Abdullah
became the Prime Minister of
Jammu and Kashmir. This was a
trying period for him. He had re
ceived in heritage a ramshackle
administration which tumbled down
like a house of cards with the
first onslaught of Pakistani ag
gression in 1947–48.
The Government headed by him
lost no time to start from
12
scratch and addressed itself in
right earnest to set right the after
math of the aggression. The prime
task of refugee rehabilitation was
tackled by his Government and at
the very outset several salutary
measures including land reforms
were introduced.
In 1948 he proceeded to the UN
as a member of the Indian delega
tion.
In 1953 he was arrested and was
released in 1958. Later he was
again arrested and tried in the
Kashmir conspiracy case. The case
was withdrawn in April 1964 and
he was subsequently released.
Later on at Jawaharlal Nehru's
invitation Sheikh Abdullah held
discussions with him in New Delhi
and subsequently visited Pakistan
on a goodwill mission and had
talks with President Ayub Khan,
This mission, was however, cut
short by the untimely demise of
Nehru.
In 1965 the Sheikh undertook
Na
Haj pilgrimage to Mecca and visit
ed Egypt, Algeria and the UK. On
his return to Delhi, his passport
was impounded and he was detain
ed in Ootacamund and Kodaikanal.
He was released in January 1968.
He was externed from the State
in January 1971 following the ban
on the Plebiscite Front. The ban
was lifted in June 1972.
the
its NFW UPCC PRESIDENT
Shri Lakshmi Shankar Yadav was
appointed President of the Uttar
Pradesh Congress Committee on
February 21. Shri Yadav was till
recently Minister for Health and
PWD in the State. He replaced
Shri Baijnath Kureel.
1.4 LARH RAILWAYMEN
CONDONED
The Railway Minister Shri
Ramalapati Tripathi's condonation
announcement in Parliament that
railway employees who suffered an
automatic break in service follow
ing their participation in last year's
strike is expected to benefit about
1,40,000 railwaymen.
In all, about 5.91,000 workers had
suffered break in service. Of them,
about 4,50,000 employees had been
granted condonation after consider
ing their individual appeals. The
Railway Minister's condonation an
nouncement is expected to benefit
the remaining 1,40,000 employees.
The number of employees facing
charges of intºmidation and violence
is placed between 1,200 and 1,600.
a
MARCH 8, 1975

FOCUS
J. And K. Ministry
Sworn in
Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah
was sworn in as Chief Minister of
Jammu and Kashmir on February
25. Along with him were sworn in
three other members of his Cabi
net. They were: Mirza Afzal Beg,
Shri Sonam Norbu and Shri D. D.
Thakur.
The swearing-in ceremony was
PROFILES OF J. AND K.
MINISTERS
AFZAL BEG
Born in February 1908, Mirza
Mohammad Afzal Beg, soon after
graduation from a Srinagar col
lege, joined the political movement
launched by Sheikh Abdullah. He
joined the legal profession after
obtaining LLB Degree from Ali
garh Muslim University.
Shri Beg was first elected to the
State Legislative Assembly called
“Praja Sabha” in 1934 but later
resigned. Two years later he was
re-elected.
In 1938 he was arrested and sen
tenced for taking part in the move
ment for “responsible Govern
ment”.
He was appointed member of
the Council of Ministers in Sir B.
N. Rau's Cabinet in 1944. In 1946
he resigned and was arrested and
detained for taking part in “Quit
Kashmir” agitation.
When Sheikh Abdullah came
into power in 1947, Shri Beg was
put in charge of “emergency ad
ministration” by Sheikh Abdullah
and was appointed member of his
Cabinet a year later.
Shri Beg was arrested along
with Sheikh Abdullah in 1953 but
released in December 1954. He
founded the Jammu and Kashmir
SOCIALIST INDIA
held at the Raj Bhavan, Jammu,
in the presence of the Congress
President, Shri Dev Kanta Bo
rooah, the former Chief Minister
of the State, Syed Mir Qasim, his
Cabinet colleagues and legislators.
The oath of office and secrecy
was administered by the Gover
nor, Shri L. K. Jha.
Later, Sheikh Abdullah, accom
panied by Shri Borooah, drove in
an open jeep from the Raj Bhavan
to the Secretariat Grounds where
the new Chief Minister and mem
bers of his Cabinet were accorded
a reception by Congress workers
and others. The Sheikh was also
accorded a guard of honour by a
police contingent on arrival at the
Secretariat Grounds.
Plebiscite Front in 1955 and con
tinues to be its President.
Shri Beg also figured as an ac
cused in the Kashmir conspiracy
case which was withdrawn in April
1964.
On his return to Delhi from Haj
pilgrimage, he along with Sheikh
Abdullah was arrested in 1965.
He was released in December 1967
and was externed from the State
in January 1971 but was allowed
to re-enter in May 1972. Shri Beg
was a member of the Indian Con
stituent Assembly and Kashmir
Constituent Assembly.
SONAM NORBU
Shri Sonam Norbu graduated
from Punjab University and ob
tained an engineering degree from
Sheffield University in the UK.
Joining the State service, he rose
to be Chief Engineer.
His professional achievements
include construction of the coun
try's highest airfield at Leh in
Ladakh, keeping the Banihal pass
open through the winter during
the military operations in Kash
mir and construction of the Leh
Kargil Road ahead of schedule. In
recognition of these services, he
was awarded the Padma Shri.
The Centre requisitioned his ser
vices to be Chief Engineer of the
Border Roads Organisation and
he was in charge of the Chetak
project for two years. Returning
to the State in 1965, he was placed
in charge of his home district of
13
Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh
Abdullah declared that the eradi
cation of corruption, which was
eating into the vitals of society
wuold be his foremost task. Brief
ly referring to the violent demon
stration by some Jana Sangh wor
kers soon after the swearing-in
ceremony, the Sheikh said protest
was a democratic right which
would not be denied to anyone. “I
have not come to put people in
jail, but if anybody became vio
lent, the law would take its own
course”, he warned.
Syed Mir Qasim, also speaking
at the reception, said communal
fanatics had launched a campaign
against the Sheikh and the accord.
Ladakh as Development Commis
sioner.
He resigned in 1967 and was
elected to the State Legislative
Council. Soon afterwards he was
appointed Indian Ambassador to
Mongolia.
DEVIDAS THAKUR
Shri Devidas Thakur, born on
December 9, 1929 is the youngest
member of the Sheikh Cabinet.
After graduating from a Srinagar
college in 1950, he joined the rul
ing National Conference and took
up a teaching job. He then took
a degree in law from Lucknow
University and set up practice in
his home twon of Ramban in
Jammu province.
Joining the Praja Socialist Party
in 1956, he unsuccessfully contest
ed the Assembly elections in 1957,
1962 and 1967. As a lawyer, he
was very successful. He was ap
pointed a Judge of the High Court
in March 1973.
READ
MARCH 8, 1975

A Chronology Of
Kashmir Politics
Below is a chronology of events
with a bearing on Kashmir poli
tics, according to UNI.
1931: July 13: Twenty-one per
sons are killed in police firing out
side the central jail in Srinagar;
Sept. 20: Sheikh Mohammed
Abdullah is arrested and spends 12
days in jail.
1932: Jan. 23: Sheikh Abdullah
is arrested again and spends four
months and 13 days in jail; Oct.
15: All Jammu and Kashmir Mus
lim Conference is founded with
Sheikh Abdullah as president.
1933: May 23: Sheikh is arrest
ed for third time and spends two
months and 18 days in jail.
1934: April 22: Maharaja an
nounces plan for a legislative as
sembly, partly elected on limited
franchise; July 13: Sheikh is ar
rested for fourth time an dspends
19 days in jail.
1939: Aug. 29: Sheikh is arrest
ed for fifth time and spends six
months in jail.
1939: June 11: Muslim Confer
ence converts itself into All Jammu
and Kashmir National Conference
at a session presided over by G.M.
Sadiq.
1946: May 20: Sheikh is arrest
ed for sixth time following laun
ching of “Quit Kashmir” agita
tion.
ACCESION TO INDIA
1947: Aug. 1: Mahatma Gandhi
visits the State; August 1415: Do
minions of India and Pakistan
come into being, Maharaja, still to
decide on accession to either, offers
standstill agreement; Oct. 1:
Sheikh Abdullah is released; Oct.
22: Pakistani tribes invade Kash
mir: Oct. 26: Kashmir accedes to
India, National Conference appeals
to India for help to repel invaders;
Oct. 30: Sheikh Abdullah is ap
pointed Chief Emergency Adminis
trator; Nov. 17: Sheikh addresses
first public meeting in Jammu.
1948: Jan. 1: India complains to
United Nations about Pakistan
aggression; March 5; Sheikh Ab
dullah is installed as Prime Minis
ter; Aug. 13: UN Council for
SOCIALIST INDIA
India and Pakistan (UNCIP) calls
for ceasefire.
1949: Jan. 1: India and Pakistan
agree on ceasefire; Jan. 5: UNCIP
asks Secretary-General to nomi
nate Plebiscite Administrator for
Kashmir; May 15: Maharaja Hari
Singh quits State; Karan Singh
becomes head of State; Oct. 17:
Constituent Assembly of India
adopts Article 370.
1950: July 13: Landlordism abo
lished.
1951: Oct. 31: Kashmir Consti
tuent Asnembly is convened.
1953: Aug. 9: Sheikh Abdullah
is removed from Premiership and
arrested; Bakshi Ghulam Moham
mad takes over as Prime Minis
ter.
1955: Aug. 9: Sheikh Abdullah's
followers form Plebiscite Front.
1957: Jan. 16: Kashmir consti
tion comes into force; head of
State is designated Sadar-i-Raya
sat.
1958: Jan. 8: Sheikh is released
after spending four years and five
months in jail; April 29: Sheikh
is arrested again implicated in
conspiracy case.
1962: April 15: A case against
Sheikh is committed to sessions.
1963: Oct. 10: Bakshi Ghulam
Mohammad quits under Kamaraj
Plan, Shamsuddin succeeds as
Premier; Dec. 27: Theft of sacred
relic (Prophet's hair) from Haz
ratbal Shrine touches off rioting.
1964: Jan. 4: Sacred relic's re
covery is announced; Feb. 29: G.
M. Sadiq succeeds Shamsuddin as
Prime Minister; April 5: Sadiq
announces decision to withdraw
conspiracy case; April 8: Sheikh
is released (after five years, 11
months and nine days in jail);
April 29: Sheikh visits Delhi as
guest of Jawaharlal Nehru, dis
cusses plan for goodwill mission
to Pakistan. May 24: Sheikh ar
rives in Rawalpindi and begins
talks with President Ayub Khan;
May 27: Nehru is dead; Sheikh
abondons mission to Pakistan;
Sept. 22: Bakshi is arrested on
corruption charges; Dec. 13:
Bakshi is released on health
grounds.
1965: Jan. 10: Congress decides
to organise its units in State:
Jan. 7: Head of State designated
Governor, head of Government is
designated Chief Minister; May 8:
Sheikh arrested on return to Delhi
14
from Haj tour following furore
over his meeting with Chou-En
lai at Algiers; Sept. 6: Pakistani
infltration into Kashmir touches
off conflict; Sept. 20: India and
Pakistan agree on ceasefire.
1966: Jan. 10: India and Pakis
tan sign Tashkent declaration,
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur
Shastri dies in Tashkent.
... 1968: Jan. 2: Sheikh is freed.
1971: Jan. 9: Sheikh in Delhi, is
served order banning entry into
State; Jan. 12: Plebiscite Front is
banned; Dec. 3: Pakistani attack
on Indian air fields starts another
war. Dec. 13: Sadiq is dead, Syed
Mir Qasim becomes Chief Minis
ter; Dec. 16: Pakistani army in
Dacca surrenders and Bangladesh
emerges as free nation.
NEW LEAF TURNED
1972: Jan. 12: Ban on Plebiscite
Front lapses; Jan. 15: Ban on
Sheikh's entry into State is lifted:
June 15: Sheikh's emissary, Mirza
Afzal Beg and Prime Minister's
emissary G. Parthasarathy meet in
Srinagar, unknown to the Press
and public; June 20: Sheikh tells
public meeting in Srinagar, Shri
mati Gandhi has said she wants
to turn a new leaf in Kashmir
and he was promised her coopera
tion: July 3: Shrimati Gandhi and
Z. A. Bhutto sign Simla Agree
ment; Sept. 11: Sheikh's suppor
ters take over municipalities in
Kashmir following civic poll vic
tory.
1973: Aug. 7: Sheikh in speech
at Hazaratbal says he will set
sights on wider horizons.
VOTING AGE
The Minister of State for Law,
Dr. Sarojini Mahishi, told the Rajya
Sabha on February 24 that the
Centre would reconsider the ques
tion of lowering the voting age to
18, keeping in view the number of
the electorate and the situation in
the country. She said that about
3,50,00000 electorate would be
added if the voting age was lower
ed to 18.
SELF-SUFFIENCY
The Minister for Petroleum and
Chemicals, Shri K. D. Malaviya,
told the Rajya Sabha on February 24
that indiggenous prodution of crude
in 1978-79 was estimated at 12 mil
lion tonnes. He said the Govern
ment proposed to invest Rs. 1,200
crores during the Fifth Plan period
for oil exploration. The Minister
said on the basis of available data
it could be said that the country
could be self-sufficient in oil within
a decade or so.
MARCH 8, 1975

T. A. PAI on
How The Public Sector Can
“Give Guts” To Economy—II
Some recent press reports have
resulted in a certain amount of
confusion regarding the intentions
of this Ministry with respect to
industrial policy. Some of these
press reports have given the im
pression that the Ministry would
like to move towards a market
oriented policy without regard to
country’s industrial priorities or
planning.
This may be an appropriate oc
casion to explain the objectives of
Government's industrial policy.
The following are some of the
points which may be mentioned:
i. The Government has tried to
provide flexibility to the producers
in determining their product-mix
in machine tool, industrial machi
nery and electrical equipment pro
duction andlor consumption of pro
ducts which are in short supply
and whose use has to be regulated
according to overall social and eco
nomic priorities.
The Cement Control Order and
the Production Control Order in
respect of paper are instances of
this kind. The above shows that
there is no intention to move to
wards an unregulated economy.
We need not be fussy whether
sugar mahcinery is produced or
paper machinery is produced, but
the government is certainly fussy
about whether machinery will be
produced or domestic refrigerators
or air-conditioners will be produ
ced.
ii. While flexibility has been
provided where it is needed, gov
ernment has also tried to regu
late industries, however, as is evi
dent from the list of industries in
which this facility has been gran
ted flexibilitv has been provided
nmly in industrier, where the en
tire product of that industry is
high priority,
st tºtatºrsº fººta
iii. With regard to defining ca
pacity in terms of inputs or criti
cal equipment, it may be clarified
that the intention is to be selec
tive, and use this procedure only
in cases where such a definition
would enhance efficiency in the
use of scarce raw material or capi
tal resources.
iv. Some of the recent measures
in the field of liecnsing are: defi
ning capacity in physical rather
than value terms, permitting three
shift operations, revision of the
value limit for small-scale sector,
price decontrol subject to certain
guidelines in respect of commer
cial vehicles, cars and tractors.
v. Some of the policy measures
which have been considered are:
encouragement to use capacity for
export production by liberalising
licensing restrictions which may
come in the way, and encourage
ment to the growth of capacity in
the export industries in the engi
neering field.
Less is being heard now in India
about the threat of recession in
the last few weeks.
It may be mentioned that the
problem of accumulation of stocks
in textile industries has been sol
ved to a large extent by reduction
in prices in the month of Novem
ber. This was in line with our ex
pectation. It may also be mention
ed that in the month of Decem
ber, there has been a sharp in
crease in the production of com
mercial vehicles over the month
of November (18 per cent), cars
(34 per cent), motor cycles (10
per cent). three-wheelers (17.4 per
cent), and so on. The present pro
duction trends do not point to a
recession in the economy.
WRONG IMPRESSION
The effects of world recession
on the Indian economy are hard
to predict, but they need not be
very large since exports are a re
latively small proportion of natio
nal income as well as total indus
trial production. This however, is
an area of uncertainty and should
be recognised as such.
FIGHTING RECESSION
Our main response to any ten
dency towards recession must be
by inrecasing investment in eco
nomy, and by increasing exports.
Realising that if our economy has
to survive, there is no option but
to step up our exports significan
tly, every possible measure is be
ing taken to incraese our export
in commodities like sugar and ce
ment are being followed up.
More important, our effort is to
increase our exports of non-tradi
tional engineering goods particu
larly to the developing countries.
Towards the furtherance of this
objective, a number of bilateral
trade agreements have been enter
ed into and joint commissions with
a number of countries set up.
The strategy is to fully exploit
our present capacity with the ad
vantage of cheaper cost of produc
tion to meet the developing needs
of various countries either directly
or as a third country supplier.
Instances deserving particular
mention are the orders secured
for the supply of equipment for
a coke oven project in Yugosla
via, structurals for a project in
Kuwait, buses to Zaire, Afghanis
tan and Sri Lanka.
We have also reached an under
standing with Hungary, after an
appraisal of our engineering and
technical capabilities for prepara
tion of a detailed project report
for setting up of a coke oven pro
iect in that country on a turn
key basis. -
Similarly, all possible avenues
are being explored for mutual co
operation and expansion of trade
with various other countries. Right
now, negotiations are in hand with
the USSR and a team is in our
country to explore the possibility
of our supplving heavv engineer
ing equinment to third coun
tries which are setting ºn nrojects
with the assistance of USSR. We
are also negotiating with a num
MARCM 3, 1978
ber of countries for assistance for
the development of the natural
resources, like iron ore, forest re
Sources etc.
In order to facilitate exports,
the government has recently made
certain changes in the value-added
criterion for steel-based exports.
For items such as steel pipes and
bright bars which were facing dif
ficulties in the export market, the
value-added criterion has been sub
stantially modified (10 per cent as
against 25 per cent along with
certain changes in the base of cal
culation).
In order to step up investment,
despite difficulties on the resource
front, the Government has tried to
maintain the tempo of investment
in 1974-75 and expects to do so in
1975-76 also. Figures of the An
nual Plan for next year are likely
to be available at the time of the
Budget. The present slackness in
the capital market as well as the
difficult resource situation of finan
cial institutions may be referred
to by the reporters. Since, so far,
the government has not done very
much in this area, it may be ne
cessary to recognise this as a prob
lem and indicate government's in
tention to take necessary measu
res in these areas also.
One of the basic laws of econo
mics is that supply of output is
directly related to price. The ex
perience of our country, however,
in the last few years, shows that
such direct relationship between
supply and prices is not evident.
While prices have been increasing
at the rate of 18 to 20 per cent,
the index of industrial production
recorded a growth of only 0.7 per
cent in 1973 over 1972 and 1.7 per
cent during the first half of 1974,
as compared to the corresponding
period of 1973.
At the same time, there is sub
stantial unutilised capacity in the
country and, it is, therefore, clear
that the current inflation is not
the result of full employment of
existing real sources in the short
run, as is generally the case in
advanced countries. With the sligh
test trend towards decline in out".
nnt nrices, there is a tendency for
the output to be curtailed in order
socialist INDIA
to ensure that the decline in pri
ces does not become cumulative.
Thus, all the operations are gea
red to an expectation of perpe
tual shortages and rising prices.
This would be a misleading indi
cator of the social cost of under
utilisation of capacity. In order to
avoid inflation, I, therefore, assign
a crucial place to utilisation of
existing capacity in the industrial
sector. This is crucial because uti
lisation of existing capacity can
lead to substantial gains in produc
tion in the short run without too
much monetary outlay on additio
nal investments, whose benefits
can be available only after a con
siderable time-lag. The immediate
problem, therefore, is to overcome
the constraints that come in the
way of using the capacity that we
have got in this country with
past investments.
In this task both Public
Private sectors have to play their
assigned roles and it is my hope
that we can create a system which
would introduce a social compul
sion to produce and utilise exist
ing capacity rather than devote
our time to finding alibis for inef
ficient and under-utilisation of the
capital resources of the country.
In understanding the current
situation, it is important to re
member any turn around from in
flationary phase is bound to create
some problems of adjustment for
individual industries in the short
rum. The correct way of coping
with the situation is . to adjust
prices and costs to the changing
level of monetary demand rather
than resist a lowering of prices in
the belief that inflation has now
become a permanent feature of our
economy.
There is no lack of effective de
mand in the country at proper
prices and, if this is done, I have
no doubt that we shall be able to
avoid both inflation as well as any
threat of recession, whether real
or imaginary. Step-up of produc
tion is the only answer to both in
flation and recession. It would be
my endeavour to give a measure of
flexibility to the industry for in
creasing production within certain
parameters.
I am reminded of a story, When
16 , -
a man was asked about the age of
a river, he stated, “It is three mil
lion and 21 years”. Asked how he
could give such accurate informa
tion, his answer was, that, 21 years
ago, the river's age was given as
3 million years! There is a fair
amount of economic statistics in
this. We delude ourselves into
thinking that we live in a more
rational and scientific age than our
ancestors. It is also true that we
live in an age of a particular mysti
cism and the mystic religion to
day is economics.
As I said at the outset, I am
chary of economic platitudes, be
cause they fossilise the attitudes
and perspectives. The economists
can never be wrong in their diag
nosis and forecasts, which are a
function of several variables! Their
predictions are admittedly subject
to operation of unpredictable out
side influences. Those in political
and
authority, however brief, are not
in that unenviable position. In
sharing with you, the thoughts I
have, on the grave economic issues
facing the country and the world
alike. I was not enthused about
taking dip into high intellectual
economics. I hope that my reflec
tions can stimulate appropriate re
actions in the nature of well-inten
tional counsel from such a high
intellectual body as this Forum of
Financial Writers.
PM CLEANS OFFICE
TABLE AT TIMES
The Prime Minister Smt. Indira
Gandhi said in Madras on Feb. 22
she herself wiped her office table
in her secretariat at times, when
she found it had not been properly
cleaned.
Referring to the Reserve Bank
of India officers’ strike following
the peons' refusal to dust their
tables, she said people should not
mind doing it once in a while.
“I do have peons in my office,
but if I find that the table has not
been properly clearned I have no
hesitation in wiping it,” Smt. Gan
dhi said.
She made these remarks at the
silver jubilee celebrations of the
Madras Institute of Technology
here,
-
MARCPI B, 1973

RSS: AN ARM OF
IMPERIALISM
TAPESHWARNATH ZUTSHI
The British policy of divide-and
rule took definite shape in the last
decades of the nineteenth century,
and later it had many ramifica
tions. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs
were encouraged to become con
scious of their separate indentities,
and instead of struggling against
their common enemy (the British)
some of them began to fight
among themselves.
The policy of divide-and-rule
worked through educational insti
tutions, social and religious orga
nisations, political organisations
and even militant organisations.
Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs of
these crimmunal bodies were made
to believe by their leaders that
they were working for the inte
rests of their community. But, in
fact, these communal leaders
always had some understanding
with the British and served the
long term interests of British im
perialism in India.
The policy of divide-and-rule
culminated in the partition of
India and the killing of lakhs of
Hindus and Muslims before and
after the partition. During this
painful period, the cmmunal mili
tant organisations of Hindus and
Muslims, which had flourished
under the patronage of the British,
did not fight among themselves,
but merely killed innocent and
unarmed people. The RSS volun
teers did not go to Noakhali to
defend the Hindus there, as Ma
hatma Gandhi and his followers
had gone there to give them
strength.
The commnalist Hindus claimed
to protect Hindus in Muslim majo
rity areas by killing innocent Mus
lims in Hindu majority areas.
Similarly, Muslim militant organi
sations claimed to protect Muslims
in Hindu majority areas by killing
innocent and unarmed Hindus in
Muslim majority areas. These
agents of British imperialism never
faced each other in any armed
SOCIALIST INDIA
encounter, and they glorified their
cowardly and barbarous deeds by
using perverted logic.
The crimmunal militant organisa:
tions, whether Hindu, Muslim or
Sikh, built their own philosophies
to attract young people. They
preached superiority of their cont
munity over others and also
aroused hostile feelings and hatred
against other communities. In this
way hostility, which would have
been directed against the foreign
rulers, was turned inward and
against our own pople and some
sections of our society. The young
men who were attracted by these
communal philosophies really -e-
lieved that they were serving their
community and did not realise that
they were used as tools of Fritish
imperialism and that their leaders
had secret understanding with
foreign rulers.
II
The late Guru Golwalkar shaped
his philosophy and organisation
of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh on the patterns which were
found in the Nazi Movement of
Hitler. He identified Hinduism. With
Nationalism. His Hinduism did not
emphesise “Dharma” but race
superiority.
According to Guru Golwalkar,
Hindus have been the only sons of
the soil. He regarded this as a his
torical fact. In his words, “If you
shut your eyes to it (this histori
cal fact) and seek to initiate a new
national life, you cannot succeed.
It is this disregard for truth that
has resulted in the present-day
sinful, corrupt and disintegrated
life. Let the Hindu society be
made to realise this truth, this
eternal truth. The foundation day
of a sovereign “Hindu Rashtra”
will be our new Independence Day
and mark the threshold of future
glory”.
Regarding non-Hindus, Guru
Golwalkar has said: “The non
Hindu peoples in Hindustan must
either adopt the Hindu culture and
language, must learn to respect
and hold in reverence Hindu reli
gion, must entertain no idea but
those of glorification of the Hindu
race and culture i.e., they must
not only give up their attitude of
intolerance and ungratefulness
towards this land and its age-old
17
traditions but must also cultivate
the positive attitude of love and
devotion instead.... In a word they
must cease to be foreigners, or may
stay in this country, wholly subor.
dinated to the Hindu nation, claim
ing nothing, deserving no privileg
es, far less any prefential treat
ment—not even citizen's rights.”
The poison of this racist and fas
cist philosophy has been poured
into the minds of lakhs of Hindu
young men for many decades. It
is no wonder that the personalities
of many of them have now become
contaminated by this fascist
poison.
III
The organisatin of the RSS is
such that the orders of the
Fuehrer, the top leader in the
hierarchy, known as Sar Sangh
Chalak (at present Shri Balasaheb
Deoras) is obeyed without any
question by the entire organisa
tion. (It must be noted that the
top leadership of the RSS is
always reserved for Maharash
trians hailing from the Vidharbha
area.) He is the boss, the philo
sopher and the guide. He is follow
ed by “the Sar Karyavah (general
secretary), the Akhil Bharatiya
Baudhik Pramukh, the Akhil Bha
ratiya Pracharak Pramukh, the
Akhil Bharatiya Shararik Shik
shan Pramukh and the Akhil Bha
ratiya Nidhi Pramukh. In the next
rung are the sangh chalaks, Kar
yavahs and pracharaks at the pro
vincial, district and mandal levels,
A shakha generally is expected to
be manned by the Shakha karya
vah, mukhya shikshak, gan pra
mukh and ghat nayak. There are
then the provincial committees
presided over by the sangha cha
lak of the unit, and the chain of
organisers known as pracharaks.
“They are whole-time workers who
form the backbone of the organi
sation. At its shakhas, the RSS
trains youth in the use of lathis,
daggers and knives.
Sanchalaks and pracharaks,
the whole-time paid workers of
RSS do not marry. In fact, they
are supposed to have broken all
connections with their families
for the sake of their love for their
motherland.
The RSS front organisations in
clude a chain of shishu mandirs,
schools with teachers who are
MARCH 8, 1975
trained in the RSS ideology. The
shishu mandirs, which are run as
public schools, attract the chil
dren of the middle and upper class
Hindus. They provide a chance for
the RSS to “catch them young”.
The schools follow a fixed pattern
of teaching, and the text-books
are prepared by the RSS publica
tion centres.
Besides the “shishu mandirs”, the
RSS operates its “shakhas” in
educational institutions. They are
also held in many universities in
the north. The RSS has also infil
trated in various organisations of
teachers and students. For the
first time a well-planned attempt
is being made to make the Akhil
Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad the
main arm of the RSS.
No one knows how the RSS
collects its funds, how much, and
how it deploys them. A known
practice is that “all Swayamse
vaks place their offerings before
the flag, in a specially organised
ritual for collection of funds, held
the same day each year at all the
branches of the RSS.” But it al
ways had access to other funds in
cluding external.
IV
RSS with its fascist philosophy,
a disciplined cadre of workers and
a vast militant organisation faith
fully served the interests of Bri
tish imperialism in India before
we attained freedom. After the as
sassination of Mahatma Gandhi,
there was a great public revulsion
against this communal body. Many
of the old RSS workers left the
organisation. However, after lying
low for several years, the RSS
again raised its head and this time
to serve the interests of the im
perialist powers.
After the Second World War
many countries in Asia attained
freedom from the colonial rule of
the European countries. However,
America quickly moved into this
area, pretending to fill the “power
vacuum”, and tried to foster a and disorder. These agents are
new form of imperialism. It offered
economic aid to these countries
and at the same time urged them
to form military alliances to pro
tect themselves from the dangers
of Communism.
India under the leadership of
Nehru did not toe the American
SOCIALIST INDIA
line and refused to fit into its
grand design. America has never
forgiven Indian for not having re
cognised it as the big boss of the
so-called free world. It has taken
vengeance in its own “American”
way.
The American gangster is not
satisfied merely in striking down
his victim. He would lift him up
by his collar and make him stand
up again and then he would strike
him down once more. This he
would repeat several times to sa
tisfy his sadism. But the “Ugly
American” is different. He is a
sadist who sometimes appears to
be a philanthropist. His sadistic
impulse to humiliate his victim
is satisfied only when he forces
him to seek his help before he
strikes him down. Then he would
force the victim to seek his help
again and would actually help him
to stand up before he strikes him
down once more. The “Ugly Ame
rican” would repeat this again and
again to satisfy his sadistic im
pulse. He would not let the victim
die, because that would deprive
him of the pleasure of humiliat
ing him again and again.
This is what America has been
doing to India, but has not yet
succeded in breaking the will of
our leadership.
No country has damaged the
progress of India more than Ame
rica. It has armed Pakistan seve
ral times against us and has caus
ed three wars in our sub-continent.
Yet it has given lot of aid which
was significant for us but did not
make much difference to them.
The main purpose of their aid is
to put us under their obligation
and to influence our economy and
politics.
America also has several
types of agents in our society who
operate behind respectable fronts,
and their main task is to influ
ence our society, to weaken our
society and to create disruption
among intellectuals, journalists,
editors, social and religious orga
nisation, political parties, the Sar
vodaya Movement, RSS and Anand
Margis.
These American agents in our
society can be identified if their
reactions are studied to various
18
international events. None of them
would condemn America for its
barbarous acts in Viet Nam. They
are pro-zionist and anti-Arab. They
are all against Communism and
try to make others believe that
they are saving the country from
the impending danger of Commu
nist take-over. When there is Wa
tergate scandal in America, they
all discover that there are hun
dreds of Watergates in India, but
the culprits go unpunishd. So,
according to these agents of Ame
irca, the American society is much
better and cleaner than ours. They
would write endless articles in
their publications to show that we
are really more corrupt than Ame
ricans. Certainly no patriotic per
son would do that. But these
agents of American imperialism
are shameless and would go to
any length in running down our
own country and our leaders.
America is very much concern
ed about the independent policy of
India, its growing influnce in the
world and about Indira Gandhi
who has now become the most ad
mired leader in the world. To
weaken our country and to oust
Indira Gandhi from power it looks
as if America has given signals to
all its agents in India. This guess
can be hazarded knowing as we
do the tactics employed by the
USA in Chile through the CIA
and the I.I.T.
All of them sudenly became very
active one and a half years ago
and began to collaborate with each
other in their desperate bid to
overthrow the Government elected
by the people. Corruption and high
prices were made the issues on
which they would oppose the Gov
ernment because they could all
work together for these issues
without revealing their true na
ture. But their calculations have
gone wrong.
What is common betwen Jaya
prakash Narayan and RSS2 Does
he expect to purify our society
with the help of an organisation
which boasted of killing thousands
of innocent Muslims during the
partition of India and which was
involved in the assassination of
Mahatma Gandhi? Jayaprakash
Narayan is certainly not a com
munalist. But after the indepen
Continued on Page 22
MARCH 8, 1975

Commission To
Improve Women’s
Status Urged
The setting up of a statutory
autonomous National Commission
and similar State Commissions to
help improve the status of women
is one of the recommendations of
the “Committee on the Status of
Women in in India.
The three-volume report of the
Committee, whose Chairman was
Dr. (Smt.) Phulrenu Guha, took
three years to complete and cost
nearly Rs. 10 lakhs. The commit
tee started its work by the end
of 1971 and its report was sub
mitted to Parliament on Feb. 10.
The committee has suggested
that a national policy should be
evolved by the Government of In
dia on women's welfare in the
light of the directives in the Con
stitution pertaining to women and
pledges made to the women of this
country and to the international
community from time to time.
The establishment of women's
panchayats at the village level with
autonomy and resources of their
own for the administration of wel
fare and development programmes
for women and children, to ensure
greater participation by women in
the political process, is another
major recommendation of the com
mittee.
WOMEN'S PANCHAYATS
The Committee has suggested
that there should be special tri
bunals for all violations of wo
men's rights, discrimination
against women, violation or eva
sion of the existing laws and poli
cies and for the protection of
women and their rights in society.
The reorganisation of the Cen
a women, the committee has recom
tral Social Welfare Board as
statutory and autonomous speci
alised agency for planning and
management of welfare program
mes for women and children, and
the reorganisation of the State
Social Welfare Boards on similar
80CIALIST INDIA
lines have been suggested by the
committee.
The reservation of a minimum
percentage of women candidates
by political parties in elections,
beginning with a 15 per cent base,
has been suggested by the com
mittee. It also wants the reser
vation of seats for women in
municipalities in all States and the
constitution of permanent commit
tees in municipalities to look after
women's welfare programmes.
POLL CANDIDATES
The Committee says that women
should be included in all impor
tant committtees, commissions
and delegations that are appointed
to examine socio-economic prob
lems.
The Committee has said there
can be no compromise on the basic
policy of monogamy being the rule
for all communities in India.
The reforms suggested by the
Committee in marriage laws also
include the extension of the right
to sue in bigamy cases to persons
other than the girl's family, the
making of all offences under the
International
© Women's Year
1975
*
Child Marriage Restraint Act and
the Dowry Act cognisable, and the
inclusion of cruelty and desertion
as grounds for divorce under the
Hindu Marriage Act. The Com
mittee also wants the abolition of
the unilateral right of divorce and
the amendment of the Christian
law regarding marriage on the
lines suggested by the Law Com
mission. It has also stated that
continuing to regard adultery as a
criminal offence is against the dig
nity of the individual and wants
its removal from the Penal Code.
About economic improvement of
mended the creation of a cell with
in the Labour and Employment
Ministry at both the Central and
State levels under the direction of
a senior officer to deal with the
problems of women. The commit
19
tee has recommended legislative
enactment of Article 39 (D) of the
Constitution—equal work—to add
the weight of legal sanction to
what is only a policy at present.
It wants the incorporation of this
change in the Minimum Wages
Act.
Free education for all girls up
to the end of the secondary stage,
and the introduction of sex edu
cation from the middle school and
co-education at primary and uni
versity levels are also among the
recommendations.
The Committee has suggested
that at least 50 per cent of the
teachers in primary schools should
be women. It wants special incen
tive to be given in areas where the
enrolment of girls is low and has
also suggested the development of
a system of part-time education
for girls who cannot attend school
on a full-time basis.
The Committee has suggested
that there should be legislation in
the Muslim law to give an equal
share to the widow and the daugh
ter, along with sons as has been
done in Turkey.
On divorce or separation, the
wife should be entitled to at least
one-third of the assets acquired at
the time of and during the mar
riage, the committee has said.
The progress of literacy among
women, the committee says, still
presents a dismal picture, it being
18.7 per cent for females and 39.5
per cent for males in 1971. The
number of illiterate women has
increased from 61 millions in
1950-51 to 215 millions in 1970-71.
Dr. Guha explained at a press
conference later, the recommenda
tions of the committee, and said
they could not be implemented by
Government action or legislation
alone. Social effort was also ne
cessary.
Cº. IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
MARCH 8, 1975

BAN ON NAP
MOHAN CHANDRA JOSHI
The outlawing of the National
Awami Party by Mr. Z. A. Bhutto
marks the end of democracy in
Pakistan. With the NAP banned,
its funds and offices seized, the
pattern evolved by Mr. Bhutto eli
minates the Opposition and provi
des for continuance of only “cap
tive” political organisations. This
is a serious development which is
bound to have far-reaching rep
ercussions. It is unfortunate that
the people of Pakistan have had to
undergo spells of dictatorial rule
and have not been able to build
up a sound democratic system as
India has evolved after indepen
dence. Pakistan's military dicta
tors, Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan,
brought ruin to their country. With
mounting discontent in the NWFP
and Baluchistan will Bhutto com
plete the process of wrecking Pa
kistan?
The decision to ban the NAP,
the country's second largest party,
which controlled the administra
tion in two out of the four pro
vinces of Pakistan, followed the
assassination of Mr. Hayat Mohd.
Sherpao, the NWFP Home Minis
ter, on February 10.
GANGSTERISM
Mr. Sherpao's assassination is
by no means an isolated event. He
was one of the lieutenants of Mr.
Bhutto. He was the main instru
ment of Mr. Bhutto's “gold and
guns" politics in the Frontier pro
vince. He had antagonised the peo
ple of the NWFP who were against
the dismissal of the popularly
eletced Government of the province
in February 1973. Quite a few at
tempts had been made on his life
in the last few months. The last
one succeeded. The ultimate blame
for this perhaps lies with Mr.
Bhutto as he has allowed the cult
of violence to gain respectability
during his regime.
As the Pakistan Economist, a ed to exercise power that is until
Karachi weekly, wrote: “Gangste
rism has become the order of the
day. Anyone wanting to mount the
SOCIALIST INDIA
rostrum for critising the actions
of PPP could expect to have his
arms, legs, ribs or head broken,
even if he escape a bullet or ar
rest.”
BACKGROUND
The National Awami Party was
the most vocal of Opposition
groups in the National Assembly,
though it held only six seats. The
People's Party had at the time of
adoption of the new constitution
in 1973, 81 seats and the combin
ed Opposition 34. The nine-member
Muslim league, led by Khan Abdul
Qayyum Khan had aligned itself
with Mr. Bhutto's People's Party.
Twenty-eight other seats were di
vided among half a dozen splinter
parties and Independents. The de
cision to ban the NAP was taken
by Mr. Bhutto after he returned
home cutting short his visit to
the USA.
But the whole thing threatens
to boomerang. The reaction of some
Opposition leaders makes it clear
that the battle between the Gov
ernment and the Opposition will
no longer be confined to the legis
lature for the simple reason that
Mr. Bhutto has made that forum
meaningless by his arbitrary and
overbearing attitude: it will hence
forth spill over into the streets.
Mr. Bhutto has not only extin
guished democracy in Pakistan but
has paved the way for the out
break of chaos in the country.
The National Awami Party has
always fought for restoration of
democracy in Pakistan. In 1970, it
was because of NAP's demand
that Yahya Khan was persuaded
to hold the General Elections.
Again, it was primarily because of
the NAP's persistent campaign
that Pakistan's present constitu
tion narrowly escaped being given
a presidential and more authorita
rian content.
The NAP was a party commit
ted to Socialism. It had also the
distinction of having the largest
following in the NWFP and Balu
chistan as was proved by 1970
elections. It, therefore, held the
balance of power in the country
as a whole as long as it was allow
February 1973. Mr. Bhutto once
offered two seats in the Federal
Cabinet to nominees of the NAP.
20
The offer, however, was declined
by the NAP leader, Mr. Wali Khan,
who has been arrested, because
he felt it was a plan to blur the
separate identity of his party.
There have been four attempts
on the life of Mr. Wali Khan, Mr.
Asghar Khan, who heads the Teh
riq-Istiqlal Party, has been the
victim of arson. Mr. Ahmed Raza
Kasuri, who left the ruling Pakis
tan People's Party to join Mr.
Asghar Khan, escaped an assas
sin's bullet last November but his
father sitting near him was killed.
Prominent among others who have
been similarly killed are Mr. Abdus
Samad Achakazai and Maulvi
Shamsuddin of Baluchistan, both
in mysterious circumstances.
TARGETS OF ATTACK
Mr. Bhutto has said that the
terrorist activities are mastermin
ded from Kabul and carried out
within the Pakistan by NAP cad
res. The Pakistan Radio has direc
tly accused Kabul of invol
vement in the assassination of Mr.
Sherpao and said that its Pushto
broadcasts reiterated day after day
that nothing could save him from
the wrath of fellow Pathans. The
Afghanistan Government dismis
sed these charges as “malicious
fabrications.”
The use of coercive measure is
intended to demonstrate that Mr.
Bhutto is prepared to go to any
length to have his way and it will
be in the interest of the NAP to
come to terms with him. The em
phasis in official propaganda on
the party's links with Afghanis
tan is aimed at breaking up the
Opposition front and to isolate the
NAP and create a split in the Op
position ranks.
Having outlawed the NAP, Mr.
Bhutto would now seek to bolster
his regime by launching propa
ganda against India.
This can be seen from the
Pakistan Times” bitter attack on
Sheikh Abdullah's agreement with
the Indian Government. The paper
says that “Mr. Bhutto's call for
hartal throughout Pakistan. Azad
Kashmir (occupied) and Kashmir
- - after the rumoured agree
- - - -
ment between Indian Prime Minis
ter and Sheikh Abdullah is wholly
Continued on Page 32
MARCH 8, 1975
:
º

It is worthwhile to point out that the “pugree”

has been skyrocketting in respect of commercial
establishments and the industrial sites. The result
is that small-scale industries are getting located in
Redeveloping Shahjahanabad the residential areas because of the lure of good re
turns from letting out houses for these purposes.
There is, without doubt, an imperative need to check
ing further conversion of residential areas into the
OM MEHTA
commercial and industrial areas as it results in con
gestion and speculation of high-handed “pugree”
Speech delivered by Shri Om Mehta, Union Minº. system. By-laws for prevention of this menace
ister in the Ministry of Home, Personnel and Parlia should not only be strict but should be applied
mentary Affairs on the occasion of a Seminar on strictly.
“Redevelopment of Shahjahanabad: the Walled City
of Delhi’’ held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi re
cently. ZONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS

Shahjahanabad—the walled city of Delhi—has
rapidly grown in population over the years and has
for long been a centre of trade and commerce. The
business-cum-industrial activity has been centred in
Shahjahanabad for reasons of easy availability of
labour, market and hand driven and mechanised
transport system. Further, due to the physical
proximity to railway station, the walled city has had
a tremendous expansoin of trade in consumer goods
of small-scale industrial units especially for meeting
the requirements of Northern India. Presently, the
walled city is an important central business district
of Delhi.
Shahjahanabad has an area of 1,240 acres and
a population of 4,09,000 as recorded in the 1971
census. The density varies from 163 to 818 per acre
and the settlement complex largely comprises two
storey buildings. With narrow lanes as the path
ways, the congestion is all the more acute. The liv
ing conditions in Shahjahanabad have deprived the
inhabitants of adequate fresh air, light and privacy.
The residential-cum-commercial and industrial com
plex in the walled city presents a picture of near
confusion in its physical dimensions. It is further
aggravated by haphazard traffic and transportation
system.
The question of shifting industries from the
walled city has been dicussed on a number of occa
sions and in a variety of ways. The resistance to
shifting them is quite understandable not only be
cause the rentals paid for the present accommoda
tions are quite low but because the industries here
form part of a highly functional economic system.
Another aspect which we should keep in view is the
necessity of not removing too many job-oriented units
out from the area which may hurt the economic life
of Shahjahanabad. There is no point in separating
jobs from inhabitants especially when our transport
system is not well-developed. However, there can
hardly be two opinions that industries which are ob
noxious and injurious to health and which affect free
movement very substantially should be shifted. I
would, therefore, favour a highly selective approach
in shifting the industrial establishments outside
Shahjahanabad. It should be done in a manner as
not to affect or distort the economic base of the
Walled City.

The small-scale industries have come up in

walled city as it is nearer the place of work of a large
working population. In turn, that is why the area
has attracted an enormous population with conse
quent expansion of consumer trade. The unique
feature of this set-up is the co-existence of the pro
duction, marketing and distribution facilities in a
number of consumer articles in this small area, which
at once contributes to the chaos in the physical
sense but constitutes the backbone of the economics
of these ventures. These activities provide large
emplovnment opportunities to the unskilled and skill
ed workers in trade and commerce. Notable is the
role of “katras” in different areas of Shahjahanabad
which specialise in various consumer commodities.
The market in paper, metal, textile and trans
port equipment and the business in printing and
publishing has flourished in the walled city. Shah
jahanabad has been renowned for handicrafts, ivory
and jewellery work, carvings, fancy brass utensils
and decorative pieces. 5 kºrcw ºyf (, MoMAN

SCCIALIST INDIA 21 MARCH 8, 1975

 To my mind, the plight of the walled city is
largely made up of the following factors:
i. There is generally lack of airy environment in
the settlement complex.
ii. There is too many structures with common
residential and commercial uses.
iii. The residential buildings suffer from lack of
ventalisation and are over-crowded.
iv. The internal pathways are narrow and congest
ed and the over-flowing surface drains further reduce
the area available for movement.
v. Haphazard traffic movement and irregular cir
culation pattern hamper smooth flow.
vi. Many buildings are very old and decaying
and pose a hazard to neighbours and passers-by.
vii. Pavements are used for commercial pur
poses.
viii. The general lack of proper sanitation, parti
cularly the lack of sewerage in large parts of wall
ed city, makes for an unclean environment.
For solutions, we naturally turn to the typical
urban renewal methods in such cases. These gene
rally involve conservation of certain areas, rehabili
tation of others and redevelopment of certain others.
The removal of slums has appealed to us quite a bit
in the past. However, my experience of dealing with
Calcutta shows the infirmity and unworkability of
many of these solutions in our conditions.
With increasing awareness on the part of people
and the known role of the Government for taking
care of the poor, schemes which involve large scale
shifting of poor population or which involve consider
able investments from poorer sections of society are
unlikely to succeed. A good chance of success, to
my mind, would be there if we design schemes for
on-the-site improvements in a manner that large
scale dislocation of population and their means of
livelihood is avoided. I will advocate such an ap
proach for drawing up the zonal development plans
for the walled city.
I am not always for excessive legislation but
this may be necessary for the walled city. Many
old buildings are in a state of disrepair and consti
tute hazard for the neighbours and passers-by. We
should think of a legislation on the model of Maha
rashtra Dangerous Buildings Repair Act.
Another aspect I would like to single out is the
need for a proper traffic circulation system in the
walled city. Large-scale widening of roads and
streets is neither possible nor advisable. HOWever,
by banning vehicular traffic in certain areas particu
largly during peak hours, and by “pedestrianising"
certain portions completely, the problem can be con
tained.
In the end, I would like to underscore the impe
rative need for looking at the conditions in the wall
ed city in the perspective in which these ought to be
viewed for an area which is integrally linked with
the metropolis as a whole. Another aspect, which I
would like to highlight, is the need to preserve the
character and way of life of Shahjahanabad. This
would be possible if conceptually, we do not apply
the standards and criterion we generally advocate
for the development of a modern city. In other
words, the redevelopment effort should be conceiv
ed in full appreciation of the sensitive fact that there
is merit in preserving the typical character of a
functionally working walled city.

RSS: ARM OF IMPERIALISM
Continued from Page 18
dence of our country some of our
freedom fighters established con
tacts with imperialist powers and
fell into their traps. J.P. has
brought crores of rupees from
outside, and with the help of un
limited financial resources he has
established his control over many
organisations, almost all Gandhian
Institutions, and has started some
new institutions. Today no single
person in India has at his com
mand such a vast netſ work of in
stitutions and paid workers as J.P.
has. No country would give so
much financial aid to anyone with
out expecting something in return.
J.P. is not a free man. He is
too much in debt. When he got
out of his sick bed and proclaim
ed that he had tolerated corruption
for 27 years but could not do so
any more, we do not know what
pressures were applied to him to
lead a campaign to destroy democ
racy in India.
Jayaprakash Narayan is not the
only freedom fighter who dege
nerated and became an agent of
vested interests. Three are others
too. It is sad but it is true. It is
wrong to say that RSS exploits
him. It is he who has taken pains
to bring together all the reactio
nary agents and make a joint
front to destroy democracy. in
India. After having betrayed the
Sarvodaya Movement he is now bet
raying the country. RSS is com
pelled to serve him by their com
mon interests.
BAN ON NAP
Continued from Page 20
in consonance with the principles
and convictions underlying the Pa
kistan stand on Kashmir.”
The Pakistan Times then laun
ches a vicious attack on Sheikh
Abdullah. It writes “The closing
chapter of Sheikh Abdullah poli
tics recalls his earlier homage
to Hari Singh Dogra, guilty of
treason and genocide, as a symbol
of secularism and democracy.” The
paper described the peaceful set
tlement as “abject surrender to
India” by the Sheikh.
From the point of view of pro
motion of democratic stability in
Pakintan, the death of Mr. Sher
pao will not prove to be as much
of a loss as the arrest of Mr. Wali
Khan and the ban on his party.
The NAP, despite its numerical
smallness, provided an ideologi"
cally progressive and politically ef.
fective Opposition. Its disappear
ance from the scene will streng
then Right-wing, undemocratic.
and militaristic elements, particu"
larly at a time when the country
is to receive a fresh dose of US
nrins,

kºti Atºs-r ºxh1A *Ancit s, 1*

 Bill [00ſ IBASDIS Wily (AIIlālālā is
faWDUIällt íſli |N|S|| |||||||||N

-
º

Rich natural resouces, mineral, A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests, waiting to takings in the Central, State & the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

--~~~~

A stable Government with a

positive approach towards -

industrial development of the State,

including a string of financial 8
development agencies like
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB.
|\ºſº
A package of incentives subsidy,
on project reports, supply of land,
water 8 power at concessional
rates, price preference etc,

Financial assistance to educated

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes, Raichur.

For details, please contact?

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560 001
i
SOCIALIST INDIA 23 - MARCH 8, 1975

SIGNIFICANCE OF
DELHI Jolt To
JANA SANGH
The loss of the Jana Sangh's
eight-year old hold over the Delhi
Corporation following the deser
tion of two of its corporators on
Wednesday is the second jolt the
party has received in one year in
the Capital where its units is clai
med to be the strongest.
The controversies inside and
outside the Jana Sangh over the
suicide by its Deputy Mayor, Bal
raj Khanna, last year had badly
tarnished the image of the party.
Now the defection by the two cor
porators, including Shri Sham
Singh Chauhan, a full-time RSS
worker of long standing, has
brought the cracks in the party
to the surface, though they were
known to exist for long.
º
Williºr
. |
SC) caters to varied requirements
operating a uniquely diversified modern fleet
Nº. º --
º º
*The shipping Corporation ºf India Ltd.
-
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1
* Shipping House's tº ſº.
229/232 Madame cama Road sº gº
º YBombay 400 oz1(\º
Agents at all principal ports of the world. º
A senior party spokesman rea
dily conceded that these “cracks
in the party's stonewall organisa
tion” had pointed to the growing
“deſects” in the generally recog
nised “discipline” of the Jana
Sangh. However, he preferred not
to attach much importance to the
party losing hold over the Corpo
ration. He also agreed that the
party would have to take a second
look at its organisation.
This concern of the Jana Sangh
over the “cracks” is not misplac
ed. Only a few months ago, the
party's virtually entire Kashmir
unit openly went over to the Bha
ratiya Lok Dal and the Jana Sangh
satisfied itself by setting up an
Ad Hoc Committee. While the
Delhi Corporation defections have
highlighted the party's tenuous
relations with the Scheduled Cas
tes, the Jammu and Kashmir epi
sode focussed on the Muslim mino
rity, as a result of the Pradesh
chief, Sheikh Abdur Rehman,
wº
... º.º.
ºz º.º.
---tºº
ºs-Sºzºs
* -
-
claiming to have carried the en
tire unit into the BLD.
Observers however tend to re
call some of the recent develop
ments in Bihar where last year
the party's 25-member Assembly
group got vertically divided in the
wake of Shri Jayaprakash Nara
yan's call for resignation from the
Bihar Assembly to achieve the de
mand for its dissolution. Those
expelled from the party on account
of “indiscipline” also included
some of the party veterans in
Bihar.
In fact, these observers point
out that the erosion of the steel
frame Jana Sangh organisation
was first witnessed soon after the
party tasted power under the
non-Congress Coalition Govern
ment in Uttar Pradesh where the
party was the single largest cons
tituent. It is recalled that due to
cross-voting by the Jana Sangh
MLAs, the then party Minister,
ºf Continued on Page 30

Silver Jubilee Of
Constitution And
Parliament
The President, Shri Fakhruddin
Ali Ahmed, inaugurated in New
Delhi on February 26 the two-year
celebrations of the twenty-fifth an
niversary of the Constitution and
Parliament. The ceremony was
held in the Central Hall of Parlia
ment where members of the two
Houses had gathered for “thanks
giving” and “rededication”.
Those who paid homage to the
founding fathers of the Constitu
tion included, besides Shri Ahmed,
the Vice-President, Shri B. D. Jatti,
the Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi and the Speaker of the
Lok Sabha, Shri G. S. Dhillon.
In his inaugural address, the
President told the members of the
two Houses that the Constitution
flowed from “the living faith of
the people” and in a democratic
system the Constitution was,
the ultimate analysis, “what we as
a people make it.”
The President said the frequent
amendment of the Constitution
only showed how living and grow
ing was our constitutional system
—“responsive to the challenges of
swiftly moving times.”
Noting that several amendments
—in the train of territorial chan
ges, judicial changes and land re
forms—were necessitated by social
urges and effected to implement
the Directive Principles of State
policy, he said, “The amendments
have not, however, in any way
changed the essential identity of
our Constitution.”
GUIDING LIGHT
The President said the relative
flexibility of the Indian Constitu
tion was indeed its greatest
strength. This prevented it from
becoming “an intolerable millstone
around the neck of each genera
tion. This also enabled the Consti
tution to renew and reinforce it
self”.
Shri Ahmed said, “we have plan
ted the seeds of a mighty trans
formation. Let us hope that in the
in fulness of time, and given a lot of
sustained care and a measure of
good fortune, the landscape of our
lives will change in an intrinsic
way and the quality and perform
ance of our public institutions will
bring a rich harvest.”
The Prime Minister said that the
freedom of political opinion in a
democracy did not include the
freedom to wreck democracy. “Po
litical parties are free to choose
their own policies, but they should
have basic agreement on national
ideals”, she added.
The Prime Minister reiterated
that democracy and nothing other
than democracy could be our guid
ing light. A nation's strength could
not be built by disparagement of
its achievements. She had no doubt
that the Constitution was one that
would endure. “It is one that will
realise the vision of political, eco
nomic and social justice which it
sets forth.” The Constitution, she
said, was a charter of peaceful
democratic social revolution.
Earlier in his welcome address,
Shri Jatti said “It is natural that
on this significant occasion, we
should share with millions of our
countrymen the feelings of satis
faction and pride, and high achiev
ment on our having completed 25
years of its glarions existence.”

But when we look back on their achievement we

PM ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Speaking on the occasion of the 25th Anniver
sary of the Constitution and Parliament, the Prime
Minister, Shrimati Indira Gandhi said on Feb. 26:
We are gathered here for thanksgiving and re
dedication—not re-dedication through words but
consecration through the Spirit.
Constitutions have been drafted in various parts
of the world and at various periods of history. Only
a few have endured and fulfilled their vision.
Our Constitution is one that will endure. It is
one that will realise the vision of political, economic
and social justice which it sets forth.
MISPLACED CRITICISM
Why do I say that it will endure? First of all
because it was drafted by one of the most noble,
purposive and capable groups of persons in the his
tory of the world and secondly because the people
of India are totally in tune with the spirit of the
Constitution and will spare themselves no effort in
its defence.
Our Constitution-makers laid no claims to infal
libility. They frankly declared that they could not
presume to bind down later generations.
SOCIALIST INDIA
cannot but wonder at their wisdom and their fore
sight. The leading figures of our Constituent Assem
bly were giants who snatched stars from the sky of
history. They breathed into the Constitution their
respective life-time's achievement of faith and fight,
service and intellectual mastery. And not theirs
alone but of the pathfinders who preceded them. The
Constitution is the product of the tapas of several
generations of patriots. The truth of time has vin
dicated their endeavour.
The Constitution has its critics. Some have said
that it is too lengthy, others that it is derivative.
Much is also made of the fact that it has been amend
ed several times. Yet, compared to its central
achievements, these criticisms are of little relevance,
And what are these achievements—that it has added
to the country’s unity, it has given a sense of free
dom to the constituent units, it has enabled the coun
try to bring about basic changes peacefully.
The Constituent Assembly met in a complex
situation. As it proceeded with its task, one by one
the chains which bound it fell away. Reading the
debates of the Constituent Assembly is to see how
freedom evolves and asserts itself.
The main objective of our Founding Fathers was
three-fold: to safeguard the unity and stability of
MARCH 8, 1975
our nation, to ensure personal freedom for the people
and rule of law, and to facilitate the evolution of
institutions which would enlarge economic and social
equality.
The Constitution of India is a charter of a peace
ful, democratic social revolution. Democracy vouch
safes freedom of political opinion. But this freedom
does not include the freedom to wreck democracy,
which political parties are free to choose their own
policies they have basic agreement on national ideals.
The right to oppose the government of the day car
ries with it a responsibility not to weaken the national
fabric.
When the Constituent Assembly met
Jawaharlal Nehru reminded it how the nation had
gone through the valley of the shadow so as to have
an opportunity to construct and create. Let us not
allow darkness to overtake us again. I should like
to reiterate today that democracy and nothing other
than democracy can be our guiding light.
A nation's strength cannot be built by disparage
ment of its achievements. Not all that we set out
to do can possibly be accomplished at one try but
that does not mean abandoning the effort.
Let those who represent the people be examples
of hope, courage, determination and dedication on
first, our hazardous journey.

SHEEL. BHADRA YAJEE'S
SUGGESTIONS
A seminar on the problems of
freedom fighters was held at
Hyderabad on February 17 and 18.
Shri Sheel Bhadra Yajee, Chair
man of the All-India Freedom
Fighters' Samiti, made some sug
gestions to improve the lot of the
freedom fighters. Reproduced be
low are some of the important
suggestions made by him:
1. The Central Government and all
State Governments should grant
free medical treatment to freedom
fighters and their families. The
UP Government has already given
this facility to the freedom figh
terS.
2. The Government should set
up homes at the State and dis
trict level for the old, homless
and disabled freedom fighters.
ground should be accorded pen 9. If the jail certificates and the
sion and Tanırapatras, irrespective certificates of co-prisoner MPs,
of the period of imprisonment, de ex-MPs, MLAs, and ex-MLAs, are
tention, internment or conviction. not available to freedom fighters,
7. The Central Government and the certificates of two co-prisoners
the State Governments should who are person-holders should be
make job-reservation for the chil deemed sufficient for granting pen
dren of freedom fighters in Gov Slon.
ernment departments, State-aided
organisations and Public Sector 10. The Government should is
undertakings. sue Tamrapatras posthumously to
8. A definite percentage of seats the widows or the legal heirs of
in Public Schools, professional, the deceased freedom fighters as
tochnical, medical and other edu token recognition of services ren
cational institutions be reserved dered by freedom fighters in the
for the children of freedom figh cause of nation's Independence
ters. struggle.
HORTICULTURE PLAYS VITAL ROLE
IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
1. Working to common purpose by generating employment.

3. The Government should delete 2. Helping orchardists, through the supply of necessary inputs for
the clause of income ceiling while
production and marketing.
granting monthly pension to free
dom fighters because the grant of pesticides, literature, technical know
3. Fruit plants, fertilizers,
monthly political pension is a kind
of recognition of the services ren how and credit facilities are being made available within their
dered by freedom fighters during easy approach.
the freedom struggle.
4. The Home Ministry should sim 4. Various fruit products are manufactured in the State Canning
plify the procedure when the pen Units for supply to Indian and foreign markets The “Himcu'
sion is to be given or extended to fruit products have now become popular everywhere.
the widows or the deserving chil
dren of freedom fighters. with confidence
5. Horticulture in Himachal steps into the future
5. In view of the rising cost of and with a hope for prosperity and better status to all.
living the Government should
raise the monthly persion of free HIM Lok SAMPARK
dom fighter to Rs. 500- and to
Rs. 200- to their widows.
6. Freedom fighters who were
imprisoned or had to go under
SCCIALIST INDIA 26 MARCH 8, 1975
 SMALL ENTREPRENEURS IN WEST
BENGAL SHOULD TAKE FULL AD
VANTAGES OF THE FOLLOWING
FACILITIES OFFERED BY W.B.S.I.C.

(a) Financial assistance on easy terms

for the procurement of indegenous
and imported raw materials.

(b) Accommodation in the Industrial

Estates with infrastructural facili
ties.

(c) Accommodation in the Commercial

Estates with nominal rent.

(d) Supply of scarce categories of raw

materials.

THE WEST BENGAL SMALL INDUSTRIES

CORPORATION LTD.

(A GOVT. OF WEST BENGAL

UNDERTAKING)
6A RAJA SUBODH MULLICKSQUARE
(3RD FLOOR) CALCUTTA-13.

SOCIALIST INDIA 27 MARCH 8, 1975


Seminar On U. S. Intervention
The US decision to resume arms
supplies to Pakistan came in for
severe criticism at an all-party
seminar on the “Rising Threat of
US Intervention in Asia” held in
New Delhi on February 27. Over
60 members of Parliament belong
ing to all political parties, emi
nent educationists and defence
experts attended the seminar.
Speaking at the seminar, the
External Affairs Minister Shri
Y. B. Chavan described the US de
cision as “tragic and regrettable”.
He said that the big power im
perialism seemed to have gone
back to its “old game”. Increas
ed military presence, the External
Affairs Minister, pointed out was
not a new phenomenon but it had
now become more “sinister and
the threat has become real”. He
said: “Ultimately it is the picture
that we present as a nation that
matters”.
About keeping peace in the In
dian Ocean, Shri Chavan said all
littoral countries, particularly
those committed to non-alignment,
will have to take a united stand
on this issue.
Shri Krishan Kant, MP and
convener of the seminar, said that
the “recent US actions in the In
dian Ocean area and especially in
our neighbourhood and the lifting
of the embargo on arms supplies
to Pakistan have implications for
our national security.
Referring to the advice given by
some people that India should not
“over-react”, Shri Kant said:
“What is overlooked by such peo
ple is the political impact of such
arms supplies and implied poli
tical support that goes with
it”. He criticised Dr. Kissinger's
statement and said: “It is not that
Dr. Kissinger does not understand
the reasons for India's objections
to arms supplies to Pakistan but
he does not wish to understand”.
Shri Krishan Kant also refer
red to the Pakistan Prime Minis
ter, Mr. Bhutto's, visit to USA
and the ban on National Awami
Party. He said: “One does not
know whether there is any con
SOCIALIST INDIA
ed against the current overal
perspective of the American at
tempt to intervene massively in
this area”. He said that the US
build-up in the Indian Ocean was
not related to any “threat” tº
them from the Soviet Union. The
nection between Mr. Bhutto's re
cent successful parleys in Wash US policy, he said, was in fact
ington, lifting of the arms embar directed against the littoral states
go and his flying back straight Shri Niren Ghosh, MP (CPI-M),
from Washington and outlawing and Prof. Rasheeduddin Khan said
the opposition National Awami that latest US move would ob
Party”. struct normalisation of relations
Shri K. Subhramanyam, Direc on the subcontinent.
tor of the Institute for Defence
Studies and Analyses, pointed out The former External Affairs
that resumption of supplies of US Minister, Shri Dinesh Singh, pre
arms to Pakistan had to be “view sided.
JP's MESSAGE and arms build-up in Diego
Garcia were “warnings to
TO SEMINAR the Third World nations that
the days of imperialism are
The Sarvodaya leader, Shri not yet over.” It said that
Jayaprakash Narayan, has the USA was trying to mis
condemned the US decision to use the benefits of detente to
re-establish the imperialist
resume arms supplies to Pak
hold on regions rich in natural
istan. In a message to the
all-party seminar on the resources. It called upon the
“Rising Threat of US Inter developing countries to join
vention in Asia”, held in New hands to meet the “offensive
Delhi on February 27, he des mounted by the imperialist
cribed the US move as a step forces”.
“in the direction of destabilis JP's message described the
ing the process of normalisa seminar as “highly signifi
tion in the sub-continent”. cant” and he said that the
“The message said that the rearming of Pakistan by USA
rearming of Pakistan, the was a “matter that is above
threats by the US leaders to party politics and calls for a
the oil-producing countries national consensus”.
TENDER NOTICE NO. 42 DATED 12.2.75
Sealed percentage rate tenders from that L & C Socities/approved
contractors of Punjab PWD B&R Branch on prescribed form obtainable
from this office on cash payment of Rs. 2/- each are here by invited so
as to reach this office on 17.3.75 at 3.30 P.M. The tenders will be opened
on the same day in the presence of those contractors who will care to be
present at that time. Other terms and conditions of the contract can be
seen in the office of the undersigned on any working day during office
hours. Earnest money in shape of deposit at call and Treasury Challans
will be accepted. Earenst money in shape of cheques and cash will not be
accepted. The sale of tenders will remain open upto 3.00 P.M. on the above
date.
S. No. Name of work Approx. Earnest Time
cost Money Limit
1. Const. of Barrack accommo
dation for 151 constabes in
Police lines, Sangrur. 2,75,000/- 5,500/- 6 Months
2. Const. of residential quarters
for I.H.C., 5 constable at
Police Post Khanauri. 1,00,000/- 2,000/- 3 Months
Sq º
Executive Engineer,
Sangrur Provl. Division
PWD B&R Branch, Sangrur.
28 MARCH 8, 19"

P. M.’s ADDRESS TO E.S.C.A.P.
NEED FOR TECHONOLOGICAL
COOPERATION AMONG NATIONS
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi's call for greater coopera
tion among developing countries
to meet the problems facing them
made in her inaugural address to
the annual meeting of the UN
Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and Pacific in New Delhi
on February 27 found wide sup
port among the participating coun
tries.
Addressing the meeting, the lea
der of the Soviet delegation Mr. A.
Nesterenko agreed with Smt.
Gandhi's analysis of the current
international economic crisis and
said that it could be met only
when there was peace and stability
in the region.
Among others who lent support
to Smt. Indira Gandhi's call for
regional cooperation included the
Indonesian Foreign Minister Mr.
Adam Malik, Mr. A. G. N. Kazi,
(Pakistan), Mr. Toshio Kimura
(Japan), Mr. Don Willesee (Aus
tralia) and Mr. R. M. Miller (New
Zealand). -
Following is the text of Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi's address
excepting the introductory re
marks.
Economic change upsets social
systems and, in turn, social prob
lems influence economic progress.
The Western world has projected
its viewpoint and its standards so
forcibly that the entire world has
been compelled into a race to
match them, regardless of local
conditions and requirements. Can
there be the same measuring stick
for all countries, overlooking their
immediate history and prevalant
circumstances?
CONCEPT OF PROGRESS
In the last two decade, econo
mic progress has been evaluated
in terms of one or two simple in
dicators such as the growth of
the GNP or per capita income.
This approach is now being ques
SOCIALIST INDIA
tioned by people all over the world.
It is not the aggregate growth
rate of GNP, but its distribution
as between different classes and
regions, its impact on the environ
ment and the quality of life which
determines the level of content or
discontent of citizens.
Has the relentless pursuit of in
creased production brought satis
faction to the affluent countries?
In the earliest stages of mercanti
lism and the Industrial Revolution,
it was feared by a British author
that “wealth would accumulate
and men decay”. These same mis
givings are once again finding
voice in the post-industrial stage.
There are few affluent coun
tries in the ESCAP region. Most
are poor and large sections of
their people live below minimum
levels of subsistence. Development
programmes can make sense to
our people only if they contribute
directly to the alleviation of their
poverty. Increases in production
will be meaningful only to the ex
tent that they make a difference
to the lowest levels of living. The
attack on poverty calls for grea
ter social consumption, rather than
the increased consumption of a
few.
This year we in India complete
twenty-five years of planning and
twenty-five years as a Republic.
In this quarter, century our eco
nomy has acquired the technologi
cal canacity for self-reliant growth,
our food production has doubled,
and our industrial output trebled.
But unevenness in the distribu
tion of this additionality has sharp
ned expectations and given rise
to social tensions. This is one rea
son why our strategy of intensive
agriculture in irrigated areas and
through the help of larger farmers,
has had to be supplemented by
special programmes for dry re
gions and marginal farmers. Our
experience of the recent decade
has underlined the importance of
29
balancing growth with social jus
tice.
In spite of so many internatio
nal gatherings and discussions,
problems are still viewed in com
partments and not in their tota
lity. Group interests and national
interests in the narrow sense of
the word are pursued at the cost
of the solution of basic problems
of global importance. I have just
come across a fascinating and
comprehensive study of the prob
lem of energy undertaken by a
group in the United States on the
basis that “the Earth, its energy
sources and everyone on Earth
are one functional unit and need
to be treated as such.” This holds
good for other resources also.
PROBLEMS IN TOTALITY
Economic forces, seen and un
foreseen, are so strong that no
nation is in a position to attempt
individual solutions to its domes
tic problems without international
cooperation. The difficulties of de
veloping countries have been se
riously aggravated by the rise in
world prices of foodgrains, fertili
sers, industrial equipment and oil.
It would be wrong to depict the
current turmoil as arising purely
from the energy crisis. Prices of
grain and fertiliser have been ris
ing even before. The increase in
fertiliser prices has been out of
all proportion to the rise in pri
ces of its raw material component.
Exporting countries charge much
higher prices to us than to their
own domestic consumers. Such
discriminatory pricing policies
make mockery of international
economic cooperation. Artificial
increases threaten the programmes
for agricultural self-sufficiency of
developing countries.
Much of the affluence of indus
trialised countries has been bas
ed on cheap energv and under
payment of raw materials. Denle
table oil reserves have been used
recklessly to maintain conspicuous
consumption. The recent rise in the
price of oil alters the assumntions
on which developed countries have
based their economic policies. I
wonder if the life styles of indus
trialised countries and of the
richer sections in our noor coun
tries could be maintained for long.
MARCH 8, 1975
Evidently, oil producers, industrial
consumers and developing coun
tries should sit together and work
out a long-term strategy for the
use and conservation of oil re
SOurces.
The ESCAP region includes
countries known to be the most
seriously affected by the oil cri
sis, and is vitally interested in any
effort to redress hardships. The
OPEC countries have shown some
recognition of the impact of their
pricing policies on developing coun
tries and have taken some relief
measures. Other steps should be
evolved through consultations so
that the developing world keeps
its unity.
But order cannot be brought
about in the chaos of today's in
ternational economic scene if at
tention is confined only to the
prices of oil. Advanced countries
should examine their own policies
in regard to the prices of food
grains, fertilisers and other com
modities.
Many oil exporting countries,
being industrially under-develop
ed, plan to utilise the new reve
nues to develop and diversify
their economies. Understandably,
these countries turn to the indus
trialised world for technological
and other forms of assistance in
their development programmes.
But there is also considerable
scope for collaboration between
the OPEC countries and other de
veloping countries. The proposals
initiated need to be pursued with
vigour and enlarged.
COMMON ENDEAVOUR
The countries of this region are
marked by great cultural and po
litical diversity. The only common
factor is their determination to
end poverty. There is greater com
plementarity amongst our econo
mies than is generally realised.
We should identify ways and means
of helping each other in our de
velopmental efforts.
We have been conditioned to
believe that acquiring technology
from highly industrialised coun
tries would enable us to overstep
many stages of development. But
so large is the number of instan
ces where development based on
such premise has deepened our
dependence on the highly indus
stºratfºr TNT1A
trialised countries, in tangible and
intangible ways, that a new ap
proach is indicated.
Developing countries should
have a major commitment to de
pend increasingly on technologies
which they themselves have de
veloped, which are suited to their
needs and predicaments and their
domestic natural resources, and
which will enable the building up
of that national self-confidence
in problem-solving, which is the
essence of independence.
We cannot afford to slacken our
programmes of self-reliant re
search. These technologies should
be shared with one another
on the basis of policies, institu
tional mechanisms and, above all,
modes of thought, which would
promote the collective self-re
liance of the developing world as
a whole. This can come about
only when the customary process
of what could be called “trading
in technology” by which our coun
tries have had to aquire techno
logy from the highly industrialis
ed ones, is replaced by a process
of genuine “technological coopera
tion” among developing countries.
The birth of the United Nations
affirmed the futility of aggressive,
expansionist nationalism. Yet in
the post War era confrontation has
continued in other forms.
In our region we recognised
that a climate of peace and co
operation was a pre-requisite for
the consolidation of our nation
hood and our economic progress.
Hence the call for co-existence.
Lately, there has been much talk
of detente, but can there be frag
mented detente? We welcome de
tente but now find that it is mos
tly on the surface and limited in
area. The military build-up conti
nues and has entered Asia and
Africa in a big way. In the econo
mic sphere also, one sees more ri
valry than cooperation.
1975 happens to be the mid-point
of the Second United Nations De
velopment Decade. I understand
that the UN and its various agen
cies are currently engaged in an
appraisal of the progress achieved
in realising the targets of the In
ternational Development Strategy.
However, it needs hardly analysis
to see that progress has, fallen
seriously short of commitment,
The combined impact of world
inflation, international monetary
instability and the increasing
threat of recession in the indus
trial countries has brought about
further deterioration in the envi
ronment for the development of
many countries of this region. This
has happened not for lack of via
ble technical solutions, but because
the political will is wanting.
International cooperation is a
condition of political sovereignty,
national interest itself should be
so defined as to include allegiance
to International Law. In any inter
dependent world, the idea of what
U Thant described as “prosperous
provincialism” is dangerous for
world order.
This Commission for Asia and
the Pacific and each of our na
tions should approach our tasks
not with narrow chauvinism, na
tional or regional, but in the spi
rit of expanding and reconciled
loyalty to nation, region and
world.
DELHI JOLT TO
JANA SANGH
Continued from Page 26
Shri Man Singh Verma, lost in the
elections to Vidhan Parishad and
had to quit. Two dozen and odd
Backward Class and Scheduled
Caste MLAs of the party had re
sented the imposition of Shri
Verma from outside.
Further, eight years ago, when
the Jana Sangh came to power in
the Capital's Corporation and later
in the Metropolitan Council, it
claimed these achievements as a
stepping-stone to power at the Cen
tre; it also claimed to be the “only
alternative” to the Congress. The
Jana Sangh ranks did take these
claims seriously. The loss of power,
in this context,” was a damper
for the all-India session which has
just concluded.
Having realised that due to its
chronic alienation from the Mus'
lim minority and failure to gain
popularity among Scheduled
Castes it would never win power
on its own, the Jana Sangh had
thrown its full weight behind the
JP movement. The party is now
called upon to drew lesson from
the latest, developments in its
Delhi unit,
MARCH s, iſ

PARLIAMENT
t
THE KASHMIR
ACCORD
J. M. DEB
The Kashmir accord may not,
as the Prime Minister stated, lead
to miracles and an immediate end
to all tensions, but the debate on
it in the Lok Sabha did achieve
what may be described as “a near
miracle.” Rarely had there been
in recent times such near-unani
mity in Parliament and such ab
sence of rancour and bickerings.
This welcome to the Kashmir
agreement by practically all
shades of Opposition opinion would
appear remarkable, especially
when it is remembered that only
a couple of days earlier one of the
Opposition leaders, Shri S. N.
Mishra, defined with a flourish the
role of the Opposition as “to pro
pose, oppose, expose and depose.”
The only rift in the flute was
the Jana Sangh which, for reasons
of its own, struck a discordant
note. But its opposition appeared
to be somewhat halting and half
hearted. The party spokesman
was no other than its leader, Shri
Atal Behari Vajpayee and he is
certainly a forceful speaker. But
his delivery on the occasion was
certainly not one of his best. This
might be so because his case was
weak and he was ploughing a
lonely furrow. His party's isola
tion in the House on this occasion
was so total that it could muster
only a mere eight supporters out
of as many as 199 present in the
House. This was when the party
pressed to division Shri Vajpayee's
substitute motion urging that the
process of integration of Kashmir
with the rest of India be carried
further and the State be brought
at par with other States of the
country. The mover of the mo
tion himself was absent in the
House at the time. Had he been
there, one wonders if he, as an ex
perienced Parliamentarian, would
SOCIALIST INDIA
not have thought twice before ex
posing his party by insisting on a
division.
The Jana Sangh unavailingly
sought some political mileage on
the continuance of Article 370
which gave the State of Jammu
and Kashmir a special status. It
would not recognise that the State
had special conditions deserving
special treatment. As highlighted
by the first speaker on the Con
gress benches. Shri D. C. Gosami,
this was the only State in the
country which had a Constitution
of its own, the only State, a sub
stantial portion of which is under
the occupation of more than one
hostile nation and also the only
State where the United Nations
forces are still roaming about.
The Jana Sangh's isolation look
ed somewhat odd at a time when
it had been trying to persuade
other Opposition parties to unite
in jumping into the bandwagon of
the Jayaprakash Narayan move
ment. It was also an irony of
fate that the party which had no
thing in common with Pakistan
was bracketted by many speakers
with Mr. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto who
was poking his nose into our gar
den. This was because of their
common opposition to the Kashmir
agreement.
Significantly enough, each Oppo
sition party looked at the funda
mental framework of the Kashmir
agreement from its own political
angle and tried to inject in the
debate some political overtones.
The CPI leader, Prof. Hiren
Mukherjee, welcomed it as a blow
to the conspiracy of imperialism
and other hostile groups against
our sub-continent. The DMK
found itself in the strange com
pany of the CPI-M in thinking
that this accord would henceforth
inhibit the Centre from resisting
demands for autonomy from the
States. The CPI(M) leader, Shri
Samar Mukherjee, described the
States as various linguistic “na
tionalities” as if India was a con
federation of several nations! The
Syndicate, the Socialist Party and
the BLD welcomed the accord in
the hope that this might be fol
lowed up by holding a similar dia
logue with JP.
These advocates of a dialogue
81
with JP later got a reply from the
Prime Minister to their plea. Smt.
Gandhi reminded them of the
need to remember the background
of her dialogue with Sheikh Ab
dullah. When the Government
found a change in the approach of
the Sheikh, it did not hesitate to
open the door to reconciliation and
cooperation. The Sheikh had pro
vided the opportunity to resume
the dialogue by expressing his
readiness to strengthen the demo
cratic and secular fabric of the
country. The Prime Minister did
not say so, but it was clear from
her observations that while the
Kashmir leader sought the path of
reconciliation, J.P. has opted for
confrontation. A dialogue would
naturally need a better and more
congenial background of under
standing and cooperation.
Whatever it is, it was indeed a
great and memorable debate. The
speakers from all sides of the
House did turn to pages of the
Kashmir history to refresh their
memory about what had happened
in that State since independence
and after 1953 when Sheikh Ab
dullah had to be unseated from
power. Happily, however, there
was no unseemly effort to rake
the unhappy past beyond the bar
est relevant need. There was the
consensus that the Prime Minister
had shown imaginative under
standing. It was also agreed that
after the confidence generated by
the statesman-like handling of the
Bangladesh liberation crisis, the
Prime Minister and her Govern
ment rightly turned their attention
towards mending their fences in
Kashmir and Jawaharlal Nehru's
unfinished task was taken up with
a sense of realism on either side to
give a new dynamism to the stag
nant society of the Valley and to
open up a new chapter of progress
for its people and also the rest of
India.
The one other issue in the week
that attracted more than ordinary
attention was what has come to
be known as the Mohan Dharia
incident. Some of the Opposition
groups sought to exploit what they
considered as a somewhat uncere
monious exit of the former Minis
ter of State of Works and Housing
from the Council of Ministers, for
Continued on Page 34
MARCH 8, 1975

Marshal Grechko's
Visit: India-USSR
Communique
Folloing is the text of the com
munique issued on the conclusion
of the visit of the Minister of De
fence of the USSR Marshal of the
Soviet Union, His Excellency A. A.
Grechko to India from February 24
to 27, 1975:
At the invitation of the Minister
of Defence of India, Shri Swaran
Singh, the Minister of Defence of
the USSR, Marshal of the Soviet
Union, His Excellency A. A.
Grechko, paid an official friendly
visit to India from February 24 to
27, 1975. He was accompanied by
Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet
Union, His Excellency S. G. Gorsh
kov, Commander-in-Chief of the
Navy, and the Chief Air Marshal,
His Excellency P. S. Koutakhov,
Commander-in-Chief of the Air
Force.
Minister of Defence of the
USSR A. A. Grechko and members
of his party were accorded warm
hospitality and cordial reception.
The Soviet Defence Minister and
the party laid wreaths at Rajghat
in homage to the memory of
Mahatma Gandhi and the Amar
Jawan as a mark of respect to the
brave soldiers of India who had
laid down their lives in the defence
of their country's freedom.
BILATERAL COOPERATION
During his stay in India, Mar
shal Grechko visited some units of
the Indian Armed Forces and con
veyed to them the arm greetings
of the Soviet Armed Forecs.
The Soviet Defence Minister was
impressed with the progress made
by India in different fields since
her independence and highly asses
sed her peace-loving foreign policy
and her efforts to achieve self
reliance.
During his stay in New Delhi,
the Soviet leader called on the
President of India, Shri Fakhrud
din Ali Ahmed, and the Prime
SOCIALIST INDIA
Minister of India, Shrimati Indira
Gandhi. He handed over to Shri
mati Indira Gandhi a personal
message from the General Secre
tary of the Central Committee of
the CPSU, His Excellency L. I.
Brezhnev.
In his meeting with the Prime
Minister of India, there was an ex
change of views on some major
international problems of interest
to both the countries as well as on
questions concerning further deve
lopment of bilateral cooperation.
He met the Minister of External
Affairs, Shri Y. B. Chavan and he
also had several meetings and
talks with Shri Swaran Singh,
Minister of Defence of India.
The meetings and talks with the
Indian leaders were held in an
atmosphere of warm friendship
and complete mutual understand
ling.
Taking part in the talks were:
On the Indian side: Shri Govind
Narain, Defence Secretary; Shri
D. P. Dhar, Ambassador of India
to the USSR; General G. G. Be
woor, Chief of the Army Staff;
Admiral S. N. Kohli, Chief of the
Naval Staff; Air Chief Marshal O.
P. Mehra, Chief of the Air Staff
and other officials. On the Soviet
side: Admiral S. G. Gorshkov, Ad
miral of the Fleet of the Soviet
Union and Commander-in-Chief of
the Navy; Chief Air Marshal P. S.
Kontakhov, Commander-in-Chief
of the Air Force; Mr. Viktor F.
Maltsov, Ambassador of the USSR
to India; and other officials.
Both sides highly assessed the
steadfast friendship and growing
cooperation between the two coun
tries and stressed that Indo-Soviet
friendship was an important fac
tor not only for strengthening
peace and stability in Asia but
also throughout the world.
They emphasised that the Treaty
of Peace, Friendship and Coopera
tion concluded in 1971 between In
dia and the USSR promoted the
cause of world peace and was not
directed against any third coun
try. The Treaty corresponding to
the basic interests of the Indian
and the Soviet people, opened up
new prospects of further growth
of mutually beneficial cooperation
between the two countries.
82
The two sides noted that the
visit to India of the General Sec
retary of the Central Committee of
the CPSU, His Excellency L. I.
Brezhnev, in November 1973 and
his fruitful talks with the Prime
Minister of India, Shrimati Indira
Gandhi had raised the friendly re
lations which have stood the test
of time, to a still higher level and
game them new momentum, depth
and direction for further growth.
BREZHNEV'S VISIT
Both sides welcomed the trend to
wards relaxation of international
tensions and agreed that the pro
cess of detente should be made
irreversible and should spread to
all parts of the world.
Expressing their grave anxiety
at the actions taken by certain
quarters to step up arms race,
they emphasised the importance of
the settlement of international pro
blems only by peaceful means
through negotiations.
Both sides attached special im
portance to the question of pre
serving and strengthening of peace
and stability in Asia by the joint
efforts of all States of this region.
The Soviet side expressed its
support for the initiatives taken
by India for preserving a climate
of peace, eliminating confronta
tion, and promoting normalisation
of relations among the countries
of the Indian sub-continent.
The Soviet side positively asses:
sed the progressive and anti-impe
rialistic direction of the Non-align:
ment movement, of which India
was one of the leaders, and ex
pressed support for the aspirations
of the Non-aligned countries tº
promote the consolidation of world
peace, security and cooperation.
Both sides noted with satisfact
tion that the visit of the Soviet
Defence Minister has significantly
contributed to further strengthen
the friendship and understanding
between the peoples of India and
the Soviet Union.
The Soviet Defence Ministereº
tended an invitation to the Mini*
ter of Defence of India, Shri Swº.
ran Singh, to pay an official and
friendly visit to the USSR. The
invitation was accepted with ple”
Sure,
MARCH 8, 19"
P.M.'s REPLY
Continued from Page 6
amounts of money are being used
for their demonstration. Where
does it came from? I feel that the
present agitation is based on a
false premises and that is why it
has taken a wrong turn and the
whole campaign is giving a handle
to our foes and detractors in other
countries. The extraordinary in
terest which some outside people
have taken in this agitation and
campaign has also aroused suspi
cions.
There was much fanfare about
a committee to reform electoral
law. . . .
ELECTORAL REFORMS
Anyway, after much fanfare a
committee was formed to reform
the electoral law. I had not seen
the report. I have been some sum
maries which have appeared in the
newspapers. . . .
Now, it has suggested some
peripheral changes but no
scheme to replace the basic elec
toral system so far as I could
make out from those comments.
It recommends that a new sys
tem should be evolved by consen
sus. What else have I been say
ing? And may I ask:Did the Cons
tituent Assembly not represent
such a consensus? Are the present
agitators wiser, abler, more dedi
cated, more farseeing, and better
endowed with legal, constitutional
and political insights and experi
ence than the remarkable group of
men and women who drew up our
Constitution?....
They (the makers of the Cons
titution) had said that they were
not infallible and certain changes
would be needed. It does not mean
that you throw out the Constitu
tion, lock stock and barrel. The
main grouse seems to be that the
Constitution works and the anger
against the Government also is
that in spite of the fact that we
are not, we all admit, as efficient
as we should be and we would like
to be, the Government also works.
The system that they seem to be
advocated at present is one in
which there will be increased pro
duction without factories working,
Government is to function better
while its employees are attending
-------,
-
-
stºrtATTNT TNTMA
rallies and are absent from their
posts of duty. The executive they
want to instal in the place of the
present Government is one which
would have the brain of the
CPI(M), the heart of the Syndi
cate, the tongue and the lungs of
the Socialist Party and the hands
and feet of the Jana Sangh...
(Interruptions)...
Some people speak of the Public
Sector as though it was solely
their concern. Not so long ago,
the Public Sector was decried day
in and day out and every attempt
was made to dispense with it. But
we did not lose heart. We stood
firm and expanded it to cover many
important areas. It has grown big
and is doing well. I am sure it
will grow further and do even bet
ter and play a crucial role in our
national life ...
Some Hon. Members have com
plained that very little progress
has been made in irrigation dur
ing the last 25 years. This is far
from true. Our irrigation poten
tial has been doubled from 22 mil
new
lion hectares to 44 million hectares.
Because of this and the corres
ponding increase in food produc
tion, we have been able to look
after ourselves in good years and
only in bad years do we have to
have marginal import. But we
must make every effort and we
must work towards a situation in
which we can support ourselves in
good and bad years and also ac
cumulate reserve stocks. I do not
think it is fair to our farmers or
to our agricultural scientists and
many research programmes to say
that nothing has been achieved in
the field of agriculture.
IRRIGATION PROBLEMS
Seventy-five major irrigation
projects and 165 medium projects
are now under various stages of
implementation. We hope that
most of them will be completed in
the next four to five years, so that
a substantial irrigation potential
can be added. There is also scope
for more economic use of Water
and better utilisation of the avai
lable irrigation potential. I have
give ninstructions that special at
tention should be paid to these
aspects, because we all realise how
very important it is to our eco
nomy and our future.
Some Hon. Members expressed
anxiety about the delay is set
tling inter-State water disputes.
We all share this concern. but all
of you know with what difficulties
the problem bristles. Water is a
State subject and issues have to
be settled mainly between the con
cern States themselves. We at the
Centre have been doing our utmost
to bring the States together. One
Hon. Member accused the Centre
of taking a partisan attitude in
the case of a particular dispute.
I would say, this is wholly unjus
tified. The Centre has been trying
hard to bring about a just settle
ment of disputes whether regard
ing the Cauvery, the Narmada or
any other.
However, such matters are so
charged with emotion that Hon.
Members know that as soon a ques
tion like this arises, all party divi
sions are wiped out. Instead of
getting together on something
positive, we only get together on
these issues. Even if a reasonable
proposal is made, nobody is wil
ling to agree for fear of criticism
and unpopularity in his own region.
If it is fair, then both sides con
sider it unjust. There was a pro
posal of declaring water as a na
tional asset and I must say I am
all of it and if need be, with Mr.
Mody's permission, to amend the
Constitution to enable us to do it.
But the consent of the States is
necessary and most of them have
disapproved with this move. I
would appeal to all parties not to
politicalise this vital question but
to adopt an attitude of give and
take, keeping in mind not only the
local interest, which is of course
very important, but the overall
national interest.
One Hon. Member considered
Government's policies to be anti
farmer. In fact, this is a slogan
that is very much repeated in
some parts of the country. Others
accuse us of being pro-Kulak.
Now, we are neither. All these
years it has been our effort to
make all that is necessary to in
crease agricultural proluction,
whether it is credit, water, cler tri
city, fertilisers or immoved seeds,
all these things are made availa
ble at reasonable prices, a td to
ensure that the farmer gets re
munerative prices for his produce.
MARCH 8, 1975
During the last two years agricul
tural prices rose steeply and far
mers had a good return. When
there is some fall in prices, there
are complaints. But how can
prices come down generally unless
there is some fall in the price of
agricultural commodities, industrial
raw materials and finished goods?
I was astonished to hear, even
though the speech was in Tamil,
from One Hon. Member that we are
callous to the drought in Tamil
Nadu, and though I had gone to
the State, I did not express any
sympathy to the people there.
This is an extraordinary charge.
On the contrary, I had several
functions there and in almost
every one of them I spoke of my
deep concern. I am told the Mem
ber even blamed the Congress for
the drought in the State. How I
wish I did have that much control
over the floods! As it is, it did
drizzle while I was there, but not
enough to meet the needs, their
urgent needs.
Droughts have done enormous
harm to us, and the succession of
droughts and wars have put us
back by a decade. It is an even
more worrying thought the dam
age that the drought causes to
young people and children and to
their physical and mental develop
PARLIAMENT
Continued from Page 34
their own political ends. They
wanted to create the impression
that Shri Dharia was sacked be
cause of ihs advocacy for a dia
logue with JP. In his prepared
statement also on Wednesday
(March 5), Shri Dharia made a re
ference to it. It sounded like an
indictment of the Government and
the Congress Party for their alleg
ed failure to honour the pledges
made to the people. But he did
not take into account why more
rapid implementation of the
party's policies and programmes
could not take place. He did ex
press his unhappiness to the
Prime Minister from time to time,
but he did not explain why he had
not resigned from the Ministry
when he felt unhappy and had
rushed to air his views in the
public which, as the Prime Minister
said, was not in conformity with
the thinking of the Congress
Party.
The Prime Minister, along with
ment, even though relief prog
rammes have prevented starva
tion.
No State Government should
make a drought an occasion to try
to get as much as it can from the
Centre, and every effort must be
made to see that what is available
with them and the money that
comes from the Centre are pro
perly used and reaches the people
who are in need. But national
sympathy should not be measur
ed merely in terms of funds; it
should be measured in the effec
tiveness with which relief is ren
dered. Water conservation works
should be built because this would
help if the rain should fall again.
Government itself could mobilise
the local people to do as much of
this work as possible, instead of
engaging contractors who might
exploit the people to their own
end.
Earlier on, other States like
Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa
and West Bengal had an equally
bad experience, the after-effects
of which will long be felt. Our
sympathy also goes but to all
those who have suffered from
earthquake in Himachal Pradesh.
Sitting here we think it is cold in
winter. But, can we imagine not
being able to have a shelter. . . .
her Cabinet colleagues, was pre
sent in the House throughout as
Shri Dharia read out his 13-page
statement. She silently listened to
the statement but gave no indica
tion whatever of her mind. She
had taken the necessary action
and she had her own reasons for it.
The rest was mere formality.
TENSION IN THE
SUB-CONTINENT
Continued from Page 10
supplies, which could be as plen
tiful and potent as of the rival.
This is bound to kill the Simla
spirit.
Curiously the arms embargo has
been lifted at the same time as
India has come to terms with
Sheikh Abdullah and his Plebis
cite Front to the utter dismay
of Mr. Bhutto. The end of the
Kashmir problem for India means
the beginning of a new era of
strife for Pakistan, as already in
I was also astonished to hear
from an hon. Member that it is I
who was propagating about snap
poll. I am sure, nobody ever
heard me say that there would be
a snap poll. I have been asked
questions to which I have given
very clear replies that there would
not be....
Shri Syamnandan Babu's sug
gestion that all major issues
should be discussed is a welcome
one. I have said this before and
I am prepared to start it at once.
I do not think we should always
see who is calling who. We should
at least try to meet half-way so
that somehow the meeting begins.
I find that every time we get bog
ged down in an argument as to
spoke first and whether the right
person was informed or not in
formed. If the Opposition so wants
to function as one, they can have
one person to take the responsi
bility, not of expressing the views
because that is impossible but of
just consulting them.
My point is that all these con
troversial and major issues should
be discussed not only by us here
but by people all over the country,
asking the people's opinion on
them.
(To be Concluded)
dicated by its Prime Minister.
Mr. Bhutto's call for hartal to the
people of Pakistan and Kashmir
signifies nothing more than a call
to arms, and to that end the lift
ing of the US embargo on arms
is a genuinely friendly gesture for
Pakistan and dangerous for others.
World opinion on Kashmir has
always been divided, but it must
tilt in favour of New Delhi after
the agreement with Sheikh Abdul
lah. Observers - feel that this is
really the fear of Mr. Bhutto of
raising the hullaballoo and con
sequently his efforts to whip up
trouble as soon as possible. But
Mr. Bhutto is unlikely to have
favourable response in Kashmir,
where people are said to be dis
illusioned about Pak sympathy for
them.
New Delhi has already protested
to Pakistan against her “tactics
to interfere in her internal af.
fairs”, but the response is not
likely to result in restraint. That
will be the beginning of the build
ing up of real tension,
 SOCIALIST INDIA is beholden to Shri H. N.
TRIVEDI, M.L.C., Maharashtra and a well-known
INTUC leader, for the interest he has taken in the
journal since its inception. He has been responsible
for sending scores of subscriptions over the years.
Every time he has been to Delhi, he made it a point
to visit the office—and also hand over some cheques.
Now he has printed the following circular letter,
which he has sent to his many friends. And, in his
office, every visitor is given this form. SOCIALIST
INDIA hopes that others would follow his worth
while example.
weekly of the Indian National Congress

SOCIALIST :::::::::
INDIA Bombay 4.

Dear Friend.
I humbly appeal to you to subscribe to *SOCIALIST
INDIA" the official weekly of The Indian National Congress published
from Delhi. This Weekly is a must for those who are interested in
Politics of progress. I request you to subscribe to “SOCIALIST INDIA."
without tail and oblige. kindly send the following form with your
subscription of Rs. 25/- directly to the Executive Editor “SOCIALIST
-
ºn DIA."

Yours Sincerely.

J/ ‘w.ºx.ac.
-

\SUBSCRIPTION ORDER ForM.

From - To,

The Executive Edisor.

SOCIALIST INDIA.
A.!.C.C. Office.
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road.
-
New Delhi.

Please arrange to supply us.......................... copies of the

SOCIALIST INDIA for a period of one year with immediate effect. A sum
of Rs. 25/- covering the subscription charges has been sent to you by
**oney order/draft/Cheque.

This poster in thousands has been Thanking you Your Sincerely

plastered over the walls of Delhi.

Shri V. K. Malhotra busy with the
Jana Sangh session has not yet
found time to reply. It is hoped he
does make a public statement.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Regd. No. D-(C)-90
INDIA
Is
GREAT
Spring Again In Their Lives
It was like any other marriage—
the brides were red and gold
saris, the shahnaiwalas were
playing soft, soulful music and the
grooms looked proud and confi
ident.
The only difference was that the
“kanyadan” was done by Smt.
Moinini Giri, President of the War
Widows Association, and members
of the Lions Club. Begum Abida
Ali Ahmed was given the honour
of putting vermilion in the
“maangs”.
It was a touching occasion and
though the young war widows had
hidden their faces in “ghunghats”
one could sense their tension—was
this the end of the insecurity that
had haunted them since 1971.
The wedding of the two war
widows and two daughters of war
heroes was arranged by the War
Widows Association and the Lions
THIS IS THE EIGHTEENTH IN A SERIES OF ADVERTISENMENTS
DESIGNED BY “SOCIALIST INDIA.” IN PUBLIC INTEREST.
Posted in PSO New Delhi
On 8-3-75 (U 169)
- …"
Club (Delhi Central). While the
WWA provided the grooms, the
Lions Club arranged for the wed
dings and provided the couple with
certain basics like beddings, uten
sils, clothes and sewing ma
chines. The grooms were also given
wrist-watches.
This was the Lions' way of cele
brating the International Women's
Year. Shri H. S. Sethi, President
of the Club, announced that the
Lions planned to arrange 100 such
marriages this year.
The couples were garlanded and
blessed by several VIPs. As they
entered the hall where a meeting
was held in their honour the guests
showered marigold petals.
Many guests announced contri
butions for more such marriages.
Begum Ahmed was also moved and
announced gifts of Rs. 100 to each
of the couples.
Registered with the Registrar of
Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70
MAKE
IT
GREATER
... Even the Lions Club caterer,
Harish Shankar, contributed to the
occasion by providing free board
to the “baratis”.
The two widows, Smt. Munni
Devi, 22, and Smt. Lajiawanti, 16,
were married to Shri Kishori
Lal Jadav, 26, and Shri Rattan
Singh, 22, respecitvely. While Shri
Kishori Lal is in the Army, Shri
Rattan Singh is a zamindar, Shri
Lajjawati is his sister-in-law.
Kumari Daljinder Kaur, daugh
of Chhatar Singh, who was killed
in the 1965 war, was married to
Shri S. Manjit Singh, a farmer of
Hoshiarpur, Kumari Bimla Devi,
17, daughter of a Naib Subedar
who was killed in the 1971 War,
was married to Shri Daya Kishan,
22, a zamindar of a Rohtak vil:
lage.
Courtesy: THE TIMES OF INDIA
 ASSESSMENTS OF JP's

SUGALIST MOVEMENT
ºr

PROBLEMS OF HILL AREAs

*
JANA SANGH JAMBOREE

PRESIDENT DAUD OF AFGHANISTAN IN DELHI

President Mohammed Daud of Afghanistan arrived in Delhi

on March 10 on a five-day goodwill visit. He was given a
warm reception at Palam airport. Photo shows him flanked
by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi. At extreme right is External Affairs Minister
Shri Y. B. Chavan.

*-mºmºmºm
DEMOCRACY e SOCIALISM e SECULARISM e NON-ALIGNMENT

FOCUS
co-operaTIVE BANKs
ARE FARING
EXTREMELY WELL
Despite a decline in the number of co-operative
credit banks and credit societies from 1,80,272 to
178,182 during the year ended June 1973, the total
working capital of these institutions increased by Rs.
709 crores to Rs. 6,172 crores and the membership
by 3 million to 50 million.
According to the statistical statements relating
to the co-operative movement in India 1972-73 (part
one), released by the Reserve Bank of India recently
the decrease in the number of co-operatives was
mainly due to the programme of amalgamation or
liquidation of weak primary agricultural credit so
cieties.
The progress of the amalgamation process is
reflected by the decline in the number of primary
agricultural societies from 157,454 to 154,670. The
number of primary land development banks also
came down from 870 to 855, following the amalga
mation of existing primary land development banks
in Maharashtra with the State Co-operative Land
Development Bank.
The tally of State co-operative banks (26), in
dustrial co-operative banks (27), and central land de
velopment banks (19) remained unchanged. The
number of central co-operative banks, however, rose
from 341 to 344 non-agricultural credit societies from
16,091 to 16,771 and grain banks from 5,444 to 5,470.
State co-operative banks; the aggregate work
ing capital of State co-operative banks rose by Rs.
118 crores to Rs. 849 crores. Their funds and depo
sits increased by Rs. 13 crores and Rs. 76 crores res
pectively. Borrowings also recorded a net increase
of Rs. 31 crores. Deposits as a proportion of work
ing capital improved from 45.2 per cent to 47.8 per
cent. Of the outstanding borrowings of Rs. 301
crores as on June 30, 1973, the amount due to the
Reserve Bank was Rs. 246 crores.
Central co-operative banks: 297 new offices were
opened by Central Co-operative Banks during 1972
73, against 542 in 1971-72. At the end of June 1973,
there were 4,616 branches and offices, including head
offices. Of the 297 new offices, 77 were opened in
Maharashtra, 38 in Gujarat, 35 in Haryana, 28 in
Tamil Nadu, 24 in Uttar Pradesh and 19 in Karna
taka.
The total working capital of central banks rose
by Rs. 218 crores to Rs. 1,412 crores, owned funds
SOCIALIST INDIA
accounting for Rs. 254 crores, deposits for Rs. 647
crores, borrowing and all other liabilities (including
balance of profits) for Rs. 511 crores, Loans and ad
vances made during the year increased from Rs.
1,020 crores to Rs. 1,246 crores. Loans outstanding
as on June 30, 1973 stood at Rs. 1,028 crores, against
Rs. 889 crores. Total overdues, declined from Rs.
319 crores to Rs. 310 crores and constitued 30 per
cent of the outstanding loans.
-
Out of the 344 banks, only 146 had deposits of
over Rs. 1 crore each, 108 central banks had depo
sits of less than Rs. 50 lakhs each.
Industrial co-operative banks: 27 Industrial
Co-operative Banks had 28,642 members and
total working capital of Rs. 28 crores at the end
of June 1973. Loans advanced by them during the
year amounted to Rs. 20 crores. The loans out
standing stood at Rs. 17 crores, of which Rs. 5 crores
were overdue at the end of the year.
Land development banks: The outstanding
amount of debentures of Central land development
banks rose from Rs. 880 crores in 1971-72 to Rs.
1,015 crores in 1972-73 and total loans made by
them from Rs. 146 crores to Rs. 171 crores. Their
overdues, however, rose from Rs. 13 crores to Rs. 41
crores. The steep rise was due largely to the amal.
gamation of primary land development banks in
Maharashtra with the State Land Development
Bank.
One of the total long-term loans of Rs. 137
crores disbursed to individuals bv. Central and Priº
mary Banks in 13 States and one Union Territory for
which break up data were available, loans aggregating
Rs. 38 crores were availed of by cultivators with
landholdings up to two hectares each.
Primary credit societies (agricultural): Out
of 1,54,670 Primary agricultural credit societies as on
June 30 1973, 1,35,467 were active, covering
86 per cent of the villages. The number of dorman
societies was 19,203.against 20,894. The agricultural
credit societies had 34 million members, of whom 18
million were borrowing members. Their total owned
funds stood at Rs. 322 crores, a rise of Rs. 30 crorº.
Deposits at Rs. 84 crores formed barely six per cent
of their total working capital.
_
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
–"
MARch 15, 19"
 Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
CONTENTS Wol. X. No. 15

Y March 15, 1975

SOCIALIST Published every
Saturday Focus on Cooperative Banks 2
|NDIA Editorial 3
Stop Press 4
The Jana Sangh Jamboree 5
The March 6 March that flopped 6
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Revolution to Nowhere
Road, New Delhi 110001 Janardhan Thakur 7
Phones: 383521 & 386494 ”Grams: SOCIALIST
JP's One-year Old Agitation
Tarakeshwari Sinha interviewed 8
EDITORIAL BOARD
Power struggle in JP's Samitis 9
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV
JP props up Jana Sangh 10
(Chairman) Freedom of the Press in India
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Jag Mohan 11
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA US Arms to Pakistan 14
º O Hill Areas: Problems of Development
Reishing Kishang 15
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Public Sector during 1974
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Raj K. Nigam 18
º (Chairman) 33rd World T. T. Championships
º Shri I. K. GUJRAL K. Ramachandran 20
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA The States 22
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Book Review: “Nationalised
Shri P. C. SETHI Memories” 23
New Maharashtra Ministry 24
i © Letter to the Editor 25
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO PM's Reply to Debate on
t Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN President's Address 27

º Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA Open Letter to JP from

Delhi Democratic Morcha 29
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee Bangabandhu initiates Changes 30
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah Parliament
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. J. M. Deb 31
Miscellary 32
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces ESCAP adopts New Delhi
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. Declaration 33

6 rally obviously in return for the JS being placed

JP And His Agitation
The Ides of March is here—and it is one year
since Shri Jayaprakash Narayan started his agita
tion in Bihar, inspired by what had happened in
Gujarat.
(SOCIALIST INDIA has made an attempt to
assess his agitation in the context of other develop
ments in a series of articles published in this issue).
Almost on the eve of the first anniversary of
launching the agitation, two important developments
took place which, in fact, have been anticipated, and
which incidentally provide a corrective to any assess
high above the other parties as and when the com
bined Opposition is pitted against the Congress in
the next elections.
The second is that in consequence of this iden
tification with the Jana Sangh, JP has quit all panels
of the Sarva. Seva Sangh. In name, he will continue
to be a member of the S. S. Sangh till December, when
Acharya Vinoba Bhave will finish his year-long vow
of silence and JP will be able to discuss with him.
But the plain fact is that JP has switched over his
loyalty from one Sangh to the other Sangh. And,
it looks he prefers to be Lok Nayak than being a
Lok Sevak. JP cannot ride both horses at one time,
in any case. -

ment of JP's agitation.

One is that JP has openly identified himself with
-
the Jana Sangh by addressing its plenary session at
Delhi and he resorted to cheap horse-trading tactics
(so unbecoming of a Sarvodaya leader and a Gan
dhian) as asking the JS delegates not to wear the
w
saffron cap nor carry the Party flag in the March
ſ SOCIALIST INDIA
During the last twelve months, this journal like,
a few other journals, institutions and individuals has
been publicising the undercurrents and cross-currents
of the JP movement which is to the detriment of this
country. The March 6 march which was launched after
the JS plenary session ended has completely convinc
ed the people what is what and who is who. For at
MAYRCH 15, 1975
the JS session. JP in trying to give (with exuber
ance) a good conduct certificate to JS, said that if
the JS is fascist then he too is fascist. And then he
spoke for seventy minutes.
JP is a free an in this country to suffer from
the “Solzhenitsyn Complex” and feel that whatever
happened in this country during the last 27 years
is wrong and that he alone has the transcendental
wisdom to set it right. But when he is the leader
of the counter-productive agitations leading to the
loss of millions of man-days, when he is trying to
dislocate the normal functioning of the State with
his hilly-billy talk about democracy, when he is as
suming the right of being the leader of all the re
actionary, obscurantist, counter-revolutionary forces,
then it is a different matter.
The alleged charisma about him and the pre
sumed halo over his head are not there any more.
Now that he cannot be called even a Sarvodaya lea
der, he is just one more politicking “supremo” of
the Opposition, resorting to all manner of opportu
mistic manoeuvres to bolster up the Opposition par
ties. And, he shall be tackled as such by the Col.
gress and the Government. JP has forfeited the
right to be treated differently and differentially,
The year-old agitation he has been cursorily mas.
terminding, at the behest of the Opposition leaders,
has been a total failure. The March 6 march was a
flop. So it will be with the future marches and ral.
lies. And his dextrous moves to create rifts in the
Congress have been dismissed by those to whom he
made some pathetic appeals in desperation.
The nation at large is fully aware of the stakes
the choices, the options. JP and the puppet masters
behind him cannot convince the people there is any
other alternative to the Congress. It is only the
Congress that has been destined to be the instrument
for the social transformation of the country and
it will fulfil its historic mission. The people know
it that is why the JP agitation has not gathered any
strength. That is why the march and the rally had
to be stage-managed by the JS. That is why it will
ultimately fail. The people of India refuse to be
hoodwinked and misled by JP.

STOP PRESS and Maharashtra have reached an ac out prejudice to the Narmada Tribunal
cord on the construction of eight irri to which the Narmada Waters dispute
gation projects utilising the Narmada was referred in 1969. The Centml
NNO MINISTRY SWORN IN waters. The agreement which has been Water and Power Commission will
A 17-member Naga National Organi described as “a major step forward” scrutinise the eight projects before they
sation Ministry, headed by Shri John was reached at a meeting of the Chief are taken up for implementation.
Bosco Jasokie, was sworn in in Kohima Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Rajas The accord followed appeal by the
on March 10. The Governor, Shri than and Maharashtra and Adviser to Union Minister for Agriculture and
L. P. Singh, administered the oath of the Governor of Gujarat in New Delhi Irrigation, Shri Jagjivan Ram, to these
office and secrecy to the new Council on March 8. The agreement is with States to settle the disputes amicably,
of Ministers. The Ministry consists of
seven Ministers.
The following is tºe list of the new
Council of Ministers: Sarvashri Jasokie
(Chief Minister), T. N. Nagul
lie Tokheho Sema, Chingwang Konyak,
I. L. Changmak, Nyeivang Konyak
and R. Lisen.
MINISTERS OF STATE: Sarvashri
Tochi Hanso, Weprenyi Kapfo, Mhon
shan Murry, Hentok Konyak, Zhetovi
Sema, N. Metpong and Yeshito Chishi.
DEPUTY MINISTERS: Sarvashri
Deblal Mech, P. Monokiu and Mong
chu.
The new Ministry in Nagaland came
into being following defections from the
United Democratic Front Ministry
headed by Shri Vizol.
SEXBE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS
The new US Ambassador to India,
Mr. William Saxbe, presented his cre
dentials to the President Shri Fakh
ruddin Ali Ahmed in
March 8.
New Delhi on s
Accepting the credentials, Słºri
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed said that the
improvement in Indo-US relations de
pended on the desire of the two coun
tries to understand each other's
national interests. He pointed out that
India had always sought cooperation
and better relations with Aemrica.
Mr. Saxbe pledged Mºmself to foster
ing Indo-US relations. . He said that
the two countries had moved towards
an equitable relationship “on the basis
of maturity, equality, and mutual res
JP: Agitation is for
pect” and it would be his endeavour awakening people
to “contribute to the consolidation of
this process.”
ACCORD ON NARMADA
Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan ſ

The Jana Sangh
Jamboree:
: A POLITICAL JOKE
A Special Correspondent
The Bharatiya Jana Sangh jam
boree in Delhi last week was a
huge joke perpetrated on its
40,000 delegates who attended the
20th plenary session as well as on
the nation.
The very fact that the venue
was capitalised and exploited for
political purposes was a joke. The
Dr. Ambedkar Football Stadium
. Was COnverted into “Ambedkar
Nagar” and the BJS, which in its
20 years of existence had never
shown much love for the Harijans
and Scheduled Castes suddenly be
came their champion. The BJS
leaders overnight transformed
a themselves into eloquent pleaders
for the removal of social iniqui
* ties.
The JP-JS rapport, in spite of
deep political significance, was an
other joke. The Lok Nayak-ji ask
ed the Jana Sangh volunteers not
to wear their saffron yellow caps
nor carry their saffron coloured
flags. The BJS leaders as one man
conceded to JP's request. This was
a hoax perpetrated on the people.
For evedybody knows that for
three months, the BJS leaders had
been planning their plenary ses
sion to be held in Delhi on the eve
of the March 6 rally to ensure
enough crowds. But, for the sake
of giving a non-party look to the
rally they decided to “doff the cap
to JP” as “The Times of India”
put it.
“TOTAL REVOLUTION”
The JP-JS alliance, sealed at
the stadium in the glare of TV
lights with a 70-minute peroration
by JP was also a joke in spite of
its becoming a political reality.
Just try to reconcile the fact that
the BJS went out of the way to
record its disapproval of the Kash
mir accord during the sessions and
the fact that JP has welcomed
Sheikh Abdullah's return to Sri
nagar as the CM. There are the
SOCIALIST INDIA
facts and the public had to ac
cept.
The concept of the “total revolu
tion” that the BJS President, Shri
Lal Krishnaji Advani talked with
great gusto for two hours in Hindi
rarely relying on the 30-page text
in his hand was all wishy-washy
stuff which was at variance with
the concept of “total revolution”
explained by JP.
Of course, the “total revolu
tion” that they talked of is nothing
but “counter-revolution” in the
country resulting in anarchey and
chaos. But JP has been talking of
parallel election commission
“janata candidates, Jana Sangarsh
Samitis, electoral reforms, extra
constitutional measures and so on
and it is so difficult to keep track
of his evolving concepts.
But Shri Atal Behariji Vajpayee,
who moved the political resolution
has ruled out any possibility of
the BJS merging with the BLD.
He has only harped on the pos
sibility of the opposition leaders
working as one bloc and setting up
“janata” candiates, which is the
new version of the old grand al
liance of setting up candidates.
Chaudhuri Charan Singh has
been left out in the cold though
he did participate in the March
6 rally.
JP's CERTIFICATE
So, in spite of JP giving a nice
certificate to the JS by saying
that if the Jana Sangh is fascist,
then he too is fascist, (and this
provoked “Patriot” to remark:
“Most people in the country know
this and will agree with him in
his description of himself.”) The
BJS has not gone whole JP way
towards “total revolution”. All
talk of trust and confidence
between the Opposition parties
that “can be achieved only by
working together for common
causes” will turn out to be tall talk
under the pressure of ideological
cross-currents and self-interests of
individuals. The horse-trading that
will go on for the selection of the
“janata” candidates will be some
thing worth watching. (Please
read the item about JP's Samitis
in this issue to know about the
shape of things to come.)
5
Anyway when Shri Lal Krishnaji
Advani outlined the “new” politi
cal line of “relentlessly streng
thening the organisational base”
on the one hand and “on the
other optimum utilisation of the
strength so accumulated” to br
ing about a “total revolution”, he
did not speak on the same wave
length as JP.
The BJS jamboree tried to pull
wool over the eyes of the Indian
nation by resorting to all sorts
of subterfuges and tactical mano
euvers, the full implications of
which will come to be known in
the following weeks and months.
ARMS BUILD UP IN
PAKISTAN
Reports from Pakistan indi
cate that it is engaged in a fever
ish arms build-up. While Pakistan
is reported to have signed an
agreement with Iran for the pur
chase of 50 F-5H jets to replace
its outdated F-86 Sabre Jets, it
is also trying to get arms from
Turkey, Sweden, France and
China. The agreement with Iran
is believed to have been signed
during Shah of Iran's recent visit
to Pakistan.
In a reference to arms build-up
by Pakistan, the Defence Minister
Shri Swaran Singh told the Rajya
Sabha on March 7 that China
had been supplying sizable quan
tities of arms to Pakistan. These,
he said, included tanks, ack-ack
and other type of guns, gunboats
and torpedo-boats.
Shri Swaran Singh said: impact
of such developments on our de
fence preparedness is fully taken
into account while planning our
defence measures. “He rejected a
suggestion that the issue should
be referred to the United Nations
and said: “I think in regard to
big powers like China and US no
purpose will be served by raising
this question at the UN as both
these countries can stifle any dis
cussion as they have the right
of veto.”
The External Affairs Minister,
said that arming of Pakistan
would hinder normalisation of
relations between India and Pakis
tan.
MARCH 15, 1975

The March 6 March
That Flopped
OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT
With the single, monosyllabic
word, “Flop”, the Congress Presi
dent, Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, dis
missed the March 6 march to Par
liament. So it was. And it would
have been a “flopper" if the BJS
plenary session had not been over
the previous evening. The dele
gates who had come to the session
provided instant marchers.
It was a rally of sorts with a
ragbag crowd of about a lakh of
people that wended its way from
the Red Fort to the Boat Club
grounds. Tailors and tinkers, tra
ders and tradesmen, joiners and
Jana Sanghis, students and simple
tons, peasants and peanut-vendors
Were, of course, there. Two or
three hundred Nihang Sikhs in
deep blue costumes, weilding
spears, swords and machettes lent
a bit of colour to the otherwise
drab show. Three to four hundred
women aslo contributed some pat
ches of colour. The scooterists
who comprised the vanguard ap
peared to be from the RSS cadres
though looking like medical sales
men. The CPI(M) which was ori
ginally to join the rally finally
had second thoughts and backed
out.
MYSTERIOUS COLONEL
And then, in the jeeps and tem
poes and trucks came the leaders.
The jeep in which JP was perched
was driven by no less a person
than the mysterious Lt-Col. P. S.
Gill (Rtd.) who was said to be the
overall coordinator and who was
reported to have had “a surprise
alternative” in case the march was
stopped by the police. This Lt.-
Col. Gill must have had consider
able experience with facing Panzer
divisions and Patton tanks. That
is why he took over all these res
ponsibilities.
Another important person at the
rally was Shri Ram Nath Goenka,
the press tycoon backing JP with
his “Indian Express” and Every
GOCIALIST INDIA
man's". The latter paper was well
advertised at the rally by marchers
wearing publicity aprons. He was
first atop Scindia House having a
long-distance view of the march.
Later he was on the steps of the
rostrum at Boat Club controlling
the cameramen.
Yet another important worthy
was Shri Nanaji Deshmukh, the
BJS stalwart, who had along with
Shri Vijay Kumarji Malhotra.
stage-managed the march. He was
seen strutting near the rostrum
making periodic announcements
when JP had gone to Parliament
to deliver the charter of demands.
A BRAZEN LIE
In the march and in the rally,
there were a dozen applicants for
jobs in the future Cabinet of Min
isters if that would materialise.
There were at least two applicants
with eyes agog for Prime Minis
tership—Chaudhury Charan Singh
and Shri Atal Behariji Vajpayee.
The Shadow Cabinet members ex
posed themselves to the public—the
economic wizard Shri Subramaniam
Swamy, the private sector special
ist, Shri Piloo Mody and the prota
gonists of pseudo-Socialism, Sarva
shri Raj Narain, George Fernandes
and Madhu Limaye. There was a
wide assortment of others too ran
ging from Shri S. M. Joshi to Sar
dar Prakash Singh Badal, from
Shri Asoka Mehta to Shri Samar
Guha. The strangest additions to
the bandwagon were cartoonist
Abu, painter M. F. Hussain walk
ing barefoot and Shri Uma Shan
kar Joshi, M.P., the Gujarati poet
and scholar.
Since the BJS delegates and thr
RSS cadres were specifically re
quested by their new mentor, JP,
not to wear their saffron caps nor
display their saffron-coloured flag,
the spectacle of a sort of saffron
field on the move was missing. For
the sake of future glory, the BJS
leaders compromised and gave in
to JP.
The much talked about “march
of the million” did not materialise.
Nor did the threat of the marchers
to gherao Parliament. With paid
and unpaid marchers, there could
not have been more than a lakh
of people in the march. Another
10,000 could have come to the Boat
Club lawns during lunch-hour. But
the Motherland brazenly lied on its
front page that 15 lakhs attended
the rally. This was sheer poppy.
cock. The news agencies and the
other dailies fixed the attendence
between one and two lakhs.
There was no hartal as such
The shops along the route of the
march closed the doors for a short
while to avoid trouble and later
opened them. Business was as us:
ual in all parts of the city Banks
and offices were in full strength
as also industrial establishments.
The Motherland report of “total
hartal” was a total lie.
JP's description that the march
was as historic as the Dandi March
was in bad taste, for which he
should be reprimanded by Acharya
Vinoba Bhave. And his anticipation
that the April 6 rally would be
equally historic as the Jallianwalla
Bagh tragedy was, as National
Herald pointed out, were example
of hyperbole and grandiloquence.
JP should have left it to future
historians to judge these demº
strations in the proper perspectiº
and not indulge in egocentric
exercises.
The charter of demands that JP
presented to the Speaker of the
Lok Sabha and the Chairman ºf
the Rajya Sabha will be dealt with
in greater detail in the next week
issue.
–
AFGHAN PRESIDENT'S VISIT
President Mohammed Daud of
Afghanistan has condemned the .
sumption of US arms aid to Paº
stan. Speaking at a banquet gº"
in his honour by the Presiden'
Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed 9”
March 10, Mr. Daud said that tº
US move would lead to “imh
ance” in the region. He said that
the lifting of arms embargo at .
time when “Pakistan is enga
in shedding blood in Baluchistan
and Pakhtoonistan has cause:
grave concern to the people *
Government of Afghanistan".
Earlier welcoming him, .
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed said tº
there were “unfortunately fº
which seem to endanger statiº
and obstruct peaceful internat".
intercourse.” He expressed 4
Continued on Page 3
MARCH 15. 1915

Revolution To
Nowhere
JANARDHAN THAKUR
The Ides of March is almost
back again. A year has passed in
Bihar — a year of fire and fury on
the streets, a year of senseless
killings and recurrent cycles of
agitations, a year of slogans and
high rhetoric, a year of great hope
and of greater despair. The year
of the barricades.
Sure enough, students and
youths will be back on the streets
on March 18 to celebrate the an
niversary of their movement.
There will be slogan sand banners
and speeches but it is very un
likely that there would be the
surge and pressure of a movement
behind them. It would be more like
a day of remembrance.
The movement as such is finish
ed. The slogans that inspired and
led the youth then now ring hol
low. The Chhatra and Jan Sang
harsha Samitis are still there but
they are fragmented into num
berless groups and the young “re
volutionaries”, who are still around
speak with myriad voices and
often without much conviction.
The elan has gone out of the move
ment.
That it did have an elan and an
appeal once cannot be disputed no
matter what the detractors of
Jayaprakash Narayan say. True,
at no stage did it really become
a mass movement. By and large,
its appeal always remained confin
ed to the urban middle class.
All the same, it is an important
class, and the movement did give
the participants a new kind of ex
perience. It made them see them
selves in a larger perspective. To
the young, wayward students it
gave not only an emotional trip
but a new dignity and new hope.
To some it brought a new meaning
GOCIALIST INDIA
of courage, the lonely courage of
moving forward in the face of
brutal power with no defence but
one's humanity. To many a young
man who participated in the move
ment, it will remain a beautiful
chapter, but it is over now.
It had to end because slogans
alone were not enough. The new
awareness, the new pride and self
assertiveness which the movement
generated should have produced a
surge forward but nothing as such
developed.
There were no specific and con
crete programmes before the agi.
tators. A foreign journalist who
had watched the movement closely
for some days, returned from one
of the mammoth rallies of JP re
peating to himself: “It was un
fair, very unfair.” He could not
understand how a leader could
carry an agitation to a fever pitch
and then suddenly leave his sup
porters guessing about the next
phase.
GOALS NOT CLEAR
The movement failed because it
was slipshod, because its goals
were never clear, because there
was no real organisation behind it,
because very few people, even those
around JP really knew what they
were shouting about. The political
parties participating in the move
ment at no time, operated on the
same wavelength as JP. While he
talked and dreamt of a social,
moral and political regeneration,
these were looking for immediate
political gains. The people could
understand JP waging a one-man
crusade for moral regeneration—
after all, this is Gandhi's land—
but they could not bring them
selves to trust the ragbag crowd
of politicians behind him, most of
them with records no better than
the most tarnished ones in the
Congress. As JP himself conceded
in one of his speeches at Varanasi,
corrupt men had crept into the
movement, but what could he do
about it?
One of his biggest failures was
that he could neither create an or
ganisation to fight his battles nor
inspire men of character to join his
movement. He did not have even
a second man worth the name who
T MARCH
could take charge during his long
visits to other parts of the coun
try. Every time he left Bihar the
movement all but fell apart.
While it remains to be seen how
JP plans to bring the movement
back to life, it is about time to ask
what he and his supporters have
gained so far.
The four big issues—prices, cor
ruption, unemployment and job
oriented education — with which
the movement first began were
forgotten soon after. The Bihar
Assembly is still there, and is go
ing through the first regular bud
get session since 1967 to boot. Shri
Ghafoor, too, is still there and if
he goes it will certainly be not be
cause of the movement but be
cause of feuds and wrangles in his
own party. Only 42 Opposition
MLAs have resigned and all the
Opposition parties, except the CPI,
have all but gone out of existence
in the Assembly. The only gainer
in the House has been the Cong
ress Party, whose strength—albeit
a surface strength—has risen
from 185 to 205.
The campuses have by and large
returned to “business as usual”.
Barring a handful of boys who
would not have studied anyway,
the students have rejected JP's call
to boycott colleges and universi
ties for a year.
The call for “Janata polls” in
March 1975 has also failed. So
has the resolve to set up a “Janata
Sarkar” at the grassroot level. No
corrupt businessman has been
touched nor business houses given
any notice to behave. Nor has JP's
poll strategy shown any signs of
working out. Even if his political
supporters say they are willing to
go along with his plans, it is more
because they like, or even under
stand, his scheme of things.
But, on the other hand, the Con
gress too has learnt no lessons
from the movement. Instead of
taking heed of the writing on the
wall it has kept going downhill.
The disenchantment of the people
is so complete that if there were
to be an election right now there
is little doubt that the Congress
would get a hard drubbing.
Courtesy: HINDUSTHAN
STANDARD'S “SUNDAY.”
15, 1975

JP's One-year-old
Agitation
Started With A Bang,
But Will End With A
Whimper
TARAKESHWARI SINHA
Interviewed
“Yes, JP's agitation, which
started with a bang in March, 1974,
is about to end with a whimper.
Nothing more”, remarked Shrimati
Tarakeshwari Sinha, when inter
viewed at her residence in South
Extension, New Delhi.
Smt. Sinha has been frequently
visiting Patna during these last 12
months and studying the JP move
ment from all angles. She knows
her home-ground well—the leaders
of all shades and the people.
“What makes you think so?”
The question is dangled before
her — but just for a second.
Prompt comes the reply.
“The simple fact is that JP has
been making so many demands—
impossible demands — that the
people have lost track of them.
They are all reactions to events and
persons. So JP keeps constantly
shifting his ground as he has no
definite programme nor fundamen
tal objectives to fulfil. And the
people are bewildered by his ac
tions and pronouncements. That's
the plain fact,” comments Smt.
Sinha.
“Can you explain that a little
more, madam”?
“Originally JP's concern was
about the students' problems.
Equally he was concerned about
the people's problems — soaring
prices and shortages of essential
goods. But as he went on leading
the movement, he got involved in
so many other things. Corruption,
dissolution of the Assembly, police,
problems of nearby States, the
Central Government, electoral re
forms and so on and so forth. His
slogans have been many. But
finishing a job successfully has
never been a strong point with
JP”.
SOCIALIST INDIA
“That's true madam. But how is
the situation today about the stu
dents vis a vis their schools and
colleges?”
“Well, one year has passed by”
said Smt. Sinha and continued:
“Most of the students have gone
back to their classes. They attend
ed the examinations. They have
passed out and gone to higher
classes. Those who did not go back
have become problems to their
parents. They are regretting. Some
of them have turned anti-social.
And quite a few of them are there
in the Samitis. They are the ones
who could not have studied any
way.”
“What about the government—
the administration ... the Assem
bly? Can you enlighten me with
your personal knowledge?”
“Well, the government did not
grind down to a complete stop,”
asserted Smt. Sinha and added:
“It is going on though haltingly.
The Assembly is still there. The
Chief Minister, Ghafoor Saheb, is
still there. The revenue collection
was good. The budget session is
on — and it is the first regular
budget session since 1967, mind
you. Only 42 MLAs resigned. But
the Congress is stronger than be
fore. Its strength has risen from
185 to 205.”
“What is your assessment of the
present situation in Bihar, since
you have recently come from there.
And I think you attended the
Rajgir camp too. You must have
travelled a bit and seen things at
close quarters.”
“Yes, I did attend the Rajgir
camp. It was a salutary experi
ence. I was able to meet a lot of
people and see things for myself.”
She paused for a moment and then
continued: “All that I can say is
that the situation has considerably
improved. The prices have gone
down a bit. The shortages are not
there. The essential goods are
available. But I am sorry to say
that there is not much of coordi
nation between our PCC and
DCCs and the Government. If we
can achieve this, the JP movement
can be contained . . .”
By that time, the tea had arriv
ed and the interview got interrupt
ed. But Smt. Tarakeshwari Sinha
picked up the thread where it was
left off and pointed out:
“You see the whole point is JP
is constantly shifting his ground.
His demands are increasing. His
horizons are receding. There will
be no culmination of his movement,
He is a prisoner of his friends—
especially the newly found politi
cal friends and they are exploiting
him in all manner possible. He
is at their beck and call, willing
to address any meeting, go wher.
ever they want him to go and say
whatever they want him to say."
“Still, madam, he is planning to
do many things especially on the
first anniversary of his launching
the movement according to the
papers...”
A RITUAL AFFAIR
Smt. Sinha interjected by say.
ing, “Don’t be led away by ins:
pired reports. The anniversary will
be a ritual affair. His preoccupa.
tion with Delhi and the Centre is
an admission of defeat. Besides,
please remember that Biharis
know JP for a long time. They
are not so much enamoured of
him as he is here amidst the glit’
ter of a wide range of Opposition
politicians – from Piloo Mody tº
Prakash Singh Badal, from Advan'
to Chaudhury Charan Singh..."
There is another break in the
conversation as another visitor has
been waiting for some time in an'
other room. -
After a ten-minute gap, the in"
terview is resumed.
Smt. Sinha continued: "The
trouble with the JP led agitation
is that he has not concerned him.
self with the real problems of thº
people. He has not bothered abº"
the amelioration of their livin;
conditions. He has not devº
constructive ways of improvinº
their lot. Instead he has lost him
self in the network of forces tº
serve vested interests and *
seekers. This is a tragedy. A"
JP's individualism is so strong º
he does not bother to realise t
through his movement he is lead.
ing people to uncertainty and #.
security. This is wrong. Uttº"
wrong.” +
By then, the time is up. 5.
Sinha has to do some packiº .
her trip to Kerala along with º:
Congress President and othº.'
attend a Camp. And so we “
a day.
March 15, ""

Power Struggle
In JP's Samitis
Acute power struggle inside the
Sangharsh Samitis set up under
JP's leadership has necessitated
a new experiment by JP for evolv
ing suitable changes in their com
position pattern so as to save them
from internecine struggles.
According to well-informed so
urces close to JP he has been con
cerned over what has been going
on inside the Sangharsh Samitis in
Bihar as well as in Eastern U. P.
It has been found that in a large
number of places, the so-called
conveners of these local Samitis
either became inactive and irres
ponsive or have got involved in the
rivalries among the various consti
tuent parties each of which has
sought to dominate these commit
tees with an eye on future politi
cal gains.
This is understood to have com
pelled JP to suggest that the con
veners of the Samitis need not
necessarily be “non-political per
sonalities.” Even wellknown poli
tical figures could henceforth take
up the leadership of these “organs
of struggle for total revolution”
but they will have to relinquish
their specific party-affiliations and
declare themselves as “non-parti
san” before they assume responsi
bility of the Samitis.
The sources claim that an ex
periment on these lines has al
ready been initiated in Haryana
and if it is found useful by all the
constituents, it may be extended
to other States also. The signi
ficance of the Haryana experiment,
it is pointed out, is not that the
State Arya Sabha leader Agnivesh
resigned from his party to become
convener of the Haryana San
gharsh Samiti but more important
ly, both the Jana Sangh and the
BLD agreed to have Agnivesh as
the leader of the Joint committee.
It may be mentioned that both
in Bihar and UP, there has been a
battle between the Jana Sangh
and the Socialists and their res
pective youth wings to outwit each
SOCIALIST INDIA
other in the bid to have a com suaded JP to agree to address the
manding position in the Sangharsh Jana Sangh session which conclud
Samitis . In Uttar Pradesh, the
tension in the Samitis may further
ed in the Capital last week even
at the cost of creating misunder
grow the moment the BLD decides
to take active part in them. More
standing among other parties
his camp.
in
over, some of the Sarvodaya
workers who had been inducted However, it is also realised that
into the Samitis could not match this new pattern may not be the
panacea for all the ills that in
the requirements of the situation
evitably accompany power strug
and keep these committees active
and united. gles among the political elements
even if they profess unqualified
These sources point out that Shri devotion personally to JP. The
Narayan has himself gone a long situation may become complex if
way in realising the need for active the Jana Sangh having a large
association of the political parties cadre base decides to spare many
with his movement if it has to of them to take up the responsi
succeed at all at any level. It was bility of Sangharsh Samitis even
this realisation which finally per as “non-partisans.”
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE FNGINEER, CONST. DIVISION
NO: I, P.W.D. B & R BRANCH, PATIALA
TENDER NOTICE
Sealed item rate tender for the below noted work from approved
P.W.D. Contractors Co.-operative Societies on prescribed form ob
tainable from the office of the undersigned on payment of Rs. 2.- in
cash, are hereby reinvited so as to reach the office of the undersigned
on 17.3.75 at 3.30 P.M. Tenders received without Earnest Money will
not be considered.
Sr. Name of work Appx. Earnest Time
No. Cost Money Limit
Collection of quartizite broken stone metal 28 mm to 50 mm (1}”
to 2") gauge from an approved quarry to Chandimandir Devinagar or
any other approved quarry for wearing coat duly screened and stacked
1.00 cum stacks. 2 meters x 1.25 m x 43.5 cm uniformally distributed
along road side clear of the formation width including 10% extra free
supply of screening 6 mm to 12 mm gauge stacked seperately in 1 cum
2 x 1.25 metre x 40 cm stack. 43.5 cm high stone metal will be mea
sured and paid as 40 cm.
1. Jullakheri Bhasmara to 54,000- 1,100/- 2 months
Krishanpur
CONDITIONS:
1. Earnest Money in the shape of Treasury Challan or Deposit at
call Receipt on any Schedule Bank in the name of Execut’ve
Engineer, Const. Division No: 1, P.W.D. B. & R Branch Patiala
(By Designation) will only be accepted, otherwise tender will
beliable to be rejected.
2. Conditional Tenders and tenders without Earnest Money are not
acceptable.
3. Tender forms shall only be issued on the presentation of proof of
enlistment and Earnest Money.
4. Details N.I.T. can be seen in the office of the undersigned on
any working day during office hours.
5. No tender form will be issued after 2.00 P.M. on 17.8.75
Sd/-
Executive Engineer,
Construction Division No: 1,
P.W.D. B. & R. Br. Patiala
MARCH 15, 1975

JP PROPS UP
JANA SANGH
The Jana Sangh's twentieth ses
sion held in New Delhi recently
might have passed off as the most
uneventful of all its national
gathering but for the last-day en
try of the Sarvodaya leader, Shri
Jayaprakash Narayan, Having
finally agreed to address the ses
Sion, JP gave the party, its cadres
and particularly Shri Nana Desh
mukh an enviable certificate. “If
the Jana Sangh is a fascist force,
I am also a fascist”: these words
of JP were probably the most pre
cious prop for the Jana Sangh.
The Jana Sangh very much need
ed JP's presence at the session
also because right in the midst of
the three-day conference, the party
found itself in straits in Parlia
ment on the Kashmir question. Its
hope that under the influence of
Chaudhury Charan Singh at least
the BLD would lend it a helping
hand was also belied.
The party, on no account, could
afford alienation at this juncture.
That the party leaders were really
grateful to the Sarvodaya leader
was evident from the fact that
while accepting an amendment to
the political resolution, Shri Atal
Behari Vajpayee confidently told
the delegates: “Who can dare ban
the RSS when JP is with us.” Shri
Vajpayee's prediction came after
JP's address to the conference.
Some of the inconvenient ques
tions which JP chose to pinpoint
during his speech at the session,
the Jana Sangh leaders took them
in their stride. Most pertinent of
them was his reference to the land
reforms and the Jana Sangh's
ignoble performance on this issue
during the first non-Congress SVD
Government under Mahamaya
Prasad Sinha. Recalling his sug
gestion to the Mahamaya Govern
ment that at least the land re
form laws enacted by the Cong
ress should be implemented by the
SVD Government. - urban ceiling
JP remarked that while the CPI
and the then SSP and PSP favour
SOCIALIST INDIA
ed his suggestion, the Jana Sangh
had adopted hostile attitude. JP's
reference to the question of mer
ger of all parties supporting his
movement and to his concept of
selecting “Janata” candidates are,
and would remain, points of con
troversy within the JP camp.
However, the fact that JP “dis
creetly” chose to address the con
ference in order to debunk “the
CPM's criticism”
and also many
others that he was surrounded
by “reactionaries and fascist for
ces” would have given the Jana
Sangh leaders far greater satisfac
tion and they could easily ignore
the inconvenience caused to them
by his other assertions.
NO CHANGE
Ironically, the Jana Sangh ses
sion had adopted the resolutions
on the economic situation and on
agriculture on the two previous
days. They outlined the party's
approach on economic issues which
clearly indicated that the Jana
Sangh remained, particularly on
the issue of land reforms, where
it was in 1967-68. The party
wants a 20-year moratorium on
any fresh ceiling laws. The long
known stand of the party disfav
ouring organised struggle of the
landless for implementation of
these laws, remains operative.
A delegate would seem to have
unwittingly sought an amendment
to the resolution on agriculture,
to include the proviso that the
20-year moratorium clause should
apply after land ceiling laws had
been enacted in all States. Neither
Bhai Mahavir, who introduced the
economic resolution, nor Shri
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who in
troduced the resolution on agricul
ture, took the trouble to accept or
reject the amendment in so many
words. Their task of evading the
issue was made easy by the con
cerned delegates because they did
not press their amendment — a
characteristic performance of both
the leaders and delegates at the
Jana Sangh conference. Another
amendment which sought to in
corporate the fight for land and
and against hoard
ing and blackmarketing as part of
the fight for “total revolution”,
met a similar fate at the hands of
10
Bhai Mahavir who brushed it |
aside as too general and, there.
fore, irrelevant.
On the other hand, the leader.
ship readily accepted amendments
which sought to plug the loop
holes that may have hampered
free operation of foodgrain traders
—all in the name of the peasant.
In short, the Jana Sangh and
JP agreed to disagree on Kash
mir, land problem and probably on
other issues not quite clearly iden
tified at the conference, but they
agreed to hang together in their
fight against the Congress and the
CPI — and all this under the ban
ner of “total revolution”.
At the conference, Shri Vajpayee
also outlines the Jana Sangh's
three-point concept of “total re
volution”. This includes “Indiani.
sation, modernisation, and radica.
lisation”, as he put it. It may be
mentioned that this concept is no
different from what he had said
about four years ago at the Udai.
pur BJS session in 1971, though
at that time the party had neither
given this concept the catchy co
ver of “total revoluiton” nor it
had JP on its side to add a halo
to it.
Interestingly, even Shri Vaj.
payee seemed to play down what
he described as “outlines of the
total revolution”, in which he siad.
the “leadership” would be collec
tive”, though the entire Jama
Sangh leadership pledged to
stand by JP and his “total revor
lution”.
Both JP and
the Jana Sangh
seemed also to agree not to spell
out what exactly they meant by
“total revolution” either to the
people at large or even to each
other.
EMERGENCY CREDIT.
India will supply 30,000 tons of
cement to Bangladesh under tº
Rs. 10 crore emergency credit
The credit was given to Bangladesh
by India to meet urgent requiº”
ments of certain commodities.
The cement will be supplied by
the State Trading Corporation to
the trading Corporation of Bangº.
desh. An agreement for supply "
this quantity of cement
signed here.
MARCH 15, 19"
 Freedom Of
The Press
“In India
º
JAG MoHAN
º,
One of the “Wolf! Wolf!” cries
; indulged in by the critics of Indira
Gandhi and her government is
# that freedom of the Press in India
a has seriously declined or b.
has been under constant threat.
ſ:
§ In a recent issue of this jour
nal, the hullabaloo about this mat
º ter whipped up by “The States
1
man” during its centenary celebra
tions was described but not replied
to purposely.
f# This week, it is proposed to
º pooh-pooh the contention of “The
* Statesman” oddly enough with
: the findings of the survey by the
* Press Institute of India published
: in its journal, “Vidura”, edited by
* Chanchal Sarkar, who is also the
Director of the Institute.
Chanchal Sarkar also contribu
: ted his quota to the hullabaloo by
! publishing an alarming cover page
* design to the particular issue of
his journal in which this topic was
discussed. It is reproduced along
side for the benefit of our readers
!" because it is a crude visualisation
of the Indian press in chains! And
“Press Freedom?” Yes, with a big
question mark.
! And, what was published inside?
The replies from a score of per
* Sons—MPs, editors and others—
representing a cross-section of eli
tist opinion on the subject. The
replies given by them cannot be
reproduced in full here—but only
excerpts. And they are at va
riance with the alarming cover
page illustration, which to say
the least is vulgarly tendentious,
if not mischievous. The majority
Categorically confirm that the
freedom of the Press in India has
not declined nor deteriorated.
. . Chanchal Sarkar was provoked
to send a questionnaire about the
, freedom of the Press in India be
use of the comments of Earnest
Meyer, President of the Interna
$0CIALIST no. A
pºss ºriterse ºf ºtºs º º ºxº
tional Press Institute to which the
Press Institute is affiliated and
from which it derives some susten
ance. Meyer is reported to have
said on November 26, 1974 in
Racine, Wisconsin, USA (which
place may be as important or uni
mportant as Mehrauli in Delhi or
Chinchpokli in Bombay) before an
international gathering of journa
lists that “India, Malaysia, Indo
nesia and Philippines until recen
tly had a free press but now the
Governments in these countries
had, in one way or another, sup
pressed or abolished this free
dom.”
MEYER RECANTS
This profound revelation was
promptly creeded by the Associa
ted Press and sent to India. Sub
sequently in a letter to Shri Chan
chal Sarkar, Mr. Meyer retracted
a bit by saying, “As you know,
every year in the annual report,
I always underline the very spe
cial situation of the Indian press
and I feel really hurt by the fact
that on vague agency reports it
could be believed that I could have
mentioned India together with
11
A
MISLEADING
AND
MISCHIEVOUS
COVER
ºcznº tº
Indonesia and Philippines as a
country where a once free press
has been suppressed.”
All the same this august gentle
man did discuss in remote Racine
all about “The Searchlight” case
and the Verghese affair.
In the interest of “A Free
Press?” (as headlined in “Vidura”
Chanchal Sarkar sent out the
questionnaire to more than a score
of persons.
The following replied: Upendra
Waxi, Jyotirmoy Bosu, Prithvis
Chakravarti, J. P. Chaturvedi,
Morarji Desai, Bhupesh Gupta,
Girilal Jain, D. B. Karnik, Madhu
Limaye, Piloo Mody, S. Mulgaon
kar, H. M. Patel, M. Chalapathi
Rau, S. Nihal Singh, G. S. Tal
walkar, P. K. Roy, Aveek Sarkar.
Era Sezhyan, Romesh Thapar and
A. B. Vajpayee. -
The following chose not to rep
ly: I. K. Gujral, Krishan Kant
G. Kasturi, N. J. Nanporia and
B. G. Verghese.
The reply of Vivekananda
Mukherjee was “lost in the mail”.
Excerpts from the replies quo
MARCH 15, 1975.”
 ted here are confined to the first
question in the five-item questio
naire, which reads as follows:
“Some commentators abroad have
talked about ebbing of freedom
from Indian press. Do you think
that freedom has seriously dec
lined 7”
Now to the replies, which are
being reproduced with acknow
ledgement to “Vidura”, to Sarkar
and to Krishan Mahajan and John
Sinkins who had collated the rep
lies.
M. CHALAPATHI RAU.
Editor, “National Herald”
“I do not think freedom of the
press has seriously declined in this
country. The Government has not
directly or indirectly curbed or
abolished the freedom though
State Governments have shown
less tolerance of criticism than the
Central Government. It is indivi
dual ministers that are sometimes
intolerant.”
S. MUL.GAONKAR,
Editor, “Indian Express”
“I do not think there is, as yet,
**STATESMAN’S” IRANI
DEFAMES INDIA
Mr. C. R. Irani, Managing director of
the Statesman, describes in an article
in a “Freedom House” publication the
“endless” pressures on the Indian press
in chains. India is one of the few
countries where the attempt seems to
be to see to it that the right of dissent
is obliterated altogether. That this
game has not succeeded so far speaks
volumes for the resilience of the Indian
press and credit must go to the dedicat
ed editors, owners and publishers of the
newspapers, who are standing their
ground against sometimes overwhelming
odds.”
&g
Mr. Irani spoke of a continuous
tirade of abuse and slander’ against the
leaders of the Indian press including
the charge that they are monopolies. A
frontal assault on the press note having
succeeded, the tactics had been changed
to “the indirect approach.”
The Minister of Information is now
left with one hobby horse which he
continues to flog with monotonous regu
larity. This is the suggestion that be
cause some of the leading newspapers in
the country happen to be owned by in
dustrial interests. This is in some way
unhealthy and newspapers must be de
linked from industry”.
Mr. Irani also charged the Prime
Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, with hav
ing taken a decision in 1969 to end her
predecessors’ non-interference with the
press.
Courtesy: INDIAN EXPRESS
SOCIALIST INDIA
the kind of threat to freedom of
the press from the establishment,
have in mind.”
AVEEK SARKAR
Editor “Hindusthan
Who does not believe press free
dom has declined in India. Nor
does he think the Central Govern
ment has tried to curb it. He wri
tes:
“The State Governments have
often tended to influence the poli
cies of the newspapers by with
holding advertisements. In two re
cent cases, State Governments
have been reprimanded by the
Press Council. So in effect a body
set up by the Central Government
has helped to remain the indepen
dence of the press.”
GIRILAL JAIN,
Resident Editor “The
India”
“Having said this I will how
ever, add that so far freedom of
the press in India has not seriously
declined. This is not to say that
it is adequate.”
ROMESH THAPAR,
Publisher and Editor “Seminar”
“I do not think press freedom
has dclined seriously Commenta
tors abroad are making a big is
sue of certain developments
like the Verghese affair, serious
as it certainly is, to suggest other
W1Se.
“Apart from the merits of this
or that case the press in India is
as free as it can be with owner
ship in the hands of business
houses, and a small elite group of
journalists anxious to be accep
table to the official establishment.”
G. S. TALWALKAR,
Editor “Maharashtra Times”
“Compared to some Western
countries our press may not be
explosive; but that does not mean
that freedom has seriously declin
ed. All the major political parties
have their own dailies or periodi
cals and they are not prohibited
from giving out their points of
View.”
P. K. ROY,
Publisher, “Amrita Bazar Patrika”
“I don’t think that freedom of
the press has been curbed in
India.” - - - -
12
D. B. KARNIK,
Editor “Navprabha” (Goa)
“Therefore, the Indian press
has by and large set some volum:
tary restraints on itself while cri:
Standard” ticising the Government or its at:
tions. The Government on the
other hand has generally main.
tained independence of the press
and never directly curbed its free
dom.”
J. P. CHATURVEDI
Former President of the Indian
Federation of Working Journalists
and now President of the Delhi
Union of Journalists.
“I do not think that the free rºl
dom of the Indian Press has dec.
lined from what it was earlier.
Any perusal of the coverage given
to Parliamentary proceedings and
Times of Jayaprakash Narayan's movement
in the last three months will show
this.”
PRITHWIS CHAKRAVARTI,
Secretary-General of NUJI
“Criticism from abroad has not
been fully informed. I would not
say freedom has seriously declinº
say as far as the 20 or 25 big
papers in India are concerned al.
though there is a threat to these
papers which are economically via"
ble.”
BHUPESH GUPTA, (MP)
Communist Party of India
“In India for example, the mo"
nopoly houses control the largº
circulation newspapers, and therº
the freedom of the press, so ca"
led, is always subject to the maſ.
row class interests of these vestº
elements.
“I do not think that the frº
dom of the press in our count.
has particularly declined except"
so far as the monopolists and *
tain other rich people have man”.
ed to take control of a number"
newspapers and periodicals"
MORARJI DESAI, (MP)
Syndicate leader. -
“It is no doubt true that *.
there is no governments law whic
curbs freedom of the press, it
as free as it can be.
“Government does exercise ".
direct pressures on newspºº.
either by frowning on them.”
- -
corrupting some of the staff
MARCH 15. "
JYOTIRMOY BOSU, (MP)
CFI(M)
“I do not feel any particular
regard for the people who have
said there is no press freedom in
India. However, if they say some
thing which is correct and true I
do appreciate it. They are absolu
tely right and justified in their
comments.
MADHU LIMAYE, (MP),
Socialist Party.
“There has been a decline in all
the institutions of democracy in
cluding the courts, the legislature
and the press.”
PILOO MODY (MP),
Bharatiya Lok Dal
“Of course, freedom
press has declined.”
A. B. VAJPAYEE, (MP)
Jana Sangh
“Nobody can deny that freedom
of the press in India is being res
tricted though it would be wrong
to say that it has been comple
tely abolished.”
H. M. PATEL, (MP),
BLD
“There has been a decline in the
freedom of the press since inde
pendence.”
UPENDRA BAXI
Professor of Law, Delhi
sity -
From these majority of opi
nions, it can be gathered that the
freedom of the press in India has
not been eroded nor corroded.
Leading editors, not too friendly
towards the Congress and the Op
position politicians, have conceded
that. Their testimony should be a
valid reply to the wild allegations
made in “The Statesman.”
The negative replies of Madhu
Limaye, Piloo Mody, A. B. Vaj
payee, H. M. Patel and S. Nihal
Singh should be dismissed outright.
Madhu Limaye's close political as
sociate, George Fernandes, tho
roughly enjoys the freedom of the
press and misuses it in his “Pra
of the
tipaksha” and Madhu Limaye
knows it. Piloo Mody has been
having a whale of a time in writ
ing nonsense in his “March of the
Nation” and his colleague H. M.
Patel is fully aware.
Atal Behari Vajpayee's party
mouthpiece “The Motherland” and
“Organiser” are notorious for un
restrained political vindictiveness
and character assasination. And
Nihal Singh's paper has been jolly
well enjoying the freedom of the
press to such a ludicrous extent
Univer
CONCESSION TO INDUSTRY
that it published astrologers fore
casts about the total rout of Indira
Gandhi and her party in the 1971
elections (of course, the astrolo
gers had to eat crow). All these
gentlemen, who have raised doubts
about freedom of the press in
India, have told blatant lies—for
political reasons—even while en
joying the freedom guaranteed by
the Constitution of India.
PROGRESS OF A
NON-COMMITTED
FREE-BOOTING JOURNALIST
Shri Kuldip Nayar, who has
been making front-page anº.
nouncements of his joining
Ramnath Goenka’s “The Indian
Express” had been within the
the past one year or so the
Resident Editor of “The States
man” and subsequently “the
Collective Editor” of the same
paper. (Pl. refer to page 445
or the May, 1974 Delhi Tele
phone Directory). Never in the
history of the Fourth Estate
has anybody been described as
“Collective Editor” in U.K.,
France, USA, Japan or India)

“One can very well say that the

Central Government seeks to re
gulate infrastructural freedom
when it seeks to regulate news
print, or when it regulates labour
conditions. But you have to draw
a line between freedom and regu
lation. At what point of regula
tion does freedom cease. It is here
that I think the greatest danger
to freedom comes from the journa
lists themselves.”
ERA SEZHYAN, (MP)
DMK
“I do not agree with any view
in the foreign press that there is
no press freedom in India. There
is though, much that could be
done to improve, enhance and put
it on a stable basis.”
Punjab Government will give 50% subsidy on the cost
of Feasibility report in respect of new Industrial projects to
be implemented. This concession will be available all over the
State. Subsidy will be given on the following conditions:-
a) Government contribution is converted into share
capital in the event the Project is implemented.
b) that the report for which the entrepreneurs and the
Govt. share the cost on 50:50 basis, would not be
come exclusively the property of the Govt. even in
the event of Project not coming up.
c) that the report is prepared by the approved consul
tant.
d) the industry is a large scale one.
The interested parties should immediately apply for
availing of this concession through the concerned District In
dustries Officer.

S. NIHAL SINGH,
Delhi Editor, “The Statesman” HARDIAL SINGH, IAS.
Director of Industries,
“I don't think anyone who has
PRD-75||1326-35 Punjab
anything to do with policy plan
ning on a newspaper in India has
any doubts on this score—freedom
has declined.”
SOCIALIST INDIA 18 MARCH 15, 1975

US ARMS FOR PAKISTAN
WILL REOPEN OLD
WOUNDS
The Government has understan
dably reacted sharply to the
US decision to lift the ten-year old
embargo on arms supply to Pakis
tan.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha
on February 26 the Prime Minis
ter, Smt. Indira Gandhi, said that
the renewed supply of arms by
USA to Pakistan would “reopen
old wounds” and hinder process
of normalisation on the sub-conti
nent. She said: “It is totally spe
cious to argue that arms should
be supplied to Pakistan because
we in India are developing a self
sufficient defence industry. It is
even dishonest to argue that our
nuclear research poses a danger
to Pakistan.”
Earlier on February 25, the Ex
ternal Affairs Minister Shri Y.
B. Chavan described the US deci
sion as a “retrograde” step. In
identical statements in the two
Houses of Parliament, he expres
sed India's “strong disappoint
ment and sense of deep regret” at
the US decision to supply arms to
Pakistan. He said that Pakistan
had used American arms against
India on three occasions and re
sumption of arms to that coun
try “can have serious consequen
ces for peace and stability on the
Subcontinent.”
As a protest against the US de
cision to lift the arms embargo
against Pakistan, Shri Chavan has
decided to cancel his visit to USA
to attend the meeting of the Indo
US Joint Commission in Washing
ton on March 13 and 14.
An official announcement, issued
in New Delhi on February 26, said:
“In the present circumstances, the
External Affairs Minister, Shri Y.
B. Chavan, will not be able to go
to Washington for the Indo-US
Joint Commission meeting on
March 13 and 14. This has been
conveyed to the USA”.
The US State Department, how
ever, chose to call it only a “post
ponement”.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The US Secretary of State, Dr.
Henry Kissinger, has sought to
defend the US decision by saying
that his country does not intend
to engage in a “massive supply.”
of arms to Pakistan. He told news
men in Washington on February
25 that USA placed “great stress
on improving relations with India”.
Commenting on India's reaction
to the US decision, Dr. Kissinger
said that the statement made by
Shri Chavan in Parliament was
“restrained and statesmanlike.”
But at the same time, he describ
ed the Indian Ambassador Shri
T. N. Kaul's protest as “unaccep
table.”
Meanwhile, Shri Kaul has dis
closed that though Dr. Kissinger
had promised that he would be
given “an opportunity to see Pre
sident Ford and convey certain
messages to him” before the USA
announced its decision to lift the
embargo, he was denied access to
President Ford and was told of
the decision through the Deputy
Secretary of State Mr. Ingersoll.
KING BIRENDRA
CROWNED
King Birendra Vir Vikram Shah,
monarch of Nepal, was crowned in
Kathmandu on February 24 amidst
elaborate Vedic rituals in the pre
sence of special envoys from near
ſy half the countries of the world.
Shortly before the 30-year old
ruler of the world's only Hindu
kingdom put on the crown glisten
ing with emeralds, the priests
chanted words from the Vedas to
the following effect: “We invest
you with the strength and valour
of Indra, the King Heaven, to en
sure victory, with the splendour of
moon to give peace and plenty to
your people.”
He pledged in return in Sanskrit
that he would act as the sentinel
of the nation, held the sovereignty
of the country secure and would
never be arbitrary. The corona
tion came three years after he be
came King following the death of
his father, King Mahendra, in
1972,
14
Early in the morning, King Bir
endra drove to the ancestral Hanu
man Dhoka Palace in a procession
of cavalry and marching columns.
Gurkha troops and priests burning
incense heralded the procession.
Officials, ministers and court ad
visers preceded the King and
Queen who came in a gilded coach
drawn by six horses. In the after
noon the King drove through the
festooned streets a second time to
address an open air darbar.
RECEPTION TO B. D. JATTI
India was represented at the cere
mony by the Vice-President, Shri
B. D. Jatti, who was accompanied
by two Central Ministers, Shri K.
C. Pant and Shri Raj Bahadur, Shri
L. P. Singh, Governor of Assam
and Shri M. K. Rasgotra, India's
Ambassador to Nepal. Other digni
taries present included Mr. Naz
rul Islam, Vice-President of
Bangladesh, Mr. Fazal Ilahi Chau
dhury, President of Pakistan,
Prince Charles and Lord Mount
batten from England, Prime Minis
ter of Burma and Crown Prince
Akhito of Japan as well as digni
taries from the Soviet Union, China
and the USA.
The following day (February
25) three Nepalese organisations
gave a reception in honour of
Shri Jatti. These were the Nepal
Bharat Maitri Sangh, Nepal-Bharat
Sanskritik Vachanalaya of Hakta
pur and Nepal-Bharat Sadhavana
Samiti of Danepapa.
Shri Jatti was presented a rep
lica of the temple of Pashupatinath
which he said would remain “with
us not only as a token of your
friendship but also as a symbol
of those deep inner bonds of reli
gion and culture immemorial, a
unique sense of kinship and inti
macy between our two peoples.”
He said the geographical conti
guity and cultural unity were two
permanent factors of Nepal-India
relations. “Therefore, over the
centuries, the ups and downs of
history notwithstanding, there has
been a steady growth of shared in
terests and feelings and deep and
abiding sense of kinship, mutual
sympathy and understanding be
tween the peoples of India and
Nepal.”
MARCH 15, 1975

Hill Areas:
Problems Of
Development—
REISHING KISHANG
Finance Minister, Manipur
This paper was distributed at
the Shillong Camp.
The economic condition of the
North Eastern region has, no
doubt, shown a marked improve
ment during the last two decades,
yet a sizeable portion, especially
the tribal and hill areas have re
mained less developed and there
fore the regional imbalances still
continue to exist. Measures requir
ed for speedy socio-economic de
velopment of the tribal and hill
areas, therefore, require a special,
distinct approach so that prob
lems common to the region as a
whole as well as those peculiar
only to the constituting units are
tackled effectively and expedi
tiously. Some of the problems of
the tribal areas and the hill areas
in this region are common to all
the constituent units which may
need an integrated developmental
programme as a solution. Certain
other economic problems are, on
the other hand, peculiar only to
certain areas, and may need se
parate, special measures and the
policy of a common approach to
resolve them may not meet with
much success.
N. E. REGION
The north-eastern region of
India comprises five States of
Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Na
galand and Tripura and two Union
Territories of Arunachal Pradesh
and Mizoram. With the exception
of Assam the rest of the States
and Union Territories are small
and they cannot be said to be eco
nomically and financially strong.
In fact, in respect of some of
these units they are not in a po
sition to provide from their own
resource the financial cost of even
basic elements of administration
and technically trained personnel
that are required for rapid deve
socialist nota
lopment of the economy. The main
line of communication and trans
port from the region to the rest
of the country is through Assam
and Brahmaputra valley.
The five States and the Union
Territories have a population of
about two crores according to 1971
census which is nearly 3.26 per
cent of all-India population. The
bulk of the population is rural in
character, the proportion of rural
to the total population ranges be
tween 85 per cent in Meghalaya
and 96 per cent in Arunachal Pra
desh as compared to the all-India
average of 80 per cent. Agriculture
and allied activities constitutes
the main sources of livelihood of
the people living in the region.
The proportion of workers depen
dant on agriculture is largest in
Mizoram (83.55 per cent), follow
ed by Arunachal Pradesh (80.00
per cent), Nagaland (79.00 per
cent), Meghalaya (78.97 percent),
Tripura (74.30 per cent), Manipur
(70.35 per cent) and Assam (65.78
per cent).
Although agriculture is the main
Source of livelihood, the area avail
able for cultivation is small i.e.
only 14 per cent of 2,273 million
hectares. Of these areas, over 70
per cent is in Assam, 8 per cent
in Manipur and 7.5 per cent in Tri
pura. The area available for cul
tivation in the rest of the units
is very small. Substantial areas of
the region are, however, under
shifting cultivation or jhumming.
As stated earlier agriculture is still
very primitive and it has not at
tained the level of development
reached in other parts of the coun
try.
The percentage of irrigated area
to the total cultivated area ranges
between 24.51 per cent in Assam
followed by Manipur (17.32 per
cent), Meghalaya (13.75 per cent),
Tripura (98.87 per cent), Aruna
chal Pradesh (6.28 per cent) and
Mizoram (1.71 per cent) as com
pared with the all-India average
of 20.67 per cent). These factors
have been to a great extent res
ponsible for bringing only a limi
ted area under High Yielding Va
riety of foodgrains, lesser intake
of fertilisers and pesticides insec
ticides. Inaccessibility of the area
and lack of transport facilities are
also to a great extent responsi
ble for the backwardness of the
region.
Sectors where an integrated de
velopment programme, regional in
character that can be taken up to
serve the common purpose and
utility of more than one State or
Union Territory, are that of trans
port and communication, power,
marketing, institutional financing,
training, preparation of feasibility
studies for industries etc. These
programmes may require a com
mon approach and a common solu
tion to benefit the various constiu
tuent units in the region.
REGIONAL PROGRAMME
The North-Eastern Council
which has been constituted under
the NEC Act of 1971 may prove
an effective forum for coordinat
ing and bringing about a regional
programme of above nature. Here
again NEC provided with adequate
funds to meet the full require
ments of its priority sectors and
to explore and make fullest use
of the natural resources of the re
gion.
The region is quite rich in forest
wealth and almost all the States
and Union Territories have im
mense resources for setting un
paper, pulp and other wood based
industries. The climatic conditions
are also suitable for developing
good forest estates. Similarly, vast
industrial resources like petrol,
coal, lime stones, etc. are also
available. The bulk of these under
ground resources are, however, yet
to be properly explored and exploi
ted.
In order, therefore, to bring
about a faster economic develop
ment of the region, certain prob
lems which are common to more
than one constituent unit may re
quire to be taken up as a regio
nal development programme. At
the same time other problems,
which although may not be having
any regional character, but are
essential and important from the
State or Union Territory's deve
lopment point of view, need
to be tackled senarately
and expeditiously. For this, the
viability of the proiects and not
the resource availability should
be taken into consideration. Such
a measure will require special fi
nancial accommodation or assis
MARCH 15, 197M
tance from the Central Govern TABLE–I
ment and these programmes have
to be outside the State's outlay of Sl.
the Annual and Five Year Plans, No. District Population Population Area sub
if regional imbalances are to be ject to
reduced and the socio-economic involved in jhumming
level is to be raise to a reason n Jhumming per

able standard within a period of annum.

10-15 years.
1 2 3 4 5

As regards the socio-economic 1. North 1,04,175 74,000 25,000

problems of the hill and tribal 2. West 44,975 39,000 14,000
areas of Manipur they are to be 3. South 98,114 82,000 : 27,000
viewed in the background of the 4. East 62,229 53,000 18,000
socio-economic problems of the
entire North Eastern region, as As a, , matter of fact, a great majority of the people in the hills
already explained. Manipur, in the depend on the primary sector for their livelihood. Composition of
extreme north-east of India, emer
the working force by industrial origin in the hill areas vis-a-vis
ged as a new State of Indian Union Manipur according to the 1971 census makes the position quite clear.
on January 21, 1972. It has an See Table—II. -

area of 22,356 sq. kms and a po

pulation of 10,72,753 according to TABLE –II
1971 census.
SI.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT No. Industrial Category Manipur Hill Areas.

1 2 3 4
Topographically the State has
been divided into two distinct re 1. Cultivators 2,48,480 1,23,495
gions, namely, Central valley com 2. Agricultural Labourers 13,525 957
prising the Central district and the 3. Livestock, Forestry,
surrounding hills comprising five Fishery, Plantation, etc. 2,326 145
Hill Districts. Nearly 23rd of the 4. Mining and Quarrying 90 5
total population live in the valley 5. Manufacturing and
while the remaining 113rd, predomi Construction 45,361 1,551
nantly tribal population, live in the 6. Trade and Commerce 13,149 946
hills. Scheduled Tribes constitute
7. Transport and Commerce 4,044 238
31.18 per cent of the total popu 8. Other Services 43,888 13,767
lation of the State. From the socio
9. Total Population 10,72,573 3,09,493
economic point of view, the entire
State is still backward; but in view
of communication difficulties and The District-wise break up of the occupation pattern of the tribal
other bottlenecks, there can be no population again shows that nearly 90 per cent of the total workers
denving the fact that the hill areas depend on agriculture for their livelihood as compared with about
of the State are relatively more 65 per cent for the whole State. See Table—III.
backward. There are 29 tribal com
munities in the State which may TABLE–III
be broadlv divided into two groups
namelv, the Nagas and non-Nagas. Total Agricultural Other
The Non-Nagas belong to the District Population Workers Cultiva- Labourers. Workers.
Kuki-Chin group but majority of tors
the people prefer to call themsel
ves by their respective tribal
names. Thus, there are 15 Naga North 1,02,476 53,611 48,040 168 5,403
sub-tribes and 14 tribes belong to (52.31) (89.61) (0.31) (10.08)
the Kuki-Chin group. West 45,212 22,868 20,747 28 2,093
(50.58) (90.73) (0.12) (9.15)
South 97,544 39,157 32,752 645 5,760
The overall perspective of the (41.4) (83.64) (1.65) (14.71)
hill areas of Manipur will have to East 61,898 29,775 25,542 197 4,126
aim at attainment of sustained (48.10) (85.78) (0.36) (13.86)
growth in the income and level of
living of the hill people with a
view to bringing them nrogressi Note: Figs, within bracket in col. (3) indicate percentage of figs.
velv to a living standard compara in col. (2) while those in cols. (4), (5) and (6) indicate percent
ble with that of the people in the age figs. in col (3).
rest of the State. The task of eco
SOCIALIST INDIA 16 MARCH 15, 1975
nomic development in the hill
areas of Manipur is, however, thus
considerably difficult but by no
means impossible. Such economic
development is subject to many
problems and difficulties mainly
due to lack of adequate infrastruc
ture in the fields of communica
tion, power, credit, skills and en
trepreneurship.
SHIFTING CULTIVATION
Regarding communication, the
difficult terrain and geographical
placements have greatly deterred
any effort in laying an efficient
road system. Road transport faci
lity is very rudimentary in most
of the hill areas and is non-exist
ent in some. In the absence of the
basic infrastructure of communi
cation and transport, the hill areas
of Manipur have thus remained
landlocked and the pace of econo
mic development has been far from
satisfactory. Meagre allocation of
funds out of the State Govern-
ment's budget will never solve the
problem. Central Government with
liberal grants through its agencies,
like Border Organisation, should
step in and tackle the problem.
The majority of the hill people
are engaged in agriculture and
horticulture for their livelihood.
Shifting cultivation of jhumming is
the principal mode of cultivation
and the plough is not generally
used except in the villages at the
foot hills, having paddy fields in
the valley. Primitive tools like
digging sticks, daos and hoes are
commonly used. One of their main
occupations is that of hunting and
fishing during off seasons. The
hill economy is essentially subsis
tence and agrarian in character
and is indicative of the primitive
nature of agriculture. No survey
to ascertain the population involv
ed in shifting cultivation and the
area subject to such cultivation
has been carried out. However, it
is estimated that about three lakh
tribals are engaged in shifting
cultivation. This will be clear from
the Table—I.
Although separate statistics for
the hill areas are not readily avail
able in respect of many socio-eco
nomic indicators, the levels of liv
ing in the hill areas are undoub
tedly lower than in the valley and
it is estimated that nearly 90 per
cent of the hill people are living
below the poverty line. Most of
them live from hand to mouth and
the life of an average tribal in
the hills may be regarded as the
continuous struggle for existence.
The moment they cease work they
have nothing to consume and it is
very difficult for them to procure
food to last even for a few months
together. An idea of poor living
conditions of the people in the
hills vis-a-vis Manipur and all
India may be had from table
IV:
(To be concluded)

TABLE IV

Item Unit Year Hill Areas Manipur All-India

1 2 3 4 5 6

1. Length of PWD road per sq. kms (km) T16I 6.27 12. 29(1968)
2. Population per Bank (lakhs) 1972 2. 1.53 0.77('71)

3. Literacy (p.c.) 1971 29 32.9 29.5

4. No. of Hospital beds per lakh of

population (No) 1971-72 (46) (79) 61.3
5. No of health centre per lakh of
population (No). 1971-72 2.5 2.2 2.4

6. Doctor population ratio (No) 1971-72 1:16156 1:9341 1:4119('68)

7. Per capita consumption of

electricity - (kwh) 1971-72 1.9 10 93

8. No of villages electrified to total

villages (p.c.) 1973 2.7 11.0 12.6(169)

9. Irrigated area to cultivated area (p.c.) 1972 Zero Almost 25

zero

10. P.C. of rural population to total

population (p.c.) 1971 Almost 91 80
100

11. Population density per sq.kms (No) 1971 12.5 48 134

SCCIALIST INDIA 17 MARCH 15, 1975

* -

The Public Sector
Ninteen-seventy-four has been a
year of spectacular and solid achie
vements for the Public Sector both
from the points of view of perfor
mance and development. Seeing
the results of this year one can
say that the Public Sector no lon
ger stands on a fragile and frac
turable base and that further de
velopment of this important sec
tor of the economy can go apace
unfalteringly to strengthen the
texture of the national economy
and to take the country and its
people towards the goal of a pros
perous egalitarian society. The
year has witnessed convincing con
firmation of the viability and pro
fitability of the Public Sector as a
whole and that of the innate and
built-in resilience of the chroni
cally sick enterprises to register
recovery on being provided with
marginal managerial and environ
mental breathers and guideposts.
The results of the year should dis
pel the confusion and consterna
tion caused by the critics of the
Public Sector who have been only
too prone to overemphasise the
shortfalls and failings of the Pub
lic enterprises as if these could not
be got over and mastered by the
Public Sector managers and in the
result the public, as the taxpayer,
should look upon them with cha
rity or repentence.
PERFORMANCE
As regards the performance, we
would like to draw the attention
of the Nation that the Public Sec
tor enterprises of the Central Gov
ernment have for the second year
in succession given net positive
results and that for the last three
successive years they have been
showing a steady improvement,
first by turning the red figure of
working results into a blue figure
and then by giving the blue figure
of net profits a deeper and broader
profile. Not to become hyperbolic
and hilarious in words, we would
like to present some facts in sup
port of optimistic note struck in
the foregoing paragraph.
SOCIALIST INDIA
During 1974
RAJ K. NIGAM
Editor: “LOK UDYOG”
The facts are that in 1971-72
the public enterprises made a net
loss of Rs. 19 crores whereas in
the latest year 1973-74 they have
given a net profit of Rs. 66 crores.
During 1972-73 they effected an
improvement of the order of Rs.
37 crores, i.e., from a net loss po
sition of Rs. 19 crores in 1971-72,
...to a net profit of Rs. 18 crores
in 1972-73. The increase in profits
before tax comes to nearly seven
times in 1973-74–Rs. 22 crores
in 1971-72 and Rs. 150 crores in
1973-74.
The improvement in profit posi
tion becomes more assuring when
we compare the present working
results with those of 1968-69, i.e.,
6 years ago when both the profits
before tax and the profits after
tax were minus figures. In 1968
69 Public Sector enterprises wor
king results before tax was of the
Order of Rs. 10 crores and after
tax it was a net loss of the order
of Rs. 28 crores. As against this
the working results at the end of
1973-74 were positive figures of
Rs. 150 crores and Rs. 60 crores
respectively. Of the 118 Public
Sector running enterprises on
March 31, 1974, 77 enterprises
earned a net profit of Rs. 206.56
crores during 1973-74 and 41 enter
prises sustained a loss of Rs. 96.41
crores. In comparison, in 1972-73,
66 enterprises earned a total net
profit of Rs. 104.46 crores and 34
enterprises suffered a total net
loss of Rs. 86.72 crores.
ENCOURAGING RESULTS
According to the perspective
view of the performance of the
Public Sector enterprises during
1974-75, 72 running enterprises are
expected to earn a net pre-tax pro
fits of Rs. 273.24 crores. The pro
visional operating results reported
by the Public Sector enterprises
for the first half of 1974-75 are
quite encouraging. A number of
major Public Sector enterprises
18
are likely to achieve substantially
the targets set for the year and
the overall performance of the
Public Sector as a whole for 1974
75 is expected to show further
improvement over 1973-74.
This trend is forecast on the
basis of the production perfor
mance of certain major public en
terprises under the administrative
control of the Department of
Heavy Industries. The 15 Public
Sector units under the control of
that Department, which made tre.
mendous progress in the last two
years have increased their pro
duction by 46 per cent in the first
six months of the current financial
year 1974-75 compared to the cor
responding period last year. From
April to September 1974 the cumu
lative production of the 15 units
totalled Rs. 213 crores as against
Rs. 146 crores during the same
period last year.
The enterprises which are being
given higher and higher target so
as to bring their production close
to their respective installed capa
cities are seen to be reaching tar
geted production. Among these
undertakings, the BHEL has re
corded even cent per cent achieve
ment of the target by the end of
January, 1975 and it expects to ex
ceed the annual target by a res
pectable margin. The year-end per
formance results of the 15 units
under the administrative control
of the Department of Heavy In
dustry are going to be very en
couraging. Already in the 10
month period—April 1974 to Ja
nuary 1975—the cumulative value
of production of the 15 has total
led Rs. 412 crores and with the
present trend of production conti
nuing they are likely to close the
year with a prodcution of Rs. 547
crores as against a target of Rs.
566 crores i.e. they would be
achieving about 97 per cent of the
targeted production for the year.
A number of factors have been
responsible for the improved per
formance of the public enterprises.
Some of the important factors
within the enterprises are: impro
vement in capacity utilisation, bet
ter materials management, impro
vement in the maintenance of plant
and equipment, achievement of
higher labour productivity and rea
lisation of higher unit values. In
MARCH 15, 1975
 regard to capacity utilisation it is
noticed that about 70 of the run
ning enterprises were utilising
more than 75 per cent. The inven
tory levels which a few years ago
stood at around seven months' va
lue of output have come down to
4.4 months. The improvement is
up new factories to meet the grow
ing demand for industrial
ducts. The Bharat Electronics Ltd.
has added a new unit in UP and
joined the band of the other multi
unit companies. The Bharat Heavy
Electricals Ltd. which already ope
rates four units in four different
ing 1974, one need not feel des.
pro pondent that our planning and
growth is faltering or slowing
down in any manner. The tally of
events which comprises 75 impºr
tant happenings, is large enough
to substantiate our above faith and
assertion. -

also traceable to the Ministries States has set up a separate unit

according to public enterprises
autonomy in substance and orga
nising their own functions and re.
lationship with the public enterpri
ses on a scientific basis so as to
monitor the performance well in
time so as to be able to render
positive assistance where neces
sary. An equally important factor
has been the role of the Bureau of
Public Enterprises which is truly
playing the role of the friend, phi
losopher and guide instead of as
suming role of a superior agency
that sends out streams of instruc
tions and guidelines. The Bureau
now functions with a sense of in
volvement in the activities of the
public enterprises by carrying out
depth studies in areas vital to the
performance and rendering consuſ.
tancy services when needed.
INITIATIVES
Now, about the developmental
activities concerning Public Sector,
it may be mentioned that notwith
standing the stresses and strains
faced by the Government and pub
lic enterprises caused by the un
precedented inflation generated to
a large extent by external global
factors, the Government and the
existing public enterprises did not
deviate from their responsibilities
to develop and step up their acti
vities in the basic and high prio
rity industrial areas. The Diary
of Events to be published in a
future issue Of SOCIALIST
INDIA gives a chronological
account of the initiative and drive
shown by the Government and the
public enterprises in this regard.
As will be seen from the Diary, in
the steel sector, the Bokaro Steel
Plant with the commissioning
the Slabbing Mill has begun to feed
the economy with finished steel.
The Slabbing Mill is one of the
most modern in the country with
the capacity to roll 600 to 800 ton
nes of ingots per hour.
In the engineering sector too se
veral Public Sector units have set
SOCIALIST INDIA
for manufacturing transformers The Indian economy is passing
at Jhansi in UP. Another public through a crisis situation, the like
of which had not been seen ear
enterprise, the Hindustan Cables
Ltd., had set up a second factory lier. The restructuring of develop
mental activity and shifting of em
at Hyderabad for manufacture of
telephone cables to meet the grow phasis on many resources has in
evitably to follow the dictates of
ing demand of communication fa
cilities in the country.
circumstances which to a large ex
tent are beyond our control. The
foot has to be still on the accele
MODERNISATION
rator and all that is neſtled is a
Some of the projects which were change in the degree of pressure
initiated in the earlier years were on it. It is heartening to note that
commissioned and work on others the Government and the public
which needed renovation and mo enterprises still continue to have
dernisation were also taken up. their sights on the growth chart
The plants of the Hindustan Orga and the latter are showing deter
nic Chemicals which have gone mination to improve their profit
into production should considerably ability steadily and sizeably. Tak
help in augmenting the supplies ing cognisance of the will of the
of intermediate chemicals needed public enterprise to show markedly
by the dyes industry. The expan improved performance, the new
sion programme of the Koyali Re year 1975 should prove to be a
finery with the commissioning of year of Solid consolidation of the
the oil refinery should be welcom position of the public enterprises
ed in the context of the world which would be transformed frcrl
wide crises and our increasing that of the depositories of depres
needs of petroleum products. The sing losses to one of prosperous
progress at the Copper Smelter enclaves of the national economy.
Plant of the Hindustan Copper
Ltd. should bring cheer to the
users of the non-ferrous metals.
The expansion schemes of the fer
tiliser units and the modernisation
of the Hindi Fertiliser Plan should READ
help in narrowing the gap between
demand for and supply of fertili
sers in the coming years.
Another significant event is the
acquisition by the Government of
the foreign-owned refining Com
pany ESSO. The emergence of the
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation
SUBILIST
as a separate company is an as
of
surance to the consuming public
that the Government is keen to in
troduce an element of competitive
|ND||
ness to ensure top efficiency. A
large number of irrigation and po
wer projects have been taken up
during 1974 which should progres
sively yield benefits to the agri
cultural and industrial sectors. On REGULARLY
the whole, from a survey of t're
developmental activity that has
been initiated and completed dur
t
19 MARCH 15, 1975

33rd World T. T.
Championships
K. RAMACHANDRAN
The 33rd World Table Tennis
Championships, held in Calcutta
from February 6 to 16, 1975, has
been a success in all respects. It
will be remembered in India for a
long time to come not only for
the excellent quality of Table Ten
nis exhibited, but as an event rep
resenting the splendid organisatio
nal and administrative ability
which, in the words of Hsu Yin
Sheng, deputy leader of the Chi
nese delegation and Vice-President
of the Chinese Table Tennis As
sociation, “revealed the competence
and wisdom of the Indian people
to stage such a big sports event”.
Credit must go to the Table
Tennis Federation of India and
the West Bengal Government
which made an all-out effort to
make the Championships one of
the most colourful and fabulous
shows ever held in Calcutta, by
constructing a magnificent multi
purpose stadium at a cost of about
Rs. 1.5 Crores. The Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose stadium at the Eden
Gardens, which measures upto in
ternational specifications for bas
ketball, badminton, volleyball,
gymnastics, wrestling and boxing,
is a tribute to the architectural
and engineering skill of Indian ex
perts. It has a seating capacity of
about 12,500 and is rated as one
of the largest of its kind in South
East Asia.
WARM HOSPITALITY
The organising committee head
ed by the sports-loving West Ben
gal Chief Minister, Shri Siddhartha
Shankar Ray, and other sub-com
mittees consisting of specialists
from all walks of life, attended to
their tasks in a most planned and
meticulous manner. Almost every
need was attended to with extreme
care and all participants—the pla
SOCIALIST INDIA
yers, coaches and officials of dif
ferent countries—were unanimous
in their praise for the excellent ar
rangement and hospitality exten
ded to them during the Champion
ships.
Perhaps, the most remarkable
feature of the event was the
warmth, gesture of friendship and
sportsmanship exhibited by every
one during the championships
which according to the Chinese
Vice-Minister for sports, Mr. Chao
Cheng-hung, had helped them
achieve their motto “friendship
first and competition second.”
The ten days of gruelling com
petitions for supremacy both in
the team and individual events.
produced sparkling Table Tennis.
China regained their position as
the supreme Table Tennis power in
the world scoring a great double
by wining both the men's and wo
men's team events. In the thrilling
final of the Swaythling Cup, the
Chinese men defeated Yugoslavia
by five matches to three while
their women team annexed the
Corbillon Cup by beating the hol
ders, the Republic of Korea, by
three matches to two. The fact
that China won the men's title
without playing its 1973 world
champion Hsi-En-ting in the team
event and did not include reigning,
women's champion Hu Yu-Lan for
the singles in the final amply de
monstrated t he tremendous
strength in depth and variety in
the ranks of both their men and
women players.
Before the Championships began,
many had predicted that Sweden
would be China's main challengers
both in men's team and individual
events with Japan, Hungary, Cze
choslavakia, Yugoslavia and the
USSR in hot pursuit. In the 1973
championships held at Sarajevo,
Yugoslavia, while China's Hsi-En
tink won the men's individual title,
Sweden helped by their star pla
yers Stellar Bengsston and Kjell
Johansson, lifted the men's doub
les title and the team title to take
the Swaythling Cup from Asia
back to Europe for the first time
since Japan's historic triumph in
1952 when India hosted her first
world Championships at Bombay.
But Sweden failed to live up to
the expetcations. The inconsistent
20
form of Johansson, finalist at the
last world championships, and the
failure of Bengaston, the 1971
world single champion, to touch
his class, resulted in Sweden's de :
H
feat—first against Czechoslovakia
T
in the group matches and later
against China in the semi-final.
In the initial stages the major
European challenge to the men's
team title was provided by Cze
choslovakia and Yugoslavia. Cze
choslovakia, led by the European
Champion Milan Orlowski, won all
matches in the group and moved
to the top position in the group.
In the semi-finals, however, with
Orlowski indisposed, it went down
to Yugoslavia. The main contribu
tors to Yugoslavia's march to fi
nals were the left-handed Antan
Stipancic and Dragutin Surbek who
was one of the outstanding pla:
yers of the Championships. The
Soviet Union had two highly pro
ficient players in Gamazkov and
Stroktov. But they often faltered
under pressure resulting in their
defeats against Czechoslovakia and
Sweden,
CHINESE TRIUMPH
The biggest surprise of the
Championships was the fall of
Japan, placed third at Sarajevo,
who failed even to qualify for the
semi-finals. With the former Cham
pion Sheigo Ito and Kohno past
their prime and with the inconsis
tent form of its youngsters Taka:
shima and Abe, Japan performed
well below their standards normal
and struggled against every team
they played.
In the women's section South
Korea and China defeated all their
opponents without much difficul:
ty. After these two teams made it
to the finals, beating Japan and
Hungary, the Koreans were rated
as the favourites for the title, for
all their players had remained un:
beaten in the earlier matches. But
the Korean failed to produce their
good form in the finals against
China though they made a spirº
ted rally to clear a 0-2 deficit tº
level at two-all, before finally go"
ing down two-three.
The star of China's victory wº
their mystery player Ke Hsin-al.
who played in the singles in plº
of their 1973 wººd Champion H"
MARCH 15, 1919
TYu-lan. Hsin-ai won both her sin
gles, including the decisive fifth
rnatch against the Korean ace,
Lee Ailesa. She also teamed with
Hu-Yu-lan in the doubles which
was won by the Koreans.
While China’s success in the
team events showed the supremacy
of Asia, the results of the indivi
dual events proved the power of
Europeans. Hungary's Istvan Jon
yer, seeded sixth for the cham
pionships, restored Hungary's for
mer pre-eminence in the game by
achieving a grand double. He
brought of a spectacular victory
for the St. Bride Base by defeat
ing the Yugoslavian, Anton Stipan
cic, ranked fourth in the world,
after being two games down and
trailing four-nine in the third
game. Yonyer also teamed with
Gabor Gergely to win the doubles
title for the Iran Cup defeating
Yugoslavia's Stipancic and Subrek
in four games.
INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
The individual events produced
great surprises. The Chinese could
not live upto their reputation and
none of them could make even to
the semi-finals. Li Chen-Shih and
Hsu Shao-fa, China's Number One
and Two, Left the contest before
the quarter-finals. While Li lost
to Miran Savnik of Yugoslavia,
Hsu Shao-fa went down to Surbek,
seeded Number Two, in a thrilling
match that could be rated as the
best in the Championships. And
the 1973 Champion. Hsi En-ting,
who was the only Chinese to reach
the last-eight stage went down to
Stipancic of Yugoslavia in a five
game thriller. The Japanese fail
ed to produce their form after put
ting up a good show in the quar
ter-finals while the Swedes once
again failed to rise to their tasks.
The Women's singles matches
also witnessed upsets. Only two
seeds among women made the last
16 grade. Prominent among those
who lost in the early rounds were
the holder Hil Yu-lan nf China and
Lee Ailtsa of South Korea. The
greatest surprise of the Champion
Shins, however, was the victorv of
the 18-vear old Korean School
Girl, Yunor Sun Kim, who defeated
China's Chang Li in the finals, to
win the Geist trophy in her first
ever Championships appearance.
The women's doubles title was won
SOCIALIST INDIA
by Rumania's Maria Alexandru
and Khoko Takahashi of Japan,
while the mixed doubles title went
to the unseeded pair of Stanistar
Gomezkov and S. Ferdman of the
USSR.
India provided a great dis
appointment by its depressing per
formance both in the team and in
dividual events. India's men's team,
which went into the fray with
out its national Champion Kebad
Jayant who was dropped from the
team on disciplinary grounds,
dropped down in the ladder to 15th
position in the men's team rank
ing. Our women could not win a
single match while our men just
managed to beat Austria in the
final classification round. India
was thus delegated to the second
category for the next Champion
ships at Birmingham and face an
uphill task to climb back to the
top group. Neeraj Bajaj who had
registered victories over world
ranked players like Le Peng of
China, Itoh of Japan and Berzsey
of Hungary during the team
events, was the best of Indian
players.
Vilas Menon, playing his first
world championship showed pro
mise, while India’s Number One,
Manjit Dua, was completely off
form and could not win even a Third World countries for whose
single match. In individual events
only three-veteran Jagannath and
Vilas Menon among men and Indu
Puri among women—could enter
the second round where they were
beaten, while all the rest includ
ing Bajaj went down very tamely.
The only heartening feature for
Inida was that four of the five men
—the Madras School bov R. Hari,
Junior champion Arun Kumar, N.
V. Ashok and Vilas Menon—quali
fied to play in the tournament pro
per showing hope for Indian Table
Tennis in future.
Besides the display of top class
Table Tennis, a matter that eng
aged great attention during the
Championships was the effort of
certain Western powers to censure
India for the expulsion of the
teams of South Africa and Israel.
A draft resolution initiating a cen
sure motion against India for
keeping out the South African and
Israeli teams, was moved by Bel
gium and Holland at the Interna
tional Table Tennis Federation's
21
Congress on February 8, 1975 The
resolution, however, was dropped
later for “lack of sufficient sup
port.”
India refused permission to
Israel not only because of her soli
darit with the Arab countries but
to avoid possible confrontations
and violence, as it happened during
Munich Olympics, which would
have disrupted the entire cham
pionships. And. India refused
visas to the South Africans to
underline her opposition to the
policy of apartheid shamelessly
practised by the racist Pretoria
regime. The action by the Table
Tennis Federation of India was
very much in consonance with
India's declared policies.
INDIA'S STAND BACKED
India provided stiff resistance to
the resolution and made it clear
that it would leave the Federation
if the resolution was adopted.
India received strong support from
the Soviet Union, Hungary, and
other Socialist countries, as well as
some of the Arab and African
countries, particularly Libya and
Nigeria. One surprising fact, how
ever, was the insufficient support
India secured, from some of the
causes India has been fighting at
various international forums. The
combined strength of the delegrates
from the Communist and the Third
World nations was more than the
votes needed to defeat the resolu
tion. But India, along with her
neighbours, was intrigued by the
stand taken by some countries like
Kenva which was one of India's
Critics and Sri Lanka which voted
in favour of the resolution. Not
able among the 24 countries which
abstained were Egypt and China.
India again received snnnort
from her sunnorters at the Council
meeting on Februarv 12 and also
on February 14 at the second ses
sion of the ITTF Congress. Promi
nent among India's sunnorters at
the council meeting was China.
Her renresentative, however, kent
silent; at the final meetinºr of the
ITTF Congrass. The ſlatermined
resisłance hw India and her snn
porters forced the ITTF to scrap
the original censure resolution.
Continued on Page 28
MARCH 15, 1975

THE STATES
,-
ASSAM’S SURPLUS
BUDGET
The Assam budget for 1975-76,
presented to the State Assembly
on March 4, shows a net surplus
of Rs. 10.42 lakhs. No new taxes
have been proposed in the budget.
Presenting the budget, the Chief
Minister Shri S. C. Sinha who also
holds the Finance portfolio, said
that the revenue receipts in the
budget, estimates stood at Rs.
17,028,68 lakhs and revenue ex
penditure at Rs. 17,639,55 lakhs.
He said that the surplus of Rs.
621.28 lakhs outside the revenue
would wipe out the deficit in the
revenue account and the year was
likely to end with a surplus of Rs.
20.37 lakhs taken together with an
opening balance of Rs. 9.95 lakhs.
surplus BUDGET FOR
WEST BENGAL
A modest surplus of Rs. 27
lakhs—for the first time in 13
years—has been shown in the West
Bengal Budget for 1975-76, pre
sented to the State Assembly on
March 1 by the Finance Minister,
Shri Sankar Ghose. Certain tax
relief measures to help the weaker
sections of the community were
also announced. The additional
taxes proposed in the Budget are
expected to yield Rs. 12 crores.
... Shri Ghose in his Budget speech
outlined in broad terms the pat
tern of additional taxation. ... The
excise duty on alcoholic drinks
has been raised together with the
tax on air-conditioned hotels and
restaurants and the sales tax on
luxury items such as magnetic re
cording tapes and carpets has also
been raised. It has been proposed
to impose property tax on multi
storeyed buildings. In the farm
sector the State Government pro
poses to amend the Bengal Agri
socratſst INDIA
cultural Income-Tax Act so as to
mop up a reasonable portion of the
surplus which accrues to rich far
merS.
The Finance Minister hoped that
these taxes along with Rs. 11
crores expected to be received
from certain Central measures
would help the Government con
vert the deficit of Rs. 11.95 crores
into a marginal surplus of Rs. 27
lakhs. This surplus would be uti
lised to set up a machinery which
would ensure that landless agri
cultural labourers received the
minimum wages fixed by the Gov
ernment.
SHEIKH'S ADDRESS
Addressing a religious gathering
at Jama Masjid in Jammu on
February 28, the Chief Minister of
Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Mo
hammed Abdullah declared that
Pakistan had absolutely no right
to speak for the people of Jammu
and Kashmir who opted for India
in 1947 on the basis of “commu
nity of ideals and principles.” The
historic decision was taken by the
people after a careful study of the
situation created by the tyranny
and bloodshed let loose by the
Pakistani marauders and infiltra
tors, he added.
The Chief Minister said no
amount of intimidation such as Mr.
Bhutto's call for hartal would de
ter us from the chosen path. The
choice made by the people of the
State was vindicated by the emer
gence of Bangladesh in 1971. This
should serve as a lesson to the
rulers of Pakistan which came into
existence on the basis of their two
nation theory. It was “never ac
cepted by us. We have firm belief
in the unity of different sections
of the people of the State,” he dec
lared.
. Sheikh Abdullah called upon Mr.
Bhutto to improve the miserable
conditions prevailing on the other
side of the line of actual control
instead of interfering in our
affairs. He should set his, own
house in order which is in a sham
bles, the Sheikh said.
22
congress camp
The two-day Narora-type camp
organised by the East Delhi Cong
ress Committee in the Capital on
February 8 and 9 adopted a 32
point programme to tone up the
Party organisation. The prog
ramme envisages holding of party
camps in every block by the end
of March, enrolment of at least
100 Seva Dal volunteers for each
municipal ward, setting up of spe
cial cells to organise industrial and
landless workers and formation of
coordination committees at the
block level.
The programme also pledges the
party to work for regularisation
of unauthorised colonies, cheap
housing for weaker sections of the
society, licences for unlicensed
businessmen, land for Harijans.
better deal for the police and more
civic amenities.
A resolution adopted at the camp
called upon the partymen to face
up to the challenge posed by reac
tionary forces. It also demanded
a probe into the alleged scandals
in the Jana Sangh-ruled Delhi Mu
nicipal Corporation.
Those who addressed the camp
included the DPCC President, Shri
H. K. L. Bhagat, Shri Satpal Ka
pur, MP, Shri Jagdish Joshi, MP,
Shri Kishen Swaroon, MP, Shri
Mange Ram and Shri D. R. Goyal.
NEW DEPUTY SPEAKER IN U.P.
Shri Shivnath Kushwaha of the
Socialist Party was elected Deputy
Speaker of the Uttar Pradesh
Vidhan Sabha on February 21. Shri
Kushwaha polled 184 votes against
only rival, Shri
five polled by his
Asrar Ahmed (Bharatiya Lok Dal).
Ten votes were declared invalid.
- - -
sº Ir KERALA on KASHMIA
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
-, * -* -
MARCH 15, 1975

BOOK REVIEWy
“Nationalised”
Memories
GROWING UP IN INDIA
Pradip Bose
The Minerva Associates
7 B Lake Place, Calcutta-29
Rs. 20.
“Growing Up in India” during
one of its most important periods
—from 1938 to 1970—has been a
memorable experience to Pradip
Bose as it has been to most of
us. Pradip Bose, a nephew
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has
profitably indulged in remem
brance of things past
during
moments of tranquillity and
recorded his memories
form. Fulfilling
the Platonic
concept of man as “a political
animal”. Pradip Bose could not
but be involved in politics from
childhood with such illustrious
uncles as the Netaji and Sarat
Chandra Bose.
Born in 1928 and brought up
in various places in West Bengal
and Calcutta, Pradip Bose had the
privilege of being at the
storm centre of politics. It is with
rmuch naivette and sense of won
der that Pradip Bose has recalled
those days when Subhas Chandra
Bose was elected as the president
of the Indian National Congress
at Haripura in 1938 and again in
1939 when he contested the pre
sidential election for the Tripura
session.
Those were momentous
and as a boy Pradip Bose looked
askance at all that was happening
around him. The whirlpool of
politics soon dragged him into it.
CANDOUR AND PASSION
In narrating the events of those
days in the first section of the
suppressing the political realities, righteousness. Nor does he adopt
he has reconstructed the period the “holier than thou” stance. “
with candour and youthful passion.
This is not an autobiography of
In the epilogue he attempts to
discover the “Indian-ness” of
* an unknown Indian with today's Indians—and of India. Now in his
proclivities nor of an Indian middle 'thirties, he wants to come
woman-eater. Pradip Bose's per
sonalised account of politics is
face to face with the country of
his birth after going through an
such that many an Indian of the
intense period of wandering and
same age-group can identify intellectual explorations. It is to
himself with the “national memo
ries” which in fact he has
be accepted as an interim assess
nationalised.
ment. At the very end, one senses
the simi-colon but not the full
Pradip Bose's comments on the stop.
Congress and Left politics of the This is an unusual book that
pre-Independence days on com richly deserves to go into a
munalism, on partition and on the second edition as a paperback.
post-independence euphoria are There should be hundreds who
frank without being unduly modest can share the views and experien
or unnecessarily egotistic. One ces of Pradip Bose with profit,
tends to agree with most of them. nostalgia and identity. He may be
The second part of the book a man at odds with the present
of zeitgeist of brashness and political
detailing his “personal explora
tions” of sex and love, of God and adventurism. But he is an
authentic man with a quiet indi
religion, of Europe and Left
viduality of his own. That is a
politics has been written with
rare thing to come across these
in book
sensitivity and sincerity. There
is no attempt to make profound days. Hence the validity of this
observations. But there book.
is an
(Incidentally Pradip Bose has
earnest attempt to chronicle the
been with us at the AICC for
views of a “shy introverted and
nearly two years).
brooding boy” growing up through
his hobble deboyhood and facing J. M.
the realities of life in India and
abroad. Pradip Bose's travels in CONGRESS STRENGTH IN
Eastern and Western Europe that RAJASTHAN INCREASES
led him to London and Moscow, Eight Opposition MLAs in Rajasthan
(four Independents, two from Swatan
Paris and Berlin broadened his tra and one each from Jana Sangh
very vision. His involvement in pro and the Syndicate) have joined the
test movements was a continuation Congress. This was announced by the
of his “politics of the unpolitical”. Speaker, Shri Ram Kishore Vyas, in
Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha on March 3.
IDEOLOGICAL QUEST With this, the strength of the Cong
ress in the 184-member Vidhan Sabha
The third part of the book goes up to 151. The position of other
entitled, “Ideological Quest” con parties is: CPI five, Jana Sangh six,
Swatantra eight, Socialist Parly five.
tains some frank assessments of
CPI(M) one and Independents eight.
the nationalist movement in India,
The names of the new entrants are
Gandhism, Communism and So Sarvashri Suresh Chandra, Pratap
cialism. Having had been an Singh, Umedi Lal, Jhamar Ma: Surda,
Ram Lal Badi, Hanuman Sahai.
Assistant Secretary to the Inter Bishamber Bohra and Rameshwar Ial.
days nationalist Union of Socialist
Union at its headquarters in Vienna
—and later of the Praja Socialist JANA SANGH
Party in West Bengal—and having The Progressive Group in the Delhi
Municipal Corporation, comprising two
matured as a firm believer in
former members of the Jana Sangh,
Democratic Socialism, Pradip Bose proposes to submit a chargcsheet
has not minced words in express against the Jana Sangh leadership to
ing his views about the interna the President Shri Fakhruddin All
tional Communist movement. In Ahmed.
The leader of the Group, Shri Jag
-

book which he has happily and fact, he has written “An Outline dºsh Anand, said in New Delhi on
correctly entitled as “national of Democratic Socialism” which March 3 that the chargesheet would
memories”, Pradip Bose has done has been reviewed in this journal refer to malpractices indugeul in by the
Jana Sangh, which includes sanctºor
the delicate job of tight-rope some time ago. But what is so ing of unauthorised markets for pecu
walking. Neither resorting to characteristic of his is that he niary benefits and blackmailing of civie
effusive, sentimental language nor does not resort to any self officials.

SOCIALIST INDIA 23 MARCH 15, 1975

 morning and evening. Before
retiring to bed, he reads hymns
New Maharashtra Ministry Sworn in in praise of Sai Baba. He loves
Marathi dramas. The Chavans
The new 25-member Maharashtra the credit for putting up a strong have five daughters—four of them
ministry, headed by Shri S. B. case on behalf of his State to the married—and one young son.
Chavan, was sworn in at a well Central Government (during
attended ceremony held under a Nehru's time) on the question of S. B. CHAVAN'S
special “shamiana” on the lawns the sharing of waters of Krishna
of Raj Bhavan, Bombay on and Godavari rivers. STATEMENT
February 21. The oath of office
Born in 1920, Shri Chavan took
and secrecy was administered by
the Governor, Shri Ali Yavar an active part in the freedom Shri S. B. Chavan, new Chief
Jung.
struggle since his school and col Minister of Maharashtra, promis
lege days. He also took a leading ed in his first policy statement,
The outgoing Chief Minister, part in the anti-Razakar movement that he would take fresh look at
Shri V. P. Naik, judges of the in erstwhile Hyderabad State the Backbay and the Nepean Sea
Bombay High Court, legislators, under the Nizam. After matricu Road reclamation schemes. The
MPs belonging to Maharashtra lation from Paithan, his home Chief Minister was speaking over
and former Ministers were present town, he studied at both Madras the All India Radio on February
at the swearing-in ceremony. and Osmania Universities from 21—within a few hours of assum
where he obtained his degrees in ing office.
In the two-tier Ministry 14, arts and law. Before making his
including the Chief Minister, are entry into the legislature of the Shri Chavan said, “I, for one,
of Cabinet rank and the remaining then bilingual Bombay State, Shri am prepared to rise above every
are Ministers of State. Five Chavan was the Chairman of the political consideration in order to
Cabinet Ministers and three Min Nanded Municipality — a post dedicate myself wholly for the
ister do not find place in the which he held for five years. He redress of the people's grievances.
new one. There are four new was also Secretary of the Hydera I would like you to judge me by
entrants in the Ministry. For the bad Pradesh Congress Committee this standard and cooperate with
first time an Adivasi-Shri Ramesh me on this basis. I ask for
for two years.
Valvi — and a Christian — Dr. nothing more.”
Leon D'Souza—have been included Shri Chavan is a tight-lipped The Chief Minister said that he
in the Council of Ministers. administrator. He is known for
would try and see that the mono
administrative acumen and is poly cotton procurement scheme,
nicknamed a “files man”. He is so which had caused some dissatis
S. B. CHAVAN :
thorough with his files that he faction among cotton growers in
A PROFILE never seeks the support of his the process of its execution was
secretaries while answering ques put on a more sound and solid
tions from the Opposition benches basis. He said he would approach
Shri S. B. Chavan, who was during the Assembly session. They the Central Government, the
sworn in as the Chief Minister of marvel at the complete command Planning Commission and the
Maharashtra on February 21, has of the subject he deals with. Reserve Bank in a few days and
the reputation of being an able try to convince them of the much
administrator and a man of deci Shri Chavan, though he never
courted arrest during the freedom needed protection that this scheme
sion. Shri Chavan has been a
Minister since 1956 when he was struggle, had his training under gave to the State's poorer farmers
Swami Ramanand Tirtha in the who were otherwise at the mercy
first elected to the Legislative of the middlemen and price
Council of the then Bombay State Hyderabad State. He gave up legal
practice and joined the “quit manipulators.
and has been Shri Naik's senior
court” movement in the former He said as an immediate
most colleague.
Hyderabad State. He has also measure, “We have decided to
A Deputy Minister till 1960, participated in the labour move increase the cash payment to small
Shri Chavan was elevated to full ment and left his mark on the cotton growers from 30 per cent
Ministership in the first Govern Minimum Wages Committee for to 50 per cent, wherever it is due,
ment of the reorganised State of Agricultural Labour. In the retrospectively. Further, I am
Maharashtra. He held the port cooperative field, he was the directing the authorities to delink
folios of Irrigation, Legislative Vice-President of the Nanded the recovery of all other dues,
Affairs and State Transport Cooperative Central Bank and was from the advance price payable
Corporation. Since 1972, he has also a Director of the Hyderabad under the monopoly cotton
been in charge of Agriculture. State Cooperative Bank. He also purchase scheme.”
worked as a member of the Exe
As Irrigation Minister, Shri cutive on the Central Cooperative
Shri Chavan said that he pro
Chavan initiated a survey of all Union, Hyderabad. posed to keep a strict supervision
river basins in the State in pre over the administration for
paration for master plans to A deeply religious man, he ensuring its promptness and
harness them. To him also goes conducts prayers hoth in the efficiency.
SOCIALIST INDIA 24 MARCH 15, 1875

LETTER TO
THE EDITOR
Land Reform
(A suggestion for the consideration
of Party leaders)
Sir, Land reform is a burning
issue now-a-days. This is mainly
due to the fact that the huge
quantity of import of foodgrains
has vitally affected our economy.
Moreover, the under production in
agriculture and the mal-practices
in dealing in foodgrains have not
only stopped the tempo of deve
lopment but also have endangered
the physical existence of a large
number of our population, who are
already under poverty level.
It is wrong to believe that we
have not put required stress on
agriculture during all this period
of our planned development. But
the fact is that we have been try
ing to encourage agriculture in an
unwise way. The two main defects
are the old system of land owner
ship and the absolute dependence
on private sector.
We should be clear about our
objectives. We want maximum
production. But in no way it
should hamper our development
in a socialist pattern leading
ultimately to complete socialism.
As in industry, so also in agri
culture our development should be
in conformity with our declared
policy.
Our past policy of giving incen
tive to agriculture with time-worm
land system has increased our
production but it has not reached
upto the point of expectation.
Further, the benefit of increased
production has gone to the richer
agriculturist. The Government
and the people have been deprived
of the increased production, rather
this has strengthened the herds
of the feudals.
Land ceiling by itself is only a
small step forward for the solu
tion of our agricultural problem.
It may minimise the difference
between big and small cultivators
and may give incentive to the
SOCIALIST INDIA
landless. But division of land into tion of production and distribution.
uneconomic small units will not So while taking any step towards
even slightly decrease; rather land reform we must bear in mind
there is the scope of increasing our ultimate end. At present we
such uneconomic holdings. The want maximisation of production
big farmer being deprived of their and a tangible control over it by
bigger units will lose incentive the Government as feeding the
and will not utilise scientific whole population is our obligation
method of production; as such, it to the nation. Maximisation of
is not all together improbable that production is impossible without
the total national product will scientific and mechanised cultiva
decrease. On the other hand this tion. This can not be achieved
arrangement in no way will in without farm type of cultivation.
crease Government control on Japanese method is possible only
production and as such the dif in a highly industrialised country.
ficulties of distribution will remain
the same. Besides, there are vari Farms can be organised either
ous other difficulties also connect by individual private owner or by
ed with the implementation of the Government in Public Sector. The
scheme. It will not be uniform in question of former does not at all
all the States. Further, in the pre arise and the latter is impractical
sent set up it is doubtful how much at present. We may follow a mid
excess land would be available dle course. In case of big plots
and what portion of it will reach of land, at present lying as fallow
to the actual landless. land, we may start Government
Moreover, the Government will farm completely under Public
have to shoulder a heavy burden Sector. As for the remaining
of providing the new land owners. land, already under cultivation,
The Government of Assam has we may try compulsory co-opera
decided not to grant proprietory tive farming allowing shares on
right on the land thus granted to the basis of land. This is a ques
the landless. This will introduce tion of policy; if accepted the
the principle that land should be execution will not be difficult.
considered as a means of earning
livelihood and not as personal Prof. INDRAJTT DAS
property. This is surely a firm President, Congress Political
step forward towards socialisation Training and Cadre-building
of land. Centre, Congress Office,
Our ultimate goal is socialisa Karimganj (Assam)
HORTICULTURE PLAYS VITAL ROLE
IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
1. Working to common purpose by generating employment.
2. Helping orchardists through the supply of necessary imputs for
production and marketing.
3. Fruit plants, fertilizers, pesticides, literature, technical know
how and credit facilities are being made available within their
easy approach.
4. Various fruit products are manufactured in the State Canning
Units for supply to Indian and foreign markets. The ‘Himcu"
fruit products have now become popular everywhere.
5. Horticulture in Himachal steps into the future with confidence
and with a hope for prosperity and better status to all.
HIM LOK SAMPARK
MARCH 15, 1975
 Bill [00ſ IBASDIS Wily (aſſlālāſa is
faſſàlſº iſ |N|S|| ||||||||N

Rich natural resouces, mineral, A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State & the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

positive approach towards -

industrial development of the State,

fººd *—||
44
º
§ W2 º
§º lº
A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy,
including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water 8 power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc.,

Financial assistance to educated
unemployed, specially to unemployed
engineers and technicians under
special employment schemes,
Sºś
15% Central subsidy for under
takings started in the backward
districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
Raichur.

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001

issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 56000)

SOCIALIST INDIA 26 MARCH 15, 1977

P. M.'s REPLY TO DEBATE ON PRESIDENT's ADDRESS
“We Are Just As Anxious As Anybody Else
To Remove Corruption”
This is the second and conclud
ing part of Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi’s reply to the debate on
the President's address to Parlia
ment. The first part appeared in
our last week's issue.
One BKD member, who spoke
here, felt that I was standing on
prestige. I can assure him that
there is no such thing. No engine
can work which is not kept in con
stant repair. No system can work
well without vigilance. As I have
said time and again, even the best
of house cannot avoid decay if
dirt and cobwebs are not removed.
We know that there are short
comings in the administrative sys
tem, and perhaps, in the electoral
system. But I do not think these
shortcomings are in the principles,
they are only in the way of work
ing. These we are anxious to cor
rect.
We are ready to consider every
constructive suggestion and take
counsel with any individual or
group who is interested. We can,
in fact, perhaps have a sort of
round-table discussion on electoral
reforms as one of the subjects.
UNITED FRONT
Having been an angry young
person myself, although it was
quite some time ago, I can appre
ciate Shri Sharad Yadav's anger
and I understand his attitude. I
welcome him to the House and, I
hope, he will inject the construc
tive freshness and originality here,
and not get swept off by the jaded
politics of those who surround
him. He has spoken of minorities
and Scheduled Castes. As I said
a little while ago, the situation
with regard to these leaves much
to be desired. But which country,
with a long history of religious
strife has been able to overcome it
in a few years.
It has not worsened. It is not
true. Many problems such as un
SOCIALIST INDIA
employment are part of the gene
ral economic malaise. They do
hit the weaker sections more and
in that sense a person belonging to
a minority community or a Sche
duled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe
is hit more. But it is part of the
general situation. But atrocities
on Scheduled Castes and Schedul
ed Tribes, I think, are evidence of
the fight against the centuries old
entrenched social attitudes. Instead
of wasting our breath blaming one
another, we should forge a united
front to change such anti-social
attitudes and to help these weaker
sections in every way.
Young people are worried about
the use of MISA for students.
must say that I have myself been
very unhappy about it. But I
should like my young friends and
also my old friends to find out how
student disturbances have
and are being, dealt with in all the
countries around us and even in
far-off ones? Which country has
been so lenient and tolerant
wards agitations?
Some young people may
arrested here, but compared to the
population of students, this is
small number. Even so, I deplore
this; and I am not condoning it;
but I am mentioning it only so
that the problem can be seen
proper perspective. And when
ever we say anything about India,
let us think with which ideal coun
try or society are we comparing
ourselves. . . .
Just as all kinds of people rush
ed to join us, we see that many
undesirable elements and corrupt
persons are jumping on to
bandwagon of the present agita
tion.
Corruption forms the centre of
any debate. Charges are
without any shred of evidence. The
test seems to be not: “Is it true?”
but: “Is he on our side or on the
other side?” A campaign is being
27
carried on to the effect that, if you
remove Congress, you remove cor
ruption. It does not matter if, to
fight the Congress, you take sup
port and money from the most
corrupt groups and individuals.
PEOPLE'S VIGILANCE
As the President has said, the
Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill is be
fore the House. Several States
have already either adopted Bills
or made some arrangements of
their own, and I sincerely hope
that it will be passed here also
quickly. But corruption is of
many kinds and it permeates dif
I ferent levels. I have, earlier, men
tioned the need for greater vigi
lance by the citizens—men and
women—over the affairs of their
neighbourhood. And I personally
been, think that will go a very long way
as a corrective to cleaning up our
society; whether it is a question
of hoarders or black-marketeers,
to the people who live in that area
are the people who know most
about it and they are the people
be who should be able to help. . . .
a There is no corruption in
Maruti, I can say that every ques
tion that has been asked has been
replied to; nothing wrong has been
in done; no special favour should be,
or has been given because it is
concerned with the Prime Minis
ter.
What I was saying is that we
are just as anxious as anybody
else to remove corruption. I do
not want to go into the details I
have said earlier how stage by
the
stage what action we have taken.
I have said it in public meetings
and I have discussed it with the
leaders. As I have said, here there
made seems to be a very selective type
of campaign or accusation. And
in this way, corruption will not go.
I mean, if the real intention is to
remove corruption, then it must be
MARCH 15, 1775
an honest way of dealing with it
at every level.
Just a couple of days ago I their growth.
made a statement on Kashmir and
soon we shall have a debate in the
House. I should only like to re
iterate that there was nothing
surreptitious which some people
are trying to hint at. All relevant
papers have been made available.
We Welcome Sheikh Sahib back to
our fold and into the national
mainstream. We have taken a big
step and so has he. Constitutional
and political clauses and the nuan
ces matter, but I think that even
more so and even more important
is the overcoming of the bitterness
of the past so that the future can
be based on trust. I sincerely hope
that the mutual confidence, which
has made the agreement possible,
will continue to mark the relation
ship between the new regime of
the State and the rest of the coun
try.
It is a matter of regret that our
neighbour should think it fit to
interfere in our domestic matters.
No matter what we do or say, we
seem to be pounced upon. Prime
Minister Bhutto chose to criticise
Sikkim, the very week he himself
had quietly deposed the ruler of
Hunza which is in Pakistan-occu
pied Kashmir. Neither the foreign
press nor our own press paid much
attention to it. Had we spoken
about the tragedies and sufferings
of Baluchistan or the North-West
Frontier Province, we would not
have heard end of it yet.
ARMS FOR PAKISTAN
On the US arms supplies to Pak
istan there are no two voices in
India. It is a natural that we
should feel strongly, for, it is we
who have been the victims of Pak
istani belligerency time and again.
The arms build-up and militarisa
tion of the whole region is bound
to increase the tension in the
Indian Ocean. All this will cause
a deep anxiety and will increase
the need for more vigilance and
preparedness.
This year is the International
Women's Year. . . The importance
is not only on what happens to
the individual women but on the
SOCIALIST INDIA
influence which mothers bear and
wield on the younger generation
during the most formative year of
We do want this
year to be one which will high
light the role of women in the con
temporary society, how women
who form just under half of the
population can participate in
changing the society and in bring
ing about reforms and a more
rationale and modern thinking in
the society which is so necessary
for our progress. But we do not
wish the problem to be considered
merely as a women's problem be
cause we think it concerns men
and WOmen.
I have taken much time of the
House. We know that much is
wrong in our society. But the ques
tion is whether it will be or can be
corrected by encouraging indiscip
line,—indiscipline in the army, in
discipline in the police, indiscip
line in the Government service.
It is only dedicated and disciplined
T. T. CHAMPIONSHIP
MATCHES
Continued from Page 21
The ITTF President, Mr. Roy
Evans, who tabled the motion at
the first meeting of the Congress
himself withdrew the same and
instead issued a statement regretſ.
ting the absence of teams from
South Africa and Israel. The statet.
ment also demanded access for all
the ITTF members to all the world
championships.
The Indian delegate, Shri Ranga
ramanujam, strongly objected to
Evan's statement for he felt ...it
would amount ..to . compromising
India's position. He made it clear
that he would not have objected
had the statement been . confined
only to the demands for the access
of the ITTF members to the Cham
pionships, but specific reference to
South Africa and Israel in relation
to the 33rd World Championships
28
hard work which can give new
direction. India can hope for a glo
rious future only if our bright
young people and our experienced
old people take a creative and com"
structive attitude. Of course,
many of us are in the middle, I
don’t exclude them.
In trying to change society de
mocratically many told us that we
were attempting the impossible.
But my faith in mankind and in
Indian people is boundless and I
know that they have the capacity
to transform the impossible into
the possible. But, is it not the
task of all of us here to give them
that direction, that guidance and
that support, which they will need
in this great task?
So, I hope, Sir, that the Opposi
tion which has been kinder to me
than usual, will withdraw their
amendment and support the
Motion of Thanks on the Presi
dent's Address.
(Excerpts)
made it unacceptable to India. This
made the ITTF to climb down fur
ther to conceding the statement as
a document released by Mr. Evans,
in his own. To emphasise this
point, he told newsmen later that
the statement was being issued by
him in his personal capacity and
it would be wrong to say that it
has been made by the Congress.”
Barring a few lapses, the Cham
pionship was well organised. Ad
mittedly the tickets were priced
too high for most Table Tennis
lovers of Calcutta. As a result
many seats in the stadium remain
ed vacant during the competitions.
Also the stadium was not com
plete and the leaking of water due
to the inadequate water proofing of
the concrete roof due to un
seasonal rain, disrupted the compe
titions. Despite all this, the Cham
pionships passed off well. Tributes
must be paid for all who worked
day and night to make it a sue
cess.
MARCH 15, 1975

OPEN LETTER TO J.P.
From the DELHI DEMOCRATIC MORCHA
Dear Jaya Prakashji,
You are carrying on a campaign in the country
with the avowed aim of ending corruption and re
forming educational and electoral systems to achieve
what you call “total revolution”. Although the nume
rous contradictions in your political life and posture
in the past create the apprehension that you can
effect a volte face anyday, there are some questions
which remain to be answered even if it is assumed
that you will show persistence this time — for a
change:
We first take your latest statement contained in
the message to the recent seminar on implications of
US manoeuvres.
i. According to you, the recent US decision to
supply lethal weapons to the Bhutto regime is “a step
in the direction of destabilising the process of nor
malisation in the sub-continent.” It means you ap
prove the process that started with the Simla Agree
ment. How then do you consort with Jana Sangh
and others who are committed to implacable confron
tation with Pakistan?
ii. You have said that the Non-aligned and the
Socialist countries “should join their efforts in con
taining the offensive of the imperialist forces”. Why,
then, have you and your friends been hurling abuses
against the Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and
Cooperation which is one of the noble examples of
such an effort?
iii. One of the standard tactics of imperalism
today is to either dominate or destabilise the politi
cal system of a country and to support groups amen
able to their designs”, runs your message.
Perhaps you also have no doubt that US im
perialism intends to destabilise India's political sys
tem. As such who can be the “group amenable to
their designs”? Just look around. You will find that
all of them have come together under your flag. Can
you say that RSS, Anand Marg, Jana Sangh and BLD
which constitute the warp and woof of your move
ment are not those groups? Have they not been,
severely and collectively, trying to create conditions
of chaos and instability by resorting to mass coercion
and character assassination?
As the leader of this combine how can you re
move the suspicion that you have chosen to lead the
groups which are instruments of US imperialism?
Your long association with CIA sponsored Congress
for Cultural Freedom, Peace Corp and other such or
ganisations and campaigns further strengthen the
suspicion. Nothing short of total dissociation with
these parties and repentence over the deeds of your
campaigners will wash your sin, if at all it can be
washed.
You say you want to clean up political life and
end corruption. Can corruption be ended by leading
a movement of the combine of the corrupt? The main
stalwarts of your movement have long been synonyms
SOCIALIST INDIA
for corruption. We need not mention names. The
whole country knows. The people of Delhi have seen
that the Jana Sangh regime in Delhi Metropolitan
Council and Delhi Municipal Corporation has made
corruption the most prominent institutional and in
tegral part of their political activity. With their sup
port if you talk of ending corruption people of the
capital in fact the whole of India, will treat your
claim as hypocritical and your intention to be some
thing other than ending corruption.
Besides, people would like to know what are the
sources from which you get finance for your personal
use and for your movement. You have yourself ad
mitted that you have been getting it from people like
Goenka. You have also admitted that a large part
of the mass collection has remained unaccounted.
Will the movement financed by black money and the
corrupt and run by the corrupt end corruption? Only
you can supply the answer.
Your recent certificate to the RSS that it is a
“social service organisation” has come as another
shock. In 1948, you led demonstration to Parliament
asking for a ban on the RSS, because it was res
ponsible for the murder of Gandhiji. In 1968, you
repeated that demand in your Presidential address to
the Convention of Sampradayikta Virodhi Committee
and you asserted that it was a fascist organisation.
In fact, you were of the view that Jana Sangh could
be treated as a democratic party as long as it re
mained under RSS influence.
Today when the RSS chief openlv declares his
design to influence politics from behind, when the
violent activities and propaganda of RSS has convinc
ed every democrat to look upon it as danger to de
mocracy, your certificate to this fascist band unfor
tunately creates serious doubts about vour bonafides
as a democrat. When you provide them leadership
and shield and defend them who will not believe that
you have changed sides from democracv to fascism?
You have called upon the armed forces. the police
forces. the civil servants and the students to defy
discipline. You have asked your storm troopers to
use violence against elected legislators. You have
asked for the dissolution of legally and constitutional
ly constituted legislatures which embody the democ
raite will of the peonie. Will all this mean better ad
ministration better education and better renresenta
tion? Will it mean “total revolution”? Or, will it
mean chaos and instability which, you also agree, is
the aim of US imperialism?
Yours etc.
THE DEMOCRATIC MORCHA
DELHI DEMOCRATIC MORCHA
CHAIRMAN: Ranbir Singh (Editor, Milan): VICE
CHAIRMEN: Subhadra Joshi, MP (DPCC), Prem
Sagar Gupta (Secretary. Delhi CPI). D. R. Goyal
Fólitor. Secular Democracy (General Secretary. All
India Sampradvikta Virodhi Committee) Maheshwar
Daval (President, United Chamber of Commerce,
Delhi); GENERAL SECRETARTES: Teen Chand
Sharma (Member, Corporation) N. L. Gunta (Lec
turer, Delhi University): TREASURER: Tarlochan
Singh (Former Junior Vice-President, NDMC); and
several Trade Union, Youth, Women, Lawyers and
Doctors Organisations.
1.0 MARCH 15, 1975

Bangabandhu
Initiates
Changes
Contrary to speculations, noth
ing has happened in Bangladesh
since last month's constitutional
changes which may suggest that
Bangladesh is heading towards
dictatorship. The Press continues
to be free; political opponents have
not been arrested as feared; and
Parliament is still very much alive.
It may be recalled that on Jan
uary 25, Bangladesh changed over
to a Presidential type of govern
ment for “more effective imple
mentation of the fundamental
principles of the State” laid down
at the time of the liberation.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took over
as the President the same day.
Later on February 24, which the
proclamation of a Presidential
Order Bangladesh embarked on a
one-party rule. It announced the
formation of the Bangladesh
Shramik Awami League as the
only political party in the country
with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as
its Chairman.
Another Order issued simul
taneously said that all members
of Parliament belonging to the
now-defunct Awami League and
all members of the Council of
Ministers would be deemed to be
members of the new party. It de
clared that no one would have any
right to form or become a member
of any party other than the
national party. No one, who is not
a member of the new party, would
be eligible for the post of the
President and he would cease to
be a member of Parliament un
less he joins the Krishak Shramik
Awami League “within the time
fixed by the President.”
The important parties rendered
defunct by the Order are: Jatiya
Samaj Tantrik Dal, Muzzafar and
Bhashani groups of National
Awami Party, Communist Party
of Bangladesh and Jatiya League.
The changes in Bangladesh have
been widely welcomed.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The President, Shri Fakhruddin The Bangladesh Acting High
Ali Ahmed, has expressed the hope Commissioner Mr. Ataur Karim
that the people of Bangladesh
would “march forward to the goal
and Cultural Counsellor,
Islam, thanked India for the help
Sarjul
of peace, progress and prosperity rendered by her to Bangladesh.
for all “and that the Sheikh Mujib They said that efforts should be
would “guide and inspire them in made to reinforce further the frien
their quest for happiness and
welfare.”
dly relations
countries.
between the two
The Prime Minister, Smt Indira
Gandhi, has wished the President INDO-BANGLA TALKS
of Bangladesh “success in the
Two-day ministerial level talks
tasks” before him. “We look for
between India and Bangladesh
Ward to the further consolidation
opened in New Delhi on February
of the close relations between our
24 to discuss the utilisation of
two countries.”
Ganga Waters.
Speakers expressed solidarity Opening the talks, the Union
with the people of Bangladesh at Minister for Agriculture and Ir.
a meeting held in New Delhi to rigation, Shri Jagjivan Ram, ex
commemorate the Martyrs' Day pressed the hope that the talks
of Bangladesh. would be fruitful. He said that
both countries must work together
Addressing the meeting, the
in a spirit of mutual cooperation tº
Union Minister for Industry and settle bilateral problems.
Civil Supplies Shri T. A. Pai said
Bangladesh's Minister of Flood
that Indo-Bangladesh friendship
was cemented by the blood of the Control and Water Development.
martyrs of the two countries. He Mr. Abdul Rab Serneabat, who led
described the constitutional chan his country's delegation reciprocat
ed the sentiments expressed by
ges in Bangladesh as the “second
revolution”. Shri Jagjivan Ram. He said that
he had no doubt that the mutual
Prof. Rashiduddin Khan and trust and friendship existing
Prof. Das Gupta deplored the pro between the two countries would
panganda against the reforms in guide them in finding ways to
Bangladesh. properly utilise the Ganga Waters.
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER NATIONAL
HIGHWAYS DIVISION
P.W.D., B. &R BRANCH, FEROZEPORE
TENDER NOTICE NO: 157 Dated 26.2.75
Sealed tender (items) are hereby invited for the following works from
the approved PWD B&R contractors'Coop. L.C. Stores, so as to reach
in this office on 4.4.75 at 15.30 hours and will be opened on the same
day in the presence of the tendering contractors Coop. L&C Socs, their
representatives who would like to be present:
S1. Estimated Earnest
No. Name of Work Cost Money
1) R'WS Faridkot, Ferozepur Road
Supply of 3’” (6.3 mm) Gauge
crushed Bajri for Mix Seal surfacing
type seal coat Km 3.32 to 31.22.
1,96,200/- 4,000
Detailed estimates Notice inviting tenders can be seen in the office of
the undersigned on any v. orking day during office hours.
Tender forms can be had from the office of the undersigned on any
working day and up to 1530 hours on the day of tendering on pay."
ment of Rs. 2'- (Rupees two only) cash each forms.
Earnest money in shape of National Saving Certificates or deposit at
call will only be accepted. Tenders received without earnest money
or conditional tenders are liable to be rejected.
Any tender which is not on proper form will not be entertained.
Sd/-
Executive Engineer,
National Highways Division,
P.W.D. B&R Branch,
Ferozepore.
MARCH 15, 197"

PARLIAMENT
Opposition Parties
In Dual Role
J. M. DEB
Mr. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, like his
Pakistan, had always been a big
question mark for India. His off
again, on-again ambivalence has
become a proverbial phenomenon.
It was this unpredictable aspect
of the Pakistan Prime Minister's
character that Shri Chavan was
highlighting while winding up a
five-hour debate in the Rajya
Sabha on the US arms supply to
Pakistan.
The Minister for External
Affairs focussed special attention
on how within a fortnight of the
announcement of the American de
cision to lift the embargo on arms
supply to Pakistan, Mr. Bhutto
came out in his true colours. He
started speaking the language of
war. “Sometimes I feel not taking
him seriously”, Shri Chavan re
marked. “But experience has
shown that you cannot take him
complacently also.”
RARE UNANIMITY
The issue of the American arms
supply to Pakistan figured twice
before in the two Houses of Par
liament through call attention mo-'
tions. It was a measure of the
great concern of the members that
they demanded a full-dress debate
on the subject. Once again, there
was a detailed review of the can
was of the unhappy Indo-Pakistan
relations and the United States'
uncalled for needling to make a
bad situation worse. The members
were all angry. Political parties of
all shades — Right, Left and Cen
tre — were completely united in
disapproving the US policy. They
expressed unequivocally their
anxiety, concern, disappointment,
resentment and regret. In fact,
this rare unanimity among them
was the most notable feature of
the debate. The proverbial US
tilt in favour of Pakistan was too
SOCIALIST INDIA
memory of the entry of its noto
rious Seventh Fleet into the
Indian waters during the Bangla
desh liberation war was too fresh
in their minds to be forgotten.
Dr. Henry Kissinger's recent
platitude for improving his coun
try's relations with India and his
categorical assurance not to do
anything to encourage the arms
race in the Indian sub-continent
appeared to them as superficial
and meaningless as President
Eisenhower's earlier assurance to
Prime Minister Nehru that he
would see to it that the American
arms were not used against India.
In the context of the US arms
having been used by Pakistan
against India three times in the
past, the MPs gave free expression
to their apprehension that the new
US policy would make Pakistan
more belligerent and consequently
mar the Simla spirit and weaken
the processes of normalisation of
relations between the two coun
tries. This would also endanger
peace and stability not only in the
sub-continent but in the whole re
gion.
There was yet another evidence
of near unanimity among the
members in the Rajya Sabha on
the debate on the Kashmir ac
cord. The debate was a repeat
show, the Lok Sabha having de
bated it the previous week. Never
theless, it generated considerable
unity and solidarity in the House.
Once again the Jana Sangh
found itself completely isolated in
opposing the agreement. The
party cut a rather sorry figure
having to plough a lonely furrow.
Their arguments were same as
were voiced earlier by their party
colleagues in the Lok Sabha — the
unwisdom of Article 370 giving a
special status to Jammu and
Kashmir. Apparently, they were
more obsessed with what might
happen in the future than what it
is today, more concerned with
future possibilities than present
merit of the case. This the Prime
Minister described as “evidence of
their chauvinistic policies and
authoritarian outlook.” They could
not understand that bitterness
could be overcome by seeing things
in the larger perspective and by
moving forward in trust.
Once the warmth and solidarity
31
in the two debates were over, the
Opposition parties relapsed into
their old mood to atack the Gov
ernment, but they appeared to
have run out of their ammunition.
In such a desperate situation, they
tried to clutch at every straw. The
recent Barpeta Parliamentary by
election was one such. The recent
arrest of the defeated candidate,
Shri Biswa Goswami, came in
handy to them and they made
several attempts to raise the issue
in Parliament. They tabled ad
journment motions, raised points
or order, quoted rules and even
tually came down to making sub
In 18S1011s.
BARPETA POLL
But the Speaker, Shri Dhillon,
would have nothing of them. How
was it a failure of the Central
Government? he asked the advo
cates of the censure motions. Shri
Goswami’s arrest was a law and
order question concerning the
Assam Government. If it was an
electoral irregularity, the Chief
Election Commission was there.
There were also the courts. Later
he agreed that the Home Minister
should make a statement on the
subject. And then the statement
came in the Lok Sabha on Wed
nesday (March 12), there was
another round of the battle. The
leader of the Socialist Party,
Shri Samar Guha was very much
excited and emotional and held the
House to ransom for well over
twenty minutes. Although he suc
ceeded in making a short submis
sion, he had no luck, nor was
there any for his other compa
triots who were at his beck and
call.
Another instance of the Opposi
tions's attempt to trip the Treas
ury Benches somehow or other was
Shri Madhu Limaye's motion under
Rule 377 against the All India
Radio for reporting Shri Mohan
Dharia's exit from the Council of
Ministers as having been “drop
ped”. Shri Limaye's point, with
which Shri Dharia aslo concurred,
was that while the Rashtrapati
Bhavan communique stated that
the President was pleased to accept
Shri Dharia's “resignation”, AIR
deliberately used the expression
“dropped”.
The Minister for Information
and Broadcasting, Shri I. K. Guj
Continued on Page 88
MARCH 15, 1975
 to stand together. He said that Councillor of Delhi, Shri Radha
only by developing collective self Raman. This was the first visit
reliance they could contrbute to to Delhi of the Sheikh after be
MISCELLANY a new world order. coming Cheif Minister of Jammu
and Kashmir. He had come to
About the big power detente, attend the Chief Ministers' Con
INDO-YUGOSLAV TALKS Shri Jatti said: “We agree with ference.
Yugoslavia that detente to be
truly beneficial and durable
Congress Seva Dal volunteers,
should benefit all parts of the who had lined the path, present
Unity among Non-aligned nat World.”
ions, arms race in the sub-con ed a guard of honour to the
tinent triggered off by the res In his talks with Shri Chavan Sheikh. Congress workers shout
umption of US arms supply to on March 3, the Yugoslav Vice ed slogans like “Indira Gandhi
Pakistan and matters of mutual Zindabad” and “Sheikh Sahib
President emphasised the need for
cooperation were among the sub Zindabad”.
timely action to meet the pro
jects discussed between the re blems caused by the international
presentatives of India and Yugo economic crisis. The 40-minute The Sheikh was profusely
slavia during the recent visit of talks also covered matters relat garlanded by, besides MPs from
the Yugoslav Vice-President, Mr. ing to the forthcoming meeting the State, the Delhi PCC Presi
Vidoje Zarkovic, to India. of the 17-nation Non-aligned dent, Shri H. K. L. Bhagat, the
Bureau at Havana. Shri Chavan DPCC General Secretary, Mirza
Mr Zarkovic, who arrived in
will lead the Indian delegation to Mohammad Usman, the Chairman
New Delhi on March 1, had talks
the meeting. of the Delhi Metropolitan Council,
with the Prime Minister, Smt.
Mir Mushtaq Ahmed and the
Indira Gandhi, the Vice-President
Mr. Zarkovic who described the J and K Government staff posted
Shri B. D. Jatti, the External af in Delhi.
fairs Minister Shri Y. B. Chavan meeting as “friendly and cordial”
and others. expressed his country's apprecia
tion of India's efforts to bring On March 10, the Sheikh was
Soon after his arrival in the about normalisation on the sub given a reception by the Congress
capital, the Yugoslav leader had continent. Parliamentary Party.
a 45-minute meeting with Smt.
Indira Gandhi. They discussed,
among other things, the role of SHEIKH ABDULLAH IN DELHI SALE OF PM'S GIFTS
Non-aligned nations in the pre
sent world situation. Sheikh Abdullah arrived in A sum of Rs, 10,000, collected
Delhi on March 7 to a warm wel at a sale of presents and gifts
Speaking at a dinner hosted by come by Congressmen who had given to the Prime Minister, Smt
Shri Jatti in his honour on March turned out at the Palam airport Indira Gandhi in her travels in
2 Mr. Zarkovic expressed concern in large numbers. They included the country and abroad last year,
at the “intensification” of the was handed over to her in New
arms race on the Indian sub Delhi on March 7. The sale was
continent. “This development, he organised at the AICC premises
said, “has negative impact on the by a number of voluntary organi
efforts of nations and countries sations in February.
which are trying to solve their
mutual problems by peaceful The money collected will go to
means.” the Prime Minister's Women and
Children Fund. Last year, Rs
The Yugoslav Vice-President 4,000 was collected in a similar
criticised the developed countries sale.
for “thriving at the expense of
the developing ones.” He said The items for sale included
that the Non-aligned countries dolls, decoration pieces, lacqouer
should join hands to chalk out a work, costume jewellery, trays
common strategy to preserve and and several types of caskets. The
strengthen their unity in the face most expensive pieces were a
of increased pressures from the pencil portrait of the Prime
developed countries. Minister and a sandalwood por
trait of Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr.
Earlier proposing a toast to the Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Radha
visiting dignitary, Shri Jatti said three General Secretaries of the krishnan. No article exceeded the
that the Non-aligned countries AICC, Smt. Maragatham Chandra price of Rs. 3,000. Smt. Mukul
faced a challenge as well as an sekhar, Smt. Purabi Mukherjee Banerji MP, said the prices were
opportunity in the “troubled and Shri Aziz Imam, the Minister deliberately kept low so that the
world of today”. He stressed the of State for Home, Shri Om. lower and middle class people
need for the Non-aligned nations Mehta and the Chief Executive could buy them.
SOCIALIST INDIA 32 MARCH 15, 1975

ESCAP ADOPTS “NEW
| DELHI DECLARATION”
The 31st annual session of the
UN Economic and Social Commis
sion for Asia and the Pacific
CESCAP) concluded its delibera
tions in New Delhi on March 7
after unanimously adopting a certain concrete
“New Delhi Declaration”.
The “New Delhi Declaration”
incorporates several suggestions
made by the Prime Minister, Smt.
Indira Gandhi, which received
wide support from other countries
in the session. . It called upon
member countries to “display the
necessary political will to accord
the highest priority to the pro
duction of food and economic and
social development of the most
disadvantaged.”
The “significant” decisions taken
during the ten-day deliberations of
the UN body would usher in a
new era of economic development
for the region, Shri D. P. Chatto
padhyaya, Chairman of ESCAP,
told newsmen at the end of the
session.
Shri Chattopadhyaya said the
session, which was attended by 39
countries, had contributed to the
“concretisation of ideas” which
would determine the priorities of
development of the region. In this
regard, the Commerce Minister
mentioned agreements reached in
the ESCAP session on proposals to
set up an agricultural machinery
institute in the Philippines, a wo
men's centre in Iran, and a tech
nology transfer centre in India.
There was also general consensus
on coordinating shipping and port
development of the region, he said.
The ESCAP also adopted five
resolutions, including one endors
ing an Indian proposal for setting
up an Asian Centre for transfer of
technology in India. The proposal
was made by the Indian Deputy
Minister for Commerce, Shri Vish
wanath Pratap Singh, while mak
ing a policy statement on behalf
of India in the plenary session of
ESCAP. India has offered to pro
vide land and other facilities for
setting up such a centre here. The
Executive Secretary of ESCAP has
been authorised to set up a com
mittee of experts to draw up a
blueprint for the Centre and re
port to the next ESCAP session at
Jakarta next year.
The Executive Secretary of
ESCAP, Mr. J. B. P. Maramis, felt
the objectives outlind in the “New
Delhi Declaration” would be given
concrete shape by way of projects
before the next annual session
scheduled to be held in Jakarta
around March next year. He said
projects would
now take off following their gene
ral acceptance by member-coun
tries. They included proposals for
development of coarse grains and
pulses, production of agricultural
inputs like fertilisers with empha
sis on organic fertilisers and food
security scheme including provision
for a buffer stock of foodgrains to
meet the emergency needs. He
expected to mobilise necessary fin
ancial and other resources for all
these projects very soon so that
the region could embark on deve
lopment as outlined in the New
Delhi Declaration.
NATIONAL SEEDS
PROJECT
The Union Agriculture Ministry,
with the active participation of
the State Governments, agricul
tural universities and other re
lated agencies, is planning to
launch a Rs. 240-crore “National
Seeds Project” aimed at complete
self-reliance in seeds. The World
Bank will extend 50 per cent
financial assistance to the project
and its main executive agency
would be the National Seeds Cor
poration (NSC).
Dr. D.P. Singh, Joint Chairman
of the NSC and the State Farms
Corporation of India (SFCI) told
reporters in New Delhi recently
that the proposed seeds corpora
tions at State levels would be in
charge of multiplying the certi
fied seeds and distributing them
to farmers.
A high-level team headed by
Dr. Singh to assist the State
Governments is at an advanced
stage in finalising the State seeds
corporations and the entire pro
ject would be scrutinised by next
month by the ioint working team
of the World Bank and the Gov
ernment of India.
The National Seeds Corpora
tion and the State Farms Corpo
ration of India would function in
an integrated manner so as to
gear up their resources to build
up a sound seed industry in India.
These Corporations have been
assigned the responsibility to pro
duce, process and distribute the
most important single agricul
tural input, namely quality seeds
on which hinges the progress of
the country.
To develop the seed industry it
would be necessary to formulate
seed policy designed to meet the
growing demand for high quality
seeds and design an organisa
tional and institutional structure
for seed production, processing,
marketing and quality control.
The participation of the agricul
tural universities is considered to
be extremely important since
these institutions have the largest
concentration of technically qua
lified personnel. Dr. Singh feels
that the Central State Farms of
SFCI should be utilised for seed
production and SFCI should be
come a grower shareholder.
Dr. Singh said that besides the
NSC, SFCI and the State Govern
ments, the Indian Council of Agri
cultural Research, agricultural
universities, agro-industries cor
porations, Agricultural Refinance
Corporation, apex corporatives
and Scheduled Banks also would
participate in the National Seeds
Project.
PARLIAMENT
Continued from page 31
ral was in no mood to oblige Shri
Limaye, nor apologise to Shri
Dharia as the latter demanded.
He explained that AIR was like
any other news medium and it
used the mildest language as was
in vogue in the journalistic par
lance, while others in the same
profession described the incident
as “dismissal” or “sacking”. He
assured at the same time there
was no intention whatever on the
part of the AIR to lower Shri
Dharia's reputation. Shri Dharia,
however, was not happy. He
threatened to bring forward a
motion of privilege himself if no
apology came forth. If he imple
ments his threat, he will be creat
ing a record of a member of the
ruling Party, accusing a Minister
of a breach of privilege.
 TOTAL REVOLUTION OR TOTAL COUNTER-REVOLUTION?

AFGHAN PRESIDENT'S VISIT

Continued from Page 6

Even money can
hope that “dictates of reason and
the interests of regional peace and rob you of
solidarity .... will prevail.”
more money. . . . . . . . . . . .

President Daud was given a

warm welcome when he arrived in - - - - - - - - - - - - when kept idle. Let not this happen to you,
New Delhi on March 10 on a five when there are safe and sure ways of making money yield
day visit to India. President Fakh
ruddin Ali Ahmed, Prime Minister more money.
Indira Gandhi and the Chief Min
ister of Jammu and . Kashmir Invest with confidence in our daily deposits, short-term
Sheikh Abdullah were among those
who received him at the airport. Fixed Deposits, long-term Fixed Deposits, monthly interest
payable deposits, various Cumulative Deposits, Cash Certifi
Soon after his arrival, he had a cates, Savings Bank Deposit and a host of other ideal saving
two-hour meeting with Smt. Indira
Gandhi. He told newsmen later schemes to suit your purse and financial needs.
that the talks had been “most
friendly and extremely cordial”.
He said: “We had talks about the
various things concerning the in SYNDICATE BANK
ternational situation and also vari
ous things that we thought were
necessary to be discussed and 50 years of progressive banking
which were important for our re
gion. We cannot single out one Head Office: K. K. PAI
issue as more important than the
others.” Manipal (Karnataka) Chairman & Managing Director

President Daud will have fur

ther talks with Indian leaders
during his stay here.
SCCIALIST INDIA 34 MARCH 15, 1975
 No Lutyens with a chance
Or Corbusier with Nehru's arms
THIS BATTERED CHILD I am a little fellow
An orphan of these streets
OF SHAHJAHAN learning to cry and crawl
Along the ditches' stagnant shawl
Growing by the side of a butcher's shop
MOHAM
JAG Yet
With all the millstones

-
The author is the Vice-Chairman of Delhi Devě- Around my neck
I stand erect
lopment Authority. Restless and keen
Willing to fight
With a sheaf of papers in my hand I stand Willing to dream
In a corner of this crowded land For a while
But lonely and forlorn I thought
A victim of my paper plans In my papers
The shadows of the walls descend on me In my plans
Evening winds pass by In my voiceless sketches
The frail grip loosens Warmly drawn -

And my papers fly Lay the hope of a silken dawn

For this battered child of Shahjahan
I let them go But this sick and soulless city
I do not weep Wounds me with its hidden claws
I do not grieve Beats me with my imaginary flaws
Because I know Shattered shaken
I am no genius I stand alone
No Haussmann reborn - With the sheaf of papers all flown.

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SOCIALIST INDIA --- - 35 MARCH 15, 1975

SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in PSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 15-3-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

º
- yº º -

º:
-
º: ºº
---
-

º
s -

-
--- SHILLONG
-

º º
- º
º
º -- - CAMP

The photos on this page show some glimpses of the

three-day Central Training Camps for Congressmen
of the North-East Region held at Shillong (Feb. 6-8,
1975). ABOVE: The campers listening to Smt. Purabi
Mukherjee. RIGHT: Smt. Purabi Mukherjee, Shri
P. V. Narasimha Rao and Dr. Y. S. Parmar watch
_ _- ing with interest, the cultural programme.

LEFT: A tribal dance performed with bamboos was

one of the items of the cultural programme.

RIGHT: Shri H. D. Malaviya, M.P. addressing the

campers at Shillong. (A detailed report appeared in
our issue of March 1)
 P.M. IN ALLAHABAD COURT
ºr

THE CAMPs in RETROspecT

ºr

FOCUS ON PUBLIC secTOR

MARCH 22, 1975 k

50p NEWSPAPER ECONOMICs |

DEMOCRACY e SOCIALISM e SECULARISM e NON-ALIGNMENT

-
 KARNATAKA ELECTRICITY BOARD's
POWER DEVELOPMENT DEPOSIT SCHEME.

| Electricity is essential for State's advancement in indus

trial and agricultural fields. It is necessary to supply elec
tricity to the rural population at a reasonable cost (through
hydro power) particularly in view of the shortage of oil, fossil
fuels, gas etc. The Board has got an ambitious plan to elec
trify as many villages and provide electricity to as many I. P.
sets as possible during the 5th Plan. Over 45 crores of rupees
are required for this ambitious programme. The only factor
impeding the Board to achieve the target is finance. Several
organisations have already come forward for financial assist
ance in the form of loans, etc. Farmer friends, industrialists
al and general public, your financial assistance to bridge the gap
- is required. The Board has formulated “Power Development
Deposit Scheme” to get the required financial assistance from
you. This would help you since the terms are very attractive
and also the Board, to tide over the situation. The details of
the Schemes are as follows:

1. Minimum Deposit Rs. 500 in multiples of Rs. 100.

º 2. The periods of deposit are 2 years, 3 years and 61 months.
3. The rates of interest are as follows:

T a) Two Years’ Deposit 8%

; b) Three Years’ Deposit 9%

c) 61 Months' Deposit 10%

The Government of Karnataka has guaranteed the repay

ment of principal and interest to the depositors. People's
financial participation is the only solution for the present
crisis.

FOR MORE PARTICULARS PLEASE CONTACT THE

NEAREST BOARD OFFICE.

Economy in usage of electricity will save money for you

and also Nation's production will step up.

Do not misuse electricity.

REMEMBER YOU HAVE GOT A GREAT ROLE TO PLAY

IN CONSERVING ENERGY.
ELECTRICITY BOARD AT YOUR SERVICE.

SOCIALIST INDIA 2 ... MARCH 22, 1975

Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Wol. X No. 16
CONTENTS
March 22, 1975
SOCIALIST Published every
Saturday Bditorial
|NDIA P.M. in Allahabad High Court
3
4
Charges and Rejoinders: Man with
Gun arrested at Allahabad Court 5
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Narora Programme: An Interim
Road, New Delhi 110001 Assessment 6
Phones: 388521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST
Public Sector 7

EDITORLAL, BOARD No New Taxes in UP Budget 8

Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV
Miscellany 9

(Chairman) Party News : Kozhikode Congress

Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY A Correspondent 10
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Parliament approves Kashmir
Accord: PM's Reply to Debate 12
Better Industrial Relations
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
in Bihar during 1974 16
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Indo-Afghan Cultural Relations
(Chairman) Attar Chand 17
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Performance of ITDC in '73-74 18
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA A View from London 18
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA NBCC Forges Ahead 19
Shri P. C. SETHI
Hill Areas: Problems of Development—II
Reishing Kishang 21

Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO Report of the Fact-Finding Committee

Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN on Newspaper Economics 23

Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA New Era Ushered In

Giani Zail Singh 27
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee
Parliament : The Echo of
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah Allahabad Incident -

Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001.

J. M. Deb 31

The views expressed by Contributors are not neces Employment Guarantee Cess
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. in Maharashtra 32

Maharashtra Blazes of Rs. 3 for a seven-hour day, which is purposely

kept below the PWD rates, so as not to disrupt the
labour market. What is more, the payment will be
A New Trail made on a weekly basis.

This is an offshoot of the scheme started by the

The Maharashtra Government deserves much
kudos in several respects for its pioneering venture
—the Employment Guarantee Scheme—which it has
launched with this year's budget. Intended towards
“socialistic transformation” of the community, this
scheme will provide mass employment “in a non-dis
aster situation.” The scheme provides that where
more than 50 persons in a rural area register them
selves for work, the local authorities will provide
them with work within five kilometres of their place
of living. The work may be minor irrigation, affo
restation, contour bunding or construction depend
ing on the needs of the people and geographical con
ditions—which will finally become assets to the com
munity at large. Every person, male or female, em
ployed under the scheme will get a minimum wage.
, socialist INDIA
Maharashtra Government some time ago and which
was subsequently turned into famine and drought
relief work. Recently a pilot project was implement
ed and it provided 56 million man-days of work in
volving about two lakhs people at a cost of Rs. 15
CrOreS.
The 1975-76 project will involve six lakhs and
it will cost Rs. 50 crores. Undaunted by the Plan
ning Commission's turning down of the request for
special assistance, the Maharashtra Government has
gone ahead devising its own ways and means. Half
of the scheme will be financed through additional
taxation (surcharge on motor-tax and sales tax, as
well as on land revenue, fresh tax on irrigated land,
tax on the self-employed, etc.) and the remaining
MARCH 22, 1975
 half is to be secured through economising in public
expenditure, public cooperation and other means. (Of
course the State will also benefit from the proposed
increase in the Central Budget on the inter-state sales
tax).
What is more remarkable is that the way the
Maharashtra Government has gone about the pro
ject. It first secured unanimous approval from all
parties which endorsed the resolution and then went
ahead step by step. The consensus on the project
which will do much good to the rural poor, ensured
smooth sailing when the budget was presented
by Shri M. D. Chaudhuri, the Finance Minister. Be
sides, the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri
S. B. Chavan, has made an earnest attempt to main
tain continuity in this matter with the governmert
of his predecessor Shri V. P. Naik. It was also for
tunate that Shri Chaudhuri was Finance Minister
in the previous ministry.
All these innovations should be welcomed and
emulated by other State Governments. The Employ
ment Guarantee Scheme, of course, deserves serious
consideration for this will ultimately go to increase
the productivity of the soil and enhance the valu
able and durable community assets. This will, in
course of time, generate income and pay back the
initial outlay, at least, partly.
It all looks like a dream come true for in a way
the Scheme guarantees the right to “means of
adequate livelihood” mentioned in the Constitution.

PRIME MINISTER TENDERS EVIDENCE FOR OVER of State's high regard for the
supreme judiciary of the land.
SIX HOURS IN ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT Smt. Gandhi did not press for
her original wish to be examined
The Prime Minister of India, Shrimati Indira Gandhi, by a commission.
demonstrated her great regard and respect for the judiciary As Head of the State, Shri Giri
by tendering evidence as her own witness in the Court of Jus sat in 1970 in the Supreme Cour:
tice Jag Mohan Lal Sinha, Allahabad High Court, on March 18
along with the judges on the sare
and 19 in the election petition case against her. podium and in a chair alike in
Following the precedent set by the former President of all respects to the judges.
India, Shri V. V. Giri, when the Head of the Government gave At Allahabad Smt. Gandhi was
evidence also in an election petition in the Supreme Court in given a chair outside the podium
1970, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi set the precedent by to the right of the judge—the
appearing in the court. usual position for witnesses. But
an improvised platform elevates
Smt. Gandhi is the first Prime Minister of India and Head the chair to the same level, as that
of Government to do so. She did not press her original of the judge. The chair itself is
wish to be examined by a Commission of the Allahabad High not as high as the judges.
Court in New Delhi. The election petition against Shri
Spread over two days, her evidence lasted for six and a Giri was dismissed by the Sup
reme Court.
half hours. It ran into 55 typed pages—15,000 words.
Smt. Gandhi tendered evidence
Shri S. C. Khare, principal counsel for Shrimati Gandhi
in one of the court rooms of the
took only 40 minutes to lead in her main evidence. The .
rest of the time—lasting for four hours and twenty-five minutes building which once resounded to
on Tuesday (March 19) and ninety minutes on Wednesday— the oratory of her grandfather,
Pandit Motilal Nehru.
was taken up for cross-examination by Shri Shanti Bhushan,
counsel for Shri Raj Narain, who was Shrimati Indira Gandhi's Smt. Gandhi's father, Jawahar
lal Nehru, also practised in this
SSP rival in the Rae Bareli 1971 mid-term poll. It may be court. -

recalled that Shrimati Indira Gandhi was declared elected with

1,83,309 votes polled by her as against 71,449 votes polled by
Shri Raj Narain. In April 24, 1971, Shri Raj Narain filed the
election petition.
FIRST PRIME MINISTER TO
APPEAR BEFORE COURT
Shrimati Indira Gandhi is the
first Prime Minister of India to
appear in person before a court of
law.
In this, she is following the pre
cedent set by Shri V. V. Giri as
Head of State five years ago in
April 1970,
ºn ºf A1, TRT Hºw IntA
Shri Giri personally appeared
before judges of the Supreme
Court — some of whom were his
own appointees — and gave evid
ence for over seven hours spread
over two days, April 20 ani 21
defending himself in a petition
challenging his election as Presi
dent.
His appearance was then
garded as the assertion ofthe
supremacy of law and the Head' * —37th and last.
Smt. Gandhi's election has had
a chequered career with three ap
peals to the Supreme Court and
has taken four years to reach the
concluding stages.
It is now before a third iudge
with the retirement of the judge
before whom the petition was filed
as well as the judge to whom the
petition was then transferred.
Recording of the evidence of all
60 witnesses of Shri Raj Narain
was completed on Jan. 27. Thirtv
six Witnesses of Smt. Indira Gandhi
beginning with Shri P. N. Haksar
on Feb. 12 have so far been exa
re mined.
Smt. Gandhi is her own witness
* MARTR Fe, 1st;

FIVE MAIN COUNTS:
CHARGES AND
REJOINDERs
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is
defending herself before the Allah
abad High Court against a num
ber of charges of corrupt election
practices levelled by Shri Raj
Narain, her SSP rival in the
March, 1971 election to the Lok
Sabha in the Rae Bareli constitu
ency in Uttar Pradesh.
Smt. Gandhi was declared elect
Ted with 183,309 votes polled as
against 71,499 polled by Shri Raj
Narain. Two other candidates in
the field together polled a little
over 21,000 votes.
The following are Shri Raj
. Narain's main charges and Smt.
Gandhi's rebuttal in the original
election petition and rejoinder.
1. Charge: Smt. Gandhi secured
for organising her election the ser
* vices of Shri Yashpal Kapoor even
- before he ceased to be a gazetted
* Government Officer on Special Duty
in the Prime Minister's Secreta
riat.
Rejoinder: Mr. Kapoor's resign
ation was accepted by the Presi
dent on January 14, 1971, and he
was appointed the election agent
of Smt. Gandhi on February 4,
1971.
2. Charge: Smt. Gandhi and her
election agent incurred or autho
rised expenditure well beyond the
limit of Rs. 35,000 permitted by
law.
Rejoinder: Charge denied.
3. Charge: Smt. Gandhi used a
religious symbol, ‘cow and calf'
for her election.
Rejoinder: Cow and calf are not
regarded as religious symbols by
the Hindu community, and were
adopted by the Congress symbo
lising the concept of progress,
health and prosperity of the coun
try and the solicitude and tender
care the party feels for the citi
zens.
4. Charge: Smt. Gandhi pro
cured the assistance of Govern
ment officers of Uttar Pradesh like
the District Magistrate, Superin
tendent of Police and the PWD
SOCIALIST INDIA
Executive Engineer for making
arrangements for her election
meetings.
Rejoinder: The major part of
the arrangements were for main
taining law and order because
large number of people collect to
see or hear the Prime Minister.
The cost of the rostrum built by
private contractors was reimburs
ed by the Pradesh Congress Com
mittee.
5. Charge: Smt. Gandhi procur
ed the services of members of the
Indian Air Force to fly around
during her election tours.
Rejoinder: Government rules al
lowed the renting of IAF aircraft
to the Prime Minister for non-offi
cial tours and the bills were paid
by the AICC and the use of IAF
pilots was comparable to the de
ployment of Government drivers
of trains, buses and taxis run by
the Government for the general
public on payment of hire.
MAN WITH GUN ARRESTED
IN ALLAHABAD COURT
Govind Mishra, 30-year-old
editor of “Sri Vijay”, a little
known Hindi daily of Allahabad,
was arrested on March 18 with a
12-bore revolver, with three car
tridges and two extra cartridges,
in the corridor leading to the
Courtroom where Shrimati Indira
Gandhi was to tender evidence.
According to an eye-witness ac
count quoted “The Statesman”,
Mishra had almost succeeded in
entering the Courtroom of Justice
J. M. L. Sinha when he was in
tercepted by Kumari Sarala Sahni,
Director of Information, UP.
Mishra is reported to have tried
to follow Kumari Sahni and her
companions and pass off as one
of her group. He is reported to
have gone past the specially in
stalled metal detector by waving
bag containing the revolver beyond
the range of the detector. It was
only when Kumari Sahni asked
Mishra to get back and get a pass
from the Registrar that the metal
detector registered the signal. It is
reported that he was refused a
pass earlier.
According to Shri B. S. Bedi,
Senior Superintendent of Poilce,
GRAND ALLIANCE
OF **PAIROKARS’’
According to the Special
Correspondent of the “Patriot”,
Shri S. C. Khare, Smt. Indira
Gandhi's counsel in the elec
tion petition filed against her
by Shri Raj Narain, observed
in the court of Justice J. M.
L. Sinha in the Allahabad
High Court that the “grand
alliance” was doing “pairavi"
for Shri Raj Narain.
He was referring to the
presence of Opposition leaders,
Sarvashri Piloo Mody, Madhu
Limaye, Jyotirmoy Bosu in
the court room as “pairokars”
for Shri Raj Narain and to the
support extended to him in his
election against Smt. Gandhi
in the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha
poll in 1971 by the “grand
alliance” of different parties.
Shri Khare also filed an af
fidavit in the court stating
that these leaders were pre
sent in the court as Shri Raj
Narain’s “pairokars” which
was confirmed by Shri Raj
Narain's counsel, Shri Shanti
Bhushan.
Mishra on interrogation is report
ed to have said that he had been
carrying the revolver for “personal
safety.” (Shri Bedi revealed that
Mishra was charged in 1968 with
the murder of a neighbour but was
acquitted in the High Court).
M.P.s EXPRESS
DEEP CONCERN
Both Houses of Parliament in
terrupted their normal business on
Tuesday, March 18, to condemn
the cult of violence as evidenced
by the armed man who was caught
in the Allahabad Court premises.
Members of Parliament heaved
a sigh of relief that nothing un
toward happened.
The Lok Sabha formally adopt
ed a resolution denouncing the re
ported attempt to carry arms in
to the court where the PM was
to tender evidence.
Support for the resolution was
unanimous after it was tabled
by the Minister for Parliamentary
Affairs, Shri Raghuramiah.
MARCH 22, 1975

Narora Programme:
An Interim Assessment
The Congress Working Committee in its meet
ing of October 10, 1974, decided to hold a Central
Training Camp at Narora. The Camp was held from
November 22 to 24. Before the Camp was held, an
attempt was made to instil a sense of self-confidence
in the Congress ranks, specially in the main battle
ground of Bihar, where two massive Congress rallies
were organised at Ranchi and at Patna.
The decision of the Congress Working Commit
tee to launch a massive counter-offensive to defeat
the attempts to subvert parliamentary democracy
and constitutional processes in our country helped in
clearing, to a great extent, the confusion, which had
crept in the Congress ranks.
The Congress Working Committee's decision,
which was in pursuance of the resolution on politi
cal situation passed at the meeting of the All-India
Congress Committee held in Delhi from July 19-21,
1974, and the unambiguous exposition of these deci
sions by the Congress President gave a sense of
direction to the Congress ranks.
It was in this background that the Central Train
ing Camp at Narora served an extremely useful pur
pose in the evolution of a harmonious and unified
outlook in the party leadership at the State and the
Central levels, on the major political challenges fac
ing us. Chief Ministers and PCC Presidents, who
attended the Camp, by and large returned to their
States with a much clearer perception of the Party's
view about the prevailing situation and the tasks be
fore them.
18-POINT PROGRAMME
The 13-Point Programme adopted at Narora
had the twin objectives of galvanising the whole
party from the district-level upwards, by conducting
an explanatory campaign about the understanding
and the aproach enunciated by the AICC, Working
Committee and by the Party leadership at Narora.
At the same time, it was decided to take up
specific time-bound economic programmes in order to
strengthen the credibility of the party amongst the
masses. In identifying these programmes, care was
taken to select such items which would give some
relief to the poorest and the most vulnerable sections
of our people specially in the rural areas.
Keeping these twin objectives in view, the im
mediate political and the economic tasks were blend
ed into 13-Point Programme adopted at Narora. The
political programme included training camps of Con
gress workers as well as Youth Congress workers up
to the district-level, a beginning to be made towards
the organisation of rural poor and the strengthening
of the Congress Seva Dal.
SOCIALIST INDIA r
High priority was given to the organisation º
rural poor so that they they could be enabed in du:
course to take fuller advantage of various measures
devised by the Congress governments to ameliorat:
their condition.
In the economic component of the Narora prog.
ramme, higher priority was given to the distribution
of non-alienable house-sites to Harijans and landless
labour. In addition, the programme included crea:
tion of a separate agency for providing credit tº
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, a crash prog.
ramme of low-income housing in important and
selected urban areas, slum improvement, establish:
ment of a public distribution system, revision of
scholarship for poor students.
PRELIMINARY REVIEW
A detailed review is being undertaken of the im:
plication of the Narora programme. From a prelimi.
nary review it appears that the training programme
has gone off well. Pradesh level training camps have
already been held in 22 States and Union Territories
two divisional camps have been held in Uttar Pra.
desh and one camp of the North-Eastern Zone com"
prising of representatives for Manipur, Tripuri.
Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal and Nagaland.
District camps have also been held in almost all
the States. State-level camps of youth and students
are now over except in one or two States.
A national conference of agricultural workers
was held in Uttar Pradesh and preliminary steps
have been taken to set up the organisation of rural
poor in all the States. Shri B. C. Bhagwati is look
ing after this programme personally and organis”
tions of the rural poor are being set up in the State"
in close cooperation with the PCCs and the State
Governments.
In order to give to these camps a proper senº
of direction, a set of booklets in English and Hinº
has been published by the AICC. These include tº
Narora documents, introduction by the Congº.
Continued on Page
_
CONGRESS PRESIDENT ADDRESSED
18 OUT OF 23 CAMPS
Since December 1974, the Congress Presi"
dent Shri Dev Kanta Borooah has addressed as
many as 18 Pradesh-level training camps out *
23 held so far. The break-down of the campº
addressed by him is: Dodda Ballapur (Kaº
taka), village Ankheer (Haryana), Mahid"
Niwas (Gujarat), Bratachari Gram (West Bºº
gal), Gandhi Nagar (Assam), Rana Pratºp
Šagar (Rajasthan), Nangal (Punjab), Unº
(Himachal Pradesh), Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh):
Gobi Chattipalayam (Tamil Nadu), Saruins"
(Jammu and Kashmir), Bordi (Maharashtra),
Shahpur Garhi Village (Delhi), Gopalp";
(Orissa), New Zealand Hostel (Bombay). Bº
gir (Bihar), Charalkunnu (Kerala) and Rama"
nathapuram Village (Pondicherry).
—-T
MARCH ºr "

Public Sector Forges Ahead
The public sector is turning the
corner. The latest production
figures of Public Sector units,
which are under the charge of
the Ministry of Industry, show
that there has been a remarkable
improvement in the performance
of these units.
During the 11 months of the
current financial year for which
figures are available, production
has varied between 75 and 99 per
cent of the target and last month
the performance rose to 108 per
cent of the target. It has never
been so good before.
A review conducted by the
Ministry of Industry shows that
during the first 11 months of the
current financial year there has
been an increase of 40 per cent in
the production of the Public Sector
units over the corresponding period
last year.
Official circles here believe that
the unprecedented increase, in the
production of Public Sector units,
is the direct result of the package
of measures that Shri T. A. Pai
took soon after he became the
Minister of Heavy Industry. The
system of continuous maintaining
of the production trends has been
the main instrument for the revi
talisation of the Public Sector.
TARGETS EXCEEDED
The review has shown that the
achievement would have been
much more impressive if shortage
of critical raw materials and want
of working funds had not impeded
the growth of these units.
Some of the main features of
the performance of the Public
Sector units according to the
review, are that the production of
all the units of the Bharat Heavy
Electricals has been more than
100 per cent of the target except
ing the Hardwar Unit where it
has been 100 per cent.
The Bhopal unit has set a new
record by taking production to
173 per cent of the February
target. Even the production of the
Hyderabad unit of the BHEL has
picked un after a spell of low out
put. In February the production
Socialyst INDIA --
of this unit was 113 per cent of
the target.
The cumulative details for all
the BHEL units are that the pro
duction in February this year was
Rs. 32.67 crores which is 122 per
cent of the target of Rs. 26.88
crores and is 49 per cent higher
than the production of these units
in February last year.
The performance of the Heavy
Engineering Corporation, though
impressive, has not been quite as
good as that of the BHEL.
The total production in all the
three plants in HEC during Feb
ruary, 1975 has been Rs. 5.99
crores which is 84 per cent of the
target of Rs. 7.17 crores. During
April, 1974-February 1975 period,
production has been Rs. 57.51
crores, 88 per cent of the target
of Rs. 65.12 crores and 14 per
cent higher than the production
of Rs. 50.65 crores during the
same period last year.
Some of the details of the HEC
units are:
Foundry Forge Plant (FFP):
Production in this unit, for sun
plies outside the HEC, during this
month, has been Rs. 0.71 crores,
86 per cent of the target of Rs.
0.83 crores. Cumulativelv produc
tion during April 1974-February
1975 period has been Rs. 6.86
crores, 99 per cent of the target
of Rs. 6.90 crores.
Heavy Machine Building Plant
(HMBP): During the month
HMBP has produced Rs. 4.91
crores, 82 per cent of the target
of Rs. 5.96 crores. Cumulatively,
production has been Rs. 46.02
crores, 84 per cent of the target
of Rs. 54.87 crores.
Heavy Machine Tool Plant
(HMTP): Production in this unit
during the month has been Rs.
0.37 crores, 97 per cent of the
target of Rs. 0.38 crores. Cumu
latively production has been Rs.
4.78 crores, 138 per cent of the
target of Rs. 3.35 crores.
In the case of Bharat Heavy
Plate and Vessels: the production
during February has been 825 mt,
7 MARCH 22, 1775
valued at Rs. 1.18 crores. In
financial terms, the production of
Rs. 1.18 crores has been 94 per
cent of the target of Rs. 1.26
crores. Cumulatively 7,014 mt
have been produced during the
period April, 1974-February 1975
valued at Rs. 9.48 crores This is
54 per cent of the target of Rs.
17.69 crores and 53 per cent
higher than Rs. 6.17 crores pro
duced during the same period last
year.
Mining and Allied Machinery
Corporation: In physical terms,
this unit has produced 1,570 mil
lion tonnes during February 1975
which is valued at Rs. 2.38 crores.
In financial terms, this is 108 per
cent of the target of Rs. 2.21
crores. Cumulatively 1.59,64 mt
has been produced up to February
1975 which is valued at Rs. 16.34
crores. This is 73 per cent of the
target of Rs. 22.52 crores and 39
per cent higher than Rs. 11.75
crores produced in the same period
last year.
QUANTITATIVELY TOO
The production of Jessops
and Company during the month
has been Rs. 3.75 crores. 133 per
cent of the target of Rs. 2.83
crores. Cumulatively, production
has been Rs. 32.16 crores, 103
per cent of the target of Rs. 31.33
crores and 51 per cent higher than
Rs. 21.28 crores produced in the
same period last year.
In the case of Hindustan
Machine Tools Limited, production
in all the units during this month
has been Rs. 6.43 crores, 91 per
cent of the target of Rs. 7.03
crores, and 14 per , cent higher
than Rs. 5.64 crores produced in
February, 1974. During April,
1974-February, 1975 period, pro
duction has been Rs. 50.84 crores,
87 per cent of the target of Rs.
58.33 crores and 58 per cent
higher than Rs. 32.14 crores
produced in the same period last
year.
During the month 600 tractors
were produced in the Pinjore unit
and 55,595 watches were produc
ed at Bangalore and Srinagar
units of HMT.
The review silows that Braith
waite Richardson and Cruddas
and ISW-Burn have achieved 89
per cent, 107 per cent and 119
per cent of their respective
targets, during this month.
- - ---

NO NEW TAXES
IN U.P. BUDGET
The Uttar Pradesh budget for
1975-76, presented to the State
Assembly on March 12, proposes
no new taxes. The total receipts
are estimated at Rs. 1,091.33 crores
and expenditure at Rs. 1,057.42
crores. The budget shows an over
all deficit of Rs. 19.85 crores.
Presenting the budget, the Fin
ance Minister Shri N. D. Tewari
said that it was an anti-inflation
ary budget. “I am not introducing
any new taxes.” He said that he
hoped to cover up the deficit by
improved recoveries. He pointed
out that in 1974-75 nearly Rs. 60
crores of arrears were collected as
against Rs. 16 crores in the previ
ous year. The State, he said,
would also continue to observe eco
nomy in non-Plan expenditure.
Shri Tewari told the House that
income from the new taxes would
yield an additional revenue of Rs.
112 crores in a full year. No
other State, he said, had made a
“tax effort” of this magnitude.
Reviewing the state of the eco
nomy, Shri Tewari said that prices
had started declining since Septem
ber. “It is hoped,” he said, “the
fall in wholesale prices will be ref
lected in retail prices in the near
future.”
About agriculture, he said that
rabi prospects were bright and
production was expected to be
about 134.50 lakh tonnes. He also
referred to the outlay for the an
nual Plan and said that the annual
Plan for 1975-76, the second year
of the Fifth Plan, had been fixed
at Rs. 411.56 crores.
HIGHILIGHTS
Some of the highlights of the
budget are:
Topmost priority has been given
to agric’īlture as it forms the basis
of UP economy and also deter
mines the State's capacity to meet
the basic needs of the people. A
provision of Rs. 50.38 crores has
been made for agriculture and
allied activities.
SOCIALYST INDIA
A provision of Rs. 181.75 crores
has been made for power, which
is the key to agricultural and in
dustrial production; and an outlay
of Rs. 70.67 crores provided for
irrigation. Thus agriculture, irriga
tion and power sectors together
account for an expenditure of Rs.
302.80 crores. Industrial sector
comes next with an outlay of Rs.
33.66 crores. It has also been en
sured that the pace of programmes
relating to minimum needs is
maintained.
+ and grants for purchase of artifi.
The target for foodgrains pro
duction for 1975-76 has been fixed
at 212 lakh tonnes.
+ also proposed.
An additional area of 1.19 lakh
hectares is to be brought under
soil conservation measures.
+ to be set up to coordinate various
Nine hundred villages are to be
electrified and 5,500 tubewells
pump sets energised.
+ implement programmes formulatº
The State Government will grant
loan of Rs. 102.82 croren to U.P.
State Electricity Board for financ
ing power plan.
+
Nationalised banks are likely to
open 180 new branches in the
State.
+
Thirty-three Ayurvedic hospi
tals and 30 Homoeopathic dispen
saries are to be opened in rural
areas. Two hundred additional
beds in district and other Govern
ment hospitals will be set up.
Establishment of two children's
clinics, two dental clinics, two
emergency services and four ortho
paedic sections are also contemp
lated.
+ was 31.27 million as compared
Drinking water facilities will be
provided to six more towns and
780 villages.
+ Maharashtra where the number *
The World Bank is expected to
make available Rs. 30 crores for
execution and maintenance of
water supply and sewerage
schemes.
+
The U.P. Housing and Deevlop
ment Board expects to receive a
loan of Rs. 1.10 crore from Life
Insurance Corporation. About 230
new houses are to be completed.
Nearly Rs. 50 lakhs have beet
provided for slum clearance and
environmental improve ment
Scheme.
+
Efforts are to be made to orga.
nise women's cooperative societies
so that women may be able to
augment the income of their fami.
lies.
+
A sum of Rs. 1.50 lakhs has been
provided for grant of scholarships
cial limbs and hearing aids for
physically handicapped. Upgrad.
ing of deaf and dumb schools is
+
The U.P. Youth Commission is
youth programmes which are in
operation and afford an opportu.
nity to the youth and students tº
ed by them according to their in
clination.
+
With a view to relieving rural
unemployment, the Man-power
Utilisation Directorate will consi.
der adoption of labour intensive
techniques for execution of Govern.
ment schemes. An outlay of Rs.5
crores is proposed under different
heads and development depart:
ments will identify such schemes
as can be executed under man"
power utilisation programme.
LABOUR DISPUTES COST INDIA
OVER 31 MILLION MAN-DAYS
According to provisional figurº,
the number of man-days lost due.”
strikes and iock-outs during 19°
20.63 million during 1973. Th"
states which accounted for a sign".
ficant increase in the number "
man-days lost during 1974 wº
man-days lost due to strikes ...”
lock-outs was nearly three º:
over the figure for 1973 (about *
million), and west Bengal whº
the number of man-days lost º:
double than the figure for 1.
(about 5.9 million). As regards .
duction loss, according to availa e
information, the value of productiºn
loss in respect of 1227 (out of
cases for which information
readily available with the I*
Bureau was Rs. 72.18 crores,
—T
March 12, ""
 -
_*. —

SEMINAR ON LAW INDO-SOVIET PLANNING

AND PEACE GROUP
RAISCELLANY
The need for providing legal The second meeting of the Indo
aid to the poor was stressed at a Soviet Planning Group, set up
seminar on “Law and Peace” in within the framework of the Inter
JP AGITATION AGAINST New Delhi on March 13. governmental Indo-Soviet Commis
Addressing the seminar, Justice sion, concluded in New Delhi on
SARVODAYA SPIRIT
S. Rangarajan of Delhi High March 10 with the signing of a
Court said that there was need protocol on the discusisons, which
for a widespread system of legal began on March 6.
: A senior Sarvodaya leader, aid to increase the scope and The protocol was signed by
Shri Charu Chandra Bhandari, capacity of the legal system. The Prof. A. V. Bachurin, Vice-Chair
has described the JP movement man of the USSR State Planning
law, he said, had to take note of
as “fundamentally against the the changed social realities in Committee, for the Soviet side, and
Sarvodaya spirit”. the post-independence India. by Prof. S. Chakravarty, Member
of the Planning Commission, for
In a statement issued in Cal The Lok Sabha Speaker, Dr. the Indian side.
cutta on March 13, Shri Bhandari G. S. Dhillon, said the concept of During the second meeting, the
said: “The movement has been peace was subject to change due Planning Group discussed various
transformed into a petty power to constant changes in public aspects of long-term, medium and
game. Attempts are being feve opinion. Legislatures, he added, annual planning and the methods
rishly made to unite all the were designed to give expression of planning on the structure of the
sundry Opposition parties in order to public opinion. fuel-power balances in the two
to fight the elections.” Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer countries. Other topics discussed
pointed out that the real issue included methods and principles of
The statement said that the was how to make law an instru production cooperation between
“distorted frenzy” created by the ment of peace. In order to make the two countries. According to
movement was “not conducive to law conducive to peace, legislation Prof. Bachurin and Prof. Chakra
the Sarvodaya movement”. On must have public sanction, he varty, the discussions were of
& the contrary blind mass frenzy said. great interest to both the sides,
would “sound the death-knell of
Dr. Nagendra Singh, Judge of and were mutually beneficial in en
a the Sarvodaya movement”. the International Court of Justice, hancing the understading of the
said: “Without respect (for law), planning processes in the two
countries.
The statement added that Sar there would be no hope of peace”.
vodaya workers all over the A joint Press release on the
country were perturbed over the
Dr. V. A. Sayed Mohammed, meeting says that the discussions
JP agitation which was essen
MP and a senior advocate, said proceeded in a frank, cordial and
that mere establishment of law friendly atmosphere.
tially a “political manoeuvre” and Continued on Page 34
did not necessarily presage peace.
contrary to Sarovdaya ideals. The
Sarvodaya workers, it pointed
out, could not participate in such
a movement. “The Sarvodaya
workers cannot indulge in any
agitation which brings a bad
name to our Government.”

Shri Bhandari's statement re

ferred to Acharya Vinoba Bhave's
discussion with the members of
the Executive Committee of the
Sarva Seva Sangh at Jalgaon
recently and said that Vinoba
Bhave had then categorically told
them that it was against the
Sarvodaya idelas to start agita
tion for toppling governments.
He also told the committee that
it was one thing
Government in the
to defeat a
election and
quite another to oust it. Such a
|
move, he said, only helped the Dr. G. S. Dhillon, Speaker, Lok Sabha addressing the seminar on
"secessionists”. “Law and Peace” at New Delhi.
-
B00IALIST INDIA MARCH 22, 1975
–
Parry news
r
Kozhikode congress
MAKES HISTORY
A Correspondent
When the Kozhikode (Calicut)
District Congress organised its
Political Conference and Rally
recently it set up a record even
in Kerala where rallies and confer
ences, processions and demonstra
tions are almost a regular feature
of the landscape.
The four-day District Confer
ence of the Calicut DCC and a DCC President and State Finance
massive demonstration and rally
Which marked the end of it seem
ed to create an all-time record.
The organisers of what
“The
Matnruonuml” called “Spectacular
display of strength where over
a lakh of people took part” were
the Chairman of the Reception
Commuttee, Shri K. P. Unni
krishnan, MP and Shri A. C. Shan
mukhadas, MLA and President of
the DCC. The conference was
inaugurated by Shri A. K. Antony,
President of the Kerala Pradesh
Congress Committee on March 6
at the “L. N. Mishra Nagar”, fol
lowed by a day-long discussion on
political and economic resolutions.
Delegate after delegate attacked
the JP movement's opportunistic
alliance with the left adventurists
of the CPM and there were de
mands that action be taken against
those who were advocating their
cause in the Congress.
For the next four days sepa
rate conference of Karshaka
Congress, Karshaka Thozilali
(Agricultural Labour) Congress
(inaugurated by Shri H. D. Mala
viya, MP) Youth and Students'
Conference, Mahila Vibhag Confer
ence, Seva Dal Conference, Labour
Conference, NGO and Teachers'
Conference, Harijan and Tribal
Conference and Cultural Confer
ence, were held.
Leading writers of Kerala like
Keshav Dev, N. P. Mohammed and
Tikkodiyan took part in the cul
tural conference and K. J. Yesudas,
famous play-back singer of the
South gave a concert at the end
of the cultural conference.
SOCIALIST INDIA
On March 9 from the early
morning, the entire district woke
up to the slogans “Inquilab Zin
dabad”, “Indira Gandhi Zindabad”,
“Congress Zindabad”, and “Long
Live Borooahji”. From every vil
lage in the district people began
streaming into the city in jeeps,
trucks, buses, boats, trains and
even in carts. By afternoon the
entire city was full of tri-colour
flags big and small as people
moved towards the beach where
the procession began around
7.00 p.m.
The processionists were headed
by the State and PCC leaders like
Sarvashri A. K. Antony, K. P.
Lnnikrishnan and A. C. Shan
mukhadas, PCC office-bearers,
Minister, Shri K. G. Adiyodi.
A thousand strong Seva Dal
force followed the leaders march
ing with flags and tri-colour bands.
The AICC General Secretary, Shri
Aziz Imam called it one of the
best units of the Seva Dal in the
country. Though there are 3,000
trained volunteers in the District
only around a thousand could take
part because of shortage of uni
forms.
What followed the Seva Dal
volunteers in the procession was
a massive flow of young men and
women, Harijans and tribals, ag
P. M. TELLS A
REVEALING STORY
The following anecdote was nar
rated by Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi in the course of her reply
to the debate on the President's
address :
“If Honourable Members will
allow me to tell a story though it
is a little old. I think it happened in
the 'fifties. The Secretary-General
of the International Union for
Child Welfare came to Delhi and
there was a programme arranged
for him in one of the villages.
There were the usual speeches,
garlanding and so on. When it
was all over, he said. I have
brought my own interpreter and I
would like to remain back. I President of this union and
would like my hosts and others to
return.” So, everyday came back.
This was told to me by the
10
ricultural and industrial labout
and women often with babes in
their arms. Bands, traditional
drums and pipes, folk dancers and
folk art forms, tablaeux and floats
ridiculing the JP movement, ad
ded colour and gaiety to the pro
cession. For over three hours
lakhs of people who watched stood
mesmerized by this massive dis.
play of Congress strength.
The procession was still pouring
into the Maidan at 11.15 p.m. the
venue of the mass rally where
lakhs had already assembled jam
ming all surrounding roads,
streets, buildings and even illumi
nated tree tops to hear the Con
gress President's address.
The Congress President, Shri D.
K. Borooah, AICC General Secre.
tary, Shri Aziz Imam, Shri
Chandrajit Yadav, Shri B. P.
Maurya, Smt. Tarkeshwari Sinha
and State leaders, like Shri
A. K. Antony, Home Minister, Sh:
K. Karunakaran, Shri Vayalar
Ravi and Shri K. P. Unnikrishnan,
were all heard by the masses till
the early hours of the next day.
This event has left its impact on
the political developments in
Kerala. But the big business press.
as Shri Borooah remarked the
next day at Bangolare, completely
blacked it out, who remarked, “We
do not have the freedom of the
press.”
gentleman himself. He wandered
around till he came to two or three
very old men. He thought that
now these people must have an
entirely different point of view.
He asked them “What is the majºr
change since Independence?” This
was in 1952 or 1953. And one of
the old men, after some thought
said: “Our women and children
are much more alive now." He
was veryasked:
astonished at this anº
and he “Do you think it is
a good thing or not? Do you we.
come it?” "And the reply was:
“Had you asked this some yeº
earlier we would have said, "
don't want this to happen, but "
that we see the difference it *
made to the home and to the w;
lage, we think it is a good tº
I happened to be then the Wº.
d
gentleman wasme
when he saw theheSecretary
told mº i.
th
was his experience".

CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE'S
NEW COUNTER-OFFENSIVE
The Central Campaign Commit
tee of the Congres has decided to
embark on a fresh phase of its
counter-offensive in three States—
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh
and Bihar — to alert the people
against the regrouping of the com
munal forces and the vested inte
rests in these States. The effort
of the Congress to involve the in
telligentsia — lawyers, doctors,
writers and teachers — in the
campaign work has evoked an en
couraging response in States like
Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Kar
nataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maha
rashtra and Gujarat. Writers' and
lawyers' forums have been set up
in several towns of Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar and Madhya Pradesh also.
A periodic review of the Party's
counter-offensive against the anti
democratic and fascist forces
launched some five months ago
shows a wide response among the
people. According to the present
plan, the counter-offensive will be
intensified in May, when the Party
MPs are free to concentrate on
work in their constituencies or the
areas allotted to them. The Party
MPs have been lending a big hand
in keeping the Central leadership
informed of the developments in
their areas.
UPCC ExECUTIVE
The selection of five General
Secretaries for the UPCC was an
nounced in New Delhi on March 5.
The composition of the 12-mem
ber State Parliamentary Board
and the 27-member UPCC execu
tive was also approved. There
will be ten special invitees to the
executive.
The five General Secretaries are
Shri R. K. Dwivedi, Shri Krishna
nand Rai, Smt. Premvati Tiwari,
Shri Chehedal Chaudhury and Shri
Mumtaz Mohammed Khan. The
four Vice-Presidents are Sarvshri
Triloki Singh, Shri Ram Chandra
Vikal, Tarkeshwar Pande and Smt.
Shiela Kaul.
The Parliamentary Board will
consist of the UPCC president,
*661ALINT INDIA
Sarvashri Lakshmi Shankar Yadav,
H. N. Bahuguna, Uma Shankar
Dikshit, Kamlapati Tripathi, K. D.
Malaviya, Chandrajit Yadav, K. C.
Pant, Baijnath Kureel, Ajit Pratap
Singh, Baldev Singh Arya, Shah
Nawaz Khan and Smt. Rajendra
Kumari Bajpai.
Besides the 12 members of the
board and others, the executive
includes Sarvashri Kedar
Singh, B. P. Maurya and Yashpal
Kapoor.
Shri Dharam Dutt Vaidya, will
be the treasurer.
The Congress President,
Borooah, had asked the UPCC pre
sident to prepare the lists with the
help of Shri Chandrajit Yadav and
Shri K. C. Pant. They kept in
touch with Shri Bahuguna.
Other members of the executive
are: Sarvashri Bal Govind Verma,
Virendra Verma, Prabhu Narain
Singh, R. K. Sinha, Deo Bahadur
Singh, Kranti Kumar, Sheo Nath
Singh, Prabhu Dayal Vidyarthi,
Shivanand Nautiyal and
Jafar, Smt. Kamla Bahuguna and
Smt. Beni Bai.
The special invitees are: Sarva
shri Mohan Swarup, Gopinath Dik
shit, Habib-ur-Rahman Nomani,
Yadvendra Singh, Gulab Sehra, R.
S. Khanna, Chandrika
Maharaj Singh, MP, Doongar
Singh and Kumari Saraswati
Ammal.
WEST GODAVARI TRAINING
CAMP IN ANANTAPALLI
The West Godavari District Con
gress training camp was held from
March 7-9, 1975 at Anantapalli
Village, Tarepalligudem Taluk. The
camp was arranged by the D. C. C.
with the help of the local reception
committee in specially erected pan
dals in the fields and all the parti
cipants lived together in the camp
for all the three days.
About 200 were invited
ticipate in the camp by the D. C. C.
and nearly 150 Congress workers
including women, youth and fre
edom fighters of the district par
ticipated.
Shri Veeramachaneni
tanarayana, A. P. C. C. President
inaugurated the camp on the 7th
11
--
morning. Shri J. Vengalarao, the
Chief Minister, Shri V. B. Raju,
M. P., Deputy Leader of the Con
gress Parliamentary Party, Shri
L. Lakshmanadas, Panchayati Raj
Minister, Shri T. Hayagrivachari,
General Secretary, A. P. C. C. and
Shri T. Venkatramayya, Organis
ing Secretary, A. P. C. C. parti
cipated.
Nath At the outset on the 7th Shri
V. Venkatanarayana hoisted the
Congress flag and inagurated the
camp. Shri K. Srinivasarao, Chair
man Reception Committee welcom
ed the participants. D. C. C. Presi
dent Shri N. Mrutyunjayarao, who
Shri
presided. The camp for all the
three days gave a brief introduc
tion about the purpose of the camp.
Shri V. Venkatanarayana in his
inaugural address explained about
the significance of the training
camps. He spoke about the history
of the Congress. He appealed to
the workers to inculcate Gandhian
ethical and spiritual values in the
society.
S. M. Shri V. B. Raju spoke at length
on the political and economic sit
uation prevailing in the country
and stressed the need for unity in
the party and for conserted efforts
to face the onslaught of the Right
reactionary and opportunistic for
ces in the country. Explaining that
Prasad,
rural people are the base for the
Congress, he requested the Con
gress workers to take up a mass
movement to eradicate the long
neglected grievances of the rural
poor and other downtrodden
sections in the society.
Shri J. Vengalarao in his ad
dress explained in depth about the
various problems facing the coun
try and about the deve
lopmental and progressive mea
sures especially for the upliftment
of poor that are being undertaken
by both the Central and State
Governments. He asked the Con
gress workers to come forward
to cooperate in getting these mea
sures implemented effectively. He
to par appealed to them to be aware of
the dangers posed by the undemo
cratic agitations and other violent
activities being resorted by the
rightist opposition and to stand
by the dynamic and progressive
Venka leadership of the Prime Minister
Smt. Indira Gandhi.
Continued on Page 26
MARCR 22, 1975

PARLIAMENT
APPROVES
KASHMIR
ACCORD
Parliament approved on March
13 the “historic” accord between
Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and
the Centre after the Prime Minis
ter clarified the points raised dur
ing the debate on the accord. The
Rajya Sabha gave its assent to the
accord on March 13, the Lok
Sabha had approved it earlier.
Replying to the debate in the
Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister
bluntly told Pakistan that Kash
mir is no longer a trump in
hands and that Islamabad should
desist from using it.
Referring to the letter which
the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mr.
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, had written to
her strongly protesting against
the accord, the Prime Minister
said, “I fail to understand what
the protest is all about. In what
way does the accord run counter
to the Simla spirit? With one res
pect, I would like to say that Pak
istan has overplayed the Kashmir
question. It is no longer a trump
in its hands, and should desist
from using it.”
Smt. Indira Gandhi said, “Our
policy in national and international
affairs has been consistent. We
always try to adopt a conciliatory
approach and settle problems
through discussions. There is no
reason to believe that we will give
up this policy in relation to any
particular problem, provided the
others concerned also had a conci
liatory approach. *
“Positive benefits of the accord
have accrued because of the policy
of understanding and accommoda
tion adopted by both sides. The
its
agreed conclusions should not be
weighed merely in the legal and
constitutional balance. The sub
stantial political gains are that the
misapprehensions which had been
entertained rightly or wrongly by
certain sections in the State (of
Jammu and Kashmir) have been
removed and plebiscite has be:
come non-issue. Both these are
Solid benefits.”
Referring to Article 370 of the
Constitution, the Prime Minister
said a section of the people in
Jammu and Kashmir had enter.
tained the feeling that the Article
was not being worked in the spirit
in which it was conceived and that
serious inroads had been made in
the State's powers. She said the
debate had more or less accurately
reflected the sense of satisfaction
which the country as a whole felt
in regard to the Kashmir accord.
People welcomed it not only for
its positive benefits, but also be.
cause of the manner in which the
issue had been resolved by mutual
understanding.
The Prime Minister denied the
allegation by some members that
the accord was arrived at at the
instance of the Soviet Union. She
said that Soviet Union never in
terfered in India's internal affairs.
All the parties in the House, ex
cept the Jana Sangh welcomed the
accord.

Some Members spoke of autonomy. This seems

Prime Minister’s Reply
To Debate In Lok Sabha
Replying to the debate on the statement in rela
tion to the State of Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime
Minister Shrimati Indira Gandhi, said in the Lok
Sabha on March 4: - None of us can claim to be as great as Mahatmº
Mr. Chairman, Sir, we had a fairly lengthy debate
and the various points raised—legal, constitutional,
political—have been dealt with by most of the speak
ers on both sides of the House for a change. The
hope that I had expressed earlier that the Jana Sangh
would show an understanding of the background,
the spirit and the benefits of the accord has been
belied. This is evidence of their chauvinistic policies
and authoritarian outlook. They cannot understand
that bitterness can be overcome by seeing thing in
the larger perspective and by moving forward in
trust.
to have become a catch word. Our Constitution pro
vides for a strong Centre, yet, it gives considerable
autonomy to the States. It is wholly wrong to think
that constitutional arrangements stifle the States in
any way.
CENTRE-STATE RELATIONS
Gandhi but I can assure Hanumanthaiyaji, who is
not here just now, that we are not subjective when
we talk of Centre-State relations. Without a strong
Centre, how can the States hold together? If each
State looks only to its own interests, how will the
weaker States be helped? All our States are inter"
dependent and each needs something from the other
The Centre is the thread which binds them together:
At present, most States, in fact, I would say
States, find it useful to have someone on whom thºſ
can lay the blame for what they cannot do, for thº’
shortcomings.

The understanding that has been reached within

the framework of the Indian Constitution which, while
ensuring that the Union functions effectively is suffi
cientlv broad-based and flexible to accommodate
special requirements and situation and to provide
ample scope for the socio-economic development of
constituent States. . . -
I believe in diversity and decentralisation. In”
duals, groups and States should be able to develºp
ther per-onalities and their resources. Local intº
tive and talent should be encouraged. But I beli"
equaliv in unity. Without a strong Centre the
would be no united country. What freedom woul
the states then share? State autonomy should º

inseparable from national strength. Any demands"

SOCIALIST INDIA .
MArch 22, 197"
 the name of autonomy which are incompatible with
º national strength will not be acceptable to the people
Of Our country.
I can assure the Hon. Member from opposite,
from the DMK, that we have never called him or any
one names. Nor shall we do so. But, if anybody
works for or propagates a policy which weakens the
nation, we must say so.
“A FLIGHT OF FANCY”
Shri Hanumanthaiya was in great form yester
day, but he indulged in a flight of fancy when he
compared Chief Ministers to ants. One of the books
which made an impression on me when I was a child
was Maeterlinck's Life of the Ant. Ants may be
small, but they are industrious creatures and their
communities are very disciplined and highly organised.
I do not know to which of these qualities Shri Hanu
manthaiya was referring.
Many members have spoken about Article 370,
either in criticism or in explanation or in support. It
is, as has been said, a provision made for Jammu
and Kashmir in our Constitution taking into account
the historical and political factors which prevail in
the State. It lays down a procedure for the progres
sive extension to the State of the remaining provi
sions of the Constitution, with the concurrence of its
Government. This has been working satisfactorily all
these years, and several important and necessary
provisions have been applied to the State in this
manner. There is no reason to assume that further
extension of provisions to the State is ruled out.
Given mutual trust and confidence, there is bound
to be mutual appreciation of the needs of the State
and the Centre.... (Interruptions).
Shri. Vajpayee made much of a particular sen
tence I used the other day. It is characteristic of the
Opposition to try to find a word on which trip us—
ignoring the spirit and the substance.....
My observations on the present status of Article
370, to which Shri S. N. Mishra took exception, are
based upon the Supreme Court's decision of 1970. ...
What I said was that because the State’s Consti
tuent Assembly, which completed its work in 1956,
did not suggest deletion or modification of Article
370, it therefore became a part of our Constitution,
and this position was confirmed by the Supreme
Court in 1970. The agreement has not brought about
any new situation as regards Article 370. ...
From what I have said about this article, it is
clear that there is no question of any surrender, as
alleged in some quarters, nor is there any loosening
of the ties that bind the Centre and Jammu and
Kashmir State. This is clear from the very fact
that no such consequences flowed during all these
years since Article 370 was incorporated. It is not
correct to allege that this will create a pre
cedent for other States. A distinctive constitut
ional feature in respet of Jammu and Kashmir
is that it has its own Constitution supplementing
the Union Constitution and the specific provision in
Article 370. t t
tº
500IALIST INDIA
There is some talk of mysterious, secret clauses.
I said the other day—and I am glad to repeat—that
there are no such secret clauses. . . .
I first saw Sheikh Saheb in 1934 leading a pro
cession. He was sitting on a pony so small—I do not
know whether the pony was small or it merely looked
small in comparison—that his feet were hardly off
the ground.
Even so he managed to look dignified and every
inch a leader. He was attracted to the message of
national freedom, civil liberties and religious equa
lity which our national movement propagated and
this became the guideline of his own National Con
ference which mobilised the people of Kashmir. If
he remained with India and enabled the people of the
State to cast their lot with India it was because of
our party's ideals and policies. If we had followed
the policy of Jana Sangh I do not think the people
of Kashmir would have chosen to accede to India.
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Hon. Member Shri Shamim has already spoken on
this subject with emotion. ... (Interruptions).
A reference has been made and is being made to
the subsequent events. There is no point in harping
back to past misunderstandings and past mistakes.
There was some internal developments which neces
sitated certain action. When we found that there was
a change in the approach we did not hesitate to open
the door to reconciliation and cooperation. I should
like to draw the attention of the members to this
sentence when they talk about any other dialogue.
The opportunity was provided by Sheikh Abdullah
with his readiness to join the mainstream of national
life and to bring his experience and idealism into the
task of strengthening the democratic and secular
fabric of our country. . . .
Sheikh Abdullah has categorically stated that
he always believed that the well being and the future
of Kashmir lie with the Indian Union. His reiteration
that accession is not an issue and that plebiscite has
become irrelevant has had beneficial consequences.
Even those who had expressed reservation on the
fact of accession have now come to accept its finality.
The decision of the Plebiscite Front to change its
objectives and its name sets doubts at rest. The exist
ence of the Plebiscite Front had encouraged hostile
elements outside the country. This should now end.
But it is true that this does not mean that there will
be no hostility. We have to take it in our stride and
meet it. I have no doubt that Sheikh Sahib will do so.
FINALITY OF ACCESSION
I should like the House to show its appreciation
of Sheikh Abdullah's vision. This latest example of
his statesmanship is worthy of his record as a veteran
of our freedom struggle. We should not underestimate
his difficulties and he should not underestimate the
difficulties we face here. Perhaps that was why it
took us long so that we can create an atmosphere
in which an agreement and understanding of this
kind would be welcomed by almost all the people. We
13 MARCH 22, 1975
have succeeded in this. It is up to us to see that this
atmosphere is not changed or damaged there and it
is also up to us to see how we can help Sheikh Sahib
in every way in overcoming the difficulties which he
will face.
I should also like to refer to the constructive
part played by Mirza Afzal Beg during the dis
cussions. His deep knowledge of the law and his
sound political judgement were invaluable in reach
ing a satisfactory and a realistic accord. Syed Mir
Qasim played a notable part in negotiations through
his self-effacing devotion to the larger interest. Shri
Parthasarathi showed great patience and was ably as
sisted by Shri Balakrishnan. Shri Swaran Singh's
knowledge of the political scene and his vast experi
ence with negotiations stood him in good stead in
dealing with this delicate task.
I am glad that our Hon, friend Shri Mavalankar
referred to Mridula Sarabhai. I should like to tell
him that before her illness we had discussed these
matters and she knew that an understanding was
coming. So it was not as if she was not unaware of
what was happening and I know that she was very
happy at the outcome.
A SPECIAL SITUATION
We are all deeply concerned with the development
of the two regions of Jammu and Ladakh. Dr. Karan
Singh gave an account of the work undertaken in
Jammu. Kushak Bakula who spoke just now said
that nothing has been done for Ladakh. This is not
wholly correct. There has been development, but it
is certainly true that it is nowhere near adequate. I
have taken special interest in the areas and have
been visiting these regions regularly, even the most
outlying areas. During the discussions with Sheikh
Abdullah I made it a point to mention the anxieties
and difficulties of these regions and of certain sections
of the people even in the valley. In recent months
Sheikh Sahib himself has toured these regions and
he assured me of his own awareness and his desire
to treat all regions equitably. The composition of his
Cabinet reflects this concern for Jammu and Ladakh.
There is a special situation in Jammu and Kash
mir not only because of its own Constitution or of its
Muslim majority but, as Dr. Karan Singh rightly
pointed out, it has been the main battle field during
repeated aggressions against us. All the three regions
of the State have borne the brunt of the attack. All
sections of the State population have fought valiantly
for the national cause. I should like particularly to
mention the brave Gujjars, Bakarwals and Gaddis
These are communities which have suffered much
poverty and hardship. They deserve all the help we
can give them by way of education and employment.
I hope adequate attention will be given to their
problems.
I do not think I need dwell on the other points
raised in the debate. As I said, most of them have
been answered. I should like to revert to the point I
have already made, that the understanding has to
be viewed in the larger context of the need for adopt
ing a conciliatory approach in resolving problems
facing the country. A problem that has been with us
for a generation should be solved when we have the
ability and opportunity to do so.
Although the Opposition loses no occasion to
attribute motives to us and our Party, it has been
always our endeavour to solve problems in the larger
national interest. It is obvious that in this case also
our party unit in Kashmir and our party at the
national level has not thought of its own interest
but only how to consolidate the unity and strength
of our country.
Let us not expect miracles and an immediate
total ending of tension. Much as we all desire this
life is a series of problems and solutions give rise to
new difficulties of one kind or another. But an
achievement based on understanding and confidence
strengthens us to face challenges. It is in that spirit
that we should look at this understanding and once
again I should like to thank all the Hon. members
who have given it such warm support and shown
appreciation of it. A few have not but the vast major
rity in the House and outside have shown apprecla.
tion and support and I thank them all and on behalf
of you all I should like to send our goodwishes to
Sheikh Abdullah in the tasks ahead.
–

MORE BRITISH AID
FOR INDIA
Two agreements for further
British aid to India were signed in
New Delhi on March 11. The Bri
tish High Commissioner, Sir
Michael Walker, signed the agree
ments for the British Government,
and Shri M. G. Kaul, Secretary,
Department of Economic Affairs,
Ministry of Finance, for the Gov
ernment of India.
The first agreement is for a loan,
the UK-India Maintenance Loan
1975, which provides for the im
port from British of non-project
SOCIALIST INDIA
goods. Among these are raw ma
terials, spare parts and compon
ents required to service India's in
dustrial and agricultural produc
tion. Its value is Rs. 38 crores.
This loan represents additional
assistance over and above the Rs.
1.42 crores (£75 m) pledged to
India by Britain at the meeting
of the Aid India Consorrtium dur
ing the summer of 1974. The new
loan brings the total of fresh aid
pledged to India for this financial
year to Rs. 180 crores, and is a
further indication of Britain's posi
tion as India's leading bilateral
donor of capital aid.
14
Like all British aid to India,
this loan will be free of all inte
erst and service charges and re.
payable over 25 years, including *
seven-year grace period.
The second agreement signed
today is for a grant of 30,000 ton,
nes of foodgrain worth about Rs.4
crores. The grain, which will coſ"
sist largely of wheat, will be awa.
lable for sale through the falº
price shops. This is part of Bº.
tain's contribution to the
Cereals Food Aid Programme ſº.
the harvest year 1973-74. It will
be delivered as soon as arrané"
ments can be made for shipment.
MARCH 12, 19"
 PRIMEMOWER TO INDUSTRIALISATION –
rº

iſºe, I POWER - To W. B. S. E. B., D. W. C. and local Industries.

GAS > To Calcutta through Gas Grid and local Industries.
WATER - Processed and Drinking Water to local Industries.
DTHER PRDDLJCTS

N/
FOR INDUSTRIES IN INDIA AND ABR0AD

NZ
O Coke (Hard, Nut, Pearl O Naphthalene Oil #
and Breeze) O Anthracene Oil §
O Middlings from Goal O Timber Pickling Oil D
Washery O Wash Oil S

O Benzene (Nitration O Carbolic Oil F

Grade) e Napthalene (Crude) §
O Toluol (Industrial O Sodium Phenolate
Grade) e Processed Tar 5
© Light Solvent Naptha O Road Tar A
© Motor Benzol O Lux Mass L
O Spun Pipes of Warious Sizes +
Y

BETTER RAW MATERIAIS MEAN GREATER PROFIT

dyſty,
Calcutta Oſſite Works • Regd. & Head Oſſics
!, Shakesp?art Sārāli, Durgapur-1. Administratiyê Building
Calcutta-16. Grann : Coke Plant Durgapur-1. Dist. Burdwall.
Phone : 44-0867 Phone : 5381 ( 10 lines )

Rottai, IºT INºla - - 1. *MARCR 23, ins


Better Industrial Relations In Bihar
During 1974
The Bihar Government has done
much in improving the industrial
relations climate in the State
during the year 1974 which other
wise was marked by political
storms. Here is a short review of
the Bihar Government's perform
ance, recently issued by the State
Labour Department in regard to
industrial relations:
During the period January to
December, 1973, the total number
of work stoppages due to strikes
and lock-outs in various industrial
undertakings located in this State
was 188, and the total number of
man-days lost was approximately
14 lakhs. Major industries affected
by these work stoppages were
Kumardhubi Engineering Works,
Refractory Industries, Rohtas In
dustries Limited, Bokaro Steel
Limited and the Barauni Refinery.
During the period January to
November, 1974, the total number
of work stoppages due to strikes
and lock-outs has come down to
118 and as a result, the total num
ber of man-days lost was also re
duced to 9,83,582. Major industrial
undertakings affected by these
work stoppages during January,
1974 to November, 1974 are the
Bihar State Electricity Board,
Rohtas Industries Limited and the
RBHM Jute Mills, Katihar.
It would thus appear that in
dustrial relations in 1974 (during
the period January, 1974 to Nov
ember, 1974) have been compara
tively more peaceful than during
the corresponding period in the
year 1973.
PROPER WAGES
One of the most important ob
jectives of the State Government's
labour policy is to make available
proper wages to the workers. The
conciliation machinery of the State
Government has achieved conside
rable success in securing wage
increase for the workers. For ex
ample, agreements to increase the
wages were reached in Heavy En
gineering Corporation, Ranchi,
TELCO, Jamshedpur, Indian Tube
socialist INDIA
Company, Jamshedpur, Tinplate
Company, Jamshedpur, Limited,
etc. In these factories the increase
in wages varied from Rs. 14 to Rs.
57. In Refractory Industries Rs.
6 per day has been statutorily
fixed for unskilled workers as
minimum wage with effects from
May 11, 1974.
Recently, as a result of the effort
by the Labour Department an
agreement has been arrived at
between the employers and emplo
yees' representatives of the sugar
industry. In addition to the month
ly wage, every unskilled seasonal
worker will be given retaining al
lowance at the rate of 10 per cent
for the year 1975.
In 1974, by the efforts of the
conciliation machinery, the em
ployees of shops and establish
ments were also benefited as it was
decided to increase their wages by
Rs. 30 to Rs. 45 per month. In the
whole State, about four lakh em
ployees in this sector have been
benefited.
NEUTRALISATION
It is also worth mentioning that
the Labour Department decided to
link the minimum rates of wages
with the cost of living index so
that there may be automatic neu
tralisation of the effects of the
price-rise.
In 1974, minimum rates of
wages for workers were revised or
fixed in the following categories of
employment and these wage rates
have been linked with the cost of
living index:
1. Employment in road, building
or repair and construction; 2. Em
ployment in glass industries (ex
cluding sheet glass); 3. Employ
ment in hotels, eating houses and
restaurants; 4. Employment in re
fractory, firebricks and ceramics;
5. Employment in dam construc
tion and irrigation work; 6. Em
plovnment in bidi factories; and
7. Employment in mica factories.
Keeping in view the rise in
prices, the minimum rates of wages
16
of workers employed in agricul,
ture were also revised for Patna,
Chotanagpur and Bhagalpur Divi,
sions, by the end of 1974.
For more effective enforcemen.
of the minimum wages for agº.
cultural workers fixed or revised
by the Government, a Directora!
of Agricultural Workers has beeſ
created by the Government. I
would be the sincere endeavour ºf
this Directorate to see that the
workers are ensured the minimum
rates of wages as fixed by th
Government.
The Government has also decid:
ed to introduce the scheme of Old
age pension in the State. Under
this scheme persons who have
crossed the age of 60 years and
having no one to look after them
would get pension at the rate ºf
Rs. 20 per month.
During the year 1974, this Dº
partment has also conducted a
survey of the working conditiºs
and wages of workers employed in
the establishment, manufacturing
gold and silver ornaments and arº
tistic articles.
In the scheme of industrial train.
ing about 11,000 students are re.
ceiving training in different Indus.
trial Training Institutes of the
State. Training in 23 engineering
trades and five non-engineering
trades was being provided to tº
students till 1973. In the year 19.
one more trade of “brick mason
was added to this, making the toº
of 24 trades. Training in radio mº
chanics was also started in the Yº"
at Ranchi and Muzaffarpur Indº'
trial Training Institutes. Frº.
April 1, 1974 the rate of stipen
payable to the trainees has bº.
raised from Rs. 25 to Rs. 40 Pº
month.
In this state, 30 Employm"
Exchanges were working beſt
1974. In January, 1974 an Emplº
ment Exchange for handiº"
applicants was opened in Pº"
Four new Employment Exchangº
are also being opened in newly
created districts.
In 1973, jobs could be provideº
to nearly 31,441 applicants º' .
which 8,688 were educated M.
or above), whereas in 1974 .
could be provided to 14.828 °F"
cants till October, 1974.
• MARCH 22, 19:5

Indo-Afghan Cultural Relations
Indo-Afghan cultural ties have
grown since times immemorial.
The two countries find earlier
references in the Rig Veda. Kanda
har (Gandhara), Balkh (Balika),
Hari Rud (Saraga), Kabul
(Kubha), Afghan (Asvakayana)
and Pakhtoon (Pakhthana) are
some of the names still retaining
the stamp of their Sanskritic ori
gln.
For full 1,000 years, Afghanis
tan played a conspicuous role in
the development of Buddhist art
and religion and her fertile valleys
sheltered numerous religious and
educational institutions which
were clustered on the highway
connecting India and Central Asia.
At Bamiyan, situated in the heart
of Hindukush mountains of Cen
tral Afghanistan, are two majestic
statues of Buddha which have
been there in all their splendour
for the past 1,300 years and re
mind the people of India and
Afghanistan of their age-old bro
therly bonds. The statues are
the oldest and the biggest in the
world. Bamiyan had become a
meeting place of ideas and a re
nowned centre of culture—like
Nalanda, Ajanta and Ellora in
India.
: Bamiyan has two well-establish
ed eras of history, pre-Islamic and
mid-Islamic. The latter coincides
with the onslaught of Chengis
Khan. Buddhism, which came to
Afghanistan from India, was nur
tured here and later found its way
to China. For several centuries,
º countries concluded a cultural
Afghanistan was the meeting point
for cultures, trade and civilisa
tions.
MANY-SIDED RELATIONS
Islam, the religion of 60 million
! inhabitants of India, came here
through Afghanistan. In fact Indo
Afghan ties have been so intimate
that at one time the two formed
parts of the same cultural region.
&ºº
Today, there are 23,000 Hindu
§ and Sikh Afghans, and apart from
Kabul they live in Jalalabad
ſ' SCCAL-37 ºp-A
ATTAR CHAND
Ghazni, Kindahar, Kaja, Khana
bad, Kunduz, Laghman and Talu
qan. In many places, especially
in Kabul, there are temples and
gurdwaras. Incidentally, the city
of Herat and the river on which
it stands, the Hari Rud, are said
to be named after Raja Harish
Chandra.
India's feelings of friendly co
operation toward Afghanistan can
be seen in many ways. Even be
fore India's independence, Nehru
took care to mention Afghanistan
as one of our neighbouring coun
tries with whom India was bound
to have intimate ties in future.
Apart from establishing diploma
tic contacts soon after 1947, India
and Afghanistan concluded,
February 4, 1950, a treaty
friendship.
Commenting on the treaty, Nehru
told Parliament: “Among our
neighbours, there is Afghanistan
with whom we recently concluded
a treaty of friendship. The his
tory of our relationship shows con
flicts as well as long periods of
friendship and cultural contacts.
It has been a great satisfaction to
us that these old contacts have
not only been renewed between in
dependent India and Afghanistan
but have actually progressed. And
we are, therefore, on the friend
liest terms with the latter.”
Indo-Afghan cultural relations
which had been revived since
August, 1947 were further streng
thened in 1963, when the two
treaty. The treaty provided for
the exchange of cultural delega
tions, scientists, teachers, doctors,
engineers etc. India's Minister
for Scientific Research and Cultu
ral Affairs himself went to Kabul
to sign the Cultural Treaty which
was rightly described by the two
countries as “a major step to
wards the strengthening of Indo
Afghan relations.”
Subsequently, the establishment
of a joint Indo-Afghan commission
17
* *
in January, 1970, for technical and
economic assistance and cultural
cooperation was a step forward by
both nations. It was a means of
bringing about closer relations be
tween the two countries especially
if the help given was both effici
ent and sufficient. Nothing can
promote understanding and good
will between nations So well as
working side by side towards a
common goal. The restoration of
the historical monuments in
Afghanistan should be of particu
lar interest to India, since during
certain phases of history and these
two neighbouring nations were
One.
CULTURAL ACCORD
India is to assist Afghanistan
to set up a national archives of its
own as the country has valuable
records and documents which are
lying unarranged and are, in fact,
in a bad shape.
Under the Indo-Afghan cultural
on agreement, the National Archives
of of India will depute one of its
senior officers to Kabul next
month to make a preliminary sur
vey of the material lying there
and to hold discussions with
Afghanistan Government officials
about the reorganisation and deve
lopment of their archives.
Daoud Government's desire to
maintain close relations with India
was reiterated by the Afghan
President when he said: “We will
have close cooperation with the
Non-aligned countries of the world
for promoting peace, for fighting
colonialism in all its forms and
also racial discrimination. . . .
Afghanistan wants lasting peace
in the Indian peninsula and our
friendship with India and Bangla
desh has been ensured by strong
bonds of ideology.”
India was second only to the
Soviet Union in recognising the re
publican government which was
formed in Afghanistan in July
1973. Since then India has assur
ed the new government that it
would extend all possible assist
ance to overcome the difficulties.
The recent visit to India of
President Daud was an important
step in strengthening further, be
sides political relations, the cul
Continued on Page 26
MARCH 22, 1975

Performance Of
|TDC In 1973–74
The Corporation opened
new hotels during 1973-74, the
Qutab Hotel in New Delhi and the
Varanasi Hotel. The Qutab Hotel
provides a new facility in service
apartments for longer stays, and
the Varanasi Hotel is a major ad
dition to accommodation facilities
in that important tourist centre.
Continuing its run of profits
since its inception, the ITDC fur
ther improved its performance in
1973-74. Gross profits went up to
Rs. 217.82 lakhs from Rs. 187.94
lakhs last year. Net profits rose
to Rs. 38.16 lakhs from Rs. 26.89
lakhs. The Corporation's turnover
A View From
London
We are reproducing here ex
tracts from the popular column
“So It's Reported” in India Weekly
(London) of February 27 in view
of its topical interest. The column
is written by “A Correspondent”.
Marshal Grechko's visit, it need
hardly be added, has interested
some Western corerspondents, too,
including that of the Guardian
who embroidered the story with
some inspired gossip of how the
visit, which the Indian side
originally wanted to play down,
had been upgraded as a result of
the decision taken in Washington.
The Times stringer in Delhi (in the
absence of Mr. Hornsby in Kath
mandu) however, preferred to say
nothing on the subject either of
American . arms to Pakistan or
Marshal Grechko's visit. Instead,
he contented himself with report
ing Sheikh Abdullah's return to
power as Chief Minister in the
State of Jammu and Kashmir on
Tuesdav and his unanimous elec
SOCIALIST INDIA - i
crossed the Rs. 10-crore mark.
Estimated foreign exchange earn
ing increased from Rs. 420 lakhs
to Rs. 525 lakhs.
ITDC hotels on the whole made
profits. In Delhi, the
made a record profit of nearly Rs.
45 lakhs, from over Rs. 27 lakhs
last year. The Janpath,
two with the Ashoka has made consist
ent profits for several years, re
corded a profit of approximately
Rs. 9 lakhs. Two new
hotels, Hotel Ashoka at Bangalore
and Akbar Hotel in Delhi
profits of Rs. 6.85 lakhs and Rs.
5.05 lakhs respectively. Earlier,
both hotels had made substantial
profits in their first year of opera
tion.
The ITDC, with 1,800 rooms, is
today India's largest accommoda
tion chain and the only one
provide facilities to suit a variety
of budget needs. ITDC also offers
tion as leader of the state legisla
ture's Congress Party “even
though he is not a member.
The leader-writer of the Times,
however, had stolen a march on
him and treated us to an editorial
on the theme 24 hours earlier
(Feb. 24) headed “Return of
Sheikh Abdullah”. “There will be
a sigh relief in New Delhi today”,
he wrote. “When Sheikh Abdul
lah takes office as Chief Minister of
the State of Jammu and Kashmir
as already incorporated within the
Indian Union”. What was clear,
however, was that if there were
any sighs in the New Printing
House Square—and there was a
had distinct undertone of ruefulness
running through the editorial—
they were not one of relief. But in
time the Times will come to accept
the facts of life, we hope.
TIMES’ SIGHS
There is much to be said
Royal visits to foreign parts—not
least because in reporting on them
the British media usually manages
to spare some kind thoughts for
the country which the Royalty
happen to be visiting. And while
Mr. Michael Hornsby's despatch on
18
* -
a wide range of tourism services
throughout the country: accom.
modation, transport, entertain.
ment, duty-free shops and publi.
city and products for market sale.
Ashoka The range and scope of ITDC
activities are unique even in the
global context. Today the ITDC
which operates 12 hotels, two motels
two beach resorts, 14 Travellers
Lodges, 11 Restaurants, 16 trans.
port units, four duty-free shops
ITDC and three sound and light shows.
made
The ITDC's transport fleet of 200
tourist cars and coaches operates
from 16 centres. Its range of
publicity material produced for
the Department of Tourism, State
Governments and for market sale
have achieved world recognition,
representing an activity of over
Rs. 1 crore annually. Authentic
to Indian entertainment and duty.
free shop facilities are other ex
clusive ITDC services.
Friday headed “A Royal chukkº
before the coronation Nepal” (there
was another despatch on Saturday
on the same subject, published aſ:
propriately on the “social news.
page, but it was from the Timº
stringer) on Prince Charles' brief
stay in Delhi was largely an *
cursion down the nostalgia alſº
it was good tempered and contº
ed by saying that even if the visiº.
were “tame stuff compared with
the barbaric splendours of the day”
of the Raj, “that no doubt is "
acceptable price to pay for the al
together healthier condition of
present-day Anglo-Indian (should
it not be Indo-British?) relations.
Quite so.
Finally, a minor correction "
Crucifer's two paragraphs in Lºº.
don Diary in New Statesman *
the Republic Day Dinner of tº
IJA (for which we must be grº.
ful to him since the rest of Britis"
for Press ignored the event): tº
“tilting” of British policy “infº.
our of Pakistan”, as he put it dº
not take place at the time of tº
Rann of Kutch conflict, but atº
Pakistan's attack on Kashmir..."
1965. Members does play litt"
tricks with all of us.
Manch * *

N.B.C.C.
FORGES
AHEAD
Recent impressive performance
of the National Buildings Cons
struction Corporation has attract
ed attention of general public and
prospective clients in the context
of its past history and the worsen
ing situation in the construction
industry as a whole. The perform
ance of several public undertakings
has undergone severe criticism be
cause of non-fulfilment of their
objectives and in particular be
cause of their large investments,
poor returns and heavy accumu
lated losses. NBCC had not escap
ed this criticism in the past. The
Corporation was in the red since
its inception in 1960 for over a de
cade. It turned the corner for the
first time in the year 1971-72
when it showed a net profit of Rs.
13 lakhs after continuous heavy
losses for 11 years, which had ac
cumulated, to over Rs. 215 lakhs
eroding the entire equity capital
of the Corporation.
The Corporation attained a re
cord turnover of Rs. 518 lakhs in
the year 1971-72 which rose to Rs.
603 lakhs in 1972-73. It achieved a
further increase in the turnover
and attained an all-time record
turnover of Rs. 844 lakhs during
1973-74 thus surpassing the pre
vious two years record figures.
This represents almost three-fold
increase in the average yearly
turnover prior to 1970-71 and an
increase of 40 per cent over the
previous year's turnover.
RECORD WORK-LOAD
The Corporation has developed
an all time record workload of
over Rs. 200 lakhs for the first
time since its inception. This could
be considered as a commendable
achievement compared to an aver
age workload of the Corporation
prior to 1971 which was of the
order of Rs. 350 lakhs only. In
creased workload has been deve
loped in spite of several const
raints imposed on the construction
SOCIALIST INDIA
industry. A drastic cut has been
imposed on the non-plan expendi
ture and planned expenditure has
been severely pruned. There is a
general credit squeeze. Restric
tions imposed on account of short
age of cement, steel and other
essential materials of construction
in the building industry are also
well-known. Added to this are the
infra-structural difficulties on ac
count of transportation and power
bottlenecks.
The Corporation is now geared
for a turnover of Rs. 100 lakhs
per annum. In order to achieve
this target without difficulty, it is
essential that it should have in
hand a workload of about Rs. 250
lakhs. To achieve a turnover of
Rs. 200 lakhs the workload should
be at least Rs. 500 lakhs. This is
a modest target and is by
means an impossible task.
Experience has shown that the
construction industry is highly
competitive as also in a way hazar
dous. A Public Sector enterprise
such as NBCC can play a vital
role where the private contractors
have entrenched themselves
ulterior motives. They are in
position to quote lower rates be
cause of their reduced over-heads.
Their working in some cases also
tends to be dubious. They succeed
in securing claims for extra and
deviated items after the accept
ance of works and there are ins
tances where their completion
costs are higher compared with
the tendered cost which vitiates
the very tendering principles and
the sanctity of tenders which the
clients tend to uphold while decid
ing the agency.
A MODEL EMPLOYER
Public Sector enterprises such as
NBCC on the contrary have to
necessarily incur large overheads
and provide various facilities, be
ing a model employer and also be
cause of its public accountability
which in turn necessitates engage
ment of necessary essential staff.
It has to meet salary, allowances
and other perquisites of staff in
conformity with the Government
standards. Its working is also sub
ject to high rectitude of conduct
and a code of ethics and discip
line. It is because of this situa
19
tion in small and medium size con
tracts.
The Corporation has been mak
ing sincere efforts in fulfilling its
primary objectives of obviating
the practice of rings being formed
by the private contractors to in
flate the rates, avoiding unhealthy
influence resulting in sub-standard
work, elimination of delay in exe
cution of works by combining the
advantage of departmental cons
truction with flexibility and speed
of commercial firms and at the
same time giving a fair deal to the
clients and its workers. The Cor
poration has already made a name
for itself for quality, speed and
economy in construction. Some
of the prestigious works executed
under execution by it such as New
Helicopter factory at Bangalore,
603-bed military hospital complex
no at Calcutta, Capital Complex for
M.P. PWD and IMA at Dehra Dun
and many other intricated jobs all
over the country have been com
mended not only by the clients but
also by several others in the field,
for quality workmanship.
for The Corporation is presently
a having more than 24 prestigious
major jobs all over the country
which include, besides residential
quarters, specialised jobs such as
bridges and cy-overs, piling works,
tube-railway works, extensive fac
tory works, airstrips and hangars
and township works including
planning, designing and execution.
MODERN TECHNIQUES
The Corporation has realised
the need to professionalise the
construction management particu
larly as the construction industry
is becoming day by day more and
more complex. Rapid improve
ment in design and technology in
the field has added new dimensions
to this industry. Skilful and eco
nomical use of scarce material of
construction has become inevitable
because of unexpected high esca
lations in prices and non-availabi
lity of even essential material of
construction. Rapid increase in
the cost of labour rates non-avail
ability of the right type of skilled
workers and magnitude and nature
of the jobs involved have lead to
new techniques in construction
with their inherent problems.
Continued on Page 26
MARCH 22, 1975
 Bill JDM IBASIS Wily (AIIlālāſa is
ſåWDUIalſº ſº |N|S|| |||||||||N

Rich natural resouces.mineral, A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

Comparatively more peaceful and positive approach towards -

cordial industrial relations. industrial development of the State,

ºNº
º
ºntº
º

º | "...º.º.
Ø º
\\ |LPº
A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy,
including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water & power at concessional
YSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc.,

sºlº -

W
2,2 | Nº.

Financial assistance to educated 15% Central subsidy for under

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur,

For details, please contact?

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedl, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 56000)

SOCIALIST INDIA 20 MARCH 22, 1975


Hill Areas:
Problems Of
Development—II
REISHING KISHANG
Finance Minister, Manipur
Transport and communications
in the hill areas are still very un
satisfactory. Excluding four Sub
Divisional headquarters whose
boundaries are co-terminus with
that of the Hill District head
quarters, most of the hill Sub
Divisions are yet to be connected
with the district headquarters by
proper transports facilities. A
larger number of villages in the
hills are not provided with even
a fair weather road. To cite an
instance, in the Manipur North
District, out of 405 villages, only
44 have pucca roads and the rest
of the villages are either connected
by kutcha roads or no roads at all.
Just as the road network is rela
tively undeveloped in the hills, so
also there is imbalance in respect
of the number of vehicles availa
ble for passenger traffic. Thus,
while the number of vehicles per
1,000 kms is 11 for the whole
State, it is two for the North Dis
trict, four for East District, six
for the South District and three
for the West District.
Construction of roads in the
hills is necessary not only from
the administrative or law and or
der point of view but also from
that of agricultural development
in particular and economic deve
lopment in general. Foodgrains
and various other agricultural
products are found in plenty in
some interior pockets. But they
cannot be shifted to the centres
of consumption even within the
same Sub-Division or District for
want of proper communication
facilities. To quote an instance,
Tousem Sub-Division is surplus in
foodgrains while the rest of the
Tamenglong District is deficit. At
the same time, for want of pro
ber transport facilities, the dis
trict cannot make use of the sur
plus foodgrains. In the same way,
vegetables, fruits, ginger and other
SOCIALIST INDIA
consumer items grown in the hills
mostly go waste as they cannot be
transported to the nearest mar
keting centres. Regarding basic
facilities in the matter of availa
bility of electricity also, the posi
tion is far from being satisfac
tory. Thus, out of 214 villages in
the State which have been elec
trified only 21 are in the hills. The
position in respect of medical and
health facilities is also far below
the State level. Thus, out of 11
hospitals in the State, there are
only three in the hills, one each
in North, West and South District.
LOW LITERACY RATE
The literacy rate for the hill
areas is lower than that of the
State as a whole. The percentage
of literacy for the State was 30.42
in 1961 and 32.91 in 1971 respec
tively. On the other hand, the cor
responding percentages, for Sche
duled Tribes were 27.25 and 28.71
respectively. As a matter of fact,
there are only two colleges, 7
Higher Secondary Schools and 38
High Schools in the hill areas
which comprise nearly nine-tenths
of the geographical area and one
third of the total population of the
State.
Of the constituent units of the
North Eastern region, while
Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram
and Arunachal Pradesh are tribal
States|Union Territories, there is
quite a significant proportion of
tribal population in Manipur
(31.18 per cent), Tripura (29.1
per cent) and Assam. The solu
tion of the various problems of
the people of the region in gene
ral and the tribals in particular
requires a common and coordinated
approach in the shape of a fron
tal attack against backwardness.
Separated, as it is, from the rest
of India by Bangladesh, the North
Eastern region forms a distinct
grographical unit comprising 8
per cent of the total area of the
country. A more significant dis
tinctive feature of the region is
its extreme economic backward
ness. Even after two and a half
decades of economic planning, the
area remains by far the most
backward region in the country—
a land of poverty and squalor in
the midst of plenty provided by
nature.
Considerable stress is to be laid,
for a long time to come, on the
satisfactory development of the
basic infrastructure in the fields of
communication, skills, administra
tive machinery, etc., to open up for
number of hitherto inaccessible
areas. This will not be possible in
the foreseeable future unless there
is considerable relaxation of the
financial criteria and the Centre
takes most of the initiative with
the active support of the financial
institution. Despite its tremend
ous potential for future develop
ment, ability of the region to de
velop itself is at the moment very
uegligible in view of the undeve
loped state of basic infrastructure
in many respects notably commu
nications. It is one of the most
important pre-conditions for rapid
industrialisation of the region.
Rapid industrialisation of the
region requires more incentives
than are available at present. In
accordance with the decision of
the NDC, based on the recommen
dations of the Pande Commit
tee and the Wanchoo Commission,
no doubt the Government of In
dia has undertaken a scheme for
providing incentives to industries
in backward areas. These incen
tives are not adequate in many
ways and certain provisions of the
scheme need liberalisation.
MASSIVE DRIVE NEEDED
The bulk of the population in
this region being in rural areas
and agriculture and allied activi
ties providing maximum employ
ment and livelihood, this sector of
the economy needs considerable
development. For this, a massive
drive is necessary:
i. to cultivate all cultivable land
and control jhumming through a
phased and time-bound program
me;
ii. To fight drought and scarcity
of water in the countryside;
iii. To assist small and marginal
farmers to make the best use of
their small holdings by under
taking horticulture, animal hus
bandry, dairying, bee-keeping, etc,
and;
iv. To change suitably the crop
Continued on Page 26
MARCH 22, 1975
 got all our fig.
º's

7 flights a week to New York

11 flights a yueek to Europe.
Qur 747s fly 8 times a week to London,
4 times to Frankfurt, 5 times to Rome and Paris
and our 707s twice to Moscow and once to
Geneva and London.
one ſlight daily by 747 via the Middle East and
Europe. The return trip will cost less than the
one-way fare if you fly on our Excursion Fare.

Also every week:

3 flights to
EAST AFRICA
10 flights to
SOUTH EAST ASIA
6 flights to
JAPAN

2 flights to
MAURITIUS
2 flights to
AUSTRALIA

18 flights a week to the Middle East.

5 flights to Kuwait and Beirut, 3 to Dubai and
Bahrain. 2 each to Abu Dhabi, Dhahran
ºnema on tº Aden. Museº Poh. A. J. Zºº F-4/º/, //º
-

moetatist nota ſº - MARCM sº, 1978


Report Of The Fact-Finding
Committee On Newspaper Economics
The Fact-Finding Committee on
Newspaper Economics suggested,
in its 650-page report that the
Monopolies and Restrictive Trade
Practices Commission (MRTPC)
should have the authority to go
into unhealthy practices in the
newspaper industry with a view to
curbing the monopolistic tenden
cies in the industry. The report,
which expressed grave concern
over the monopolistic tendencies in
the newspaper industry, also re
commended that the MRTPC
should be empowered to deal with
any case of suspected monopoly in
the industry.
The report was presented to
Parliament on March 7.
The Committee made another
important recommendation that
the Government should control the
price of newspapers on the same
lines as those of essential commo
dities. The Committee also fav
oured delinking of newspapers
from the industrial houses and dif
fusion of ownership of newspapers
in order to broaden the ownership
base, covering even employees out
side the groups of original owners.
The Committee said newspapers
provide a very essential service in
the democratic structure and it
would be undesirable to allow
monopoly elements to continue or
to grow in this industry and ser
vice.
SUSPECTED MONOPOLY
In the interest of proper evalu
ation of the monopoly element in
the newspaper industry and its im
pact on prices, costs and profitabi
lity, the Committee recommended
that the Central Government
should, in the exercises of its
powers under the Monopolies Act
and all other powers enabling in
that behalf, call upon the news
Papers to furnish to the Govern
ment periodically information con
terming the activities carried on by
the undertaking, the connections
*00LALIST INDIA
between it and any other under
taking to prevent monopolistic ten
dencies.
The Committee suggested that
the MRTPC should be given pow
ers to examine any case of suspec
ted monopoly in the field of news
papers without limitation to the
value of the assets of the under
taking and the Central Govern
ment should be enabled, by suit
able amendment of the MRTPC
Act, to refer the matter to the
Commission for enquiry into mono
polistic trade practices prevailing
in respect of newspapers, irrespec
tive of the fact that it was not a
monopolistic undertaking within
the meaning of the Act. Besides,
the Commission should be enabled
under the Act to itself enquire into
such practices upon its own know
ledge or information.
A strong indicator of the exist
ence of monopoly element, accord
ing to the Committee, is “price
leadership” of large newspapers.
It has become patent for some
time that price increases are initi
ated only by a small number of
leading papers. The other papers
just follow suit. There might be
informal consultations and agree
ments among themselves regard
ing the increase in prices, indicat
ing the operation of cartel agree
ments.
Not a single newspaper manage
ment could clearly indicate the
basis for fixing the price of their
papers and their advertisement
rates. It does not appear to have
any scientific basis on which price
fixation has been done.
The industry's average cost of
nroduction and distribution of a try of Finance; Shri K. C. Raman,
daily of standard size, having ap
proximately 2500 sq. cms and ten
nages per copy was 33 paise in
1973. The profit margin per copy
was 3.3 paise.
The report has recommended
that the Government should con
23
trol prices of newspapers on the
same lines as the prices of other
essential commodities. There is
need for controlling the prices and
rates for advertisement space of
the monopolistic dailies.
For this purpose, it is necessary
that a law like the Newspapers
(Price Control) Act 1972, which
lapsed in May 1974 should be en
acted without imposing any time
limit.
DIFFUSION OF OWNERSHIP
On delinking of newspapers in
terests from other business, th
Committtee feels that the main
economic advantage of such de
linking will be that newspaper pro
fits would not be capable of being
easily used for purposes other than
operating newspapers. There have
been a number of cases of close
connection between non-newspaper
business and the business of run
ning newspapers. Newspaper pro
fits have been used for acquiring
shares in industrial enterprises.
Deposits attracted from the public
in the name of newspapers have
been used for a variety of purpo
ses, sometimes creating difficulties
in meeting the repayment obliga
tions.
Regarding the diffusion of own
ership, the Committee said looking
again from the purely economic
standpoint, the question of diffu
sion of ownership was imporant in
the extent that it changed the
capital structure, improved mange
ment and reduced costs. If diffu
sion of ownership meant not only
a reallocation of the existing
shares, creation of equity rights
against internal reserves or
against new contribution, the posi
tion would become substantially
different from what it is now.
MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE
Th following were the members of .
the Committee: Dr. Bhabatosh
Datta, retired Professor of Econo
mics, Presidency College, Calcutta
(Chairman); Shri R. Rajagonalan,
Chief Cost Accounts Officer. Minis
retired Production Manager. Messrs.
Bennett Coleman and Company
Limited, Bombay; Shri I. P. Gupta,
Officer on Special Duty. Central
Board of Direct Taxes. Mihistry of
Finance; Bawa Shiv Charan Singh,
Advocate, High Court (Memhers)
and Shri A. Datta-Majumdar (Mem
ber-Secretary).
MARCH 22, 1975
 It might be expected that with a
diffusion of ownership that is, with
a reduction in the management
powers of small groups, the over
all management would become
careful and, therefore, more econo
mics minded than at present. Dif
fusion of ownership might also put
an end to the practice of high
salaried appointments to the mem
bers of the owner-groups.
The Committee felt that con
tracts between newspaper firms
and distributing firms should be
examined to uncover any restric
tive arrangements. One recent
instance of a restrictive practice
rose from the publication of a sepa
rately priced Sunday magazine
which buyers of the main paper
were compelled to purchase.
The MRTPC found it a restric
tive practice. There are also ins
tances of newspapers compelling
their advertisers to pay a joint
rate for their two different editions
as a monopolistic trade practice
prejudicial to public interest.
While it is desirable that the sell
ing price of a newspaper should be
as low as possible, the final retail
sale, minus sales commission can
not be lower than the price that
can be realised for a newspaper as
waste material as otherwise it
would be profitable for a news
paper undertaking to sell it as
waste, thereby leading to misuse of
valuable newsprint.
The report said that the average
rate of profit before taxation, inte
rest and bonus earned by the 115
dailies included in the study
amounted to Rs. 11.4 per cent of
the total net revenues of 29.6 per
cent on capital represented by net
assets employed on average.
SMALL NEWSPAPERS
In the case of small newspapers
in general there are many which
are open or concealed subsidiaries
of larger units. The Committee,
therefore, feels it necessary to in
stitute a special enquiry as to whe
ther such relationship exists be
tween small papers and larger
papers.
An undesirable development in
the industry is the formation of
separate companies for holding
assets for newspaper undertakings.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The assets may include land, build
ings, plant and machinery. What
really should be the profits of
newspapers are shown as profits
of a different company.
The Committee, which went into
the revenue and costs of daily
newspapers, stated that newspaper
as an industry was highly profit
able and losses were “by and large”
insignificant. It studied the profit
ability of 63 newspaper concerns
taken together were Rs. 71 crores.
Miscellaneous income such as in
come from jobs, interest received
and other items aggregated to
nearly Rs. four crores for the same
year.
The net advertisement revenues
in 1973 accounted for 53.3 per cent
of the total revenue while revenues
from sales of newspapers and peri
odicals were 46.7 per cent. Other
income amounted to an equivalent
of a little over six per cent.
Among the expenditure items
material costs in 1973 were of the
order of 42 per cent, while the
employees' costs accounted for 28
per cent. All other expenses
amounted to 27 per cent.
The Committee said that the
profits before taxes earned by the
industry as a whole in 1973 work
ed out to nearly nine per cent of
the total revenues which was the
highest rate amongst the seven
years from 1967 to 1973.
The profitability figures studied
in terms of dividends declared, ad
ditions to retained earnings and
rates of return on capital employ
ed revealed that quite a few major
newspaper concerns had been
earning profits considerably in ex
cess of the normal rate of return
which the Government generally
allowed in price fixation.
The subscription paid by any in
dividual newspaper to the news
agencies such as the UNI and PTI
on whom the newspapers primari
ly depend for news represented
only 1.5 per cent of the cost of
production of newspapers.
The Committee felt if the pay
ment of higher rates to the news
agencies improved the quality and
coverage of their service, the bene
fit would accrue to the newspapers
themselves.
The Committee said that the
losses suffered by newspaper un
dertakings were generally insigni
ficant. Those undertakings which
made losses of some significance
had been identified. Plausible rea
sons could not be established for
losses in those undertakings.
The Committee, therefore, re
commended that a more detailed
study of these concerns might be
undertaken to identify the causes
that might lead to possible reme
dies.
CIRCULATION
The Committee has re-emphasis
ed the Press Commission's recom
mendation that every newspaper
should be constituted as a sepa
rate unit so that its profits and
losses are definitely ascertainable
and both proprietors and emplo
yees know where they stand. The
accounts of each paper should
clearly show its physical assets,
personnel, revenues from different
sources and costs incurred for dif
ferent purposes. Newspapers
should keep their accounts on a
unified pattern and in a form
which will be useful for analysis.
While it will not be desirable
to put any limit on the total cir
culation of a paper and even on
its share of the total market, a
close watch has to be kept on the
consequences of expansion and also
on restrictive or unfair competi
tive methods used by a newspaper
in boosting sales and advertise:
ment revenues.
The committee suggested that
the Government should examine
continuously whether any open
or hidden amalgamation, merger,
takeover, cartel arrangements
are appearing on the scene.
It said most of the 98 under
takings owning 140 dailies select:
ed for a detailed study were gen:
erally reluctant even to furnish
the annual accounts containing the
balance-sheets and profit and 108°
accounts. - -
Pointing out certain disturbing
trends noticed in the course ºf
the study, the Committee sº
that some newspaper under
ings have been raising funds frº
the public in the form of fixed
loans of deposits or any other for"
MARCH zº, tº

in an increasing measure. Most of
these undertakings collected trade
deposits from newspaper agents.
In the case of some newspaper
undertakings, the amount expand
ed on land and building was con
siderably in excess of the re
quirements of newspaper busi
ness. These were mostly in the
nature of investments in immov
able property unrelated to news
paper business.
The Committee said that many
newspaper undertakings have in
vested funds in acquiring shares
in other companies. Current as
sets in the newspaper industry
which amount to Rs. 17.84 cro
res in 1967, Rs. 36 crores in 1973.
Most newspaper concerns have
diverted large funds for use un
related to newspaper business.
These were of the order of Rs. 17
crores up to 1973.
In 1973, the newspaper acti.
THE CASE FOR DELINKING
AND DIFFUSION
“NATIONAL HERALD'S' PLEA
The “National Herald” in its
first editorial on March 9, entitled,
“Street of Stink” commented on
the report thus:
“The Newspaper Economics In
quiry Committee's report not only
makes a strong case for delinking
and diffusion but destroys what
ever case has been made against
them privately and publicly by
the Union Information Ministry
and others . . .
“The committee has, with the
statistics it has collected, knocked
out the basis of the case made
against delinking and diffusion.
There need be no fear that de
linking would mean denudation
of capital. A study of dividends,
declared additions to retained
earnings and rates of return on
capital has shown that quite a few
major newspaper concerns have
been earning profits considerably
in excess of the normal rate of re
turn which the Government gene
rally allow in price fixation.
Losses suffered by newspaper un
SoCºAy, "ST INDIA
vity of 63 selected undertakings
vielded a profit of Rs. 6.27 crores
while the total profit was Rs. six
crores. Thus, non-newspaper acti
vity meant a total loss of Rs. 27
lakhs, in addition to the loss on
trading shares excluded from the
computation.
The Committee has recommend
ed a full investigation into the
affairs of those newspapers against
whom complaints of irregularities
have been received from accredit
ed organisation or have been dis
covered in the course of its study.
The Committee said that every
possible effort should be made to
reduce the country's newsprint im
ports. The foreign exchange sav
ings in just two successive years
will be adequate to justify addi
tional investment in the produc
tion of newsprint in the country.
As a measure of help to small
and medium newspapers it has
dertakings are generally insigni
ficant and the undertakings have
been identified. The committee's
report gives enough instances of
interlinking not only among news
papers but between newspaper
business and non-newspaper busi
ness. The delinking has to be real,
not a feeble form of trusteeship.
The Monopolies and Restrictive
Trade Practices Act, 1969, is to be
applied to newspaper monopoly,
which usually arises from common
ownership, varying upon the old
definition of monopoly by the
Press Commission, by suitable
amendments of the act. Pending
legislation for delinking, it is re
commended that newspaper pro
fits should not be used for non
newspaper purposes.
“Diffusion has been misunder
stood as revolutionary. It is
spreading even in a capitalist coun
try like Japan. It changes the
capital structure, assuring a
healthy social objective, improves
management and reduces costs. In
recommending both, the commit
tee notes the tendency to allow
equity rights to employees in a
shabby manner, some newspapers
having given employees status to
more and more members of the
proprietary groups, and the new
-
been suggested that NEPA news
print which is cheaper than the
imported one, should be reserved
for them. NEPA newsprint should
not, however, be made available
to those small and medium news
papers which are linked by com
mon ownership to large papers.
The Committee has expressed
agreement with the general prin
ciple that newspapers should de
vote greater part of their space to
news and has found 60-40 ratio
between news and advertisements
commendable. However, as long as
the present newsprint shortage
continues, the news and advertise
ment ratio of the total space
should be around 50-50. By trying
to make short-term gain through
a large-scale increase in the ad
vertisement space ratio, news
papers may harm themselves, par
ticularly when other media like
ratio or the cinema screen could
reach a large number of people.
habit of formation of separate
companies for holding the assets
of newspaper undertaking. The
committee has, like the Press Com
mission, recommended immediate
separation of accounts. Not the
least important recommendation is
full investigation into the affairs
of some monopolistic newspapers,
which remind people, as they did
at the time of the Press Commis
sion, that the newspaper industry
in its crucial points is more a
racket than an industry. If the
Government do not act even now,
they will invoke more paper re
volutions, which can be a nuisance,
by more newspaper barons.”
Cº. IT KERALA QR KASHMI}
ASSAM OR GUARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
MARCH 22, 1975

* , ,------ -- - --- - - - the fruits of progress to
CONTINUATION
INDO-AFGHAN RELATIONS
Continued from Page 17
tural cooperation between the two
countries. It also enabled them to
enlarge and reinforce
tions which are based on
common historical and
heritage.
It is well-known that during his
tenure as Prime Minister
Afghanistan (1953-63)
Daoud did much to build up friend
ly ties with India. As such Presi
dent Daoud represents a country
with which India has deep and
strong bonds of history and cul
ture—a relationship that goes back
to and beyond Ashoka and Kan
ishka.
PROBLEMS OF HILL AREAS
Continued from Page 21
ping pattern to maximise produc
tion and ensuring balance
ween cereals, horticulture
and cash crops.
So far as horticulture is con
cerned it is necessary to take steps
to halt the phenomenon of “citrus
decline” on account of the age
old neglect of the orchards in
terms of cropping practices, nu
trition, plant protection, etc., which
have caused high mortality in
plants and sapping the vitality ef
the remaining plants. Whatever
ameliorative measures taken
far prove to be more palliatives
and the growers have not raised
their hands in despair and the in
dustry is in wilderness.
A great majority of the tribals
depend on wasteful jhum cultiva
tion. They lead a strenuous life
of perpetual poverty. Efforts to
bring these people to settle life
could not succeed in the past be
cause of their reluctance to ac
cept the new order due to a psy
chological sense of insecurity that
preoccupies their minds. But the
time has come when we should
embark on some bold and imagi
native measures to bring home
SOCIALIST INDIA
--
these
UP
long-suffered people.
In fact, it is necessary to make
massive efforts against poverty,
unemployment, diseases and what
not, to make the region a happier
home to live. It requires a new
strategy of developing a net-work
of feeder roads, improvement of
horticultural crops, introduction of
their rela new crop and bring new areas
our under cultivation by ensuring irri
cultural gation and reclamation and ter
racing of the hill slopes. For this,
funds are required to ensure so
cial justice and uplift the down
of trodden people.
Sardar
Of course, more provision for
finance is not enough. The deve
lopment of these inaccessible re
gions required a lot of surveys and
investigations for which technical
expertise is very much needed. It
is needless to emphasise the urg
ent necessity of looking into this
aspect also on a priority basis.
N.B.C.C. FORGES AHEAD
Continued from Page 19
Need for efficient and effective
bet management of men, materials
crops and techniques in the industry
was therefore self-evident.
As a result of expansion and
diversification, employment poten
tial both in the technical and non
technical field has substantially
increased since 1972 and the Cor
poration can boast of its contribu
tion in a small way to reduction in
unemployment problem, at least in
certain technical fields.
so The Mechanised Brick Plant set
up by the Corporation near Sul
tanpur village in Delhi has started
showing rapid improvement. The
technical imbalances brought out
by the Expert Committee in 1972
have since been removed. Even
without the removal of the im
balances, the plant showed in
creased production from 1971-72
onwards from 52 lakhs to 114
lakhs of burnt bricks in 1973-74.
Had it not been for shortage of
coal, furnace oil and electric
power, the performance could have
been still better. The diversifica
tion of products presently intro
duced at the plant has also started
paying.
20
The Corporation has been mak
ing earnest efforts for securing
foreign contracts in West Asia
and East European countries.
Though it has not yet met with
tangible results, efforts will conti
nue to be made in this direction,
knowing fully well that India has
a large skilled and unskilled labour
force and technical expertise be
sides some of the material of cons
truction to offer for export. In
this connection, the proposal to
form a consortium of companies
engaged in the field of civil cons.
truction and consultancy services
to avoid cut-throat competition
amongst Indian bidders abroad
and to utilise their joint expertise
in the expert field is worth consi
deration.
W. GODAVARI CAMP
Continued from Page 11
Shri L. Lakshmandas high
lighted the performance of the Con
gress party under the leadership
of Smt. Indira Gandhi and
Shri J. Vengalarao.
Shri T. Hayagrivachari spoke
about the principles and program
mes of the Congress Party and
the various attempts of the Op
position parties to thwart the
progressive measures initiated by
the Congress Governments. He ap
pealed to the Congress workers to
develop self-confidence among
themselves and to work hard to
strengthen the organisation and to
mobilise people around the party.
Sri T. Venkatramayya explained
about the concept of Democratic
Socialism and suggested a prº
gramme for implementation by the
Congress workers to strengthen
the organisation as an effective in"
strument to solve the problems
confronting the country.
The lectures were inspiring and
the discussions that followed wº
of a high order.
On the eye of the training camp.
Sevadal workers, under the lead.”
ship
ed in ofmaintaining
Shri Satyanarayana. he".
the discipline at
the camp. At the end, Shri ".
Mrutyunjayarao thanked all ſº
cooperting with him in making tº
camp a great success.
Manch m. "

NEW ERA USHERED IN
I can look back with considera
ble satisfaction over the last three
years of progress in Punjab. There
have been droughts and shortage
of fertilisers, diesel, power and
essential raw material but the peo
ple of Punjab, undaunted and un
ruffled, have surged forward
steadily to increased agricultural
and industrial production and ex
pand medical, educational and wel
fare activities.
There have also been attempts
at whipping up reactionary frenzy,
unholy communal alliances, de
monstrations and gheraos with a
view to disturbing peace and blun
ting the edge of the people's deter
mination to march ahead. But
these have proved to be exercises
in futility.
The people of Punjab have not
been lured by spurious political
slogans of the selfish reactionary
parties and combines. Placing
their confidence in the inspiring
leadership of our Prime Minister,
Shrimati Indira Gandhi, un-mind
ful of difficulties, hardships, shor
tages and natural calamities, they
Giani Zail Singh was felicitated by the Congress President, Shri Dev
Kanta Borooah, on the successful completion of three years of his
Ministry in Punjab.
|OCIALIST INDIA
GIANI ZAIL SINGH,
Chief Minister, Punjab
have toiled hard to make Punjab
prosperous, happy and strong.
I have no desire to gloat over
the achievements of the people of
Punjab, aided and guided by their
own Government, during the last
three years. But a cursory glance
over them will be sufficient to con
vince even the most virulent cri
tics and advocates of reaction that,
given peace and stability, Punjab
in a decade or so will be the envy
of even the most prosperous re
gions of Europe.
FOOD PRODUCTION
During the past three years,
strenuous efforts were made by the
State Government to provide basic
necessities of life to every citizen:
food, shelter, clothing, medical aid
and education. In addition, job
opportunities were provided to a
large number of educated, unedu
cated, skilled and unskilled per
SonS.
The peasantry of Punjab, with
the help of Government agencies,
worked hard to supply food to
Continued on Page 29
27
PUNJAB Governor
LAUD’S C.N1.’s
PROGRESSIVE
POLICIES
Shri M. M. Chaudhury, Gover
nor of Punjab, in a message issu
ed on the occasion of comple
tion of three years of the Giani
Zail Singh Ministry in Punjab
has said:
“The Giani Zail Singh Ministry
completes three eventful years
in the service of the people of
Punjab.
“It has been my privilege to
watch closely the implementation
of the progressive policies of the
Zail Singh Ministry and it is,
indeed, a matter of great satis
faction that in spite of heavy
odds the State has forged ahead
very creditably towards our
cherished goal of equality and
prosperity. The quantum of
economic and social advance
ment recorded in this short
period must afford both content
ment and hope to the people at
large.
“For the first time since
Independence concrete work has
taken shape for the uplift of
the weaker sections of our so
ciety.”
“The sturdy outlook of Pun
jab's peasantry combined with
numerous incentives provided by
the Government has helped in a
remarkable breakthrough in the
agricultural sector even in the
face of unfavourable weather,
power shortage and scarcity of
fertilizers.
“To augment the effective
wealth of the State and to
create a large number of job
opportunities, the Government
has done its best for the rapid
and balanced industrialisation of
the State.
“By enrolling over half a mil
lion children in primary schools
and by opening a large number
of other such schools, the States
is approaching the threshold of
cent per cent enrolment in the
6-11 age group”.
“Let the next year be better
than any of the earlier ones. My
best wishes to the Government
and people of Punjab.”
MARCH 22, 1075
 THREE YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS
* Production of foodgrains has risen from 73.05
lakh tonnes in 1970-71 to 77.28 lakh tonnes in 1973-74
as compared to the target of 75 lakh tonnes. The
production is expected to shoot up to 81.00 lakh
tonnes in 1974-75. The State's contribution to the
National Food Reserves in 1974-75 was more than
55 per cent for wheat and 40 per cent for rice.
* The integrated development of industries
was undertaken and focal points with infrastructural
facilities were set up at Mohali, Dhandari Kalan and
Rapura; setting up of 25 new such points have also to
be taken in hand; Sixty two letters of intent and 69
industrial licences were obtained for an investment
of about Rs. 300 crores.
* A fertiliser plant with a capacity of 900
tonnes of Ammonia and 1,550 tonnes Urea is being
set up at Bhatinda at a cost of Rs. 130 crores. Letters
of intent were arranged for 28 projects in public and
joint sectors. In addition, over 8,450 small-scale in
dustrial units were established.
* Over 2,000 rickshaw pullers have been made
proud owners of their rickshaws. This number will
be doubled by the end of 1975-76. An ambitious
programme of fitting engines on rickshaws has also
been initiated.
* Free house sites have been allotted to over
2,00,000 landless agricultural families and Rs. 1.8
crores are being spent as subsidy and loans for house
construction on these plots. Plots are also being
arranged for the remaining 80,000 families at a cost
of rupees two crores during the year.
* Three years ago only 5,697 villages were
linked by metalled roads. This number has since
500IALIST INDIA
gone upto 11,325. The remaining villages will also
get linked by the end of the current Inancial year.
* Over 670 primary and middle schools have
been upgraded and 2,500 more primary schools open
ed. Percentage of school-going children has risen
from 83.1 in 1971-72 to 93.7 in 1974-75. The Scheme
of employment-oriented education, undertaken dur
ing the year began in over 150 middle and high
schools which were selected for the purpose.
* Milk plants worth Rs. 3.25 crores were set up
and special cattle-breeding programmes were launch
ed. Consequently, the per capita availability of
milk was raised to 404 grams as against 112 grams
for the country.
* Over 21,250 persons were given old age pen
sion. Besides, special programmes were undertaken
for the welfare of destitute women and children.
* Special health programmes in the form of
medical and civic “manthans” were launched and
intensive health care was provided at the very doors
of needy persons.
* Reservation for direct recruitment to Gov"
ernment service for the scheduled castes and back
ward classes has been raised to 25 per cent and 5
per cent respectively and massive programmes have
been launched for their social, educational and econo"
mic betterment.
* The per capita income in Punjab has risen
form Rs. 995 in 1970-71 to Rs. 1105; it is the highest
in the country today.
PRD.
MARCH 22, 1979
ZAIL SINGH ON PUNJAB'S
PROGRESS
Continued from Page 27
other States by adopting new farm
technology. More liberal financial
assistance was made available to
the farmers for the purchase of
agricultural implements, fertilisers
and farm requirements and
arrangements were made for suffi
cient supply of diesel, fertilisers
and insecticides to meet their re
quirements.
As a result of incentives
guidance, the industrious farmers
produced 77.28 lakh tonnes of
foodgrains in 1973-74 against a
fixed target of 75 lakh tonnes. The
production of foodgrains this year
is expected to go up to 81 lakh
tonnes. Though Punjab is not a
rice-producing State, it has contri
buted 9 lakh tonnes of rice to the
central pool this year amounting
to 40 per cent contribution to the
national reserve.
In order to raise the standard
of small and marginal farmers,
numerous schemes have been
undertaken and loans worth lakhs
of rupees provided to them to in
stall tubewells and purchase of
milch cattle.
Milk collecting and chilling cen
tres have been set up in various
parts of the State. We hope to
raise the milk production from 57
to 75 lakh litres a day by the end
of the Fifth Plan.
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
Vigorous steps have been taken
for the rapid industrialisation of
the State. Over 8,450 new small
scale units were registered since
March, 1972 and all possible help
rendered to the industrialists in
the form of financial assistance,
technical guidance and supply of
raw material. Large and medium
Scale industrial projects were also
established in order to help the
small-scale units. About 40 medium
and large-scale industries, such as
indigenous tractors, dry cell batte
ries, TV sets, steel billets, bre
wery, nylon, re-inforced leather
belting, have started production.
A fertiliser plant with a capacity
SOCIALIST INDIA -
of 900 tonnes of ammonia and
1,550 tonnes of urea, is also being
set up at Bhatinda, at a cost of
Rs. 130 crores.
In the field of education our
aim has been to enrol cent per cent
students from the age-group of
6-11 years in the schools.
To achieve this, over 2500 primary
schools were opened and the per
centage of school-going children of
this age group was raised from
83.1 to 93.7 during the last three
years. After providing for a pri
mary school in every village, we
and propose to convert the schools into
model schools to raise the edu
cational standards of our students.
A new programme in the form
of “medical manthan” has been in
troduced in the State under which
medical aid was provided to the
people living in the remotest cor
ner of the State at their door
steps. Under the expansion of
medical facilities, 222 allopathic
and 113 Unani Ayurvedic and
Homoeopathic dispensaries have
been opened in the far-flung villa
ges. Besides, a number of hospitals
have been upgraded. As a result.
the average life span of male and
female population has risen to
63.5 and 58.6 years, respectively,
in Punjab whereas the correspon
ding average for the whole coun
try is 57.3 and 56.0 years.
The development of backward
and border areas of the State has
received special care of the the
Government during these years.
Under an ambitious programme of
providing running filtered water.
over 1,617 villages out of a total
of 3,100 villages, where such faci
lities were badly needed, have been
covered during these three years
at a cost of Rs. 12.30 crores as
against only 237 villages covered
in 18 years before the present
Ministry took over the administra
tion of the State.
HOUSE-SITES FOR LANDLESS
Another spectacular achieve
ment of which the present Govern
ment can take legitimate pride
was the allotment of free house
sites to the rural homeless in the
State. By now two lakhs such per
sons have been allotted house
sites, while land for the remain
ing 1.12 lakh families is being ac
quired at a cost of Rs. 2 crores
during 1975-76. The cooperative
housing societies of these persons
are being formed to enable them
to construct their houses on these
plots.
Three years ago, only 5,697 vil
lages were linked with metalled
roads whereas now 11,325 villages
have been put on the road map of
the State at a cost of Rs. 50 cro
res. The remaining few villages
will be linked with town and
“mandies” through metalled roads
by the end of March, 1976.
The Government has taken keen
interest in the welfare of the
Scheduled Castes and other Back
ward Classes, Attractive loans are
being advanced to them to start
business and set up new industries.
Scholarships of various amounts
are also being given to their chil
dren besides concessions in the
form of reimbursement of exami
nation and tution fees. Reservation
for direct recruitment to Govern
ment service for the members of
the Scheduled Castes and Back
ward Classes has been enhanced
to 25 per cent and five per cent,
respectively.
More than 2,000 rickshaw drivers
have been made owners of their
rickshaws, so as to create a feel
ing of self-respect amongst them.
This number will be doubled at the
end of 1975-76. In order to further
help them we also propose to fit
engines on their rickshaws.
About 7,000 freedom fighters
were sanctioned central pensions
and awarded “tamra patras”. Two
seats in the medical colleges have
been reserved for their children.
The mother of Sardar Bhagat
Singh, was honoured as “Punjab
Mata”. Relatives of Lala Lajpat
Rai were also honoured at a spe
cial function at Chandigarh last
month. The ashes of Shaheed
Udham Singh were brought from
London and interned at a memo
rial built in his memory at Sunam,
the birthplace of the martyr.
I am confident that the people
of Punjab will continue to extend
their unstinted cooperation to the
Government as they have done so
far in ushering in an era of happi
ness and prosperity for all and
exploitation of none.
—w
MARCH 22, 1975
 D E L H |
A CITY OF GROWTH AND CHALLENGES
TAKES RAPID STRIDES ON ITS ONWARD MARCH
SALIENT FEATEES OF DEVELOPMENT IN LAST TWO YEARS

Industry:
New Industrial complex is coming up at Narela. 862 industrial
sheds constructed for 1,000 unemployed engineers.
Half a million jobs programme:
56 new schemes in action for providing jobs to about 19,000 edu
cated unemployed. Special Employment Schemes at a cost of Rs. 20
lakhs have been launched this year.
Education:
Training programmes to give work-experience-cum-science orienta
tion to education started.
Welfare of the Harijans:
Several additional schemes for the welfare of Harijans and Back
ward classes initiated by doubling the original IV Plan outlay. 200
Harijan Bastis improved.
Medical Facilities: -

Ten new dispensaries were opened in 1973-74 raising their number

to 50 in backward and Jhuggi Jhompri areas. Two 500-beded hospitals
being constructed.
For Farmers:
Marginal Farmer's Agricultural, Landless Labourer's Agency set
up to help small farmers with grants and cheap loans. -

Semen Bank and exotic Holstein-Fraesian Cow Farm established.

Priorities given for providing increased civic amenities housing and
sluns clearance, mitigation of unemployment and welfare of weaker sec
tion in Delhi's Fifth Five-Year Plan.
Let us put forth our best in Building a Better Delhi.
ISSUED BY THE DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION AND
PUBLICITY, DELHI ADMINISTRATION, DELHI.

HARYANA has made spectacular headway in different fields since its emergence as a separate State
in the Indian Union. The following facts speak for themselves:-
FOODGRAINS
Haryana today is not only self-sufficient in its requirements of foodgrains, but also has grown surplus
from a deficit State in 1966.
IRRIGATION
The total canal irrigated area in the State rose to 40.88 lakh acres in 1974 as compared to $3.57 lakh
acres (13.59 lac hectares) in 1967-68.
The number of energised tubewells in the State today stands at 1,33,000, as against 29,000 in May,
1968.
ELECTRICITY
Whereas only one out of every five villages had been electrified by May, 1968, the electrification of
the entire rural area was completed by November, 1970. The State was first in the country to have
achieved cent per cent rural electrification. -

INDUSTRY
The number of registered small scale industries units in the State at the end of 1973-74 was 14,308
as against 4,598 in May, 1968.
PURE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY
The number of villages enjoying the benefits of pure drinking water supply six years ago was just
203. Today, it has increased to 745. This represents a 26.7% improvement in the prveious position.
TRANSPORT
Nationalisation of passenger transport was completed in November, 1972. Haryana Roadways has a fleet
of 1,646 buses at present, as against only 567 in May, 1968. It is considered to be the most efficient
service in the country.
WELFARE OF WEAKER SECTIONS
Several schemes for providing relief to the socially and physically handicapped persons have been
launched and all possible assistance is given to the aged and infirm. High priority has been accorded
to the uplift of the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.
ROADS
About 64% of the villages in the State have been linked by metalled roads. Only 1,500 villages had been
linked by metalled roads in May, 1968. The Number has since gone upto 4,258.
ISSUED BY DIRECTOR. PUBLIC RELATIONS, HARYANA
DPR. Haryana (D. 219–72) -

SOCIALIST INDIA 30 - ------ - MARCH 22, 1975


PARLIAMENT
THE ECHO OF
ALLAHABAD
INCIDENT
J. M. DEB
Political motivation is a conve
nient phrase which, like Charles’
head, crops up in Parliamentary
debates every now and then. Whe
ther it is the closure of the Bana
ras Hindu University or the Sam
astipur blast or the Mohan Dharia
incident or the Jayaprakash Nara
yan movement—all have, accord
ing to members, political motiva
tions of one kind or the other and
they fling the charges against each
other freely and frequently.
Happily, however, the Allahabad
incident was free from this malady,
even though the debate on it in
both Houses of Parliament had its
usual political overtones. When
the issue was raised in the two
Houses, members demonstrated a
rare unanimity which is normally
their tradition only in grave na
tional emergency or in any other
event of extraordinary importance.
The Allahabad incident was indeed
important as, but for timely
detection, it could have been
an attempt on the life of the Prime
Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi. Na
turally, it was too shocking for the
members to speak in different
voices.
POLITICAL OVERTONES
The incident, which figured twice
in both Houses, went beyond party
barriers, and speakers, irrespective
of their party affiliations or poli
tical ideologies, unreservedly con
demned it. They expressed their
shock and indignation over it. Such
was the depth of their feeling that
the Lok Sabha unanimously adopt
ed a formal motion condemning the
incident and desiring that sufficient
security arrangements be made
both inside and outside the Allaha
bad High Court to ensure safety
50CIALIST INDIA
of the Prime Minister who appear
ed before it to give evidence in the
election case against her.
A few members from both sides
did make an attempt to inject in
the debate some political overtones.
The members hardly miss any such
opportunity. Some Congress mem
bers in the Lok Sabha, while try
ing to link the incident with the
emerging cult of violence in the
country and the Samastipur blast,
clashed with the Opposition. The
latter protested that if an attempt
was made to politicalise the issue,
it would spoil the spirit of unani
mity with which the entire House
had condemned the incident. There
were several others who had all
respect for the judiciary. They
pleaded with their colleagues not
to say anything on an occasion like
this which might be a reflection
on the Court's right in arranging
security within its premises. All of
them, nevertheless, underlined the
imperative need for adequate secu
rity arrangements for the Prime
Minister at any cost.
The Syndicate leader, Shri S. N.
Mishra, however, introduced an
element of melodrama in the de
bate and got into trouble with the
Congress benches. As one known
for his novelty of ideas, Shri Mishra
was perhaps the only one who was
not sure who was the target of the
gunman. “Who knows whether it
was the Prime Minister or the
Judge who was his target!” he
wondered amidst derisive laughter.
He was one with all others in one
respect—the safety and security of
the Prime Minister. But he plead
ed for similar arrangements for
others also, the judge and the poli
tical leaders attending the hearing.
Quite expectedly, he was heckled
constantly by Congressmen when
he remarked that the House should
not express any opinion on the mo
tives of the accused in the case
until investigations were completed.
CLOSURE OF BHU
But for this interesting interlude
the discussions on the subject were
Smooth and eventless. There was
also general appreciation in the
House of the Prime Minister's res
pect for the judiciary when she,
like an ordinary citizen, agreed to
appear before the Court in person.
She could have asked for exemp
31
tion from personal appearance and
prayed for being examined on com
mission in Delhi where the security
risks could be cotrolled more effec
tively because of the presence of
the Central administrative machi
nery.
The Rajya Sabha, unlike the Lok
Sabha, did not adopt a formal re
solution, but members there were
equally shocked and indignant and
they expressed their sentiments in
no uncertain terms. The consensus
of the House was summed up by
the Deputy Chairman, Shri Godey
Murahari, when he remarked that
if we were to take to violence to
solve political issues, then there
would be no democracy in the coun
try. The country, he added, had
a Parliamentary Democracy and a
vocal Opposition, and all the pro
blems could be raised in the House.
Political motivation returned to
the two Houses when the recent
closure of Banaras Hindu Univer
sity was debated through call at
tention motions next day (March
19). The Opposition charged that
the closure decision was politically
motivated as it was intended to
frustrate the plan of Shri Jayapra
kash Narayan to inaugurate the
BHU Students Union. They ignor
ed the ugly incident when over a
thousand students attacked the
Vice-Chancellor's residence and in
dulged in utter hooliganism. On
the contrary, they alleged that Dr.
Shrimali was playing politics.
The Education Minister and his
Deputy who were in charge of the
debate in the Rajya Sabha and the
Lok Sabha respectively, rightly
took a stiff stand and would not
countenance any indiscipline or vio
lence on the part of the students.
They were clear in their mind that
the academic life could not go on
in an atmosphere of violence and
intimidation. The students’ unrest
in the BHU had become almost
proverbial and there must be an
end to it. They promised to give all
support to the Vice-Chacellor in
maintaining law and order on the
campus and in any decision he took
for the purpose. The Government,
the Ministers declared categorical
ly, would not permit the campus
to be converted into a bedlam and a
hotbet of politics and gangsterism.
Continued on Page 34
MARCH 22, 1975

EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE
CESS IN MAHARASHTRA
The Maharashtra Budget for
1975-76 presented to the State As
sembly on March 10 shows a sur
plus of Rs. 45 lakhs. It envisages
additional taxes in the form of
employment guarantee cess to the
tune of Rs. 25.01 crores.
Presenting the budget, the State
Finance Minister Shri M. D. Chau
dhari said that the various em
ployment guarantee cesses would
yield a net revenue of Rs. 10.92
crores. He proposed additional
taxation on the agricultural s?...tºr
to yield Rs. 2.34 crores for the em
ployment guarantee scheme
The budget, he said, also pro
vided Rs. 90 lakhs to give relief
to pensioners. All government
pensioners who retired before Ja
nuary 1, 1975 but after April 1,
1966 would be given a temporary
increase of Rs. 14 a month in their
pensions. Those who retired be
fore April 1, 1966 would get a tem
porary raise of Rs. 21 per month.
The minimum pension has also
been increased from Rs. 40 to Rs.
50 a month.
The Minister said that the State
Government had also decided to
extend the social security benefit
to the families of its employees
following the Centre's directive in
this regard. The scheme provides
for an insurance cover of up to
Rs. 10,000 to the employees. The
anticipated expenditure for the
next year on this scheme is Rs.
40 lakhs.
The budget has been widely wel
comed by the press.
GDR DELEGATION
A delegation of the National Front
of the German Democratic Republic,
under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Claus
Howitz, Member of the Presidium of
the National Council of the National
Front of the GDR and Secretary of the
Presidium of the Democratic Peasants'
Party of the GDR, arrived in New
Delhi on the invitation of the Con
gress Party.
On March 20, the delegation called
on the President of the Congress Party,
Shri D. K. Borooah, and had a friendly
exchange of opinions relating to mutual
interesting problems. The delegation of
the National Front of the GDR will
visit Parliament and call on the
Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Dr. G. S.
Dhillon.
SOCIALIST INDIA
He pointed out that even after inde
MAULANA AZAD pendence Azad fully devoted himself
to the task of preserving the hard-won
freedom.
REMEMBERED
The Union Minister for Communica
Rich tributes were paid to the me tions, Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, who
mory of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad at presided, recalled Azad's contribution to
the freedom movement and said that
a seminar organised by the National
Writers’ Association in New Delhi on his entire life was a “saga of service to
March 19. the people”. “Azad's contribution to
the independence struggle,” Dr. Sharma
Inaugurating the seminar, the Presi added, “was immense.”
dent Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed des Earlier welcoming the President, Prof.
cribed Azad as “a great patriot, a na Masood Hussain Khan, Vice-Chancel
tionalist to the core and a leader of the lor of Jamia Millia Islamia and Presi
downtrodden.” He said that it was diffi dent of the National Writers’ Associa
cult to choose any one facet of Azad's tion, recalled Azad's services to the
personality for praise. His entire per nation. Several eminent poets and wri
sonality, the President said, was so mag ters including Shri A. M. Zutshi Gul
netic that he became a natural leader zar, General Secretary of NWA, and
of the people. Shri Hayatullah Ansari also paid hom
Shri Ahmed said it was the country's age to Azad.
good fortune that it had a leader of The Congress President, Shri D. K.
Azad's stature whose foresight contribut Borooah, could not attend due to in
ed immensely to the freedom struggle. disposition.
HORTICULTURE PLAYS VITAL ROLE
IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
1. Working to common purpose by generating employment.
2. Helping orchardists through the supply of necessary imputs for
production and marketing.
3. Fruit plants, fertilizers, pesticides, literature, technical know
how and credit facilities are being made available within their
easy approach.
manufactured in the State Canning
4. Various fruit products are
Units for supply to Indian and foreign markets. The ‘Himcu’
fruit products have now become popular everywhere.
5. Horticulture in Himachal steps into the future with confidence
and with a hope for prosperity and better status to all.
HIM LOK SAMPARK
TENDER NOTICE
Sealed tenders are invited for the supply of Dietry articles for Civil
Hospital, Hoshiarpur and Anti-T.B. Clinic, Hoshiarpur for the period
from 1.4.75 to 31.3.76. The tenders should reach this office by the 1.4.75.
No tender w’ll be accepted after 1.4.75. The terms and conditions for
the supply and the approximate quantity required per month can be
seen in the office of the Senior Medical Officer, I/C Civil Hospital,
Hoshiarpur Medical Officer, I/C Anti-T.B. Clinic, Hoshiarpur. The
tenders will be opened on the date at 3.00 P.M. in the presence of the
members of the Distt. Food Purchase Committee and such tenderers as
would be present.
The tenders should be accompanied with earnest money Rs. 2,000
in the form of a Deposit at call receipt of branch of any scheduled
bank at Hoshiarpur. Any tender not accompanied by the earnest money
will not be considered.
The Civil Surgeon, Hoshiarpur, however, reserves the right to re
ject any or all the tenders without assigning any reason.
Stores worth Rs. 20,000- are likely to be purchased during the
period of contract.
Sd/-
Civil Surgeon,
Hoshiarpur —-
MARCH 22, 1977
[NARORA PROGRAMME
Continued from Page 6
President, extracts from articles, interviews and the
speeches by the Prime Minister and speeches of Shri
Jagjivan Ram, Shri P. C. Bhagwati, Shri C. Subra
maniam, and Shri D. P. Dhar. Many Pradesh Con
gress Committees are understood to have translated
these documents in their respective languages. (A
list of persons who spoke in various camps is ap
pended.)
It will thus appear that the political component
of the Narora programme has been implemented
satisfactorily except in regard to the reorganisation
and strengthening of the Congress Seva Dal. Steps
are already underway to implement this programme
also as early as possible.
In regard to the economic component of the
Narora programme, reports have been received from
Chief Ministers of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tripura,
Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Har
yana, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala regarding their im
plementation of the programme of distribution of
non-alienable house-sites to Harijans and landless
labour. Separate notes are being prepared about the
progress of implementation of various items.
Discussions have already been held with Central
Ministers in regard to the establishment of a pub
lic distribution system. Union Minister for Indus
tries and Civil Supplies, Shri T. A. Pai, who has been
entrusted with the responsibility of working out de
tails of implementation of this programme, is likely
to finalise the scheme by the end of this month.
POLITICAL GAINS
A review of the situation since the Narora Camp
would indicate some improvement. Politically, the
upward-swing of the anti-democratic movement of
anti-Congress parties has been arrested. In fact,
some decline in its appeal is reflected if the response
of the people to the March 6 Delhi demonstration is
any indication.
Within the Congress ranks there is better reali
sation of the real nature and the danger of the anti
democratic movement of anti-Congress parties and
a greater sense of unity on this question is discerni
ble. Those who still have sympathies with this
movement and are orking against the decisions of
the AICC and the Congress Working Committee are
handful in number and appear to have been isolat
ed from the mainstream of the party.
Economically, various measures taken by the
Government have begun to make an impact not only
the run-away inflation has been, but a slight down
ward trend in prices is noticeable. The situation in
regard to the availability of certain commodities has
also improved. If the public distribution programme
is implemented it will greatly strengthen the party's
credibility in the working classes and in the urban
areas iust as the distribution of house-sites has made
a significant contribution in this regard in rural areas
in the States where the programme has been im
plemented earnestly,
QTºrtAt fºr TNT1A
LIST OF SPEAKERS AT CAMPS
1. Shri Jagjivan Ram; 2. Shri Y. B. Chavan; 3.
Shri Uma Shanker Dikshit; 4. Shri C. Subramaniam;
5. Shri Siddhartha Shanker Ray; 6. Sardar Swaran
Singh; 7. Shri K. D. Malaviya; 8. Shri B. C. Bhaga
wati; 9. Shri I. K. Gujaral; 10. Shri Om Mehta; 11.
Shri Mohd. Shafi Qureshi; 12. Shri Chandrajit Yadav;
13. Shri Parnab Kumar Mukherjee; 14. Shri K. C.
Pant; 15. Shri V. C. Shukla; 16. Shri K. V. Raghu
natha Reddy; 17. Shri R. K. Khadilkar; 18. Shri K.
R. Ganesh; 19. Shri B.P. Maurya; 20. Shri Bipinpal
Das; 21. Shri Dharam Vir Sinha; 22. Shri H. D.
Malaviya; 23. Shri R. K. Sinha; 24. Dr. V. B. Singh;
25. Shri N. C. Parashar; 26. Shri Jagdish Joshi; 27.
Shri B. R. Bhagat; 28. Shri Satpal Kapoor; 29. Shri
(Dr.) V. P. Dutt; 38. Shri Nawal Kishore Sharma;
31. Shri Yashpal Kapoor; 32. Shri Hari Kishore
Sinha; 33. Shri Lalit Kumar Dolley (President,
Assam PCC); 34. Dr. Shanker Ghosh (Finance Min
ister, W.B.); 35. Dr. Y. S. Parmar (C.M., Himachal);
36. Sardar Amjad Ali: 37. Shri Sant Bux Singh: 38.
Dr. Henry Austin; 39. Shri Shanker Dayal Singh;
40. Shri R. K. Misra; 41. Shri Vasant Sathe; 42. Shri
Devendra Nath Dwivedi; 43. Shri D. P. Singh; 44.
Shri Tulsidas Dassappa; 45. Shri B. K. Daschow
dhury; 46. Mrs. Margaret Alva; 47. Sardar Darbara
Singh.
CAMPS HELD SO FAR
Below is the commlete list of Pradesh-level
camps held since December :
On the basis of a detailed evaluation of the im
plementation of the programme so far, it mav be de
sirable to formulate a plan of action for the next
three months.
It will be necessary to continue to give high pri
ority to the organisation of agricultural labour and
rural poor, strengthen the party organisations and
to implement such measures as would give relief to
the poorer and vulnerable sections of our society.
1. Karnataka: December 3, 4 and 5, 1974: Dodda
Ballapur—30 miles from Bangalore.
2. Harvana: December 6, 7 and 8, 1974: Village
Ankheer on Faridabad-Badkhal Road—18 miles
from Delhi.
3. Gujarat: December 7, 8 and 9, 1974: Mahida
Niwas Mandva (near Chadod) Taluka Dabhoi,
District Baroda.
4. West Bengal: December 11, 12 and 13, 1974:
Pratachari Gram. Thakurpukur, Behala. Distt.
24-Parganas (Situated on Diamond Harbour
Road—15 kilometres from Raihhawan and 25
kilometres from Dum Dum airport.
5. Assam : December 12, 13 and 14, 1974: Gandhi
Nagar (Tetelia) District Gauhati Jurisdiction of
Gauhati DCC (Airport—Gauhati); 25 miles from
Gauhati on National Highway.
6. Raiastman: December 14, 15 and 16, 1974: Rana
Pratap Sagar (Rawat Bhata) 35 miles from
Kota,
MARCH ºn, 1978
 7. Goa: December 20, 21 and22, 1974: Pilar (Semi Chandgarh, 7 miles from Chandigarh.
nary Bldg.) Tiswadi District; 14 kilometres 17. Orissa: January 21, 22 and 23, 1975: Gopalpur
from Panjim Town. -

Distt.—Ganjam; 19 kilometres from Berhampur.

8. Punjab: December 20, 21 and 22, 1974: Nangal— 18. Bombay: January 22, 23 and 24, 1975: New
Distt. Ropar; 100 kilometres from Chandigarh. Zealand Hostel, Aarey Milk Colony, Goregaon,
9. Himachal Pradesh: December 23, 24 and 25, Bombay.
1974: Una–8 miles from Nangal. 19. North-Eastern Zone: a. Manipur, b. Tripura,
10. Madhya Pradesh: December 26 and 27, 1974: c. Mizoram, d. Meghalaya, e. Arunachal, f. Naga
Sanchi—42 miles from Bhopal and 1 km. from land: February 6, 7 and 8, 1975: Congress
Sanchi Railway Station. House, Thana Road, Shillong (Meghalaya).
11. Tamil Nadu : December 28, 29 and 30, 1974: 20. Bihar: February 9, 10 and 11, 1975: Rajgir,
Gobi Chettipalayam, District Coimbatore; 50 District—Nalanda; 65 miles from Patna.
miles from Coimbatore. 21. Kerala: February 17, 18 and 19, 1975: Charal
12. Jammu andabout
Kashmir: kunnu near Tiruvalla Railway Station; 75 miles
Saruinsar; 40 kmJanuary 1, 2 and 3, 1975:
from Airport. from Cochin.
-

13. Andhra Pradesh: January 7, 8 and 9, 1975: 22. Pondicherry: February 19, 20 and 21, 1975:
Nagarjuna Sagar, District—Nalgonda; about Ramanathapuram Village 16 kilometres from
100 miles from Hyderabad. Pondicherry on western side of Pondicherry
14. Maharashtra: January 12, 13 and 14, 1975: Town.
Bordi—105 miles from Bombay. 23. Uttar Pradesh: i. Divisional Camp: January 29,
15. Delhi: January 17, 18 and 19, 1975: Shahpur 30 and 31, 1975: Maunath Bhanjan, District—
Garhi Village—25 kilometres from Delhi. Azamgarh. ii. Divisional Camp: February 12, 13
16. Chandigarh: January 18 and 19, 1975: Sector-24, and 14, 1975: Sitapur.

P. M. AT PURDAH BAGH
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gan
were already commenting that “We are facts, their arguments appeared
tired of this women's year.” This show
feeble and they got little support
ed how unfair men were. They laugh
ed at women demanding equal status, even from colleagues on their side
but women did not want to fight men. of the House.
They only wanted men to join them. e

dhi, called upon women to mobilise their

force against hoarders, black-marketeers
and unscrupulous shopkeepers in their
localities. This way, she said, they could
help the authorities to fight economic
offences.
The Prime Minister, who was ad
dressing a women's rally at Purdah
Bagh, Darya Ganj (Delhi) on March
15, said the recent efforts by the Gov
ernment had curbed the rise in prices
to a great extent. The rally was orga
nised by the local committee for the
International Women's Year. As part
of the rally, an exhibition was organis
ed in which various diplomatic missions
had put up stalls depicting the life and
role of women in their respective coun
tries.
The Prime Minister said the women
could do a lot to modernise India by
opposing evils like child marriages,
dowry system, casteism and illiterary.
Though child marriages and other such
evils were forbidden under the Consti
tution, these were practised in villages.
She urged women to launch cleanliness
drives and to propagate family plan
ning. This was in their own interest.
Illiteracy and ignorance only encouraged
others to take advantage of women.
The Prime Minister recalled Gandhi
ji’s call to women to join the freedom
struggle. The massive response to the
call had greatly helped the freedom
fight. Today's task—fighting against ris
ing prices and unemployment—was no
less difficult, she pointed out.
Referring to the International Women's
Year, Smt. Gandhi quipped only three
months of the year had lapsed and men
SnCIALIST TNTIA
Besides a large number of village wo
men and their children, the rally was
attended by women social workers and
politicians. tº r
PARLIAMENT
Continued from Page 31
If the students indulged in goonda
ism, the Government would feel no
qualm of coscience in arresting
them, if necessary under the MISA.
The Government's firmness was
understandable, in the context
threats administered by the Jana
Sangh-dominated Students Union.
The General Secretary of the Union
stated that he would not tolerate
the Vice-Chancellor’s “goondaism”.
Not only that. He went to the ex
tent of threatening to take revenge
against him. “Not even a leaf
would flutter without my permis
sion”, he remarked vaingloriously
and wanted that the Vice-Chancel
lor should leave the university
immediately. Such serious breach
of indiscipline and 'misconduct
could not naturally go unpunished.
The Jana Sangh leaders in the
Lok Sabha, Shri Atal Behari Vaj
payee and Shri Jagannath Rao
Joshi, tried to put up a defence on
behalf of the Students’ Union, but
in the context of overwhelming
84
INDO-SOVIET GROUP
Continued from Page 9
Prof. Bachurin, leader of the
Soviet delegation, had discussions
with Indian Ministers and officials
including Shri P. N. Haksar, De
puty Chairman of the Planning
Commission. Shri T. A. Pai, Min
ister for Industries and Civil Sup
plies, Shri Chandrajit Yadav, Min
of ister of State for Steel and Mines,
and Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray,
Chief Minister of West Bengal.
During its stay in India, the
Soviet delegation visited several
Indo-Soviet projects and other in
dustrial and scientific centres in
cluding the Heavy Electrical
Equipment Plant (Hardwar), In
dian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals
Ltd. (Rishikesh), Chibro Power
House, Hindustan Machine-Tools,
Bharat Electronics, Central Ma’
chine Tools Research Institute
(Bangalore), the Indian statistical
Institute and other places.
The next session of the Indo
Soviet Planning group is schedul
. ed to be held in Moscow, in Sep"
tember, 1975.
• MARCH 28, 1977
 -

º ºg -
º * . -

PRIME MINISTER AT PURDAH BAGH, DELHI

º

TOP : Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressing a guests including representatives from African coun
wast concourse of women that had assembled at tries. BELOW : A cross-section of the hundreds of
Purdah Bagh, Delhi. MIDDLE LEFT : Prime Minis women who had gathered to hear the P.M. (A re
ter picking up a snack from the Moroccan table of port appears on the opposite page.)
delicacies. MIDDLE RIGHT: Some of the VIP Photos: R. D. Rawal

º ºt ºf- -
fºº: º
-
-
-

º
- -
-
-
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in PSO New Delhi
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 22-3-75 (U 169)
T. B. CONTROL
IN INDIA
INDIA
Prof. John Crofton, President of
the Royal College of Physicians
IS and Professor of Medicine at
Edinburgh University, told news
men at Madras on March 11 that
the methods adopted in the treat
ment of tuberculosis and the drugs
GREAT used for the purpose in India
could be used in all other deve
loping countries. Some of the
methods were very good and they
were being used even in developed
countries, reports PTI.
If these methods were used in
an organised manner almost all
MAKE the eight or nine million people
affected by TB in India could be
practically cured.
Prof. Crofton said the prescrib
IT ed drugs had to be taken for a
year or two but since these were
discontinued after the patient felt
a little better, the disease usually
struck again. He suggested setting
GREATER up of some organisation which
could supervise and persiade the
patients to undergo the full course.
Prof. Crofton explained
though many new and costly drugs
had been discovered for the treat
This is ment of TB. the disease could be
effectively cured with the cheap
drugs available in India.
THE NINETEENTH On BCG vaccine, Prof. Crofton
said it could be effective only
when the individual had not been
IN A SERIES affected by TB already.
vaccine should be manufactured
“properly and administered pro
perly”. In England the vaccine
OF ADVERTISEMENTS was found to offer 80 per cent
protection, he added.
He praised the work done at the
DESIGNED BY Madras TB Therapy Centre and
said, “You can be proud of this
unit which had pioneered many
“SOCIALIST INDIA.” new methods for the treatment of
TB.”
Prof. Crofton, who is on a lec
IN PURLIC INTEREST ture tour of this country, suffered
a heart attack while speaking at
the Madras Medical College on
February 10. He was in he inten
Registered with the Registrar of
Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70
sive care unit of the General
Hospital for a month. He said he
had received the best medical
attention in the
could not have had
hospital and “I
better care
anywhere in the world”.
SOCIALISM ON RAILS
To each according to his need
and from each according to his
ability seems as yet a Utopian
maxim. However, it is given to the
humble lot of railway porters in
Bombay to be practising it as a
way of life.
At one of the major terminals
in the metropolis, some 450 and
odd porters have successfully tried
the experiment of pooling their
day’s earnings, of which two
thirds are equally distributed,
irrespective of individual earnings,
among them and the rest goes into
a savings bank account.
The savings are an insurance
against the rainy day or occasions
like a wedding in the family.
The National Federation of Rail
way Porters and Vendors—the
brain behind the venture—propo
ses to extend—the exneriment
that elsewhere too. The ambitious tar
get is the coverage of all the 7,000
or so railway stations in the
country.
According to the Federation Pre
sident, Shri Sheel Bhadra Yajee,
a former MP, in the initial stages,
the ‘mukadams' kept vigil lest
anybody breaks the understanding
The but not a single case of default
was reported.
Though the porters’ cooperative
has built up its own office, there
is need for a tiffin room for the
members. There is also a proposal
to obtain land for cooperative
housing from out of the savings
that total nearly Rs. 9 lakhs.
Some time ago, the Deputy
Minister for Railways Shri Buta
Singh, visited the union office at
the terminal and promised help in
finding land for the housing
scheme.
Courtesy: NATIONAL HERALD
 WHY THIS CULT OF violeMcE
-

THE CP(M) ToTAL

REVOLUTIONARIES
-

SUCCESS story OF
PUBLIC SECTOR

:
ſ

;
LET US BE
VIGILANT

i The Constitution of India repre

sents and defines a way of life—
Parliamentary Democracy that
we have chosen in order to fulfil

our goals and to secure for our

selves social, economic and poli
tical justice.

This way of life is under attack

by those from among our own
people, who do not like it. They
do not want it to prevail, much
less succeed. Theirs is another

way of life—disruption, destruc

tion, denigration and “de-stabi
ºf lisation”.
º
; : (ſ) *"Nº Let us be vigilant.

,
.
º
º *-*-
y DEMOCRACY
© SOCIALISM º SECULARISM º NON-ALIGNMENT

9
 The victorious Hockey Team that
bagged the Gold Cup at Kuala
Lumpur was given a grand recep
tion by the AICC on March 21 at
New Delhi. The Congress Presi.
dent, Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, is
seen speaking on the occasion.
Chief Minister of Punjab, Giani
Zail Singh, is at extreme right.

In this group photo of the guests

and hosts taken at the reception
given to the Indian Hockey Team,
the trophy is given its due place
of importance. Copies of SOCIAL
IST INDIA were distributed to the
guests as can be seen at bottom
right in the hands of one of the
players.

A team of Councillors of the Tel

pur Mahkuma Parishad (Assam)
visited several centres of indus"
trial and agricultural activity in
Punjab with the intention of adop:
ting improved agricultural technº
ques and of starting agro-indus"
trial centres in and around Tezpur.
While passing thmough Delhi, they
called on the Congress President
shri Dev Kanta Borooah, and toºk
his advice.
w

|
Photos: R. D. RAWAL

SCCIALIST INDIA 2 MARCh 29, 1971

Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Wol. X No. 17
CONTENTS
March 29, 1975

SOCIALIST Published every

Saturday Editorial 3
|NDIA CWC Resolution condemns the Cult of Violence 4
CWC Meeting in Pictures 5
Holi Celebrations in Delhi 6
Aspects of the JP Agitation 6a
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Y. B. Chavan at Havana Conference 7
Road, New Delhi 110001 -

Public Sector Units record Improvement 8

Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST
March 6 Rally and After 11
EDITORIAL BOARD Miscellany 12

Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Threat of US Arms: Need for counter-strategy

(Chairman) Harsh Deo Malaviya, MP 13
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Seminar on Indo-Soviet Cooperation
Mohan Chandra Joshi 15
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA
Aspects of Indo-Soviet Relations
Mr. L. I. Rovnin 16

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT Indo-Afghan Joint Communique 18

Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR

Party News 19

(Chairman)
Progress at Bokaro ! " :
K. C. Khanna 21
Shri I. K. GUJRAL The Third Triennale India—1975
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Jag Mohan 23
Shri P. C. SETHI Letters 25
Smuggling Activities curtailed 27
º
Urban Property Ceiling in Offing
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO Pawan Chaudhary 29
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN Five Congress MPs on Mr. Saxbe's Statement 30
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA India's Movement of Glory at
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee World Cup Hockey
K. Ramachandran t 30a
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah
Attempt on Chief Justice A. N. Ray's life 31
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001.
Parliament
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces J. M. Deb 32
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. The “Freedom” connection of C. R. Irani 34

cal heroes and heroines, historical figures and nation

alist leaders of both sexes have exalted themselves
THE CULT OF GUN in, notwithstanding the considerable emphasis on the
belief in and practice of non-violence from the days
AND GRENADE of Gautama the Buddha to Mahatma Gandhi.

Sporadic outbursts of violence resulting out of

The cult of violence having been part of the
human situation all through history is nothing new.
In fact, the history of culture and civilization of the
homo sapiens in a history of the attempts to trans
mute if not obliterat the cult of violence as prac
tised by individuals, institutions and nations. This
legacy of Cain, who was the first to raise his hand
against his brother Abel is still persisting and man
kind has not been able to escape from its deleterious
influence. Sociologists, psychologists, political scien
tists and philosophers as well as artists have been
preoccupied with this most noxious aspect of condi
tion humaine.
. . In India we have had our own share of the cult of
violence, which even our gods and goddesses, mythi
SOCIALIST INDIA
individual frustrations or communal or ideological
frenzy have been with us these many years since in
dependence. But the whys and wherefores of recent
outbursts of violence have to be studied in greater
detail since there are some peculiar aspects which
cannot be easily ignored. Two of them are obvious.
One is the availability of firearms and lethal ob
jects like hand-grenades. The other day, a Member
of Parliament alleged that hand-grenades are as
easily available as Kashmiri apples. Reports emnat
ing from various centres of the country indicate that
arms too are favourites of smugglers as much as gold
and opium and nylon yarn. The small-time mer
chants of death are trafficking arms on border areas.
This is a source of much concern to the Home Min
MARCH 29, 1975
isters both at the Centre and States as well as to
the agencies concerned with the maintenance of law
and order. Besides the manufacture of crude fire
arms seems to have become a new small-scale in
dustry.
The other and more disconcerting fact is that
there are among us men running amok who are deriv
ing malicious pleasure in using the firearms and hand
grenades for liquidating political leaders. This is an
obnoxious trend that is becoming increasingly appa
rent in our body politic and social. That there could
be men among us, who out of deluded notions or out
of monetary considerations are willing to be the
agents to trigger the gun or to lob grenades is some
thing reprehensible. Because of these amoral, anti
social, modern-day thugs and pindaris we lost Shri
L. N. Mishra and several officers in the North-East
region. Thanks to providence, our Chief Justice was
spared. And the other day a man with a loaded gun
—and with spare cartridges too—was nabbed well in
time before the Prime Minister was to give evidence
at the Allahabad High Court. (And he has been
found to be a gun-toting editor who had shot a neigh
bour of his some years ago ' )
Why then this cult of violence now? This ques
tion can be partly answered straightaway. A climate
of opinion conducive for miscreants to operate has
been built up by JP with all his loose talk of extra
constitutional methods of agitation. This has been
aided and abetted by that vile mouthpiece of the Jana
Sangh, “The Motherland”, which during the last few
months has transgressed all norms of editorial prop
riety and conventions of the Fourth Estate. Apart
from consistent character-assassination it has been
indulging, it has been publishing the most tendentious
scare stories concocted by not neurotic but psychotic
minds. This the “Motherland” has been doing partly
for the sake of the Jana Sangh and R.S.S. and partly
for helping JP to achieve his “total revolution”. The
question raised earlier cannot be fully answered
since we, at the moment, cannot publicise the exact
connection between the spurt of the cult of violence
and foreign agencies. But no less a person than the
Prime Minister of India has time and again averred
that a foreign hand is behind all this.
In the context of all this, vigilance in every field
is an absolute necessity. And as in times of emer
gency, war and natural disasters, all parties must
join together to weed out from this land all those
who indulge in the politics of assassination. Those
who do not join this all-out effort to efface violence
from this jand of ours will stand condemned before
the public and the world. And, they have no rele
vance to this nation. *

ruthlessness and desperation with

C.W.C. RESOLUTION CONDENMNS
THE CULT OF VIOLENCE
The Congress Working Commit
tee at its meeting on March 27 at
New Delhi demanded that the
people must fight “a relentless
battle against the forces of vio
lence.” (The full text of the reso
lution is further down).
The CWC meeting was presided
over by the Congress President,
Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, who
acquainted the members with a
comprehensive review of the
Narora-type Camps held so far.
He also made a reference to the
youth and women's conferences.
He pointed out that over 400
camps have been held at which
over 10,000 Congressmen and Con
gresswomen have participoted.
The Prime Minister and most of
the members were present. Shri
Chandrasekhar was conspicuous
by his absence though he was re
ported to be in town.
The next AICC meeting is to
held in May—possibly in Chandi
garh. The exact date and place
will be announced shortly.
SOCIALIST INDIA
No organisational elections will
be held this year but the vigorous
drive for membership will be car
ried on as a mass contact pro
gramme.
The CWC approved a budget of
Rs. 60 lakhs for AICC activities
during the current year.
THE RESOLUTION
The Congress Working Commit
tee passed the following Resolu
lution:
1. The Congress Working Com
mittee takes note of the serious
situation created by the intensifi
cation of political violence in the
country. This violence is aimed
at weakening the democratic and
secular foundations of the country
and thwarting our socialist pro
grammes. Not content with coerc
ing elected legislators to resign,
the agitations are giving en
couragement to campaigns of hate
against individuals in high office.
The recent attempts on the life of
the Prime Minister and the Chief
Justice are an indication of the
4 MARCH 29, 1975
which the anti-national forces are
operating.
2. It is no coincidence that these
attempts have taken place at a
time when we are making a sup
reme effort to overcome the eco
nomic challenges and to defend the
country's interest against those
forces which are trying to create
instability in our region as well
as in other parts of the world.
3. The CWC supports the pro
grammes undertaken by the
Government to counteract inflation
and records its appreciation of the
first results achieved in the endea
vour to stabilise the economy. The
longer-term economic and social
problems can be solved only
through the determined implemen
tation of the Party's programme,
as restated in Narora. Members
of the Party, while giving their
full support to the Government's
endeavour, should undertake a
sustained campaign throughout
the country to point out that the
diversion of their attention from
basic issues and any involvement
in agitations at this crucial stage
are bound to create an atmosphere
of uncertainty and make the
country more vulnerable.
Continued on Page 34
 C.W.C.
MEETING

LEFT: At the CWC meeting held

on the evening of the Holiday, the
Congress President consulting
Prime Minister on some point. The
four General Secretaries can be

seen to the left of the President.

RIGHT: Shri Rajni Patel (who is

still not fully recovered from his
recent illness), Syed Mir Qasim,
Shri P. C. Sethi and Shri Ghan

shyam Oza.

LEFT: Shri Vayalar Ravi, Shri H.

N. Bahuguna, Shri P. C. Bhagwati,
and Dr. Henry Austin.

: *OCIALIST INDIA t- MARCH 29, 1975

HOLI

CELEBRATIONS
|N DELHI

Holi celebrations in the Capital

were on a low key. But for some
unfortunate incidents in some
areas resulting in clashes and gun
shot wounds, all over the city the
celebrations were in a subdued
spirit. “Gulal” dealers could not
find enough buyers and at the end
of the day their stocks remained
unsold. The squirting of coloured
water was not much in favour with
the revellers. Commercial estab
lishments and restaurants were
closed till 2 p.m. as also the DTC
bus depots.
The most impressive event was
the procession of the 200-strong
squad of the Nehru Brigade led
by Shri Ramesh Datto. With a
band of shehnai players and drum
mers accompanying the Brigade,
it began its rounds by visiting
Harijan bastis, Muslim localities
and jhuggi-jhonpri colonies
where flowers and packets of
Sweets were distributed—of course
after the smearing of “gulal”. Then
it went to the residences of the
Congress President, the Lieuten
ant-Governor, the Chief Executive
Councillor, the Municipal Commis
sioner and several Union Minis
ters.

The Prime Minister went round

distributing sweets in the slums of
South Delhi.
In Jangpura, some well-to-do
young men show, cred “colºured
rain” on passersby with a hose and
a pump from drums filled with
coloured water.

TOP: Shri Hamesh Datta of the

Nehru Brigade celebrating Holi at
the residence of the Congress Pre
sident. Seated by his side are Shri
Chandrajit Yadav and Shri Satpal
Kapur.
MIDDLE: Shrimati Tarakeshwari
Sinha applying “gulal” to the Con
gress President.
BOTTOM: Shri Yunus Saleem
greeting the Congress President
with “Holi Mubarak”.
SOCIALIST INDIA MARCH 29, 1975
ASPECTS OF THE JP AGITATION
1. ANTI-CLIMAX OF JP's
MOVEMENT IN PATNA
The declining trend of JP's agi
tation was reflected in the demons
tration before the State Assembly
on March 18, organised to cele
Wrate the first anniversary of the
Bihar agitation. The reasons for
the decline in the agitation are
obvious. A year ago on March 18,
1974 JP had while launching the
movement described it as a “total
revolution”, and set the deadline
for accomplishing its objectives to
be a year. He had asked the stu
dents to boycott schools and col
leges for a year and asked the
people to make sacrifices to make
the “revolution” successful.
But with the elapse of full one
year, his “total revolution” still
appears to be a far cry.
JP, nevertheless, decided to cele
brate the first anniversary and
asked his supporters to march to
the State Assembly in lakhs on
March 18, 1975. This call was
backed by all non-CPI Opposition
Parties — Jana Sangh, Socialist
Party. Syndicate, BLD, Commu
nist Party (Marxist) and splinter
groups like RSPI and SUC.
The common man in the State
however appeared to be apathetic
to the call.
Further, experience of the last
12 months of agitation has made
the people apprehensive of the an
niversary celebration. Though JP
had told the people that his agi
tation would be non-violent and
peaceful their experience was dif
ferent. The first day of the agita
tion itself was marked by large
Scale arson, loot and attacks on
public and private properties in
the State capital as well as in
ºther parts of the state.
This was reneated during a series
ºf bandhs, gheraos and demonstra
tions during the last twelve
mºnths. Despite these violent acti.
Vities neither the State Assembly
“ould be dissolved nor was there
any tangible advance for the ped
Ple becoming cold towards JP's
SOCIALIST INDIA
call for celebrating the first an
niversary of the Bihar movement.
Despite the frantic efforts matte
by JP and the non-CPI Opposition
to put up a big show they could
gather only a few thousand people.
JP himself appeared to be dis
couraged by the dismal achieve
ment of the agitation during the
last one year. While addressing the
mass rally at the end of the de
monstration JP admitted that the
achievements of the current agi
tation might not look great, but
he claimed that it had created a
new awakening among the peo
ple.
Experience of the last one year
has led him to refrain from
making any new promise. On the
other hand he ‘had told his fol
lowers, “the journey towards total
revolution would be long and ar
duous”. This frank admission is
considered to be an indication that
JP himself was not sure of the
fate of his agitation.
2. JP MOVEMENT
IN BHOPAL
The Jana Sangharsh Samiti re"
cently formed in Bhopal has post
poned the proposed demonstration
before the State Vidhan Sabha in
definitely. Originally, the Samiti
planned to hold a big rally before
the Vidhan Sabha on March 17
but, according to Samiti sources.
the agitation has been postponed
for want of adequate time to mobi
lise support all over the State.
According to present indications,
it is unlikely that the demonstra
tion will be organised during the
current budget session which will
conclude on April 5.
It is, however, reliably learnt
that the main reason for putting
on the agitation is the growing
rift among the constituents of the
Samiti. The Jana Sangh which
is the mainstay of the Samiti is
reluctant to start any agitation
6a
A cold war appears to have de
veloped between Shri Narayan and
some of the major political par
ties supporting the agitation.
Observers here were surprised to
note that while top leaders of the
Syndicate, BLD, Socialist Party,
CPI(M) and some splinter left
groups were marching behind JP
none of the known leaders of Jana
Sangh was found in the procession.
Their abstention against the back
ground of the party's announce
ment of all-out support to JP
movement on the eve of the anni
versary celebrations, has come as
a surprise to all. In an obvious re
ference to his differences with the
Jana Sangh, JP told the mass rally
that some political parties were
trying to dominate the agitation
which he did not like.
Most humiliating was JP's re
ference to the CP(M)'s participa
tion in the demonstration. He
bluntly told the CPM leadership
that by joining “us you have made
no obligation to the movement.”
that is likely to be taken advant
age of by the Socialist Party
which is weak and divided at the
moment. The Jana Sangh feels
strong enough to aspire for power
in the next Assembly elections on
its own strength if there is no
drastic change in the present set
up of the Congress. While the
Samiti will be used for maintain
ing the facade of “people's candi
date”, the Jana Sangh would not
like to give up its dominant posi
tion as the second largest party
in the State.
Jana Sangn circles have viewed
with alarm the activities of the
Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha in the
Madhya Rharat region after the
victory of the Socialist youth
leader, Shri Sharad Yadav in the
Jabalpur Lok Sabha by-election.
At the recent youth convention
held at Gwalior to organise stu
dents for launching state-wide agi
tation against the Congress, there
was an open tussle for leadershin
between the Yuvajan Sabha and
tne Vidyarthi Parishad.
MARCH 29 1975

3. CP(M) “ToTAL”
REVOLUTIONARIES
ARE CONMING
Let them come in the rallies
and processions led by JP. Let
them come flaunting the banner
of “Total Revolution”, however
tattered the banner may be. Let
them come, these doughty masters
of Marxian verbiage.
But the Congress is not afraid.
Nor the Government.
For these CP(M) Total Revolu
tionaries are coming as opportu
nists capitalising on the present
situation for possible survival in
the future elections. Let them
come in full flank formation, pos
sibly on the left side of the Lok
Nayakji (the Hindi equivalent of
“Super Star”). But on the right
side of JP will be the stalwarts
of the Right ranging from Chou
dhury Charam Singh to Lal
Krishnaji Advani, from Piloo Mody
to Raj Narain, from Ashok Mehta
to Madhu Limaye. What a fine
company for Comrades Jyoti Basu
and E. M. S. Namboodiripad 2 And,
of course, behind them escorting
them safely will be phalanx of the
RSS cadres and Anand Margis in
plain-clothes.
This is all understandable for
at the time of March 6 march to
Parliament, the Lok Nayakji told
Comrade Jyoti Basu, “Go and tell
your masters you will be isolated
from the masses.” (At the last
minute, the CP(M) did not join
THE KISSINGER ERA
ABOUT TO END
The U.S. Secretary of State, Dr.
Henry Kissinger, returned in Wash
ington from Jerusalem at the nadir
of his dramatic career, according
to an agency message from Wash
ington.
Not only has he been forced to
admit to failure in his two-week
peace mission to West Asia but is
also faced with the total break
down of the Paris agreement on
Vietnam, which he personally ham
mered out in months of arduous
negotiations.
SOCIALIST INDIA
the march). Faithfully Comrade
Basu did convey the message, as
a result of which there was much
confabulation among the mem
bers of the Politburo and the Cen
tral Committee of the CP(M). It
is remarkable that for the first
time there was no political reso
lution adopted at the Central Com
mittee meeting. Finally the Marx
ist jargon was twisted and turned.
The worthy CP(M) leaders with
the intention of building up left
unity and establishing their cred
entials before the public (the elec
tions in Kerala being not far off)
decided to join the protest de
monstration on March 18 comme
morating the first anniversary of
the Bihar agitation —- which in
fact has become non-agitation.
Now they will go in the proposed
march of April 6 — the protest
day decided by the Lok Nayakji.
Even though the CP(M) leaders
are convinced that they cannot
“radicalise” the JP movement,
they concede it is a “people's
movement”, though the Rightist
elements and their one-time arch
enemies are there at the vanguard
of the movement.
This somersaulting on the part
of the CP(M) can be explained
for even as they have compromis
ed in this respect they have gone
whole way to kowtow to other
Rightist forces too. Only the other
day the CP(M) leaders were pre
pared to follow the footsteps of
Shri Morarji Desai, when he was
invited to lead the “satyagraha”
inside Parliament, which in any
case did not materialise. Just over
The US Congress has been defy
ing his policies over Indo-China
and Turkey. He has been warned
to pay attention to the leftward
swing in Portugal and his new dia
logue with Latin America is ham
pered by problems. The chances
of new triumphs to repair his bat
tered “miracle worker” image
appear remote.
Dr. Kissinger is expected to give
urgent attention to the Indo-China
situation on his return. The out
look is gloomy and his options are
limited. The Paris agreement that
enabled the US to pull out its
troops after suffering 50,000 killed
now seems a dead letter.
In exchange for the pullout the
US had assured Saigon it would
6 b
a week ago, Comrade Jyoti Basu
had parleys with the West Bengal
Syndicate leader P. C. Sen, The
CP(M) leaders are racekly putting
up with the Syndicate tirades
against Communism because it
suits their purpose at the mo
ment.
All the tall talk on the part of
the CP(M) at their Politburo and
Central Committee meetings about
civil liberties and democratic
movement, about the masses and
“bourgeois alternative” can be
boiled down to bare facts. The
CP(M) has worked out a sort of
patch-up election strategy for the
future without any merger with
the JP movement. It is to be noted
that Comrade Namboodiripad it, a
recent article in “People's Democ
racy” has opposed the idea of
“common candidate' and partyiess
democracy. (And, this is not much
to the linking of JP!)
In the few pockets where the
CP(M) has still some influence,
there has been much rankling in
the hearts of the rank af,d ſile,
scandalised as they are by the
antics of their leaders. The CP(M)
cadres feel let down and even
betrayed by their leaders who are
riding in tandem with Rightist
leaders. That a critical situation is
developing is obvious since Com
rade Namboodiripad has decided
to initiate on “Education Cam
paign” for the rank-and-file a la
the Congress' Narora Camps.
So, let the CP(M) Total Revo
lutionaries come in all processions
of JP.
continue to supply arms. But the
Congress slashed to half this year's
military aid for South Vietnam
and appears ready to baulk at the
Administration's request for a fur
ther $300 millions to enable the
US to replace arms and ammuni
tion.
Dr. Kissinger suffered another
rebuff in the Congress over the
Administration's request for urgent
military aid for the Lon Nol Gov
ernment in Cambodia.
Earlier, his persuasive powers
had faltered over the Cyprus dis
pute. The Congress ignored his
entreaties and voted to cut off
arms aid to Turkey because of its
invasion of Cyprus.
MARCH 29. 1975

Y. B. Chavan At
Havana
Conference
The foreign ministers of 17 non
aligned nations have, in a com
munique issued at the end of their
three-day meeting of the Non
aligned Bureau at Havana, called
upon the littoral states of Indian
Ocean to abstain from giving faci
lities to foreign naval ships. They
have also condemned the proposed
Anglo-US move to expand their
military base at Diego Garcia.
The communique, called the
“Havana Declaration”, notes “with
deep concern the strengthening of
air and naval military presence
and the maintenance in this region
of foreign bases, conceived in the
context of rivalries and competi
tion between major powers thus
creating tension damaging to the
respect for the soverignty, the ter
ritorial integrity and the indepen
dence of the littoral and hinter
land states.” It “condemns the ex
pansion of the installation of the
Diego Garcia base.”
“The bureau”, the Declaration
adds, “reiterates its support for
the establishment of a peace zone
in the Indian Ocean and invites all
countries concerned to take con
crete steps to expedite its imple
mentation.”
On the world economic situation,
the Declaration criticises the deve
loped countries, particularly the
USA, for blocking the implementa
tion of the international economic
order envisaged by the United
Nations.
SUPPORT FOR P.L.O.
Among other things, the Decla
ration refers to the non-aligned
foreign ministers' support to the
Palestine Liberation Organisation
in its fight against Israel and to
the liberation movements in Latin
America. It also calls for with
drawal of all foreign troops from
Cyprus.
The three-day conference was a
prelude to the non-aligned confer
ence to be held at Lima in
August.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The Indian delegation, led by
the External Affairs Minister Shri
Y. B. Chavan, consisted of the
Foreign Secretary Shri Kewal
Singh, India's Ambassador to the
UN, Shri Jaipal Singh and the
Joint Secretary in the External
Affairs Ministry Shri N. Krishnan.
Addressing the conference, Shri
Chavan, the first Indian Foreign
Affairs Minister to visit Cuba after
Mr. Fidel Castro took over, des
cribed the US decision to induct
arms into the Indian Ocean region
as “grave and serious.” He attri
buted the unsatisfactory economic
trends to the diversion of re
sources by certain powers to a
“meaningles arms race” and to
their “prodigal consumption stan
dards.” He said: “As a result we
have more and more missiles, hair
dryers and tape-recorders and
less and less foodgrains, fertilisers
and essential goods.”
Referring to the big powers' re
fusal to implement the UN inter
national economic order, Shri
Chavan said: “This does not bode
well for the future.” He called
upon the developing nations to ex
plore the possibility of transfer of
resources as well as technology
among themselves. He also urged
the non-aligned nations to imple
ment the comprehensive action
programme for mutual assistance
evolved at Belgrade in 1974 and
the blueprint for a Non-aligned
Solidarity Fund drawn up at
Kuwait in January this year. “Let
us implement these decisions
quickly and imaginatively for the
delay is not in the interest of our
solidarity,” he said.
In his review of the world situa
tion, Shri Chavan referred to
India's efforts to normalise and
strengthen relations with her nei
ghbours and said: “In our region
we have been making special ef
forts and have taken initiatives
to normalise and strengthen our
relations with neighbouring coun
tries.”
He, however, expressed fear
that “the induction of arms into
the countries belonging to military
alliances in our neighbourhood”
would “retard the process of nor
malisation and relaxation of ten
sion in our area.”
Shri Chavan paid tribute to the
host country and said: “Cuba, a
7 MARCH 29, 1971
small and brave country, under the
leadership of your great leader
Fidel Castro represents the quin
tessence of the indomitable spirit
of man in his quest for freedom.
Within the brief span of 16 years
he has not only consolidated your .
hardwon freedom but also laid the
foundation of egalitarian pro
gress.”
CPB MEETING
The Congress Parliamentary
Board, which met in New Delhi on
March 11, welcomed the forma
tion of the agricultural labourers'
union on the lines of the INTUC
and approved the name of Shri
Shankar Dayal Singh, MP, for the
General Secretaryship of the
Union.
Smt. Maragatham Chandra
sekhar, AICC General Secretary,
who briefed newsmen after the
Board meeting said Shri Singh
and the INTUC President, Shri B.
C. Bhawgati, would address the
UP and Bihar Conference of the
Agricultural Labourers' Union on
March 13 and 14 respectively.
She said the Board reviewed the
political situation in almost all
the States and expressed satisfac
tion at the completion of the
Narora-type camps in various
States. District-level camps of
Congressmen had also been com
pleted in all the States except in
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya
Pradesh. Karnataka was leading
even with Taluka-level camps, she
added.
The Congress President, Shri
Dev Kanta Borooah, apprised the
Board of his on-the-spot assess
ment of the situation in Kerala
and said that the recent District
level camp at Calicut had evoked
great enthusiasm and the rally
there was attended by over
1,50,000 people. The Board also
expressed satisfaction at the fact
that the organisational effort in
Gujarat was having a good impact
on the people's minds.
The Board did not take any
decision on the change in the
leadership of the Bihar Congress
Legislature Party nor did it dis
cuss the situation arising out of
Shri Mohan Dharia's resignation
from the Central Council of Minis
ters, Smt. Chandrasekhar said.
37 PUBLIC SECTOR UNITS RECORD IMPROVEMENT

NET PROFIT: Rs. 155 CRORES

Two-thirds of profit-making Pub
lic Sector units showed a further
improvement in their net profits in
1973-74.
The total net profits of 55 com
mercial and industrial undertak
ings of the Central Government
amounted to Rs. 155.5 crores in
1973-74 and 37 of these units im
proved their profits.
Including the loss-making units,
the net profits of all the Central
Government enterprises amounted
to Rs. 141.5 crores in 1973-74
against Rs. 17.3 crores in the pre
vious year.
Not only there has been an im
provement in the number of pro
fit-making units from 50 to 53 but
there has also been a substantial
improvement in the total net pro
fits of all the Public Sector under
takings.
Of the profit-making units sub
stantially good improvement has
been made by Hindustan Aeronau
tics, Mineral and Metals Trading
Corporation of India, Hindustan
Machine Tools, Bharat Heavy
Electricals, Fertiliser Corporation
of India, Oil and Natural Gas com
mission, Hindustan
Hindustan Insecticides, Engineers
India, Shipping Corporation of
India and Hindustan Copper.
Heavy Engineering Corporation
and Hindustan Cables turned the
corner in a big way with profits of
Rs. 730 lakhs and Rs. 119 lakhs
respectively during 1973-74 against
a loss of Rs. 1,657 lakhs and Rs. 33
lakhs in the previous year.
In 1973-74 budgeted and revised
estimates of profit accruals to
Central Government
Sector undertakings at Rs. 15.2
crores and Rs. 8.5 crores respect
ively proved a gross under esti
mate, with the actual accrual for
1973-74 at Rs. 141.5 crores.
Up to the end of 1973-74,
Central Government had invested
Rs. 3,461.8 crores in 107 Public
Sector undertakings. Of this, the
investment in 89
amounted to Rs. 3,313.3 crores or
96 per cent of the
ments. While the investment in
undertakings under
was Rs. 92.6 crores that in pro
Antibiotics, motional and development organi
sation was Rs. 55.8 crores. Addi
tional investments during 1974-75
and 1975-76 have been estimated
at Rs. 472.0 crores and Rs. 447.3
crores respectively. In other words
the aggregate investment up to
the end of 1975-76 is expected to
touch Rs. 4,381.0 crores from Rs.
3,461.8 crores in 1973-74.
Major capital investment is envi
saged in Fertiliser Corporation of
India (Rs. 109 crores), Oil and
from Public Natural Gas Commission (Rs. 22
crores), Coal Mines Authority (Rs.
21 crores), Bharat Coaking Coal
(Rs. 18 crores), Cement Corpora
tion of India (Rs. 12 crores) and
Hindustan Zinc (Rs. 10 crores).
the Companies which showed loss of
more than Rs. 1 crore each during
the two years covered are Garden
Reach Workshops, Hindustan
running units Photo Films, Indian Drug and
Pharmaceuticals, Fertilisers and
total invest Chemicals (Travancore) and Indian
Airlines.
construction Courtesy: The ECONOMIC TIMFS

TABLE A : INVESTMENT AND PROFITS OF PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS

(Rs. lakhs)
Revised 1974-75 Budget 1974-75

* *: wn
§ © * wº
§

No. Name of the undertaking

#
à
# ### ākā ##.
à § # És 5 ##.
ch
# ;#
& # #3 5 Net profits earned
# ### ### ###: ### ## 1972 is 1913-14
#3 #;
ſºF. : ;
: #
; 33
3.95 ####
GD
ºf 3 × 3 #; ; ##é
× 5 ×
**
5 -- --

3 E. 3 #3 # 3 s 5 § 3; 3 #3 # 33
.(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)
A. RUNNING CONCERNS
I. Ministry of Defence
1. Garden Reach Workshops 5,50 1,50 - - - - 3,00 ... —104 —1,08
2. Hindustan Aeronautics 56,91 - - 1,14 1,36 1,14 4,14 9,49
3. Mazagaon Docks 4,40 50 29 29 44 1,02 1,54
4. Bharat Electronics 6,96 - - 84 72 - - 84 3,13 3,81
5. Praga Tools 2,33 30 - - - - 80 29 —1,09 —45
6. Goa Shipyard 16 - - 1 1 10 2 6 7
7, Bharat Earth Mavers 12,00 3,00 60 59 - - 60 3,15 2,21
ºCºMº'ſ INDIA º MARCH 39, 1974
 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)
8. Bharat Dynamics 1,60 50 20 22 11
II. Ministry of Agriculture
and Irrigation
9. Modern Bakeries (India) 2,13 - - 8 6 - - 13 63 6
10. Food Corporation of India 83,71 91 - - - - 1,16 - - 40 - -

11. State Farms Corporation 3,40 10 25 22 4 59

12. Central Fisheries Corpn. 51 - - - - - - 99 ... —32 3
13. Central Warehousing Corpn. 15,61 -- 51 39 1,00 55 1,10 39
14. State Agro-Industries Corpn. - - 1,19 - - - - 1,00 - - - - - -

III. Ministry of Commerce -

15. State Trading Corporation 10,00 1,20 1,20 1,20 5,93 1,20
16. Minerals & Metals Trading
Corpn. 6,00 3,00 72 54 - - 1,08 5,25 11,47
17. Cotton Corpn. of India 1,00 50 12 5 1,00 12 13 5
18. Tea Trading Corpn. of India 10 15 - - 20 - - - - - -

19. Jute Corporation of India 1,00 1,00 - 1,00 5 41

20. The Cashew Corporation of
India 75 75 9 15 - - - 3,95

IV. Ministry of Health and

Family Planning
21. Hindustan Latex 1,05 10 40 16 —11
V. Ministry of Works & -

Housing -

22. Hindustan Housing Facto 49 5 1 1

23, National Building Construc
tion Corpn. 2,95 50 17 50 26 14 15
24 Housing & Urban Development
Corpn. 600 1,00 2,00 49

VI. Ministry of Industry and

Civil Supplies -

25. Hindustan Machine Tools 24,15 2,53 1,45 1,63 1,87 25 1,96
26. Bharat Heavy Electricals 130,00 - - - 14,72 27,39
27. Machine Tools Corporation of
India 4,00 - - 60 —29 –36
28. Thungabhadra Steel Products 51 - - 14 4 7
29. Triveni Structurals 1,53 - - - —55 - -

30. Bharat Heavy Plates & Vessels 10,31 - - - - ... —89 - -

31. Heavy Engineering Corpn. 160,79 50 50 ... —16,57 7.30

32. Mining & Allied Machinery
Corpn. 200,00 - - - - - - 41 - -

33. Jessop & Co. 1,14 - - - - 10 ... —46

34. Richardson & Crudas 1,50 50 - - 75 . . .
35. Bharat Pump & Compressors 5,13 12 - - 2,00
36. Scooters India 1,36 82 - - - - 52 - - - - - -

37. Hindustan Cables 9,01 50 28 27 84 31 —33 1,19

38. Hindustan Salts 1,79 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
39. National Instruments 1,52 1 —42 17
40. National Newsprint and
Paper Mills 2,55 - - - - - - - - 2 92
41. Instrumentation 4,32 100 - - 30 | - 1,33 14
42. Hindustan Photo Films Mfg. 6,32 - - - —1,97 —2,73
43. Tannery Footwear Corpn.
Of India 58 38 –95
44. National Industrial Develop
ment Corpn. 40 - - 2 - - 2,00 2 13 10
45. Cement Corporation of India 14,14 5,85 - - • * 12,00 —40 —54
46. Bharat Opthalmic Glass Ltd. 2.86 - - - - 20 —94 1,04
47. National Textile Corporation 11,27 5,57 - 2,50 26 77

VII. Ministry of Energy

48. National Projects Construction
Corpn. 1,50 45 - e - - - - 7 25
SOCIALIST INDIA MARCH 29, 1974
 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)
49. Water & Power Development
Consultancy Services (India) 30 - - 1 - - - - 1 4.
50. Bharat Coking Coal 2,00 2,83 - - - - 18,27 - - - - - -

51. Coal Mines Authority 142,37 69,05. - - - - 20,68 ... —2,43 - -

52. Neyveli Lignite Corpn. 100,97 44,77 - - - - 5,00 ... —9,95 -

VIII. Ministry of Petroleum

and Chemicals
53. Cochin Refineries 3,70 - - - - 15 - - 52 - -

54. Fertilizer Corpn. of India 301,07 . . 117,65 - - - - 109,29 - - 18 4,56

55. Indian Oil Corporation 71,08 - 37,71 8,54 - - 34,70 22,17 9,82
56. Indo-Burma Petroleum Co. 60 95 8 12 95 8 56 49
57. Lube India 2,40 - - - - 61 - - - - 2,60 1,02
58. Indian Drugs & Pharmaceuti
cals 34,20 - - - - - - 8,70 ... —3,70 —1,82
59. Madras Refineries 9,53 - - 1,14 1,14 - - - 6,25
- 6,71
60. Lubrizol India - 31 - - 2 2 : - - 2 40 44
61. Oil & Natural Gas
Commission - - 135,15 - - - - - - 22,10 - - 6,76 24,51
62. Fertilizers & Chemicals
Travancore 57,21 8,45 - - - - 1,10 ... —2,04 —1,97
63. Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd. 2,47 65 - - - - 1,70 - - 24 1,44
64. Hindustan Insecticides 1,25 35 10 10 2,85 10 9 36
65. Engineers India 14 - - 3 2 - - 3 27 53
66. Hindustan Organic Chemicals 18,89 - 1,56
67. Pyrites, Phosphates &
Chemicals 6,09 51 - - - - 55 - - —3 —16
68. Hindustan Petroleum Corpn. - - 7,40 - - • ‘e 7,40 30 10 - -

IX. Ministry of Shipping and

Transport
69. Hindustan Shipyard 12,10 2,05 - - - - 2,65 - - 65 53
70. Central Road Transport Corpn 1,10 - - - - - - - - ... —38 —31
71. Shipping Corporation of India 27.95 - - ... 16,69 - - ... 8,08 13,91
72. Mogul Lines 81 - - - - 17 - - - - 13 80
73. Central Inland Water Trans- -

port Corpn. - - 1,29 - - - - 2,38 - - 2

74. I)elhi Transport Corporation - - - - - - - - - - -

X. Ministry of Steel & Mines

75. Steel Authority of India 1327,20 55,82 - - - - - - 38,35–35,94 - -

76. Hindustan Zinc 19,00 - - e 10,00 - - 17 42

77. Bharat Gold Mines 60 75 - 1,50 ... —56 —1,62
78. Sikkim Mining Corporation 28 - - - - - - - - - - -

79. Minreal Exploration Corpn. 3,45 3,34 - 3,00 - - - -

80. Hindustan Copper 71,34 - - e - - - 2,56 4,38

XI. Ministry of Tourism and

Civil Aviation
81. Air India 51,82 10,00 - - - - 3,00 ... —94 30
82. Indian Airlines 52,78 - - - - - —1,03 —1,35
83. International Airport Autho- - -

rity of India 3,44 30 - - - - 1,54 - - 1,58 1,61

84. Indian Tourism Development - - -

Corpn. - 10,52 1,40 - - - - 1,40 - - 48 37

XII. Department of Atomic *

Energy
85. Indian Rare Earths 1,86 13 14 14 1,50 15 32 55
86. Electronics Corpn. of India 4,75 1,20 39 19 65 50 65 95
87. Uranium Corporation of India 8,26 • - - - - - - - - - 17 9

XIII. Ministry of Communica- -

cations
88. Indian Telephones 3,88 12 47 48 30 47 2,71 3,19
89. Hindustan Teleprinters 1,23 - - 14 10 - - 9 74 56

Total for 89 companies 331,334 362,24 4775 33.95 264,39 8387 17,33 141,45

SOCIALIST INDIA 10 MARCH 29, 1974


March 6 Rally
And After
The March 6 demonstration be
fore Parliament has left behind
but little impact on the political
horizon of New Delhi. The reason
is not difficult to discern. The ob
jectives of the march were vague,
no less than the slogan “total re
volution”. They meant different
things to different parties and
groups which lent their support to
the JP-led march.
What next? This is the impor
tant question before the parties
grouped together under the JP
umbrella. JP himself appears to be
engrossed with the problem. The
situation which has developed in
the JP camp after the “great
march” has brought to the fore
the contradictions in the camp, so
long papered over by false hopes
and loosely worded slogans. These
contradictions are both in the do
main of their future organisational
pattern as well as regarding the
platform of the movement.
Immediately, the parties subs
cribed to the JP movement have
been faced with the problem of
ironing out their differences in re
gard to the form of organisational
unity they should contrive. This
issue is considered to be extremely
important since differences on this
score between the two components
of the movement—Jana Sangh and
BLD—have provided the stumbl
ing block for a long time. On the
eve of the March 6 demonstration,
the issue threatened to flare up,
thanks to the ultimatum served by
Chaudhry Charan Singh with re
gard to the Jana Sangh volunteers
in the march donning their saffron
caps. JP saved the day by per
suading the Jana Sangh leadership
to abandon the idea of their volun
teers displaying a distinctive
colour, but the RSS hard-core was
extremely unhappy over this com
promise.
It is now widely accepted in the
JP camp that if the movement has
SOf"IALIST INDYA
to be kept going in its present
shape, a suitable organisational
pattern has to be evolved. Hither
to, the Jana Sangh-BLD diverg
ence has been on whether a mer
ger of all these parties is desirable
or there should be united parlia
mentary party. While Chaudhry
Charan Singh favours merger into
a unified party, the Jana Sangh
wants a type of united front. With
JP's blessings, a compromise pro
posal is being canvassed which will
be a half-way house between the
two. Some circles describe it as a
cross between the two concepts—
a sort of “federation” of Opposi
tion parties.
NEW COMPLEXITIES
While this could ordinarily have
been a wonderful idea, new com
plexities have lately entered the
situation and JP is reportedly un
happy about the shape of develop
ments. The stand taken by the
CP(M) at its Calcutta meeting
have posed the ticklish issue of the
movement defining its program
matic aims in a manner as would
appeal to the CP(M) and leftist
opinion. In the absence of this,
the moves for an organisational
consolidation might make the JP
camp no more than a consolida
tion of Rightist parties, some of
whom have a blurred public image.
Such a development would mean
an unfavourable turn for the JP
movement since its strong point
has been the popular economic
discontent and desire for radical
change. Should there be orga
nisational unity which creates a
bigger political vacuum: this in
short is the dilemma which JP
fabes.
That this is not a passing prob
lem is evident. There had been
tacit acceptance by most constitu
ents in the JP camp that any effort
to elaborate economic programmes
and political aims would not suit
them since it would focus their
contradictory approaches to most
important issues. The dangers
inherent in such a move were pin
pointed forcefully a fortnight ago
when the Kashmir issue threaten
ed to disrupt the fragile unity of
this camp. The same thing was
repeated when JP elaborated his
stand on the issue of imperialism
11
and the American role in Asian
region soon after the resumption
of arms supplies to Pakistan. The
JP camp cannot perhaps suffer too
many such problems creating a
dent in its coherence which can be
more easily demonstrated on the
basis of the widely acclaimed slo
gan of fighting corruption and
instituting educational and some
other reforms.
TOTAL REVOLUTION
Lately, this facet of the situa
tion has been brought to the fore
front by the random efforts made
to give a definition and content to
the slogan of total revolution.
When it comes to approaching the
people for support, each constitu
ent of the camp seeks to interpret
the “total revolution” perspective
in its own way. For instance, the
Jana Sangh's elaboration of this
concept has left most others in the
JP camp baffled. The Jana Sangh
has introduced in it the idea of
“modernisation and radicalisation”
along with the concept of “Indiani
sation”, to make its “total revolu
tion” stand on three pillars, in
order to blend it with its own ideo
logy.
However, the Socialists and the
BLD tend to think that Jana
Sangh's pronouncements at its re
cent twentieth all-India session
run contrary to even the Demand
Charter which all of them had to
gether set for the March 6 national
campaign. They also believe that
the Jana Sangh's enunciation of
“total revolution” is unacceptable.
On the other hand, the Jana
Sangh leaders' thinking is that the
very fact that JP finally decided
to attend and address their session
points to JP's broad agreement
with the stand being taken by
them on major socio-economic and
political issues, barring of course,
the question of Kashmir accord.
JP himself has solved these pro
blems by refusing to elaborate the
meaning of “total revolution”. Why
should it be necessary, if the free
dom movement against the British
did not elaborate its post-independ
ence economic platform. Such a
stance not only elucidates the JP
approach but also throws light on
its tender spots, O.P.S.
MARCH 20, 1074

MISCELLANY
SHEIKH ABDULLAH'S WAR
AGAINST CORRUPTION
The Chief Minister of Jammu
and Kashmir, Sheikh Mohammed
Abdullah, fired the first shot in
his war against corruption in pub
lic life when his Government
Sacked last week one senior offi
cial and relieved 13 others of their
present posts. They included three
Heads of Departments, Urban
Development Commissioner-cum
Secretary, senior engineers, forest,
revenue and taxation officials.
Ten of the affected officials have
been redesignated as Officers on
Special Duty, implying virtually
inactive positions. The Jammu
Divisional Commissioner and the
Deputy Inspector General of
Police—two top provincial Heads—
have been replaced. The services
of the Commissioner, who is an
IAS officer, have been transferred
to the Central Government, while
the DIG has been moved to a re
latively less important position in
the Homeguards Department.
The list showing high-level ad
ministrative changes was announ
ced in Srinagar on March 18.
LAND FOR LANDLESS
|N W. BENGAL
The West Bengal Government
has decided to distribute all availa
ble vested or Khas lands, suitable
for homestead purposes, among
landless workers. A sum of Rs. 50
lakhs has been provided in the
next year's budget for distribu
tion of homesites to the landless
labourers.
The Finance Minister of West
Bengal, Shri Shankar Ghose, an
nounced in Calcutta on March 14
that the Government would also
help in the construction of houses.
Particularly, a subsidy would be
~iven hw the Forest Department
in connection with Gupply of fºr
ost, tinher and oth or matorin' ..
A rural housing board for o::ccut
SCCIALIST INDIA
ing the scheme would be constitut
ed.
He said the Government had also
decided to take over and run as
Government institutions the spon
sored Polytechnics in the State
subject to certain conditions. There
are 24 Polytechnics in the State
and the annual expenditure on
them, the Finance Minister said,
would be about Rs. 13 lakhs.
To expand the rural electrifica
tion programme, decisions were
taken to electrify 133 villages in
Purulia at a cost of Rs. 49 lakhs
and another Rs. 41 lakhs would
be spent for electrifying 136 villa
ges in Midnapur. The State Electri
city Roard would borrow the
money from the Rural Electrifica
tion Corporation against Govern
ment guarantee.
The Government would also act
as the guarantor to the Khadi and
Village Industries Commission for
getting a loan of Rs. 23 lakhs for
the State Khadi Board to promote
cottage industries.
BOHRA MARRIAGES
The Bohras of Udaipur celebra
ted a group marraige ceremony of
100 couples on March 15. Some
of them had waited for three or
four years to get married. There
had been no marriage in the Bohra
community at Udaipur for about
three years because of differences
between the Bohra High Priest
Dr. Syedna Burhanuddin, and the
reformist Bohra group known as
the Bohra Youth Association to
which a large number of Bohra
residents in Udaipur subscribe.
Bohra leaders in Udaipur told
some journalists that they tried in
vain to get the High Priest to bless
the weddings. The High Priest in
sisted on the couples taking the
prescribed oath of allegiance be
fore giving his consent to the
solemnisation of the marriages,
but this they were not willing to
do. The oath contains passages
the reformist Bohras object to
strongly. They would have, accord
ing to the oath, to swear to abide
by all dictates of the Syedna. Some
money would also pass hands by
wav of "~!-- “n roturn for the
II - ". ~...~1,1- -- ~~~
The rºarrage; wore p re-red
I?
by four non-Bohra Kazis from
Bombay besides two learned Bohra
ulemas who had been disowned by
the High Priest. Though the
Bohras belong to the Shia sect,
the four Kazis from Bombay were
Sunnis. The parents of most of
the brides and bridegrooms dona
ted Rs. 1,000 for the mass mar
riage ceremony which was follow
ed by a procession consisting of
50 cars carrying the couples and
guests. But many parents who
were unable to pay the money
were exempted.
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi, sent her good wishes to
the Bohra group marriages. Good
wishes were also received from a
number of Congress leaders and
other politicians, progressive
Muslim groups and women's orga
nisations.
DISTRIBUTION OF LAND
IN M. P.
Over four lakh acres of land
was distributed among the land
less persons in Madhya Pradesh
during 1974. The process of com
pleting the allotment of the rema
ining 6,95,254 acres of cultivable
land is going apace and the State
Government hopes to finish this
task by the end of June this year.
In the Division-wise break-up,
Sagar Division has secured the
first place in the allotment of land.
During the year, 2,62,852 acres of
land was given away to the land
less in the Division. The figures
for other Divisions are: Raipur
cover 40,000 acres), Bhopal (25,700
acres), Gwalior (24,271 acres),
Bilaspur (22,445 acres), Indore
(13,900 acres), Jabalpur (9,825
acres), Rewa (2,225 acres) and
Hoshangabad (161 acres).
EXPENDITURE ON
RAILWAY STRIKE
In reply to a question on funds
for rail strike, the Deputy Minister
for Railways Shri Boota Singh said
in the Rajya Sabha on March 3,
that the Railways incurred an ex
penditure of about Rs. 2.5 crores on
meeting the situation created by the
strike in May 1974. This does not
include debits likely to be raised by
other Ministries and by State Gov
ernments for track natro"lºng etc.
The break-up of this expenditure
of Rs. 2.5 croers, item-w'se, is be
*~~ coll-cºed, the Deputy Minister
Sa'il
MA:::::: ::, ; ;
 _-_*- - -
The Threat Of US Arms:
Need For A Counter
Strategy
HARSH DEO MALAVIYA, M.P.
The feelings of the nation on the question of
resumption of U.S. arms supplies to Pakistan were
expressed by India's Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi on February 26, 1975, when she said that the
resumption of US arms supplies to Pakistan amounts
to reopening of old wounds and hinders the process
of healing and normalisation of relations between
India and Pakistan towards which we have been
working so persistently. The Prime Minister also
observed: “It is totally specious to argue that arms
should be supplied to Pakistan because we in India
are developing a self-sufficient defence industry.” The
Prime Minister thought it is dishonest to argue that
our nuclear research poses a danger to Pakistan.
We have been trying our best to improve our re
lations with the USA. Just before our independence,
the United States, through President Roosevelt, in
tervented in favour of India. He sent, William Phil
lips to argue for India's freedom. We had the best
of relations with the USA in the early years of our
independence and it is unfortunate that now, the USA
are not what they ought to be.
This latest US supply of arms to Pakistan should
not be regarded as a result of a very amicable set
tlement of the Kashmir problem. But the fact is that
India is going to settle down to a period of deve
lopment and therefore arms should go to Pakistan
to disturb peace in the sub-continent. It is, indeed,
a part of the US global strategy. Let us not forget
that the anti-Indian hawks in Pakistan have never re
conciled themselves to what has happened in Kash
mir. They have even now, dreams that they will
one day get Kashmir and incorporate it into Pak
istan. They have not bowed to the realities of the
situation.
HAWKS OF PAKISTAN
After the independence of our country, at first
this feeling for Kashmir in Pakistan was exploited
by the British and they used it for anti-Indian pur
poses in Pakistan Later on in the midfifties the
US took over from the British. The US assumed
the role of the Gendarme of the world and it drew
Pakistan into its global strategy. Pakistan was
made a member of CENTO, and also a member of
SEATO. At that time the US said that it was to
meet the menace of Communism. But Nehru in
1954 or 1955, very specifically said that this “me
: nace of Communism was a cover which the US was
using but actually those arms would be used one
day against India. And Nehru proved prophetic.
Actually, what is the position today? There is
*OCIALIST INDIA
growing trouble in Pakistan. Bhutto came out with
great promises, that he would be able to solve cer
tain basic problems of Pakistan. But he utterly
failed. He solved neither any economic problem nor
any political problem. Bhutto having utterly failed,
the anti-Indian hawks in Pakistan got the better of
him. It was the US lobby in Pakistan which sent
Bhutto to the USA for arms.
Here I would like to make a reference to Dr.
Kissinger. I would not like to utter very harsh
words but I would like to call him a double-faced
man. After all his sweet statements during his
visit to India, when he returned to the USA, he said:
“Pakistan, our only ally in the area, was in the
curious position of being subject to embargo of
American arms”. Newsweek, which is an important
US journal and which is closely related to the US
State Department, has said: “It is clear here that
there are rumours of a Pakistani agreement to pro
vide the US with an air and a naval base on the
shore of the Arabian Sea in return for Weapons—a
proposal that is reportedly supported by the anti
Communist Shah of Iran”.
The US target is very clear. Firstly, it wants
to control Arab oil fields. Secondly, it wants to be
in a strategic position, so that in a crisis, when the
West Asia oil comes to India, they can cut it out
at any moment. That is why the base at Gwadar
which Pakistan is supplying is an attraction for the
USA. z
Dr. Kissinger expressed his ideas long before
he became the Secretary of State of the USA. He
wrote a book “Nuclear Weapons and Foreign Poli
cy” published in New York in 1957. He says in that:
“It should be beyond our capabilities to create nu
cleus in the three critical countries. Iran (to help
Turkey and Pakistan cover the middle east), Pak
istan to strengthen and back up Iran, and Burma
and the Indo-Chinese States to protect Malaya and
Thailand”.
ECONOMIC CRISIS IN USA
Indeed, the USA's is a clear-cut strategy, and a
clear-cut policy, and it is part of the US global
strategy. Why today has such an action by the
USA become rather urgent? Today the war in
Vietnam is coming to an end. The fate of Cambo
dian President, Mr. Lon Nol, is sealed and there
is no other market of US arms. There is a deep
economic crisis in USA which is creating an urgency.
Newsweek says: “Ford's budget draws a picture of
almost unrelieved bleakness in its long-range as
sumption. The effects of the current recession are
expected to linger for years, with the unemployment
rate averaging a horrendous 8.1 per cent this year
and 7.9 per cent in election year 1976; not until 1980
is the rate expected to fall to 5.5 per cent—by im
plication, the new definition of “Full employment”.
The Administration also assumes that consumer
prices which soared by 11 per cent in calendar 1974,
will gain another 11.2 per cent in 1975 before settling
to 7.8 per cent rise in 1976. And despite a modest
tax rebate and massive back-to-back deficits total
MARCH 29, 1974
"ling $86.6 billion in two years, the budget is basi
cally an austerity programme that promises major
new spending only for defence . . .”
The American mind is afraid of an economic
crisis of the type which occurred in 1928. It had
absolutely upset American economy. The only way
out for the US economy today, as for all other im
perialist economies, is to go in for armaments. There
fore, now since the Indo-Chinese markets are drying
up, they want to create a new market and it is in
this area, the straßegic area of the West Asia, in
the Indo-Pakistan area.
The defence budget of the USA has mounted to
94 billion dollars. Out of this, we do not know
how much arms are being supplied to Pakistan.
We are, not informed. It is a secret as to
how much of the 94 billion dollars' defence budget
of the USA is to be set apart for armament aid to
other countries but no doubt a very big percentage
is coming to the West Asia area, especially to Iran
and to Pakistan. And it is rather funny. Formerly
they used to argue that these arms would be used
against Communism, against Communists, but now
that argument has been given up.
Now it is bluntly stated that arms supply to
Pakistan will strengthen peace in the area. They
completely close their eyes to the experience of the
last so many aggressions against India. They for
get that whatever arms were supplied to Pakistan
were used ultimately against our country.
Indeed, the USA has never been reconciled to a
strong India, because of our foreign policy, because
of our internal economic policy, because we have
opted not for a capitalist but for a socialistic di
rection of development, because we are friendly
with the Soviet Union, because we are friendly with
the socialist countries, because we are anti-imperial
ists, because we are supporting the Vietnamese
people in their struggle, because our sympathies are
with Cambodia, because we are supporting freedom
struggle against Portuguese colonialists. USA's plan
is to surround our country, to see that our country
is always involved in arms race, in non-productive
expenditure. That is why, their CENTO has been
revived after it was long dead. The Diego Garcia
base has been built up.
CIA AND THE PENTAGON
In the name of containing Communism and up
holding democracy, the US Government, or more
procisely the military industrial complex that gov
erns from the White House and the Pentagon, has
engineered plots and coups—with the help of CIA,
of course—to topple even nationalist and anti-im
perialist Governments and install reactionary pup
pet regimes and military dictatoriships. The real
motive has been to keep open markets for exports, .
to boost the armament industry and war-based eco
nomy and to acquire and construct military bases
all over the world. Trade, aid and investment are
the new tools of exploiting the Third World. Even
the Truman Eisenhower doctrines and the latest
SCCIALIST INDIA
Nixon-Kissinger doctrine which is allegedly geared
to detente and summitry but encourages limited
wars are tarred with the same brush. This is prov
ed by America's latest interventions in Chile and
Cyprus.
This is a part of USA's total global strategy,
and in this strategy they are ruthless, they have no
limits. India can defend itself by developing its own
counter strategy. And what are the outlines of a
counter strategy that India should develop?
Certainly we would not go in for nuclear arms.
We are today the foremost power in the Third World.
In the newly liberated developing economies, India
is certainly the foremost power and it has led the
Third World in the direction of Non-alignment. India
has also been the leading factor in giving a sort of
socialistic direction of development to the newly
liberated developing economies. The threat of US
arms, the threat of US global strategy endangers
all the Non-aligned countries, and all the Third
World countries around the Indian Ocean. There
fore, our prinary task should be to officially con
vene a conference of all the countries which are
affected by the US policy and see to it that the
Indian Ocean is not the playground of the Seventh
Fleet, but remains a Zone of Peace.
Secondly, there are reports that there are cer.
tain Senators, very sensible people, in the USA like
Senator Frank Church and , others. They are se.
riously concerned about the US supply of arms to
Pakistan and to other areas in the Third World
countries, and they have in fact tabled a resolution
against it. Our lobby, an Indian lobby, should be
strengthened there. We should meet these people.
USA is a democratic country and we can do our
propoganda. Therefore, we should make a serious,
effort to educate the American public opinion, and
also meet the Senators, to explain the point of view
of India, that we and other Non-aligned countries
have no aggressive designs against Pakistan or any
other country.
Further, it is necessary that the counter-stra’
tegy should be to further our friendship not only
with the Soviet Union, not only with the socialist
countries, but also with Hanoi, in the east. North
Vietnam is a small country whose people, by their
courage and determination, by their struggle, have
proved that American aggression, American im:
perialism, can be fought and defeated. I suggest
that we should strengthen our relations. also with
the countries in the Indo-Chinese peninsula.
I think it is very important to forge further
the unity of all those forces in our country who arº
interested in the unity of India, who are interested
in preventing any aggression against India, and tº
the extent we unite all the progressive and demo"
cratic forces in the country we shall be meeting the
threat caused by American supply of arms tº
Pakistan.
While viewing the US arms aid to Pakistan, wº
should also view in a correct perspective the great
achievement of our Prime Minister, Smt. Indir"
Continued on Page %
14 MARCH 29, 1978

REPORT
Seminar On
Indo-Soviet
Cooperation
MoHAN CHANDRA Joshi
The process of development of
Indo-Soviet relations during the
recent years was stressed by the
Deputy Chairman of the Planning
Commission, Shri P. N. Haksar,
the President of the Indo-Soviet
Cultural Society Shri K. P. S.
Menon and the Soviet Minister of
Geology Dr. L. I. Rovinin, at
four-day seminar of Indian and
Soviet scholars on “New Perspec
tives of Indo-Soviet Cooperation”,
organised by the Indo-Soviet Cul
tural Society in New Delhi on
March 14.
Delivering the inaugural ad
dress, Shri Haksar said that the
economic relations between India
and the USSR should be further
strengthened. He said: “Indo
Soviet relations are not merely of
mutual interest but of World inter
est.” -
Shri Haksar referred to
growing Indo-Soviet cooperation in
various fields and said: “Despite
widely differing economic, political
and social systems, the under
standing and friendship between
the two countries have
come closer and deeper with the
passage of time”
CLOSER LINKS
Dr. Rovinin noted that not long
ago the traducers of India and
the Soviet-Union described their
relationship as “insidious intrigues
of Moscow” aimed at enslavement
of India. But today Indian indus
tries built with Soviet aid, produc
ed 30 per cent of metallurgical
equipment, 60 per cent of heavy
electrical and 50 per cent of oil in
India. Further the first Indian
artificial “sputnik” is to be launch
ed by a Soviet rocket carrier.
| Dr. Rovinin said the foundation
ſ *OCIALIST INDIA
of the joint efforts undertaken by
India and the Soviet Union in in
ternational arena had been laid by
the mutual interests of safeguard
~ ing stable and lasting peace, of the
struggle against imperialism and
colonialism and of the develop
ment of broad inter-State coopera
tion”.
Dr. Rovinin said USSR and
India would cooperate in further
expansion of the steel plants in
Bhilai and Bokaro, in construction
of the 6-million tonne oil refinery
in Mathura, of the copper mine
and concentrating plant in Malanj
khand, an underground railway in
Calcutta, and other technical pro
jects.
Shri K. P. S. Menon, President
of the Indo-Soviet Cultural
Society, said that the Indo-Soviet
relations had developed to the
a present level primarily because
both the countries respected each
other's sovereignty and right to
evolve different social systems.
Shri Menon said that the semi
nar coincided with the founding of
the Society 23 years ago. Since
then the society had functioned
with increasing dedication and the
present seminar was a result of
the society's efforts.
He stressed that it was of great
significance that the scholars and
scientists of the two countries
were meeting to discuss the vari
the
ous problems facing the country.
He said that he was reminded of
late Dr. Baliga “who worked so
hard and effectively to bring the
two countries closer.”
be On the second day distinguished
scholars, scientists, academicians,
economists and planners of the
two countries discussed in depth
“the non-capitalist” path to eco
nomic and social development.
Initiating the discussion Shri
K. V. Raghunatha Ready, Union
Labour Minister, said the funda
mentals, that brought about a
total change in the society were
production, distribution and deve
lopment of social institutions.The
Third World he said could develop
only with close cooperation with .
the Socialists world.
Referring to Socialism and the
Third World, the CPI Secretary,
15
Shri N. K. Krishnan said that the
current crisis in capitalism was not
part of the recurrent "cyclic cris
es” of capitalism but it affected
the world as a whole.
Analysing the experiment in
Socialism in India and China, Shri
Mohit sen, a member of the CPI
executive, said the present crisis
in India was not due to the failure
of Socialism.
The Soviet academician,
Mr. V. I. Pavlov said in Indian
conditions capitalism could not
offer a viable basis for a uniform
economic growth.
The Soviet Minister for Geology,
Dr. L. I. Rovinin, was sharply cri
tical of using crude oil for energy
and described it as “burning bank
notes.”
BOROOAH'S ADDRESS
Addressing the seminar on
March 16, the Congress President
Shri D. K. Borooah said that the
American role as “gun - runners”
in Asia region was dangerous to
the peace and security of this re
gion. The kind of “gun running”
the Americans were indulging in
world only result in “blow ups”
and nothing else, he added.
Shri Borooah said that India
wanted to develop her economic
strength and to further her long
held policy of peace in Asian re
gion. The Soviet Union he said,
had rendered much help in the
industrial and agricultural deve
lopment of the country. The
Congress President pointed out
the historical facts showed
that Americans had only promoted
war and destruction in South-East
Asia and had converted the peace
loving people into potential ene
mies. The Soviet Union's role, on
the other hand, he added, had been
to promote peace, security and
understanding among the nations
of the region.
He said that SEATO and
CENTO and other defence pacts
were proofs of US objectives of
creating tension in the world.
In Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and
Thailand, the US policy of main
taining tension and destruction
had been clearly exposed. “Thev
Continued on Page 26
MAIRCH 29, 1974

ASPECTS OF
INDO-SOVIET
RELATIONS
DR. L. I. ROVNIN
Following are edited excerpts
from the speech delivered by the
Soviet Minister of Geology, Dr.
L. I. Rovnin, at the four-day semi
nar of Indian and Soviet scholars
organised by the Indo-Soviet Cul
tural Society in New Delhi re
cently:
The experience of Soviet-Indian
relations during the quarter cen
tury of the existence of indepen
dent India convincingly shows how
close and many-sided friendly ties
can unite States with different so
cial systems provided the policy
of those States is inspired by the
ideals of the struggle for peace and
security of the peoples, against
aggression and all forms of colo
nialism.
Such relations exercise ever
growing beneficial influence on in
ternational situation. Of exception
al significance in this connection
is the Treaty of Peace, Friendship
and Cooperation signed between
Our States in 1971. It furnishes
a new stage of strengthening the
traditional friendship between our
countries.
WORLD PEACE
The most important aspect of
the Treaty is its contents—orient
ed as these are towards the future.
Having summed up on the one
hand all the useful experience of
the Soviet-Indian cooperation ac
cumulated by 1971, the Treaty has
opened new broad vistas for deve
lopment of friendly relations bet
ween our two countries in politi
cal, economic and other spheres.
The USSR and India successfully
cooperate in the international
arena, constructively contributing
to the solution of contemporary
problems.
The foundation of the joint
efforts undertaken by our two
countries on the international
arena, is formed by the mutual
SOCIALIST INDIA
interests of safeguarding stable
and lasting peace, of the struggle
with imperialism and colonialism,
of the development of broad inter
State cooperation. All these cate
gories are of a lasting and prin
cipled character. And it would be
wrong to treat them as a passing
factor, while spect.lating which
country needs more universal
peace and cooperation and who
can get more and who will get
less out of all these.
We proceed from the conviction
that Soviet-Indian relations in the
most direct way correspond to the
basic and most cherished interests
of our peoples.
In the joint Soviet-Indian Decla
ration signed by L. I. Brezhnev
and Indira Gandhi, both sides have
welcomed the positive changes in
the international situation and ex
pressed conviction that the prac
tical outcome of deterste should be
of benefit to all countries of the
world, no matter whether they are
developing or developed ones.
It is common knowledge that the
Soviet Union and India oppose im
perialist aggression and support
the right of peoples to decide them
selves their destinies, to exercise
their sovereign rights and to carry
out progressive reforms. The co
operation between the USSR and
India is pretty effective in the
field of economy. I have great
pleasure to declare that the So
viet people, with a feeling of deep
satisfaction, note that the USSR
has sizeably contributed to the in
dustrialisation of your country, to
the construction of the key bran
ches of industry. With the techni
cal assistance of the Soviet Union
about 70 industrial enterprises
have already been put into opera
tion or are being built in the State
sector.
These are the world famous
giant steel plants in Bhilai and
Bokaro, whose capacity is to in
crease from 4.2 to 17 million tonnes
of steel per year, the Heavy
Machine Building Plant in Ranchi,
the Heavy Electrica; Fauipment
Plant in Hardwar, thr; nil refinery
in Mathura under construction, the
operating oil refineries in Gujarat
and others.
We feel deeply proud that with
our assistance such enterprises
10
have been constructed which pro
duce at present 80 per cent of
metallurgical equipment, 60 per
cent of heavy electricals, over 50
per cent of oil and refine 30 per
cent of oil, 30 per cent of electri
city and about 20 per cent of
steel.
Our economic, scientific and
technical cooperation embraces
various fields. Within 20 years it
has reached cosmic heights. This
is literally true because, in the
nearest future, we will witness the
launching of the first Indian arti
ficial Sputnik by a Soviet rocket
carrier .
OIL RESERVES
As a specialist in oil I am ex
tremely glad to notice that in
spite of the well-known assertions
in the West that there are no oil
reserves in India, the Soviet spe
cialists along with the Indian geo
logists have found large oil depo
sits, thus enabling India to estab
lish an oil industry of its own.
The joint efforts of our two coun
tries are aimed primarily at streng
thening the key-sectors of Indian
economy, without which it is un
thinkable to strengthen national
independence and to progress along
the road of economic self-reliance.
Life has proved as absolutely base
less and absurd the attempts of
propaganda media of some coun
tries to show our mutually bene
ficial and equal economic coopera
tion as so-called “insidious intri
gues of Moscow” aimed at “en
slavement of India,” “plunder and
exploitation of the Indian people.”
The entire experience of Soviet
Indian ties in the economic field
testifies just to the contrary—that
is in the process of strengthening
such cooperation a basically new
type of inter-State relationship is
emerging — a relationship based
on equality, mutual trust and
friendship, respect for sovereignty
amd non-interference in internal
affairs.
I would like to specially under
line that trade and economic co
operation of the USSR with all the
countries, including India, is based
on the principles of equality, res
pect and mutual benefit. We never
- - - - MARCH 29, 1074
attach political strings to our as
sistance to developing countries
such as the demands to change
their course in international mat
ters, for example.
All the projects which have been
built or are being built or will be
built in India, with the assistance
of the USSR, are the national pro
perty of India proper. We repu
diate in principle the concept of
export of profits socially alien to
us, and, taking into consideration
the peculiarity of the Indian eco
nomy, we are building a system of
mutual transactions on Rupee
basis and also on the basis of re
payment of Soviet credits by im
port of products manufactured in
India.
The trade relations between the
USSR and India are successfully
expanding. In the past ten years,
alone, the volume of trade has in
creased four-fold and by 1980 it
will be increased further. The
USSR became the biggest trade
partner of India, while the Indian
exports have occupied a prominent
place in the foreign trade of the
LJSSR.
A change of particular import
ance took place in the commodity
structure of the Indian exports to
the USSR. At present over 50 per
cent of it consists of the goods
manufactured by Indian industries.
Steel rolling, cast iron, batteries,
power cable, medical equipment
are exported, in addition to the
traditional export items of India
like cotton, tea and jute.
The Soviet Union is actively
helping India is training specia
lists for her national economy.
Some 3,000 Indian specialists have
been trained at Soviet enterprises,
Altogether over 50,000 Indians
have been trained in the USSR.
INCREASED COOPERATION
In the agreement on the further
development of economic and
trade cooperation signed by Com
rade Leonid Brezhnev and Shrimati
Indira Gandhi on November 29,
1973, stress is laid on the fact
that the coperation is directed first
of all towards the consolidation of
the economic independence of
India, that it corresponds to the
interests of both States in their
struggle for economic and social
progress. This includes in particu
lar the extension of the projects
SOCIALIST INDIA
that had been constructed in col The Soviet-Indian relations, na
laboration with the USSR and the turally, cover not only the econo
erection of new industrial, agricul mic field. Various contacts bet
tural enterprises and other pro ween the Soviet and Indian scien
jects, as well as rendering assist tific, cultural, trade unions, youth,
ance to India in building educa women and other public organisa
tional institutions for vocational tions are gaining in scope and get
training. ting strengthened.
The USSR and India will co In the light of the present stage
operate in further expansion of of the Soviet-Indian relationship,
steel plants in Bhilai and Bokaro, and particularly after the visit of
in construction of the oil-refinery Comrade L. I. Brezhnev to India,
in Mathura, copper mine and con still more beneficial vistas are be
centrating plant in Malanjkhand, ing opened up in cultural and
an underground Railway in Cal scientific cooperation between our
cutta, and some other projects. countries.
TENDER NOTICE
Item rate tenders obtainable on payment of Rs. 2/- per tender form
for the below noted works are hereby reinvited from the approved PWD,
P & R Contractors/L & C Societies on 9-4-1975 at 3 P.M. and will be
opened on the same day in the presence of the tenderers or their autho
rised representatives who may like to be present.
Sr. Name of work Amount Earnest Time
No. Money Limit
IMPROVING & WIDENING G.T. ROAD. K.M. 446 to 452 K.M.
1. SUPPLY OF STONE SOLING 3” TO 4” GAUGE
Group No. I K.M. 447 to 448.5 K.M. 1,00,000/- 2,000/- Six months
Group No. II K.M. 448.5 to 449 K.M. 1,00,000/- 2,000/- —do—
Group No. III K.M. 450 to 451.5 K.M. 1,00,000/- 2,000/- —do—
Group No. IV K.M. 451.5 to 452 K.M. 1,00,000/- 2,000/- —do—
2. SUPPLY OF STONE METAL 14” to 2" GAUGE
Group No. II K.M. 448.5 to 449 K.M. 1,00,000 2,000/- —do—
CONDITIONS. Detailed N.I.T. can be seen in the office of the under
signed during working hours.
Sd/- (MOHINDER SINGH GILL)
Executive Engineer,
Amritsar Provincial Division,
f Amritsar.
HORTICULTURE PLAYS VITAL ROLE
IN HIMACHAL PRADESH
1. Working to common purpose by generating employment.
2. Helping orchardists through the supply of necessary inputs for
production and marketing.
3. Fruit plants, fertilizers, pesticides, literature, technical know
how and credit facilities are being made available within their
easy approach.
4. Various fruit products are manufactured in the State Canning
Units for supply to Indian and foreign markets. The ‘Himcu’
fruit products have now become popular everywhere.
5. Horticulture in Himachal steps into the future with confidence
and with a hope for prosperity and better status to all.
HIM LOK SAMPARK
17 - MARCH 29, 1974

INDO-AFGHAN JOINT COMNMUNIQUE
The following is the text of the
Joint Communique issued at the
end of the State visit to India of
Mr. Mohammad Daoud, President
of Afghanistan:
At the invitation of Shri Fakhru
ddin Ali Ahmed, President of
India, His Excellency Mr. Moham
mad Daoud, Head of State and
Prime Minister of the Rupublic of
Afghanistan paid a State visit to
India from March 10 to 14, 1975.
The Head of State of Afghani
tan held talks in Delhi with the
President of India, the Prime
Minister and other Indian leaders.
He visited places of cultural and
economic interest in Delhi and
Chandigarh. The Punjab Univer
sity conferred the Honorary
Degree of Doctorate of Law on the
Head of State.
The Head of State was given a
very warm welcome by the people
and fraternal ties between the
two countries and the earnest de
sire of the two peoples to conso
lidate and enlarge cooperation in
all fields.
PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE
Th Head of State held extensive
discussions with the Prime Minis
ter of India. These discussions
covered issues of international im
portance and bilateral cooperation.
The discussions revealed a close
similarity of views on all subjects.
In these discussions the Head of
State of Afghanistan was assisted
by H. E. Mohammad Khan Jalalar,
Minister of Commerce, H. E. Mr.
Ali Ahmed Khurram, Minister of
Planning and H. E. Mr. Waheod
Abdullah, Deputy Foreign Minis
ter. The Prime Minister of India
was assisted by Shri Y. B. Chavan,
Minister of External Affairs, Shri
G. Parthasarathi, Chairman, Policy
Planning Committee, Ministry of
External Affairs, Shri D. P. Chat
topadhyaya, Minister of Commerce
Shri S. Nurul Hasan, Minister of
Education, Social Welfare and Cul
ture, Shri V. C. Shukla, Minister
of State for Planning, and senior
officials. The Ambassadors of the
two countries also assisted their
respective delegations.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The two sides
their adherence to the
ciples of the United
Charter and their
in the principles of peaceful co
existence, solution of all problems
through peaceful means, refrain
ing from use of force and threat
to use of force between States and
mutual respect on the basis of
sovereign equality and non-inter
ference as fundamental to proper
international conduct and relations
between States. They stressed the
increasing validity of the policy
of non-alignment which had serv
ed the international community
well. They agreed on the impor
tance of unity and solidarity of
the non-aligned States and resolv
ed to cooperate actively to ensure
the success of the forthcoming
Non-Aligned Nations Conference
in Colombo.
They called for universal
armament including the total ban
on the use of nuclear weapons
and the destruction of existing
stockpiles of all such weapons.
They stressed the need to develop
nuclear energy, for exclusively
peaceful purposes and for promot
ing rapid economic development
in all countries.
The two sides reviewed the in
ternational economic situation as
it directly affected the developing
countries. They called on the
developed countries to base their
economic relations with develop
ing countries on an equitable and
just basis. They reaffirmed their
belief that the developing coun
tries should intensify economic
and technical cooperation among
themselves in order to
speedier progress. The two sides
also agreed that greater cooperat
tion between the countries of the
region was essential for the rea
lisation of regional self-reliance
for which fruitful possibilities
existed. They urged that the in
ternational community should also
adopt urgent and concrete mea
sures to enable the most seriously
affected developing countries, to
over come their present difficulties
and sustain the momentum
18
their development. In this regard
they agreed that due attention
should be paid to the difficulties of
the land-locked countries, parti
cularly in connection with trade
reiterated and transit facilities.
prin
Nations INDIAN OCEAN
belief
The two sides called for the
earliest settlement of the West
Asia crisis which continues to
threaten the peace of the world.
They agreed that this crisis must
be resolved on the basis of with
drawal of Israel from all the oc
cupied territories. They agreed
that a permanent solution was
not possible without the restora
tion of the national rights of the
people of Palestine in their home
land.
The two sides stressed the im
portance to both littoral and non
littoral countries in the region of
the Indian Ocean being a Zone of
Peace and Great foreign military
bases and Great Power rivalry and
tension. They called for renewal
of efforts by all for the earliest
dis realisation of this objective.
Both sides reaffirmed their re
Solve to create an atmosphere of
peace and cooperation in South
Asia and to continue to seek reso
lution of the existing disputes by
peaceful methods. They noted
with regret recent actions which
would stimulate the arms race, en
couraging the forces of confronta
tion and tension and thus retard
ing the process of normalisation in
South Asia. They agreed to keep
in close contact on political, econo
mic and other developments in the
region.
The two sides reviewed the pro
gress of economic, technical and
commercial cooperation between
the countries and noted with satis
achieve
faction that considerable progress
had been made in these fields. They
resolved to strengthen and widen
the areas of bilateral cooperation
between their two countries.
The Head of State and Prime
Minister Daoud extended an invi
tation to the President and the
Prime Minister of India to visit
Afghanistan at their convenience.
The President and the Prime Min
ister of India accepted the invita
of tion with great pleasure,
MARCH 29, 1974

ºr
ºf sº . . . º º
party news
Pradesh Economic
Council In AP
The Pradesh Economic Council,
appointed by the Andhra Pradesh
Congress Committee was inagurat
ed by the Chief Minister Shri J.
Vengalarao on March 16 at
Gandhi Bhavan, Hyderabad. The
APCC President Shri
chaneni Venkatanarayana, wel
comed the members and Dr. (Smt.)
Sarojini Mahishi, Union Minister
of State for Law, Justice and Com
pany Affairs addressed.
The participaits at the meeting
included V. B. Raju, MP, Deputy
I leader of the Congress Parliamen
tary Party, Shri P. Rangareddy,
º on the subject “Whither, Andhra
Finance, Planning, Information and
* Pradesh Economy, in the Context
Housing Minister, Shri P. Venkata,
* Shri V. B. Raju, who presided,
Subbayya, MP, Shri K. L. N. Pra
sad, MP, Shri K. V. Kesavulu,
Minister for Handlooms, Shri G. V.
Anjaneya Sarma, MLA, Shri P. L.
Bhandari, Shri Macherla Ramarao,
Shri J. V. Somayajulu, Shri Mul
lapudi Harischandraprasad,
V. L. Datt, Shri R. Ramanandarao,
Prof. D. L. Narayana, Prof. H. K.
Majundar, Prof. Wahiduddin Khan,
Shri R. V. Krishna Naidu, Shri
Balwant Singh, Prof. Goutam Ma
thur, Dr. R. V. Rao, Dr. N. S. R.
Sastri and Shri T. Venkatramayya,
APCC Organising Secretary. Shri
T. Hayagrivachari, General Secre
tary, and Shri B. B. Ramayya par
ticipated as special invitees.
ECONOMIC PROBLEMS
In his welcome address, Shri V.
Venkatanarayana discussed
economic crisis the nation is fac
ing at present, and hoped that the
Council would be a prime-mover
in advising and guiding the APCC
and the Government in
measures to be initiated to solve
various economic problems
fronting the State. He wished that
the deliberations of the
Would pave a smooth way for fur
thering the rapid development and
progress of the State,
80CIALIST INDIA
Shri J. Vengalrao, Chief Minis
sº ter, in his inaugural address ex
-
pressed his pleasure in meeting, as
members of the Council, persons
w from different walks of life with
wide experience, knowledge and
expertise and advised them to keep
in mind in their deliberations not
only the situation in the State but
also in the country. He spoke in
depth of the various measures the
State Government is undertaking
in regard to agricultural and in
dustrial development, eradication
of regional backwardness, curbing
of price rise and clearing of back
log in unemployment.
Veerama
Dr. Sarojini Mahishi felt that the
initiative taken by the Congress
party, in constituting this coun
cil, would go a long way to build
an economic infrastructure in the
State. She said that longer gesta
tion periods of the major projects
were upsetting our plans and sug
gested that time-bound develop
mental programmes should be ini
tiated and effectively adhered to.
said that this Council consisting
of experts from many fields should
study both at micro and macro
level the State economy as a part
of national economy and suggest
various measures conducive
Shri
planned development and accele
rated growth. ,’
INDIA'S SUCCESS AT
LEIPZIG FAIR
Contracts for supply of various
Indian products, worth Rs. 15.4
million were signed in the Leipzig
Spring Fair, held from March 9 to
16. These contracts include
firm order worth Rs. 63 lakhs for
the shoe-uppers, Rs. 32 lakhs for
canned fruits and juice, and Rs.
91 lakhs for crushed bones.
addition, several enquiries for the
purchase of other Indian products
evolving were made.
con The Leipzig Spring Fair is
important international trade
Council event. India has been participating
in this fair for the past two de
cades. This year, more than 80
Indian firms participated in the
19
The Council discussed about its
scope and functioning and decided
to offer, within the perview of the
twin-national objectives of rapid
economic development and social
justice, positive and constructive
suggestions to the APCC and,
through it, the State Government
on the State of economy. It is to
identify the various economic pro
blems confronting the State and
suggest alternative measures to
solve them. In addition, it is to
build up economic education and
atmosphere conducive for develop
ment and progress in the State.
The Council resolved that an
economic affairs cell should be
started in the Ministry of Finance,
Government of Andhra Pradesh, to
undertake depth studies and trend
analysis of the economic situation
in the State.
The Council fixed up its next
meeting for March 30 to under
take a comprehensive discussion
of National Economy?” Various
background papers are to be pre
pared and circulated in advance
for the benefit of the members to
draw meaningful conclusions.
for Shri V. B. Raju will head the
Council and Shri T. Venkatram
ayya will be its Secretary.
fair out of which nearly 60 firms
displayed their products in the
India pavilion organised by the
Directorate of Exhibitions and
Commercial Publicity of the Com
merce Ministry. Other firms dis
played their products in six dif
ferent Commodity Halls.
a
The products displayed in the
India pavilion included non-tradi
tional items like diesel engines,
In cables and wires, electric meters,
hand tools and cutting tools,
bicycles, chemicals, tyres, vacuum
flasks and leather goods. Display
arranged in the Commodity Halls
an covered textiles, knitting machines,
sanitary wares, chemicals and
pharmaceuticals, jewellery, preci
ous and semi-precious stones,
spices, tea and tinned fruits, jute
goods, footwear and handicrafts.
MARCH 29, 1974

Bokaro Steel launches
Bihar into the vanguard
of India's industrial
revolution.
Bihar today. A place of activity. Of
social ferment. And Bokaro, situated
in the mineral-rich belt of Bihar,
contributes to the changing order a
movement of its own. A movement
towards national prosperity,
growth and progress.
Towards self-sufficiency
To India, Bokaro means a variety of
different things which ultimately culminate
in one word : progress. Technical self
sufficiency, increased production, economic
prosperity and the promise of a better
tomorrow. Bokaro is a symbol of all these
projections into the future.
Bokaro is not only the biggest industrial
undertaking in the country, it is also India's,
biggest single step towards technical
and economic self-sufficiency. Because
right from its inception Bokaro
was conceived as India's first indigenous
- Bokoſo See —INDIA'S LARGEST STEEL COMPLEX
SOCIALIST INDIA
ARI
steel plant. Most of the sophisticated
equipment utilised for the complex has
been made in India for the first time,
especially for Bokaro.
Towards rapid industrialisation
An undertaking of Bokaro's unprecedented
size and complexity, with its planned
capacity of 5.5 million tonnes,
symbolises the rapidity of India's industrial
progress. Because a few short years ago,
where Bokaro stands today there
was nothing. Nothing but a vast area of
sparsely cultivated land. With an unrealised
potential for wealth and progress.
Suddenly that potential was realised drama
tically. The industrial movement gained
ground rapidly. And Bokaro, the country's
largest steel complex, emerged.
Towards employment
opportunities
Immediately, tremendous employment N
opportunities were created. People of the
*...*, *
20
-->
area, displaced as a result of land
acquired for the project, were absorbed.
into the complex. New skills were taught
N--
and rapidly mastered, new crafts learned.
People from all parts of the country,
from all walks of life, found themselves
acquiring technical know-how
end specialised training at Bokaro.
Towards a better future
And these people, living symbols of a
new industrial culture, make Bokaro
what it is today—the pride of new India.
Committed to fulfilling the great
responsibility of producing 4.75 million
tonnes of steel by the end of the Fifth Plan
—more than one-fourth the country's
total supply. Impelling the nation steadily
along the road towards national
prosperity. And building a brighter future
for coming generations.
MARCH 29, 1974

PROGRESS AT BOKARO
K. C. KHANNA
Managing Director, Bokaro Steel Limited
Bokaro is the latest addition to the amibitious
programme for expansion of India's steel industry.
The importance of increased steel production had
been realised early. And soon after independence,
India decided to set up steel plants in the Public
Sector. Three steel plants were set up—one each
at Durgapur, Bhilai and Rourkela. Bokaro is the
fourth and also the biggest steel complex in the
country. From a mere 1.5 million tonnes of steel
ingots in 1952, today the total capacity has gone
up to 9 million tonnes. Now India has set for her
self a target of 17.5 million tonnes of ingot steel by
the end of the Fifth Plan. Bokaro has been assign
ed a major role in the programme. It will contri
bute 4 million tonnes or about 25 per cent of the
total supply. -
Till a few years ago one could hardly imagine
how this barren land consisting of a few small vil
lages would transform into a giant industrial com
plex that it is today. As one looks at the huge
chimneys, the rows of long unending steel pipes
and the enormous steel melting complex, it is diffi
cult for one to imagine that a stretch of green was
all that one could see here only couple of years ago.
The story of Bokaro is a story of progress.
There has been no looking back since Smt. Indira
Gandhi inaugurated the construction work in 1968.
The work went on uninterrupted and at an even
pace since then.
The last four years have been specially event
ful in the progress of Bokaro. The construction
work on the first stage made decisive progress dur
ing this period. While the civil work for the first
stage has been all but completed, 95 per cent of
technological structures 74 per cent of mechanical
and 73 per cent of electrical equipment erection has
been accomplished.
SLABBING MILL - quality of coal and coke ash is renorting five per
The commissioning of the slabbing mill last
year has been the most significant event in the con
struction activity of Bokaro Steel in the past few
months. This has been a significant step towards
producing finished steel in our plant. This is also
important for fulfilling its first stage of 1.7 million
tonnes of ingot steel. Bokaro's slabbing mill, the
only universal slabbing mill in the country, has an
hourly capacity to “slab" 600 to 800 tonnes of in
got steel. This is also the most modern among all
slabbing mills of the country. The sophisticated
mill will have among other things a closed circuit
television control system.
*OCIALIST rRNDIA
With the growth of India's economy, there has
been a parallel growth in the demand within the
country for flat products. The sheets made here
can be used for manufacturing things like tankers,
ships, sheets for railway coaches, refrigerators, con
tainers, automobile etc.
Now that the slabbing mill has been commis
sioned, the major point of concentration is the hot
strip mills. This is only logical as we are eager to
see finished products rolling out of our plant.
Being close to the largest coking coal belt in
the country, Bokaro has a good possibility of growth.
Not only has the plant's capacity of 4.75 million ton
nes been approved, the possibility of its further ex
pansion is also there.
The design of Bokaro Steel Plant is based on
the latest technological innovations which ensures
that material usage, labour and consumption are
kept to the optimum. Bokaro is also the most so
phisticated steel complex where the latest technolo
gigal innovations of the steel world have been in
corporated. It has the largest area, the biggest
blast furnace, the tallest coke oven batteries and
the biggest sintering plant. There are certain fea
tures like the remote control TV system which are
unique. The cooling ponds—one of which is still
under construction—are enormous in size and their
placid blue is a treat to the eyes,
PRODUCTION RATE
Production at Bokaro, which began with the
commissioning of the first blast furnace in October
1972, has always been good. The blast furnace has
produced over 1.78 million tonnes of hot metal till
now. The total output of hot metal during 1973-74,
which was the first financial year of operation, was
about 80 per cent of the rated capacity. For the
past several months, production at Bokaro has been
extremely good with the blast furnace, coke ovens,
sintering plant and the pig casting machine achiev
ing record production.
The blast furnace at Bokaro has been showing
a gradually improving technological efficiency. Bo
karo has been able to achieve a coke rate of
710 kgtonne as per the Detailed Proiect Report
(DPR). This achievement is creditable in the light
of the fact that there has been deterioration in the
cent higher than projected, in the DPR.
Bokaro is more than a steel plant. For its
30,000 employees it is a home, a bustling, dynamic
city—Bokaro Steel City. There are parks, market
places, health centres housing colonies, schools and
various civic amenities. Apart from the usual faci
lities like housing, medical, education its employees
enjoy some unique welfare benefits.
Among others, the Employees Family Benefit
Society was introduced last year. This society was
founded with the objective of providing financial
Continued on Page 26
21 MARCH 29, 1974
 Taſmſºns wiyamañas
ſåWDUIalſº ſº |N|S|| || ||

Rich natural resouces, mineral, A number of large industrial under.

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government whhe

Comparativery more peaceful and ositive approach towards -

cordial industrial relations. dustrial development of the State,

44
º Sº ſº
-N. Z.º
Mº’s.
tº'ſ ſº
A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy,
including a string of financial & on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water 8 power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. rates, price preference etc.,

assistance to educated
unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur.

For details, please contact?

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedl, Bangalore 560 001

Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 56000?

SOCIALIST INDIA MARCH 29, 1974


The Third Triennale
India—1975
JAG MOHAN
“Art is one of the means for uniting the peoples
of the world.”
—LEO TOLSTOY
“From beautiful things, we shall go to the beauti
ful ideas, from beautiful ideas, we shall go to beauti
ful life, and from a beautiful life, to absolute
beauty.”
—PLATO
The roving eyes are bewitched and tantalised by
all that is displayed at the Triennale—by the colours
and forms, by the textures and shapes, by the sizes
and masses. The roving eyes bewildered by some
intriguing exhibits at the Rabindra Bhavan Galleries
or the Bahawalpur House, pause here and there,
now and again. They get benumbed too even as the
feet get wearied. It is not such as wonderous world
of art that has been gathered from 25 countries as
far flung as Finland and Japan, USA and Australia,
Belgium and Indonesia. For here assembled are 606
objets d'art — the handiwork of 267 artists, including
94 Indian artists. And, the accent is on contempo
raneity.
The retinal impressions filtered through the train
ed eyes bombard the mind in quick succession as one
goes up the stairs to the first floor and down to
basement and through the maze of interconnected
halls. Aided by the functionally designed catalogue,
the computer mind tries to establish rapport with
the art objects. The Dhwani theory of art apprecia
tion of which our ancients wrote so much is at work.
Some rasas—the emotions much wider in spectrum
than the Aristotelian pity and terror—are evoked.
The “voices of silence” about which Andre Malraux
has written, communicates sometimes mutely, at
times stridently. And, in the presence of anti-art
objects, there is no communication at all.
GRIEVOUS OMISSION
The Triennale has not assembled the contempo
rary art of the world. Thirty-nine countries were
invited. Only 24 responded and sent entries. Vast
areas of the world have been left out. Asian, Afri
can, Latin American, Arab and several Third World
countries are conspicuous by their absence. Without
art works from countries like Zambia and Tanzania,
Mexico and Brazil, Egypt and Vietnam and China, to
mention only a few, this is a pretty poor show.
This is a grievous omission. All the more so
because politically India is a friend of all these coun
tries and over the years there has been much colla
boration with most of these countries in the inter
national forums Besides, even in terms of aesthetic
considerations, the Triennale is disappointing. The
vitality shown in the art of the resurgent nations is a
80CIALIST INDIA
missing factor. Instead there is much of the stale,
vapid anti-art objects that give valid proof of the
“decline of the West.”
The next time the Triennale is held whether in
1977 or 1978, no effort should be spared in undoing
the damage that has been done. Nor money, nor
time should be spared. For, Triennale India should
come to be hailed as a big art event among develop
ing countries. And India should make it possible for
all underdeveloped countries to have a breakthrough
by spotlighting the art of the Third World. Triennale
India need not compete nor vie with biennales and
triennales of Venice and Paris. The affluent coun
tries have enough resources and places to project
themselves. They need not necessarily be ignored.
But the emphasis should not be on them. That is the
whole point and it should be remembered by all those
involved with the next Triennale including the Min
ister for Education who ought to be concerned with
these matters.
There is also a certain amount of lopsidedness
and unevenness at the Triennale because some coun
tries, notably the USA and the Netherlands, had de
cided to send the works of a single artist. Accord
ing to rules and regulations this may be alright
since it is left to the invited country to decide how
best its contemporary art should be represented. But
it deprives us the opportunity to know the currents,
cross-currents and undercurrents of contemporary
art in these countries.
The Third Triennale India all the same provides
a rich opportunity to get acquainted with the current
art situation in India and 24 other countries. It
provides clues to the problems faced by the artists
in terms of concepts and materials. It enables the
P.M. AWARDS PRIZES
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi presented the
awards of the Third Triennale India on Monday,
March 17 at a largely attended function. Only
Shri Shanti Dave (India) and Mr. Kozo Mio
(Japan) out of the six award winners were per
sonally present to receive the gold medal and
cash award of Rs. 10,000. The Ambassadors of
France, Finland, West Germany and the Nether
lands received the awards on behalf of the other
four. n
Shrimati Indira Gandhi in her brief speech
commended the Triennale and pointed out that
the Government could only take a few steps to
wards the popularisation of arts among the
people. While the performing arts had been
making an impact on the people, the plastic and
graphic arts were yet to make a deep impression
on the masses. She appealed to the artists to
make a serious attempt to have a communion
with the people. She pointed out that art was
not complete on the canvas or in the bronze.
Only which the works of art impinged on the
minds of viewers they were complete in the sense
of fulfilling their purposes.
MARCH 29, 1974
viewers a chance to make assessments and apprai
Sals of the revolution that has been going on in the
plastic and graphic arts.
Turn the roving eyes whichever direction you
want at the Triennale and you will notice that the
landscape has vanished. So have the human face,
the body beautiful and the recognisable object.
Excepting some of the artists of the Socialist Coun
tries, Federal Republic of Germany, Britain and Iraq,
the majority of artists has opted to present a splin
tered view of the world, though in kaleidoscopic
colours. It is all so depersonalised and dehumanised.
Beauty has yielded place to banality. Fantasy and
phantasmagoria have possessed these artists. They
art will not elevate our souls but leave us cold tº
wallow in our private worlds? Or are we to forget
art altogether and take to drinks, drugs and sadistic
delights? Many such questions pop up. But there
are no anSWers.
In this review only a framework, a sort of pers
pective has been provided. No attempt has been
made to discuss the exhibits countrywise or artist
wise due to paucity of space. To do full justice a
series of three articles would be necessary. But the
perspective should enable such of those desirous of
seeing the Triennale to form their own conclusions
and assessments. Such of those who cannot see are
not missing much. -

are not moved by the tragedies and holocausts hap

pening around them, both man-made and natural.
Their creative world seems to be divorced from the
realities of the life.
Can we find fault with them? Have we to ac
cept that this is their way of protest against the
ways of the present-day world? Are we to conclude
that in these tumultous times we are living through,
However special attention of the reviewer was
attracted to the exhibits from Yugoslavia (they
provide a breath of fresh air after the stuffy rooms
nearby), Federal Republic of Germany (the painting
being “principally white” and super-realistic), USA
(the wooden constructions in black by Louis Nevel
son) Australia (Ewa Pachuka's innovative sculptures
done with fibre, string and crochet work), Japan

THE THIRD TRIENNALE INDIA 1975 : The countries in bold type had appointed
Commissioners, who had selected the art works of
SONME VITAL FACTS their respective countries and who came to India.
The Lalit Kala Akademi invited 39 countries to
India had appointed Dhanraj Bharat (Sculptor) and
Jyoti Bhatt (painter) as its Commissioners.
participate in the Third Triennale: India 1975, but
only the following 25 (including the host country, The figures marked alongside the countries
India) partcipated. indicate the number of artists who came to see the
Country Artists Art Triennale.

Represented Objects The asterisks indicate the countries which won

1. Australia (2) 2 16 the awards—gold medals and cash awards of Rs.
2. Bangladesh 20 27 10,000.
3. Belgium 6 18
4. Britain (1) 4 two 16 The following are the prize-winning artists:
jointly 1. Penti Lumikangas (Finland), 2. Hugh Weiss
5. Czechoslovakia 3 20 (France), 3. Kozo Mio (Japan), 4. Jorge B. Stever
6. Federal Republic of Germany 6* 16 (FRG), 5. David Van De Kop (The Netherlands),
7. Finland 4* 20 6. Shanti Dave (India).
8. France 3 15
9. German Democratic The International jury consisted of the follow
Republic 4 20 ing:
10. Hungary 5 28 1. Monroe Wheeler (USA), 2. Walter Zanini
11. India 94% 125
(Brazil), 3. V. R. Amberkar (India).
12. Indonesia 5 32
13. Iraq 21 26 Pontus Hulten (France) and Octavio Paz
14. Italy 8 8 (Mexico), who were also invited to be jurors, could
15. Japan 5* 19 not attend due to indisposition.
16. Republic of Korea 12 22
The three-man jury could not consider the
17. Netherlands (1) 1 11
18. Poland 3 15 exhibits of Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Republic
19. Spain 4 18
of Korea as they unfortunately arrived too late for
inclusion. (But they are on view).
20. Sri Lanka 23 40
21. Sweden 5 25
22. Switzerland 4 20 Inaugurated by the President, Shri Fakhruddin
23. USA (1) 1 7 Ali Ahmed, on February 7, 1975, the Triennale was
24. USSR 16 18 visited by hundreds till March 21 when it closed
down.
25. Yugoslavia 8 24
Some lectures and art film shows were arranged
Total 267 606 as part of the Triennale. A seminar was held
recently.
SOCIALIST INDIA 24 MARCH 29, 1974
(specially the “rainbow” paintings and Sweden) (the No new avenues for fresh expression can develop
graphics). In the Indian section several artists of under such rigid circumstances. If the biennales and
the younger generation were much more promising triennales are to be a living force, they should
than the established ones. But even while being include the new ways of communication.
grateful to these Indian artists for the privilege of “Perhaps it would also be wiser to abolish the
being their contemporary one felt that we can com awards, gold medals and cash prizes, and instead
municate better with the anonymous Indian artists institute fellowships and funds to provide knowledge
of the past still extant in temples, caves, ruins, of new achievements all over the world. Such
monuments and museum S. activities would further strengthen bonds of goodwill
and community feeling among artists everywhere.
FROM THE JURY's REPort “If an international jury or outside experts are
to be involved at all, in exhibitions of this kind
From the report of the jury consisting of
Monroe Wheeler (USA), Walter Zanini (Brazil) and it might be a better idea to name a body far in
V. R. Amberkar (India). advance so that they can assess the achievements
of the past, reconsider the whole project, the method
“It is a thankless task for the jury to be of selection of artists, the media to be exhibited and
confronted with works of such varied nature from the means to accommodate new tendencies with a
all over the world and to award prizes choosing only view to greater involvement on the part of the
six out of hundreds of exhibits. visitors.

“To limit the exhibits largely painting, sculp “This would ensure fuller innovation and ex
tures and graphics is to straightjacket such pression in the realm of art. We consider India
exhibits. It allows little room for fresh developments. ideally suited for such a breakthrough.

~, ~ should be increased, especially of zens of this “unwieldy and unman

Technical personnel of Railways, ageable municipal body” and re
Ordnance factories and dock placing it by viable civic units
LETTERS
yards. so that the civic-administrative
machinery is compact, easily acces
LAL CHAND AGGARWAL sible to the local citizens and is in
Sir, Special Invitee to Executive, a position to devote proper and
Our Prime Minister has said on Punjab Pradesh Congress exclusive attention to the day-to
many occasions that strikes Committee. day civic problems of the local
should be banned. I am of the Barnala (Punjab). population. Formation of such
strong view that the Constitution civic bodies will also obviate the
should be amended so that strikes unhealthy tug-of-war which is
Sir,
are banned both for essential ser likely to develop because of there
vices and non-essential services I am grateful that the Govern being equally effective and repre
for a period of at least ten years. ment had appreciated our view sentative bodv in the Metropolitan
point on the dues claimed by Cor Council of Delhi.
The strikes in essential services
poration from the NDMC. Time BALDFV SHARMA
should be banned and made cog and again we had been repeatedly
nisable offence, and I am prepared stating that the Jana Sangh led Junior Vice-President,
to suggest further that these Corporation always found it conve New Delhi Municipal Committee.
essential services may be brought March 18.
nient to politicise its own failure
under Indian Army Act for a specifically in financial matters due
period of ten years. to its ulterior motives and selfish WOMEN DOMINATE

Similarly, States should pass ends. This now stands exposed CASHEW INDUSTRY

legislation that strikes in both completely as may be seen that According to the statistics of earn
essential and non-essential services after a thorough study, the Minis ings collected by Labour Bureau,
ter has vividly clarified the position the per capita daily earnings of
are banned for a period of ten cashew factory workers in 1971 was
years. On the floor of Parliament. The
Rs. 2.45 The Deputy Labour Min
Jana Sangh in the Corporation had ister Shri Balgovind Verma gave
Functioning of offices has he all along been not only misusing its this information in Raiya Sabha on
come poor and corruption has in own funds but also the funds re February 28. He also said that,
creased. To remove this evil, “I according to Labour Bureau, there
ceived from the Central Govern
were 431 working cashew factories
may be permitted to suggest that ment and so much so the funds of registered under the Factories Act
immediate superior officer should their own employees. during 1972 and estimated average
be given powers so that he can daily employment in such factories
punish the defaulters on the spot. was 1.38985. Women constituted
The citizens of the capital had 94 per cent of the total employ
To make it democratic, the de been cheated b ythe Jana Sangn ment. Governments of Andhra
faulters mav be permitted to Pradesh, Kerala. Karnataka, Maha
leaders throughout and the party
anneal to higher authorities. stands amnlv oxposed. I think this rashtra and Tamil Nadu have fixed
minimum rates of wares for work
Tºof--- " - ºr --- 1-A - rikes + h^ tº high time that the Gn-xernment
ers in the cashew industry in their
* . .. .. . .. , " " -- o-º:..] Army t!ºin': ; of reliovin, flyo Dolhi citi States.
Sº tº... . . . . . . N. :) - A 25 MAl:CH 2:1, 0:1
PROGRESS AT BOKARO
Continued from Page 21
relief to the families of deceased members.
event of a death, natural or otherwise, of a mem
ber, the rest of the members of the society pay a
sum of Re. 1 each. The total amount thus collected
goes to the nominee of the deceased member. Al
ready about 15,000 employees have subscribed to
this unique scheme and a few payments have also
been made.
Recently, another welfare scheme has been in
troduced. The management has decided to pay from
the benefit fund Rs. 6,000 in addition to what is
being paid under the Compensation Act, if a worker
is totally disabled while on duty in an accident and
if he is a member of the Fund.
Bokaro Steel was, perhaps, the first among
the Public Sector undertakings to come forward
with both financial and organisational assistance to
the co-operative movement. This was done with a
view to helping the employees to procure food and
other essential items of daily consumption at a
reasonable rate. The company has so far granted
an interest-free loan of Rs. 17.5 lakhs to the Em
ployees Co-operative Consumers Stores.
operative Stores played an important role during
the lean months last year by supplying 1,000 tons
In the of wheat.
We, at Bokaro, take some satisfaction at all
these achievements. But the tasks which lie ahead
are no less difficult or demanding. We are well
aware of that and determined to meet the challeng
es of building Bokaro.
THE THREAT OF U.S. ARMS
Continued from Page 14
Gandhi, and others in settling the Kashmir issue.
And here we should realise that it is only one party
in this country, only one group in this country, the
Jana Sangh, which is opposing this settlement. They
are utterly and completely isolated. The agreement
with Sheikh Abdullah is perhaps one of the best
things which has happened in recent years, and we
should extend full support to this agreement. We
should ensure that the new experiment in Kashmir
succeeds fully, and that this will be one of the big
gest factors in meeting the threat presented to us
by US arms supply to Pakistan, and this will also
The Co reveal the real face of the “total revolutionaries”.

INDO-SOVIET COOPERATION
Continued from Page 15
are not interested in promoting
peace and security as one of the
biggest arms manufactures of the
world but only in causing des
truction and havoc".
Initiating the discussion
peace and security in Asia, Mr.
V. Yakumin, a researcher in the
Institute of Oriental Studies in the
Soviet Academy of Sciences, said
the forces of imperialist aggres
sion were on the defensive
the Socialist forces on the offen
sive in the Asiatic region. This
was because the imperialist ideo
logy “stands discredited in the
eyes of the Asian people”.
The Union Education Minister
Prof. Nural Hasan, speaking on
“education and culture
people” and what had to
achieved in the field of education
was much more than what had al
ready been achieved.
close colloboration with the Soviet
Union in this sphere would help
in bringing about the desired
change in the educational system.
The discussion on the expe
riences, problems and perspectives
of the planning process of the two
countries under different conditions
provided not merely fresh know
ledge and new insight but reveal
SOCIALIST INDIA
ed the need for further study and
inquiry in the fields of regional
developments. From the delibera
tions of the seminar it emerged
that Indo-Soviet cooperation was
not only a historic achievement but
it provided an important impetus
to the process of relaxation of in
ternational tension.
on
BAJORIA-JALAN
CASES RE-OPENED
and The Government has reopened
150 cases of tax evasion and con
cealed income against the Birla
group concerns. The total amount
for which recovery proceedings
have been launched is of the order
of Rs. 11.17 crores.
This information was given by
for the the Minister of State for Finance,
be Shri Pranab Mukherjee, in the
Rajya Sabha recently. He said
that another large industrial house
He said of the Bajoria-Jalan group is also
being proceeded against on account
of evasion of different taxes
amounting to Rs. 2.87 crores.
There were 45 cases in all against
this group alone in which action
was being. taken
The Minister said in most of the
cases reopened against both the
Birla and Bajoria-Jalan groups,
proceedings have been stalled in
ſº
view of the intervention of various
High Courts which were moved
through writs filed by the concern
ed groups of companies. Mean
while, a special cell was set up in
1972 to investigate malpractices by
the large business and industrial
houses.
Shri Mukherjee said according
to the findings of this cell, the
value of shares of nine closely
held companies were being mani
pulated with a view to evading
wealth tax, capital gains and gift
taxes.
The break-up of the cases in
volving the Birla group showed
that proceedings were again under
way in respect of 42 income tax,
11 surtax, 93 wealth tax and four
gift tax cases. The figure in re
gard to the Bajoria-Jalan group
were being collected.
The Minister said since the set
ting up of the special cell, the
total collection of income tax from
the Birla group was Rs. 91.88
crores, of wealth tax Rs. 8.5 lakhs
and of gift tax Rs. 59,000.
Shri Mukherjee said as a result
of investigations, a number of
assessments had been reopened,
407 prosecutions had been launch
ed in the courts against companies,
directors and principal officers of
one group,
MARCH 29, 1974

Smuggling Activities Curtailed:
Efforts To Unearth Black Money
The following are excerpts from
the speech of the Minister of State
for Finance, Shri Pranab Kumar
Mukherjee, in the Lok Sabha about
the economic offences. He was in
tervening in the discussion on the
General Budget on March 13.
One of the effective instruments
through which we can prevent eco
nomic distortions in this country
is to make a serious effort to un
earth black money and plug tax
evasion. There is no doubt that
this is an area where we should
emphasise, put our concentration,
not only to plug the loopholes and
to unearth the accumulated black
money on the one hand but, on the
other hand, to take measures
which can prevent the generation
of black money.
Before coming to the aspects of
smuggling and various other eco
nomic offences which are taking
place in this country, I would like
to point out that in this particular
year it has been possible for the
Income-tax Department to in
crease its raids and searches to
1,774 upto December 31, 1974,
while the total number of raids
and searches in the corresponding
period last year was 538. The
total worth of assets seized last
year was Rs. 4.40 crores. This
year it has been increased to Rs.
14.87 crores. This is the figure
upto January 31. If I add the figure
of the Jaipur raids, perhaps a few
more crores would be added. By
using the same set of people and
by putting them in larger areas of
operation and by bringing SOme
Sort of modification, it has been
possible to increase the number of
raids and searches manifold to
realise more revenue.
One of the very old complaints
about the Income-tax Department
ls the pendency of a large number
of cases. The pendency is not en
tirely due to the fault of the in
come-tax officers. Sometimes the
courts take a long time to dispose
of appeals. If I may be permitted
to say so, some lawyer friends
SOCIALIST INDIA
like Shri Somnath Chatterjee take
the opportunity of the bench and
the bar to delay the disposal.
Coming to the total number of
assessments and disposals, in 1974
it has been possible for this De
partment to take care of 26,75,678
cases whereas in the corresponding
period of last year it was of the
order of 21,37,220 cases.
What I want to emphasise is
that the tax machinery should be
streamlined, that it should be made
more effective, that it should take
more care to make the assess
ments quickly to realise the taxes
expeditiously, that it should do
away with the pendency and that
it should plug the loopholes which
generate black money, that all this
is being taken care of and more
and more emphasis will be laid in
this particular area and, particu
larly the scheme which has been
enunciated by the Board of Direct
Taxes will take more care in this
particular area.
SMUGGLING
Secondly, I would like to point
out that another area of genera
tion of black money is smuggling.
On many occasions, on the floor
of this House and on the floor of
the other House, it has been
pointed out as to what steps the
Government has taken to prevent
smuggling. When the MISA was
amended and the Ordinance was
brought on September 17, 1974
and, later on, when it was trans
. lated into an Act which was put
into operation from December 19,
1974, a large number of persons
have been arrested. Shri Somnath
Chatterjee was pleading for the
prisoners under MISA.
It has been pointed out many a
time on the floor of the House
that it is not easy to bring this
type of smuggling to book under
the existing ordinary laws of the
country. They are creating an ex
traordinary situation by which the
developmental efforts of the coun
27
try are being eaten away and
there is a distortion of economy
taking place to a considerable ex
tent and, to meet that extraordi
nary situation, certain extraordi
nary measures are necessary. That
is why MISA was amended. That
is why the Act was passed on
the floor of the House.
I would like to dispel one im
pression that has been created.
The Government has never claim
ed that smuggling activities would
be stopped totally. I do not know,
in any part of the country where
smuggling activities are going on,
they could be put to negation in
absolute terms. The whole ques
tion is whether we can control
smuggling activities, whether we
can curb them, whether we can
stop the ugly display of smuggled
goods, whether we can allow them
to go about freely. If you look
from that angle, I say, it has been
possible for the Government to put
curb on smuggling activities.
When the MISA was put into
operation, upto December 19, 1974,
detention orders in respect of 680
persons were issued. When the new
Act came into existence, actually
540 persons were behind the bars.
From December 19, 1974 to March
9, 1975, 690 detention orders have
been issued. Though some of
the people have not been
arrested, all the State Gov
ernments in cooperation with
other officers and various local
authorities, have taken care to
put these people, under deten
tion,
Secondly, as we have said many
times on the floor of this House,
the number of raids are yielding
less and less quantum of goods.
If we look at the figure of the
number of raids which took place
in the months of September, Octo
ber and November 1973, we will
find that it was of the order of
2,200 and in the corresponding
months of 1974, it is of the order
of 3,000. The number of raids
have increased from 2,200 to 3,000
but the quantum of the goods
seized has come down from 2.8
crores to 1.08 crores. These are
the figures which indicate that
smuggling is taking place to some
extent, but its dimension and scope
MARCH 29, 1974
has been limited considerably—
because the number of seizures
and raids has increased but the
quantum of goods seized has de
creased considerably.
ILLEGAL REMITTANCE
There is a third indication. We
have obtained reports from the
various banks operating in dif
ferent parts of the world, parti
cularly in areas like Hong Kong,
Dubai, Singapore and others,
where the smugglers used to get
money from the Indians living in
these areas and used to transfer
that money here which is known
as unauthorised remittance. In
that way they used to get foreign
exchange. The figures show that
normal remittances, through legal
channels, have increased consi
derably. This is also an indication
that the smuggling activities in
these areas have been reduced
considerably.
As we have said many times on:
the floor of this House, the reports
S.B. CHAVAN INITIATES
PRAGMATIC MOVES
As the new Chief Minister, Shri
S. B. Chavan, is unfolding his Gov
ernment's policies and program
mes, the focus is fast turning back
to the State scene detached from
much of the emotional outburst
that was generated in the wake of
the Dharia episode.
The Chief Minister has been spel
ling out broad outlines of his poli
cies in his public speeches at diffe
rent places. It appears that the
Chief Minister would like to make
a departure in the matter of rela
tions between the ministerial and
organisational wings of the party
by re-establishing the important
role that the party organisation
ought to play.
In this context, significance is
attached to Shri Chavan's declara
tion that he would prefer to discuss
all policy matters with the Pradesh
Congress executive. Another de
parture that he proposes to make
is in relation to the Opposition. For
instance, he would be prepared to
take the Oposition into confidence
SOCIALIST INDIA
which we are getting from the
areas where usually these things
happen, Hong Kong, Dubai, etc
indicate that there is distress sale
taking place; sometimes these peo
ple are taking risks also; in their
desperation, they are taking risks;
goods are sold at rock bottom
prices; they are taking risks so
that they can net some profit out
of it. This is the reason why
sometimes some smuggled goods
are visible in different parts of
the country, particularly in import
ant metropolitan cities.
On earlier occasions also it luas
been suggested by my senior col
league, Shri Subramaniam, that
some serious steps have already
been taken to identify this pro
perty (created by the assets of
smugglers). A committee is cons
tituted with high officers to look
into the legal implications of all
these things and we are expecting
their recommendations. As soon as
we get that, we will consider what
suitable legislation should be made.
About identifying the properties,
on issues of public importance. It
has yet to be seen how he proposes
to work it out.
The new Chief Minister has re
peatedly declared his determination
to fight corruption. He told news
men in Poona that he would not
hesitate to initiate action against
the corrupt officials, “however
highly placed they may be”, and
reiterated this assurance in Ahme
dabad with the added emphasis
that, “I would rather perish than
bend.” -
He has done some loud thinking
on government functioning in the
Secretarial sphere. He has taken
exception to what he called as over
crowding in the Sachivalaya. He
told a meeting of officials at Poona
that he was prepared to understand
the difference between an “honest
error of judgement” and a “shady
transaction.” However, he wanted
them to exercise the authority
vested in them and cut down red
tape by taking decisions on the
spot. These assertions by the Chief
Minister have led the people to
hope that he intends to initiate new
processes in the political and ad
ministrative spheres.
28
that is not so easy. In case of
some of the smugglers arrested
like Haji Mastan, Patel, Bhakia,
etc., assessment has already been
initiated by the Income-tax off
cers; some of them are already
under the income-tax rolls. In each
enforcement circle, a cell has been
created and intelligence is being
collected in what way we can un
earth benami property transferred
by smugglers out of assets creat
ed by smuggling activities, etc. In
spite of so many hindrances and
handicaps and constraints they are
doing such excellent work and
this should be appreciated. It is
not the intention of the Govern
ment to slacken anti-smuggling
activities. References were made
to Law Commission's recommen
dation in regard to trial system
for economic offences. That too is
under the consideration of the
Sovernment. I hope it will be pos
sible to indicate in the near future
by what time that type of legis
lation can be brought before the
honourable House.
FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT
DEFENCE PRODUCTION
India has achieved a con
siderable degree of self-suffi
ciency in certain spheres of
defence production.
+ * +
The equipment, being manu
factured in the country, in
cludes the entire family of
small arms and light artillery,
tanks, anti-tank weapons and
anti-tank missiles.
+ + +
Leander class frigates,
ships, tankers, etc., are being
produced for the Navy.
# :k wk
For the Air Force, the coun
try is manufacturing MIG-21,
Kiran, HS-748, Marut aircraft
and Alouttee helicopters.
:k + $:
The Services' requirements
of communication, radars and
surveillance equipment are be
ing met largely indigenously.
+ * ::
Indigenous production of
medium artillery has also
been taken up.
MARCH 29, 1974

Urban Property
Ceiling In Offing
PAWAN CHAUDHARY
Now that the draft Urban Land
(Coiling and Regulation) Bill 1975
has been made public, the inten
tions of the Government of the
day in translating them into rea
lity are easy to discern and diffi
cult to dispute or doubt.
It is surely beyond any suspi
cion that in case the Bill as it is
or with minor modifications is
converted into law, it should set
at rest all speculation. It would
substitute the well known story of
Pied Piper driving away all the
rats of wild criticism against the
Government and drowned deep into
the Sea.
The Bill, which is to be intro
duced in the Current session of
Parliament, to begin with, is en
visaged to apply to all Union Ter
ritories, including Delhi and Chan
digarh and to 10 States which
have so far authorised Parliament
to make such law. The said States
are: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat,
Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kar
nataka, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pun
jab, Tripura and West Bengal.
The Bill, likely to be introduced
in Parliament during the current
session, defines and divides urban
areas into four categories—A, B,
C, D—having a population of 10
lakhs and above, 5 lakhs to 10
lakhs, 2.5 lakhs to 5 lakhs and 1
lakh to 2.5 lakhs, respectively. The
maximum land area a person can
have in all the urban areas has
been fixed under the Bill at 500,
1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 sq. metres.
The higher the population of an
urban city, the lower the maximum
land a person is allowed to have
is the formula adopted by the Bill.
SPECIFIC PROVISION
It is specifically provided by the
Bill that owners of land on or
after April 1, 1971 will not escape
the proposed limit and they will
be treated as owners of the pro
perty or properties irrespective of
WOCIALIST INDIA
the same having been sold out on
the said date. That is to say, any
property transferred by any person
on or after April 1, 1971 will be
included in the maximum ceiling
laid down under the Act.
As is the case with every law,
the Bill defines certain terms used
under it. These include, ‘ceiling
limit', ‘competent authority',
‘court’, ‘family’, ‘person’, ‘urban
agglomeration”, “urban land’, ‘ur
banisable land’, ‘vacant land', etc.
The Bill provides that no person,
except as otherwise provided in
this Act, shall be entitled to hold
any vacant land in excess of the
ceiling limit in the territories to
which this Act applies.
The Bill further enjoins upon a
person, who holds vacant land
situated within the urban agglome
ration in excess of the ceiling
limit, to file a statement before the
competent authority. The state
ment should specify the location,
extent, value and such other parti
culars as may be prescribed of all
vacant lands held by him. It should
also specify the vacant lands with
in the ceiling limit which the per
son desires to retain.
HEAVY PENALTY
The Bill also specifically lays
down as to who shall be responsi
ble for filing the aforesaid state
ment. It provides that such person
shall file the statement as: in
case of an individual, the indivi
dual himself; in case of a family,
by the husband or wife; in case
of a company, by the principal
officer, in case of a firm, by any
partner, in case of any other asso
ciation, by any member, in case of
any other person, by that person.
The Bill empowers the compe
tent authority to acquire such land
as disclosed in the statement in
excess of the ceiling prescribed
under the Act, or as found con
cealment of any particular in the
statement. The penalty shall be
any such sum which shall not be
less than, but which shall not
exceed twice the amount represen
ting the value of the land con
cealed or in respect of which the
particulars are found to be in
accurate.
The provisions of the Bill
this respect do not apply to such
vacant lands as owned by the Gov
ernment — Central or State —,
local authority or any corpora
tion established by or under a
central, provincial or State Act,
banking company, public charita
ble or religious trust, housing co
operative society, society register
ed under the Societies Registration
Act, 1960, foreign State, etc.
The Bill envisages that all
vacant lands acquired by any
State Government under the Act
shall be disposed of by the State
Government to subserve the ‘com
mon good' in accordance with
such rules as may be made under
it.
COMMON GOOD
Besides, the Bill in Chapter TV
also contains provisions for the
regulation of transfer and use of
urban property. It prohibits trans
fer of urban property, as also re
gulates construction of buildings.
Transfer of vacant land in any
manner is also banned without
prior permission of the competent
authority, for a period of ten
years. -
Thus, it would be observed that
the Bill would be welcome by one
and all. It is a token of respect
for the promise of the ruling
party to the people. But there
are a few improvements to be
made in the Bill. To cite one, the
title of the Bill calls for a little
amendment. Since the present
title — Urban Land (Ceiling and
Regulation) Bill, 1975 — gives
an impression that the Bill deals
with only urban land, it would
be appropriate to amend it so as
to give a clear indication that it
not only deals with urban vacant
land but property also. For that,
earlier name Urban Property
(Ceiling and Regulation) Bill
would be more appropriate as it
is wider and clearer than the
present one.
Cº IT KERALA OR KASHMlſº
ASSAM OR GUJARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
in
MARCH 29, 1974

FIVE CONGRESS M.P.s
ON MR. SAXBE’S
STATENMENT
The following statement has
been issued by Sarvashri Shashi
Bhushan, H. D. Malaviya, Satpal
Kapur, K. P. Unnikrishan and
Salebhoy A. Kader.
“The US Ambassador, Mr. Wil
liam Saxbe's very first pronounce
ment ten days after his adoredita
tion to India ca nonly be regarded
as the fulmination of a neutrotic
who loses his head and becomes ar
rogant and abusive. There was no
occasion for Mr. Saxbe to be dis
courteous and it can be regarded
as a declaration of cold war
against India, which is designed to
contribute to the great effort now
underway through various ways
to “de-establish' the democratic
regime in India in conformity
with C.I.A.'s practice to which
C.I.A. Chief Colby gave open ex
pression some time ago.
“It took Mr. Saxbe 27 years to
realise that India is not close to
U.S. and never can be. His level
of perception can only be pitied. It
should have been clear even to a
person of little intelligence that
India with its traditions of uncom
promising anti-imperialism and
suport to all who fight for freedom
could never take kindly to the U.S.
imperialists whose hands are gory
with the blood of millions upon
millions of freedom fighters in
Vietnam, Iaos, Cambodia, Latin
America, the Arab world, etc.
“Mr. Saxbe can rest assured
that Indians can never appreciate
American policies which are hate
ful and unhumanitarian. We need
no sermons on culture from a na
tion risen four hundred years ago
over the decimation of an entire
race of Red Indians and which is
even today crushing its own colour
ed nationals.
-
“What seems to have particular
ly incensed Mr. Saxbe is India's
SOCIALIST INDIA
recognition of the Palestine Libe
ration Organisation. Mahatma
Gandhi came out in support of
Palestine Arabs as early as 1920.
As deathless freedom fighters, the
Palestinians have always won
India's sympathy, respect and sup
port. It should be sufficient for
the US Ambassador to realise that
the Indians will any day prefer a
‘romance' with the brave freedom
fighters of Palestine than with the
perfumed elegance of Saxbes and
others who have no respect for
human rights and liberties.
“Even though aware of USA's
adolescence in world politics, India
has always tried for friendship
with the masses of American peo
ple and has the highest respect
for the great democratic traditions
left behind by Washington, Jeffer
son and Lincoln. President Frank
lin Delano Roosevelt was the last
in the tradition after whom cold
war warriors like John Foster
Dulles and the Pentagon and the
military-industrial complex have
taken over and reduced U.S. pres
tige to its nadir. Still we will
always try to befriend the Ameri
can people and expose before them
how the U.S. rulers have muddied
America's name.
“Ill-advised though he may be
by some Washington patriots in
India, let Mr. Saxbe know that his
arrogance will not work on Indians
to whom Gandhiji had taught
fearlessness and courage. Neither
U.S. supply of arms to Pakistan
nor Diego
Garcia terrifies us.
After his statement about U.S.
arms supplies to the effect “It is
hell if you do, and hell if you
don't", we would ask “Why the
hell you are here for?"
“Not very long ago India was
witness to British imperialist ar
rogance. But now any one can
twist the British lion's tale and
the once mighty British can do
nothing about it. The same fate
is going to overtake the tin gods of
U.S.A. Korea, Cuba, Vietnam and
Al'Fateh have shown the way. Let
Saxbe think of that rather than
interfere in India's internal affairs
and make uncalled for pronounce
ments which are harmful to Indo
US relations,”
PRIVATE WHOLESALE TRADE
IN WHEAT TO BE BANNED
The Chief Ministers, who met
the Union Minister for Agriculture
and Irrigation, Shri Jagjivan Ram,
in New Delhi on March 8, by and
large, favoured a ban on inter
State movement of wheat on pri
vate account. They also were in
favour of a flexible procurement
policy with individual State Gov.
ernments left free to make a
choice from three or four accept
ed methods of procurement.
Briefing newsmen after the
talks, Shri Jagjivan Ram said
that a ban on inter-State move
ment of wheat on private account
had been recommended by the Ag:
ricultural Prices Commission. He
said while some Chief Ministers
were not satisfied with the APC's
recommendation to fix wheat price
at a uniform Rs. 105 a quintal for
all varieties and wanted a higher
price, others supported the APC
view.
Shri Jagjivan Ram said all were
unanimous in agreeing that in the
present inflationary situation
nothing should be
done which
would have an unsettling effect on
the price situation. From this,
it may be concluded that the Gov
ernment may decide in favour of
retaining the procurement price at
the precent level of Rs. 105 a
quintal.
-
All the Chief Ministers agreed
on the need to maximise procure
ment so that the public distribu
tion system could be adequately
maintained. Targets would be dis’
cussed with individual States.
The APC has proposed a target
of 5.5 million tonnes divided as
follows: Punjab-3 million tonnes;
Uttar Pradesh-1.2 million tonnes;
Haryana-7 lakh tonnes; Madhya
Pradesh-2 lakh tonnes; Rajas'
than-1.75 lakh tonnes; Mahara"
shtra-1 lakh tonne; Bihar-60,000
tonnes; Gujarat-20,000 tonnes;
Jammu and Kashmir-15,000 ton"
nes and other States-20,000 ton
116s.
MARCH 29, 1974

India’s Moment Of Glory
In World Cup Hockey
India has once again establish
ed her supremacy in world hockey.
Inida's success in the recent Third
World Cup Hockey Tournament
held in Kuala Lumpur, is a classic
example of what human determi
nation and team work can achieve.
Skipper Ajitpal Singh and his
team members deserve all
the
credit and praise for having ac
complished the well cherished de
sire of winning the coveted the
Gold Cup that eluded us twice be
fore.
Tribute must be paid to every
member of the 16-man squad,
which contributed to this glorious
achievement, as also to the team's
manager, Balbir Singh, Coach Gur
bux Singh Bodhi, the Selection
Committee members and above all
to the sportsminded Punjab Gov
ernment — especially Chief Min
ister, Giani Zail Singh and Sports
Minister, Shri Umrao Singh—
which played a key role in the or
ganisation of the Training Camp
at Chandigarh and the preparation
of the team for the World Cup.
TREMENDOUS BOOST
The Punjab Government had
come forward to arrange for the
training of the team at a time
when the image of Indian Hockey
which was once the pride of the
nation, was not very high due to
our succesive defeats in the inter
national tournaments. But for the
initiatives in shaping the team for
the World Cup and the excellent
facilities made available at the
Chandigarh Training Camp by the
Punjab Government, this supreme
honour in world hockey achieved
by our team would not have been
possible. It is an examnle worth
to be emulated by other State Gov
ernments as well. So that a con
certed national effort could bring
Sport in India to world standards.
It has taken India nearly 11
year; to re-establish her supre
macy in the world hockey arena.
The last time India demonstrated
SOCIALIST INDIA
K. RAMACHANDRAN
their world supremacy in hockey
was in 1964, when India won the
gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
The only other occasion India could
assert their strength was when
India won the gold medal in Asian
Games at Bangkok in 1966, beat
ing Pakistan 1-0 in the final. In
the Mexico and Munich Olympics
India could only win the bronze
medal. Again in the first world
cup at Barcelona in 1971, India
were able to finish only third. And
in the second World Cup at Ams
terdam in 1973 India came so near
to winning the title, leading 2-0
in the game at one stage, but ulti
mately went down to Holland 2-3
in the final. The present World
Cup victory has brought a new
image to Indian hockey and should
provide the game the tremondous
boost it needs so that we would
again recapture the glory- and
power, the lustre and uniqueness
that surrounded nur hockev swav
over the rest of the world in the
past.
Not many had felt ontim'stic
about India winning the World
Cup when the team left for Kuala
Lumpur because of the split in
the IHF and the subsequent con
troversies over the departure of
the team which had demoralised
the players completely. The very
marticipation of the team in the
Tournament had seemed uncertain
and it was an ultimatum, served
by the players, that finally gained
them the clearance for the World
Cup at the last minute.
The doubts expressed about our
team's strength seemed true when
India, placed in Pool B along with
West Germany, Australia, Eng
land, Argentina and Ghana, failed
to strike their true form and put
up an unimpressive performance
in the earlier pool matches. At one
stage India's entry into the semi
finals grade had seemed doubtful.
India beat England 2-1 in her first
match in the pool, but were held
30 a.
to an unexpected 1-1 draw by
Australia in the next match. In
dia's 7-0 victory against the
tournament new-comers, Ghana,
raised our hopes as
opponents were
India's next
Argentina, who
had earlier struggled to beat
Ghana 2-1. However, against the
Latin American champions, India
performed much below par and
suffered a snocking 1-2 defeat
which sparked off speculation as
to whether India would be knock
ed out of the international tourna
ment at the pool stage itself for
the first time in India's eventful
hockey history. As a result India's
fate hung in balance till the end
of their last match in the pool
against West Geramny.
CRUCIAL MATCH
Spurred by the reverse at the
hands of Argentina and knowing
fully well that only a victory in
their match against the West Ger
mans would take them into the
semi-finals, India launched a deter
mined attack right from the be
ginning, showing supremacy in all
departments of the game.
In this crucial match, India,
who were playing erratically in
their earlier pool matches, pro
duced their finest form to give
scintillating hockey. They exhi
bited superior stickwork, perfect
understanding and coordination
among the forwards and register
ed a convincing 3-1 victory over
the Olympic Champions which en
abled India to top the group and
raised hopes of our winning the
world cup for the first time.
It was a surging late rally,
which produced the match-win
ning goal in the extra time, that
helped the Indians to edge out the
host Malaysia 3-2 in the semi-final.
Plaving before a partisan crowd
of 45,000 people who cheered the
home team throughout the match,
the Indians trailed twice and on
both occasions hit back to equalise
in an absorbing match, that has
been described as the toughest
game India played in the tourna
ment.
The hero of the match undoubt
edly was India's full back Aslam
Sher Khan, who scored off a pen
alty corner barely five minutes be
fore full time to enable India to
MARCH 29, 1975
equalise and make sure of extra
time during which India scored the
match-winning goal. Aslam Sher
Khan, who, despite his spectacular
performance during the Teheran
Asia Games, had been surprising
ly kept on the side-lines in most of
the matches in the World Cup
tournament, was brought into the
match only at the end when India
was 1-2 down. Aslam Sher Khan
not only scored the equaliser but
also brought off a spectacular goal
line save from a penalty corner
awarded to Malaysia in the clos
ing minutes of the second half of
the extra time after India's out
side left, Harcharan, had scored
the winning goal in the fourth
minute of the extra time. India
could have certainly won this game
by a bigger margin but for the
poor finishing of our forwards who
deprived the team of several good
scoring chances.
THE FINAL
The Indian team which maintain
ed rather an erratic form in the
pool matches and in the semi-final
against Malaysia, showed their
true class in the final against Pak
istan. From one down after only
18 minutes, the Indians made a
spirited rally after the interval to
score two goals to edge their tra
ditional rivals to win the coveted
world crown. Full back Surjit
Singh hammered in a penlaty cor
ner shot for the equaliser in the
45th minute and India's brilliant
inside right Ashok Kumar scored
the winning goal 18 minutes before
the long whistle.
The Indians played a attacking
and inspired hockey all through
the final and completely outclass
ed Pakistan, who, however, were
handicaped by the absence of their
star left-winger, Samiulla who left
the field due to a serious injurv
after 12 minutes onlv from the
start of the game. Although Zahid
scored Pakistan's goal soon after
Samiulla's exit, India soon began
to get on top. The entire forward
line consisting of Philips, Ashok
Kumar, Shiwaji Pawar, Govinda
and Harcharan Singn exhibited
uncanny understanding between
them and continued their relent
less attack on the Pakistan goal.
Thev combined wonderfully well
making use of the square and
through passes intelligently. They
SOCIALIST INDIA
were superbly backed by the half
line of Ajitpal Singh, Virinder
Singh and Mohinder Singh who
together prompted and fed the
forward line constantly executing
triangular movements and long
diagonal passes to the wings that
enabled Harcharan and Philips to
bear up the Pakistani defence.
The half backs were ably suppor
ted by the full backs—Aslam Sher
Khan and Surjit Singh—who play
ed a grand game by their imagi
native tackling, clearances and per
fect passing to their unmarked
colleagues. The full backs
supported by the goal keep
er young Ashok Dewan,
showed excellent anticipation and
foiled all Pakistani moves, includ
ing the most dangerous move by
Pakistan's Islamuddin, which would
have resulted in a certain goal but
for a grand effort by the ever vigi
lant Aslam Sher Khan who
brought off a magnificent goal line
save to thwart the Pakistan's at
tempt to get a quiet equaliser to
Ashok Kumar's disputed goal.
PACE AND PRECISION
The ascendency of our players,
especially in the second half, was
so convincing and perfect that it
left no doubt about the superiority
of the Indian team. They defeat
ed the Pakistan side, which was
rated as the finest team taking
part in the championship and con
sidered as the hot favourites for
the Gold Cup. Pakistan was the
only side which had remained un
beaten till the final and had an
added advantage of a three-day
rest after their 5-1 semi-final vic
tory against West Germany. India
had only less than 24 hours rest
after their tough semi-final match
against Malaysia. The pace and
precision with which India played
in the final clearly demonstrated
the fitness of our plavers. In the
ultimate reckoning it was the ex
cellent team spirit that fetched the
world cup for India.
India's victorv in the world cup
has helped to dispel the doubts ex
nressed in certain quarters about
+he efficacy of the traditional 5-3-
2-1 system which had paid rich
dividends in the past. Our failure
in the past ten years has been
mainly due to our attempt to
adopt techniques of continental
teams who lay great stress
30 b
on defence, hard hitting, speedy
runs and robust tackling. The con
tincmtal teams concentrate more On
obtaining penalty corners and pen
alty strokes and not on the skill in
dribbling, body swerves, controll
ed, speed and forward line thrust
as practised by India and Pakis
tan. The success of India and
Pakistan in the World Cup which
incidentally brought an end to the
European domination in hockey
which began with West Germany
taking the 1972 Munich Olympic
gold medal and continued with
Holland winning the 1973 World
Cup title in Amsterdam, has
brought to focus the necessity to
stick to our own tarditional style
in future. -
The World Cup victory has
brought a new image of our hoe
key and very high hopes for the
future. But the tournament also
revealed that Indian hockey has
still many gaps to close if it is
really to face world hockey more
confidently in future. One of the
reasons for our poor performance
in the pool matches was lack of
shooting power and poor finishing
on the part of our forwards and
failure to convert penalty corners.
We must have a dashing centre
forward and better goal keepers
whose performance in Kuala Lum
pur was not too impressive.
Future contests for the world cup
or Olympic will certainly be
tougher than what was seen at
Kuala Lumpur as the standard of
continental teams have been cons
tantly improving during the past
few years.
We should start premaring right
now for the next Olympics to be
held on Montreal in 1976. Our
boys who have won the World Cup
despite the rumpus that has come
about in the administration of the
Indian Hockev Federation. have
proved that they have the poten
tial and ability and given the re
cognition and encouragement. bet
ter equipment and training facili
ties they could improve much more
in the future.
What is needed is a new dynº
m'c and purposeful hockew admin
jstrative set-up and a more cons
tructive approach to the game aim
ed at developing skills and talents
systematically and improve facil’-
ties for training and practice.
MARCH 29, 1975

Attempt On
Chief Justice
A. N. Ray's Life
The Government proposes to
provide security guards to Sup
reme Court judges as also further
tighten security arrangements for
VIPs following an attempt on
Chief Justice A. N. Ray's life re
cently.
It may be recalled that on
March 20 two “live” grenades
were thrown into the car of Shri
Ray while he was returning from
the Supreme Court. As the car
carrying him and his son, Shri
Ajay Nath Ray, stopped at the
Tilak Marg—Bhagwan Das Marg
traffic crossing a young man drop
ped two grenades into the car.
The other occupants in the car
were Shri Ray's attendant Shri Jia
Nand and the driver Shri Inder
Singh. All of them immediately
jumped out of the car.
DNMC SUPERSEDED
The Delhi Municipal Corporation
was superseded for one year on
March 24 following complaints of
financial irregularities and admi
nistrative lapses. A Government
notification issued in New Delhi
said that the Municipal Commis
sioner, Shri B. R. Tamta, would
exercise all powers hitherto vest
ed in the Corporation under the
Municipal Corporation Act, 1957.
The notification said that in
exercise of its powers, conferred
by Section 490(1) of the Act, the
Central Government declares the
DMC to be incompetent, default
ing in its duties and abusing its
powers, therefore, supersedes it
for one year from the date of the
notification.
Another notification said: “In
exercise of the powers under Sec
tion 490(2), DMC Act, 1957, the
SOCIALIST INDIA
Though the safety pins of the
grenades had been removed and
firing levers released before they
were thrown they did not ex
plode. Shri Ray described his
escape from the attack as provi
dential and said: “Everything is in
the hands of God”. It also trans
pired that Shri Ray had received a
threatening letter some time ago.
While the grenades have been
sent to the Forensic experts for
examination, the hunt is on for the
young man who threw them into
Shri Ray's car. The Inspector
General of Police, Delhi, Shri
Bhawanimal has announced a re
ward of Rs. 10,000 to anyone giv
ing information about the suspect.
The attack on the life of the
Chief Justice is the second attempt
on the life of a Supreme Court
judge. Nearly five years ago, a
litigant had made an unsuccessful
attempt to kill Justice A. N. Gro
ver. The attempt was, however,
foiled by the then Chief Justice
Shri Hidayatullah who had snatch
ed the knife from the attacker's
hand.
All sections of opinion have re
acted strongly to the attempt on
Chief Justice Ray's life. It also
Central Government hereby ap
points the Municipal Commissioner
to perform the duties conferred
and imposed upon the DMC by
or under the said Act or any other
law, and directs that the said
Commissioner shall excercise such
powers and perform sucn duties in
addition to his own powers and
duties conferred and imposed upon
him by or under the said Act”.
The supersession came a week
after the Corporation had been
served with a show-cause notice.
Since the Corporation's reply to it
was not found satisfactory, the
Government decided to supersede
the civic body. With the super
session the eight-year Jana Sangh
rule in the Corporation comes to
an end.
The show-cause notice was served
on the Delhi Municipal Corporation
on March 17, asking why it should
not be superseded for mismanage
ment of its financial affairs. The
notice gave seven days' time to
31
s - º
came in for strong condemnation
in Parliament.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on
March 24, the Union Home Minis
ter Shri Brahmananda Reddy
said that the police had found
some “useful clues” and the “real
culprit” would be brought to book
soon. Shri Reddy said it was diffi
cult to say at the moment whe
ther the bomb explosion at Sam
astipur which killed the former
Railway Minister, L. N. Mishra,
and the attack on Chief Justice's
life were part of a bigger conspi
racy or were isolated incidents. “I
don't want to hazard any guess
at this stage or make any com
plaint against any particular indi
vidual or individuals”.
In the Rajya Sabha on March 25,
the Union Minister of State for
Home Affairs, Shri Om Mehta, said
that the Government proposed to
provide personal body guards to
Supreme Court judges. He told
members that the Supreme Court
had earlier rejected such a propo
sal. He said that though the Go
vernment as not aware of the re
ported activities of extremists in
Delhi, “the security has been
tightened wherever considered
necessary.”
the Corporation to reply to the is
sues framed in the document. Seve
ral specific points had been listed
in the three annexures to the
notice in support of the charge of
financial default. The Corporation,
which is under a financial liability
of over Rs. 10 crores, had been
blamed of preparing “imaginary
budget” to balance the figures.
Another serious charge was the
diversion of funds provided for the
Plan schemes of water supply. The
civic body had also been accused
of non-payment of Government
loans amounting to over Rs. 90
lakhs. The failure to clear the
contractors' bills (of over Rs. 1.5
crores), the non-implementation of
the recommendations of the Third
Pay Commission delays in the dis
bursement of the monthly salary
to the staff and failure to deposit.
the Provident Fund contribution
for seven months were some of the
other important points mentioned
Continued on Page 34
MARCH 29, 1975

OPPOSITION'S
PARADOXICAL
ARGUNMENTS
J. M. DEB
The growing cult of senseless
violence and vengeance in
country is like the English wea
ther. Everybody complains about
it but nobody seems able to do
anything about it. There is una
nimity that it has become an acute
problem, but there is wide diver
gence of opinion not only about its
solution but also in regard to its
CauSeS.
This was amply demonstrated in
both Houses of Parliament this
week when they debated for seve
ral hours last week's attempt to
assassinate the Chief Justice of
India. Undoubtedly, in a Parlia
mentary democracy such differ
ences of viewpoints are perfectly
permissible, even understandable.
Nevertheless, when the Opposition
parties accused the Government
and its vari us agencies of “stage
managing” the recent violent in
cidents to denigrate them, the
charge seems to be much wide off
the mark, almost bordering on the
realm of fantasy.
Cutting one's nose to spite others
is an old adage which has a cer
tain moral, but its physical imple
mentation is not merely impractical
but dangerous. That was perhaps
why the Home Minister, Shri Brah
mananda Reddy, described the Op
position accusation as “freak of
imagination”. * -
Curiously enough, the Opposition
appeared to have overlooked the
seemingly paradoxical as also in
consistent aspects of their argu
ments. Apparently, they were try
ing to eat the cake and have it
too. Practically throughout the
entire winter session of Parliament
they not only made the late L. N.
Mishra (who was then alive) their
SOCIALIST INDIA
principal target, but also ſharged
the Prime Minister for shielding
him from corrupt practice. Now
that he was murdered, the same
Opposition blamed her and the
Government of planting the bomb
at Samastipur to do away with
him " Likewise, when Shri A. N.
Ray was appointed to the highest
judicial office in the land, they voci
ferously famed and fretted and
accused him of being a “Yes-man”
of the Prime Minister | Now when
he was the target of a dastardly
grenade attack, the Opposition ap
parently believed this also to have
been planned by the Government
It is not easy to comprehend either
the
the logic or the consistency of this
line of their arguments.
The Home Minister steered him
self clear of all conflicting views
and controversies. He would not
comment on political motivation,
nor on who was responsible for
these incidents until he had the
enquiry reports in his hand.
The Home Minister steered him
tack on the Chief Justice in the
Rajya Sabha produced more heat
than light. Most of the speakers
from both sides strayed from the
main subject and the nearly five
hour debate became an acrimonious
mud-slinging match among them.
The House virtually hecame a bat
tleground of allegations and coun
ter-allegations and, in the process,
the grenade attack itself got push
ed into the background.
POLITICS OF VIOLENCE
Both the ruling party and Oppo
sition members in both Houses ag
reed that there was a deep-laid
conspiracy in the violent accidents
at Samastipur, New Delhi and also
in the Allahabad incident. They,
however, violently disagreed on
who master-minded the conspiracy
and who planted the operations.
The leader of the CPM group in
the Rajya Sabha, Shri Niren
Ghosh, for example, squarely ac
cused Smt. Gandhi for introducing
the politics of violence herself
Not to be outdone two Congress
members, Sarvashri Kalp Nath and,
Shyamlal Yadav, virtually threw a
bombshell in the House when they
alleged that it was the Chairman
of the Bharatiya Lok Dal, Chaudh
ry Charan Singh, who conspired to
32
kill the Prime Minister. Quite ex
pectedly, this let off a wave of
protest from the Opposition, but
when the BLD member, Shri Raj
Narain, challenged them, Shri Kalp
Nath became more aggressive. He
stated that he was willing to re
peat his charge a thousand times.
He “swore on God” that when the
news of the bomb attack on L. N.
Mishra was heard by Chaudhry
Charan Singh, he had gleefully ex
claimed that the bomb should have
been hurled at Smt. Gandhi !
NAGALAND
Shri Bhupesh Gupta, who ini
tiated the debate in the Rajya
Sabha, thought that the grenade
attack at Samastipur and New
Delhi were not isolated incidents.
The gun was having it way. He,
however, blamed both the Govern
ment and the JP movement for
these developments—the former
for its alleged failure on the eco
nomic front leading to widespread
discontent and frustration, and
the latter for its fascist movement
against Parliamentary Democracy.
Other speakers from the ruling
party detected the hand of fascist
forces and of protagonists of “total
revolution” taking increasing re
sort to extra-Parliamentary me
thods behind the new cult of vio
lence and intimidation not only on
the executive but also on the judi
ciary and the Parliamentary insti
tutions. Others, especially of the
CPI brand, saw the CIA hand in
the Samastipur incident.
In this war of attrition, the Con
gress Party had the last laugh.
This happened when the Syndicate
leader, Shri S. N. Mishra, in a re
soluticn, wanted Parliament to
censure the Government for creat
ing conditions for the growth of
fascism in the country. But his
move boomeranged as the Lok
Sabha passed the resolution the
other way about. Smt. Subhadra
Joshi's amendment changed its
complexion radically and blamed
certain communal, reactionary and
anti-democratic elements — clearly
implying some of the Opposition
parties and the JP agitation—for
creating fascism in the country.
Caught in his own trap, Shri
Mishra, well backed up by two
Socialists, made a vain bid to get
MARCH 29, 1975
; out of this unexpected situation.
* When they failed, they had only
* one attractive left to them—to
stage a walk-out in protest. This
* they did, much to the delight and
* derision of the Congress members.
* Another bout of confrontation
between the Government and the
| Opposition was in evidence when
the two Houses of Par
liament took up the Pre
... sidential Proclamation on Naga
- land and the State Budget for
consideration. This was an issue
where such confrontation was least
expected. Nagaland is a sensitive
border State and the situation
there is complicated by continued
insurgency and the pervasive fear
of the gun. And it is also a more
delicate and a very dangerous se
curity risk, especially in the con
text of the present mood of the
: Chinese Government to help the
insurgents. The members were,
therefore, expected to look beyond
their nose and get over their nor
mal ideological divergencies in deal
ing with this state. But it did not
happen. There was strong criti
cism by the Opposition of the
Union Government's decision to im
pose President's rule on Nagaland.
* Evidently, such criticism was mis
placed.
The spokesmen of the Opposition
parties had brazenly found fault
with the Central authorities, the
Governor and the Speaker of the
State Assembly for the end of the
popular regime in Kohima instead
of squarely pinning the blame
where it belonged, namely, on
Nagaland's footloose politicians.
In recent weeks eight members had
defected from one side to the other
once, eight others twice and two
did the to-and-fro exercise thrice.
All this going and coming was
frankly to get ministerial jobs, or
to wangle higher political jobs or
to get into more important portfo
lios. Under these circumstances,
no power on earth could have prop
LOK SABHA RESOLUTION
ON FASCIST TRENDS
The Lok Sabha adopted on
March 26 a non-official resolution
with an amendment which recom
mended to the Government that
effective steps must be taken to
check fascist trends that are grow
ing fast in the country.
The following is the text of the
resolution:
“The House is of the opinion
that certain communal reactionary
ped up a popular regime in the
State for long.
There was also severe criticism
of Speaker Midishu's role when he
adjourned the Assembly sine die
when shouting and counter-shout
ings were going on. In an atmos
phere of chaos which who knows—
might have led to something much
worse—it is not simple to question
the Speaker's action on the spot.
In any case, the Centre's action on
the recommendation of the Gover
nor, was to ensure stability in the
State which was the prime need of
the hour. After all, it cannot for
gotten that any instability at
Kohima will tempt the under
ground to greater mischief.
and anti-democratic elements are
creating conditions for the growth
of fascism in the country and
therefore recommends to the Gov
ernment to effectively check such
activities of those reactionary and
in order to save our independence
and democratic values which are
being threatened by the said for
ces.”
The non-official resolution was
originally moved by Shri Shyam
Nandan Mishra, the Syndicate MP.
The amendment was moved by the
Congress MP, Shrimati Subhadra
Joshi.

A delegation of the National Front of the German Democratic Republic under the leadership of Prof.
º Pr. Claus Howitz (Member of the National Presidium of the National Front of the GDR and Secre
- tary of the Presidium of the Democratic Peasants' Party of the GDR) called on the Congress Pre
*dent. Dr. Howitz is to the right of Shri Dev Kanta Borooah. The delegation has come at the invi
tation of the Indian National Congress.

THE “FREEDOM.”
CONNECTION
OF C.R. IRANI
Recently, SOCIALIST INDIA
published some extracts from an
article written by Shri C. R. Irani,
Managing Director of “The States
man”, defaming India by alleging
that all sorts of pressures are be
ing used on the Press and that the
freedom of the Press is in danger.
This article was published in a
journal published by “Freedom
House” a notorious C.I.A. front or
ganisation, though it discribes it
self as an “independent” organisa
tion. -
Some time ago, the Press Trust
of India in a despatch pointed out
some salacious aspects of this
“Freedom House”, which has been
conducting an anti-India campaign
for some time. .
In one of the recent articles
C.W.C. RESOLUTION
Continued from Page 4
4. The CWC whole-heartedly
welcomes the foreign policy initia
tives taken by the Government to
improve relations with our imme
diate neighbours and with other
nations in the spirit of peaceful
co-existence and to devise new
courses of action to lighten the
burdens borne by developing
nations as a consequence of econo
mic crisis. -
5. In this context the CWC dep
Iores the facilities afforded to
Pakistan further to build up its
military potential. The acquisi
D.M.C. SUPERCEDED
Continued from Page 31
to substantiate the charge of de
fault to discharge financial liabi
lities.
The Corporation had also been
accused of either not accepting the
recommendations of the Union
Public Service Commission, or act
ing to the contrary in matters re
lating to the services of the offi
cials. Another instance of the al
leged misuse of power is not acting
on the reports of Central Vigilance
Commission relating to the charges
of corruption.
Announcing the Government de
published in its journal, it had
alleged that India and the USSR
are “two great imperial states in
the world”. Further referring to
India the article maliciously con
tested that 338 millions of India’s
540 millions are “subject peoples”.
The “major subordinate peoples”
are said to be “10 million Assa
mese, 45 million Bengalis, 20 mil
lion Biharis, 25 million Gujaratis,
25 million Kanarese, 3 million
Kashmiris, 45 million Marathas, 20
million Malayalis, 20 million
Oriyas, 17 million Punjabis, 15 mil
lion Rajasthanis, 3 million Santha
ls, 40 million Tamils and 50 mil
lion Telugus.” This is a most mis
chievous statement about which
our Embassy in Washington should
immediately protest.
Another paragraph is equally
tendentious: “In the case of India
this (listing of subordinate groups)
should not be taken to imply that
the Tamils or the Gujaratis should
be allowed immediately to break
off to form independent states. It
tion of arms beyond legitimate
requirements is always a peril to
peace. In our region it is doubly
deplorable because it is a setback
to the process of normalisation in
furtherance of the Simla Accord.
The resumption of arms supplies
to Pakistan occurs at a time when
in many other regions the process
of detente has slowed down and
the dangers of outbreaks of con
flict have grown. While reiterat
ing India's resolve to continue to
seek better relations with Pakistan
and to work for the cause of
peace, the CWC reaffirms the
determination of the people of
India to defend their independence
cision to issue a show cause notice
to the Corporation in the Lok
Sabha, the Minister of State for
Works and Housing, Shri Om
Mehta, said the Corporation had
neither tried to make itself finan
cially self-supporting nor had it
been able to do without the Cen
tral assistance. Several of the old
Central loans with interest had not
been paid.
Shri Mehta said that the Corpo
ration had only partially imple
mented the Morarka Committee's
recommendations of 1968 which
had specifically suggested that the
Corporation should generate its
own finances by revising the rates
does mean, however, that the re.
gional peoples of India may feel
themselves colonised by the Hir.
dustani-speaking people of India's
northern heartland.”
That this type of tripe is allow.
ed to be propagated is an insult
to the Indian nation. “Freedom
House” has obviously turned the
Nelson's eye to the “subordinate
peoples” in the U.S.—the Negroes,
the Red Indians and other minori
ties. And it has the cheek to de
fame this country.
And, what is the “Freedom"
connection between Shri C. R.
Irani and this notorious organisa
tion with a reputed bias towards
Israel and a confirmed hatred to
wards U.S.S.R. and India. It is
hoped that Members of Parliament,
independent journalists and public
spirited men here and in U.S. will
expose the unsavoury aspects of
this “Freedom House” and its con
nection with “The Statesman” of
Calcutta Delhi.
and offer support to all those
nations which are fighting for
freedom.
6. The CWC appeals to all
Congressmen to realise and also
alert the people to the gravity of
internal and external threats.
The nation demands that we fight
a relentless battle against the
forces of violence.
7. The CWC appeals to the
people to stand united to face
these grim dangers and defeat
these organised attempts to
subvert democracy and imperil our
freedom.
of property and other municipal
taxes, and by imposing new levies
like the entertainment tax. This
had not been done. The Morarka
Committee had emphasised that
the Corporation should not depend
on the Centre for financial support.
but its dependence had increased
over the years, the Minister said.
He was replying to a half-hour dis
cussion in the House.
Commenting on the issuance of
the show cause notice, the leader
of the Congress Party in the Cor.
poration, Shri Kishore Lal, said
- *
the Jana Sangh “should thank it.
self for bringing the indignity of
supersesison” of the Corporation.
 President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
with Union Minister for Commu
nications, Dr. Shanker Dayal
Sharma, Shri A. M. Zutshi Gulzar
and Shri Yashpal Kapoor at the
seminar organised by the National
Writers’ Association in memory of
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad at New
Delhi on March 19.

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in

augurated the 42nd Miners' Inter
national Congress at New Delhi on
March 23. She is seen here with
Smt. Ramnika Gupta, Member of
the Executive of the Indian Nation
al Mineworkers’ Federation and
Shri Kanti Mehta, President of the
INMF.

The Andhra Pradesh Congress

Committee's Economic Council was
inaugurated on March 16 at Hyde
rabad by the Chief Minister Shri
J. Vengal Rao. Union Minister of
State, Dr. Smt. Sarojini Mahishi,
addressed the Council. Shri V.
Venkatnarayana, President of the
APCC is seen addressing.
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in PSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 31-3-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70

“Psst. But JP meant millions of people !” says a This poster, published by the All India Sampra
reader of Ajit Bhattacharjea's biography of JP. dayikta Virodhi Committee, New Delhi and plas
But, what is truth, as Pilate said. tered on the walls of Delhi, has been attracting
the attention of millions.
 FIGHTING INFLATION:

SUPALIST THE INDIAN WAY

*
HOW TO FIGHT “TOTAL
REVOLUTIONARIES”
º
APRIL 5, 1975 HAKSAR ON INDO-SOVIET

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* DEMOCRACY © SOCIALISM º SECULARISM e NON-ALIGNMENT

Fighting Inflation The
Indian Way
Replying to the debate on the General Budget,
India's Finance Minister Shri C. Subramaniam stated
that the present difficult situation which Indian
economy was passing through had an international
component as well as a national component. The in
ternational component is the instability that has come
into the international monetary system which itself
was the result of inflationary trend in various parts
of the world. Added to that is price hike of petro
leum crude and naturally all these have great impact
on the Indian economy.
Coming to the national situation, various situa
tions and challenges have been cropping up within
the country since 1971. India was faced with the
Bangladesh situation. From the economic point of
view, India had to pay a heavy price for that. Then
India had unfortunately drought after drought in suc
cessive years. And it was in this situation, the inter
national inflation also came in and made an impact
on the economy, so much so that inflationary spiral
not only outsripped all the increases that have taken
place during the last 20 to 25 years but it looked as
if it would turn into a galloping inflation. Therefore,
it was necessary, first of all, to stop this inflationary
trend.
FIGHT ON THREE FRONTS
Inflation is being tackled on three fronts. The
first is Government expenditure, State and Central.
The Government is trying to contain deficit financing
as much as possible. But in spite of all efforts in
the current year, the Central Government will be
facing a deficit of of Rs. 6,250 million. After taking
into account Rs. 3,300 million, the value of purchases
of foodgrains and fertilisers, there is left Rs. 3,000
million against the contemplated deficit of Rs. 1,250
million. In planned expenditure, however it is not
possible to cut down expenditure, particularly in the
core sector, because it would be at the cost of future.
Second comes private spending through banking
sector, commercial credit for business and so on.
There also the Governmen" have strict measures with
tight money and dear money policy. This is credit
planning (not credit squeeze) so that the available
credit goes to Priority areas.
The third component is the private consumption
with illegitimate money. Because of the various mea
sures that have been taken, this is now under control.
Smuggling activities, tax-evasion, hoarding, black
marketing and so on have been brought under control.
There has been an apprehension that the external
value of rupee is falling. In relation to the rest of the
currencies, Indian rupee within the last six to eight
weeks, has improved by one per cent; as against the
dollar it has improved by 4 per cent during the same
SOCIALIST INDIA
period. This shows that the measures taken by the
Government have not only controlled the inflationary
situation within the country but have also strengthen
ed the value of the rupee externally.
In the long run, inflation can be contained in a
healthy manner only by increased production, parti
cularly of essential commodities required by the
common man. The Budget for 1975-76 provides some
directions for the purpose of strengthening the pro
duction where the essential commodities are concern
ed. It is necessary to have priorities particularly,
when the resouces are scarce. Food production and
energy have been given the topmost priorities. As
against the total increase of 23 per cent in plan ex
penditure, the increase in this sector alone is 45.9
per cent.
Naturally, it is not merely the allocation of re
sources which is important but how it will be deploy
ed and how it is going to be reflected in the produc
tion. An efficient distribution system for essential
commodities is absolutely rºcessary. In the same way,
a rational distribution system in the case of the mate
rial inputs required by the farmer is also absolutely
necessary.
THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
With regard to the industrial sector, there are
two points of view. One says that there should be
no place for private sector in this. The other extreme
is that Public Sector is an inefficient organisation and
therefore, it should be purely private sector. These
are the two extremes. India has taken a middle path.
There is the Industrial Policy Resolution of 1954
which gives a place for the private sector, a private
sector not without any control whatsºever, but with
controls for the purpose of serving the society.
In the present context of scarce resources, var'-
ous measures have to be taken for the purpose of see
ing that the priority industries are taken care of and
the non-priority industries should stand in the queue
for the purpose of credit for investment and even for
raw materials.
The Budget has attempted not only to identify
the priorities in the industrial sector but to take
various other fiscal and monetary measures also for
the purpose of bringing direct investment in these
vital sector.
Then there is another factor. Unless a country
exports and earns foreign exchange, it will continu
ously be in debt. Therefore, export has a right priority.
The main areas in which new excise duties and other
indirect taxes have been levied are mainly where India
wants to have more exports so that there may be less
consumption. For example, on sugar, excise duty has
been increased—on the non-levy part of it—so that
when the production is going up—it has gone from
three million tonnes to 4.5 million tonnes—it is not
consumed fully in India. The more and more it is
available, it will be used for export. The production
of cement is increasing but there are various restric
tions on its use so that it should be available for
export.
APRIL 5, 1975
ſeekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
CONTE Wol X No. 18
NTS April 5, 1975
*

SOGIALIST Published every

Saturday
Fighting Inflation, the Indian Way 2
Editorial 3
JP's Waterloo in Calcutta 4
Note of Desperation in JP's Call 5
\ddress: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Seven MPs Condemn JP 6
Road, New Delhi 110001 Congress President's Iraq Visit
Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST Mohan Chandra Joshi 7
Heartening Performance on Export Front 8
EDITORIAL BOARD Thus Spake the CPI (M-L) Leaders 9
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Kerala Initiates Labour Welfare Measures 10
(Chairman) Fighting the “Total Revolutionaries”
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY M. D. Nalapat 11
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Peaceful Co-existence : A Practical Necessity
P. N. Haksar 13
L. N. Mishra's Blood Haunts the RSS—I 15
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT Delhi Forges Ahead under Congress 1972-75
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Attar Chand . 18
(Chairman) An Unceremonious End to Jana Sangh Misrule
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Yogesh Vajpeyi 19
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA A Chronology of Major Events in
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Public Sector : 1973 21
Shri P. C. SETHI International Women's Year
P. N. Luthra 25
30 Years of Hungarian People's
Republic 1945-75 27
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO Romesh Chandra on US Moves in Vietnam 28
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN
A Decade's Good Work : Centre for the Study
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA of Developing Societies 29
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee Miscellany 30
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah Progress of “SAIL” 31
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. OAU Delegation in India
N. K. Pande 32
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces Industry Welcomes Pai's Suggestion 33
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. India recognises Sihanouk Government 34

men had to flee to save their skins from the wrath of

U. S. GLOBAL POLICY Khmer Rouge forces, Sihanoukist nationalists and the
“Hanoi 6000.” -

IN SHAMBLES
As SOCIALIST INDIA goes to the press on
Thursday (April 3),the U.S. global policy of controll
ing different parts of the world to suit its neocoloni
alism is completely in shambles and the US prestige
has reached the nadir.
The headlines in the newspapers during the last
few days, reminiscent of the “Watergate style head
lines”, are quite enough: “US Diplomacy suffers many
Reverses”, “Losses of U.S. Arms in S. Vietnam Monu
mental”, “Lon Nol in Bali”; “Half of South Vietnam
in NLF Control”, “Collapse of Saigon Inevitable.”
The US-supported puppets are on the run. Mar
shal Lon Nol (whose palindromic name can be spelt
backwards too) is resting his heels in Bali and is re
º:
ported to be on his way to the U.S. He and his hench
*9CiALIST INDIA
The other “gentleman”, President Nguyen Van
Thieu may also be packing up his bag at the mo
ment of writing. And the U.S. is in no position to
save him as much as it could not save Lon Nol. (Dr.
Henry Kissinger has belatedly confessed that there is
nothing that could be done.) The former South Viet
namese Premier, Nguyen Cao Ky, has surfaced again
trying to grab whatever little he can. But the NLF
forces with relentless energy are nearing Saigon.
A “Washington Post” despatch from Saigon,
dated April 2, says that six of Saigon's 12 infantry
divisions have vanished. And, the “New York Times”
has reported that the South Vietnamese army is in
“virtual disarray.” Exactly half of South Vietnam
now lies behind NLF lines.
At this juncture the presence of US navy ships
near the coastline of South Vietnam on the
APRIL 5, 1975
pretext of carrying out “humanitarian evacua
tion” is a last ditch stand. Probably the US is trying
to salvage part of $600-million worth of military hard
ware in South Vietnam. It is reported that the U.S.
has already removed the nuclear fuel it had lent to
South Vietnam.
But behind all this “running away game” of pup
pets lies a vast untold saga of misery of the people
in that war-torn part of the world. Vast tracts of
those countries bear the scars left by napalm bombs.
And millions have suffered agony having shed blood
and tears. All because of the U.S. global policy, which
is thoroughly discredited today the world over. Yet,
Mr. James R. Schelesinger, the U.S. Defence Secre
tary, is reported to have said that South-East Asia
is “very slight weight” in world balance of power and
that its loss to Communists is “insignificant”. Why
then the U.S. spend over $150 billion in this part of
the world? Probably for the sake of the military in
dustrial complex benind Pentagon to bolster which
50,000 American lives and 5,00,000 Vietnamese lives
were lost.
of the US has asked the U.S. to dismantle all Ini.
China-oriented defence installations withi nits ter.
tory within the next 12 months.
The dictatorial regime in Portugal that made tº
country a worthwhile NATO partner of the US ar:
provided the Azores Islands as a stop-over for arm:
ment carrying planes is gone. The leftist armed for
ces movement now at the helm in Lisbon cannot tº
expected to know kowtow to U.S.
Greece and Turkey, both NATO members, aſ:
estranged from the US because of the latter's rºl:
in Cypriot affairs.
The “shuttle diplomacy” of Dr. Kissinger which
was expected to yield a limited agreement between
Egypt and Israel has not materialised. The Arab
nations are becoming rather wary of Dr. K's moves
to drive a wedge into the Arab bloc.
American global policy to consolidate its brand
of neo-colonialism has been a total disaster. The best
comment on it has come from Mr. Tran Kim Phong
-

the South Vietnamese Ambassador in Washington

Turn the eyes in any direction and it can be seen who has said that it “was fatal to be an ally of the
that the U.S. policy is in shambles. USA.” Let all nations of the world pay special at
Thailand, which was supposed to be a staunch ally tention to this significant comment.

JP's Waterloo
In Calcutta
“JP Approves Move For ‘Revo
lution’ In West Bengal”—
So ran a headline in “The States
man” centre page on March 31.
And the report under the head
line, running to about three-quar
ter column, gave a graphic ac
count of what was to happen on
April 2, when JP, under the aus
pices of Nav Nirman Samiti, would
launch the movement for “Sam
poorna Kranti” in West Bengal.
But when JP arrived by a spe
cially chartered Indian Airlines
Fokker Friendship plane (at the
cost of Rs. 13,800) from Bhubans
war at Calcutta, he was greeted
by a sea of black flags all the way
from the airport to the University
area.
JP met his Waterloo when he
had to abandon the meeting joint
ly organised by the Samiti com
prising nine Opposition parties and
groups, of which the CPI(M) is a
major partner. The Yuva Congress
and Chhatra Parishad held an
hour-long demonstration and pre
vented the meeting being addres
sed by JP. They conclusivley prov
ed that West, Bengal is not Bihar.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Slogans, for and against JP rent
the air. There were scuffles and
clashes in which a number of sup
porters of the Yuva Congress and
Parishad as well as of the Samiti
received injuries. A few Opposition
leaders including, Shri Samar
Guha, got hurt in the melee.
JP had earlier managed to ad
dress a meeting of teachers at the
Students' Hall. He wanted the edu
cational system to be overhauled.
According to the Staff Correspon
dent of “Patriot” in Calcutta, what
sparked off the trouble was JP's
remark: “I do not understand why
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who
is the symbol of fascism in the
country, has been made the Chan
cellor of Vishwabharati, which was
founded by Guru Rabindranath
Tagore.”
Later JP is reported to have re
marked that this was “a naked
demonstration of Congress-CPI
fascism.”
Shri Priya Ranjan Das Munshi,
MP and Youth Congress leader,
told newsmen that what had hap
pened was that the youth of Cal
cutta staged mass protest against
JP.
Security people took great
care that the car in which JP was
seated was well protected from
any untoward incident.
Besides, JP's efforts to persuade
4 APRIL 5, 1975
the Left parties to sink their dif
ferences and unite proved infruc
tuous, for at the meeting with the
teachers. JP confessed that his
mission to start a Bihar-type agi
tation was not successful. However,
he has assured everybody that he
would visit Calcutta and again
address from the same place where
he was prevented from speaking.
Shri Jyoti Bosu, the CPI(M)
leader, announced that his party
would support JP's movement
without subscribing to its concept
of “Total Revolution.”
PUNJAB DECISION ON
MINIMUM WAGE
The Punjab Government an
nounced on March 21 its decision
to increase the minimum wages for
all categories of workers in 25
employments including agricultural
units covered under the Minimum
Wages Act 1948. The monthly
minimum wages for skilled workers
are proposed to be enhanced from
Rs. 200 to Rs. 241 and for unskill
ed workers from Rs. 135 to Rs.
166.50 and corresponding increase
for semi-skilled workers. The Gov.
ernment has issued preliminary
notifications on the matter inviting
objections. The final notifications
revising the minimum wages would
be issued soon.
 —t
ote Of Desperation
JP's Call
The Government is understood
be closely assessing the impli
tions of JP's reference in a re
nt public speech at Bhubanesh
ar to the army and police. His
ported statement that he might
an appropriate time ask the
‘curity organs to disobey autho
ty has been taken cognisance of
:riously.
Some political circles interpret
P’s call to be tantamount to
reaching sedition. JP had himself
enied a similar call attributed to
im on an earlier occasion as re
orted in the press.
Official sources appear to take
he view that press reports on this
icore should not be attached “ex
iggerated” importance though
hey also concede that the Gov
ernment can ill afford to ignore
..hem or be complacent about them.
There are many surmises in both
political and official circles in re
gard to the circumstances that
may have compelled JP to resort
to such apparently inexplicable
calls. These surmises take into ac
count the fact that the posture of
the erstwhile Sarvodaya leader ill
accords with his acceptance of
Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi's election challenge. It is
also known that all the political
parties in the JP camp are already
engaged in working out their res
pective as well as collective stra
tegies and JP is equally eager to
provide them the umbrella for it.
One argument is that JP being
over anxious to achieve his objec
tive particularly in Bihar, is pro
bably appealing for cooperation to
the police force in that State more
than anywhere else. His youthful
Supporters gathered in the Sang
harsh Samitis may be getting
desperate in view of the failure of
the movement there to achieve the
immediate objective of getting the
State Assembly dissolved and the
Congress Government ousted from
power.
Yet another view is that Mr.
arayan is seeking through these
galls to the army and police to
keep various extremist elements
S0CIALIST INDIA
on his right side, so that he can
keep them integrated in the move
ment till the time of the elections
when their services may be use
fully employed as a militant force.
However, there are quite a few
who have slowly come to believe
that JP is not infallible, and like
his performance on the Dharia
episode which boomeranged, he
has once again overshot himself
by issuing calls to the army and
police. These calls, having the hall
mark of desperation could isolate
him from. many sections well dis
posed towards him. They assume
that JP is probably in a jam and
is groping for a break-through in
the movement.
Various constituents of the
camp are riddled with contradic
tions and he has been often ex
pressing his frustration on this
question even in public. They see
a yawning gap between his pro
fessed dependence on the people,
On the one hand, and calls to the
army and police, on the other. It
is a case of desperation on the
part of JP himself, they believe.
INDo-BANGLADESH TALKs
ON MARITIME BOUNDARY
Representatives of India and
Bangladesh have agreed to meet
again to find an “expeditious and
mutually satisfactory solution” to
the maritime boundary issue.
After their final round of talks
in New Delhi on April 2, the
Foreign Ministers of the two coun
tries said that “these discussions
have taken us to a stage where we
are confident of the finding an ex
peditious and mutually satisfac
tory solution.”
The Bangladesh Foreign Minis
ter, Dr. Kamal Hossain, who had
Prime
extensive talks with the
Minister and the External Affairs
Minister earlier in the week denied
reports that the talks had ended
in a Staelmate. He said: “We have
been having very useful and cor
dial discussions. We will certainly
meet again soon.”
Dr. Hossain expressed apprecia
tion that Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi had been able to devote
considerable time for the talks. He
said that he had invited her and
Shri Chavan to Bangladesh. “We
are very eager to receive the
Indian Prime Minister in Dacca. I
have also invited Mr. Chavan.”
Before leaving for Dacca on
April 2, Dr. Hossain also met the
Deputy Chairman of the Planning,
Shri P. N. Haksar and the Union
Minister for Health and Family
Planning, Dr. Karan Singh.
A joint press release issued after
the talks said that the Foreign
Ministers of the two countries held
“detailed and wide-ranging talks
on matters of mutual interest. The
talks were held in an atmosphere
of cordiality and complete under
standing. It said that the talks
would be “resumed soon.”
INDO-PAK SHIPPING
ACCORD
India and Pakistan have reach
ed an agreement to resume ship
ping services between the two
countries after a lapse of nearly
ten years.
An agreement, described as “re
corded minutes of commercial-level
discussion”, to this effect was
signed between the representatives
of the two countries in Bombay
on March 31. The agreement was
signed by Shri J. G. Saggi, leader
of the Indian delegation, and Mr.
A. D. Ahmed, who led the Pakis
tani delegation.
Under the agreement, two lakh
bales of cotton, contracted by the
Cotton Corporation of India in
January, would be shipped to
India by September. Fifty per cent
of the cotton would be carried by
Pakistani ships and the remaining
by Indian ships.
The Government-owned Mogul
Lines also signed an agreement
appointing the National Shipping
Corporation of Pakistan as its
agents in Pakistan. Similarly, the
Corporation has appointed the
Mogul Lines as its agent in India.
The reciprocal agreement comes
into effect immediately.
The leader of the Pakistani de
legation told newsmen later that
during their week-long stay in
Bombay “everything went off
nicely”. He added that the talks
were held in a cordial atmosphere
and the freight rates were settled
to “mutual satisfaction.”
APRIL 5, 1975
 chooses this occasion to dem
lise our valiant jawans is certait
Seven M.P.s Condemn JP's not acting in a patriotic way. W.
have to say with sorrow ar:
Police anguish that JP's pronouncements
Call To Army And whether so designed or not, 2- .
tually help India's enemies at: .
those vested interests who seek º
The following statement con India and, on the other, Mr.
overturn India's internal ar:
demning JP's call to the army and Narayan is deliberately spreading
police to revolt has been issued external policies.
disaffection in the Army of which
by even Congress Members of Par the whole nation is so proud. It Armies are called upon to revci
liament—Shri Satpal Kapur, Shri would not be difficult for any against foreign domination of a
Harh Deo Malaviya, Shri R. K. Indian to understand whom JP's country or against autocrat
Mishra, Shri Snashi Bhushan, Smt. latest tune ultimately helps. rulers. India is the only free and
L. K. Chundawat, Shri Himmat democratic country in the world
Sinh and Shri Nawal Kishore The threat to India's security where people like JP are allowe:
Sharma : is very real. The Diego Garcia to misuse the democratic freedom:
base, the threatening and un to speak out anything they
At a time when the nation is friendly tone of U.S. spokesmen, choose. Would anybody pick up a
deeply concerned at the renewed including the U.S. Ambassador in moral courage (to defend such
U.S. arms supply to Pakistan, we India, the well-known U.S.- anti-state activity? It is obvious
sorrowfully note that Shri Jaya- Chinese collusion against our that in his disappointment at the
prakash Narayan has chosen the country, all these warn us that near collapse of his “total revolu
moment to renew his threat to ask we must become even more alert
tion”, JP has lost his balance and
the Army and Police to revolt. On in safeguarding our independence equanimity. Nobody ever believed
one hand Mr. Bhutto is and sovereignty. Our heroic Army that JP would become so irres
threatening another war against is our shield and anyone who ponsible as he has.
We would appeal to all patriots
No GovernmeNT PATRONAGE in India to realise the danger
which JP's fulminations pose
TO TAX-EVADING CONTRACTORS against our country and the
Tne Government has decided not to give patron subtle way it helps our enemies.
The Government also cannot for
age to contractors who are found to have evaded
taxes and deny an opportunity to these contractors long ignore this open call for
revolt in the Army and the
to earn profits from Government contracts. Accord
Police. But above all we would
ing to a notification, the Income-tax Clearance Certi
ficate will not be issued to Government contractors appeal to JP himself to ponder
over the mischief which his
on or after April 1, 1975, if after that date a penalty
for concealment of income or wealth has been levied irresponsible statements are likel:
to cause to India which we all
under the provisions of Income-tax Act or Wealth
love.
Tax Act andlor conviction has been ordered in this
respect under the Income-tax Act, 1961, or Wealth
Tax Act, 1957 or under Section 199 or Section 200 SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF
of the Indian Penal Code.
LEGISLATURES
The prohibition against the grant of an Income
tax Clearance Certificate will operate for a period of
three years from the date of the penalty order, in During the 20-year span from
case no appeal has been filed and from the date of 1952 to 1972, India's Parliament
and State legislatures consisted
the conviction order. In case penalty order has been
appealed against, the prohibition will operate for a mainly of full-time political and
period of three years from the date on which the social workers, landholders, lawy.
penalty order has been partially or wholly upheld ers, traders and industrialists.
by the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal. with a sprinkling of journalists
and writers.
In order to ensure the implementation of this de This is the finding of the Re
cision, the application form for Income-tax Clearance search and Information Service of
Certificate and the form of certificate to be recorded the Lok Sabha presented in a
by the Income-tax Officer have been suitably modi paper in the quarterly journal.
fied. Applications to be made on or after April 1, The paper, entitled “Sociº
1975, should be made in the amended form. Economic Background of Indian
Legislators”, shows that full-time
The recommendation for denying Government
patronage to contractors who are found to have evad political and social workers const; ,
tuted 25.2 per cent of the members
ed taxes was made by the Direct Taxes Enquiry Com
mittee. of the Lok Sabha and 23.9 per
Continued on Page 3
:
SOCIALIST INDIA 6 APRIL 5, 18'
º
 The signing of the agreement
was followed by a meeting bet
Congress President’s Iraq Visit ween the Foreign Ministers of the
two countries at Teheran and
accord on a protocol fixing the
Significant frontiers in the manner agreed
upon at Algiers. A joint commit
tee has been constituted to deal
MOHAN CHANDRA JOSHI with the task of restoring peace
and security on the borders.
The visit of the Congress Hussein, Vice-Chairman of the
President, Shri D. K. Barooah, The agreement is of mutual
Revolutionary Command Council benefit to the two countries. The
(along with Shrimati Priyalata of Iraq, and the Shah of Iran. decision to divide the Shaat-el
Barooah, Smt. Aziza Imam, M.P.,
The terms of the agreement Arab waterway at its deepest
and Smt. Maya Ray M.P.) to Iraq are: point is in conformity with
is timely, coming as it does soon 1. Definite demarcation of the international practice and law.
after the signing of the agreement
land boundaries on the basis of Iran itself has accepted this
between Iraq and Iran to settle
the Constantinople Protocol of principle in the division of its
their disputes peacefully. As a 1913 and minutes of the Frontier water borders with the Soviet
country wedded to peaceful co Demarcation Commission of 1914. Union. The same principle is
existence and non-alignment, India
2. Demarcation of the Shaat applicable in the case of the
is interested that all her neigh States lying on the two sides of
bours should settle their problems el-Arab waterway at its deepest
the Danube river in Europe.
through bilateral negotiations. point. There are about 25 international
3. The re-establishment of
rivers which have been so divided.
India has welcomed the agree mutual security and confidence
ment between Iraq and Iran to along their joint borders and an THE KURDISH PROBLEM
resolve their border and other undertaking to conduct strict and
problems peacefully. She has a effective control along the joint The Constantinople Protocol
would ensure that Iran would
vital stake in the peace in the borders to put a final end to all
region. The Government main subversive infiltration from either have to vacate some of the areas
tains friendly relations with both side. which it has been occupying for
the last 50 years. But apart from
Iran and Iraq. On the political
level, the relations between the 4. Consideration of the present the specific benefits which the
Indian National Congress and the agreement as element of a com agreement might bestow on the
Arab Ba'ath Socialist Party are prehensive settlement of all two countries, it creates a climate
close. Prominent leaders of the disputes and the restoration of of harmony between the two
traditional ties of good neighbour countries.
two parties have been exchanging
views with one another. The two ly relations and friendship. Continued on Page 34
parties share the common idea
logy of socialism and non
alignment.

The dispute between Iraq and

Iran had been long standing,
thanks to the policy of imperialist
powers to keep the Asian coun
tries divided. The main points of
dispute have been over land
border, the Shaat-el-Arab water
way and the Iranian support for
the Kurdish rebels led by Mullah
Barzani. i

ALGERIAN INITIATIVE

Though from time to time

efforts have been made to settle
the problem by negotiation, these
did not bear any fruit till March º
this year when the Algerian * . .
President, Mr. Houari Boume
dienne succeeded in bringing the Congress President, Shri Dev Kanta Borooah, along with members of
two parties together. The agree the delegation now on a visit to Iraq. In the photo taken at Palam
ment was reached on March 6 at he is seen from left to right with Smt. Maya Ray, MP, Smt. Priyalata
Algiers between Mr. Saddam Borooah and Smt. Aziza Imam, MP.
*0CIALIST INDIA T → .. .. APRIL 5, 1975

Heartening Performance
On The Export Front
There is good news on the export front, with
continuing upswing for a wide range of commodities
and manufactured goods, notwithstanding the reces
sion and increased competition in international mar
kets. The uptrend in exports covers engineering
goods, leather products, sugar, tea and mining pro
ducts such as iron ore.
While it is encouraging to note that the tight
ness in markets of developed Western countries has
not curbed the upward trend of Indian export items
in the main, a number of new features are also to be
noticed. In the export of leather and leather foot
wear, for instance, a new development is a sizeable
breakthrough in West European countries, some of
whom were themselves exporters of quality foot
Wear.
In France, a sophisticated leather footwear mar
ket of Europe, Indian leather manufacturers have for
the first time obtained a big order. In England, a
trial order for 1,000 pairs is presently under execu
tion and if it proves satisfactory, it is expected to be
followed by a million pair order for that country.
The footwear orders from Soviet Union continue to
increase steadily.
A measure being taken for improving crafts
manship and quality in leather footwear is the im
pending setting up of a Leather Development Fund,
to be financed partly with receipts from exports of
leather and leather footwear. The Fund will give
a boost to systematic application of modern tech
niques and removal of sub-standard methods in ex
port-oriented footwear industry.
SUGAR EXPORTS
The outlock for sugar exports in 1975-76 is
bright despite the tendency of declining world sugar
prices after the high watermark reached in 1974-end.
Indian sugar however, still remains competitive
abroad and the likely export in the year is of the
order of 1.2 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes. At
the prevailing world prices, this quantum of exports
will fetch nearly Rs. 700 crores—a tidy figure that
will help meet the yawning export-import gap, which
in the outgoing year had grown to nearly Rs. 1,000
crores (figures for the January-March quarter have
to be taken tentatively).
The most encouraging feature is the cortinuing
rise in engineering goods exports: the target of Rs.
350 crores for 1975-76 might have appeared ambi
tious sometime ago but is now considered modest.
It is likely to be bettered substantially taking into
account the enlarging demand for these products.
This speaks well for improved technology, better
availability of inputs such as steel for the engineer
SOCIALIST INDIA
ing industry and continuing price competitiveness of
Indian engineering products in the world markets.
The case of Hindustan Machine Tools may well be
mentioned, since for the first time HMT would ex
port to Switzerland and Sweden the type of machi
nery which these countries had initially exported to
India for the HMT itself.
A bird's eye view of other items shows the fol
lowing : India's iron ore exports in 1975-76 are likely
to go upto Rs. 250 crores, the enhancement being
largely due to appreciation in its unit value in the
international market. India is also likely to emerge
a net exporter of steel on a significant scale, for the
first time in recent years. Fish and fish preparation
exports may rise to Rs. 100 crores, while in tea ex
port the sizeable demand as well as present unit
price in export markets may be carried over to the
next year. An exception in this rising export curve
is in regard to textiles, the outlook for which is diffi
cult and India is expected to just hold its market at
the present level of Rs. 300 crores.
While taking cognisance of this picture on the
export front, two factors have to be sized up. How
far is the improved export performance the result of
temporary phenomenon; what are the positive fac
tors responsible for the uptrend and in what way
can these be carried forward 7
POSITIVE FACTORS
Positive factors which have special relevance to
the improved outlook on the export front are the re
lative price stability in the home market during the
last six months and the slow but continuing achieve
ments of Indian technology from electronics and engi
neering goods to leather goods. The importance of
domestic price stability since October 1974 has to be
measured in the backdrop of unflagging inflationary
spiral in the developed countries of the West winch
paves the way for Indian exports on a wide range.
It should, however, be noted that a good part of
the rise in exports during 1973-74 and 1974-75 is to
be accounted for by the rise in unit value of exported
items rather than their volume. Since the same
volume of goods and commodities fetched more, the
higher export figure absorbs a good deal of inflation
created export value. India, of course, has been a
net loser on account of this artificial export boom as
>
the comparative figures of exports and imports
show. While exports during 1972-73, 1973-74 and
1974-75 increased by 22 per cent, 26 per cent and 38
per cent for the period April-January, the higher im
port bill for the same period was of the order of 2
per cent, 56 per cent and 58 per cent respectively.
The import-export balance-sheet has consequently
been icreasingly adverse, and particularly so in the
last two years when the gap has been jumping—Rs.
438 crores in 1973-74 and Rs. 878 crores in 1974-75
(for ten months). -
It goes without saying that the import bill has
been inflated manyfold by the soaring costs of petro
leum crude, fertilisers and equipment from Western
countries whose prices had not stabilised even till
1974 end. An additional factor responsible for the
º APRIL 5, 1975
t
heavy import bill has been the large-scale food im
ports. º comprise of a sugar refining and processing unit with
The outlook in the year ahead has improved on
a number of counts. The import bill will be kept
lower both on account of lesser food imports and
growing import substitution, as also the million tonne
increase in production of petroleum crude expected
in 1975-76. To cap it is the expected increase in
volume of exports on a wide front which should help
narrow the import-export gap from the perilous pro
portions it has assumed in the outgoing year. This
perspective will however materialise if the positive
features on the domestic economic front, price stabi
lity and improvements in technology and production
are maintained.—O.P.S. -
ANOTHER JOINT VENTURE WITH MALAYSIA
India has entered into another joint venture
with Malaysia for setting up an integrated sugar
Thus Spake The CPI
(M-L) Leaders
Recently, Satyanarain Singh, General Secretary,
CPI(M-L), Paila Vasudeva Rao, Leader, CPI(M-L),
P. Ramanarsiah, Secretary Andhra Pradesh Revo
lutionary Communist Party and Chandra Pulla Reddy,
Leader Member, APRCR, issued an important docu
ment entitled “Unite to Build A Single Party”, joint
ly signed by them and published in the “Frontier”
of March 8. Here are some choice excerpts for
whatever they are worth:
“After prolonged and thorough discussions the
representatives of the CPI (M-L) and the APRCP
have reached agreement on the following major
points of programme, tactics and party building.
“Ours is a semi-colonial semi-feudal country in
which several imperialist powers contend, the princi
pal being the Soviet social-imperialism and U.S. im
perialism.
“The Indian Revolution in the present stage is
anti-imperialist... It is New Democratic Revolution
in nature.
“The four major enemies of the Indian people
are (i) Soviet social imperialism, (ii) U.S. imperial
ism, (iiii) feudalism and (iv) comprador-bureaucra
tic capitalism.
“Alliance of the four classes i.e., the working
class, peasantry, the urban petty bourgeoisie and the
national bourgeoisie, has to be forged for leading
the new democratic revolution. The working class
is the leader of this united front and the worker
peasant alliance is the core of the united front. The
working class absolutely relies on the landless and
poor peasants, firmly unites with the middle peasants
and the urban petty bourgeoisie, seeks to win the
rich peasants and the national bourgeoisie and directs
soCIALIST INDIA
project. The project costing Rs. 19.4 crores will
a crushing capacity of 25,000 tonnes per day and
annual production of 60,000 tonnes of refined sugar.
This is India's largest single joint venture project in
Malaysia. The project has already been formally
commissioned by the Prime Minister of Malaysia at
Ayer Hitam about 90 miles south-east of Kuala
Lumpur on February 28, 1975.
India's technical competence and expertise in the
field of sugar machinery has been well recognised
abroad in recent years. During 1973-74, sugar mill
machinery exports amounted to over Rs. 1.9 crores
as compared to Rs. 1.2 crores in 1972-73. The ex
ports reached these levels from only Rs. 5 lakhs in
1965-66.
Uganda, Federal Republic of Germany, Nigeria
and Ghana are the significant importers of Indian
sugar mill machinery.
the main edge of its attack against imperialism, feu
dalism and comprador-bureaucratic capitalism...
“The working class wants the party to rely on
the peasants, establish base areas in the country
side in protracted armed struggle and use the coun
tryside to encircle and finally capture the cities.
“The working class and the people must forge
three magic weapons without which victory in revo
lution is impossible—a Marxist-Leninist party, a
people's army and a revolutionary united front. It
is the party that commands the army and it is the
party that leads the united front....
“It is reformism to confine struggle of the peo
ple to economic and partial demands only and it is
adventurism to ignore or boycott the mass struggle
of the people on economic and partial demands on
the pretext of conducting political struggle. Marx
ist-Leninists strive to forge a united front of all de
mocratic classes from the very beginning of their
activities and they strive to develop the unitd front
in course of sharp class struggle of the people against
their oppressors....
“The party must adhere to the principle of de
mocratic centralism in the functioning. It must
strictly adhere to the four disciplines: individual is
subordinate to the unit; lower committees are sub
ordinate to the higher committees, minority is sub
ordinate to the majority and all the party members
are subordinate to the Central Committee. The party
must not permit establishment of personal regimes.
It must function on the basis of the ‘committee sys
tem” and the ‘method of leadership” laid down by
Comrade Mao Tse-tung. Factions are incompatible
with the party.”
From the jargon of the CPI(M-L) one cannot
form one's own conclusions. The verbiage is such
that those who revel in it only can forge ahead.
However note must be taken of their moves.
APRIL 5, 1975

KERALA INITIATES LABOUR
WELFARE MEASURES
The two proposed legislations,
referred to the Select Committee
on March 21 by the Kerala Assem
bly, the first on Labour Welfare
and the second on abolition of
Bonded Labour, will go a long way
in ameliorating the conditions of
workers in Kerala. To this may
also be added the introduction of
the Group Gratuity Insurance
scheme by the Kerala State
Cashew Development Corporation
covering some 30,000 workers in
State enterprises.
The Kerala Labour Welfare
Fund Bill breaks new ground and
its content has many new fea
tures. Existing legislations in this
respect, it may be pointed out,
cover only subjects like regulation
of wages, service conditions, settle
ment of disputes, provident fund,
medical and maternity benefits.
But the proposed Bill goes further.
Under this new Bill, a statutory
Labour Welfare Fund will be cre
ated which will be controlled by a
Board comprising representatives
of the Government, employers and
employees. The Funds will be
used to set up convalescent homes
for tuberculosis wives of emplo
yees, nutritious food for the child
ren of workers, employment op
portunities for disabled workers,
community and social education
centres including libraries, reading
rooms, games and sports, voca
tional training, community
necessities, entertainment and
other forms of recreation.
The financial resources for the
Fund will be mainly from contribu
tions. Each employee has to con
tribute one rupee a year in two
instalments to be supplemented by
the employer to the extent of two
rupees for each worker in the ins
instalments. The Government too
will make grants and provide loans
to the Fund and it will be open for
public contribution, as well.
The Fund will cover not only in
SOCIALIST INDIA
dustrial workers but also planta Scheme, introduced by the KSCDC
tion labour, transport under in cooperation with the LIC, is an
takings, automobile workshop and other progressive step. Under the
all commercial undertakings em scheme, the amount of gratuities
ploying ten or more persons. due to the employees become auto
matically insured with the LIC. In
The Bill when legislated will be the event of death of any worker
a new landmark in Labour legisla before the normal retirement age,
tions in the country. Even the his family becomes entitled to the
critics of the Government cannot full amount of gratuity instead of
but welcome this initiative of the
the amount due under the gratuity
Kerala Government. law.
The Bill proposing bonded Under the present circumstances,
labour abolition, a system which if a worker earning Rs. 200 per
still exists among the Adivasis in month dies after five years' of ser
northern part of Kerala, is another vice at the age of 30, his family
Welcome measure. It adds to the would be entitled to Rs. 500 as a
measures already undertaken to gratuity, at the rate of 15 days'
salary for every year of service.
protect this section of the society.
But under the scheme, his family
Under this proposed legislation,
bonded labour is to be banned and will be entitled to get Rs. 3,500 as
offences committed in this respect though the worker had retired
made cognisable. The police has after serving up to the age of 60
been empowered under this law to years.
institute criminal cases which will
be tried before the collectors and The KSCDC has already handed
over a sum of Rs. 20.62 lakhs to
revenue district officials. It pro
the LIC under this scheme. The
vides for a year of imprisonment
families of those workers who
or fine of Rs. 500 as punishment
for the Offenders. might have died after January 1
this year, will also get the benefit
The Group Gratuity Insurance of this scheme.
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Enquire about your attractive cash
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10 APRIL 5, 1975

Fighting The “Total Revolutionaries”
The laws governing politics are
Darwinian. Shifts in the bal
ance of power between competing
social groups are inevitable and
only that political organisation
will maintain its supremacy which
alters its approach in the direc
tion of the broader social shifts.
z
This flexibility in approach has
been the most powerful weapon of
the Congress Party. The party has
changed its character on numer
ous occasions, as a response to
changes in the public mood and
shifts in social power. The Cong
ress of Hume and the Congress
of Tilak were as different as the
Congress of Gandhi and Nehru,
was from Tilak's. Similarly, the
Congress of today is different from
the organisation of four decades
ago.
The Congress, during the period
of Gandhi and Nehru, existed at
a time when Western imperialism,
though at bay, was still the domi
nation force the in the world. It
existed at a time when the emer
gent shifts in the balance of power
between various social classes in
India had not taken a definite
shape. The ground was hard and
barren for the votaries of social
change.
Yet Gandhi in the social sphere,
and Nehru in the economic sphere
worked to till this land. Supersti
tion, religious. and ethnic chauvi
mism were combated and the death
grip of mercantile capitalists and
feudal landlords over the economy
was sought to be loosened. It was
a difficult task because the social
ground was not yet ready for
major changes. Consciousness
exploitation and consciousness of
the need to end it, had not per
colated very far. Therefore, each
advance made was usually over
whelmed by a counter-attack.
The advances, even if temporary,
served a purpose. Through them,
*OCIALIST INDIA
M. D. NALAPAT
the underprivileged got a glimpse,
sometimes even a taste, of econo
mic prosperity. And lessons were
drawn from the tactics followed in
past struggles, lessons to be uti
lised in future battles.
After the death of Nehru there
emerged a sudden vacuum, which
the forces he had opposed rushed
in to fill. For a while it looked as
though they had succeeded. In the
years between 1964 and 1969, it
appeared as though all the gains
registered during the previous de
cades would be wiped away.
NO RETREAT
But this analysis overlooked the
great strides made in social cons
ciousness. The middle and working
classes, the rural poor, the small
farmers, all combined to register
their protest at the conquest of
Nehru's India by the exploiters.
Between 1969 and 1971, the Con
gress Party once again resumed
the Nehru course, but soon after,
in the period 1972-1974 it suffered
serious defeats and there was a
retreat. The retreat has, tempo
rarily, weakened the Party. But
it is only the prelude to a further
advance, beginning from 1975.
And this time there can be no
retreat till the twin evils of mono
poly capitalism and feudal land
lordism are overthrown. If we re
treat now, our credibility as the
instrument of social change will be
lost as will any possibility of dras
tic social changes emerging in the
near future.
of
In order to ensure victory in
the coming round, let us analyse
why we failed to introduce funda
mental changes in the economy
during 1969-72. The most import
ant reason was our failure to de
velop an organisational structure
suited to the present.
- -- - 11
When one does not move into
basic conflict with antagonistic so
cial forces, only a loose form of
political organisation is needed.
The main functions of such an or
ganisation are: to show the flag
through organising marches and
demonstrations, and to disseminate
the party programmes by arrang
ing speeches and meetings. Such
organisations will be characterised
by a very few hard core activists
and a large mass of soft core sym
pathisers who will come together
around the hard core nucleus for
specific tasks at given times. So
long as the antagonistic forces are
confident of their dominance, they
will allow such toothless exhibi
tions. However, on feeling threat
ened they will unilaterally change
the rules of the game and attempt
a settlement through the streets.
This is what is happening now.
Under smokescreen of “total revo
lution”, the ultra-reactionary
groups are attempting to destroy
the capacity of the Congress to lead
the people. The philosophy of
these Total Reactionaries is the
same as that of Hitler's NSDAP:
The organisation that controls the
streets will control the country.
NAZI TECHNIQUES
The only technique of combating
this Nazi method is to form a coun
tervailing force that will check
mate all attempts at paralysing life
in the major population centres.
On behalf of the people, it is the
Congress that must control the
Streets.
In every town, down every road,
squads should be formed for this
very purpose, with a centralised
and disciplined leadership. The
objective of these squads will be
to give protection to democratic
forces against the Reactionary
ones. The second mistake that we
made was in our treatment of the
participants in the conspiracy
against democracy. There are two
sound rules that we need to in
ject in our treatment of anti
people elements: a. A snake can
only be killed and not reformed,
and b. Harsh treatment should be
meted out to public enemies. Con
versely, the base should be re
educated and treated with sympa
thy,
• APRIL 5, 1975
 We went wrong on both these mic and political growth of the to wipe out the internal agents of
counts. We believed we could poorer countries of the region, is these foreign antagonists will re
tame the snakes. As a result, resulting in our having to do battle sult in our successfully continuing
they are now on the rampage. with several external enemies. Only the quest for a democratic and
Secondly, we reserved our harsh a well thought out policy designed peaceful life for our people.
est treatment for the lower rungs
of the conspirators, while hand
TENDER NOTICE
ling the leaders as though they Sealed lump sum tenders are hereby invited for the works given
were VIPs. As a consequence, below from the experienced and reputed firms and approved registered
the leaders were free to create contractors of the Punjab P.W.D. Public Health Branch, Patiala, Pres
more troubles, while many in their cribed tender forms, contract specifications and schedule etc. can be ob
rank and file (who could have tained on payment of Rs. 10/- for each tender form. Further informa
tion can be obtained and plans and specifications can be seen in the
been re-educated and brought to office of the undersigned on any working day. Tenders will be received
the democratic path) became per at 3.00 P.M. on 29.4.75 and will be opened on the same day and at the
manently embittered against us. same time in the presence of any tenderer or their agents who may like
to be present. Earnest money equal to 2% of lump sum amount of ten
These tactics need to change der for the work for which the tender has been submitted must be de
drastically. The band of adven posited in the Government treasury to the credit of Executive Engi
neer, Public Health Division No. I Patiala and the Treasury receipt or
turers and racketeers—the ring
deposit at call of scheduled bank must accompany the tender. -
leaders in the Total Reaction con
Sr. Name of work Capacity of No. of Height of Time Limit
spiracy—need to be brought firmly No. Reservoir Reservoirs Reservoir completion
to account for their criminal acts. up to FSL of Reser
At the same time, a massive cam above G.L. voirs
paign of re-educating - their rank Construction of R.C.C. overhead ser
and file needs to be started. vice reservoirs of the following capa
Our third major error was the city and works contingent thereto at
the below noted stations.
failure to recognise the irreconci 1. Samana Town 2,00,000 gls 1 No. 110° 10 months
liable contradiction between the (909.200. Lts) (33.53 Mts)
ultra-Reactionary top and the rest 2 Urban Estate IInd
of society. There is some talk of Phase Patiala -do- -do- -do- -do
“national sector.” The Public Sec 3. Mandi Nabha 15,000 gls 1 No. 70' 6 months
(68190 Lts) (21.34 Mts)
tor is already” a “national sector.” 4 Binjal Devigarh
What is needed is to convert the Ohjan etc. -do- -do- -do- -do
monopoly sector into the national 5, Group of village
Sector. at Daduma.jra
Lehakheri in Block
Dera Bassi -do- -do- -do- -do
We will find it impossible to re 6. Mandi Dudhan 10,000 gls 1 No. 60’ 5 months
fute the propaganda spread by our (45,460 Lts) (18.28 Mts)
enemies that we are “anti-working 7. Mandi Amloh -do- -do- -do- -do
class”; we will find it impossible 8. Mandi Sanour -do- -do- . -do- -do
9. Open Air Jail Nabha 5,000 gls -do- 60” 4 months
to get the working and middle
(22750 Lts) (18.28 Mts)
classes to cooperate——at substantial 10. I.T.I. Nabha -do- -do- -do- -do
cost to themselves—with us in the 11. Vil. Powala & Kerala
process of building a powerful in Block Dera Bassi 30,000 gls 2 Nos. 90’ 9 months
India unless we can conclusively 136380. Lts) (27.43 Mts)
establish our determination to rid Sd/-
the economy of the poisonous weed Superintending Engineer
of monopoly capitalism. Public Health Circle, Patiala.

Indeed, so long as monopoly capi

talism remains, eflective industrial
planning is impracticable. Over
large-scale industries, the introduc
tion of social control is a pre-con
dition to the political survival of
the Congress Party. We will be
able to tackle the formidable enemy
of feudal-landlordism only by
creating a well-disciplined political
organisation capable of deploying
large groups of men at short notice,
and by wiping out of the top mono
polist families from the economic
Scene.
APPOINTMENT OF LIAISON OFFICER (INDUSTRIES)
OF PUNJAB GOVERNMENT AT CALCUTTA
The Government of Punjab has opened a Liaison Office at Calcutta
headed by a Senior Officer of the Punjab Government with a view to
keep Liaison with the Joint Plant Committee and other concerned
authorities at Calcutta and to assist the Punjab State Small Industries
Corporation and Industrial units in procurement of the raw material
such as Steel, Pig Iron and Coal etc.
All concerned are advised to avail the services of the Liaison Offi
cer Calcutta by contracting him at the following address:—
Liaison Officer of Government of Punjab
Flat No. 2, 4th Floor
Hunger Ford Street

The emergence of India as an in

deepndent and powerful country,
CALCUTTA.
Director of Industries
Punjab
|
acting as a stimulus to the econo
SOCIALIST INDIA 12 APRIL 5, 1975

Peaceful Co-existence :
A Practical Necessity
P. N. HAKSAR
The following is the text of the inaugural lecture
given by the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Com
mission at the seminar on “New Perspectives of Indo
Soviet Cooperation held in New Delhi from March
14-16.
I feel it an honour that you should have asked
me to inaugurate this very important and significant
get-together between ourselves and our Soviet friends
to discuss a broad spectrum of problems which affect
not only our mutual interests but also the cause of
peace and progress on this earth of ours. The co
operation between the USSR and the Republic of
India, representing such a large segment of the earth,
cannot but be of significance to the future evolution
of our globe.
However, I must confess to a sense of inadequacy
in speaking this afternoon in the presence of so many
specialists, distinguished scientists, both of my own
country and the Soviet Union, who have gathered
here today. I lay no claim to academic distinction
and therefore you will apprepriate that what I may
have to say would be more in the nature of an exer
cise in thinking aloud.
We in the Planning Commission recently had
the privilege of having very detailed discussions with
our colleagues in the Gosplan. We were privileged
to welcome the Soviet Gosplan delegation and the
Deputy Chairman of the Gosplan, Prof. Bachurin, and
we had long discussions lasting three days on both
the methodology of planning in the Soviet Union and
in India and in identifying areas where we could co
operate in the field of production.
There is a growing realisation that economic
relations must transcend the simplified concept of
trade relations, of trading in commodities. As the
world of today is getting interlinked in a very vital
sense and as there, is growing interdependence, one
cannot view economic relations purely in terms of
trade relations. -
Undoubtedly our first encounter with the Soviet
Planning Committee was a kind of essay in under
standing the problems, preplexities and dilemmas of
planning. And I am sure we understood a little bet
ter not merely the broader, macro aspects of plan
ning but also its detailed aspects. I should think our
Soviet colleagues, too, came to have for the first time
a “feel” for the problems, dilemmas and preplexities
involved in planning in India, in the transformation of
So large, so diverse, a country as India. It was in
deed an exercise in mutual discovery and, I am sure,
this seminar, too, will proceed in such a way that we
SOCIALIST INDIA
shall have an ever-closer approximation to the under
standing of the realities with which we are grappling
in our respective countries.
The real problems we face are extremely com
plex and diverse and there are no ready-made solu
tions to them, either in the Soviet Union, or in India.
Therefore, I do not propose to dwell at length on any
specific question relating to the planning process in
our country or its problems. If you permit me, Mr.
Chairman, I would rather dwell on the content of
Indo-Soviet relations and the historical perspective
which we in India can visualise for these relations.
As I was coming here, I reflected on our mutual
ly fruitful relations in the course of nearly 20 years,
since the first agreement between India and the Soviet
Union was signed—the agreement on the construction
of the Bhilai plant. It is indeed remarkable how
steady has been the growth of our mutual relationship
in a period of over two decades. And this growth has
not been along a single plane—a linear growth—but
in diverse fields, so that we can truly say today that
there is no area of national endeavour in our respec
tive countries, be it that of economic planning, or
that of trade and commerce, or that of science, cul
ture and art, which does ont enter into the mutuality
of our relationship, which is both intensive and ex
tensive.
And I ask myself, what is its significance? How
did it come about that two countries which are so
vastly different in their traditions, in their tempera
ment, in their history and culture, in their political
and economic systems as the USSR and India have
nevertheless cooperated with each other, understood
each other—respected each other, and have neverthe
less retained their unique personalities. It seems to
me that we are witnessing a phenomenon which has
great relevance and significance from the historical
point of view.
For a long time men generated ideas. If you do
not take up the question of the origin of ideas but
limit yourself to the ideas themselves, you will be
struck by the fact that human history could be easily
written in terms of the history of ideas. Whatever
the social soil from which they may have sprung up,
once they are born, they have a habit of attaining a
kind of autonomy of their own, fascinating men's
minds, influencing their thinking process, and these
ideas thereby turn into an objective reality.
There is interaction, therefore, between the realm
of idea and the realm of reality. But it so happened
that for a long period of history, ideas were backed
by moral imperatives and moral injunctions. In the
course of time, with the evolution of history, ideas,
seemingly excellent in purpose and content, get con
verted into imperatives, into such imperatives as can
not be ignored, as are inescapable; and they acquire
a practical urgency.
In India, for instance, our thinkers and sages
were conscious of the idea of this earth being a
single family, an idea which is expressed in the sub
tle and beautiful Sanskrit phrase: Vasudhaiva Kutum
13 APRIL 5, 1975

bakam. In our own history, in our tradition, this con
cept of earth being a single family and many other
ancient ideas have always been a source of inspiration
to many thinkers.
In the history of India, every great man attempt
ed to be a universalist. Asoka was a universalist, San
karacharya was also a universalist. Akbar was a uni
verslist, too. He tried to overcome narrow constraints
and to establish unity between the social and reli
gious ideas prevailing in his time. In our time, Tagore,
Gandhi and Nehru were typical universalists. That
indeed is the tradition of India.
Among the moral imperatives in the Bible is the
one: ‘Love thy neighbour as thyself.' We know very
well that there is no law which can force us to love
our neighbour, nevertheless our society is so cons
tructed that even if you do not love your neighbour
you are legally bound to be careful not to inflict any
damage upon him. The concept of neighbourhood in
the world of today, even in law, need not be defined
as the real neighbourhood of two adjacent houses;
neighbourhood is a larger concept which enjoins on
you to pay heed to all those who are likely to be af
fected by the consequences of your action. Thus we
see how, with the passage of time, moral imperatives,
which enjoin upon you to love your neighbour, get
translated into practical imperatives. And as the
world has evolved today, the concept of the world
being a single family—“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”—
gets translated into the practical compulsion of hav
ing to live together in harmony.
In Buddha's time people might have tried to
adjust themselves to the problems of social living,
of the removal of the conflicts of social life. He ar
rived at the famous doctrine of Panchsheel. But,
gradually, with the passage of time, Panchsheel did
not remain a mere moral imperative but was trans
muted into a practical necesssity. Today, we talk of
peaceful coexistence which is no longer a moral im
perative but a practical necessity if humanity is to
survive and progress in what is known as an inter
dependent world. Interdependence itself is not merely
a term of exhortation; this interdependence has to be
worked out in economic, political and security terms,
without which, we know, in the modern age we can
not live as an entity on this earth without breaking
it up in a very dramatic and tragic fashion. So the
context and historical perspective of Indo-Soviet re
lations are of very great significance, because in the
world of today these relations show that two coun
tries like India and the USSR, with widely different
social, political and economic systems, have been co
operating, have in no way tried to interfere in each
other's affairs, and have on that basis developed mu
tual trust and confidence.
And we exchange ideas with each other, we have
confidence in each other and, if I may say so, when
we meet our Soviet friends we talk with complete
frankness and candour and are not ashamed to own
up whatever difficulties and weaknesses we might be
having.
Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I am glad that you
SOCIALIST INDIA
|
have organised this seminar at which we have an
opportunity of talking with distinguished Soviet scien
tists—social scientists and natural scientists. And We
are happy that you, Mr. Minister, (referring to Dr.
L. I. Rovnin, Soviet Minister for Geology) have taken
the trouble to come here and participate in this semi
nar, because to us in India it signifies the realisation
of the dream of a great son of our country, who has
been to us a source of great inspiration, Jawaharlal
Nehru. When India emerged as an independent sove
reign state, we passed through difficult times and we
were sometimes not understood by the world then.
But Jawaharlal Nehru had a feeling for history, an
insight into the innermost depths of the historical
processes. And he said that much of the contempo
rary controversies, which took place in the name of
the Cold War had an element of unreality about them.
And sooner or later this world as it is constituted to
day, with all its realities, with its technology, leaves
us but little choice in the matter of war and peace.
For those of us who interpret national interests
in broader terms, in consonance with international in
terests, interests of peace, security and progress, as
Jawaharlal Nehru did, there is no alternative to peace
ful coexistence. And in that context, in the context
of the ever-widening, ever-deepening relationship bet
ween two independent soverign states, India and the
Soviet Union—each of them proud, and legitimately
proud, of all its achievements, its culture and tradi
tions—we meet and carry on a very meaningful dio
logue: a dialogue in the realm of scientific coopera
tion, cooperation in the cultural spheres, cooperation
in the planning process—all of wheib have a very
intimate bearing on the process of transformation of
both India and the Soviet Union.
We are all looking forward with great interest
to seeing the results of your deliberations, which, we
trust, will not only give us a deeper insight into the
problems before our two countries, but will also pro
vide an impetus to cooperation between them in the
economic, scientific and other spheres, and will, at
the same time, promote our striving for peace and
security.
*
READ
SOGILIST
|NDIA
REGULARLY
14 - APRIL 5, 1975
L. N. NTISHRA’S BLOOD HAUNTS
THE Rss–
The following is the first part of the booklet,
“L. N. Mishra's Blood Haunts RSS” recently brought
out by the Institute of Socialist Studies (4, Dr. Raj
endra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001) and priced
75 p.
On January 2, Indian neo-fascists struck down
Lalit Narayan Mishra, the Union Minister for Rail
ways and a member of the Congress Working Com
mittee, Mishra breathed his last at 9 a.m. on Jan
uary 3. Since then a section of the US press and the
entire outfit of the RSS in the country have been
busy with the character assassination of the Prime
Minister, and not of Mishra alone who, according to
Jayaprakash Narayan, was not the target of his
movement.
The news of Mishra's death shocked the nation
including New Delhi's diplomatic corps which had
assembled for a lunch to bid farewell to the retiring
US Ambassador Daniel Moynihan.
Among the many theories and speculations float
ed by the assembled gentry, the most astounding was
propounded by some “knowledgeable” US diplomats.
They openly stated that Mishra had become “an em
barrassment” for the Prime Minister and that “some
official agency” might be responsible for Mishra's
end.
Within hours, this line of thinking was dutifully
reflected in the despatches of the American corres
pondents based in New Delhi. These despatches of
January 3 now part of Government's record. The
Motherland took the insinuation a step further in its
report on next day, January 4.
Why was it necessary for the conspirators to
kill Mishra and then pass on the blame to the Prime
Minister? One has only to recall how over the past
18 months a virulent campaign of character assassi
nation of the Prime Minister and the Railway Minis
ter was being carried on by the RSS, Socialists, CPM
and certain Syndicate leaders, both inside Parlia
ment and outside. * about Mishra's death became known, RSS units and
STUDENTS REBUFFED J.P.
The reactionaries and their foreign masters chose
Mishra as their target because he angered them the
most. It was Mishra who foiled, almost single
handedly, their efforts to destroy the democratic ins
titutions in Bihar as a first step towards mounting
an offensive against democratic institutions in other
states and finally, at the Centre.
Mishra had frustrated the reaction's attempt to
bully Bihar legislators to resign from the State
Assembly. He did it by rallying all the democratic
forces against the hoodlums who were on the ram
socialist INDIA
page in the State. He successfully persuaded stud
ents not to become pawns in the hands of conspira
tors like Jayaprakash Narayan and his RSS, Socia
list and Anand Margi allies. And an overwhelming
majority of students heeded Mishra's voice of sanity
and returned to their schools and colleges.
Mishra's firm and unequivocal stand against the
CIA-inspired “total revolution” of Jayaprakash Nara
yan not unexpectedly earned him the wrath of the
neo-fascists and Left extremists; at the same time
it encouraged the masses to ignore JP's repeated calls
to refuse payment of land revenue.
As one JP's scheme after another met with a
well deserved fiasco, the Reactionaries, in their des
peration, decided to strike down the very person
whose courage and dedication had become the major
stumbling block in their plan to foist the naked dicta
torship of the Indian and foreign vested interests on
the Indian people.
THE CONSPIRACY AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS
Mishra was not unaware of the conspiracy to .
assassinate him. But unlike the cowards who pay
lip service to democracy in the morning but heap
tributes on Jayaprakash Narayan in the evening, he
ungrudgingly courted risks.
The conspiracy to assassinate Mishra was not the
act of any single individual. It was of a wider cons
piracy whose none-too-secret ramifications are yet
to be exposed.
The ground for Mishra's assassination was pre
pared by Jayaprakash Narayan, Anand Marg, RSS,
Socialists, Syndicate and some Left adventurist ele
ments who had unleashed an unprecedented campaign
of character assassination against the Prime Minister
and Lalit Narayan Mishra. For the past 16 months,
every conceivable lie and calumny were spread against
Mishra by the RSS and Socialists.
It is not fortuitous that the moment the news
journals began to spread the canard throughout the
country that the Prime Minister was responsible for
Mishra's assassination. Even before Mishra's assas
sination, the RSS mouthpiece, “Organiser”, in its
issue dated January 4, had described the Nehru family
as the murderers of Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra
Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Shyama Prasad Mukher
jee and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. As if the RSS
bosses had foreknowledge of the cowardly attempt
on Mishra's life, they had taken pre-emptive steps
to malign the Nehru family.
It is significant that while the RSS and the So
cialist Party spread the lie that “high-ups" were in
º Arnºl. 5, 1975
 volved in Mishra's assassination, Jayaprakash Nara
yan declared that Mishra was not his target.
Addressing the condolence meeting in New Delhi
on January 7, the Prime Minister said, “We know that
their target was not Lalit Babu. We know who their
target is. But Lalit Babu has not been assassinated
by mistake. I think it is a dress rehearsal. I know
who is their target, and I think all of you are also
aware of it.”
The Prime Minister's warning was clear. It is
no secret that the real target of the Indian and
foreign Reactionaries is Indian democracy and the
Indian people's determination to build a strong, in
dependent and Socialist India. It is with a view to
destroying these national objectives that the Reac
tionaries think that they must first destroy Indira
Gandhi and her close colleagues.
The RSS mouthpiece, Motherland, in its issue
dated January 26, has predicted that the Prime Min
ister would be killed some time in the middle of 1976
in “mysterious circumstances.”
. as now, no one came forward to face the Reaction's
Recalling the RSS propaganda that Mishra's as
sassination was pre-arranged, the Prime Minister
said: “Perhaps if I were to be assassinated then also
it will be said that I had arranged it. Let the people
and the country know it well. It is not a thing to
be concealed.”
REPEATING A LIE A HUNDRED TIMES
Like Hitler and Goebbels, Jayaprakash Narayan
and his RSS, Socialist and CPM allies believe that
any lie, if repeated a hundred times, would be swal
lowed by the people as truth. Hitler used his tech
nique to destroy democracy in Germany and estab
lish his reign of terror. He eventually died like a rat
in his hole,
That the technique of a “thief calling thief" does
not fail is proved by the fact that even a section of
the Congressmen, particularly those who once be
longed to Jayaprakash Narayan's discredited tribe,
not only gave credence to what Jayaprakash Narayan
and RSS said about the Prime Minister and Lalit
Narayan Mishra but also took an active part in de
fending JP's anti-national activities.
In anguish and sorrow, the Prime Minister point
ed out that “when such things are happening and
falsehoods and rumours are being propagated, many
people including some of our party members, have
been swept off their feet and have begun saying that
when so much is being talked about, there must be
some modicum of truth in it. But truth cannot be
turned into falsehood or vice versa by the mere
strength of the number of those who keeps on talking
about something.”
As the Prime Minister said, “Lalit Babu was not
assassinated by mistake”. He was assassinated be
cause he was uncompromising in his stand against
Jayaprakash Narayan's fascist movement, because he
had emerged as the leader of Bihar.
Paying tributes to Mishra as an outstanding
SOCIALIST INDIA
leader, the Prime Minister said: “I am not sure how
many of you know how he assumed the leadership
of Bihar. It was not suddenly that he appeared on
the scene and everyone accepted him as the leader.
He was acknowledged as the leader because when
the Congress split came, he reconstituted and streng
thened the Congress organisation there with un
ceasing effort and brought it to our fold.
“These things are not achieved just by mouthing
words or spending money. This can be achieved
only by approaching individuals and convincing them.
The Bombay session of the AICC was a thundering
success, and it was because of the efforts of Lalit
Babu that a large number of people from different
States came to participate in that session. He
know what had happened to our organisation and
how to build it up in future. That is how he assum
ed the leadership and sustained it.”
ENEMIES BECOME DESPERATE
There are many people who claim to be Bihar's
leaders. But at every crucial moment in the past,
challenge.
Before the Congress Split, Mishra was not that
well-known to the Prime Minister. “But,” said the
Prime Minister, “at the time of the Split I saw his
mode of functioning. Before Lalit Babu came on the
scene, I had asked ten or twelve others to take charge
of Bihar. But none agreed to go there and streng
then the party position. He did that.”
Naturally, while Mishra's selflessness and dyna
mism raised his stature not only in Bihar but on
the national scene, his enemies also became more
determined and desperate. How callous some Indian
politicians have become can be judged from the
fact that even Mishra's assassination has not shocked
them. The Prime Minister recalled how some people
scoffed at her in Parliament when the question of the
CIA and its activities came up for discussion.
The adtivities of the CIA are no secret. Nor are
the CIA's links with certain political parties and in
dividual politicians. These parties take the cue from
foreign agencies which are hostile to India because
they do not like India's independent approach to
domestic and foreign policies. These parties and their
foreign masters, in the words of the Prime Minister,
“want to break us. They want to weaken India.” The
Prime Minister said: “That several top leaders of the
world told me that it is for this reason, for our
going by our assessment, that they do not want to
support us.”
These foreign powers and their agencies not only
do not support India, they are encouraging and sup
porting all such elements in the country which are
trying to destroy our democratic institutions, weaken
the country internally and isolate it from its friends.
The recent disclosures about fat dollar cheques
for “total revolutionaries” and foreign guns for poli
tical desperadoes fit in this picture. The West German
who was caught bringing in guns had confessed that
APRIL 5, 1975
he is but a small link in an elaborate chain of arms
smugglers. Huge dollar donations and gun gifts are
not meant to help strengthen democracy.
The fascist forces have become desperate. The
assassination of Mishra is only a dress rehearsal. The
RSS journal Motherland has already predicted chaos
and confusion in the country including the assassina
tion of the Prime Minister in “mysterious circumstan
ces” in the next four years. It is with the help of
the RSS, Left extremists, Socialist and some cor
rupt businessmen that Jayaprakash Narayan is plot
ting to bring about his “total revolution”, which is
just another name for the naked dictatorship of
vested interests and their foreign masters.
Lies, double-talk, rumours, whisper campaigns
and character assassination are the stock-in-trade
of the fascist forces. They accuse the Congress of
keeping company with the CPI. The Prime Minister
said those “who accuse us of keeping company with
the CPI do not themselves hesitate to go with the
CPM and the Naxalites.”
JP and Jana Sangh have suddenly become great
admirers of China because the US attitude to
wards China has changed. This change in their
attitude reflects in their working arrangement with
the CPM and their admiration for Naxalites.
CONSENSUS WITH WHOM?
After assassinating Mishra and unleashing a
virulent campaign of lies against the Prime Minister
they have the cheek to suggest to the Prime Minister
that the Government should be run on the basis of
a consensus. “Consensus with whom?” the Prime
Minister asked. “With the Jana Sangh? With the RSS2
Can we do so with those who in their sermons preach
lies 2"
The Reactionaries think that their technique of
spreading lies and rumours, on the one hand, and
destructive agitations inside Parliament and outside,
on the other, will weaken the Congress internally and
force it to seek consensus with the enemies of the
people in running the Government. If they fail in
their efforts, they will resort to violence, lawlessness
and chaos in order to destroy the people's rights and
galns.
The responsibility for Mishra's assassination
squarely lies with those who have been trying un
successfully for the last two years to undo the elec
troal and political verdict of the 1971 and 1972 elec
tions. Taking advantage of the people's current hard
ships they have successfully misled a section of the
population into striking at the roots of the very sys
tem which ensures their right to fight against vested
interests.
Samastipur bomb blast is not the end. More
Samastipurs are being plotted in the secret dens of
the reactionary and communal forces who have taken
cover under the fake Gandhian umbrella of Jaya
prakash Narayan.
History will not pardon those, who in their anger
S0CIALIST INDIA
Or frustration, allow themselves to be used by the
dark forces to destroy all that is sacred to every
sane Indian.
“It is not enough for us”, the Prime Minister
warned, “to gather here and say how deeply grieved
we feel. Our hearts are no doubt full of grief. But we
are also full of anger. Also there is determination---
we have to think as we grieve, about our tasks ahead
so that this martyrdom and of others do not go in
vain.”
But Mishra's blood has not deterred the RSS,
Socialists and CPM from going ahead with their cam
paign of lies.
The assassins have obviously taken a leaf out of
Hitler's Mienkempf and they are dutifully following
his teachings. Hitler's theory of racial supremacy of
the Aryan blood finds its echo in the RSS philosophy
of pure Hinduism.
Hitler took full advantage of the post-World War
I difficulties of Germany to create an unbearable
feeling of insecurity in the minds of the people by
spreading rumours, false propaganda, accusations
and even by resorting to murders of opponents. These
methods are being copied both in letter and spirit by
India's would-be Hitlers. -
After his initial failure to seize power, Hitler
launched a vicious campaign to create a symbol of
mass anger, through liberal use of lies, slanders and
insinuation. And Hitler's Mienkempf is now in cir
culation in paperback, published from Delhi, for any
one to make use of.
The present difficult economic conditions provide
the backdrop to the RSS campaign of lies and slan
ders. It has made Prime Minister Indira Gandhi its
hate-object. Like Hitler's S.S. troopers, the Swayam
Sevaks are being trained in the use of lathis, knives,
hand grenades and fire arms.
Like Nazis, the RSS is using the fundamentai
rights of association, speech and publication to des
troy these very rights and impose on the people its
own regimented doctrine. One has only to look at the
pages of Organiser, Motherland, Yug Dharm, Sandesh,
Tarun Bharat etc. to realise the game of JP and the
Jana Sanghis.
Democracy is being used to annihilate democracy.
Can we afford to wait and watch this butchery of
our very life breath?
(To be Continued)
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
17 APRIL 5, 1975

Delhi Forges Ahead
Congress 1972–75
The capital city of Delhi with
a sizeable population of 46 lakhs
is on the threshold of a new era
under the leadership of the Cong
ress. In March 1972, the people of
Delhi, as elsewhere in the coun
try, gave a massive mandate in
favour of the socialist, democratic
and secular principles of the Con
gress Party under the inspiring
leadership of Smt. Indira Gandhi.
As such the Delhi Congress leaders
in deference to the mandate of
the people accepted the tremend
ous responsibility with a sense of
dedication and devotion.
In the words of the Prime Min
ister, “Our major task is to re
tain Delhi's individuality and per
sonality reflecting all the histori
cal phases through which it has
passed, and yet to make it mod
ern and forward-looking to pro
vide amenities to the people so
that they can live in dignity and
also function with maximum effi
ciency in their work.”
The Congress regime in the
Delhi Administration completed
its third year of rule on March
18. The Congress took over three
years ago when the discredited
Jana Sangh lost control of Delhi
Metropolitan and the Executive
Council. The inhabitants of Delhi
gave a thumping majority to the
Congress.
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
During these three years, the
Delhi Administration made efforts
to increase employment potential,
educational facilities, provide in
centives to traditional industries
like handloom and handicrafts,
undertake health and housing
schemes and to improve the wel
fare of Harijans and other Back
ward Classes.
In the field of small-scale indus
tries Delhi has made tremendous
progress. There are at present
SOCIALIST INDIA
Under
ATTAR CHAND
8,160 large and small cottage in
dustries employing 72,000 persons
with a capital investment of Rs.
18 crores. Besides, there are over
30,500 industrial units with a capi
tal investment of Rs. 220 crores.
They provide employment to about
3,25,000 people. Among the indus
trial products are bicycles, ivory
works, scooter and motor parts,
televisions, radios, etc. The total
annual production of all industrial
plants is Rs. 430 crores out of
which goods worth Rs. 25 crores
are exported.
A sum of Rs. 35,00,000 was
sanctioned to small-scale indus
tries in 1972-73 as block loans.
Under this scheme, loan up to Rs.
25,000 is granted at a rate of in
terest of 3 per cent. The Direc
torate of Industries is also dis
bursing loans to industrial units
for the purchase of plots as well
as construction of factory premi
ses. A sum of Rs. 20,00,000 was
disbursed under this programme.
The Administration allocated
Rs. 2.5 crores for providing jobs
to the educated unemployed per
sons under its “half-a million-jobs”
programme during 1973-74. Mean
while, the Small-Scale Industries
Development, Corporation estab
lished in 1971, has intensified its
ambit of activities and is assisting
various small and medium size
units in providing jobs to the edu
cated unemployed engineers and
technicians besides procuring new
materials and machinery on hire
purchase basis.
The Delhi Administration has
taken up the problem of employ
ment for educated engineers. Two
industrial estates have been deve
loped: one in Jhil Mil, Tahirpur,
and another in Wazirpur Industrial
Area for putting up 100 work
shops for educated technicians.
The scheme of providing employ
ment to engineers through small
scale industries is also being im
18
plemented and a sum of Rs. 1 lakh
has been placed at the disposal of
the Delhi Administration by the
Central Government for the opera
tion of this scheme.
For the first time the facility
of grant of rebate direct to hand
loom Cooperative Societies has
been introduced. A sum of Rs.
2,30,000 was disbursed as rebate
in 1974. For the installation of
handloom industries, a weavers'
colony is being developed at
Bharat Nagar, over an area of
4.8 acres. The worksheds, being
built up at Bharat Nagar, will be
allotted to Handloom Cooperative
Societies. Moreover, for the setting
up of Handicraft Industrial Estate,
DDA has received 132 plots at
Lawrence Road.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
It goes to the credit of the Delhi
Administration that its activities
have penetrated the rural areas.
An area of 27.13 acres has been
acquired by he CPWD for indus
development. During the
trial
Fifth Plan period, Delhi is esti
mated to register a 25 per cent
increase in the industrial growth
both in urban and rural areas
thereby giving employment to more
educated youth.
The expenditure on Plan schemes
has doubled from what it was in
the first year of the Fourth Plan.
The bulk of the expenditure has
been on welfare and productive
scheme. In the first three years
of the Plan, Rs. 78.14 crores were
spent whereas in the last two
years only Rs. 79.41 crores were
spent. A sum of Rs. 40 crores is
likely to be spent in 1974-75. The
budget allocation for 1975-76 is
Rs. 50.50 crores. Many schemes for
the welfare of the people have
been sanctioned.
The Planning Commission has in
creased the outlay on Delhi's an
nual Plan for 1975-76 from Rs. 41
crores to Rs. 50.50 crores. The
Planning Commission has also al
lowed a marginal increase for
power, water, industry, urban de
velopment and agriculture. Delhi
has, however, agreed to slash the
Plan to an outlay of Rs. 60 crores.
Beside, the Delhi Administration
provides the best educational faci
Continued on Page 21
APRIL 5, 1975

DMC supeRSEssion
AN UNCERENTONIOUS END TO
JANA SANGH MISRULE
The end of the Jana
regime in the Delhi Municipal
Corporation was in any case not
far, the party's second mandate
ending in May this year. But the
supersession of the DMC by the
Central Government under
usual, though not totally unex
pected, circumstances highlight
ed the hollowness of the Corpora
tion as well as the party which
had run it for the last eight con
secutive years.
When the Corporation was
superseded, everything was in
a mess. Financially, the DMC was
literally bankrupt. It had failed
to pay to the Central Government
instalments of loans worth Rs.
11.85 crores. The Jana Sangh
leaders, who never tired of blam
ing the Central Government for
not coming to assistance of the
crippled civic body often enough,
had diverted over Rs. 282 lakhs
of the liberal Government assis
tance for developmental program
mes to non-development schemes.
The DMC had not deposited
its employees' share of the
vident Fund with the PF Com
missioner for almost a year. The
salaries to its employees were
given almost one month after
they became due—and that too,
through Delhi Administration's
assistance. It had yet to pay its
contractors and suppliers over
Rs. 1.50 crores for the
completed by them six months
ago. The salary arrears and DA
arrears due to the DMC
ployees following the revision of
pay-scales had not been paid.
THE BACKGROUND
In its notice of supersession.
the Central Government had
eharged the civic body with speci
fic cases of financial irregulariti
es inept handling of projects and
Government assistance for these,
and administrative lapses.
SOCIALIST INDIA
YOGESH VAJPEYI
Sangh large number of posts had been
created by the Jana Sangh lea
ders in the Corporation to pro
mote those officials who agreed
to connive with them in the mani
pulation of accounts.
un
The background of the super
session has, however, something
more to it than mere financial
and administrative bungling.
fact, the DMC cracked under
the weight of unprecedented cor
ruption by the Jana Sangh.
But, first, the party itself crack
ed up under the nepotism and
corruption of its own leaders.
Things had been simmering for
some years. But two months ago,
two important Jana Sangh mem
bers of the Corporation Shri
Jagdish Anand and Shri Soman
pal Somanakshar, resigned from
the party. In a bold statement,
Shri Jagdish Anand, accused the
Mayor, Shri K. N. Sahani and the
Jana Sangh leader in the
poration, Shri I. D. Mahajan, of
specific acts of corruption and
nepotism. Later, two other Jana
Pro Sangh members in the DMC de
cided that they had had enough
and quit the party, reducing
to a minority in the civic body.
WARNINGS IGNORED
A flurried Shri Sahani,
was busy addressing the All India
works Council of Mayors, rushed to
Delhi only to find that he could
no more continue in his
em The resignation he submitted was
the resignation of a bitter man,
who had not reconciled to
fate with grace.
Not unexpectedly, the Jana
Sangh leaders, including Shri
Sahani, started their old game—
blaming the Congress party. Mon:
ey, they alleged had been used
by the Congress to procure defec
A tions.
19
The argument, however was
trite. In fact, so trite that it did
not even call for a rejoinder. For
one thing, Shri Anand and Shri
Somanakshar, who defected in
the first batch did not join any
party. The documents released
by them also showed that the
disintegration of the Jana Sangh
was caused more by internal
bickerings and nepotism and cor
ruption of the party leaders than
by any external inducement.
For instance, even when Shri
Sahani was elected the Mayor of
Delhi only to find that he could
get all the Jana Sangh votes. The
Deputy Mayor, also from Jana
Sangh, got more votes than Shri
Sahani. The letters written to
national and State-level leader
In
ship by many Jana Sangh cor
porators during the past one year
prove that things were not going
well within the Jana Sangh. In a
letter to Shri V. K. Malhotra, Pre
sident Delhi Jana Sangh, Shri
Jagdish Anand, had requested
the party bosses as early as May,
1974 to look into charges of cor
ruption and nepotism in the
party.
WARNINGS IGNORED
Several corporators also wrote
to the Akhil Bharatiya Jana
Sangh President, Shri L. K. Ad
Cor vani, giving specific cases of cor
ruption and nepotism against
the Jana Sangh leaders in the
Corporation. But the leaders did
not heed these warning signals.
How democratically the Jana
it
Sangh functioned is demonstrated
by the fact that during 1974, the
executive of the Jana Sangh in
the Corporation did not meet even
who once, despite several party mem
bers demanding a meeting. The
party accounts for the past eight
years remain a mystery even to
office. important Jana Sangh leaders.
Shri Mahajan himself did not pay
party subscription for two years.
his If their party members revolted
against such an organisation, no
outsider could be blamed.
Some of the glaring acts of
commission and omission by the
Jana Sangh leaders, which led
to defections and finally super
session of the Corporation, are
contained in a chargesheet sub
APRIL 5, 1975
 mitted to the President Shri
Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed by the
newly-formed Progressive Group
comprising the former Jana
Sangh corporators. The plausibi
lity of the allegations has been
proved by a number of CBI in
vestigations.
According to the chargesheet,
the Jana Sangh has collected over
Rs. 8 crores from the citizens of
Delhi by way of commissions on
contracts and illegal gratifica
tions. The RSS building, costing
over Rs. 25 lakhs, and the huge
building housing the Jana Sangh
daily, “Motherland” costing some
thing over Rs. 50 lakhs, were
built primarily from this money.
TABLE
(amount in thousands of rupees)
Item 1973-74
| (Actuals)
Street-lighting 14500.00
Uevelopment of Colonies 400.00
Development of Urban
Villages 690.00
Road cleaning 800.00
Amenities in
unauthorised colonies 2300.00
DELHI FORCES AHEAD
Continued from Page 18
litres in the country. As such the
educational institutions of the
Capital serve as a model and a
source of inspiration for the rest
of India. There are at present 680
higher secondary schools in Delhi.
Compared to the only 43 in 1946-47
The number of students in higher
secondary schools has increased
from bare 22,732 to over six lakhs.
EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES
To help intelligent students of
poor means, schemes such as re
medial teaching, study centres,
book banks, free transport, edu
cational tours, etc., have been pro
vided on massive scale so that
these students should not lag be
hind. The Administration proposes
to spend Rs. 22 lakhs on these
schemes during 1975-76. Study
centres have been set up in dif
ferent parts of the Capital and
each school has a book bank now
from where poor students get free
text books.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The chargesheet alleged that
the office of the Mayor had be
come “a den of corruption”.
“Bargains on contracts are made,
hush money for . allowing. con
struction of unauthorised markets
and structures is received and
donations from civic officials are
openly exhorted in this august
office,” it added
But the worst charge against
the Corporation is not of corrup
tion but corruption coupled with
utter inefficiency. While the de
ficit of the civic body kept on
increasing, the establishment ex
penditure of the corporation and
the expenditure on the Mayor
shot up disproportionately.
1974-75 (revised 1975-76
budget) (budget)
14000.00 14000.00
500.00 200.00
500.00 300.00
500.00 400.00
2000.00 1000.00
Scholarships worth Rs. 45.76
lakhs were given to about 65,781
needy students during the year.
About 40,000 students from Class
I to Class VII are being provided
milk under “mid-day meals”
schemes at a cost of Rs. 1.20 lakhs.
Girl students from 105 villages
are being provided free transport
facilities. These have now been ex
tended to students from backward
areas as well.
Meanwhile, the per capita in
come of Delhi is highest compared
to other States and Union Terri
tories, according to the estimates
of the State Income of Delhi for
1971-72.
The State Income of Delhi at
current prices went up from Rs.
198 crores in 1960-61 to Rs. 623
crores in 1971-72—an increase of
214 per cent. Valued at constant
(1960-61) prices it went up from
Rs. 198 crores to Rs. 340 crores—
an increase of 71 per cent.
The per capita income at cur
rent prices rose from Rs. 759 in
20
The case of the Mayor is il
luminating. According to the cor
poration records, during the past
11 months, the Mayor was pre
sent only in 35 of the 70 meet.
ings. And even in the meetings
he was supposed to be presiding,
Shri Sahami spent only a total of
16 hours and 45 minutes in the
house. He did only 1,005 minutes
of actual work as the Mayor of
Delhi. Shri Sahani made the cor
poration spend Rs. 13 lakhs on
the Mayor's office. At the rate
of Rs. 1,300 per minute of actual
work, Shri Sahani must have been
the costliest head of any civic
body in the sitting.
How this extravagance has
resulted in a low priority to items
of public importance is demons
trated by a comparative state
ment of the DMC's expenditure
on the following items:
It is this dereliction of public
duty and failure to provide even
essential civic amonities to the
people of Delhi which was res
ponsible of the unceremonious
exit of Jana Sangh from the civic
Scene.
1960-61 to Rs. 1,501 in 1971-72
while the corresponding figures at
constant (1960-61) prices were Rs.
759 and Rs. 818 respectively.
Manufacturing, trade, transport,
public administration and other
services accounted for three
fourths of the total State income.
PRESIDENT'S RULE IN
NAGALAND
President's Rule has been imposed oil
Nagaland and the State Assembly sus"
pended following defections from the
short-lived Nagaland National Organi
sation Ministry of Shri J. B. Jasokie
formed after the fall of United Demo
cratic Front Government headed by
Shri Vizol.
The Union Home Minister Shri
Brahmananda Reddy laid a copy of the
President's Order in Parliament and
told the House that the decision had
been taken after receiving Governor's
recommendations to this effect. He
quoted from the Governor's report de
tailing circumstances under which com"
pelled him to recommend Central rule
in Nagaland.
APRIL 5, 1975

A Chronology Of Major
Events In The Public
Sector During 1973
(Events relating to the industrial and commercial
undertakings of the Central Government are indicated
by asteriks.)
January 1973
+ The Jayanti Shipping Co. Ltd. was merged
with the Shipping Corporation of India with effect
from January 2, 1973.
+
The Central Engineering and Design Bureau
of Hindustan Steel Ltd., and the Directorate-Gene
ral of Ordnance Factories of the Union Defence Min
istry entered into an agreement for setting up a Rs.
50-crore special steel plant at Kanpur. The plant
will have a capacity of 17,000 tonnes of 58 varieties
of special steel for defence needs.
+ The Rs. 8-crore one-million tonne Gorbu min
ing project of the National Coal Development Cor
poration Ltd. in Singrauli of Madhya Pradesh was
inaugurated.
* Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL), the hold
ing company for the steel industry in both public
and private sector, was registered on January 24,
1973 as a Public Sector undertaking at Delhi.
* The Union Government took over on January
30, 1973 the management of all the 464 private
non-coking coal mines in the country, pending ulti
mate nationalisation. The management of these
mines was vested in the newly formed Coal Mines
Authority.
The Rs. 13-crore augmentation canal at Yamu
managar in Ambala district of Haryana was inaugu
rated. Irrigation benefit: existing command area of
10 lakh hectares plus an additional 56,000 hectares.
Preliminary work was started on the Rs. 110
crore Koel-Karo hydel project in Bihar. Power: 734
ImW.
February 1973
The Rs. 24-crore Bharathi Dock and the new
oil berth of the Madras Port Trust were commis
Sioned.
The 12.60-crore Kuttiadi irrigation project
Was formally commissioned in Kozhikode district of
Kerala. Irrigation benefit: 36,440 hectares.
* The first MIG 21-M produced at the Nasik divi
*on of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. was formally
handed over to the Indian Air Force.
+ The foundation stone laid for the Rs. 3-crore
shipbuilding dock at Garden Reach Workshops Ltd.,
Calcutta.
:- The “Bhoomi-Puja" was performed for the Rs.
47-crore full-fledged research and development cen
SOCIALIST INDIA
tre of the Indian Petro-chemicals Corporation Ltd.,
at Jawaharnagar near Baroda.
The Rs. 63-crore first unit of the Rajasthan
atomic power project at Kota began its trial gene
ration. The station consists of two reactor units of
200 mW each. ar
The work on the Rs. 3.90 crore 52-km long
right bank canal of the Rs. 18-crore Bhatsa project
in Shahapur taluka of Thana district, Maharashtra,
was inaugurated. Irrigation benefit: 5,900 hectares:
Areas to benefit: 29 villages of Shahapur taluka and
17 villages of Bhaiwandi taluka.
March 1973
+ The second coke-oven battery of Bokaro Steel
Ltd. at Bokaro was commissioned.
:k The Hardwar unit of Bharat Heavy Electri
cals Ltd. started manufacturing 200-mw generating
sets, creating a new record in the indigenous manu
facture of heavy electrical equipment.
Gujarat Agro-Industries Corporation took over
the management of Hindustan Tractors Ltd.
* The Rs. 7.4-crore telephone instruments fac
tory of the Indian Telephone Industries Ltd. at Naini
near Allahabad inaugurated.
+ The Lok Sabha passed the Bill nationalising
the 464 non-coking coal mines taken over by the
• Government of India on January 30, 1973.
The Rs. 25-crore Kuttanad development project,
the first to be taken up by the Kerala Land Deve
lopment Corporation, was inaugurated at Kainakiri
in Kerala.
The work on the Rs. 28-crore Pench hydro
electric project, which is an inter-state project of
Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, was inaugurated
at Totaldoh in Nagpur district. Irrigation benefit:
61,000 hectares. Power: 160 mw.
+ The Rs. 15-crore DMT plant of Indian Petro
chemicals Corporation Ltd. started commercial pro
duction at Baroda. Capacity: 24,000 tonnes of
DMT per annum.
The earthwork on the Rs. 213-crore, 900-km
long railway line from Apta in Maharashtra to Man
‘galore in Mysore——popularly known as Konkan Rail
way—was initiated at Goregaon in Kolaba district
of Maharashtra.
April 1973
+ The foundation stone of the Rs. 12-crore
scooter factory of Scooters India Ltd. laid at Ban
thra neary Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh.
:: The foundation stone for the 120-crore coal
based fertiliser plant of the Fertilizer Corporation
of India Ltd. at Korba in Madhya Pradesh.
The foundation stone was laid for the Rs. 45
crore Rajghat irrigation project in Uttar Pradesh
Irrigation benefit: 3 lakh hectares.
+ Production commenced at Rs. 45-crores Cochin
division of Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore
Ltd. -
*- - -- - - -
21 APRIL 5, 1975
 The foundation stone laid for the Rs. 10-crore + The Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC)
Selaulim irrigation project at Sirigal in South Goa. started off-shore drilling in the Arabian Sea 120 km
Irrigation benefit: 14,300 hectares. north - west of Bombay.
May 1973 + The foundation stone for the Rs. 20-crore
:k The Rs. 15-crore self-propelled off-shore drill
telephone switching equipment factory of Indian
ing platform “Sagar Samrat” of the ONGC sailed Telephone Industries Ltd. was laid at Rae Bareli in
out in the Arabian Sea off Bombay for drilling in Uttar Pradesh.
the “Bombay High” structure.
+ The second coke-oven battery of Bokaro Steel
June 1973 Plant commissioned
+ The Coal Mines Authority Ltd. (CMAL), a
new holding company for management of the 464 The foundation stone laid for the Supa dam
under the Rs. 153-crore Kalinadi hydro-electric
nationalised non-coking coal mines, was registered
at Calcutta. project Stage I in Mysore State. Power: 910 mw.
* Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. crossed the
August 1973 2 million dwt mark.
- + Indian Petro-chemicals Corporation Ltd. start November 1973
ed work on its Rs. 24-crore acrylic fibre project at
+ The foundation stone laid for the Rs. 11.78
Baroda in Gujarat. Annual capacity: 12,000 ton
nes of staple fibre. crore cement factory of Cement Corporation of
India at Rajban in Himachal Pradesh.
The Railway Board took over the management * The Rs. 17-crore aircraft accessories division
of Arthur Butler & Co. (Muzaffarpur) Ltd., Ranchi. of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. at Lucknow
Bihar, which manufactures railway wagons.
inaugurated.
September 1973
Civil construction work started for the Rs. 10 December 1973
crore Expansion Stage IV of Travancore-Cochin :: The Government of India took over the man
Chemicals Ltd. agement of the Calcutta based Burn and Co. Ltd.
and the Indian Standard Wagon and Co. Lt.
India's fourth TV Centre inaugurated at Amrit- -

sar in Punjab. + The trial production of ingot steel in the

Bokaro Steel Plant commenced.
October 1973
+ The foundation stone of the Rs. 217-crore + Concentrator plant of the Hindustan Copper
Mathura refinery of Indian Oil Corporation laid at Ltd. inaugurated at Dariba, Rajasthan.
Mathura in U.P. Its annual capacity would be 6 The foundation stone laid for the Rs. 58-crore
milllion tonnes. Rengali dam project at Rengali in Orissa. Irriga
tion benefit: 5 lakh hectares; Power: 100 mw.
The first 120 mw unit of the 480 mw Santaldih (Next week Chronology for 1974)
thermal project in West Bengal commissioned, Courtesy: COMMERCE Research Bureau

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~~~~- º

*
 PUBLIC SECTOR UNDERTAKINGS UNDER CONSTRUCTION -

(Rs. lakhs)
NOTE ABOUT TABLE
Revised 1974-75 Budget 1974-75
Last week SOCIALIST INDIA pub
lished an extensive article with a table
about the Public Sector. The table on
º: i. 1." f in
the article. It refers to
continuation of
the projects p-
g
wº
#
now under various stages of jº. § *H #É # ;B #É ## # #B
§ rº F is 2 º' +2 > 3 + 3 - ?

# # ###### ## ###.".
No. Name of the undertaking
# ################"
#3 # #3 ## £;? ‘ā; g # #
## g
3 = 3 #3 # 3 s 5 § 3; 3 #3 # 3 is
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

I. Ministry of Defence
1. Misra Dhatu Nigam 75 1,50 50
II. Department of Electronics
2. Computer Maintenance
Corporation • , 15 30
3. Complex for production of
R & D of semi-conductor
devices 20 20 - - - - - -

4. Electronics Trade & Techno

logy Development Corpn. 15 - 20 1
5, Units for the production of
two-way communication - -

equipment 12
III. Ministry of Industry and
Civil Supplies
6. Hindustan Paper Corporation 8,51 17,98 34,67 - -

7. Leather Development
- Corporation - - - 5 -

8. Precision Tool Factory - 2 5

9. Tasar Development Corpora
tion 2 30
10. Commercial Vehicle Factory 10
11. Backward Area Development
Corporation 1,00
12. National Co-operative Ind.
Dev. Corpn. 10

IV. Ministry of Petroleum and

Chemicals:
13. Indian Petro-Chemicals Corpn. 40,00 68,50
14. National Fertilisers 14,49 68,00
V. Ministry of Steel and Mines:
15. Bharat Aluminium Co. 60,83 30,57 3,00
VI. Dept. of Science and
Technology:
16. Central Electronics - - 50 - 1,00
VII. Ministry of Shipping and
Transport.
17. Cochin Shipyard 22,50
VIII. Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting:
18. National Film Development
Corporation 30 40

Total for 18 Companies 92,59 10,566 17,849 1

Courtesy: THE ECONOMIC TIMES

SOCIALIST INDIA 23 APRIL 5, 1975

 Taſmſeasºns why hillias
ſa/DUIalſº ſº |N|S|| ||||||||N

-ºv -

Rich natural resouces.mineral. A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State 8 the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government whhe

Comparativery more peaceful and {. approach towards -

cordial industrial relations. ustrial development of the State,

A package of incentives subsidy,"

kncluding a string of financial & on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water & power at concessional
i
KSIIDC. KSFC. KSICr& KIADB. rates, price preference etc.,

->
º
ſº
tººº:
Financial assistance to educated 15% Central subsidy for unders
unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
ºpeckel employment scheme", Raichur,
Y A.
For details, please contact?
DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedl, Bangalore 560 001
__* --

lºſed by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560000

$0CIALIST INDIA 24 APRIL 5, 1975


I INTERNATIONAL
VVOMEN'S YEAR
P. N. LUTHRA
Secretary, Ministry of Education
The year 1975 is a historic landmark in the
calendar of women's progress as it has been proclaim
ed the International Women's Year by a resolution
Of the United Nations General Assembly. India has
also joined the comity of nations to celebrate this
in a befitting manner.
In order to finalise the programme for the year
and to review its implementation, a non-governmen
tal body has been constituted known as the “National
Committee on International Women's Year”. With
the Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, as the Pre
sident and 39 eminent women members from acade
mic, public, social and cultural fields, the Committee
held its first meeting on December 10, 1974.
Smt. Gandhi emphasised the vital role women
have to play in shaping the destiny of the nation
and indeed of mankind. The Committee should
work out pragmatic programmes which will benefit
women and elevate them in society and brighten their
image within the country and abroad. For the “Inter
national Women's Year 1975”, three specific objec
tives have been laid down by the United Nations
Organisation. These are the promotion of equality
between men and women, full integration of women
in development and the invlovement of women in
promotion of world peace.
The achievement of these objectives calls for con
certed and intensified action:
a. To ensure the full integration of women in
the total development effort, especially by emphasis
ing women's responsibility and important role in eco
nomic, social and cultural development at the national,
regional and international levels, particularly during
the second United Nations Development Decade;
b. To recognise the importance of women's in
creasing contribution to the development of friendly
relations and cooperation among States and to the
strengthening of world peace.
CONCERTED EFFORTS
It may be recalled that since its inception the
United Nations has been working for the advance
ment of women and for providing them equal oppor
tunities in all walks of life. Besides, the “Charter of
United Nations” and the “Universal Declaration of
Human Rights” for safeguarding the interests of
Women, as far back as 1946, the United Nations con
stituted a Commission on the “Status of Women”
followed by several conventions and resolutions like
Z
the “Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951"; Conven
80CIALIST INDIA
tions on the “Political Rights of Women”, 1952; “The
Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and
Registration of Marriage”, 1962, the “Suppression of
the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation or the
Prostitution of Others”; International Convenants on
“Economic, Social and Cultural Rights” and “Civil
and Political Rights”; the Discrimination (Employ
ment and Occupation) Convention 1958; the General
Assembly Resolution 2263 (XXII) 1967 “Dec
laration of Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women”; Resolution 2542 (XXIV 1969 “Dec
lation on Social Progress and Developments;
the resolutions 2626 (XXV) and 2716 (XXV) 1970
on the “International Development Strategy for the
Second United Nations Development Decade”.
Despite these provisions and notwithstanding the
progress made during the past two decades, a wide
gap has persisted all over the world in the socio
economic, political and cultural life of women. Out
of 28 General Assemblies of the United Nations, only
two have so far been presided over by women. Even
up to May 1974, there were only 180 women as against
2,869 men delegates in the UN General Assembly.
There are still a number of countries where women
do not have even the right to vote.
IN ANCIENT INDIA
It has now been increasingly realised that “dis
crimination against women is incompatible with
human dignity and with the welfare of the family
and of society”. It is an “obstacle to the full develop
ment of the potentialities of women in the service of
their countries and of humanity”. The declaration of
International
© ºf Women's Year
1975 . . . ;
1975 as the Women's International Year, to quote
Mr. Kurt Waldheim, the Secretary-General of the
United Nations, “coincides with the time of increasing
awareness throughout the world of the extreme im
portance of the achievements of equality of men and
women, not only as a fundamental principle of human
rights, but also as a necessary pre-requisite for social
and economic development and stimulus for world
peace”.
In ancient India, particularly during the Vedic
Age, women enjoyed a high status in the home as
well as outside. Many of them became poetesses,
mathematicians and theologians. They had a certain
measure of freedom and an effective say in the selec
tion of their husbands, as is evident from the social
custom of holding “Swayamvars” (selection by girl
of her spouse from a group of eligible bachelors).
Life used to be considered incomplete and im
perfect without women. The Ardhanarishwara i.e.
half male and half female form of Shiva (one of the
Hindu Trinity), speaks of the unity and oneness of
APRIL 5, 1975
men and women, the importance attached to women
and the equality enjoyed by them.
In fact, women in olden days played a significant
role in all fields, including the cultural, social, reli
gious and political. Unfortunately, in later centuries,
for various reasons, women lost their original posi
tion. The Purda system, the practice of Sati, child
marriage, polygamy enforced widowhood, the dowry
system etc. reduced women to a position of a liability.
However, some efforts were made at the beginning of
the 19th century to improve the disadvantaged posi
tion of women and to remove the social customs,
traditions, practices which forced them to live a life
of unhealthy discrimination.
With the advent of Independence, a new impetus
was given to the social reforms for women. The
Constitution granted them equality of status and
opportunity. The Directive Principles empowered the
State to make special provisions for the progress of
women. There are, in fact, a wide range of consti
tutional and legal provisions for protecting and safe
guarding the interests of women from exploitation
etc. Legal disabilities with regard to marriage, in
heritance, guardianship, adoption etc., have been
removed.
During the past two decades, the country has
no doubt made spectacular strides in promoting the
interests of women. The speed with which Indian
women have come to the fore-front, has been re
markable and this has been notcd abroad. The lite
racy rate among women has gone up from about 7.9
per cent in 1951 to 18.7 per cent in 1971. During
1946-47 to 1973-74, the enrolment of women went up
from 3.68 millions to 24.401 million in primary schools,
320,000 to 4,587 million in middle schools and 20,000
to 900,000 in colleges and the university stage of edu
cation. In the age-group of 6-11 years, 66.4 per cent
of the female population was in primary schools in
1973-74 as against 24.6 per cent in 1950-51.
According to the 1971 Census, there were about
300,000 women graduates in the arts and humanities,
4,000 commerce degree holders, 400 agricultural gra
duates, 82,000 science graduates, 3,500 engi
neers, 16,000 doctors etc. The expectation of
life among women in 1971 was 45.6 years as against
31.7 years during 1941-50. Women in India have in
creasingly started venturing into new avenues of pub
lic and private employment, such as the Indian Ad
ministrative Service, the Indian Foreign Service, the
Indian Police Service, as mountaineers, pilots, etc.
Their invigorating participation in local, State and
National politics has also been forthcoming and gain
ing prominence. India is amongst the few exceptional
countries which have a woman as Prime Minister.
From the above, one should not infer that we
have come to the end of our endeavours for promot
ing equality between men and women in the country.
In fact, there is a wide gap in the opportunities and
facilities available to women as compared to men.
For instance, even in 1973-74, for every, 100 boys,
there were 62 girls in primary schools, 43 girls in
middle schools, 36 girls in secondary schools and 31
girls in colleges and university stages of schooling.
The expectation of life of women as per the 1971
figures is lower than that of men.
The percentage of women in Parliament even in
1971 is about 5.5 per cent of the total strength of
both the Houses. The implementation of the consti
tutional and legal provision for women is not yet
fully effective in several fields. There are a host of
customs, regulations and practices which are discri
minatory against women.
In fact, a vast field lies before us to ensure jus
tice and reduce the disparities in the opportunities
and facilities available to women and make them
equal partners in social, economic, political and cul
tural development. This will entail new determina
tions and a new approach, devising of “appropriate
measures to educate public opinion and to direct
national aspirations towards the eradication of preju
dices and abolition of all other practices which are
based on the idea of inferiority of women.”
Women is, indeed, a pivot around whom the
family, society, rather the whole humanity, moves.
Their role in erecting and shaping the destiny of the
nation is crucial. With the advancement in science
and technology, the world has moved fast. Women
have to assume a dynamic role in the changing con
text of time and locale. It will be too much to expect
that the goals and objectives set in the theme of the
International Women's Year can be realised by Gov
ernment efforts alone. It is only with the active par
ticipation of the masses, both men and women, full
involvement of the people and all voluntary and public
institutions, that the much cherished objectives of
the International Women's Year can be effectively
attained.

FAIR PRICE SHOPS TO BE
MADE COMPULSORY
IN FIRMS
The Union Labour Ministry pro
poses to bring legislation soon to
make it compulsory for all indus
trial units to open fair price
shops for the benefit of the wor
kers.
Announcing this at the meeting
of the Executive Committee of the
Congress Parliamentary Party on
March 25 the Labour Minister, Shri
SOCIALIST INDIA
Raghunatha Reddy explained that
the only difficulty was how to en
sure regular supply of essential
commodities to these shops. Shri
Reddy said this while intervening
in a discussion on the need for a
national wage policy.
There was almost a near unani
mity among the members on the
need for a national wage commis
sion to go into the wage structure
and to ensure that the real wages
of workers were not eroded by
price hike,
The Prime Minister Smt. Indira
Gandhi presided over the meeting
and several leaders connected with
labour and their problems, like the
Industry Minister, Shri T. A. Pai,
INTUC President, Shri B. C.
Bhagwati and others were special
ly invited to participate in the
discussion.
Shri Pai said that many emplo
yees were willing to set up fair
price shops and cooperatives for
their employees,
APRIL 5, 1975

SOCIALIST THOUGHT/PRACTICE
30 Years Of Hungarian
Peoples’ Republic
1945–1975
In the course of 30 years since the liberation,
Hungary's national economy has undergone a mighty
development. From a semi-feudal agrarian country,
as it had been once, Hungary has become a mo
dern industrial state, while agriculture has swung
over from small-scale production to a socialist type
of large-farm management. Regarding the state of
economic development, Hungary ranks 25th on the
list of countries, her industrial output being 8 times
as high as before the liberation, while some branches
—mainly instrument, telecommunication, aluminium
and pharmaceuticals—have made remarkable headway
even on international comparison.
Hungary, accounts for 0.26 per cent of the world's
total population, for 0.5 per cent of the world's total
industrial production and for 0.8 per cent of the
world's foreign trade business. The per capita national
income in 1974 was some 1,200 dollars and, taking
the increase of production into account it will attain
2,000 dollars by 1985, under today's rate of exchange.
IMPORTANT CHANGES
The development and transformation of the Hun
garian national economy and its most important mile
stones can be summed up as follows:
Socialist forms of ownership (state and coopera
tive property) have become predominant in the whole
of society; 98 per cent of the means of production
in industry and 97 per cent in agriculture belong to
the socialist sector. These conditions of production
have made it possible to call a socialist planned eco
nomy into existence in Hungary.
There has been an intensive trend of concentra
tion in both industry and agriculture over the past
decade. In other words, economic development mainly
in the state sector but also in the cooperative sector,
has been going along with the winding up smaller
units. Here is a typical fact: some 40 per cent of all
industrial employees are working in factories with a
labour force exceeding 5,000. In agriculture as a
result of concentration, the number of cooperatives
dropped from the earlier 4,500 to 2,300.
Industry has become predominant over other
branches of economy, mainly over agriculture and
has come to play a decisive role both in the rate of
employment and in the production of the national
income. The labour force employed in industry and
! SOCIALIST INDIA
in the building trade is two and a half times as large
as in 1950 and surpasses at present 2.2 million heads.
During the same period the agricultural labour force
has dropped by some 50 per cent—to 1.1 million heads
(or 21.5 per cent of all employees as against 50 per
cent in 1950).
In the course of economic development, the avail
able forces of production have been gradually direc
ted from the material consuming towards the labour
consuming branches. A mighty transformation of
production pattern has thus taken place, so the pro
duction of railway freight cars, sea-going vessels,
motor-trucks, heavy-duty tractors and dumpers has
either decreased considerably or has stopped altoge
ther. At the same time, the gross production value
of telecommunication and instrument industry is 28-30
times as high as at the time of nationalisation, 25
years age. Also several new industrial branches have
been started, among others the production of bearings,
motor coaches, automatic and numerically control led
machines, medical instruments and installations as
well as computers.
Great are the changes in the location of industry
and in the more reasonable distribution of capacities.
Before the liberation, more than 50 per cent of the
industrial labour force was concentrated in Budapest,
as against only 31 per cent today despite the fact
that industry in the capital has undergone a consider
able headway. But for more than ten years any larger
industrial plant can only be built in the provinces
and all the signicant industrial investments have
come to serve the purpose of developing previously
backward areas. Modern industrial towns have sprung
up in the place of former small villages with not
more than a few thousand inhabitants in pre-libera
tion times, for instance Komlo, Dunaujvaros, and
lately Leninvaros.
All this explains the big strides in Hungary's
progress in industry which is all the more appreciable
as the country's raw material and energy carrier re
sources are rather poor. The paradox calls for a
widening in international cooperation and explains
also that some 40 per cent of the national income
derive from the foreign trade.
Industry is playing the main role in yielding the
national income, with industry plus the building trade
accounting for 55 per cent and agriculture for 18 per
cent in 1974. The contribution of transport and tele
communication was 6, that of commerce 15 and of
other servicing branches 6 per cent. Taking the level
of national income in 1950 as 100, it attained 375 per
cent in 1974. Within this frame industry contributed
five and a half times as much as in 1950.
As regards Hungary's supply with raw materials
and fuels, emphasis is more and more laid on import
ed crude oil and domestic natural gas. Hydrocarbons
have come to overweigh in the country's fuel balance,
their share having attained 55 per cent in 1974 and
according to plans will go up to 63.85 per cent by
1980. The construction of the second long-distance
oil pipeline (Friendship II) was completed in 1972 for
10 million tons of oil a year to be imported from the
27 APRIL 5, 1975
Soviet Union, instead of the earlier 4 million tons.
There started the building of an Adriatic crude oil
pipeline system in cooperation with Czechoslovakia
and Yugoslavia to render possible imports from the
Middle East. It will have an annual capacityof 34
million tons, including five million for Hungary.
The vehicle industry is carrying out a priority pro
gramme of development. Motor bus production start
ed in Hungary after the liberation, and in 1974 the
IKARUS Factory turned out 8,000 buses; the number
is due to increase to 11,000-12,000 in 1976-77.
IKARUS has developed into one of the world's largest
bus factories. Also heavy-duty motor production bus
come abreast with the most up-to-date requirements,
17,000 pieces of over 200 HP are turned out annually.
The fastest headway, however, has been recorded
in the chemical industry. Its total output was 22
times as high in 1974 as was in 1950. Within this
range the pharmaceutical industry produced 60 times
as much as in 1950. Hungary handles five per cent
of the world's total pharmaceutical export holding in
this respect the sixth place on the rank list.
Large farming is characteristic today of Hun
garian agriculture. Agricultural cooperatives have
grown out from earlier Small farm plots, numbering
2,300 at present, with an average of 2,500 hectares of
land. There are 170 state farms with an average
size of 5,000 hectares. This change has brought about
a complete farming methods, new record yields are
harvested from the crops year after year. In 1974,
the wheat yield per hectare was 38 quintals, maize
yield nearly 45 quintals.
The
Modern agro-technology has developed in Hungary,
the quantity of artificial fertilisers—in terms of active
agents—was 250 kilograms per hectare in 1974. Mech
anised methods of cultivation are spreading, the stock
of tractors exceeds 70,000 pieces. Grain harvesting is
fully mechanised, complex mechanisation has been
introduced also in the gathering of sugar-beet, pota
toes and maize, the mechanisation of vegetable and
fruit growing is underway. Industry-like, complex
production methods are gaining ample scope mainly
in maize, sugar-beet, soya-bean and tobacco produc
tion.

into Vietnamese territorial waters Vietnam for so-called “humanita

ROMESH CHANDRA
is a flagrant violation of the rian assistance for refugees".
ON U. S. MOVES Paris Peace Agreement and with President Ford's appeal to other
it, U.S. military interference in nations to follow the U.S. example
IN VIETNAM Vietnam has reached its highest in this regard has already been
point since the official withdrawal answered by the British Govern
of U.S. forces from South Vietnam ment sending a top class Royal
two years ago. Navy ship to the South Vietnam
coast.
Shri Romesh Chandra, Secretary
General of the World Peace Rejecting every move made by
Council has issued the following the Provisional Revolutionary
The Saigon puppet forces are
statement: Government for the implementa deliberately compelling people to
tion of the Paris Agreement, leave cities and villages, threat
Thieu and the gang around him, ening them with bombardment
The World Peace Council at the order of the Pentagon, and massacre if they refused to
appeals to all governments and threw South Vietnam into a
do so. U.S. naval ships and air
peoples, who cherish peace and bloody war and intensified their force planes are being used for
independence to act resolutely to repressive attacks on the civilian the transportation of officers and
frustrate the latest sinister moves population causing tremendous soldiers of the totally demoralised
of the Pentagon in South-East suffering. puppet army and to reduce the
Asia, which carry to a dangerous
growing wave of desertion and
new stage, United States military The war policies of the Thieu
interference in Vietnam. The surrender.
regime resulted in uprisings
orders by President Ford over the against it by the mass of civilians
weekend for the sending of a large The World Peace Council calls
in the areas under Saigon control.
number of U.S. naval ships to on international public opinion to
It is in this context that the demand the immediate removal of
the ports of South Vietnam under
the pretext of “evacuating civi victories of the people of South all U.S. naval ships from South
lians” from Da Nang, are rightly Vietnam—by the civilian popula Vietnam, and an end of all forms
tion and the liberation forces of U.S. interference in the inter
interpreted all over the world as
constituting a step towards the together—must be seen. nal affairs of South Vietnam.
landing once again of U.S. troops
in Indo-China. The World Peace Council
For the restoration of peace
congratulates the P.R.G. and the and for the implementation of the
A gigantic propaganda cam people of South Vietnam on these Paris Agreement, it is also neces
paign of lies has been unleashed magnificent victories. sary to remove Thieu from power
by Washington to prepare the without delay, and to establish
The World Peace Council warns an administration in Saigon,
ground for this present plan for
all-out intervention. the governments of the world which is prepared to carry out
against falling into the trap of seriously the terms of the Paris
The sending of U.S. naval ships sending naval vessels to South Agreement.
SOCIALIST INDIA 28 APRIL 5, 1975

A DECADE'S GOOD WORK :
Centre For The Study Of
Developing Societies
In a city like Delhi with so many
“centres”, “institutes” and “socie
ties” mushrooming and becoming
pocket boroughs of individuals and
cabalistic cliques, it is heartening
to come across an institution like
the Centre for the Study of Deve
loping Societies (CSDS). It is a
rare “centre” that has been doing
some solid research work thus ful
filling its declared objectives and
contributing the fruits of research
to the nation—and the world.
Started in 1963 by the well
known political Scientist and
author, Rajni Kothari, and a small
group of his friends, CSDS has just
completed a decade of worthwhile
research work. A “Research Re
port 1964-74” brought out by the
CSDS is a revealing document in
more than One sense.
Let me start with the end-page
for instance. On this page is listed
the names of the Board of Gover
nors, the Research staff and also
the “Supportive staff”. Alongside
such names as B. N. Ganguli, A.
M. Khusro, P. N. Dhar, Asoka
Mitra, Sukhmoy Chakravarty, V.
M. Dandekar and others, who are
distinguished figures belonging to
the academic community, are the
names of the accountant, librarian,
stenographer, typists, machine ope
rators, messenger and even the
chowkidar, who constitute the
“supportive” staff. It should be a
matter of pride to all of us that
at least one institution has found
it worthwhile to include these
names. This is an indication of
the wee bit of progress we have
made towards egalitarianism.”
RESEARCH PAPERS
This speaks much for the attitude
of the people behind the CSDS
Rajni Kothari (Director), Gopal
Krishna, Ramashray Ray, Bashiru
ddin Ahmed, D. L. Shah, Ashis
Nandy, R. M. Maru, H. R. Chatur
vedi, Ali Baquer, Ghanshyam
Shah, R. Chandidas and V. B.
Singh.
Between them, the CSDS resear
SOCIALIST INDIA
chers have done commendable
work. The impressive bibliography
of the research papers runs into
several pages and it will be unfair
if only a few are mentioned and
others are ignored.
What is important is to spot
light their outlook and their achi
evements. in broad outlines. With a
Small unit and slender resources,
these researchers have done enor
mous work investigating into
‘Castes, Tribes and Politicians,’ the
place of “Muslims in contemporary
India” and the political structure in
India. But their “historical” stu
dies of the modernisation process
in the last century and the history
of the Indian National Congress,
biographical studies of Rajendra
Prasad, Mohammed Ali and Mau
lana Abul Kalam Azad, which are
all in various stages of completion,
should be invaluable. The whole
range of studies into the party sys
tem at work in India and the elec
tions based on programmed compu
ter research are of great value for
us now and in the future. Studies
of administration and decision
making have also been initiated.
A. most interesting aspect of the
work of the CSDS is that it has
been engaged in cross-national
comparative studies in collabora
tion with academic institutions in
Japan, Nigeria and the USA. The
active participation of the resear
chers in international seminars and
projects should in the long run be
of much benefit not only to India
but to the other countries as well.
The journal “China Report” has
been taken over by the CSDS and
is being run by it. This journal is
of extreme value especially for
India.
Science and technology also come
within the purview of the CSDS.
Monographs on Jagdish Chandra
Bose and Srinivasa Raghavan as
well as interesting studies on the
impact of science and technology
on developing societies have al
ready been completed.
29
Urban tensions and violence in
the context of political movements
are two more areas in which the
CSDS team of researchers has been
devoting their attention.
Futurology is also on the cards.
Rajni Kothari himself has been
preoccupied with it. His book,
“Footsteps Into the Future” (this
is one of a series of books on “The
Preferred Worlds for the 1995”,
sponsored by the Institute of World
Order) is an outstanding book
which every intellectual interested
in the future of India should read.
(This will be reviewed in this jour
nal shortly.)
This is just a brief glimpse of the
various research activities of the
CSDS. But what kept the CSDS
going all these years on the cor
rect track was the vision of Rajni
Kothari, who wanted an institution
that would carry out “systematic
researches in contemporary pro
cesses of social and political deve
lopment, their historical antece
dents and implications are future
action.” Kothari and his erudite
friends wanted to go beyond the
“dominant schools of thought—
conservative, liberal and Marxist.”
LAUDABLE OBJECTIVES
Besides, they wanted to have an
inter-disciplinary approach and
broad perspectives. They also be
lieved in “free thinking and open
debate.” Academic research espe
cially concerning development, they
felt, must be pursued in a proper
manner avoiding economism on the
one hand and doctrinaire anti-tra
ditionalism on the other. It is with
these laudable basic objectives in
mind that they launched the CSDS
which during the last fruitful de
cade has done “sustained work in
the social sciences, cutting across
disciplinary boundaries.” From a
casual study of the work already
done, one will be convinced that
while the CSDS is “committed to
the philosophy that while know
ledge must be valued for its own
sake, it is also essential to the
growth of consciousness and
rationality in society.” This is as it
should be.
(Anyone interested in contacting
the CSDS may write to Rajni
Kothari, Director, Centre for the
Study of Developing Societies, 29,
Rajpur Road, Delhi-110054).
APRIL 5, 1975
 leadership of His Majesty, the problems” because he had failed
kingdom of Saudi Arabia was to tackle the “primary” issues.
making rapid progress in its “If you want to counter JP, study
MISCELLANY
manifold development. His Ma his record and find out where he
jesty played an extremely cons has failed”, he said.
tructive role in the Arab world
and his wisdom, statesmanship Prof. Chattopadhyaya said that
KING FAISAL ASSASSINATED and experienced leadership will be JP's call for removal of corruption
missed during the critical days was intended to give political
ahead in West Asia”. twist to a social problem.
President Fakhruddin Ali
Ahmed was among the many heads CUBAN PRESIDENT LAUDS About involving the youth in
of states who attended King the Congress programme for
Faisal's funeral at Riyadh on INDIA'S PROGRESS social change, he said that stu
March 26. In accordance with the dents should be increasingly mo
traditions of the Wahabi sect the The Cuban President, Dr.
Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado has bilised as “they are not interested
burial service was simple and the in permits or licences”.
late King was laid to rest in a lauded India's progress •in many
tomb next to that of his father fields. In an interview to Indian
King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud. correspondents in Havana on
March 27, the Cuban President JP's DISCIPLES IN U.P.
King Faisal, who was assassi said that India had made “remark
able” progress in scientific and A MENACE
nated on March 25 by his
“mentally unsound” nephew Prince technological fields. He said that
Several dubious youth organi
Faisal Ibn Moussaed, is succeeded India was now in a position to sations have surfaced in Uttar
by Prince Khaled, a younger assist other developing countries. Pradesh in the past few months—
brother of Faisal. The new King all in the name of bringing about
immediately nominated his 53 President Dorticos also referred the much-talked-about “total
year old brother Prince Fahd as to the “excellent conversation”
revolution”. Ostensibly supporters
the new Crown Prince. that took place between the Prime of JP movement, they go about
Ministers of India and Cuba in extorting money from people for
The precise details of the cir New Delhi recently and the Some “cause” or the other. There
cumstances in which Faisal was friendly talks between Shri Y. B. have been several incidents where
killed are not yet known. A . Chavan and Cuban leaders during these self-styled youth leaders
statement issued in Riyadh soon the recent Havana Conference of
have “punished” innocent people
after the incident said: “While non-aligned countries. for not paying “donations”.
King Faisal was in his court
today, Prince Faisal Ibn Mous CONGRESS WORKERS' Giving one such instance, The
Saed Ibn Abdul Aziz approached Times of India (March 28) says
him to express his greetings on CONFERENCE
in a report from Meerut: “On
the birthday of the Prophet February 26, a day after Mr.
Mohammed ... When he got near The Union Minister of State for
Commerce, Prof. D. P. Chatto Narayan visited Modinagar, 25
the King, he fired several shots km from here, a group of students
at His Majesty and wounded padhyaya has asked Congress
workers to step up Congress work went round the township collect
him”. According to the statement ing funds for a ‘musical night'.
the assassin - was “mentally un among the poorer sections of the
society. Some shopkeepers who refused to
sound, and had acted on his own
pay were beaten up, while police
and was not driven by anyone.” men remained silent spectators.”
Addressing a Congress workers'
Later reports, however, said conference in New Delhi on March
that the tragedy occurred when 24, Prof. Chattopadhyaya said In another incident, quoted by
the late King was having talks that the landless labour, poor the Times, the son of a member
with Arab oil ministers. Yasser farmers, industrial workers and of the U.P. Board of Revenue,
Arafat, the PLO leader, was also the youth should be mobilised so Shri Prakash Kishen, was detain
nearby. that they can become partners in ed by a group of students at
the Congress programme for a Machhra (near Meerut) and ask
King Faisal's death has been social change. ed to pay “janta tax”. He was
mourned the world over. India
allowed to go only after he had
observed January 26 as a day of parted with whatever money he
national mourning. The Govern Referring to the JP movement,
Prof. Chattopadhyaya said that had.
ment expressed “deep regret”
to talk of political corruption and
over the King's assassination.
a “city-based total revolution” There have also been reports of
An official statement said: “The was to ignore the basic problems policemen having been beaten up
Government of India has learnt of the masses, living in the vil by such “youth leaders” when the
with deep regret that King Faisal lages. He pointed out that JP former tried to prevent them from
has been assassinated. Under the chose to fight for “secondary such hooliganism.
SOCIALIST INDIA APRIL 5, 1975

PROGRESS OF
“SAIL”
Steel Authority of India Limited
(SAIL) which was incorporated in
January, 1973, is the holding Com
pany of the Public Sector steel
plants. (The private sector steel
companies also come under its pur
view.) Within a short span of two
years this holding company has
successfully implemented a number
of revolutionary schemes in the
steel industry in the Public Sector.
It has introduced a rational distri
*
bution system of steel
which apart from simplifying the
distribution pattern has also eco
nomised it. The Authority has
also rationalised the indenting and
allocation of steel which
brought about rich dividend to our
economy. The dual pricing policy
introduced by SAIL in October,
1973 has curbed the misuse
steel and enabled the steel plants
to earn additional income. A Cen
tral Fund has been started to uti
lise this additional income for the
further development of the res
pective steel plants in various ways,
including Research and Develop
ment, with a view to accelerate the
export of steel to earn higher for
eign exchange. SAIL has set up
supply another subsidiary namely, SAIL
International. India's trade rela
tions in steel have since improved
with Iran, Dubai, Soviet Union,
Japan and a host of other develop
has ing countries around the globe and
company would shortly be export
ing steel to these and other coun
tries.
of
The month-wise production of
the subsidiaries of the Steel Autho
rity including Public Sector dur
ing the current financial year is as
follows:
This year, by Marcn 31, 1975 the
. SAIL subsidiaries were expected
to produce 5,10,000 tonnes of sale
able steel and 5,30,000 tonnes of
steel ingot more than the last year.

Month Bokaro Durgapur Rourkela Tata Iron Indian Alloy Miscella

Steel Steel Steel and Steel Iron & Steel neous
Steel

Saleable Steel in '000 tonnes

April '74 121.0 25.0 63.9 80.9 25.6 1.947 4.98

May ’74 94.5 27.5 48.4 105.0 23.2 2,376 6.53
June 274 139.6 65.0 57.9 110.2 28.3 3.308 5.71
July ’74 141.6 55.6 73.4 120.0 32.1 3.524 9.40
August '74 144.6 47.5 61.1 122.4 35.8 3.601 8.75
September '74 141.3 39.6 72.0 125.3 35.3 3.726 8.64
October '74 159.1 55.8 54.5 130.2 32.2 2.786 8.54
November '74 139.5 42.6 70.5 130.1 35.9 2.789 9.32
December '74 156.3 28.4 65.5 135.1 4.1.8 3.290 8.66
January 75 155.0 44.4 72.3 130.0 42.1 2,627 9.34
February '75 135.0 40.9 76.2 119.0 38.6 3.021 7.30

Overall 1527.5 472.3 715.7 1308.2 370.9 32.995 87.17

Total

Saleable Pig Iron

April '74 33.4 12.5 4.3 - - - 43.7
May ’74 38.8 10.3 7.6 - - - 35.8
June '74 50.7 14.7 6.7 - - - 31.7
July ’74 35.9 4.3 6.8 - - - 39.7
August '74 49.1 4.7 6.7 - - - 38.4
September '74 41.2 5.4 8.9 - - - 49.3
October '74 54.0 7.2 9.5 - - - 55.7
November '74 47.8 8.2 7.6 - - - 59.1
December '74 41.4 16.0 9.2 - - - 68.8
January '75 48.3 13.7 12.3 - - - 62.7
February 75 47.3 15.2 11.3 - - - 59.6

Overall 487.9 112.2 90.9 - - - 544.5

Total

SOCIALIST INDIA 31 APRIL 5, 1975


O.A.U. Delegation
In India
N. K. PANDE
A high-powered delegation
the Liberation Committee of the
Organisation of African Unity
arrived in Delhi last week on
five-day official visit. The seven
member OAU team is led by the
Tanzanian Foreign Minister, Mr.
J. S. Malecela.
At a meeting with the Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi the OAU
delegation acquainted her on the
present situation regarding the
liberation struggle in Africa, the
present achievements and their
plans for the future. The OAU
plans to secure the services of
Indian doctors, engineers, teachers
and other trained personnel for
the Portuguese colonies in Africa
which preparing themselves for
independence this year.
Addressing a news conference
Mr. Malecela, who is also the
chairman of the Liberation Com
mittee of the OAU, said that the
Portuguese colonies in Africa
would need much more interna
tional help than they ever did
during their liberation struggle.
He disclosed that a large number
of Portuguese experts and tech
nically qualified personnel had
deserted their posts in Angola,
Mozambique and other Portuguese
colonies either for the fear of
retaliation for their past misdeeds
or because of their unwillingness
to serve a free African regime.
Characterising India as a nation
that was more developed among
the developing nations, Mr. Male
cela appealed to the Indian people
to cooperate with these newly
emerging nations in their present
difficulties.
Mr. Malecela said the liberation
movements in Africa were inspir
ed by Mahatma Gandhi who was
the first to raise the banner
against apartheid. Africans, he
added, owed a debt of gratitude
to Jawaharlal Nehru also who
blazed a trail for the subject
peoples all over the world.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The main purpose of the OAU
goodwill mission was to thank the
Government and the people of
India at this hour of triumph for
the African Liberation movements
which India supported politically
and aided materially in the past.
The Liberation Committee, since
its inception in 1963, has been
of working hand in hand with all
Liberation Movements recognised
by OAU, such as PAIGC,
a FRELIMO, MPLA, FNLA, ANC
(of South Africa), SWAPO,
ZAPU, ZANU etc. The Commit
tee's sole responsibility is to
coordinate all activities pertaining
to the Liberation struggle as
specified in the OAU Charter,
resolutions and declarations.
As a result. of this the Commit
tee has been quite successful in
uniting forces of liberation in the
territories concerned, such as the
existing unity amongst the libera
tion movements of Angola and
Zimbabwe, as well as in spear
heading the liberation wars in
the Portuguese colonies for the
past 12 years. The latter led to
the independence of Guinea
Bissau, which is the newest mem
ber of the OAU.
HOUSES FOR HARIJANS
Andhra Pradesh takes the lead
among the States in the construc
tion of houses for Harijans and
Backward Classes. According to
the latest data available, cons
truction of as many as 44,100
houses has been completed in
Andhra Pradesh with an estimat
ed cost of Rs. 10 crores against
the all-India level of 1.21 lakh
houses at the estimated cost of
Rs. 32 crores.
About 16.5 thousand houses
have been built in Karnataka, fol
lowed by Maharashtra with 12
thousand houses. Rajasthan and
Madhya Pradesh built 8,142 and
5,840 respectively. Tamil Nadu
which has built 6,257 houses has
also shown significant progress. In
Orissa the houses built are esti
mated at about 7,000.
Except for three more States—
West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and
Gujarat—the number of houses
built in all other States is less than
3,000. While 3,645 houses have
32
With the present encouraging
de-colonisation process taking
place in Africa, particularly in the
Portuguese colonies, the OAU now
plans to devote itself to the libe
ration struggle in Zimbabwe
(Rhodesia), Namibia (South-West
Africa) and Azania (South
Africa). The OAU stand in Zim
babwe as well as in Namibia is
that Africa will recognise the
independence of these countries
when it is based on majority rule.
Mr. Malecela, the leader of the
OAU delegation, addressing the
Indian Council of World Affairs,
said that to him it was wrong to
think that Mozambique and
Angola became free because of a
coup in Portugal. On the contrary,
he added, the African Liberation
Movement could be considered to
have contributed to the liberation
of Portuguese people themselves
from their fascist leaders.
Regarding South Africa he said
the OAU members would meet at
Dar-e-Salam on April 17 to dis
cuss a new strategy to fight
racism and colonialism in South
Africa.
been built in West Bengal, the num
ber in Uttar Pradesh stands at
3,176. As many as 3,513 houses
have been completed in Gujarat.
Among the Union Territories, Delhi
ranks first with 4,310 houses. The
total number of houses built for
the Union Territories as a whole
comes to 5,297.
In the meantime, the Govern
ment has decided not to include any
housing scheme for Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the
Central Sector Scheme for Back
ward Classes in the Fifth Five
Year Plan. However, the Fourth
Plan scheme of “improvement in
the working and living conditions
of those who are engaged in un
clean occupations” has been trans
ferred to the General Sector in the
Fifth Plan. The Planning Commis
sion has already approved this pro
posal.
It may be recalled that a special
scheme of construction of houses
for Harijans had been taken up
during 1973-74 in connection with
the celebration of the 25th anni
versary of India's independence.
Continued on Page 84
APRIL 5, 1975

INDUSTRY WELCOMES
PAl’S SUGGESTIONS
: licensing and capacity expansion.
s The Energy Minister, Shri K. C.
Leaders of industry and trade
unions have welcomed the Union
Minister for Industry and Civil
Supplies Shri T. A. Pai's sugges
tion that the target of industrial
growth during 1975-76 should be
seven to eight per cent. While
participating in the deliberations of
the reconstituted Central Advisory
Council of Industries in New Delhi
on March 29, they noted the “posi
tive” trends in key sectors of the
industry.
They felt that the target sug
gested by Shri Pai was quite rea
listic but its achievement would
depend on the availability of capi
tal and other essential inputs,
particularly power.
Earlier, inaugurating the con
ference, Shri Pai asked the indus
trialists as well as the workers to
give the highest priority to pro
duction. He stressed the need for
increased production, utilisation of
surplus capacities and exploitation
of the “locked-up capital”.
Shri Pai criticised the private
sector for its unhelpful attitude in
certain respects. He said that
while the Government was keen on
removing controls to help the con
- Sumer, some industries Were re
sorting to restrictive trade prac
tices. “The private sector,” he
pointed out, “cannot pay lip-service
to the virtues of competition and
avoid it by common consent to the
detriment of the interests of the
consumer.”
The Minister said that only 22
industries were utilising their cap
acities above 50 per cent. He said
that the Government proposed to
redefine industrial capacity on a quintals.
“more rational basis.” The new
import policy, he added, would aim
at cutting down delays and remov
ing bottlenecks to ensure regular
and timely supply of essential in
dustrial inputs.
On the clearance of licence ap
plications, Shri Pai said that the
method had been considerably
streamlined to ensure brisk dispo- '
SOCIALIST INDIA
sal of applications. He said that
the Government had also taken a
number of steps to streamline and
liberalise the procedure relating to
Pant, told the conference that coal
production would soon reach a re
cord 88 million tonnes—an in
crease of 10 million tonnes over
the previous year. He hoped that
if the present tempo of production
was maintained, the demand for
coal would be fully met by the
middle of the year.
Business and industry were re
. . presented by the President of
Indian Chambers of Commerce
and Industry, Shri K. K. Birla, the
President of Association of Small
Industries of India, Shri J. M. L.
Tambi, the General Secretary of
Hind Mazdoor Sabha, Shri Mahesh
Desai, Shri J. R. D. Tata, Dr. Ram
S. Tarneja and Shri K. N. Modi
among others.
HARYANA TAKES OVER
WHEAT PROCUREMENT
The Haryana Government took
over wheat procurement in the
State from April 1. The State Go
vernment has repealed the Wheat
Procurement Levy Order, 1974,
and reverted to the direct procure
ment system which prevailed dur
ing 1972-73. The export of wheat
to other States has also been ban
ned except On Government
account.
Simultaneously, the Government
promulgated the Haryana Wheat
Dealers Licensing and Price Con
trol (Amendment) Order, under
which the stock limit of wholesale
dealers in wheat has been reduced
from 2,500 quintals to 500
quintals. The ceiling for flour
mills and retailers has been re
duced from 260 quintals to 100
Under the new system, rolling
flour mills will not be allowed to
make direct purchases from the
market. They will be allotted
wheat by the Government.
Meanwhile, it is estimated that
Haryana's wheat production this
season would be of the order of
two million tonnes compared with
1.2 million tonnes last year. The
33
procurement target has been fixed
at 700,000 tonnes.
RICE PROCUREMENT TO
TOUCH 4 MILLION MARK
According to the Agriculture
Ministry estimates, rice procure
ment this year is likely to be in
the region of 4.1 million tonnes.
In spite of the fact that the rice
production . this year has been
lower than last year, the procure
ment has crossed the three million
tonnes mark. The States, which
have done better than last year in
this respect, are Punjab and Tamil
Nadu. -
Punjab has procured nine lakh
tonnes as compared to 8.83 lakh
tonnes last year. Tamil Nadu has
bought 3.8 lakh tonnes as against
three lakh tonnes last year.
PILOT PROJECT FOR
BASIC ITEMS
The Central Government pro
poses to launch a pilot project for
the proper distribution of essential
commodities in Delhi. The public
distribution system would later be
extended to other parts of the
country also. The idea is to extend
it first to the deficit areas, metro
politan centres, industrial com
plexes and plantations and then
to the rest of the country by the
end of the Fifth Plan.
The commodities selected for dis
tribution now are wheat, rice,
sugar, kerosene, controlled cloth,
drugs and foodgrains.
The Minister of State for Civil
Supplies, Shri A. C. George, who
earlier had discussions with State
Governments about evolving an
efficient public distribution system
discussed the feasibility of the
proposed pilot project with the
Delhi Administration. -
As part of the Government's
efforts to involve consumers in the
supervision of fair price shops, it
is proposed to entrust the work
to committees of housewives and
students. The housewives' com
mittees would be given special
powers to supervise fair price
shops, check ration cards and
bring complaints to the notice of
the proper authorities.
APRIL 5, 1975
 BOROOAH'S VISIT TO IRAO
Continued from Page 7
Its main achievement has been
in the end of the rebellion in the
Kurd areas. Mulla Barzani and his
followers were being helped by
Iran in their separatist movement
in a big way by way of arms and
money. After the grant of auto
nomy to the Kurdish people in
Iraq in 1974 the situation started
changing. The extremist Kurd
elements were not satisfied with
self-rule and started demanding
virtual secession. The Iraqi army
had to move into the Kurd areas
to deal with the rebels.
INDIA RECOGNISES
SIHANOUK GOVERNMENT
The Government of India, on
April 1, announced its decision to
accord “de jure” recognition to
Prince Norodom Sihanouk's Royal
Government of National Union of
Cambodia. The exchange of Am
bassadors would take place soon.
The recognition followed four
day's talks between Indian leaders
and Sihanouk's Foreign Minister,
Mr. Sarin Chhak in New Delhi. Mr.
Chhak had discussions, among
others, with the Prime Minister,
-
the end of the talks said that the
two sides agreed to develop con
tacts and relations in all fields on
the basis of non-alignment and
peaceful co-existence. It said that
Mr. Chhak explained to Indian
leaders his Government's domestic
and external policies.
The Indian side reiterated the
Government's support to the Cam
bodian people in their struggle for
independence and national inte
grity. The External Affairs Minis
ter expressed his happiness over
the determination of the Sihanouk
Government to follow the princi
ples of independence, non-align

Smt. Indira Gandhi, and the Ex- . ment and peaceful co-existence.
ternal Affairs Minister, Shri Y. B. Soon after the recognition to
In the past the Kurd rebels Chavan. Sihanouk Government was an
were able to carry on their intran It may be recalled that India nounced, the Indian Government
sigence because the central autho has expoused the cause of the asked the diplomatic representa
rity in Baghdad was not stable. Sihanouk regime in world forums. tives of Lon Nol Government to
But the new Iraqi government India was among the first to lite wind up their mission in New
has been in firm power for seven rally boycott the Lon Nol Govern Delhi. While India has had no re
years and was in a position to ment. The Indian Ambassador re presentation in Phnom Penh since
firmly deal with the rebels. Se fused to attend the swearing cere 1973, the Cambodian mission in
condly, the Shah apparently mony of Marshal Lon Nol. New Delhi is headed by a Charge
realised that continued support to A joint communique issued at d'Affaires. ..
+
the Kurd rebels might have an
impact on his own country. Iran
does not have an homogeneous Socialist Party his visit would LEGISLATURES
population. Only 40 per cent of achieve durable objectives. This Continued from Page 6
the population is of Persian visit will further consolidate the
close relations between India and of the Rajya Sabha. They were
origin. The rest comprise of followed by lawyers, who formed
various different nationalities Iraq for which the foundations
were laid when Mr. Saddam 22.6 per cent and 22.7 per cent
including Baluchistanis, Azerbai
Hussain visited India and Shri respectively of the membership of
janis, and Kurds. Actually Kurds, the two Houses.
are more numerous in Iran. mati Indira Gandhi visited Iraq.
Continued support to the Iraqi Besides, it will not merely cement Cultivators and landholders con
Kurd rebels might have given the close relations between the stituted 20.9 per cent of the Lok
ideas to Iran's own Kurd subjects. two countries but also the rela Sabha strength and 18.3 per cent
tions between the two ruling of the Rajya Sabha.
Whatever might be the reasons parties which are both committed
Traders and industrialists form
for Iran's agreeing to come to to socialism and non-alignment.
terms with Iraq, the agreement to ed the fourth largest single group,
solve disputes bilaterally will help their percentage being 9.4 in the
HOUSES FOR HARIJANS
to stabilise the situation in the Lok Sabha and 9.2 in the Rajya
Continued from Page 32 Sabha.
Gulf region. Iran, Iraq and other
Gulf countries have the biggest Under the State Sector for Back As in Parliament, so also in the
reserves of oil in the world. A ward Classes there is a scheme for
State legislatures, the largest
division in their ranks would be subsidies for construction of the single group in both the Houses
harmful to their political and houses for Scheduled Castes and was that of full-time political and
economic interests, particularly Scheduled Tribes, expenditure social workers. They totalled 29.5
that of Iran which has no oil being shared by the Centre per cent in the Assemblies and 24.8
pipeline to Europe and all its oil and the State Governments. per cent in the Councils. Cultiva
has to pass through the Gulf Central assistance is to be provided tors and landholders formed 28.2
through ships. in the form of block grants and per cent of the total membership
block loans. of the Assemblies and 19.3 per cent
Thus, Shri Barooah and the
of the Councils.
other members of the delegation During the Fifth Plan construc
are visiting Baghdad at a mo tion of about 2,50,206 houses for Third in descending order in the
mentous time. Viewed in the back the whole country is envisaged. Of. State legislatures were lawyers,
ground of close economic and these 55,546 would be in Andhra who constituted 17 per cent of the
political relations between the Pradesh, 30,000 in Karnataka and membership of the Assemblies and
Congress and the Arab Baath 50,000 in Kerala. 17.3 per cent of the Councils.
SOCIALIST INDIA APRIL 5, 1975
 <><> →-- *- e----e-e-e-e--e-e-e-e-e-e--------------------------e-e------> ----------> -

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SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in PSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
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Antºneum plant G Medical industry complex
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 THE PRIME MINISTER AND

J.R.D. TATA ON INDIAN ECONOMY

ºr

AsPECTS OF PUBLIC AND

APRIL 12, 1975 PRIVATE secTORs

50p

BAZAAR ON
WHEELS
|N DELHI
Every Wednesday a unique phenomenon
can be seen at 33 Jungpura Road,
Bhogal, New Delhi, when hundreds of
the middle and working classes wait
from morning for the “Bazaar on
A BOON TO THE WEAKER Wheels” to come and distribute essen
tials like wheat, atta, bread, cloth, etc. A
SECTIONS OF SOCIETY
brain child of Shri Jag Pravesh Chandra
Deputy Chairman, Delhi Metropo
litan Council, “Bazaar On Wheels”
has been rendering yeoman service for
the last 18 months. At left top can
be seen a queue of men. In the fore
ground a social worker gives a glass
of water to a woman. At left bottom
can be seen Shri Jag Pravesh Chandra
who personally checks the names of
persons before distributing the “tickets”
for the purchase of ten kilos of wheat
per person. (For more pictures turn to
back page and for a full report turn
to Page 34).

*-m-m-m-
DEMOCRACY e Socialismº e SEculanism e NON-ALIGNMENT

OUR ECONOMY º
Excellent Prospects
In The Coming
Months
O. P. S.
There is little doubt that the continuance of price
stability is one of the brightest spots on the current
economic scene of the country. It not only provides
a modicum of relief for the exasperated common man
but enables the Indian economy to extricate itself
from the deadening grip of the inflationary spiral.
On the basis of price stability alone can the do
mestic production plans and the export drive abroad
be realised But it would be risky to assume that
the combination of factors which produced the havoc
of galloping prices in 1973-74 has now been beaten
down completely.
A look at statistics shows that the trend of price
stability, reflected by a downward adjustment of the
wholesale price level, is now in its seventh month.
Beginning with October 1974, the trend has been in
operation all through March 1975 and shows signs
of continuing through the next few months. The
most heartening feature is that for the first time,
prices have not begun to climb in the wake of the
budget.
Contrary to the phenomenon witnessed year
after year, wholesale and retail prices th’s year have
actually declined after the budget—and in some
cases the decline has been quite pronounced.
PRICES DECLINE AFTER BUDGET
Non-levy sugar, which was expected to shoot
up as a consequence of the enhanced excise duty,
actually showed a downward trend. So also is the
case with a large range of essential commodities,
from foodgrains to edible oils and pulses. In one
item, potatoes, the decline in wholesale prices has
been extremely sharp.
What are the main ingredients in the price
situation ? In so far as the agricultural commodities
are concerned, it is the dual operation of expanding
production and the drive against hoarding and back
money which has been responsible for the present
salutary price trend. Ahead is a good Rabi crop—
according to the latest estimates, the crop may be
of the order of 27 million tonnes exceeding the
1971-72 record. To support the Rabi crop is a bum
per potato crop, high production of edible-oils, a good
cotton and jute crop. But the final say will be of
SOCIALIST INDIA
the Kharif crop, the king-pin of the foodgrains pic
ture of each full year.
If there is a slight loosening of this combination
of expanding agricultural production and a hard
hitting campaign against the food hoarders and black
money merchants of death, the sharks will reappear
and undo a good part of the gains during the pre
ceding period.
In this connection, two features of the economy
have to be taken cognisance of. First, the uneven
trend of the price structure, and the stagnation which
continues to mark the overall industrial growth.
These features weakened the trend towards price
stabilisation and anti-inflationary forces which can
acquire strength and stability only if there is a un"-
form upswing in the production pattern of both in
dustry and agriculture.
The decline in prices of agricultural commodities
is not keeping pace with industrial goods for the
most part, indigenous or imported. True, the black
market in steels has disappeared, but the benefits
which industry derives from this wholesome factor
are not transferred to the consumer and the price
structure reflects an uneven trend which is far from
being a sign of good health. Its immediate result is
the transfer of profits and capital from the middle
and small farmer to the upper crust of industrial
oligarchy, the latter displaying blatantly its inbuilt
avarice for abnormal profits.
THE RESTRAINTS
The resistance of the consumer and the economy
as a whole to the high price structure of industrial
products gives rise to the phenomenon of artificial
gluts, followed by what is (wrongly) described as
recession. But in Indian conditions, the so-called re
cession is bolstered by the cont’nued reduction in in
dustrial output. Capacity utilisation is undercut and
the vista of industrial expansion is distorted. To a
certain extent this process is fed by bºreaucratic
and inefficient practices, non-availability of power and
certain constraints which can he dispensed with.
Lately, the curbs on financial institutions and the
utterly indiscriminate methods of their functioning are
said to have added to the difficulties of certain indus
tries.
In actual practice, the credit constraints have
had both a positive and negative impact—positive in
so far as it has made hoarding of many varieties
non-profitable; and negative since certain genuine
small and medium industrial ventures have been
beaten with the same stick.
For this state of affairs, the barons of the Re
serve Bank and the Finance Ministry, who have dis
played complete ineptitude to reorganise the systems
and practices of the country's financial institutions
even after bank nationalisation, must be held re
ponsible. Had these institutions been attuned to the
meeds of a dynamic economy, they would have been
capable of treating speculators, traders and hoarders
differently from genuine industrial needs and the
growth of technological processes. But th’s, for the
present, is not to be and we have to keep doing with
Continued on Page 35
APRIL 12, 1977
 Weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS
Wol X No. 19
CONTENTS
*
April 12, 1975
SOGIALIST Published every
Saturday
|NDIA Excellent Prospects in the coming months
O.P.S. 2
Editorial 3
Morarji Desai's Fast: Not in Interest of People 4
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Dr. Jagannath Mishra: New CM of Bihar 5
Road, New Delhi 110001 Parliament: Opposition Reaps the Whirlwind
Phones: 383521 & 386494 'Grams: SOCIALIST J. M. Deb 6
Satire on World Total Revolution
EDITORIAL BOARD
Vikramaditya 7
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Governor's Conference in Delhi 8
(Chairman) Defence Ministry's concern about Pakistan 9
Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Aspects of India's Nuclear Policy
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA A Correspondent 10
Record Profit Anticipated by Public Sector 11
Prime Minister's Address to Associated -

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Chambers of Commerce and Industry 12
Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR National Service Scheme
(Chairman) Sat Pal Singh 16
Shri I. K. GUJRAL
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA Towards a Silent Revolution in Worker's Education
H. N. Trivedi 17
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA
Shri P. C. SETHI Multinationals and India's Drug Industry 18
A Chronology of Major Events in Public Sector 19
L. N. Mishra's Blood Haunts RSS—II 23

Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO J. R. D. Tata's Outspoken Views on Economy 27

The Private Sector in 1973-74 28
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN
Book Review
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA
Gopal Bhargava 30
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah D. P. Chattopadhyaya on New Liberal
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. Import-Export Policy 31
Barabazaar Training Camp 33
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces “Bazaar on Wheels” Boon to the Poor
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. N. K. Pande 34

“apocalyptic prediction” that by 1980, the private

sector would go extinct because of the stranglehold
º of the governmental controls, dictatorship, totalita
rianism, et al.

Shri Tata speaking to his “peers in the private

THE UNTENABLE THESIs
OF TATA
According to Shri Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy
Tata, one does not have to wait till 1984 to see the
sector” in the course of his keynote address to the
seminar organised by the Associated Chambers of
Commerce and Industry raised the bogey of Com
munist regimentation, which many others ranging
from jurists to rishis, from Jana Sanghaites to Anand
Margis, from petty clerks to pseudo-philosophers
have been drawing as a red herring to cloud the
main issues to the day. º

Orwellian phantasmagoria in India. Just five years

from now, in 1980, the dreaded totalitarian menace
will be well ensconced in Delhi—with the Big Brother
watching all of us through his myriad eyes.
Well, this is too tall a story to be swallowed.
But Shri Tata, who is accepted as “the doyen of the
§
Indian Industrialists” and “the tallest” among
members of the business community, “consciously
assuming the mantle of a Cassandra” made the
ſ; SOCIALIST INDIA
SOCIALIST INDIA has carried in this issue a
summary of his speech, the Prime Minister's out
spoken address to the annual meeting of the Associat
ed Chamber, as well as some backgrounders about
the Public and private sectors in India to enable our
readers to make themselves conversant with all as
pects of the controversy which has been whipped up
by Shri Tata
APRIL 12, 1975
 .*

But the facts and figures published in pages 28
and 29 in this issue show that the Tata enterprises
have fared very well indeed and they can continue to
thrive. But his concerns like many other concerns
in the private sector have been fattening themselves
out of the industrial credit and finance provided by
the Government.
Shri T. A. Pai, Minister for Industries said on
April 9 in the Lok Sabha that many of the private
companies have “become government companies” by
definition because of the considerable investments
through government's financial institutions.
it is natural that a new pattern of management has
to be evolved to ensure the safety of investments and
enable fair returns. All that had happened during
the last quarter century was that there had been
a continuously changing pattern in the private Sec
tor requiring new policies of control. And in cases
of mismanagement and inefficiency the Government
had to resort to nationalisation or take-over of the
management. From this to conclude that India is
heading towards totalitarianism is just a figment
of imagination, which was not expected of Shri Tata.
India is well anchored in democracy and demo
cratic practices and traditions. And, the India of to
day—or even of tomorrow—will not betray the vision
of Nehru and Gandhi. All the same India will evolve
its own pattern of democratic control of the private
sector. This control has been found necessary even
Hence in the most capitalist countries since capitalists and
monopolists can never cry halt to their greed and
avarice . It is only to keep these in check that India
is assiduously enlarging the Public Sector and keep
ing some sort of regulatory control over the private
Sector.

undertaken by Shri Desai is “most un

MORARJI DESAI'S FAST :
NOT IN INTEREST
OF PEOPLE
In spite of the efforts on the part of
the Prime Minister to dissuade the
Syndicate leader, Shri Morarji Desai,
from going on a “fast unto death”, the 80–
year-old leader began his fast at 9 a.m.
on Monday, April 7, amidst chanting of
bhajans and prayers. Neither the P.M.'s
letter nor the hour-long discussion with
him on April 3 brought about any agree
ment on the timing of the elections.
Shri Desai has insisted on being obli
vious of the facts that:
1. Hunger and famine are stalking
Gujarat; 2. 12,679 villages out of 18,604
have been declared as scarcity affected;
3. Relief work is going on round the
clock and all hands are engaged in this
task: 4. Over 7,65,531 persons are em
ployed on 4836 relief jobs; 5. Rs. 33.23
crores have been already spent; and 6.
Cash doles have been given to 50,372
persons.
Shri Desai has refused to acknow
ledge that, as the Prime Minister had
assured, the election “process will be
set in motion after the monsoon in
September.”
Shri Desai has refused to understand .
that “only the imperatives of national
security in a highly fluid situation in
the region which have delayed the revo
cation of the proclamation” about the
emergency as the P.M. pointed out in
her letter. - After considering every aspect of the
He has also refused to concede that
the preparations and publication of
electoral rolls for panchayat elections
will take another five months.
Shri Desai has insisted that the elec
tions in Gujarat must be held in May
and he has described his fast as “my
action is my message.”
The Gujarat Committee of the Con
gress Parliamentary Party expressed in
a statement the view that the fast
80CIALIST )NDIA
called for and not at all in the interests
of the people of the State who are pas
sing through most difficult times.”
The Committee's meeting on April 7
was attended apart from the Congress
MP's from Gujarat by the Congress
Pesident Shri D. K. Borooah, Shri V.
B. Raju, Deputy Leader of the Congress
Parliamentary Party, Smt. M. Chandra
sekhar, AICC General Secretary, Smt.
Shiela Kaul and Shri Ram Dhan, Secre
taries of the CPP and Shri Raghu
rammiah, Minister for Parliamentary
Affairs.
The following is the text of the state
ment:
“It is common knowledge that Guja
rat is faced with acute famine condi
tions and people are hard hit by scarcity
of food. The administration and the
public workers are actively engaged in
scarcity and relief works for human be
ings and cattle. To divert their atten
tion today from this most important
work towards election campaign will
be the greatest disservice to the suffer
ing millions of Gujarat.
“The conditions, particularly, in the
months of April and May will be more
acute because of the scarcity of drink
ing water and fodder. It is, therefore,
incomprehensible that at such a critical
period one could think of political acti
vity at the expense of relief work.
“Everyone of us who is wedded to
democracy would like a popular set-up
at the earliest possible opportunity and
it is for this very reason that we oppos
ed the dissolution of the State assembly.
question we are of the unanimous view
that the appropriate time for the elec
tion would be soon after the monsoon.”
The statement was signed by Dr. Jiva
raj Mehta, Shri Prabhudas Patel, Shri
H. M. Trivedi, Dr. M. M. Mehta, Shri
Nawarlºl Patel, Shri N. K. Vekaria,
Shri Arvind Patel, Shri Fatehsinh Giak
wad, Shri Daulatram Jadeja, Smt.
Sumitra Kulkarni and Shri Jaisukhlal
Hathi, --L. A.
STOP PRE
AICC SESSION IN DELHI
The venue of the next AICC
session has been shifted from Mohali
(Punjab) to Delhi in view of the Pun
jab Pradesh Congress Committee's pre
occupation which the three by-elections
to the State Assembly scheduled to be
held on May 25. The session is slated
for May 17 and 18.
The Congress Working Committee
had decided to hold the session in Pun
jah in response to an invitation from
the Punjab Pradesh Congress Commit
tee. The PPC suggested a change in
the dates. Since the AICC did not find
the change in the dates feasible, it
changed the venu.
The change was announced by the
AICC General Secretary, Shri P. V.
Narasimha Rao, in New Delhi on
April 9.
CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
The Central Campaign Committee of
the Congress is chalking out a prog
ramme of mass education and mass orga
nisation for meeting the threat from
rightists to the democratic institutions
in the country. The idea is to effect
ively project the Party's point of view
among the masses and also import to
the Party's campaigns a pronounced
ideological bias.
In the context of the 1976 poll, the
endeavour of the leadership will be to
make the Party's campaigns “policy
based and not candidate-based.”
To achieve the desired results, the
Campaign Committee will soon be
streamlined. A review of its work and
impact on the people will be under
taken soon after it is strengthened.
The high-powered 22-member com
mittee was set up in September last with
Shri Jagjivan Ram as its Chairman
and Shri Yashpal. Kapoor as its conve
ner, -
APRIL 12, 1975
 –
Dr. Jagannath Mishra: New Chief
Minister Of Bihar
Mishra was
Dr. Jagannath
sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar
on April 11. In the first phase, the
Ministry will have 15 to 20 mem
bers consisting of Cabinet Ministers
and Minister of State. It will be
later expanded, raising the Minis
try's strength to 35, including the
Deputy Ministers.
This was indicated by Dr.
Mishra in New Delhi before he left
for Patna on April 10 after hold
ing talks for two days on the com
position of his Ministry with the
Prime Minister, Smt. Indira Gandhi
and the Congress President, Shri
D. K. Borooah.
Dr. Mishra, who held the port
folio of Agriculture and Irriga
tion in the outgoing Abdul Gha
foor Ministry, was unanimously
elected leader of the Bihar Cong
ress Legislature Party at a party
meeting in Patna on April 6. His
name was proposed by the out
going leader of the BCLP, Shri
Abdul Ghafoor, who presided over
the meeting; it was seconded by
Shri Kedar Pandey, who had ear
lier withdrawn from the contest in
favour of Dr. Mishra.
The AICC General Secretary,
Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao, atten
ded the meeting as an observer of
the Party High Command.
ADDRESS TO PARTYMEN
In his first address to the Party
workers after his election as the
leader, Dr. Mishra committed him
self to evolving a collective lea
dership in the Party to solve the
State's problems. He said his pri
mary task would be to implement
the remaining commitments of
the Congress Election Manifestoes
of 1971-72.
He appealed to Partymen to work
together for the fulfilment of the
Party pledges given from time
to time. He said he would try his
utmost to give high priority to the
welfare of the minorities, Harijans,
and Adivasis, implementation of
land reforms and removal of un
employment. -
80CIAI ST INDIA
Soon after his election as the
leader, Dr. Mishra moved a reso
lution recording the Party's ap
preciation of the services render
ed by Shri Ghafoor as Chief Mi
nister at the most crucial period
in the history of the State. He ex
pressed the hope that the Party
and the State would continue to
derive benefit from his wise coun
sel and mature experience as a pa
triot and administrator in the diffi
cult days ahead. The resolution
was adopted unanimously.
legislators
Congratulating the
(for unanimously electing the lea
der), Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao
hoped the new unity and stability
of the Party would be further
strengthened to enable the Bihar
leadership to tackle the State's
manifold problems more expedi
tiously. He said Dr. Mishra's elec
tion also implied a special gesture
towards the youth. He commended
the selfless example of Shri Gha
foor who had willingly handed
over the reins of power without any
blot.
Continued on Page 33
Shri Jagannath Mishra, the new Chief Minister of Bihar, called on
the Prime Minister after he was unanimously elected as the leader of
the Bihar Cangress Legislature Party. He also had discussions with
the Congress President,
YOUNGEST C. M.
At 38, Dr. Jagannath Mishra is
the youngest Chief Minister in the
country. He is the 15th Chief Mi
nister of Bihar.
Soft and suave, Dr. Mishra was
born in the village of Basanpatti
in Saharsa district of Bihar.
Youngest of the five brothers, he
has been an active member of the
Congress since his student days.
He joined the Sarvodaya move
ment as a young man and under
took extensive “padayatra” of
Saharsa, Purnea and Bhagalpur
districts with Acharya Vinoba
Bhave.
In the Presidential election of
1969, Dr. Mishra worked tirelessly
for the success of Shri V. V. Giri.
In 1972, while he had still two
years to go in the Bihar Legisla
tive Council, Dr. Mishra chose to
fight for an Assembly seat. He
was elected from the Jhanjharpur
constituency with a thumping ma
jority and was appointed a Cabinet
Minister in the Kedar Pandey, Mi
nistry. He was given the portfolio
of Power and Cooperation.
In the Abdul Ghafoor Ministry,
he retained his post but his port
Continued on Page 33
APRIL 12, 1975

º Calcutta involving an attack on
PARULIAMENT
Opposition Reaps
The Whirlwind
J. M. DEB
Mud-slinging in politics is a two
Way game which both sides can
play. And it was played in the
Lok Sabha this week with all the
rules of the game and at times
without, when the non-CPI Oppo
sition sought to discuss the recent
Calcutta incident involving Shri
Jayaprakash Narayan.
The central theme was the
Sarvodaya leader who appeared
different to different political par
ties. To those who jumped on his
bandwagon, he was the messiah,
the Loknayak, the emblem of the
highest values of morality and
politics and the great saviour of
the Indian democracy. The Con
gress and the CPI had no such
illusions about him. To them he
was a phenomenon, a symbol of
reactionaries and destroyer of Par
liamentary democracy. Shrimati
Maya Ray of West Bengal ridicul
ed his inciting mutiny in the for
ces but whining at reaction to his
action. She was hard on the
Opposition leaders also for their
singing hallelujah to this septua
genarian leader who was trying to
emerge from his Sarvodaya re
treat but was “screeching every
time the wear and tear of this pro
cess screeches him.”
The Home Minister, Shri Brahm
ananda Reddy, was as usual sober
in his comments. He characterised,
more in anguish than in anger,
Shri Narayan's call to the army
and the police to revolt as a trea
sonable activity. He described
the Opposition attempt to give a
small demonstration—part of the
occupational hazards of politics—
a national focus as a storm in a lobbies that they could hold the
tea cup, and politically motivated.
The Calcutta incident was, in his
view, a proof of people's emotional
reaction to intemperate language
used by JP and his followers and
SOCIALIST INDIA
their indulgence in denigrating
dignitaries and democracy.
The end-product of all these
charges and counter-charges was
not who won the battle and who
lost it. That was apparent when
it all started on April 8 shortly
after lunch and ended with the
Opposition defeat a little before
midnight. What was significant
was that the personality of Shri
Jayaprakash Narayan which had
been spared so long emerged tar
nished and was depicted in none
too-flattering expressions. So long
his supporters and followers had
borne the major brunt of attacks
by the Congress and the CPI. Now,
it was the leader himself, and
some of his opponents, perhaps
for the first time, came out to ex
press themselves against him
rather too frankly.
BATTLE LINES
The battle lines were drawn
from the very first moment, the
Lok Sabha reassembled on Monday
after an eleven-day Holi recess.
Hardly had the Speaker taken his
seat when several members of the
Opposition, notably the irrepressi
ble Marxist member, Shri Jyotir
moy Bosu the Syndicate leader,
Shri Shyam Nandan Mishra and
Socialist trinity, Shri Madhu
Limaye, Shri Madhu Dandavate
and Prof. Samar Guha, were up in
arms. Some of them were too im
patient to wait for the convenient
“zero hour” to raise the Calcutta
incident. They would have it
straightaway, suspending the
question hour for the purpose.
Their first attempt misfired, but
they did not lose heart. Their
strategy was to build up their
-
attack step by step. They return
ed to the issue soon after. But
they had no luck this time also as
the Speaker could not see his way
to accept their adjournment mo
tion. In protest, the entire non
CPI Opposition staged a dramatic
walk-out, threatening that “graver
things” would, follow in the even
ing.
What these could be? Reports
were current in the Parliament
House to ransom by offering
“dharna” in the House. Happily
however, no untoward incident
took place that evening. The next
day, the Opposition leaders came
out with a motion seeking to dep
lore the recent violent incident in
JP's car. The Speaker found it
admissible and they were, indeed,
delighted with their success. This
was followed by another quick
victory when the amendment of
the CPI leader, Shri Indrajit Gupta,
was ruled out by the Deputy
Speaker. It sought to show that
an “original sin” had been com
mitted by the agitators in Bihar.
This, along with a series of other
sins, culminated in the Calcutta
disturbance.
Nevertheless, as the debate pro
ceeded, the enthusiastic Opposition
leaders found themselves mostly
at the receiving end. They had
sown the wind and they had to
reap the whirlwind. Not only were
the JP's supporters on fire, but
their leader himself was exposed
to strong criticism from the Trea
sury and the CPI benches. And
with the Lok Sabha's eventual re
jection of their motion, they lost
the battle and perhaps their face
too, an anti-climax to their initial
notional victory.
Shri Morarji Desai's fast was
another bombshell during the week
when members expressed their
concern. Naturally, they raised it
in the Lok Sabha within couple of
hours of his having undertaken
the ordeal, but it was then on a
low key. The Opposition's plan
was obviously to lay greater stress
on the Calcutta trouble and derive
maximum political benefit out of
it. Once the issue was disposed of,
they got busy with Shri Desai's
fast.
The Speaker saw no failure of
the Government in the fast and
consequently disallowed an ad
journment motion on the subject.
Ultimately, the Opposition had
to be satisfied with a call-attention
motion which came up in the
House on April 10. It was, how
ever, surprising how precious time
was wasted in raising technical
matters—like points of order, pro
priety of a minister about speak
ing on his behalf also in addition
to the Government and so on and
so forth—when they themselves
quite rightly were urging the Go
vernment to do something quickly
as the precious life of the Syndi
Continued on Page 33
APRIL 12, 1975

SATIRE
Viswanayak JP
To Launch
International
Total Revolution
VIKRAMADITYA
This is Universal Radio Union
broadcasting on 19 metres on the
morning of April 1, 1975 at six
hours G.M.T. -
And, here is Baljit Dattachar
jea reporting from Boeing 707
named “Viswa Kranti”, 50,000 feet
high up in the clouds.
This is Report No. 1 of the his
toric world tour of Viswanayak—
World Leader—JP, which will take
him to Britain, the United States
of America, the Federal Republic of
Germany, Israel, Japan, Tobago
Island and Timbuctoo.
JP is right in this plane sur
rounded by press correspondents
from 27 countries. At the moment
he is having a press conference, a
full report of which will be broad
cast half an hour from now on the
same wavelength by Savanotora
Behgal.
It is one hour since we left Delhi
and we have just crossed the Hima
layas — the abode of the Gods.
JP's messages to the world leaders
broadcast half an hour ago have
been already hailed as a great con
tribution to peace, international
friendship and world cooperation.
WORLD CONFERENCE
Listeners around the world on
this 27-nation hook-up must be
wanting to know the background of
this historic trip of JP to promote
Total Revolution on a world scale.
It was exactly a month ago on
March 1, at Honolulu, leaders of 27
nations met and decided to sponsor
this historic trip having been tre
mendously impressed by success of
!
SOCIALIST INDIA
JP's experiment with Total Revolu
tion in various parts of India.
The consensus among the world
leaders who foregathered at Hono
lulu was that JP's valuable ser
vices should be utilised immedi
ately and forthwith for launching
the Total Revolution—the dream
of all mankind from Plato to
Trotsky, from the Buddha to
Gandhi.
Each one of the 27 countries par
ticipating in Phase I of this Inter
national Total Revolution Move
ment has subscribed to the Boeing
707 and to the broadcasting and
T.V. network arrangements as well
as the facilities for the stay of 347
men and women travelling in the
plane.
It is a miniature UN that is in
the clouds at the moment. Repre
sentatives of the host countries,
philosophers, historians, sociolo
gists, journalists, broadcasters.
filmmakers as well as security men
comprise the privileged 347 on
board this plane. And the 348th
unique human being, of course, is
JP, the acknowledged leader of the
world movement that is going to
put to shade all world movements
ranging from the Comintern to
MRA, from the Bahai to Freema
sonry. Mankind at last has been
awakened to the tremendous possi
bilities of the Total Revolution
which are inherent in every coun
try.
JP, the leader of the Viswa
Kranti—which means world revo
lution in Hindi—will address a spe
cial joint meeting of the House of
Lords and House of Commons, 24
hours from now. Having studied
the weaknesses and loopholes in
the Mother of Parliaments, JP will
deliver a speech, the text of which
will come to be hailed as the sup
plement to Bagehot and May and
Crossman's Diaries. While in Lon
don, time permitting, JP will be
presiding over the dinner being
hosted by Column 88 to commemo
rate the 88th birthday of Adolf
Hitler. ſ
In the United
States of America,
JP will confer with the American
leaders, who are planning to invite
7 APRIL 12, 1975
him to inaugurate the 200th anni
versary celebrations of the found
ing of the USA. Apart from the
US President, the Secretary of the
State and the Democratic leaders,
the Viswa Nayak will be meeting
leaders of the Black Panther and
Black Muslim movements as well
as of the spokesmen of the Mafia
and Puerto Ricans.
In the United States, JP is ex
pected to submit a charter about
refashioning, the American demo
cratic structure to prevent Water
gates in future.
During his week-long stay in the
U.S., JP will be also conferring
with the leaders of the Interna
tional Congress for Cultural Free
dom which according to the latest
reports has been disaffiliated from
the CIA.
NO TRIP TO U.N.
In the Federal Republic of Ger
many, the Viswa Nayak and his
entourage will be the guests of bil
lionaire publishers of the leading
dailies and weeklies, who were in
India early this year at the invita
tion of Laxmannath Goenka, the
Indian press baron.
More about the other countries
in the next bulletin.
News has just come that in the
first press conference held by the
Viswa Nayak, at an altitude of
50,000 feet, the World Revolution
ary leader revealed that he had
declined the third time the invita
tion of the UN President to ad
dress the UN as he wants the en
tire structure of the UN to be re
vamped and remodelled. However.
some of the Super Power in the
Security Council have as yet not
lost hope of persuading him to ad
dress the UN and outline the pro
posals for restructuring the UN.
The Council and the UN members
are seriously considering the pro
posal of declaring the Year 1976
as the International Total Revolu
tion Year to coincide the American
bi-centenial year.
Tune in again at 6-30 GMT for
the next bulletin on the progress
of the Internaitonal Total Revolu
tion from your Universal Radio
Union broadcaster, Baljit Datta
charjea. -

Governor’s
Conference
In Delhi
The food situation in the coun
try, the law and order situation
and economic stability were among
the subjects dissussed at the two
day conference of State Gover
nors in New Delhi on April 4 and
5. During the five hours' discus
sion on the opening day, the Gov
ernors noted that there was “no
serious threat to law and order
or the stability. of State” despite
certain “stresses and strains” on
the economic front.
Inaugurating the conference, the
President Shri Fakhruddin Ali
Ahmed stressed the need for main
taining “a climate of peace” in the
country. “Resort to violence or ac
tivities likely to result in violence”,
he said, “will not only aggravate
the difficult economic position but
will endanger our stability and
viability as a sovereign state.”
The President expressed regret
that communal tendercies had not
completely dissappeared. “We have
to take all possible measures to
curb communal tendencies which
have no place in our secular de
mocracy.” He urged the Governors
to educate people about the need
to maintain communal harmony.
PROBLEM OF HARIJANS
Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed ref
erred to Harijans and other Back
ward communities and asked the
Governors to suggest ways to ef
fectively implement the guarantees
given to them under the Consti
tution. He wanted them to ensure
that they were not discriminated
against in any manner.
The President said that the
coming rabi crop was likely to be
good. About food distribution, he
said that in 1974 about 10.6 mil
lion tonnes of foodgrains were dis
bursed through the public distribu
tion system. More than five mil
lion tonnes was also imported to en
sure the smooth running of the sys
tem.
$OCIALIST MNDIA
The public distribution system,
the President pointed out, could
succeed only through an effective
network of cooperatives. He said:
“Here I feel is a field where the
Governor can take an active inte
rest and supplement the efforts al
ready taken by the Government by
enlisting the services of voluntary
agencies and public men to see
that vulnerable sections of the po
pulation are not left at the mercy
of hoarders and blackmarketeers.
A strong public opinion is neces
sary to be created and I feel the
Governors with their experience
can play a useful role in this.”
The President also referred to
foreign affairs, particularly In
dia's relations with Pakistan,
problems of linguistic minorities,
the Governors' discretionary po
wers while recommending imposi
tion of President's rule in States,
and petroleum and power shortage.
The Governors plunged into dis
cussion on points raised by the
President soon after his address.
They endorsed his plea for main
taining peace in the country. They
stressed the need for a strong pub
lic distribution system to ensure
supply of essential food articles to
the people. - .
THF. DISCUSSIONS
The Governors were happy at
the prospects of a good rabi crop
but reported certain difficulties in
procurement. Some of them wan
ted the courts to be barred from
interfering in procurement cases.
The West Bengal Governor, Shri
A. L. Dias, who mooted the sug
gestion, said that effective distri
bution depended on successful pro
curement. -
The Governor of Bihar, Shri R.
D. Bhandare, and the Madhya Pra
desh Governor, Shri Satyanaryan
Sinha, referred to the JP move
ment and said that since the move
ment was launched the trend to
wards violence had considerably
increased. They felt that JP's
movement posed a threat to the
country's democratic institutions.
The Governor of Tamil Nadu,
Shri K. K. Shah, and the Mahara
shtra Governor, Shri Ali Yavar
Jung, thanked the Centre for ti
mely assistance to meet the scar
city conditions in their States.
Shri Shah criticised the Opposition
parties attempt to politicalise the
drought conditions.
The discussion was initiated by
the Governor of Haryana Shri B.
N. Chakravarty. The Conference
was attended by all Governors ex
cept Shri Jogindra Singh of Rajas
than who could not come due to in
disposition.
The Vice-President Shri B. D.
Jatti, the Prime Minister Smt.
Indira Gandhi, the Union Home
Minister, Shri Brahamananda Red
dy, the Union Agriculture Minister
Shri Jagjivan Ram, the Union Fi
nance Minister Shri C. Subrama
niam and the Union Minister for
Energy, Shri K. B. Pant, were
among those present.
P.M.'S ADDRESS
Addressing the Governors on the
concluding day, the Prime Minis
ter deplored the forces of violence
and said that an atmosphere of
peace was essential for political
and economic stability. She said:
“This is not the time when the
country should have a weak gov
ërnment. Those who are trying to
weaken the government are wea
kening the country.”
Smt. Gandhi also deprecated the
tendency of a section of foreign
press to malign India. She said
that exaggerated reports of star
vation were being published with
out regard for facts
About the economic situation,
the Prime Minister said that the
rate of inflation had been brought
down from 30 per cent to 9.5 per
cent. “We are overcoming this
*
challenge (of inflation) and have,
in fact, emerged stronger from the
ordeal. We have not done enough
but we should try to see the prob
lem in its proper perspective.”
Smt. Gandhi requested the Gov
ernors to take special interest in
the uplift of the poor, particularly
the backward sections of the so
ciety. .
The Home Minister, Shri Brah
amananda Reddy, underlined the
need for checking the trend to
wards violence. He also urged the
Governors to look into the prob
Continued on Page 30
APRIL 12, 1975

Defence Ministry’s
Concern About
Pakistan
The Defence Ministry, in its an
nual report for 1974-75, says that
India's security environment con
tinues to be delicate and it can
not afford any relaxation in its
defence preparedness and vigi
lance in any field or in any sphere.
The report refers to the concert
ed and extensive efforts by Pakis
tan to increase the strength of its
armed forces and to procure arms
from various sources as well as
the massive arms aid by China.
The Defence Ministry has rei
terated that further arming of
Pakistan, which has significantly
added to its pre-1971 strength,
would hinder the process of norma
lisation of relations in the sub
continent. The lifting of the US
arms embargo “is bound to en
courage a revival of militaristic
tendencies in Pakistan”.
The report further says: “Our
security environment, therefore,
continues to be delicate. The
stakes are clear. India is located
in a region where the political
situation is fluid. There is a vi
cious spiral of mutual suspicion,
friction and growing instability,
and the potential causes of super
power rivalry are on the increase.
We cannot afford any relaxation
in our defence preparedness and
vigilance in any field or in any
sphere”.
It notes that while India's de
fence expenditure works out to
three to four per cent of her gross
national products and is, at this
level, among the lowest in the
world, Pakistan is spending about
ten per cent of its GNP on its
armed forces.
India spent about 14 to 15 per
cent of the budgets of the Centre
and States taken together on de
fence during 1973-74. Pakistan
allocated over 50 per cent of its
national budget for its armed for
Ces.
While 1974 saw the process of
detente—-a touchstone of Soviet
American relations—moving for
ward, there continued to be areas
where the prospects for peace did
not improve. Sino-Soviet relations
did not show any signs of im developed, the base could be uti
provement. “As it there are rumb lised for berthing nuclear sub
lings of another war in West marines and positioning long-range
Asia”. bombers. “For India, these deve
It further says: “The sudden lopments bring the danger of
accrual of wealth (from oil) in great power rivalries and resul
West Asia has led to a massive tant tension into her immediate
build-up of modern weapons in an neighbourhood”.
area where there are many poten India's consistent policy that
tial causes of unrest, local rival the Indian Ocean should be free
ries and instability. Several of from great power rivalries and
these countries are already mem tensions is shared by almost all
bers of military alliances. These the Non-aligned littoral countries.
events have implications for India But the recent massive exercise
in both the strategic and economic by CENTO naval and air forces
spheres”. off the Makran coast reinforces
Referring to the Anglo-Ameri “our fear that rivalries in the In
can decision to expand the naval dian Ocean would have to be ac
base in Diego Garcia in the Indian cepted as a factor in our strategic
Ocean, the report says when fully horizon”.
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, CONST. DIVI
SION, PWD, B & R BRANCH, NABHA.
Sealed Item rate tenders for the labour and Const. Societies of Pb.
P.W.D. B&R Branch, on prescribed form obtainable from the office of
the undersigned on cash payment of Rs. 2.- are hereby invited so as
to reach tºtis office on 29-4-75 at 3.00 p.m. The tenders will be opened
cn the same day in presence of those contrs. who will care to be pre
sent at the time. Other terms and conditions of the Contract can be
seen in the office of the undersigned on any working day during office
hours. Earnest money in shape of Deposit at call Treasury Challans
will only be accepted. Sale of tenders will remain open upto 2.30 p.m.
on the above date.
Time
S. Appox E. Money
No. Name of Work Amount -
Limit
1. Earthf work in execavation
all types of soil and filling the
same in 9” Layers brought from
outside the PWD. B&R land
including all leads and lift
hardness wetness excluding of
compaction watering rolling for
the Const. Approaches to DR
Bridge R.D 391740 Sirhind Choe
(Near Bhingi) on Nabha Maler
kotla Road.
1. Nabha Side Group I. Rs. 77,000 1,550 - 3 months
2. Malerkotla side, Group II Rs. 31,000 650 - 2 months.
NOTE:—Tenderer should give his complete address of Correspondence
in his tender, failing that tender is liable to rejection. Tender not on
prescribed fom received by post Telegram will not be entertained.
CONDITIONS:
1. Detailed N.I.T. can be seen in the office of the undersigned during
working hours on any working day.
Cond"tional tenders are liable to rejection.
4i No tender form will be sold issued after 2.30 p.m. on the tendering
day. || |
-.
Earnest money in the shape of Deposit at call Treasury Challan'Na
tional Saving Certificate duly pledged in the name of undersigned
will only be accepted.
5. Tenders without Earnest Money will not be entertained.
6 The undersigned reserves the right to reject any/all tenders without
assigning any reason whatsoever.
7. L&C Societies tendering for the work will produce certificate from
concerned Assistant Registrar, L&C Societies to the capability of
their tendering. Without certificate no tender form will be issued.
8 Work will be carried out accoding to PWDIRC Specifications.
9. Tenders will be considered only of such contractors who have been
enlisted and have paid enlistment fee/renewal fee in accordance
with Chief Engineer, PWD. B&R branch, Patiala No. 33415-95
dated 21-11-73. Sd/-
(DALJIT SINGH)
Executive Engineer,
Const. Division, PWD B&R Branch, Nabha.

ASPECTS OF
INDIA’S
NUCLEAR
POLICY
A Correspondent
The initial suspicion in the USA
and Canada about the “motives”
behind the nuclear explosion by
India seems to have given way to
rational and realistic thinking in
those countries. The scientific
community there now sees India's
explosion of a nuclear device not
a threat to world peace but India's
striving for “national self-reli
ance” in the field of nuclear tech
nology.
Writing in a prestigious Cana
dian journal, “Science Forum”,
two Canadian nuclear experts,
have expressed the view that In
dia's explosion of a nuclear device
was simply “one more step for
ward in the growth of an indepen
dent technical and scientific com
munity in the country which is
part of the drive for national self
reliance”.
The two experts are Mr. Robert
S. Anderson and Mr. Barrie M.
Morrision, who are working with
the Institute of Asian and Slavo
nic Research at the University of
British Columbia.
Writing under the caption “A
New Scenario Emerges for India's
Scientists”, the experts say the
global reaction to the explosion
(including Canada's indignation)
had ignored the history of India's
scientific development and its in
ternational aspirations. Tracing
the growth of science and techno
logy in India from the late 1800s,
the authors said the unreliability
of international or multi-lateral
nuclear guarantees and India's
vulnerability to nuclear threats
after the Chinese nuclear explosion
in 1964 had shaped all subsequent
thinking in India.
SOCIALIST JNDIA
The authors say:
with research reactors, India has
built power reactors, has created
an internationally recognised nu
clear industry and a far-reaching
space programme,
detonated a
and has now
nuclear
Throughout this process,
tions for India have been careful
ly preserved and the indigenous
capability has been strengthened.
The explosion of a peaceful bomb
dramatically calls attention to
these achievements. Within India,
it strengthens the power of the
scientific community and adds po
wer to India's external position in
southern Asia and the
Ocean”.
$: :: *
A study by the Oak Ridge Na
tional Laboratory of the US Ato
mic Energy Commission says India
will be able to solve its problems
of food shortages by setting up a
nuclear - powered agro-industrial
complex in the Upper Gangetic
plain. The study says the Gange
tic plain—with its high rainfall,
year-round growing climate and
underground water resources—is
probably better than San Joaquin
Valley in California but agricultu
ral production is low because of
lack of energy supplies.
To overcome this barrier, the
study has suggested
scale nuclear power unit for the
service of agriculture and related
industry like fertilisers. A single
1,000 MW atomic reactor produc
ing electricity in the Indo-Gangetic
plain will provide enough energy
to irrigate 4.7 million more acres
of land and produce food for 44
million people.
The report says with six such
units having similar food produc
ing potential in the Indo-Gangetic
plain, “the age-old gap between
the grain needs and supplies should
close for India upto 1990.”
The report was actually pre
pared by Professor Parry R. Stout
of the University of California in
1968 but Professor Stout, recent
ly on a tour of India, told repor
ters in New Delhi that the inte
rest of the Indian Atomic Energy
Commission in the report was still
“alive”.
+ * *
Meanwhile, the Department of
10
“Beginning Atomic Energy (DAE) is pre
paring a new profile on nuclear
power development in the country
About 6 to 8 KW of nuclear po
wer capacity is envisaged by
1990 in the new profile...This would
device. involve commissioning of 15 sta
the op tions of the current size in the
next decade at an investment of
the order of Rs. 2,500 crores in
power stations alone.
Four possible sites for future
nuclear power stations have been
recommended by the site selection
committee in northern, western
and southern zones. Apart from
Indian development of power, the DAE
plans to spend about Rs. 630
crores on research and develop
ment work until 1979.
On present reckoning, the date
of the criticality of the second
unit of Rajasthan atomic station
is May, 1976. The first and second
units of Madras project will be
come critical by mid-1977 and mid
1979 respectively, and the two
units of the Narora atomic pro
ject in 1981 and 1982. Commercial
operations of atomic power sta
tions will begin one year after the
date of criticality.
Special schemes have been start
ed for research and development
on uranium enrichment, laser de
one large velopment and nuclear medical
electronics. Several new projects
have been included for the Fifth
Plan. These include a plant for
making liquid helium and a pro
ject for the modification of exist
ing reactors to improve their per
formance. -
The fast breeder test reactor at
Kalapakkam and the variable
energy cyclotron at Calcutta will
be completed during the Fifth
Plan and the atomic minerals
division will be engaged during this
period in locating uranium and
thorium resources.
Cº. IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
A$$AM OR GUJARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
º APRIL 12, 1975

SPOTLIGHT
-
Record Profit
Anticipated By
Public Sector
The Public Sector undertakings
are likely to touch a record Rs.
200 crores profit in 1974-75 com
pared with Rs. 22 crores in 1971-72,
Rs. 81 crores in 1972-73 and Rs.
149 crores in 1973-74. This big
increase in profit is because of im
proved capacity utilisation, better
inventory control and the Govern
ment's pricing policy.
An indication of the increased
capacity utilisation in Public Sec
tor units can be had from the fact
that the number of units operating
above 75 per cent capacity rose
from 22 in 1971-72 to 45 in 1974-75.
The number of units operating be
low 50 per cent capacity fell from
22 in 1971-72 to 16 in 1973-74.
The ten high-power committees,
set up by the Bureau of Public
Enterprises under its director,
Shri P. J. Fernandes, to tighten
up inventory controls have noted
considerable improvement in in
ventory control.
SIX REASONS
The committee have given six
reasons for the improvement: 1.
The principle of integrated mate
rials management had been ac
cepted in practice and most units
were restructured accordingly; 2.
Adoption of improved management
techniques; 3. Concerted efforts to
determine surplus and obsolete
items and their speedy disposal;
4. The role of special cells set up
w
for import substitution, ancillary
development and monitoring; 5.
Induction of professional mate
/
rials managers; and 6. Effective
Communication with the manage
ment and professional institutions.
The committees also found that
Public Sector undertakings had
Saved about Rs. 30 crores in
w
foreign exchange by import subs
titution during 1973-74.
- There are at present 122 Pub
; SOCIALIST INDIA
lic Sector units (excluding depart
mental undertakings like the Rail
ways, Posts and Telegraphs, State
Government enterprises and the
nationalised commercial banks)
with an investment of over Rs.
6,000 crores and employing about
1.3 million workers and 50,000
managers.
|Units like the Hindustan Steel,
Hindustan Machine Tools, Bharat
Heavy Electricals and Indian
Drugs and Pharmaceuticals have
grown from single units into multi
unit concerns.
RECORD TURNOVER
FOR STC
The State Trading Corporation
registered both a qualitative and
quantitative improvement in its ex
port performance during 1974-75.
It achieved a turnover of Rs. 786
crores which means an increase of
61 per cent over the previous
year.
This has led the STC to set a
target of Rs. 1,000 crores for the
new fiscal year. If the present
rate is maintained the STC would
soon emerge as the largest Indian
company in terms of turnover.
The Chairman of the STC, Shri
Vinod Parekh, told newsmen in
New Delhi on April 1 that exports
constituted nearly 68 per cent of
STC's trade turnover. He said that
the increase in exports was due to
canalisation of sugar sales
through the STC. Sugar exports
which had totalled Rs. 216 crores
in 1974-75 would rise to Rs. 410
crores in the new year. The bas
mati rice exports, he said, would
rise to Rs. 36 crores.
Shri Parekh disclosed that the
STC proposed a three-fold increase
in the export of cement. It also
proposed to start sale of silver
bars and silver nitrate on a mod
est scale. He said that efforts were
being made to form an all-India
consortium to promote mechanical
handling facilities for export of
salt.
Shri Parekh said that while ex
port of leatherware declined in
1974-75 due to a decline in the
quantum and value of export of
semi-processed hides and skins,
the report of footwear and compo
nents recorded improvement.
11
About imports, Shri Parekh
said that because of the falling
trend in world prices, the STC had
also lowered its prices. This, he
said, had curbed the earlier tend
ency of imported stocks getting
piled up. He said that the STC
was working on a procedure to
streamline the lifting of stocks by
prospective importers.
PROGRESS OF INDIAN
SHIPPING
With the inauguration of India's
own ship classification society,
called the Indian Register of Ship
ping in Bombay on April 4, India
became the second Asian country
to have its own society. The Union
Minister of State for Shipping and
Transport, Shri H. M. Trivedi, who
inaugurated the society, described
it as “another major milestone in
the march of Indian shipping to
wards self-reliance.” This would,
he added, would enhance its na
tional and professional prestige.
Explaining the objectives of the
society, Shri Trivedi said that it
would provide assistance to indi
genous manufacture of marine
components and equipment and
contribute to research and deve
lopment of the shipping irdustry
of the country. He said that the
society would welcome collabora
tion from other well-known
classification societies. “I hope and
trust that such cooperation can
be established in a mutually ag
reeable manner. In any case I have
no doubt that Indian shipowners
would class all their ships with
the Indian Register of Shipping
as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, the Shipping Cor
poration of India crossed the
3,000,000 DWT mark on April
2 when it took delivery of a newly
built tanker at Kobe.
Named after the late Satya
murti, the well-known scholar,
statesman and parliamentarian,
the tanker is the fifth of the six
tankers being built for India at
the Mitsubishi shipyard. The ton
nage of “Satyamurti” is 89,000
DWT. This is the 119th vessel in
SCI's fleet.
Established in October 1961, the
SCI ranks as one of the largest
individual shipping organisations
in the world.
APRIL 12, 1975
This Is No Time For
Sterile Controversies
On Outdated Issues
—P, M.
Inaugurating the 55th Annual Meeting of the
Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry, in
Delhi, on April 3, 1975, the Prime Minister, Shrimati
Indira Gandhi, said:
As you have reminded us just now, it is four
years since I attended your annual meeting. During
these last four years, the country has faced unpre
cedented challenges in the form of external aggres
sion, the problem of ten million refugees, scarcity
caused by severe drought in many parts of the coun
try in successive years, inflation and the upheaval
in the international economic situation. We respond
ed to these challenges with courage and resilience
and have emerged more confident. But for the
strength we had accumulated over the 25 years of
planned economic development, we could not have
withstood a combination of such formidable prob
lems.
Mr. President, you have used a familiar quota
tion from William Cobett that to be poor and inde
pendent is nearly impossible. This is largely but not
wholly true, whether of individuals or of nations.
For history has repeatedly demonstrated that
courage and power of spirit do not necessarily de
pend upon economic status.
Yet, the rich consistently underestimate the in
nate strength of those who are materially less for
tunate. The most recent example is that of South
East Asia. It is evidence of the inner strength of
people who are not affluent monetarily or militarily,
WHAT EXACTLY IS “PRAGMATISM."
We in India set great store by our independ
ence, not only political but in the matter of taking
our decisions and shaping our policies according to
the interests of our nation. Economic independence
can be brought about only with economic and social
development. The direction must be our own because
we are also deeply concerned with the quality of life
of our people. Unless as person's basic wants are
satisfied, his personality cannot fully develop, nor
can he contribute to the national good. That is why
our programme of stimulating economic growth does
not mean growth at all costs, but growth with social
ECONOMIC GROWTH, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND POLITICAL FREEDOM ARE EQUALLY
IMPORTANT TO US.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Prime Minister at the 55th annual meeting of
the A.C.C.I., which she inaugurated on April 3.
justice and with political freedom. All the three are
equally important to us.
You have spoken just now about pragmatism.
What exactly does that word mean? The economic
philosophy that we put forward in India was first to
say that you cannot merely pursue economic growth
neglecting the needs of the people. Today you find
that an increasing number of economists in the
Western world are saying exactly the same things.
Need is not only material needs, it is the need for
justice and for a certain amount of equality.
Therefore, pragmatism, or being practical means
paying as great attention to those matters as to the
other, otherwise economic growth will come to a full
stop.
UNDER-UTILISATION IN PRIVATE SECTOR
Although our achievements are short of the tar
gets we set for ourselves, they are by no means
meagre. As we progress, difficulties multiply. The
pace of our growth is criticised, yet so many obs
tacles, internal as well as external, stall our pro
gress. The world-wide inflation and the steep rise
in the prices of food, fertilisers and oil have seriously
affected our modest development efforts. The inter
national response to this extraordinary situation
affecting the poor developing countries have been
woefully inadequate. In the battle of the rich, our
support is sought for one position or another, but
there is reluctance to join the battle against poverty,
which is the biggest battle of this country. We shall
strive towards a more general awareness of this in
the world. In the meantime, we must go ahead on
our own with clarity of vision, determination and
confidence in ourselves. This is no time for sterile
controversies on outdated issues.
When I was with you last, the Public Sector
was the target of criticism, and questions were posed
APRIL 12, 1975
 POOR. UTILISATION LOCKS UP CAPITAL, INCREASES
OPPORTUNITIES
about its legitimacy. Today, I am in a position to tell
you that the most striking feature in our industrial
field is the rapid improvement in the working of Pub
lic Sector enterprises. The utilisation of capacity
has gone up steeply in most undertakings.
I wish I could say the same about all industries
in the private sector. Production has exceeded
licensed capacity in some highly profitable sectors.
But the other day, the Minister of Industry pointed
out that utilisation was below 50 per cent in a num
ber of privately-owned industries. This cannot be
explained merely by shortage of power, raw mate
rials or demand. This question needs your immediate
attention. Have the industries themselves, or any
Association like yours, gone into it in details?
At a time when capital is scarce and there are
a number of trained unemployed, and there is urgent
need to reduce prices for the internal market as well
as for exports, poor utilisation locks up capital, in
creases costs (and therefore prices) and lowers em
ployment opportunities. If you examine this matter
objectively, you will find—as we did in the Public
Sector—that the real reasons are different from the
assumed ones. Poor maintenance and managerial in
adequacies are more responsible for low utilisation
than lack of incentives or shortage of some input.
I should like you to introduce concrete proposals for
the improvement of utilisation of capacity in indus
tries where it is now below 70 per cent.
SELF-POLICING NECESSARY
So far as Government is concerned, we are
giving the highest priority to the improvement of the
power supply position. In the DVC Power Plants
we have been able to concentrate on quantum and
stability of the power produced by pin-pointing and
removing the causes of low production. The im
provement of the working of power stations run by
State Electricity Boards has been discussed with
Chief Ministers and there is already noticeable im
provement in some States. We shall pursue this
further.
We are simplifying procedures for selective libe
ralisation as regards the import of raw materials
needed for maintaining production. Industry is al
ways asking for relaxation but it should also take
upon itself the responsibility of preventing abuse.
Associations like yours should have some ar
rangements for the self-policing of your constitu
ents so that malpractices of a few do not bring a
bad reputation to industry as a whole or invite
stricter controls. -
I am glad to note that you, Mr. President, have
not taken a narrow view of the role of industry,
but have dealt with it in the larger perspective of
overall development and the need to rapidly improve
the conditions of the poorer sections of society. How
ever, traditional themes do recur here and there.
SOCIALIST INDIA
COSTS AND LOWERS EMPLOYMENT
Take for example, your reference to “inadequate
attention to agiculture.”
I have spoken on this subject on many many
occasions and do not wish to repeat myself but
since you have referred to it at some length, it be
comes necessary to put the record straight. What
is the real object of such criticism? Those who—
within and outside the country—disapprove of Gov
ernment's increasing role in industry, accuse us of
neglecting agriculture.
AGRICULTURE: BIGGEST PRIVATE VENTURE
They conveniently forget that agriculture is our
biggest private enterprise. We can neglect it only at
our peril. In fact it is industry itself which com
plains of the concessions given to agriculture through
subsidies on irrigation, power and relative freedom
from taxation.
In a traditional economy the increase of agri
cultural production is dependent not merely on irri
gation, improved seeds, fertilisers and pesticides and
better practices but also on the transformation of
rural society. The technological and socio-political
aspects of agricultural improvements are important
but they give rise to complex problems. Our major
weakness is that, in our democratic polity, we have
not been able to find satisfactory methods of orga
nising rural man-power and the restructing of rural
economy. We would welcome any detailed study of
socio-political problems with concrete suggestions
for action.
You have referred also to the withdrawal of
the development rebate. Quite some time ago dis
cerning observers described this as an indiscriminate
incentive which was not based on the importance or
needs of particular industries. Obviously such a de
vice could not continue indefinitely. The problem of
increase in capital costs is being studied by Govern
ment and any concrete proposals—other than those
for blanket incentives—that industry may have in
this regard will be given due consideration.
NO INFLATION ACCOUNTING IN TAXATION
When you advise us to accept the concept of in
flation accounting for taxation and other purposes,
are you trying to establish that in a period of rising
prices, profits appear inflated, leading to higher tax
liability, and that therefore a new system of account
ing which makes due allowance for the distortions
caused by rise in prices should be devised? This sug
gestion overlooks the practical difficulties and ignores
the likely impact on government revenues. Inflation
accounting cannot be adopted for business incomes
alone. The concept would naturally have to be extend
ed to other categories of incomes.
The loss of revenue would then be even greater,
and this loss would be felt precisely at a time when
Government itself needs larger resources to meet its
13 ATRIL 12, 1975
 WORKERS ARE NOT STATISTICS: THEY ARE INDIVIDUALS WITH GENUINE NEEDS AND
DIFFICULTIES.

commitments. Also I am not sure that even in terms
of tax liability, assessees, who derive their incomes
from business suffer under present methods of accoun
ting. In fact, there is another view that the current
rules for the valuation of stocks have the effect of
lowering the tax burden on business units in a period
of continually rising prices. But I do agree that in an
inflationary situation, high profits are apt to give
businessmen an illusion of prosperity. This underlines
the need for business enterprises to make better use
of profits instead of wasting them away in unproduc
tive expenditure or ostentatious living.
If the suggestion about inflation accounting is
carried to its logical conclusion, it may well result in
a demand for an across-the-board increase in all
categories of incomes in the organised sector under
some kind of ‘indexing’. This would aggravate and
perpetuate inflationary pressures, and increase the
hardship of the poorer sections whose incomes do not
rise with inflation. One should be wary of suggestions
made in other countries in totally different milieu as
solutions for our own problems.
DYNAMIC EXPORT DRIVE NEEDED
You have rightly stressed the importance of aug
menting exports, so vital to the stabilisation of our
economy. Exports must be profitable, but incentives
alone cannot take the place of initiative and dyna
mism in exploring markets or of quality and competi
tiveness of goods. Indian industrialists have long been
used to the ease of a sheltered market and were re
luctant to venture out. I am glad that recently there
is some increase in the export of engineering and
manufactured goods. The export earnings from these
can go up much further. Government will announce
decisions on the report of the Committee on Engineer
ing Exports before the end of this month in order to
streamline procedures and remove other impedi
ments.
On its part, industry should avoid wasteful
methods, reduce costs and improve utilisation. Export
activity must be dynamic and vigorous and sensitive
to changing situations. This is particularly necessary
now since prospects for the growth of exports are not
so bright this year as in 1973 or '74.
appreciate national needs also. It should be our
attempt to educate them about their larger role in
society and in the development of our country.
I am glad that as a part of this annual session
you are organising a symposium on “The responsi:
bilities of Industry and Government in our Mixed
Economy”. I shall be interested in your recommenda
tions. The point of departure for your discussions will
be the pertinent question that you yourself have
posed—“How will business respond to society and to
its environment”. If your reaction is along right
lines, business will be able to create an important
role in our economy and in improving the lives of
our people.
WASTE INFECTS AND POLLUTES
Above all these problems, is one which affects all
mankind. How has our Earth been able to sustain
life, as we know it, for millions of years? Because of
the interdependence of the various species, each ser
ving a specific purpose and because natural waste has
been the most effective catalyst for renewal.
The growth of population and the industrial
civilisation have encroached upon nature so selfishly
so wantonly that many species have become extinct
and others are threatened. For the first time there
is waste which infects and pollutes. Population con
trol, the preservation of wild life, the conservation
and replenishment of natural resources and the re
cycling of waste must be the concern of every think
ing individual.
I have great pleasure in inaugurating your 55th
Annual Meeting and wish your deliberations all suc
cess.
ADVERTISE
IN

The loss of 31 million mandays in the organised

sector is indeed serious. But the steep increase last
year was due to strikes in the railways, textile and
jute industries. It is essential to improve industrial
SU(BIALIST
relations all round. I am told that the Labour Minis
try is taking steps to convene an early meeting of the
tripartite machinery. I hope that representatives of
managements and labour will not talk at each other
from rigid positions but will together strive towards
greater industrial peace and higher production. Wor
kers are not statistics for purposes of production or
trade union verification. They are individuals with REGULARLY
genuine needs and difficulties. Sometimes they are mis"
led. But if approached with sympathy, they can
SOCIALIST INDIA 14 APRIL 12, 1975
 Bill JDM IBASDIS Wily (AIIlalaka 's
: ſåWDUIfliſt ſº |S|| || ||

Rich natural resouces.mineral. A number of large industrial under.

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State & the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government whh e

sitive approach towards -

dustrial development of the State,

A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy,

including a string of financial & on project reports, supply of land,
development agencies like water & power at concessional
KSIIDC. KSFC, KSIC & KIADB, rates, price preference etc.,

Financial assistance to educated

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward
engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
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For details, please contact?

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001 ;
sued by the Disco of information epublichy. Govemment of kamsuka. Bangalore 56000

SOCIALIST INDIA 15 APRIL 12, 1975


National
Service
Scheme
SAT PAL SINGH
Since the inception of the Na
tional Service Scheme popularly
known as NSS, it has deeply pene
trated into the hearts of the youth
specially the students who have
some leaning towards social ser
vice.
The Punjabi University, Patiala
has evolved a programme as ini
tiated by its Programme Coordi
nator, a well-known sociologist,
Dr. I. M. Lal, keeping in view the
consensus of the NSS volunteers in
general during the past few years.
This programme has become popu
lar in almost all the colleges im
plementing this scheme within the
jurisdictions of the Punjabi Uni
versity, Patiala. It is called the
“15-Point NSS Programme”.
The sole purpose of the “15
Point NSS Programme” was to
make the youth realise their con
tribution towards the nation and
their own careers. The growing
tendency of the student community
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for copying, smoking, drinking,
drug addiction, etc., has considera
bly demoralised the serious-mind
ed students with equal concern to
their parents as well.
The NSS expects from its volun
teers:
1. It is their first duty to work
very hard for the acquisition of
knowledge. They must become
brilliant students. If that be so
they should consider it below their
dignity and self-respect to indulge
in copying or other unfair means.
2. Since the youth themselves
are against corruption of all sorts,
they should declare that when they
take up jobs and acquire influen
tial positions in the society, they
will not do wrong things under
temptations.
3. They will always keep the
interest of their country and the
nation first and foremost in their
minds. They will ensure before do
ing anything that they are not do
ing any harm to their country, so
ciety and nation.
4. They will do their jobs honest
ly and dutifully and will never
Shirk hard work.
5. As the youth are generally
against the practice of black
marketing, before they are able to
do something by way of checking
the evil practice, they first declare
that they will not buy anything
, in the black-market (cinema
tickets, etc.).
Number 1. Present Political Situation
Number 2. The Economic Outlook
Number 3. Organisation of Rural Poor
Number 4. Public Distribution System
Indira Gandhi-Prime Minister
—by Purabi Mukherjee 00.25
The Publications Department,
All India Congress Committee,
5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road,
NEW DELHI,
6. They should declare that they
will not indulge in the adultera
tion of consumer goods, if they
join business as a career. They
will also not indulge in hoarding.
7. Similarly, they should refuse
to buy all sorts of smuggled goods.
8. They should also refuse to
buy the imported goods as far as
possible.
9. They will render social ser
vice at least for an hour daily.
10. They will cultivate a sense of
discipline and exhibit the civic
manners at gatherings (formation
of queues, etc.).
11. They should not damage the
national property.
12. They should not tolerate
any show of disrespect of the na
tional symbols.
13. They will promote national
integration and will not develop a
communal outlook.
14. They will keep themselves
away from the habits of smoking,
drinking, drug addiction, gambling,
etc.; and
15. They will try their best not
to be influenced by the caste con
siderations in their day-to-day life.
Suggestions from the volunteers
about the effective implementa
tion of the programme are most
welcome, and they may be ad
dressed to Dr. I. M. Lal, Program
me Coordinator, NSS, Punjabi Uni
versity, Patiala. 147002.
Price
00.25
1.00.
00.50
00.25
. . ;-- - --
__
Towards A Silent Revolution In
Workers’ Education
Workers' education does not pay
readymade or instant results. It is
a “revolution” which is deep and
silent. It brings returns not often
seen on the surface. Its effect is
felt slowly. y cation should be made available
Trade unions and the organised
labour are the pioneers of work
ers' education. They always be
lieved that workers’ education
could help them. It is difficult to
say whether workers' education
came first and helped the growth
of trade unions, or trade unions
came first and promoted workers'
education. Long before the concept
of adult education was born, the
trade unions were already working
in one form or the other.
Workers' education as part of
trade union training fits in with
the global educational process and
must be accepted by public autho
rities as an asset in the develop
ment of modern national educa
tional policy. They further believe
that if the objectives of the Second
Development Decade are to be
achieved and its strategies to be
successful, workers' education
must further prepare trade unions
for wider participation in the task
of nation-building and its related
policy-making processes. It should
also help in promoting mutual un
derstanding between trade unions
and other sectors of the society.
Thus, trade unions are particularly
concerned with adult education
more than any other organised so
cial group. This is but natural be
cause as trade unions they repre
sent the working adults of the
country.
NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
The trade unions are not satis
fied the way majority of the gov
ernments in the world, particularly
the governments in the developing
world, are treating adult educa
tion. They (the trade unions) hold
should not be treated as a poor
relation of the overall educational
SOCIALIST INDIA
H. N. TRIVEDI
M.L.A., Maharashtra
system. The trade unions have al
ways emphasised that adult edu
cation must be accepted as a so
cial and national responsibility,
and that resources for adult edu
out of public funds on priority
basis.
The trade unions are convinced
that education is an integrated
process and national educational
policy must form part of social
policy aiming at social justice
along with economic development.
For that they have always de
manded an efficient educational
structure in all countries in order
to keep pace with the changing
society and to establish new edu
cational strategies to cover gene
ral, vocational, cultural and civic
education.
In this respect, the trade unions
have always demanded that the
educational structure has to be so
overhauled as to adequately cover
not only general education but
f
also vocational training. During
the period of transition, which lies
ahead, the implementation of a
comprehensive educational system
requires closer coordination bet
ween those involved in formal
education and the various sectors
of adult education.
DECENTRALISATION
Workers’ education has come to
be accepted as a step towards a
silent revolution and an effective
motivational force in the process
of economic and social develop
ment. The trade unions believe
that without achieving the goal of
full literacy in all countries and
communities, there cannot be a
real cultural or socio-economic de
velopment. It is their conviction
that no individual will be able to
participate, and shall never bene
fit fully from development, if he
is not literate. The trade unions,
all over the world, are concerned
—more than any other group—at
17
the fact that the total number of
adult illiterates in the world in
the last two decades has increased,
though the percentage of adult
illiterates in relation to their popu
lation has diminised.
The steps being taken to democ
ratise education are not enough.
One of the means of democratising
education is universal acceptance
and implementation of workers'
education. But if education has to
be democratised, the actual plan
ning and implementation as well as
administration of workers' educa
tion must be left primarily to the
institutions and voluntary organi
sations directly, involved in the
work. Educational innovations can
not be worked out unilaterally at
the top. The main impetus towards
acceptance of these changes has
to be based on the needs identified
by the people themselves at the
local level.In this connection, the
trade unions would like to suggest
that any gradual introduction of
new educational pattern is to be
supported by promoting, at the
same time, an entirely new Way
of thinking about education.
The States, which have estab
lished workers' education schemes,
must seek cooperation from the
existing institutions, trade unions
and voluntary organisations in the
proper implementation of such
schemes. The aim of all Govern
ment-cum workers' education
schemes should be to strengthen
the schemes of the existing insti
tutions and voluntary organisa
tions.
The trade unions would like to
place on record their appreciation
of the efforts being made all over
the world in the fields of research
and evaluation to achieve a deeper
knowledge of the factors involved
in adult education. If these efforts
have to be more successful they
should be taken up in cooperation
with national and international
institutions which are associated
with workers’ education.
Cº IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
A:"RIL 12, 1975

Multinationals And
Drug Industry
The Organisation of Pharmaceu
tical Producers of India (OPPI),
which represents mainly the
foreign firms and firms with
foreign interests, has—while ans
wering a question by the Hathi
Committee — provided an insight
into the role of multinational cor
porations operating in the field
of durgs. The Committee had asked
OPPI why its member-firms had
not shown adequate interest in
the manufacture of bulk drugs in
India. The OPPI is understood to
have replied that its members
“are in a position to further ex
pand their production of bulk
drugs provided such expansion is
immediately granted by the Gov
ernment without attaching any
conditions.”
Thus these firms would be pre
pared to produce bulk drugs in
India only if they are allowed un
conditional expansion. This would
mean that they should not be
asked to bring down their foreign
equity, no export obligations
should be stipulted and cost of
bulk drugs and prices of formula
tion should not be investigated and
fixed by the Government.
At present, firms with foreign
equity, account for about 60 per
cent of the total sales turnover of
drugs in India. In terms of value,
it comes to about Rs. 370 crores.
There are about 60 firms with
foreign equity of more than 26
per cent operating in India. Out
of these, ten firms are operating
with 100 per cent foreign equity.
One firm has been operating with
out securing an industrial licence
and importing raw materials for
processing a single item. Another
32 units have a foreign equity of
more than 50 per cent.
The total outflow of foreign ex
change towards payment of
royalty, technical fees and divid
ends over the five-year period 1969
to 1973 is estimated at Rs. 26
crores. This does not, however, in
clude the remittance which takes
place during the purchase of bulk
SOCIAL IST NDIA
India's
drugs, intermediates and the like
by foreign firms. These are usually
imported at prices dictated by their
principals and bear no relation to
either the cost of manufacture of
the final products or international
prices. This import also puts the
country to double loss as it in
volves double outflow of foreign
exchange, first, when bulk drugs
or intermediates are imported and,
later, when profits on finished for
mulations are repatriated. It may
be mentioned that every Rs. 100
worth of bulk drugs produce about
Rs. 300 worth of formulations.
In 1973-74, India imported bulk
drugs, intermediates and chemicals
worth Rs. 35 crores. At present
only 19 foreign firms are manufac
turing bulk drugs in the country.
The value of drugs manufactured
by these companies is slightly
over Rs. 19 crores. The two Public
Sector units together produce bulk
drugs worth Rs. 24 crores, while
the Indian firms account for Rs.
27 crores worth of bulk drugs
production. . . . . [a Al
A look at the various stages of
growth of foreign drug firms
brings out some interesting as
pects. The leading foreign firms
first established themselves in
India as trading concerns. During
the first stage, their activities in
India were confined to importing
finished formulations and these
were marketed in India. During
the second stage, formulations were
imported in bulk by them and
repacked in India. The third stage
came when under pressure from
the Government these firms started
importing bulk drugs and got them
processed into formulations on a
“job-work” basis by some Indian
companies.
It may be mentioned that all
these activities were carried on
without much investment in fac
tories or employing technical per
sonnel. Thus, despite the fact that
their initial investment was in
significant, the foreign firms were
able to repatriate huge profits as .
18
well as build up large reserves and
assets in India.
After the licensing system came
into force, 15 leading foreign firms
were given “permission letters” to
manufacture 364 items. While
four of these items were bulk
drugs, the rest were formulations
many of which did not require
even a doctor's prescription. It
may be mentioned here that the
Hathi Committee has held that
these “permission letters” did not
have any legal basis. These gave
the foreign firms a big boost. The
subsequent granting of concessions
and unauthorised production pro
vided further impetus. The large
reserves and assets thus built have
given the foreign firms a position
of dominance.
PLANS AFOOT FOR ASIAN
WORKERS’ SOLIDARITY
The leading Indian and Japan
ese trade union centres are likely
to exchange views in May on the
ways and means of strengthening
the solidarity of the working
classes in the Asian continent.
With this end in view the largest
trade union centre in Japan,
SOHYO, has extended an invitation
to the INTUC, AITUC and HMS,
the three leading TU centres in
India, to send a “joint team” to
Japan in the last week of May.
The SOHYO has so far been ne
gotiating with the Indian trade
union centres separately. The fact
that this time it has asked for a
joint delegation is taken to mean
that the SOHYO, would like to
maintain equal relationship with all
the three Indian centres and not
embroil itself with controversies
between its three Indian counter
parts.
The SOHYO invitation inevitably
enjoins upon the Indian centres to
formulate their positions jointly on
issues of common interest between
the Japanese and Indian trade
union movements as well as on the
problem of Asian workers' solida
rity.
It is understood that the three
Indian TU centres may shortly ne
gotiate on the issues concerning
the Japanese invitation and allied
matters
APRIL 12, 1975

A Chronology Of Major
Events In The Public
Sector During 1974
(Events relating to the industrial and commercial
undertakings of the Central Government are indicated
by asterisks.)
January, 1974.
*The Rs. 11-crore Ghaziabad unit of Bharat Elec
tronics Limited inaugurated.
* The foundation stone ceremony of the Rs. 15
crore transformer factory of Bharat Heavy Electricals
Limited was laid at Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.
The foundation stone ceremony of the Rs. 42
crore 220 mw power project laid at Harduaganj power
station in Uttar Pradesh.
Construction work commenced on the Rs. 210
crore nuclear power project at Narora in Uttar Pra
desh. It will have two atomic reactors of 235 m W
each.
* The first steel melting shop of the Bokaro
Steel Plant inaugurated.
The Rs. 14-crore ore handling plant of the Orissa
Mining Corporation was formally commissioned at
Daitari.
The foundation stone for the Rs. 250-crore Obra
thermal extension Stages II and III was laid at Obra
in Mirzapur District of Uttar Pradesh. Power:
1000 mW.
The work on the Rs. 42-crore Western Kosi
Canal project in Bihar was inaugurated. Irrigation
benefit: 3.77 lakhs hectares.
The foundation stone for the Rs. 13-crore Sarda
barrage across the River Sarda at Lakhimpur in
Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh was laid. Irrigation
benefit: 17 lakh hectares.
February, 1974 - -:
The Rs. 35-crore Cauvery water supply scheme
Stage I was inaugurated at Bangalore.
The first 120-mw unit of the Rs. 43.64-crore ther
mal power station of Chandrapura Stage II in Bihar
was commissioned.
March, 1974
* The Esso (Acquisition of Undertakings in
India) Bill, seeking to take over 74 per cent of the
equity capital of the Esso Standard Refining Com
pany of India as passed by Parliament.
April, 1974
* The foundation stone was laid for India's
largest fertiliser project to be set up by the Ferti
liser Corporation of India at Paradeep in Orissa. The
Rs. 250-crore project would produce annually 1.5 mil
lion tonnes of finished fertilisers.
SOCIALIST INDIA
* The Union Cabinet approved expansion of
Neyveli Lignite Project from 4.5 to 6.5 million tonnes
per annum at an estimated cost of Rs. 36 crores.
* Inauguration of the Rs. 7-crore second factory
of the Hindustan Cables Limited at Hyderabad, for
production of telephone cables.
* The first Indian-designed agricultural aircraft
‘Basant’ taken up for production at the Bangalore
complex of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
* M.V. “Vishva Abha” a general cargo vessel of
13,600 dwt built by the Khesson Shipyard, Kherson,
USSR, was delivered to the Shipping Corporation of
India Limited.
* Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited decided to
set up a Power Projects Division in Madras.
* Singareni Collieries Company Limited decided
to step up its annual coal output from the present
5.5 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes by the end of
1978-79 for which Rs. 60 crores have been sanctioned
by the Central Government.
May, 1974
* The ground-breaking ceremony for the NPK
granulation plants of the Rs. 10-crore third unit of
the Madras Fertilisers Limited was performed at
Manali near Madras.
* Production started at the RS. one-crore mono
chlorobenzene plant of the Hindustan Organic Che
micals Limited at Rasayani in Maharashtra. Capacity:
3,500 tonnes per annum.
* The Shipping Corporation of India Limited
took delivery of the 1,29,500 dwt bulk-carrier M.V.
“Gautama Buddha” built by the Mitsubishi's Hiro
shima Shipyard.
June, 1974
* The first blast furnace of Bokaro steel plant
commissioned in October 1972, completed the dis
patch of one million tonnes of pig iron.
* The construction work started for three down
stream projects of Indian Petrochemical Corporation
Limited for production of the detergent alkylate,
the ethylene glycol and the polypropylene. Total cost
of projects: Rs. 41 crores. .
* The 21, j90 dwt, “Jag Doot” the biggest ship
to be built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited was launch
ed.
Inauguration of the Rs. 4-crore copper mines
project at Kalyadi in Hassan district of Karnataka.
the Chitradurg Copper Company Limited will operate
the mines.
* A new Public Sector Company, SAIL Interna
tional Limited, was formed as a subsidiary of SAIL
to effectively channelise import and export of steel.
The 133-metre long Pong Dam across the Beas
river, which constitutes the major component of the
Beas Stage II project in Himachal Pradesh. was com
pleted. Irrigation benefit 16 lakh hectares.
19 APRIL 12, 1975
 The first 120-mw unit of the Rs. 199-crore
Koradi super thermal power station in Nagpur dis
trict of Maharashtra commenced power generation.
The Sarda barrage, the first stage of the Rs. 165
crore Sarda Sahayak Project, which is the biggest
irrigation project in Uttar Pradesh, was completed.
Irrigation benefit: 17 lakh hectares.
The Rs. 32-crore New Mangalore Port in South
Kanara district of Karnataka was opened for traffic.
The Rs. 7-crore Nandan Coal Mine Project in the
Pench Valley, district Nagpur, Maharashtra, was
inaugurated.
The Rs. 2.7-crore, 33-km metre gauge rail link
between Abla and Singhanad in Jhunjhunu district
of Rajasthan was commissioned.
The 23-km long Sarayagarh-Raghopur Pratap
ganj railway line in north Bihar was opened.
July, 1974 -
* The Central Electronics Limited (CEL), a new
Public Sector company, was formed under the De
partment of Science and Technology, for manufac
turing professional grade ferrites and a variety of
electronic components.
* Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, the
new Public Sector company formed by the merger
of Esso Standard Refining Company of India Limit
ed and Lube India Ltd., was formally inaugurated
at Bombay.
The foundation stone was laid for the Rs. 13.54
crore, 600-tonne-a-day cement factory of Jammu and
Kashmir Cement Limited, at Khrew near Srinagar.
The Rs. 10-crore Bagh irrigation project in
Bhandra district of Maharashtra was completed.
Irrigation benefit: 33,700 hectares, states benefited:
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.
The first 75 mw unit of the 330 mw Ukai hydro
electric project at Ukai, Surat district, Gujarat com
menced power generation.
* The work on the Rs. 28-crore expansion pro
gramme Koyali refinery of Indian Oil Corporation,
near Baroda in Gujarat, was formally launched, so
as to raise the refinery capacity from 3.4 million ton
nes to 7.3 million tonnes per annum.
The foundation stone was laid for the Rs. 14
crore and 73.5–-Howrah-Amta-Champadanga broad
gauge railway line at Howrah in West Bengal.
August, 1974
* Mogul Line Limited, one of the two Public
Sector shipping companies, acquired its biggest bulk
carriers M.V. “Jama Vijay”, a 43,234 dwt cargo
vessel.
* The Hindustan Shipyard Limited delivered the
13,900 dwt M.V. “Vishva Madhuri” the last of the five
cargo vessels ordered by the Shipping Corporation of
India Limited.
* The National Fertiliser Limited (NFL) was
registered to implement the proposed three Public
Sector fertiliser plants in North India.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The third of the six 60-mw units of Stage I of
the Rs. 44.71 crore hydel power project at Balimela
in Koraput district of Orissa was commissioned.
The foundation stone was laid for the Rs. 8-crore
scooter project of the Bihar State Industrial Deve
lopment Corporation at Fatwah in Patna. Capacity:
30,000 scooters per annum.
September, 1974
* The Union Cabinet approved the Rs. 110-crore
fourth and fifth stage expansion schemes of the
Trombay fertiliser plant of the Fertiliser Corporation
of India Limited.
October, 1974
* The 67th ship M.V. “Jagat Priya” (21,800
dwt) built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited was
launched at Visakhpatnam.
* The Electronics Trade and Technology Deve
lopment Corporation was set up in New Delhi in the
Public Sector by the Department of Electronics.
* Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited entered into
a technical collaboration agreement with US Engi
neers and Consultants Inc., USA for the manufacture
of drilling rigs, mast and sub-structure.
* A subsidiary of National Textile Corporation
Limited was formed in Ahmedabad for management
of the 11 nationalised textile mills in Gujarat State.
The Union Government decided to set up second
security paper mill at Baroda in Gujarat State.
* The Rs. 48-crore Stage IV expansion of the
Trombay Fertiliser Plant of Fertiliser Corporation of
India Limited was launched. The expansion expected
to be completed by 1977, envisages production of 750
tonnes of nitric acid and 1,200 tonnes of ammonium
nitrate phosphate per day.
* The commemoration stone was laid for the Rs.
10-crores lamps division of Hindustan Machine Tools
Limited at the Hyderabad.
* Wagon India (P) Limited was registered as
a new joint stock company, by the Government of
India to coordinate and rationalise the production
programme of the wagon industry.
* The nitrochlorobenzene plant, the twelfth plant
of Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited was com
missioned at Rasayani Kolaba district, Maharashtra,
thus marking the completion of Rs. 20-crore first
stage programme of the company.
The Rs. 5-crore barrage near Ramnagar, Naini
Tal district, UP was inaugurated. The barrage is a
part of the Kosi project which is designed to irrigate
about 48,000 hectares of land.
* The Rs. 119-crore modernisation programme
of the Sindri fertiliser plant of Fertiliser Corporation
of India Limited was launched. The plant will pro
duce 3.3 lakh tonnes of urea using fuel oil as the
feed stock.
* The construction work commenced on the Rs.
22-crore Central Foundry Forge Plant of Bharat
APRIL 12, 1975
Heavy Electricals Limited commenced at Ranipur
near Hardwar in Saharanpur district, UP.
* The work on the Rs. 6-crore synthetic rubber
plant of Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited
was started at Baroda in Gujarat. Capacity: 20,000
tonnes polybutadiene rubber per annum.
November 1974
* The copper smelter plant of Hindustan Copper
Limited at Khetri near Jaipur in Rajasthan, started
working when copper concentrates were fed into the
flash smelting furnace, which is the first step towards
the production of copper metal.
* The Rs. 24-crore second Leander Class Frigate
INS “Himgiri” built by Mazagon Dock Limited was
commissioned at Bombay.
The Rs. 12-crore and 2.9-km long double decker
rail-cum-road bridge on the Godavari river, linking
Kovvur and Rajahmundri towns in Andhra Pradesh,
was opened to traffic,
The Stage I of the Rs. 64-crore Tawa irrigation
project at Tawannagar in Hoshangabad district of
Madhya Pradesh was inaugurated.
The foundation stone for the Rs. 11.4-crore
caustic sodachlorine project of the Gujarat Alkalies
and Chemicals Limited was laid at Baroda, Gujarat.
December, 1974
* M.V. “Harsha Vardhana” a luxury passenger
cum-cargo ship, the kind of which is built for the
first time in the country, was handed over by Maza
gon Dock Limited to the Shipping Corporation of
India Limited at Bombay.
The high powered air route surveillance radar
(ARSR), a modern aid for controlling air traffic
was commissioned at the Juhu airport in Bombay.
ARSR will control aircraft movement within a range
of 320 km around Bombay airport.
The second of the four 120-mw unit of the Rs.
250-crore Koradi super thermal power station near
Nagpur, Maharashtra, was formally inaugurated.
* The Union Government sanctioned the Rs. 15
READ
SUG|LIST
|NDII.
$0CIALIST INDIA
crore, second phase of expansion of Bharat Heavy
Electricals Limited at Tiruchirapalli. The expansion,
expected to be completed in two years, would raise
the plant's capacity to produce power generating
equipment from 1,100 mw to 2,500 mw.
* Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited finalised
a Rs. 35-crore second-phase expansion and diversifi
cation programme aimed at achieving self-sufficiency
in intermediates essential for drug and dyestuff in
dustries during the Fifth Plan.
* The Rs. 2-crore mythlamines plant of the
Fertiliser Corporation of India Limited at Trombay
was commissioned. The annual capacity of the plant
is 4,000 tonnes, comprising 1,000 tonnes of mono
methylamine, 2,500 tonnes of dimethylamine and 500
tonnes of trimethylamine.
* Fuel block of Haldia refinery of Indian Oil
Corporation Limited was fully commissioned. The
2.5 million-tonne Haldia refinery, designed to produce
a whole range of petroleum products, would produce
not only fuel products but also a wide spectrum of
lube base stocks.
* The slabbing mill of Bokaro Steel Plant having
a capacity of 1.44 million tonnes of slab annually
commenced production. This is the most modern slab
bing mill and the only one of its kind in the country.
It has the biggest soaking pits and its universal stand
consists of both horizontal and vertical rolls with an
average rolling capacity ranging from 600 to 800
tonnes of ingots per hour. The commissioning of the
mill is a significant landmark in the progress of the
finished steel production at Bokaro.
The 12.87 km long Pandoh-Baggi tunnel of the
Rs. 265-crore Beas-Sutlej project in Punjab was com
pleted. The tunnel with a diameter of 25 feet is also
the longest in Asia and was completed in nine years.
It will carry 9,000 cusecs of water from Pandoh dam
to Sundarnagar hydel channel.
The Rs. 19-crore Security Press commenced trail
runs at Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. One of the biggest
of its kind in the world and equipped with the latest
machinery, it will print currency notes. .
(Courtesy: COMMERCE Research Bureau, Bombay)
REGULARLY
21 APRIL 12, 1975
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SOCIALIST INDIA 22 - APRIL 12, 1975

 — –
L. N. Mishra's Blood HAUNTs
THE RSS—II
The following is the second part of the booklet,
“L. N. Mishra's Blood Haunts RSS”, recently brought
out by the Institute of Socialist Studies (4, Dr. Raj
endra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110001) and priced
75 p.
The cowardly assassination of Railway Minister,
Lalit Narayan Mishra, at Samastipur has brought
out sharply some of the ugly features of Indian
politics. That Mishra fell a victim to a well-orga
nised political conspiracy is all too obvious. Equally
ominous are the related issues—all as deadly as can
cer in a body. The first is the revival of the cult
of physical liquidation. The second is the way the
Reactionary Opposition parties have conducted them
selves.
Even as the first wave of shock and dismay
swept across the nation, and even as leading Cong
ress members were struggling to express themselves,
the Reactionary Opposition parties acted with dis
gusting alacrity. The dubious distinction of being
the first in the race to exploit the Mishra murder for
political ends goes to the Jana Sangh President L.
K. Advani. Within minutes of the murder, he rushed
in with a statement virtually blaming the CPI for
the murder. Advani said that he had a “lurking
suspicion” that Mishra was murdered by those who
are “fanatically hostile to the JP-led movement in
order to malign it.” Thus it is Advani who was the
first to see a clear link between the murder and the
JP-led movement in Bihar.
Hours later, the Congress President, Shri Dev
Kanta Borooah and the Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi warned that “the forces of disruption, which
have come to the fore lately, have spread hatred
and indirectly encouraged violence. It is this atmos
phere that is responsible for this dastardly crime.”
Borooah and Indira Gandhi were not hastily pointing
their accusing finger at any individual or party but
only at the general atmosphere of hatred and fury
being whipped up by the RSS-dominated JP-move
ment. They were only emphasising the link that
Advani had already established between the JP-led
movement and the murder.
MOOD OF WOOLENCE
One would have expected Advani to understand
this simple logic and ponder over the consequences
of the insane mood of violence that the RSS is ins
tigating across the country. But, no, Advani had
to protest, and protest in the company of his cronies
in the Opposition political parties, against Indira
80CIALIST INDIA
The “MOTHERLAND” Of Lies And
Character Assassination
Gandhi's statement. Listen to these words: “Hardly
had the ashes of Shri Mishra become cold when she
(Indira Gandhi, who else?) began what is now clearly
known to be a regular campaign against her politi
cal opponents. Venomous verdicts on the causes and
elements responsible for his murder began to be pro
nounced almost as if the investigations were conclud
ed and their results known, when in fact, they had
hardly begun. As it is, the public may well wonder
whether the various statements made by the Prime
Minister are not expressly to make a clear and un
biased enquiry impossible.”
This statement, signed by Advani and his
Swayam Sevak in the Lok Sabha, Atal Behari Vaj
payee, also refers to Home Minister Brahmananda
Reddy's appeal not to rush to pronounce any judge
ment on the murder to facilitate objective investiga
tion. And the statement adds, “She (the Prime
Minister) has allowed her imagination to run riot......
She had even swallowed certain gossips lock, stock
and barrel and proceeded to ridicule the obviously
ridiculous......” (Motherland, January 17).
Why this protest against Indira Gandhi's warn
ing that L. N. Mishra was murdered because of the
atmosphere of hatred and violence? Advani and his
friends perhaps realised that the link they had seen
between Mishra's assassination and the JP's move
ment might prove costly to both JP and the RSS.
MORALITY ONLY FOR OTHERS
Mishra died on January 3, more than 16 hours
after a bomb went off at the Samastipur railway
platform. The Reactionary Opposition's statement
signed by Advani was issued on January 16. that is,
13 days after the murder. In between the Motherland
the newspaper run by the Jana Sangh, which in turn,
is presided over by none other than Advani himself,
has been indulging precisely in the same thing that
Advani accuses the Prime Minister of, namely, pro
nouncing “venomous verdicts on the causes and ele
ments responsible for his murder” and swallowing
“certain gossips lock, stock and barrel”, and “pro
ceeding to ridicule the ridiculous”.
The Motherland published a typical story on
January 4, the day when all the newspapers carried
the report of Mishra's death. In this very first re
port on the murder, the Motherland launched itself
on what was to become the worst type of Hitlerian
slander and making unsubstantiated attacks on the
Congress and its leader. Under the catchy and sug
gestive headline, “Who killed Mishra”, the report,
23 APRIL 12, 1975
written by “Our Special Correspondent”, jumped to
recklessly accuse the Congress Party, and by impli
cation, the Prime Minister herself. The Motherland
had obviously no use for Advani's statement linking
the assassination with the JP movement.
Here is what the Motherland wrote: “Still others
are of the opinion that it is a case of “Government
by assassination”. Shri Mishra had become an em
barrassment to the Government. It was an open
secret in New Delhi that he had sent in a letter of re
signation. But acceptance of resignation would have
only confirmed the guilt of the Government. And, in
addition, an embittered Mishra might have blurted
out the whole truth, involving persons more import
ant, and more guilty than he. It is, therefore, pos
sible, it is pointed out, that it was decided to liqui
date Mishra. His exit at this stage would leave the
question of guilt unsettled. He has been silenced
for ever. And his death could even be exploited to
foist the blame on Opposition parties.”
After some more of this type, the report rounds
up the first essay in insinuation and character assas
sination in these words: “In this situation, the offi
cial agencies may never unearth the conspiracy that
conveniently killed off L. N. Mishra. Nothing short
of parliamentary association with police and CBI
investigations, it is pointed out, will carry conviction
with the country.”
In other words, if the CBI were to establish a
link between the JP's movement, of which the RSS
is the backbone, and Mishra's murder, it will not carry
conviction with “Motherland”.
The first report itself bristles with lies, mind
you, unmixed lies. The Motherland says Mishra re
portedly offered to resign. Did he? No! In Delhi
nothing that happens inside the Congress organisa
tion escapes the watchful eyes of the Special Repre
sentatives of newspapers. In fact, even minor squab
bles inside the Congress get unduly prominent place
in Delhi newspapers. Yet the report of Mishra's
alleged resignation (which any day would deserve
an eight-column banner headline) did not appear in
any newspaper other than the Motherland.
WILD CONCOCTION -
The Government promptly denied this report the
next day, and the denial was carried by all news
papers. This can only mean one thing in Delhi's
world of journalism, that the report was a fabrica
tion meant to slander both the Prime Minister and
Mishra. After the official denial, one would have ex
pected the “Motherland” to quickly forget its cook
ed-up reports. But, no, “Motherland” decided to stick
to its concoction. Why? This is the only way to
dress up its wild charge that Mishra's departure was
welcome to the Prime Minister.
The report also contains another significant lie.
Significant because, it reveals the mind of the per
sons fabricating these “news”. Let me first quote
the report: “Attention is also being drawn to last
month's press reports that CBI, RAW and Commer
cial Intelligence had combed No. 9, Akbar Road,
Mishra's New Delhi residence, in his absence to get
hold of certain files and chits with which, it was
SOCIALIST INDIA
feared, he might blackmail the Prime Minister. It is
learnt that while some of these documents were seiz
ed, some others remained in the private and secure
custody of a Mishra secretary. These reports were
never contradicted”.
This is the second unabashed lie, and as with the
first, this too was meant to fool the people into be
lieving what “Motherland” had said about the Prime
Minister and Mishra, and that Mishra had to be
“liquidated” as otherwise he might have “blackmail
ed” the Prime Minister.
Again it is Motherland alone who knew about
this “raid”. No other newspaper or newsman in the
country had any knowledge of this raid on the resi
dence of a central minister | No one in New Delhi
took any notice of the so-called raid story, simply
because it was cooked up in the Motherland office.
With two lies, and one wild conjecture linking
Mishra's murder with supposed relief for the Prime
Minister, Motherlond had devilishly accomplished
what Advani on January 16 hypocritically deplored
—“allowing imagination to run riot” and swallowing
“certain gossips lock, stock and barrel.”
INVENTING LIES TO SUPPORT LIES
Was it merely a question of somebody's imagi
nation running riot or swallowing certain gossis
lock, stock and barrel ?
Certainly not. The Motherland with its report on
January 4, was merely announcing its decision to
launch what Advani accused the Prime Minister of,
namely a regular campaign against political oppo
nents, in this case, against the Prime Minister. Since
then this campaign is being carried on by all the
RSS journals and Swayam Sevaks throughout the
country, with the lead always provided by the Mother
land.
In its next day's issue, the Motherland's Special
Correspondent quoted Sherlock Holmes to say that
“normally the crime is committed by the man who
stands to gain the most by it.” A few lines later,
this is fully explained. “....the man in the street
has no doubt who killed Shri Mishra. The Govern
ment, of course, is their unanimous verdict.”
Then the next paragraph. “Others hasten to
remind you of the mysterious death of Nagarwala.
He had to be liquidated because he knew too much
about mysterious Congress crores. And he was."
Reading it together with the previous day's report,
no reader will be left in doubt about who “liquidated”
Mishra. Poor Advani 1 How bogus is his stance of
high morality is exposed by his own paper.
This is not all. The same report repeats verba.
tim some of the words of the previous report. Here
it is. “It is an open secret that Shri L. N. Mishra
had become an acute embarrassment to the ruling
party. It was their repeated suggestion that he be
sent out as Chief Minister of Bihar.” When Mishra
refused, he is reported to have said, to quote the
Motherland, “If I have to go, many others will have
to go with me.”
APRIL 12, 1975
 The report ends with a broad swipe at the en
tire Congress Party. Quoting what the paper claims
to be extracts of a discussion in the Congress Work
ing Committee, the Motherland says “that violence
has been a subject of discussion at the highest offi
cial levels.” Even Goebbels would have turned in
his grave in sheer envy.”
Truth, or any obligation to base " reports on
truth, is not one of the known weaknesses of the
“Motherland”. It easily resorts to lies, and often
invents a lie to prop up another lie. Mishra is “an
acute embarrassment”, he was “the biggest black
mailer east of Suez (this is the headline of an ear
lier story in the Motherland, and Prime Minister
“stands to gain the most by it (the murder)” and
“violence has been a subject of discussion at the
highest official levels”. The web of lies goes on and
on. Are the lathi-wielding Swayam Sevaks so dim
witted as to insatiably swallow such rubbish?
TAXING CREDIBILITY TO DEATH
This was not the only tissue of lie in the
Motherland report on January 5. It published an
other report, with a screaming headline—“Mishra
was made to bleed to death”. The headline had
naturally nothing to do with the story; which was
anyway, about the criminal delay in rushing Mishra to
a hospital. Interestingly, this report about what
happened in the far off Samastipur was written from
Delhi. This at once exposes all claims of the Mother
land to be accepted as a newspaper. The newspaper
has degenerated to being worse than a propaganda
sheet, which as any political worker knows, is an
chored on unshakable truth, but laced with partisan
analysis and projections.
After a respite for a day the Motherland came
back to its old line of attack on January 8. The pre
vious headline, “Mishra was made to bleed to death”
was picked up again. Like in the previous cases, the
Special Correspondent exposed his fatal fancy for
expressions like “acute embarrassment” and “bled
to death”. Here he goes: “It would seem that
Mishraji survived the bomb blast but some people
decided that he must be made to bleed to death.”
What is the inspiration for this fantastic discovery 7
The report comes back to the paper's known conjec
ture that it is “government by assassination”. It
continues : There can be no other explanation for
“officers” refusing to let Darbhanga or Patna doctors
see him. In the words of Shri Nanaji Deshmukh, they
slaughtered Shri Mishra the “halal way”. S'aughter
ed by whom? Like a cheap novel serialised in a vul
gar magazine, you are forced to wait for the next
instalment. -
But the Special Correspondent makes sure the
message is conveyed clear and loud to the readers.
So he rubs it in again: “From the behaviour of top
officers around Shri Mishra at Samastipur, it is clear
that at least some of them wanted him dead.” Now
that officers have also been dragged into the conspi
racy to “liquidate” Mishra, the newspaper wails that
it would not be proper “to hand over the investiga
tions to the Central Bureau of Investigations”. Then
who should enquire? The Amnesty International,
thunders the Motherland. Anyone who knows even
vaguely about the Amnesty International would
SOCIALIST INDIA
laugh at the suggestion. It is a body of jurists
interested solely in the observance of the funda
mental rights of political protest in various coun
tries, and particularly, about torture of political prº
Soners.
This does not deter the Special Correspondent.
He comes back to the task of inventing brand new
lies to continue his old task. After sheding some
tears over the “inexplicably criminal neglect with
which Mishra's ‘war injuries' were treated”, he goes
on to do what he has intended to do all along, train
his guns on the Prime Minister. “As the PM regret
ted yesterday, too many people thought she had got
him liquidated. People wonder aloud if Bansi Lal,
who also knows too much, might be the next vic
tim.”
This is the first and mercifully the last time
that Bansi Lal is brought into the controversy. This
is not difficult to explain. On many occasions in the
past, the Motiherland has been hell bent on sowing
suspicions and doubts inside the Congress Party.
One day it is Bansi Lal; the next day it is Chavan,
yet on another day it is Jagjivan Ram. Naik's speech
at Bordi where he accused the Central Government
of not approving the Maharashtra's programme for
helping the poor, is twisted to mean that Naik and
others in his state are now “standing up” to the
Prime Minister. The Motherland has also quoted
“senior Cabinet Ministers”, who exist only in its
fevered imagination, to suggest that the Prime Min
ister does not enjoy total support of the party. The
paper quoted unnamed “senior Congress Members
of Parilament” to say that “they no longer consider
the party and its leader to be synonymous. The
party is greater than the leader.”
The contradiction in this single report is too
glaring to escape notice. It “bravely” names Naik,
Chavan and Jagjivan Ram as “opponents” of the
Prime Minister; but suddenly becomes coy and bash
ful in naming lesser fry who remain “senior Con
gress MPs”. No prize for guessing the answer 1
To come back to the Motherland report on
January 9 about Mishra. The newspaper makes an
amazing discovery, the like of which only Goebbels
could have done. It says that mysterious murders
of BJS leaders Deendayal and Forward Bloc leader
Hemanta Kumar Basu have left “shrewd observers”
with the feeling that there is a “murder cell” some
where in the Government. The series of inventions
goes on: Mishra's resignation, raid on Mishra's house,
cfficers bleeding Mishra to death, and now a murder
cell.
The newspaper, inspired by its earlier success in
fabricating lies. has now ventured to lay the blame
directly on the Prime Minister. This is the message
for the Swayam Sevaks: “Spread the word that the
Prime Minister is the murderer of Mishra”.
The Motherland's efforts are total and concert
ed. After using the “Special Correspondent” to launch
the attack first, the worthy editor of the newspaper
takes over. Here is the editorial on the same day,
January 9. It starts with these words: “We are
glad that the PM herself told a New Delhi meeting
yesterday that many people believed that she had
organised the murder of L. N. Mishra. She added
25 APRIL 12, 1975
that even some Congressmen were saying so.” And
it goes on to add: “But a situation in which people
do not trust the PM, and, indeed, believed her to be
a murderer, is serious enough in all conscience. The
PM must pause and ponder her sins of commission
and omission which have reduced her from a ‘devi’
into a 'daitini' in the public eyes”.
Since even in the Motherland, one presumes,
editorials are not written by inventive Special Cor
respondents, and hence, at least editorial comments
will be based generally on facts. Obviously the paper
does not believe in this simple dictum of journalism,
as is apparent from its writings. To accuse the Prime
Minister directly of being a murderer, and yet call it a
serious matter, is the trick only one set of people,
called RSS Swayam Sevaks, know of.
RSS HAND ACTIVE IN SAMASTIPUR
By the time the editorial appeared, the “Mother
land”, had sent an old RSS hand, Arvind Ghose, to
Samastipur. Ghose is a product of one of the im
portant Nagpur RSS shakhas, and has been with the
RSS since his childhood. He is not much of a journ
alist, but then the “Motherland” had no use for a
journalist in Samastipur. It wanted a man who
knew what the RSS line was, and toed it diligently.
His first report from the field appeared on Janu
ary 11. It was a typical RSS despatch. There was
no news in it, but only views. Even in reporting
views, journalists follow a simple rule of trying to
name the persons whose views deserve a place in the
report. But Ghose has no names. It is all unidenti
fied “people” and “sources”.
Read his first paragraph: “While people from
Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Kamrup,
suspect that L. N. Mishra was bumped off to spare
the Indira Government acute embarrassment, people
in Samastipur have no doubt that it was, indeed, a
‘sarkari' plot.”
Picking up the thread of lies that the editorial
wove, Ghose says: “Despite the PM's shrill protest
against public suspicion—even some Union Cabinet
Ministers believe it to have been a Government plot.
The lady, they say, is protesting too much.” So
according to Ghose, Samastipur people can even quote
Shakespeare. Who are the “Cabinet Ministers” who
call it a “sarkari” murder? He does not name them.
In fact, he could not. Simply because, no Cabinet
Minister was present at Samastipur. In any case, he
had no access to any minister. The report is cap
tioned: “Sarkari conspiracy in Samastipur.”
The same Ghose writes the next day. (Fantastic
capacity to send each day a detailed report!) This
is actually a comment on a report published in a
Delhi daily, the Hindustan Times. This report of
Ghose is a virulent attack on Mishra, suggesting that
he had amassed a lot of money by favouring big
wigs. One of the benefits Mishra got was an in
surance policy worth Rs. 3 lakhs. The Hindustan
Times reported that the policy had lapsed. That
set Ghose to invent a brand new story.
Here are his analytical words: “If the LIC
policy is worth Rs. 3 lakhs the monthly premium
should come to Rs. 1,750,” he argues. But then
Mishra's salary was only Rs. 2,250. “One wonders
what he was living on". This is the punch line.
SOCIAL) ST INDIA
Ghose did not try to find out what sort of policy it
was. (He had time only to manufacture interviews
with people who suspect a “sarkari plot”.) The truth
is it was an insurance policy to cover accidental deaths
which became something of a must for all travellers
by air after Mohan Kumaramangalam's death in a
plane crash. Its premium rate is less than Rs. 600
per year. That apart, Mishra was not a pauper
when he became a minister. He had had enough of
his own to fall back on.
But Ghose had nothing to do with the policy.
He was out to malign Mishra as one of the biggest
money spinners. And his report did just that. One
only wonders why he went all the way to Samastipur
to write about a report in the Hindustan Times or to
invent a wild theory? What happened to the “Special
Correspondent” of the Motherland who had been doing
this dirty job so well from Delhi?
What is more, this particular report appeared
on the first page in bold letters. In fact, every
Mishra murder story had been given this treatment.
Ghose did not stop at this character assassina
tion of a dead man. He wrote two long reports on
the entire sequence of events — right from the time
Mishra reached Samastipur till he died in Danapur
the next day.
The last paragraph of his report reads: “The
rest of the story is now well known. Who killed
Shri Mishra? Let us hope that the CBI finds out. But
it must be remembered that according to primary
principles of crime detection every one who was on
the dias and near it are suspects. And those near
Shri Mishra and on the platform were either Cong
ressmen, or policemen and security men.” The
headline for this report was telling: “Who killed
Mishra? Congressmen, security men or both?” The
implication is that none else could kill him, that it
was a “sarkari” murder.
ITS OWN REPORT EXPOSES “MOTHERLAND”
A week later, on January 21, the Motherland
opted for a strange stance. In a front page report,
it said that “the sources indicated that the detectives
had not yet ruled out” political overtones in the
assassination of Shri Mishra and were on the look
out for his “staunch political enemies”. The report
which disproves all the thousand earlier lies of
the Motherland was prominently featured, that is to
say, it had big headlines. Why this sudden change
of tactics? The answer is simple. The report was not
written by the “Special Correspondent” nor by the
RSS man, Arvind Ghose. It was a news agency re
port, and hence it was objective. But somebody in
the Motherland editorial department made a major
blunder and gave it a fair treatment. This mistake
thus helped in exposing the previous lies that the
paper had been spreading There was no mention
about “liquidation”, about Prime Minister being sus
pected of murder, nor even about RAW and the
murder cell”. This is the type of report that all
other papers have been publishing all along. It was
only “Motherland” that went with a barrel of tar to
blacken the image of the Congress Party, and, parti
cularly the Prime Minister.
26 APRIL 12, 1975

J. R. D. Tata's
Outspoken Views
On Economy
Shri J. R. D. Tata, India's top
industrialist, said that the con
cept of mixed economy, which was
conceived and adopted with “high
hopes” some 25 years ago as the
main instrument of India's econo
mic resistance, is “threatened with
early extinction”. His fear was that
by 1980 or so the Government
would control, directly or indirect
ly, up to 80 per cent of the coun
try's industrial capital.
Delivering the keynote address
at a symposium on the “Responsi
bilities of the industry and Gov
ernment in our mixed economy,”
organised by the Associated Cham
bers of Commerce and Industry in
New Delhi on April 4, Shri Jam
shedji Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata
said that the time had come for
the country to decide whether it
wanted to adopt Communism with
all its regimentation and loss of
freedom or “recognise mixed eco
nomy as the only democratic and
efficient instrument of economic
progress compatible with social
justice”.
He warned, “If we fail to make
an unequivocal decision, our econo
my will continue to stagnate while
our population continues to grow,
and we shall end up before the
turn of this century under a dic
tatorship or in a state of chaos
and violence”.
He scoffed at the notion that a
totalitarian State economy could
co-exist with democracy. One had
only to look around the world to
see that totalitarian economies
existed only in totalitarian politi
cal regime, whereas the free de
mocratic institutions were invaria
bly associated with a mixed eco
nomy.
He said if the majority of In
dians willed through their elected
representatives that the Commu
nist path was preferable, notwith
standing the terror, regimentation
and loss of freedom to which they
would be subjected, “let their will
SOCIALYST INDIA
be done”. But if, as he believed,
it was feasible to have both free
dom and progress, “let it be deci
ded once and for all that Marxist
solution is totally unacceptable”.
THE TWO SECTORS
Shri Tata recalled the dawn of
independence when there was “a
remarkable confluence of views”
between the political leaders and
heads of private enterprise. The
Private and Public Sectors were
looked upon as two integral parts
of a single organism. In this con
genial atmosphere, the private sec
tor supported more forcefully than
any where else in the world the
concept of planning and creation
of social conciousness among busi
neSSmen.
Indian industry accepted with
good grace the introduction of the
industrial licensing system in 1951.
A striking example of the unity of
purpose and mutual trust between
the Government and private en
terprise was the creation of Air
India and the ICICI —both blends
of public funds and private sec
tor management.
The mixed economy, Shri Tata
said, soon proved itself a success.
It reached its zenith in the first
half of the 'sixties with an indus
trial growth rate of eight to nine
per cent, a rate never reached be
fore or since. Then began the
decline.
After 1971, the rate of industrial
growth had fallen by two-thirds,
the number of registered unemp
loyed had crossed the five million.
mark, inflation had eroded 40 per
cent of the value of the rupee,
and per capita income had actual
ly fallen.
He said while natural disasters
and wars had played their role
in this deterioration of affairs, the
drastic change in the Government's
attitude towards the private sec
tor was equally responsible. The
late Prime Minister, Nehru, made
no bones in saying: “It is foolish
to have a private sector and then
to undermine it and prevent it
from functioning”.
Shri Tata said, “I personally
think that even for the proper
functioning of the Public Sector
it is desirable to have a competi
27
tive private sector. “He also made
it clear that the Public Sector
should grow through the creation
of new assets, not the take-over
of private property.
He said in negation of Nehru's
pronouncements major sectors of
private enterprise, including air
transport, banking, insurance, coal
and copper were nationalised, “all
of them on confiscatory terms”.
The Constitution was amended
time and again and the 25th Am
endment abolished the very con
cept of compensation being justi
ciable.
He said: “As a result, in addi
tion to the 50 per cent of indus
trial and mining assets, which the
Government has itself estimated
will be under the direct ownership
of Public Sector enterprises by
1980 or so, the Government will
have acquired, directly or through
its agencies, so dominant a share
in the ownership of private sector
companies that anything up to 80
per cent of the country's total in
dustrial capital will belong to the
Government”.
In Shri Tata's view there was
two main causes underlying the
change in the Government's atti
tude to the private sector: “the
causes lie in a crisis of confidence
on the one hand and in ideology
on the other”. One of the causes
for the Government's growing mis
trust of the business community
“is the fact that ethical standards
adopted in the past by some ele
ments in trade and industry have
not been as high as they should
have been and in some cases atro
ciously low”.
He said while on the one hand
there had been no deterrent to
economic crime, “not even loss of
reputation,” the Government
through its various economic and
fiscal policies had been “to a great
extent responsible for the emer
gence and uncontrolled growth of
black money, tax evasion and cor
ruption”.
Shri Tata made a scathing at
tack on the Congress Party and
accused it of condoning “economic
misdeeds and corruption by open
ly collecting illegal contributions,
mostly in black money for its
election funds”.
APRIL 12, 1975
º

THE PRIVATE SECTOR

NEVER HAD IT
SO GOOD AS
IN 1973–74

Whatever may be the panic of Shri J. R. D. Tata,

the private sector—especially the TATA group of
concerns – never had it so good as during 1973-74,
according to a special survey conducted by the "Eco
nomic Times” Research Bureau (ETRB). (SOCIALIST
INDIA is beholden to ERTB for the material it has
collected and part of which is reproduced here.).
* The private sector showed a marked improve:
ment in their assets expansion during 1973-74
despite much talk of constraints and hurdles.
* The declining tendency in assets formation
was reversed in 1973-74. In 1971-72 the growth was
8.2 per cent. In 1972-73 it went down to 7.7 per cent.
But in 1973-74, it shot up to 11.4 per cent.
* The “ten companies identifiable with Tata
group accounted for 15.6 per cent of the total assets
and 16.3 per cent of the sales turnover,”
according to ETRB.
* The Birla group of 11 companies had 12 per
cent of assets and 11.5 per cent of sales.
* Large inventory accumulation has been noticed
in Texmaco, Indian Tube, Motor industries, S. I. Vis
cose, Straw Products, Greave Cotton, Shree Ambica,
Engineering Construction and Larsen and Toubro.
This accumulation pushed up expansion of total as
Sets. of the total assets from Rs. 9.6 crores to Rs. 23.8
crores in 1973-74 due to amalgamation of an asso
* The top 20 private sector companies accord ciate company.
ing to assets are: 1. TATA STEEL, 2. TATA EN
GINEERING, 3. Indian Iron (now managed by the FOREIGN CONTROLLED FIRMS
Government, 4. Scindia Steam, 5. Associated Cement, * In the list of 100 large private sector corpo
6. Delhi Cloth Mills, 7. Indian Aluminium, 8. Great rations, there are 19 companies with majority foreign
Eastern Shipping, 9. Hindustan Motors, 10. Gujarat shareholding. Major units among these are Indian
State Fertiliser Corporation, 11. Indian Tobacco, 12. Aluminium, Dunlop India, Union Carbide, Philips
Hindustan Lever, 13. Hindustan Aluminium, 14. Calico
India, Bata India, Ashok Leyland, Brooke Bond, Good
Mills, 15. Gwalior Rayon, 16. Indian Explosives, 17. Year, Pfizer, Burmah-Shell and Siemens India.
Zuari Agro Chemicals, 18. Voltas, 19. Calcutta Elec
tric, and 20. Dunlop. * The nineteen foreign companies together
owned total assets of Rs. 755 crores which formed
* In the expansion of assets, Great Eastern 18.5 per cent of the total assets of all the 100 large
Shipping gets the pride of place. Its total capital corporations.
employed at the end of 1973-74 at Rs. 82.9 crores
showed a rise of 57.9 per cent. Significant rise in NET WORTH
total assets was also recorded by CAFI (45.7 per * Net worth comprising paid-up capital and all
cent), Engineering Construction (45.0 per cent.) free reserves and surplus rose by 8.2 per cent in
Motor Industries (43.7 per cent) and India Steam 1973-74 to Rs. 1,664 crores compared to 7.5 per cent
ship (36.7 per cent). in 1972-73.

* Indian Cables, Walchandnagar Industries, - TATA STEEL, the oldest was also the
Modi Industries, and Zuari Agro Chem., Colourchem. biggest company in terms of net worth.
Baroda Rayon occupied 68th rank by fast expansion Indian Iron stood second but with a wide margin,
SOCIALYST INDIA APRIL 12, 1975
 panies formed 46.4 per cent of the total sales of the
Table distribution of 10 private sector giants accord 100 top giants. As against this there were only 17
ing to major business houses. companies whose sales exceeded Rs. 90 crores each in
1972-73. This means more companies moved into top
turnover groups.
Proportion of assets
Business Houses No of Units to total in 1973-74
(Rs. lakhs) GROSS PROFITS
# The combined gross profit of 100 top giants
Tata 10 63587 amounted to Rs. 441 crores in 1973-74, recording an
(15.6) impressive rise of 14.2 per cent. In 1972-73, pre-tax
profits rose by 16.7 per cent. Net profits also went
Birla 11 48.976 up from Rs. 159 crores in 1972-73 to Rs. 178 crores
(12.0) in 1973-74—by 11.8 per cent.
Mafatlal 5 16197
(4.0) * Profitability measured by the ratio of gross
profits to total capital employed showed an improve
ACC 2 14166 ment from 10.4 per cent to 10.9 per cent. Gross
- (3.5) profits margin on sales worked out higher at 11.3
ICI
per cent in 1973-74 against 10.4 per cent in the
- 2 4111
previous year. The ent return on owned funds also
(1.0)
stood higher at 10.9 per cent in 1973-74 as agains
Modi 3 5972 9.8 per cent in the previous year.
- (1.1)
* In terms of absolute gross profits, TATA
Foreign Controlled Cos. 19 75503
(18.5) STEEL ranks first (Rs. 19.2 crores), followed by
TATA ENGINEERING (Rs. 16.8 crores), Gwalior
Independent Cos. 10 31545 Rayon (Rs. 14.0 crores), Century Spinning (Rs. 13.5
(7.7) crores), Union Carbide (Rs. 11.1 crores), India

Other Houses,
Tobacco (Rs. 10.8 crores), and Philips India (Rs. 10.1
crores).
Joint Sector, Cos. Etc. 38 148429
(36.3).
TAXES

Total 100 408486 * The 100 top companies together provided Rs.
153 crores for tax in 1973-74 against Rs. 124.6 crores
z (100.0)
in the previous year. Tax provision worked out
higher at 46.3 per cent of pre-tax profits in 1973-74
against 43.9 per cent in the previous year. The pro:
Figures in Parenthesis indicate percentage to total. fits after tax of all the companies together amounted
to Rs. 178 crores in 1973-74 against Rs. 159 crores
in the previous year.

followed by Associated Cement, Delhi Cloth, TATA

ENGINEERING, Gwalior Rayon and Hindustan
Aluminium (each above Rs. 40 crores). In terms
of growth in owned funds during 1973-74, Chemicals
& Fibres topped the list with 71.7 per cent.
PROFIT APPROPRIATIONS
* The appropriation of pre-tax profit during the
two years under review is given below:

Item 1972-73 1973-74

SALES
Tax provision 43.9 46.3
* Sales, net of excise duty, of all 100 large cor
porations amounted to Rs. 3,861 crores in 1973-74 Dividends 30.2 26.5
against Rs. 3,597 crores in the previous year. In Retained profits 25.9 27.2
contrast with a faster expansion in assets, the growth
in sales at 7.7 per cent was substantially lower in
1973-74 than the growth of 9.6 per cent in 1972-73. Total 100.0 100.0

* The sales of TATA ENGINEERING, TATA

STEEL, Hindustan Lever, Voltas, Delhi Cloth and
India Tobacco exceeded Rs. 100 crores each in 1973-74.
º
* Sales of 21 companies exceeded Rs. 50 crores
each and the combined total sales of these 21 com
SOCIAv,7ST JNDIA
Although dividends increased from Rs. 85.5 cro
res to Rs. 87.7 crores they formed a lower proportion
in terms of pre-tax profits in 1973-74. The proportion
of retained profit was higher at 27.2 per cent in 1973
74 against 25.9 per cent. in the previous year.
29 APRIL 12, 1975

BOOK REVIEWy
* sent “Walled City” of Delhi in
OLD AND NEW DELHI
SHOULD CO-EXIST
REBUILDING SELAHJAHANA
BAD: THE WALLED CITY OF
DELHI.
By Jagmohan
Vikas Publishing House (Pvt.) Ltd.
New Delhi.
Price Rs. 35.
GOPAL BHARGAVA
The ideas highlighted for Re
building Shahjahanabad by Jag
mohan (Vice-Chairman, Delhi De
velopment Authority) are unique
and as such, should attract the at
tention of planners and adminis
trators. Jagmohan rightly empha
sises the point that “Shahjahana
bad does not deserve to be thrown
into the dustbin of history. Its
social and cultural life has much
to commend itself. It has a rich
tradition and heritage. It is, in
fact, a treasure of accumulated
human experience of wide variety.
Here every stone, every street, has
its own story to tell”.
It is to the credit of Jagmohan .
that it was he who raised the
emerging issues of Shahjahanabad
which had been ignored for long.
To attract the attention of plan
ners and to reopen the issue of
development of Shahjahanabad the
author has written about rebuild
ing Shahjahanabad with a historic
perspective. He has made some
propsals for the building of a
“Second” Shahjahanabad because
he says: “Shahjahanabad stands
before us today as a bettered, sick
and overburdened city. It seems
to have lost its centre, its soul.
Shahjahanabad presents a dismal
picture of congestion, chaotic land
use and sub-human existence”.
SECOND SHAHJAHANABAD
Jagmohan suggests the creation
of a second “Shahjahanabad as a
countermagnet so as to rehabili
tate the inhabitants in Mata Sun
SOCIAL ST INDIA
dri and Minto Road complex. The
rehabilitation scheme is suggested
by the author emphatically with
an objective to decongest the pre
terms of residential units cum
trade and commercial establish
ments. As such, Jagmohan makes
the point clear that “we must rule
-out any large-scale destruction and
construction either in the name of
modern requirements or under the
pressure of speculators and profi
teers”.
Jagmohan is agitated by the ma
terialistic and commercial outlook
of the Walled City of Shahjahana
bad and also feels emphatically
that Shahjahanabad today is a
cultural desert. “Hüs streets no lon
ger vibrate with the songs of the
musicians. Gone are the famous
voices like those of Zohra, Mush
tari, Lachmi, Bibboo and Doanni
and Choanni.” At present, the
Walled City of Shahjahanabad
does not echo with mushairas and
ghazals but is strangulated with
the traffic and transportation
bottlenecks and nuisance and “no
xious industries which are func
tioning in a small area, polluting
the atmosphere and creating the
unhealthy enviornment.” It is ag
reed that the nuisance of obnoxious
industries should be shifted. And
as “the traffic conditions in Shah
jahanabad are chaotic,” Jagmohan
pleads for pedestrianising the
'streets of Walled City of Shah
jahanabad.
WHO WILL REBUILD2
Then, the important questions
arises: Who is going to rebuild
Shahjahanabad with better flow of
traffic and clean roads? Who is
going checking to conversion of
residential units into commercial
and industrial establishments?
Who is going to provide a conge
nial environment in Shahjahanabad
with the adequate public utility
services like water supply, sanita
tion and sewerage? The above
facts are ignored presently in the
planning aspect of Shahjahanabad
and Jagmohan rightly observes
that “Shahjahanabad has no lovers,
no committed well-wishers, to pro
tect it from its ravishers. Its
lovers, if any, are cowards”.
Jagmohan is bold enough to
30
suggest that there should be plan.
ned action by having the ‘Second"
Shahjahanabad and by linking Old
and New Delhi by extending the
Parliament Street cutting through
the Walled City right upto the
footsteps of the Jama Masjid. The
proposals involve an enormous ex
penditure as the author admits.
One point of observation is that
the large number of havelis and
industrial and commercial estab
lishments cannot be shifted as it
is not feasible from the social,
economic and political viewpoint.
The suggestion of a Redevelop
ment Authority of Shahjahanabad,
I fear may involve the practices
of favouritism, redtapism, bureau
cracy and corruption. -
The book has additional value
because of the nice photographs
and sketches which depict the real
way of life of Shahjahanabad. Jag
mohan has lucidly dealt with the
historical, social, cultural, and
economic aspects of the Walled
City of Shahjahanabad. The book
is a must for all those who are
interested in the future of Delhi.
GOVERNORS' CONFERENCE
Continued from Page 8
lems of the constabulary in their
States.
The Finance Minister, Shri Sub
ramaniam, called for financial dis
cipline and said that the various
measures taken by the Government
to check inflation had a good ef
fect. “We are turning the cor
mer.”
The Agriculture Minister, Shri
Jagjivan Ram, said that the rabi
prospects were good. But the Gov
ernors, he pointed out, should ask
the State Governments to try to
achieve their procurement targets.
The Minister for Energy, Shri K.
C. Pant, pointed out the need for
regional power grids for the gene
ration and distribution of power.
The Deputy Chairman of Plan
ning Commission, Shri P. N. Hak
sar, said that because of scarce
resources it may not be possible to
launch projects not included in
the Plan. The Commission would,
however, give due consideration to
the development of hill areas.
APRIL 12, 1975

D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA ON
Aspects Of New Liberal
Import-Export Policy
-Following is the text of the broadcast made by
the Commerce Minister, Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyaya,
regarding import policy for 1975-76 on April 7:
This evening I propose to speak to you about the
import-export policy for the year 1975-76. The trend
of our exports during the year ending on March 31
1975, has been very encouraging, showing an increase
of the order of about 25 per cent over the previous
year. The trade gap has, however, continued to widen
on account of a severe pressure on our foreign ex
change resources. There is, thus, a still greater need
to intensify the export effort.
Keeping in view the Government's objective to
the needs of stepping up industrial production and
channelising such production to the export market,
several new innovations have been introduced in the
policy that has been announced today. We have been,
hitherto, following a policy of giving preference in
the allocation of imported inputs to the units engaged
in specified industries which were categorised as
priority.
AUTOMATIC LICENSING SYSTEM
The import requirements of industries have un
dergone a substantial change since devalution when
the list of priority industries was drawn up. Keeping
this factor in view, a new list of select industries has
been published which will replace the list of priority
industries that was in force up to March 31, 1975.
Also, a system of automatic licensing has been intro
duced. Under this system, all actual users, whether
engaged in select or other industries, have been allow
ed to make their import applications for raw mate
rials and components direct to the licensing authori
ties.
This will equally apply to the large-scale units
such as those registered with the DGTD. The value of
automatic licences will be determined based on actual
consumption in the previous year and the value of
licences or Release Ordres obtained by the respective
units in that year. While considering claims for auto
matic licences, a visible preference will be given to the
units which have been able to export 20 per cent or
more of their production. In addition to automatic
licences, units engaged in select industries will also be
eligible for supplementary licences which will take
into account their production capacity, export perfor
mance and other relevant considerations.
The policy for import of spare parts has been
Considerably liberalised and streamlined to enable the
industry to meet their urgent requirements for main
tenance of machinery. All industrial units will be
granted separate licences for import of spare parts
ºn annual basis. These licences will be valid for im
Pºrt of any spare part which they need for their ma
Shinery. A restriction has been placed only on the
*port. Even in respect of such nonpermissible spares.
SOCIALIST NDIA
the licence-holder will be allowed to make small im
ports where it is inescapable.
Particular attention has been paid to the needs
of industries in the small-scale sector. In respect of
these industries, the free foreign exchange content of
their import licences has been increased. Also, grea
ter facilities have been provided for small units set
up in backward areas and the units set up by engi
neering graduates, diploma-holders, science graduates
and ex-service personnel as well as the industries to
be located in backward areas. It will be open to these
units to have their capacity of production assessed
and to obtain raw material imports on that basis. This
facility of assessment of capacity will also be avai
lable to the small-scale units engaged in select indus
tries.
The new policy provides for greater facilities for
export production. A significant advantage, which ex
porters will receive, is an additional allocation for
import of raw materials and components. In the case
of certain specified non-traditional export products,
the exporters will be entitled to additional ten per cent
of the normal replenishment rate. In selecting these
export products, due care has been shown to the pro
ducts which are predominantly manufactured in the
small and cottage industry sectors, This should help
in strengthening the country's base for export pro
duction.
It should also take care of the situation where
the import replenishment normally provided is pro
bably not enough to accommodate some essential raw
materials and components which have to be imported
to maintain the competitive strength of our products
in the international markets.
INCENTIVES FOR EXPORTERS
Manufacturer-exporters and eligible export
houses have been allowed to obtain automatic im
prest licences for import of raw mate
rials and components if they are prepared to
undertake a corresponding export obligation. In the
matter of issuing such imprest licences, a greater
preference will be shown in cases where a fuller uti
lisation of installed capacity is sought to be achieved
for export production.
The system of securing bank guarantees in dis
charge of the obligation against advances and imprest
licences has also been considerably relaxed.
A provision has been made to facilitate increased
utilisation of import entitlements earned against ex
ports by manufacturers for importing machinery,
tools and instruments, etc.
A greater stability has been built into the new
policy to protect exporters from variations in the
quantum of import assistance due to changes in
policy. Hereafter, protection will be given against
such changes to all the contracts which are regis
tered with the banks irrespective of the value of the
contract and period of delivery.
The scheme of compulsory export obligation on
large industrial units has been further rationalised.
The scheme will now have two sets of industries, one
having a compulsory export of five per cent of pro
duction and the other ten per cent. The list of indus
tries covered by the scheme has also been reviewed.
The facility available to the exporters who ob
31 APRIL 12, 1975
tain raw materials from indigenous producers for ex
port production, has been made more broad-based.
Any manufacturer or an exporter having an import
licence for any item will be free to either import that
item from abroad or obtain supplies in lieu thereof
from an indigenous producer at a negotiated price.
The indigenous producer making the supplies
will be treated as an exporter of that item to that
extent if the item supplied by him carries import re
plenishment. Such supplies will also be taken into
account in the discharge of export obligation, if any,
imposed on the indigenous producer.
In respect of a few items, where indigenous pro
duction has developed satisfactorily, the exporter
will, in the first instance, have to approach an indi
genous source. Here also, if supplies are not forth
coming within a reasonable time, direct imports will
be allowed.
The scheme of export houses has been further im
proved. The minimum export performance for the
grant of the status of an export house has been raised
from Rs. 25 lakhs to Rs. 50 lakhs, so that the fa
cility is availed of only by exporters having substan
tial export turnover. This increased limit will not,
however, apply to small-scale exporters dealing with
not more than two product groups.
Considering that there should be somewhat com
pulsion on export houses to promote the products of
small-scale sector, a condition has been imposed that
at least five per cent of the total exports, on which an
export house claims Eligibility Certificate or Rs. 25
lakhs, whichever is lower, should be products of the
Small scale.
The import procedures have been further simpli
fied. A system of annual licensing has been introduced
for actual users both in respect of raw materials and
spare parts. Except in certain specified cases, all ap
plications for licences for raw materials and com
ponents will be made direct to the licensing authori
ties. In the case of small-scale industries in particu
lar, a provision has been made for a combined appli
cation both for automatic and supplementary licence.
in order to avoid the multiplicity of applications.
The simplified procedure for processing applica
tion from exporters has been further liberalised.
Hereafter, the regional licensing authorities will
straightaway deal with such cases based on the re
commendations of the DGTD. The validity of Income
Tax Verification Certificate number has been raised
from three years to four years. Licences for import
of raw materials and components issued on General
Currency Area or Rupee Payment Area and having
an initial validity period of 18 months will be auto
matically valid for 24 months. Also, the initial vali
dity period of capital goods licences has been raised
from one year to two years. All these measures
would greatly help in cutting down delays.
(Courtesy: All India Radio)

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BARABAZAAR TRAINING CAMP
In conformity with the decision
taken at the Narora Camp, a three
day Congress Workers' Training
Camp was organised by the Bara
bazar District Congress Commit
tee (BDCC) near Calcutta recent
ly. - -
The General Secretary of BDCC,
Shri S. N. Pandey, has sent us the
following report:
Inaugurating the camp, the Pre
sident of the West Bengal Pradesh
Congress Committee (WBPCC),
Shri Arun Kumar Moitra, spoke at
length about the objectives of the
camp. He also referred to the JP
movement and said that it was a
danger to democracy.
Earlier, Shri Moitra was given a
NEW C.M. IN BIHAR
Continued from Page 5
Others present at the meeting
also included the Bihar Pradesh
Congress Committee President,
Shri Sitaram Kesari, the Union
Minister of State for Civil Sup
plies, Shri A. P. Sharma, the Union
Deputy Minister for Energy, Prof
Siddheshwar Prasad, besides a
number of MPs. Two hundred fifty
out of 264 Party members atten
ded the meeting.
GHAFOOR'S EXPLANATION
The outgoing Chief Minister of
Bihar, Shri Abdul Ghafoor, said
in Patna on April 6 that he had
not been asked by anybody to re
sign. He had resigned on his own.
Addressing a meeting of the
Congress Legislature Party, at
which Dr. Mishra was elected new
leader of the Party, Shri Ghafoor
said, “Nobody asked me to resign.
I voluntarily offered to step down.
I made up my mind to give up the
reins of office long ago.”
Shri Ghafoor said seven months
ago in a closed-door talk, he had
told the Revenue Minister, Shri
Kedar Pandey and the Agriculture
and Irrigation Minister, Dr. Jagan
nath Mishra, to compose their dif
ferences for taking up the mantle
of leadership as he wanted to be
relieved of his post. He was dis
closing this to scotch rumours that
he had been asked to resign.
*0CIA!, IsT INDIA
warm reception by the Congress
workers from Hooghly District and
members of Block Congress, Youth
Congress and the Chhatra Pari
shad of Haripal Block. The flag
hoisting ceremony was performed
by the President of the BDCC Dr.
Sudhangsu Kumar Sett. During the
camp, training classes were held
every day, followed by cultural
programmes. The classes were ad
dressed, among others, by the Ge
neral Secretary of WBPCC Prof.
Nityananda Dey, the President
of West Bengal Youth Congress
Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyaya; Ge
neral Secretary WBPCC Prof. Sau
gata Roy; the Finance Minister of
West Bengal Shri Shankar Ghose,
and Dr. Phulreni Guha.
NO DIRECTIVE FROM
PRIME MINISTER
The AICC General Secretary,
P. V. Narasimha Rao, denied in
Patna on April 5 that there was
any directive from the Prime Mi
nister, Smt. Indira Gandhi, in fa
vour of any particular candidate
for the leadership of the Bihar
Congress Legislature Party.
Talking to reporters on his ar
rival from Delhi, Shri Narasimha
Rao said he was happy that un
animity had prevailed in the elec
tion of the new leader. “But the
battle has been half-won only. The
battle against ignorance, poverty
and other evils would have
continue,” he added.
YOUNGEST C.M.
Continued from Page 5
folio was changed. At the time of
being elected leader of the Party,
he was holding the portfolio of
Agriculture and Irrigation.
Having a brilliant educational
career, Dr. Mishra topped the list
in the B. A. Honours in Economics
from Bihar University and took his
Master's degree getting second
position from the same University
in 1960. He was appointed a lectu
rer in L.S. College, Muzaffarpur,
the same year. In 1965, he got his
Ph.D. He has toh is crerit a num
ber of books on economics and fi
nance. Four research scholars have
successfully done their
33
WORLD PRESS LAUDS
PRIME MINISTER'S
COURT APPEARANCE
The Prime Minister, Smt. Indira
Gandhi's appearance in the Allahabad
High Court in connection with tº:a
election case filed against her by Shri
Raj Narain has been hailed by the
world press as “remarkable” and as an
"assertion of rule of law.”
“The Chicago Tribune”, not generally
symnathetic to India, editorially com
mended the Prime Minister's appear
ance in court. It pointed out that
more important than the verdict itself
' was the fact that “a country has so em
phatically asserted the rule of law over
its own leaders and shown that a head
of government before the law becomes
a citizen—nor more nor less—India
mubarak!”
In an editorial, the ‘Ittefaq' of Dacca
described it as “certainly remarkable”
and said that wººlle any verdict would
be of only topical significance “the thing
which will ever shine as truth is: “All
are equal before the law—irrespective
of the position and status.”
under the guidance of Dr. Mishra.
He is also founder of three edu
cational institutions in Bihar.
Dr. Mishra was also injured in
a grenade explosion at Samasti
pur on January 2 which claimed
the life of his elder brother, L. N.
Mishra, then Railway Minister.
PARLIAMENT
Continued from page 6
cate leader was gradually ebbing
away.
The Opposition leaders were
emphasising on the point that
to a delay of two or three
months in holding elections
in Gujarat should not matter with
the Government and the latter
should declare its willingness to do
that within the month of May as
stipulated by Shri Desai. The
Home Minister, on his part, avail
ed of the same argument and
appealed to the Opposition to per
..suade Shri Desai to give up his
fast as two or three months did
not matter.
There was, thus, no agreement.
The only consensus in the House
was on the preciousness of Shri
Desai's life and the concern ex
pressed by all sides of the House
that he should not make the high
est sacrifice on an issue on which
the dicerences had been much
Ph.D. narrowed down.
APRIL 12, 1975

“BAZAAR ON WHEELS’’:
BOON TO THE POOR
N. K. PANDE
Around mid-1973 prices started going up rapid
ly. All sections of the society were equally affected.
But the plight of fixed salaried people in the low-in
come group was worst. Even the daily necessities
were getting beyond their reach.
Most of the residents of Jangpura in South Delhi
belong to low-income group. Quite a number of them
live in jhuggis. The retailers as usual began ex
ploting the basic needs of the poorer sections of the
society.
Provoked by this, the Congress Member of the
Metropolitan Council from this constituency (and its
Deputy Chairman as well), Shri Jag Parvesh Chandra,
took the challenge of supplying the essential commo
dities to the people at a time of scarcity and high
prices.
After great effort Shri Chandra succeeded in his
mission. Eighteen months ago, on October 10, 1973,
the first bazaar was organised. Since then every Wed
nesday a number of trucks, laden with essential com
modities like wheat, atta, coarse cloth, etc., converge
and convert a thoroughfare in Jungpura into a bazaar,
which is now popularly known as the “Bazaar On
Wheels”.
Depending on the availability of the goods in the
market, the commodities made available to the peo-.
ple are changed from time to time. Only wheat, atta
and coarse cloth are the static items. During the
period of acute scarcity of various items towards the
end of last year, scarce commodities like vanaspati,
bathing soap, bread, kerosene and baby milk powder
were sold to the people at controlled prices. Since
these items are once again freely available in the
market, these are no more sold in the Bazaar.
CONGRESS WORKERS
Every customer is entitled to take 10 kilos of
wheat and also of atta and 10 metres of coarse cloth.
For each item, one has to stand in a separate queues.
Things are directly sold by the agencies like National
Agriculture Marketing Federation, Super Bazar, An
napurna, Co-ops. Private agencies like Hindustan
Lever, Tatas, Britannia Bread, Glaxo, Delhi Milk
Scheme and public agencies like Indian Oil and Mo
dern Bakeries extended their full cooperation to the
Bazaar during the days of severe scarcity last year.
Shri Jag Parvesh Chandra who is the Deputy
Chairman of the Delhi Metropolitan Council, perso
nally supervises the entire distribution every Wed
nesday. A number of local Congress workers assist
him with dedication. They can be seen offering cold
water to the people standing in queues, distributing.
SOCIAL i ST INDIA -
34
the tickets to the buyers for getting the commodi.
ties, entertaining them with patriotic songs during
the long wait in the queues, serving tea and snacks
to the people engaged in selling and weighing wheat
and so on. When I asked Shri Jag Parvesh the rea:
son for the success of the Bazaar he said it was mainly
due to the total integrity and dedication of his fellow
Congress workers, the laudable cooperation rendered
by the staff of various agencies and the fact that
every thing is done openly. He emphasised that the
entire cash is handled by the staff of these agencies
only.
The Bazaar so far has been visited by a number
of leading Congressmen and ministers like Shri Jag.
jivan Ram, Shri Gulzari Lal Nanda, Dr. Shankar
Dayal Sharma, Shri I. K. Gujral, Shri Brahmananda
Reddy. President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, when he
was Food Minister, had also visited the Bazaar. Each
one of them had paid glowing tributes to this unique
attempt of Shri Jag Parvesh Chandra to provide es:
sential commodities to the weaker sections of the
society at controlled rates. The fact that more than
3,00,000 people have benefited by this weekly bazaar
so far makes one think why such bazaars have not
been started in other parts of Delhi as well as in the
other states of India.
On the advice of Shri Reddy, Shri Jag Parvesh
has recently submitted a plan to the Home Minis
ter for supplying basic essential commodities to the
entire area of Delhi (excluding the rural areas) on
the pattern of his “Bazaar on Wheels”.
NEED FOR MORE
Emphasising on the need of such bazaars he said:
“The time has come when the government and the
big manufacturers should reach at least the poor peo
ple directly so that they are not exploited by the
middlemen. The middlemen not only take huge pro
fits from every customer but also exploit the basic
needs of the weaker section of the society.”
Shri Jag Parvesh Chandra, a law graduate from
Government College, Lahore, is a man of varied
background. He is actively associated with the Cong:
ress Party in Delhi since 1952, in various capacities.
Author of 39 books on Indian politics, Shri Jag
Parvesh Chandra takes active interest in various ac
tivities of his constituency in particular and Delhi in
general. From 1952 to 1956 he was member of Delhi
State Assembly and was the Chairman of Interim
Metropolitan Council of Delhi during 1966-67. Since
1972 he is the Deputy Chairman of the Delhi Metro
politan Council.
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
-
APRIL 12, 1975
EXCELLENT PROSPECTS IN THE
COMING MONTHS.
Continued from Page 2
the existing practices of the barons of finance. In
the circumstances, one must put up with the rigours
of costly credit, even if it hurts genuine industrial
expansion since as things are, tardy growth is pre
ferable to the orgies of profiteers and speculators.
A factor which partly retrieves the situation is
the bright performance of the Public Sector over a
wide front. That this sector mainly comprises heavy
industries and the industrial base on which the eco
nimic structure depends to a large extent in the long
run, lends great significance to this change.
Not that the Public Sector enterprises do not
have their black spots—they are still there in the
form of inept and totally mercenary bureaucrats who
lord over the show in certain cases. But in a large
number of the most vital and important enterprises,
the prowess of technology and dedicated industral
practices have begun to make a showing. This holds
good in such vital fields as heavy electrºcals and
electronics, steels, heavy engineering, sophisticated
machine tools and thc crucial twin planks of energy
—coal and petroleum.
The excellent performance on the coal front,
making a big uptrend in production in 1974 as well
as the bright perspective in 1975 in one of the most
difficult and brutish fields of operations must recound
to the credit of those who are at the helm in this
sector.
No less promising is the work put in by a large
team of dedicated men of the ONGC. The accom
plishments already rendered have in fact posed a far
bigger challenge in the field of oil exploration and
tapping which calls for mustering of capacities and
institutional restructuring for the tasks of 1975-76.
Going by performance, the Public Sector enter
prises as a whole have no doubt turned the corner,
but it has to be realised that they have still a long
way togo. Statistics show that of the 100 major
Public Sector concerns only about 50 have reached
the stage of capacity utilisation which is above 75 per
cent. Another 25 are close to this figure. But a
nearly one-third of the Public Sector has still to come
up in a big way. This means a great deal for the
national economy. If in steel, engineering, fertili
sers, coal and allied sectors capacity utilisation cou'd
be raised to about 80 per cent, economy could be
lifted to a new high.

ALL-TIME RECORD STEEL

PRODUCTION IN 1974-75
'The production of saleable steel
at the five integrated steel plants
in the country during 1974-75 was
an all-time record for the steel
industry. The output increased by
5.4 lakh tonnes over the previous
year. The total production in 1974
75 was 4.89 million tonnes, as com
pared to 4.35 million tonnes in the
previous year—representing an in
crease of 12.4 per cent. The in
crease in steel production by 12.4
per cent compares very favourably
with the general increase in indus
trial production of 3 to 3.5 per
cent during the period. In fact. the
record steel production in 1974-75
has contributed to raising the all
India index of industrial produc
tion.
The production of steel would
have been still higher by two lakh
tonnes but for the reduction in
Scale of operations dur’ng April,
May and partly June, 1974 in view
of the threatened railwav strike
which actually materialised in May,
1974.
Rourkela Steel Plant achieved
an all-time record production of
over eight lakh tonnes of finished
steel in 1974-75. Considering that
Rourkela is the main plant produc
ing plates and flat products, which
are in great demand, this improve
ment has helped to provide larger
quantities of these critical catego
ries of steel for industrial develop
ment.
Durgapur Steel Plant produced
5.20 lakh tonnes saleable steel as
compared to 3.77 lakh tonnes in
the previous year, showing an in
crease of 38 per cent.
CAPACITY UTILISATION
The biggest contribution to the
total steel production continues to
be from Bhilai and TISCO. In the
last six months, the operations at
Bhilai had shown a particularly
significant improvement with the
plant operating at a rate of 1.82
million tonnes of saleable steel per
annum, which is equivalent to 93
per cent of the rated capacity, the
corresponding figure for Rourkela
being 78 per cent of rated capa
city for last six months' opera
tions.
The Alloy Steels Plant at Durga
nur made an important break
During the last six
through.
months, the capacity utilisation at
the plant has been 89 per cent in
terms of ingot steel and 60 per
cent in terms of saleable steel.
The Bokaro Steel Plant, com
missioned during the last year the
Fecond converter in the Steel Melt
ing Shon and the Slabbing Mill.
The blast furnace operations have
established a high level of effi
ciency. For the last three months,
Bokaro has been working at 106
per cent of the ratio capacity.
The improvement in the levels
of efficiency and productivity achi
eved during 1974-75 has been pos
sible principally due to very close
and effective liaison with the agen
cies supplying power, coal and
railway movement and also due to
the close cooperation extended by
the workers and trade unions. Spe
cial attention was paid during tho
year to effective maintenance, sp2
cia'ly during production.
In addition to 4.89 million tºnne?
from the five integrated steel
plants production of electric arc
furnaces (mini-steel plants) was
estimated at seven lakh tonnes in
1974-75. Total production of all
categorics cf saleable steel from
all sources, including Mysore Iron
and Steel Company and Alloy
Steels Plant, Durgapur, was about
5.72 million tonnes.
The Steel Authority of India
Limited (SAIL) is confident that
overall production in 1975-76 will
substantially increase over and
above the all-time record produc
tion of 1974-75. This will ena's]^
the country to export nearly a mil
lion tonnes of pig iron and steel
products for the current financial
vear (1975-76) earning over Rs.
100 crores in foreign exchange.
SOCIALIST INDIA Posted in PSO New Delhi Registered with the Registrar of
Regd. No. D-(C)-90 On 12-4-75 (U 169) Newspapers: No. R. N. 19792.70
BAZAAR ON WHEELS IN DELHI

Top: The young and the old stand in the queue for their turn to collect wheat. Middle, left: At the wheat
delivery stall, the wheat is weighed before the customers and then handed over to avoid disputes. Mid
dle, right: Three school-going kids counting the currency notes before handing the cash to get the “tic
kets”. The entire cash operation running into thousands of rupees is handled by representatives of the
distributing agencies. Below: There is a separate queue for women and girls to avoid confusion.
(Photos: R. D. Rawal.)
 M. ANANTHASAYANAM AYYANGAR
ON THE JP AGITATION
*
ANIRUDHA GUPTA ON THE
WESTERN DEFENCE STRATEGY
IN INDIAN OCEAN
APRIL 19, 1975
30p | ºx

SIKEMESE VERDICT ON CHOGYAL

SON-ET-LUMIERE Now AT 21 APR 1975

TEEN MURTI HOUSE

PLEASE TURN TO PAGE TEN FOR DETAILED REPORT

DEMOCRACY e SOCIALISM e SECULARISM, e - NON-ALIGNMENT


Oil Economy
Saves Foreign
Exchange
Hard but necessary decision,
taken unflinchingly, helped the
country's oil economy survive the
grim energy crisis that hit the
world following the West Asian
War in October 1973.
Unprecedented developments on
the oil front had then pushed oil
prices by over 400 per cent and the
Light Arabian Marker Crude
which cost $2.59 per barrel on
January 1, 1973, had touched
$11.65 at the beginning of 1974,
placing an almost insufferable bur
den on the country's financial re
sources and putting severe strain
on its industrial and agricultural
activities.
Almost instant fiscal and, on a
selective basis, regulatory measures
to curb unessential consumption
not only ensured that the require
ments of priority sectors of the
economy were taken care of. but
also saved the country the add
fonal burden of nearly Rs. 200
crores in foreign exchange that
was bound to be spent on extra
imports of crude and petro'eum
products, had the normal growth of
demand not been arrested. As it
is, the country had to spend Rs.
1,125 crores for the restricted im
ports during 1974.
SKILFUL MANAGEMENT
It was a measure of the skilful
management of the oil economy
that the actual sales of petroleum
products were reduced to around
21.67 million tonnes against an
estimated demand of 25 million
tonnes hased on normal growth
during the past years.
In fact, the 1974 sales were less
than even the 22.34 million tonnes
consumption in 1973, giving a n2
gative growth of (–) 3 per cent
as compared to the average com
pound growth rate of about 9 per
SOCIALIST INDIA
cent for all petroleum products
during the last one decade.
Because of the steep increases
in the prices of petroleum products
and also a cutback in production
by some oil producing countries,
the immediate emphasis was on
cconomy, curbs on consumption
and meeting essential demands on
a priority basis. The objective
was to phug outflow of precious
foreign exchange without slowing
down industrial and agricultural
activities. But along wi' h restriº
tions, careful watch was kept
throughout the year on rroduct in
ventories and proper d’stribution
of products to avoid any undue
shortages.
FUFI, CONSUMPTION
Even as the energy crisis over
took the country, immediate steps
Were underway to optimise yields
from the available crude to achieve
maximum overall economy. Along
with detailed studies to obtain
highest possible yields from re
fineries, the yield patterns of vari
ous processing units themselves
were carefully examined and dove
tailed with the regional demand
pattern of products. Selective re
laxations in product specifications
were made in a manner that en
abled refineries to derive the most
economic yield of products.
As a result of these and other
specific measures, the overall yield
of middle distillates increased to
48.8 per cent in 1974 from 47.8 per
cent in 1973.
The consumption of various
fuels, particularly those used for
individual purposes was greatly re
duced. The motor spirit consump
tion was reduced by 21.5 per cent,
kerosene by 17.6 per cent, light
diesel oil by 16.5 per cent, furnace
oil by about 6.8 per cent, bitumen
by 23.2 per cent, and lubes and
greases by 22.4 per cent.
In the case of high speed diesel
oil and naphtha the consumption
increased. Increase in HSD con
sumpticn was anticipated following
measures to prevent adulteration.
The naphtha consumption in
crease was actually desired to
make this costly product available
indigenously for fertiliser produc
tion.
Surprisingly in an year of wir
tual struggle to maintain essential
supplies, the country was able to
increase its export earnings from
petroleum products by placing em.
phasis on exports of value-added
products. Apart from bunker
sales to international shipping line:
and ATF to international airlines,
about 1,24,000 tonnes of naphtha,
10,000 tonnes of bitumen, 6,000
tonnes of high octain gasoline
and 3,000 tonnes of lube base
stocks were exported for the first
time in many years. Thus the
total export earnings from these
and other products were of Rs. 91
crores during 1974 agaist Rs. 37
crores in 1973.
A difficult year is over. But suc
cess in 1974 does not mean that
there would be no growth in con
sumption ever. Therefore, judici.
ous and practical approach may be
to attempt transfer to other sour
ces of energy in a regulated man
ner, without setting out to acitieve
the impossible. Such an approach
would be valid even when India has
found increased supplies of crude
from indigenous sources.
JP AGITATORS IN BIHAR
RELEASED
The new Chief Minister of Bihar,
Shri Jagannath Mishra, has order
ed the release of all MISA detain
ees in Bihar except those against
whom there are specific charges of
violence. He ordered the release
within 24 hours of assumption of
office. Moºt of them had been ar
rested for volating the order pro.
mulgated to prevent breach of
peace during the JP agitation.
Talking to newsmen in Patna on
April 12, Shri Mishra said that
since the situation arising from the
JP agitation had become “normal."
it was no longer necessary to con
tinue to detain them. He, however,
clarified that the release order did
not apply to persons whose deten
tion had been confirmed by courts.
Dr. Mishra also promised resto:
ration of autonomy to universities
in the State. He said that an ordi
nance was proposed to be issued in
this respect soon.
APRIL 19, 1975
weekly of the INDIAN NATIONAL CoNGRESS
aerºne N i. I Wol X No 20
A pril 19, 1975

SOCIALIST Published every Oil Economy Saves Foreign Exchange

Editorial
2
3
Saturday Dr. Radhakrishnan Passes Away 4

NDR Sikkim Votes against Chogyal and

Favours Merger
Parliament : America in the Dock
5

J. M. Deb 6
Address: AICC Camp Office, 5, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Morarji Desai's Fast : A Postscript
Road, New Delhi 110001 A Correspondent 7
Phones: 383521 & 386494 ”Grams: SOCIALIST
JP and the Students' Agitation in Bihar
M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar - 8
“Son-et-Lumiere” at Teen Murti House 10
EDITORIAL BOARD
Strengthening Cooperatives for Essential
Shri CHANDRAJIT YADAV Supplies 11

(Chairman) Decolonisation of USA's Asian Empire 12

Shrimati NANDINI SATPATHY Western Defence Strategy in Indian Ocean
Shri D. P. CHATTOPADHYAYA Anirudha Gupta 13
Industrial Development in Andhra Pradesh
Attar Chand 16
Letter to the Editor " 17

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
Legal Aid to Workers -

Pawan Chaudhary 18
42 Years of Indian Air Force -

Shrimati MARAGATHAM CHANDRASEKHAR Mohan Chandra Joshi - 19

(Chairman) US Arms Supply to Pakistan
Shri I. K. GUJRAL Vidya Prakash Dutt, MP - 20
Shri RAM NIWAS MIRDHA A Chief Minister's Doctoral Thesis "
Dr. RAFIQ ZAKARIA Dr. Jitendra Kumar 23
Shri P. C. SETHI World Sanskrit Conference in Berlin
Satish Misra 24
Fifteen Years of Moscow's Friendship University
Editor: P. V. NARASIMHA RAO Prof. Vladimir Stanis 25
Executive Editor: JAG MOHAN Public Sector in Commanding Heights
Published by: V. N. MALHOTRA A Correspondent 27
Arya Samaj Centenary Celebrations 30
for and on behalf of the All-India Congress Committee IFWJ Seminar on Newspaper Economics 31
and printed at National Herald Press, Bahadur Shah World Telugu Conference
Zafar Marg, New Delhi 110001. M. V. Krishna Rao 32
Convention against Dangers of Fascism 33
P.M. Clarifies a Point 34
The views expressed by Contributors are not neces Punjab's Foodgrain Production
sarily those of SOCIALIST INDIA. O. P. Sabharwal 35

Assembly at the time of voting. The will of the

Sikkimese Versus The Chogyal
It was a week that was memorable for the
Sikkimese when the people and their elected represen
tatives overwhelmingly decided that the institution
of Chogyal should be abolished and Sikkim should
become a constituent unit of India.
On April 14, when the referendum took place,
the pink boxes in the 57 polling booths yielded 59,637
yeses as against the 1496 noes in the white boxes.
Those who voted for the abolition of the Chogyal
and full merger with India represented 97 per cent
of the voters. And, they reassuringly endorsed the
resolution passed unanimously by the Sikkim Assem
bly on April 10. Twenty-nine elected representatives
of the Sikkimese people including the lone member
of the Opposition were present in the 32-member
Sikkimese people to dispense with feudal trappings
and to live a democratic way of life had been assert
ed irrevocably.
It is admirable that in the Himalayan remote
ness of Sikkim the democratic upsurge has
been like an avalanche that the 344-year-old monar
chy has been swept away.
The referendum result was only the climax of
the events that moved at a very fast pace indeed.
The machinations of the Chogyal and his anti-people
supporters were unravelled one by one as in racy
thriller. First came the lurid details of the deep
laid plot for the mass assassination of the Sikkimese
leaders which Captain Sonam Yangda of the Sikkim
Guards had revealed after arrest. A member of
Sikkim Assembly had been stabbed some time ago.
Tº cºn came the news of the se'aure of the cache of
arms in the hot-house of the Chogyal's Palace,
Finally the discovery of the clandestine transmitter
in the Palace through which the Chogyal was in touch
with the outside world in contravention of the 1950
Treaty by which all communication facilities were
to be the sole charge of India. In the context of all
these provocative acts, the 400-strong Palace Guards
had to be disarmed and the arms had to be taken
into safe custody. Fortunately everything was done
in the nick of time and smoothly. Otherwise much
damage would have been done.
All this may read like a scenario for a coup
d'etat all the more so because of the propaganda
being done by the Chogyal's American wife now in
her homeland and the extraordinary interest that
China and Pakistan have been taking in Sikkim all
along because of its strategic importnce.
The tension that had been building up has been
diffused in the proper manner thanks to the
|
energetic efforts of the Chief Minister of Sikkim,
Kazi Lhendup Dorji and the Political Officer, Shri
Gurbachan Singh. With remarkable speed and agility,
the democratic processes were swung into action, as
a result of which Sikkim will be no more an Asso
ciate State but a full fledged constituent of the
Union of India with which historically and geograp
hically it has been attached. Now all the hurdles
which the Chogyal had been consistently putting up as
part of his “obstructive methods” have been remov
ed. The Chogyal is a free man to live the life of an
ex-Maharajah.
With the stain of feudalism removed, from now
on, serious efforts can be made in Sikkim to estab
lish an efficient administration devoted to the ser
vice of the Sikkimese people and also to accelerate
the processes of economic and social development
to be at par with the rest of India.

DR. RADHAKRISHNAN
PASSES AWAY -
Philosopher, statesman and
former President of India. Dr.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, died
at 86, at a private nursing
home in Madras in the early
hours of April-17. His son, Dr.
S. Gopal, Smt. Gopal and his
two daughters were at his
bedside when he died.
The former President was
admitted to the nursing home
in August last year following
a setback in his health. His
condition took a critical turn
on April 16 and he was put
under intensive care following
. KAZI LHENDUP DORJI
cardiac and respiratory trou
bles. His blood pressure, heart
and pulse rates were regulated
mechanically and he was put
under oxygen.
The Government of India
announced on April 17 a week
long mourning throughout the
country in honour. of Dr.
Radhakrishnan. All the Gov
ernment offices were closed for
a day (April 17) while the
flags on the Government build
ings flew at half-mast.
The Secretariat of the All
India Congress Committee re
mained closed on April 17 as a
mark of respect to the memory
of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan. The
AICC staff adopted the follow
ing condolence resolution:
“This meeting of the staff
of the All India Congress Com
mittee records its deep sense
of grief at the passing away
of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrish
nan, former President of India.
Dr. Radhakrishnan was a dis
tinguished philosopher, educa
tionist, statesman, diplomat
and an able administrator. In
the field of philosophy, he en
joyed world-wide fame and his
contribution to human thought
will continue to inspire genera
tions to come. Himself a great
teacher, he, throughout his
life, stood for the cause of tea
chers. A grateful nation cele
brates his birthday on Septem
IN DELHI
A Constitution Amendment
Bill, seeking to make Sikkim
a constituent unit of India will
be introduced in Parliament
next week. The measure was
approved by the Political Af
fairs Committee on April 16.
The Prime Minister, Smt.
Indira Gandhi, assured the
Sikkim Government delegation
led by the Chief Minister, Kazi
Lhendup Dorji, that the Gov
ernment of India would respect
the wishes of the people of
$ºkkim and a decision would be
taken by Parliament shortly.
The Kazi and his colleagues
came to New Delhi on April 16.
ber 5 as “Teachers Day” every
year. As President of India, he
discharged his functions in a
manner that, made him lovable.
He received the nation's high
est award, the Bharat Ratna.
Only last month, he was
awarded the Templeton Award.
“The country has lost a
great son in the death of Dr.
Radhakrishnan and it will be
difficult to fill the void. This
meeting once again records its
sorrow at his passing away
and conveys its heart-felt sym
pathy to the members of the
bereaved family.”
to make “a personal appeal to
the President and the Prime
Minister” (for honouring the
wishes of the people of Sikkim
as reflected in the referend
um). The Kazi told the Prime
Minister that his Government
had tried sincerely to work
with the Chogyal but the lat
ter had created “immense dif
ficulties”. It was their convic
tion that democracy could not
survive in Sikkim if the insti
tution of the Chogval was not
abolished. The Sikkim Chief
Minister also met the Minister
for External Affairs, Mr. Y. B.
Chavan.
Tentatively, April 23 has
been fixed as the date, for the
introduction of the Bill in the
Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha
will take it up soon after it re
Convenes.

80CIALIST INDIA APRIL. 19, 1975


Sikkim Votes Overwhelmingly Against
The Chogyal And Favours Merger
The people of Sikkim have over
whelmingly voted for the abolition
of the institution of Chogyal and
for full Statehood within
Indian Union. The voting in the
Statewide referendum took place
on April 14 and the counting was
done on the following day and the
result of the referendum was an
nounced the same evening.
Within minutes of the declara
tion of the result, the Sikkim Chief
Minister, Kazi Lhendup Dorji, con
veyed it to the Prime Minister,
Smt. Indira Gandhi, on the long
distance call and sought an
portunity to visit Delhi and pre
sent the result personally to her
and the President of India.
He told the Prime Minister that
the people had reaffirmed the AS
sembly resolution of April 10 with
an overwhelming majority—58,637
voting in favour and 1,486 against.
In a communication addressed
to the Prime Minister, the Kazi
urged the implementation of the
Assembly resolution of April 10
“in toto and at the earliest.”
IMPRESSIVE TURNOUT
The resolution, passed by the
Sikkim Assembly on April 10, had
said: “the institution of
Chogyal is hereby abolished
Sikkim shall henceforth be a cons
tituent unit of India.” The referen
dum had called on the Sikkamese
people to record their verdict
resolution. The referendum, the
Kazi said in his communication,
was conducted with scrupulous im
partiality under the supervision of
the Sikkimese election officers and
covered by a large number
newspaper representatives.
Kazi said that through the refe
rendum the people had confirmed
their mandate to the Assembly.
According to the newspaper re
ports, the turnout at the referen
dum, held at a short notice of
SOCIALIST INDIA
three days, was massive and “very
impressive.” Over 60 per cent of
the total of over 90,000 eligible
the voters participated. Even before
the result was announced, a large
crowd of people had gathered at
Whitehall, the venue of the count
ing. The whole town of Gangtok
was ranting with anti-Chogyal
slogans.
Addressing a press conference in
his palace on April 14, the Chogyal
reiterated some of his oft-repeated
allegations against the elected
representatives of the people and
the present administration of
Op Sikkim. He said the referendum
under the Election Commissioner
was not acceptable to him because,
he said, one of the issues involved
was the declaration of Sikkim as
a State of India and hence the
Election Commission could not be
termed as a “neutral authority.”
His more interesting charge,
however, was that he was being
kept under house arrest. But the
failed to give any reply when he
was asked how he could address a
press conference if he was under
house arrest as alleged by him.
The Chogyal also parried another
question as to whether he had
sought assistance during his re
the cent visit to Nepal (where he had
spoken against the Constitution of
and
Sikkim, his position as the consti
tutional head notwithstanding).
on PALACE INTRIGUES
The Chogyal claimed that as all
his communication lines including
his telephones had been cut off,
he had utilised “an amateur radio
set” for communicating to some
of
friends in the European countries.
The The clandestine radio set was dis
covered and seized two days br
fore the Chogyal's press confer
ence. The Government of India, it
was pointed out in New Delhi, had
considered the use of a clandestine
radio set by the Chogyal to com
5 APRIL 19, 1975
municate with his friends abroad
as affront to the 1950 treaty by
which all communication facilities
in Sikkim were to be under India’s
direct charge.
The strained relationship
ween the elected Government
bet
of
Sikkim and the Chogyal reached a
desperate stage in the first week
of April when Kazi Lehndup Dorji
informed the Prime Minister that
the Chogyal had been indulging in
unconstitutional manoeuvres and
intrigues to regain the feudal auto
cratic power.
The Kazi also charged the
Chogyal with using the palace
guards to suppress the ordinary
people of Sikkim.
“The survival of democracy in
Sikkim and its closest links with
India are inseparably linked. It is
the deepest hope of all the Sik
kimese people that our links with
the Central Government be fur
ther strengthened at the earliest
to enable Sikkim to share the
rights and responsibilities availa
ble to all other States,” the Chief
Minister had added.
In pursuance of the Chief Min
ister's urgent message, the Gov
ernment of India, through the In
dian army stationed in Sikkim, die
armed on April 9 the 400-strong
Sikim Guards and took the arms
into safe custody. The disarming
of the Guards was completed in
just 40 minutes. There was an ex
change of fire following resistance
by some Guards as a result r
which one guard was killed and
four were injured. One Indian army
man was also injured.
The disbanding of the Sikkim
Guards followed a “very unruly
and violent incident.” The ugly
incident took place on April 9
when the Sikkimese people de
monstrated against the subversive
activities of the Chogyal and his
intrigues led to the unprovoked
firing by the Sikkim Guards for
about 80 minutes.
On April 8 also, the Sikkim
Guards had resorted to the un
provoked firing when a demons
tration for the removal of the
Chogyal had taken place in Gang
tok. Immediately after the firing
- Continued on Page 24

Basutanent
AMERICA IN
THE DOCK
J. M. DEB
The six-hour debate on foreign
affairs in the Lok Sabha this week
was significant in one respect. Per
haps for the first time in Parlia
ment in recent years, there was
none in the House to say a good
word for the United States of Ame
rica. With the backdrop of Ameri
can interference in South Vietnam
and Cambodia so fresh in their
minds, the feelings of the members
were already pretty high. The re
cent US decision to lift the ten
year old embargo on arms supply
to Pakistan came as the last straw
on the camel's back.
The Foreign Minister, Shri Y. B.
Chavan, was also frank, albeit
somewhat cautious, in dealing with
the United States. He made no
secret of the Government's unhap
piness with the US policies. He
was particularly critical of the
American arms supply to Pakistan,
not because of the supply of arms
as such. What he objected to was
the policy behind supplying of
arms just to create a balance of
power in the Indian sub-continent.
He was equally amazed at the tim
ing of such action.
FOREIGN MINISTER'S VIEWS
At a time, when India was try
ing hard to normalise relations
with both Pakistan and America,
the latter, for inexplicable reasons
of its own, chose this inappropriate
time to put a spoke on the wheel
by its action, thereby demonstrat
ing once again its proverbial tilt
in favour of Pakistan. The Foreign
Minister summed up his feelings
when he remarked with a tint of
sarcasm: “There seems to be some
Sort of curse on the Americans
that wherever they go, defeat fol
lows them.”
Shri Chavan, however, did not
lose hope of good relations with
the United States in future, but
he left no one in doubt that such
good relations would depend upon
their acceptance of our national in
terests. This was no sentiment. He
made it a condition precedent to .
good Indo-American relations in
future.
Normally, the Jana Sangh, which
has a soft corner for the United
States, tries to see some good
points here and there in the Ame
rican foreign policy. But on this
occasion, even its spokesman, Shri
Madhavrao Scindia, was no less
harsh on that country. He referred
to the “annihilation of American
policy and aspirations in Vietnam
and Cambodia” and described the
“miracle man” Dr. Kissinger hav
ing been transformed into “the
man of debacle.” -
The American move, he also felt,
was most ill-timed, unbalanced and
unjustified and deserved to be de
plored and condemned.
If the Jana Sangh member could
be so tough with America, it came
as little surprise that the CPI
leader, Prof. Hiren Mukherjee,
should be more forthright in his
condemnation of the foreign policy
of that country, Like Shri Scindia,
he came on hard on the “miracle
man” of the United States.
The most notable contribution to
the debate was made by the Con
gress member, Shri Dinesh Singh.
Participating in it after about two
years, the former Foreign Minis
ter laid special stress on the im
perative need for developing what
he called an “Asian identity”. With
the battle of Asian freedom that
had begun at the turn of the cen
tury almost coming to an end, a
new Asia with all its implications
was also coming up.
There was thus the need for
changing our outlook which was
still European or Western-orient
ed. Shri Singh thought it should
be possible now to develop a sense
of “Asian identity” in the conduct
of our mutual relations and pro
ject a cooperative identity. The
image, that Shri Singh would like
India to be built for herself col
lectively with other Asian coun
tries, was that of a path-finder of
Asian and African solidarity for
mutual development — political,
economic and -social.
Shri Chavan seemed to agree
with Shri Singh. He characterised
the efforts of Asian countries to
free themselves from colonialism
as very significant. He quoted
Jawaharlal Nehru, to show that
India had recognised these great
Asian, as also African, forces and
their dream as early as 28 years
ago.
In his “tour de horizon” survey,
the Foreign Minister spoke of
India's relations with all countries.
He spoke particularly of our near
and far neighbours. He was a pic
ture of self-confidence when he
dealt with Pakistan, America and
Nepal.
FRIENDSHIP WITH ALL
In his references to Pakistan,
America and Nepal where there
were some anti-Indian demonstra
tions recently following develop
ments in Sikkim, Shri Chavan
made it clear that while India
wanted friendship with all of them,
it could be only on their accept
ance of our sensitivity on some
issues.
“The conduct of our foreign
policy”, he concluded in a measur
ed tone, “has been directed at this
objective bilaterally, regionally and
globally—the objective of building
bridges of friendship, cooperation
and understanding.
The members heaved a sigh of
relief as Shri Morarji Desai broke
his six-day old fast. They heard
the Prime Minister when she made
a brief statement explaining the
Government's point of view on
this matter, as also on the conti
nuance of the national emergency.
Quite expectedly, several Opposi
tion members remained dissatisfied
with her advocacy in favour of
continuing the emergency in the
face the external threats. But she
made it clear that the objective of
the MISA, to which the members
in the Opposition particularly ob
jected, had never been to curtail
any legitimate political activity.
On Shri Morarji's fast, she said
she never stood on prestige, nor
was there any principle involved in
it. She did feel that fasts of this
nature were unjustified and cons
tituted an irrational form of poli
tical pressure. She quoted Shri
Desai himself having expressed
similar views in the past. But the
Government was primarily con
cerned with saving the life of a
great freedom fighter, and not with
the merits of the case. “We did
not want Shri Desai to die,” Smt.
Gandhi said much to the delight
of all members, particularly the
Opposition benches.

Morarji Desai's Fast: A Postscript
What was headlined in Jana
Sangh’s “Motherland”, as the
“Start of the Second Freedom
Fight” ended not with a bang—
but with a whimper. The 79-year
old Syndicate leader, Shri Morarji
Desai sipped nimbupani, handed
over to him by Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan at about 4.30 p.m. on
Sunday and ended his seven-day
fast — within an hour of the re
ceipt of the letter from Prime Min
ister Indira Gandhi.
In the course of her letter to
Shri Desai, which was sent after
the Union Minister for Transport
and Shipping, Shri Uma Shanker
Dikshit had two meetings with
Shri Desai, Shrimati Indira
Gandhi had said: “Your life is in
danger and my colleagues and I
would not like the valuable life
of a distinguished freedom fighter
to be sacrificed. Hence after giving
anxious thought to the matter we
have decided to agree to your Sug
gestion of holding Gujarat elec
tions around June 7 . . . .”
The Prime Minister noted in her
letter that Shri Desai had “appre
ciated the compulsions of the
situation” regarding the revoking
of the emergency “in view of the
recent international trends.” The
Prime Minister had also “made it
clear” that the MISA “is not
meant to be used against legiti
mate political activities but princi
pally against anti-social and anti
national elements" However, she
assured that “the matter will be
examined by the Government in
consultation with the State Gov
ernments.”
FASTS AGAINST AND FOR
Shri Desai can have the satisfac
tion of having fasted for six days
in 1974 for the dissolution of the
Gujarat Assembly and “now ironi
cally for elections to the same
Assembly.” If the resort to fast to
achieve these ends can be consi
dered as successful, then fasting
has been made a means for naked
politicking. -
The Prime Minister had said in
her letter that “the decision to hold
SOCIALIST INDIA
A CORRESPONDENT
elections in Gujarat as soon as
possible after the monsoon was
not motivated by political conside
rations nor was there any question
of principle.”
And asking at a seminar of
Freedom Fighters within an hour
of Shri Desai ending the fast,
Shrimati Indira Gandhi reiterated
that no principles nor policy mat
ters were involved in the timing
of elections. But she added that if
the Government yielded to pres
sure every time there was a fast,
it would not be possible for it to
function.
The Prime Minister rejected out
right the charge that elections
were being postponed and election
dates were being pushed further
in the interests of the Congress
Party.
The Prime Minister reiterated in
Parliament that the Government
yielded to save Morarji Desai's
life.
MORARJI’S EGO
The Congress Party has been in
the least perturbed because of the
advancing of the date of elections.
The Congress has been all along
willing to go to the polls. A few
weeks this way or that way would
not make any difference to it vis
a-vis the hustings. Nor are the
Opposition parties going to work
any miracles. This is mere balder
dash.
It is good that a certain amount
of tension that was building up
has been defused. But the Opposi
tion leaders ranging from JP to
JB (Kripalani) had been speaking
with "frenzied voices about the
country being plunged into blood
bath and what not. This was cer
tainly not befitting the venerable
Gandhians as they claim them
selves to be.
However, we must be thankful
that JP promptly called off the
threat of “civil disobedience” to
which he had given a call on April
15.
Mature political observers in
Delhi and elsewhere felt that Shri
Desai's ego had been placated. As
7 APRIL 19, 1975
a matter of fact this ageing Syn
dicate leader for months had been
gaping with wonder that JP was
getting all the limelight on the
political arena. That is why on
March 4, even while JP was march
ing to Parliament, Shri Desai too
marched and presented a Charter
of Demands. And now with the
fast, he dominated for a brief while
the front pages of newspapers.
It looked that for a while all
roads led to the Dupleix Road re
sidence of Shri Desai. The big-wigs
of the Opposition, from Shri Biju
Patnaik to Shri Tridib Choudhury,
and from Jyotirmoy Bosu to Shri
Asoka Mehta were congregating
there. There were relay fasts in a
few places. Some minor incidents
happened as a result of all this.
A few hundred thousand words
were spread in the newspapers.
And Morarji Desai, who had at one
time waxed eloquently against the
use of fast for political purposes,
resorted to it ultimately. After all
the ego is a big factor for a man
like Morarjibhai who has believed
in contests and confrontations all
through and who has been in
shade. Now he did acquire a bit
of halo.
OM MEHTA AT IPU
SESSION
Shri Om Mehta, Union Minister
of State for Home and Parliamen
tary Affairs, and leader of the In
dian delegation to this year's
spring meeting of Inter-Parlia
mentary Union, which was held in
Colombo in early April, said that
time was now appropriate for the
United Nations to prescribe the
schedule binding on all administra
tive powers to complete the pro
cess of decolonisation and out
lawing racial discrimination, apar
theid and other forms of human
indignity.
Shri Mehta, who was speaking
in the Committee of Non-Self Go
verning Territories and Ethnic
Questions, said, “Simultaneously,
steps should be taken through
various specialised agencies of the
UN to help in restructuring so
cio-economic pattern of liberated
territories so as to sub-serve best
interests of people of these areas
and in accordance with their
wishes".

JP And The Students’
Agitation In Bihar
M. ANANTHASAYANAM AYYANGAR
This article by the former Speaker of the Lok
Sabha, who had acquired an intimate knowledge of
Bihar during his governorship of that State, reached
SOCIALIST INDIA, quite belatedly. It had been
knocking from pillar to post since the great uphold
ers of the freedom of the Press presiding over the
“Hindustan Times”, “The Times of India”, “The
Indian Express” and “The Searchlight” considered
it unsuitable for publication. For the sake of record,
it is being published here.
The mass agitation of the kind undertaken by
the students at the instance of Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan cannot but lead to violence. The police no
doubt fired and two or three persons died in Jam
shedpur but they say that violence was started by
the students. Such serious violence occurred when
I was in Bihar, when students started agitation
against the then Chief Minister, Shri Krishna Ballabh
Sahay's Ministry and some petrol shops were burnt,
a policeman was killed and a lot of damage occur
red. In spite of the best efforts, such agitation
would always end in violence. It is time for JP to
reconsider his methods and withdraw the agitation
by the students. Gandhiji put a stop to his move
ment the moment the Chauri Chaura tragedy oc
cured. It is no good looking on.
FUTURE CITIZENS
Of all persons, the students ought not to be
drawn into the arena of politics. They are the
future citizens of this country. Their discipline gets
spoiled, their studies shattered and their precious
life is wasted. Instead of advising the other poli
tical parties not to engage students to support them,
it is a pity that JP himself is using the students for
his agitation and is now threatening to reduce army
and the police also to non-cooperate with the Gov
ernment.
Corruption is not peculiar to Bihar. It is al
most evrywhere. Our old ways of life have disap
peared. We copied the Western standards of living
and Western ideals. Wealth and power are now
ruling whereas service and sacrifice were the norms
of public life in our country. The top place was
given to men like Gandhiji, Vinoba Bhave, Jayapra
kash Narayan and others, who sacrificed for the
country and the next (place) alone was given to men
of power and the third to the men of wealth. But
now wealth and power are the dominant ideals. The
ideal of spiritualism will cut at the root of all nefa
rious practices and be the real remedy for restoring
our old way of life. The present agitation will only
tackle the problem at the surface.
Complaints of corruption were levelled against
Shri K. B. Sahay when he was the Chief
Minister of Bihar several times and adjournment
SOCIALIST INDIA
motions were tabled in the Bihar Assembly. Peti
tions were also sent to the Prime Minister. Shrimati
Indira Gandhi asked Shri G. S. Pathak, who later
became the Vice-President, to examine the matter,
but Shri Sahay refused to submit the files to him
for examination stating that the Prime Minister has
no jurisdiction over him. Thereafter during Shri
Mahamaya Prasad Sinha's regime a commission was
appointed to enquire into the allegations of corrup
tion against Shri Krishna Ballabh Sahay and his
colleagues. -
The charges of corruption against the present
Ministry are not more serious than those. JP could
have easily helped at that time or intervened. There
were Hindu-Muslim riots in Ranchi when hundreds
were killed on either side both Hindus and Muslims.
I was then in Ranchi. I did not find JP taking inte
rest in that matter. Even today sub-casteism is
rampant in Bihar as in many other States. Gandhiji
won freedom by bringing about harmony between
Hindus and Muslims and by the removal of un
touchability.
CASTEISM IN POLITICS
But after we won freedom sub-casteism has
reared its head. Elections are fought on caste,
sub-caste or communal bases. There are as many
political groups as sub-communities amongst the
Hindus themselves. The Bhumihars, the Mythilis,
the Rajputs, the Kayasthas, the Yadavas, the Hari
jans and the Adivasis are in the Hindu fold itself
in Bihar and they vote for their own communities.
Even when they formed themselves into political
groups, those groups were equally divided. After
1967, when the Congress was defeated in the polls,
the Opposition consisted of several groups viz. Con
gress, S.S.P., P.S.P., Communists, Backward Classes,
Harijans and Adivasis. Even if another election
takes place today the same splinter groups either on
caste or communal bases or political bases are likely
to come up.
After the defeat of the Congress in 1967, when
it lost its majority in the Assembly, some Congress
men expected that I, as the Governor, would recom
mend the President's rule. I consulted Shrimati
Indira Gandhi on that occasion as even the Opposi
tion groups were small. But she told me plainly
that it was wrong for Congressmen to think of in
troducing the President's rule as it would be said
that, when, for the first time the Congress was de
feated aſ the polls, they did not give an opportunity
to the Opposition to form a government.
She advised me to try and induce the Opposition
groups to undertake to run the Government as the
Congress. The single largest party declined the
offer to form a Government. Thereupon all the Op
position groups joined together. I gave them an op
portunity to form a Government and they did so
under the leadership of Shri Mahamaya Prasad
Sinha. That Government was popular and was run
ning smoothly.
But one Shri Mandal formed a new party and
wanted to run the Government with the aid of the
APRIL 19, 1975

Congressmen, who had originally refused to form a
Government.
Anyway, here is a revealing instance of
Indiraji's deep desire to maintain democracy at all
costs. She could have easily asked me to recom
mend the President's rule which was also wanted by
many then. There is no good, therefore, accusing
her of becoming a dictator.
When splinter groups are formed and they do
not come to terms with one another and combine to
form a Government, the alternative becomes the
President's rule or her intervention. What is it she
could do?
JP is evidently not aware of what happened in
Andhra Pradesh. The Andhras and Telenganas
were fighting amongst themselves. The President's
rule was introduced and went on. How long can it
be continued? She wanted both parties to settle the
disputes amongst themselves and have an agreed
Government. Both sides threw the entire responsibi
lity upon her even in the matter of settlement of
the disputes. They would not tackie the problems
themselves and she was forced by all the parties
unanimously to find a solution for them. Then she
intervened at the request of the groups. She gave a
solution and help in the formation of a Govern
ment. Likewise she had to act in Bihar. There is
no guarantee that if the present Government in
Bihar is thrown out of office another stable Gov
ernment will be formed,
SINGLE PARTY RULE
Regarding the suggestion of a single party rule,
I am afraid that such a system will never work.
That will definitely lead to a dictatorship. The par
ties are so irreconciliable and each group sticks to
its own policies and programmes. Even during Shri
Mahamaya Sinha's Government every single item on
the Government's agenda for consideration by the
cabinet was discussed in the party of each group
separately before that party's minister agreed to the
resolution brought before the cabinet. In the for
mation of the ministry itself, days were spent over
the number of seats to be allotted to each political
group as each group was insistent upon having num
ber of ministers in the cabinet corresponding to its
strength in the Assembly. So long as that men
tality continues, fresh elections, will not produce
any better result.
In the Lok Sabha I tried to organise an Oppo
sition party consisting of all the groups but it failed.
During the past 25 years no good Opposition has
been formed at the Centre and even now attempts
are being made but they have proved futile. Each
political group swears by the superior efficacy of its
own principles. How, then, can a non-party Govern
ment be established? Who is that outstanding leader,
who commands that respect and unique confidence
of all the groups, castes and communities? JP had
immense opportunities to serve in this direction.
Such men are rare and are not in the political field.
All over the world such a system has never been
fruitful except in the Communist countries or in the
SOCIALIST INDIA
- l
military dictatorships. Even there, there is party
rule.
Non-party Government is impracticable and has
not been tried in any part of the world. Bihar is the
last State for such a trial to my knowledge.
With all respect to JP, I consider that the best
has been done under the circumstances by the pre
sent Government of Shrimati Indira Gandhi. She has
raised the prestige of our country to a level even
higher than her father.
We have very few friends outside our country.
At the explosion of bombs by France, the European
countries did not ascuse France nor expressed their
displeasure when bomb after bomb was exploded by
China. We started a small experiment of porducing
nuclear energy avowedly for peaceful uses 25
years ago. Now there is an uproar. Mr. Bhutto,
though a small man today, is threatening us with
an invasion and China is sitting on the wall ready
to help Bhutto. They depend upon our communa
lists and leftists,
I hope and trust that JP will deeply consider
the present situation both at home and abroad and
withdraw the students' agitation which he has en
gineered. If necessary, as in the case of Bengal, a
commission may be appointed to enquire into the
charges of corruption by ministers and public ser
vants provided however that definite charges are
made which prima facies call for an enquiry.
That is the way to solve this problem but not by
overturning the Government. There is plenty of
other work to do in that State and country at large.
Fissiparous tendencies develop into conflicts bet
ween castes and communities. Exploitation by both
lmadlords and merchants of the economic distress in
the country, the growing prices of essential commo
dities and inflation are all problems demanding the
serious attention of not only the Government but of
the public in general. The Government cannot
eradicate the evils by itself or by force or power but
these classes must be taught by propaganda by
eminent leaders like Jayaprakashji and Vinoba
Bhave and others to change their outlook and serve
the country to tide over the present economic diffi
culties.
READ
SUG|LIST
REGULARLY
APRIL 19, 1975

“Son-et-Lumiere” Now At
Teen Murti House
Teen Murti House, where Jawaharlal Nehru
lived for the last seventeen years of his life, as
India's Prime Minister, is resonant again with his
familiar voice. The agony and ecstasy of a nation's
struggle reflected through the life and work of this
man of vision, are re-enacted in vivid sound and light.
The premier of this “Son-et-Lumiere” spectacle
which the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund has
mounted at this historic spot, was held on Sunday,
April 13, 1975 in the presence of Shri Fakhruddin
Ali Ahmed, President of India, and Shrimati Indira
Gandhi, Prime Minister of India.
“Son-et-Lumiere” the “Sound and Light” spec
tacle has become a popular medium of entertain
ment and instruction in recent years. It uses historic
monuments for re-enacting the past. Such spectacles
have been mounted at the Acropolis in Greece, the
Pyramids in Egypt, Hampton Court in England,
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the Red Fort in
Delhi, Sabarmati Ashram near Ahmedabad and Shali
mar in Kashmir -
“Son-et-Lumiere” has been described as the liv
ing voice of history. Sounds come and go like phan
tom. One feels that one is a privileged spectator of
the drama of the past.
The new “Son-et-Lumiere” at New Delhi is
located in Teen Murti House. The British architect
who designed this building nearly 50 years ago,
spoke of “the imperial style of architecture” which
he hoped would last for 2,000 years. Little did he
realise then that the British Empire in India would
end soon.
The “Son-et-Lumiere” at Teen Murti House tells
the story of the movement which culminated in the
dissolution of the British Empire in India. It also
tells the life story of Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the
main architects of Indian nationalism, who was also
destined to lead independent India during the first
two formative decades and who lived in this build
ing.
HUNTING LODGE
Built on the site of a 14th century hunting lodge
of a Tughluq king of Delhi, Teen Murti House was
designed to house the Commander-in-Chief of the
British Indian Army, who ranked in the Indian
Empire next only to the Viceroy.
In 1948 it became the residence of Jawaharlal
Nehru, who was not only free India's first Prime
Minister, but one of the foremost leaders of the
struggle which had culminated in the withdrawal of
the British power from India. Nehru's own life mir
rored the head-on confrontation between nationalism
and imperialism for nearly a quarter of a century.
SOCIALIST INDIA
And his 17 years as the head of the government saw
India launched as the independent democratic re
public of India.
This “Son-et-Lumiere” evokes, besides the story
of a historic building, the career of one of the great
est men of our times, and an important epoch in the
history of India and the world.
NEHRU's voice
The spectacle opens with Nehru's words spoken
at a public meeting “if any people think of me then,
choose to think of me. I should like them to say “this
man with all his mind and heart, loved India and the
Indian people and they were indulgent to him and
gave him of their love most abundantly and extra
vagantly.’ ”
Nehru's deep bonds with the people were forged
in the early 'twenties when as a young man, he had
roamed the countyrside of Avadh and come into inti
mate contact with the peasantry. These were the
days of Gandhi's first non-violent struggle against
the British Raj. Henceforth, Nehru's own life was
idetnified with, and indeed merged in the nationalist
struggle.
Under the magic touch of the “Son-et-Lumiere"
the dramatic moments of this epic struggle are evok
ed the encounters between the rulers and the ruled.
the processions, the police beatings, the prisons.
The audience can feel the suspense, the tension,
the ecstasy and the agony of those critical years.
There are vivid impressions of Nehru's multi-faceted
personality, philosophic compassionate but unbend
ing on principles, filling the long solitudes of prison
by reading, writing, or simply watching the trees, the
flowers, the floating clouds and the waxing and the
waning of the moon.
The outbreak of the Second World War and its
aftermath are brought home to the audience. Des:
pite the common hatred of Fascism, the process of
alienation between nationalist India and Britain
grows until it explodes in the Quit India movement
of August 1942. Among the moments which the
Sound and Light spectacle strives to recapture are
those of the INA movement, the Naval mutiny in
Bombay and the Transfer of Power in 1947 when
Lord Mountbatten, the last British Viceroy of India
became the first constitutional Governor-General of
independent India and Nehru delivered his famous
“Tryst with Destiny” speech to the Constituent
Assembly on the midnight of August 14, 1947. For
Nehru this was a joyous consummation, but his
happiness was qualified by the partition of the sub
continent and its tragic sequel the flight of minori.
ties across the border, the resultant bloodshed and
bitterness and, finally, the assassination of Gandhi.
From 1948 onwards, Teen Murti House (which
became the Prime Minister's residence) was trans
formed from a bastion of imperial rule into the pivot
of the Indian Republic. The interplay of light and
sound produces a vivid sense of Nehru's presence in
Teen Murti House, working to a 17-hour-a-day sche:
Continued on Page 29
10 APRIL 19, 1975

Strengthening Cooperatives For
Essential Supplies
The Ministry of Civil Supplies is
drawing up a detailed plan for
strengthening the consumer co
operatives. It will be implemented
within the next three months. The
plan will aim at gearing up coope
ratives for distribution of essential
commodities and include opening
of new branches and retail outlets,
rehabilitation of existing consumer
cooperatives which are weak and
strengthening of apex, state and
district level organisation.
The Ministry has also asked the
State Governments and Union
Territories to frame proposals for
Central assistance under the Cen
trally sponsored scheme for deve
lopment of consumer cooperatives.
Opening of new branches and
strengthening the existing ones will
be given priority for purposes of
such assistance. Because of cons
traints on resources funds will be
allocated on the “first come, first
serve” basis.
In case of the consumer coope
SHAKE-UP IN RSS HIGH
CONMNMAND IN THE
OFFING
Meaningful changes in the Kem
driya Karyakari Mandal, the name
given to the High Command of the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,
are in the offing, according to reli
able RSS sources in Nagpur.
There is a talk about “ill-health”
of Shri Madhavrao Muley, the RSS
General Secretary, which accord
ing to the sources is a forerunner
of the impending changes in the
RSS top echelon.
Speculations about a shake-up
in the RSS have been circulating
since the present chief, Shri Bala
saheb Deoras, took over as Sar
Sanghchalak after the death of
Guru Golwalkar. Shri Deoras is
known to have distinct views on the
RSS's role in politics. The RSS has
always maintained a posture of be
ing a “cultural” organisation
though it provides the main orga:
mised force of the Jan Sangh, Shri
ratives covering the industrial and
Government workers like railways
and P and Temployees, the propo
sals for improvement and effective
assistance will be assessed in con
sultation with the State Labour
Commissioners. These will be
sent to the employing organisation
for providing financial assistance
and other facilities.
STATIONARY
The Ministry also proposes to
initiate action in coordination with
the State Education Departments
to ensure supply of exercise books
and stationary for educational pur
poses to university and college stu
dents at regulated prices. This
will involve consumer cooperatives
in the manufacture as well as dis
tribution of exercise books and
paper for educational purposes to
the maximum extent possible. New
cooperatives will be started wher
ever necessary. Arrangements will
also be made with existing well
established wholesale and Central
Deoras evidently favours a more
active political role for the RSS.
According to these sources, it is
likely that an assistant secretary
of the RSS may be asked by the
RSS chief to look after the organi
sational affairs in view of Shri
Muley's ill-health. This will help
give a new orientation to the or
ganisation as desired by the RSS
chief.
It is said that Shri Deoras has
taken sufficient time to take stock
of the present state of affairs of
the RSS. For some time, he had
to face rough weather before he
could establish rapport with the
key cadres in the organisation.
There is a strong group among the
RSS Pracharaks who have been re
sisting new tendencies and are
likely to resist change from its
present moorings.
The relation between the RSS
and the Jana Sangh has been a
subject matter of controversy in
side and outside the Jana Sangh
for long. The former Jana Sangh
President, Shri Balraj Madhok
brought this controversy to the sur.
consumer cooperatives in cities to
make supplies to students’ hostels
on preferential and concessional
terms.
The Ministry has also proposed
to the State Governments that
Since 1975 is the International
Women's Year, they should consi
der starting at least one large con
sumer cooperative store in each
State to be managed entirely by
Women. This will strengthen
women's role in supply of essential
commodities.
Effective distribution systems
through consumer cooperatives will
in the first instance be organised in
major cities having a population of
3.5 lakhs or more according to
1971 Census, all State capitals and
headquarters of Union Territories.
In addition, the State Govern
ments will also strengthen consu
mer cooperatives in areas having
concentrated population of work
ers of industrial, mining and plan
tation establishments, Government
employees and also hostels. Other
vulnerable areas as selected by the
State Governments may also be
included in the priority programme
for strengthening the consumer co
operatives.
face for the first time. This ques
tion went into the background in
the recent period particularly after
the emergence of Shri Jayaprakash
Narayan on the political scene and
Shri Deoras's public approval of
the movement of Shri Narayan.
A fillip to the controversy has
been given by yet another develop
ment. BLD's efforts to bring into
being a single “national alterna
tive” embracing all non-Commu
nist parties including the Jana
Sangh interspersed with BLD chief
Charan Singh's repeated meetings
with the RSS leader have been
'viewed with considerable appre
hension by sections of the RSS as
well as the Jana Sangh.
These sources claim that the pro
posed changes at the RSS top can
not be seen in isolation from the
controversy on political approach
inside the organisation. The pro
cess of organisational shake-up is
expected to take place at the cen
tral as well as zonal levels and the
two may be inescapably, though
not so visibly, linked with each
other,

Decolonisation Of U.S.A.’S
Asian Empire
Two weeks ago, the editorial in
SOCIALIST INDIA ended with a Kai-shek—long
significant remark by Mr. Tran
Kim Phong, the South Vietnamese
ambassador in Washington. He
was quoted as having said that “it
was fatal to be an ally of the
U.S.A.”
This view has been reaffirmed by
no less a person than Sir Robert
Thomson, M.C., D.S.O., adviser on
Vietnamese affairs to U.S. Presi
dents, Kennedy to Nixon. When
interviewed by Newsweek's Peter
Webb, Sir Robert (a consultant of
the Rand Corporation) remarked,
“The only lesson that will come
out of the Vietnam War is: “Do
not rely on the United States as
an ally.”
Warren Unna, writing about
“U.S.A.'s Diminishing East Asia
Burden”, has said: “With and
without its consent, the U.S.A. is
finding that its uncomfortable alli
ances and commitments in East
and South-East Asia suddenly are
withering away. The week-end
MARTYRS OF AMERICAN FRIENDSHIP TREATIES
A Compilation
death of Nationalist China's Chiang
anticipated but
seemingly never to happen—just
about completed the list.”
And Unna's comment on the
future of USA-Taiwan relations
was: “With Chiang dead, the U.S.
policy is bound to change and
Chiang Ching-kuo (son and suc
cessor of Chiang) is bound to be
more pragmatic.”
Regarding the Philippines, Unna
said: “But because of the height
ened Philippine nationalism, (Pre
sident Ferdinand) Marcos for good
or bad is at least steering his ship
more independently of the U.S.A.
and thereby freeing the U.S.A. of
any more embarrassing and uncom
fortable responsibility.”
A commentator in the Financial
Times recently wrote: “The asto
nishing crumbling of the bastions
in Vietnam these last two weeks is
the most poignant demonstration of
the vanity of human wishes that
fate and military incompetence
have contrived since the destruc
tion of the Athenian expedition to
Sicily.”
Continuing in this vein he has
added: “So it was for these 50,000
Americans and God knows how
many Vietnamese died. For this
200 billion dollars were poured out.
To this end, President Johnson
and his Great Society were ruined
and the summit of American poli
tics ceded to a bunch of political
thugs. So much blood, so much
treasure, so many words, so many
consciences expended for nothing—
and indeed less than nothing.”
Denzil Peiris, the foreign affairs
syecialist based at Hong Kong,
writing in The Times of India has
written the requiem to U.S.A.'s
Asian empire thus:
“The second American empire—
its first on the Asian mainland—is
coming to an end after a time span
as brief as daylight in early win
ter in the Arctic wastes.
“As the wars in Cambodia and
South Vietnam move inexorably to
the elimination of the Phnom Penh
regime and President Nguyen Van
Thieu and American defeat, the
demand is being raised in Thailand
that US troops should be with
drawn from bases there. A year
or so from now, according to the
time-table set by new Thai Prime
Continued on Page 26
APRIL 10, 1975
 –
VVestern Defence
Strategy In
Indian Ocean
ANIRUDHA GUPTA
This paper was read at the semi
nar on the “New Perspectives of
Indo-Soviet Cooperation” held in
New Delhi recently.
It has very often been suggest
ed both by foreign and Indian ob
servers that the US naval inter
ests in the Indian Ocean is of recent
origin; that it is a post-1968 deve
lopment following British with
drawal from the East of Suez.
Those who seek a rationale for US
action also argue that the Ameri
cans were not, to begin with, con
cerned with the defence and secu
rity of this region until the “incur
sion of Soviet naval vessels into
the Ocean” created an altogether
new situation for them. Accord
ingly, it was a preventive rather
than any offensive motive which
governed the US action. Thus a
1971 publication of the Washing
ton Centre for Strategic and Inter
national Studies observed:
“It is noteworthy that a major
Soviet “flag-showing visit', requir
ing a journey of nearly 25,000
miles, occurred approximately one
month after the announcement in
January 1968 that Britain would
withdraw all military forces from
the area between Aden and Singa
pore. The Soviets, in other words,
seemed to lose little time in recog
mising new opportunities.”
It is the aim of this paper to re
fute both these arguments. The
US strategy for defence of the
Indian Ocean is neither of recent
origin nor is it a mere reaction to
the so-called presence of Russian
ships in the area. It is in fact an
integral part of a scheme that was
evolved in the post-War era to im
pose Western hegemony over the
Ocean. We shall try to show, on
the basis of some unpublished re
cords, that this scheme originated
almost as soon as power was trans
ferred by the British to the Indians
/ SOCIALIST INDIA
and that its main thrust and ob
jective were linked with the parti
tion of the Indian sub-continent.
It is our contention that the for
mation of Pakistan and the over
all security device of the West in
the region are inseparably linked.
In a word, the US supply of arms
to Pakistan cannot be understood
in separation from this overall se
curity device just as it would be
too unrealistic to view US naval
build-up in the Indian Ocean with
out reference to its military in
volvements with Pakistan. Finally,
it shall be our endeavour to show
that the entire US strategy is aim
ed at preventing India from play
ing a role in this area which, both
from the point of view of its geo
graphical position and resource
potentials, is India's due.
ANTI-INDIA STRATEGY
In the private papers of Lord
Auchinleck, British India's last
Commander-in-Chief, there are
some documents which throw light
on the military implications of Bri
tish withdrawal from this sub
continent. The British feared that
their withdrawal from India would
affect British as well as Western
interests in the whole of the In
dian Ocean stretching from the
South Africa to Australia
and New Zealand. Since the Indian
sub-continent occupied a central
place in British defence the ques
tion arose as to how a scheme
could be devised which took cogni
zance of the political changes
South-Asia without, in substance,
jeopardising Western interests.
It seems that this question bo
thered the British Government
most following Prime Minister
Attlee's declaration to grant inde
pendence to India (February, 1946)
Lord Attlee as well as some of his
colleagues appeared to hold the
view that independent India could
play an active (but complement
ary) role in the post-war British
defence scheme for the Indian
Ocean. Thus, an extract of a
letter dated March 1, 1946, addres
sed by General Mayne to General
Arthur Smith and sent to Lord
Wavell. contained the vital infor
mation that Attlee was anxious “to
make it a condition, precedent to
the grant of dominion status or in
13
dependence to India, that India
should undertake to provide de
fence forces sufficient for her own
local defence and in addition
assist the Commonwealth or UN
interests, in the defence of the
South East Asia area.” In another
private message, Attlee even in
quired if a defence pact could be
signed with independent India ''
This latter became the subject
of prolonged discussion in the
meetings of the General Staff at
New Delhi. The subject became
all the more complicated since, by
May, 1946, implications of a possi
ble partition of the sub-continent
and formation of Pakistan occu
pied the minds of the top brass in
the British Indian army.
Thus, in a typed memorandum,
dated May 11, 1946, which the
C-in-C sent to the Viceroy, the
General Staff enunciated the fol
lowing assumptions: a. That India
divides into two autonomous States.
“Hindustan” and Pakistan; b. That
Pakistan may consist of two parts
...a western zone and eastern zone;
c. That the HMG in the United
Kingdom decides to leave Hin
own devices
dustan to its
and to have no more inti
mate dealings with it; d. And
that the HMG agrees to the inclu
sion of Pakistan in the British
Commonwealth having the same
Australia
status as Canada and
and “at Pakistan's request, to hand
her (British) land and air forces—
a view “which might well be taken
in by the advocates of Pakistan. In
my opinion, this view is really a
short-term one and does not take
into account the potentialities of
the future.” (From a note pre
pared by C-in-C for Mountbatten
of Burma, 24 April 1947.)
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
It was unfortunate that the
view of Attlee or Auchinleck was
discarded by the subsequent Briti
tish Governments. The short
sighted rather than the long-term
perspective guided the British
policy. By the close of 1950s, it
appears that the British also at
tempted to integrate the Com
monwealth with the military struc
tures now being constructed by the
United States. Thus, speaking on
the proposed tripartite defence
APRIL 19, 1975
treaty between the United States,
Australia and New Zealand, in the
House of Commons on April 19,
1951, the then British Foreign Sec
retary Herbert Morrison stated
that the treaty was a “valuable
contribution to the Common
wealth and the safeguarding of
the vital interests of the democra
tic countries in the whole Pacific
area. . . .”
The subsequent developments,
thus, stressed three important fea
tures of the Western alliance: 1. In
its anxiety to defend the so-called
“Free World”, America began to
spread its net of military allian
ces; 2. A progressive acceptance
of the hardline British military
view that Pakistan was capable—
or should be made capable—to
play a key role in the American
military alliance; and 3. The integ
ration of Pakistan with the West
ern alliance system. The three im
portant events of 1954 pertaining
to the Indian sub-continent i.e., US
arms aid to Pakistan, Pakis
tan's inclusion in Baghdad and
SEATO pacts, were thus a culmi
nation of a long chain of events
preceding even the formation of
Pakistan.
INDIAN ATTITUDE
What about India? It seems,
even before independence, some
Indian leaders were thinking that
India should, on its own, play an
important role in the Ocean area.
This hope was based on several
considerations: 1. The strategically
central place which India occupied
in the area: 2. The whole defence
scheme of the British from the
1920s and 1930s had assumed such
a role for India; and 3. That, be
cause of its various historical, cul
tural and political ties with the lit
toral countries, India could really
bring about a basic restructuring
of the region commensurate with
the nationalist aspirations of these
countries.
It was also thought, at the time,
that India's active role in the area
would in no way jeopardise or clash
With the vital interests of the West.
Speaking in Bombay on March
18, 1946, Nehru stated, “The Indian
Ocean region depends for its de
fence greatly on India, which is
strategically situated in the cen
tre. Thus both South-East Asia
SOCIALIST INDIA
and the Middle East defence ar
rangements will partly depend on
India.”
It was clear that this active role
for India was feasible only if it was
not subject or forced to join any
military alliance. In a broadcast
from New Delhi on September 7,
1946, Nehru asserted the intention
of a free India “as far as possible,
to keep away from the power poli
tics of groups aligned against one
another. . . .” but such an attitude
was unacceptable to the system of
alliances America constructed in
the early 1950s. -
The point that needs stressing is
that India's independent aspira
tions had already become suspect
in the eyes of America which con
sidered itself to be the successor
of “the various former imperial po
wers in the region as the military
custodian of her own and also other
Western interests.” (From an
ICWA publication, Defence and
Security in the Indian Ocean Area,
1958). - stance in a region in which India
In America's view, therefore,
India could play no role at all in
the region until she joined and ac
cepted the alliance system. When
India refused, it became necessary
not only to keep India isolated but
also to see that her potential role
in the Ocean region be drastically
curtailed. Here, we note the signi
ficance of US military aid to Paki
stan first, to integrate Pakistan
with the alliance system and, se
cond, to make Pakistan serve as
a check on India. In other words,
by a curious logic, the policy of
“the containment of Communism”
took the shape of containing India
in the region.
This was, again, nothing new.
Such a line of policy had already
been visualised by the hardliners
in the British Indian army—though
Lord Auchinleck had advised
against such a course.
It is to be noted that the various
treaties and defence pacts which
the US launched during the early
1950s still continue and that, in
effect, the basic motivations which
gave rise to these pacts and trea
ties still guide the US policies.
In sum, these motivations are 1.
Military security of the Indian
Ocean area under the aegis of Ame
rican power; 2. Containment of
14
India as a power in the region; 3.
Playing up one nation against an
other which, in the South Asian
context, resulted in Indo-Pakistan
rivalry; and 4. Opposition to the
nationalist aspirations of the peo
ple of the Indian Ocean region, in
cluding the genuine nationalist as
pirations of the people of Pakistan.
PARADOXICAL POLICY
The fact is that whereas America
has made policy adjustments to re
cognise the changed situations in
the Pacific since the early 1970s, it
has simply refused to do so in the
Indian Ocean area. The deploy
ment of US navy and the building
of Diego Garcia as a naval base,
are not a sudden development. They
have come to the fore and assumed
importance because of the very
paradox in US global policy. While
accepting the detente and readjust
ing its military involvements to
new political realities in other parts
of the world, America refuses to
abandon its post-War military
occupies a central place.
It is because of this paradox that
the US refuses to extend the logic
of detente to accommodate political
realities in the Indian Ocean area.
Its policy is dictated still by mili
tary motives; hence, also, its at
tempt to reinforce all the elements
of its military structures in the
Ocean area, including resumption
of arms to Pakistan.
In this context, we can see what
exactly is meant when India, Sri
Lanka and other Non-aligned coun
tries in the region call for making
the Ocean area a Zone of Peace.
In simple terms, it means a radical
re-ordering of the post-war mili
tary structure, superimposed on
this area by Western pacts and
American power. Secondly, it calls
for the dissolution of such military
pacts as generate tensions and con
flicts in the region. Thirdly, it sug
gests that in the changing context
of world affairs, the independent
Afro-Asian countries of the region
be allowed to devise their own se
curity, and promote their political
and economic goals free from any
outside interference or domination.
Finally, it demands the end of an
era of foreign hegemony ushered
into the Indian Ocean by Vasco da
Gama some 400 years ago.
APRIL 19, 1975
 The only thing in the
world that counts, no
matter how poor you are,
how broken you are, is
CONFIDENCE

INDIRA GANDHI

-- -

U. P. FACES THE FUTURE WITH

CONFIDENCE
u. P. l. D. 75- JG
 *—
T H E STATES
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN
ANDHRA PRADESH
The Andhra Pradesh Government plans to speed
up industrial development in the State by attracting
industrial entrepreneurs to invest in backward areas
by giving them various incentives. As such, the de
velopment of the industrial economy in Andhra Pra
desh has been taking place on a well-defined basis in
recent years—though a faster rate of growth could
have been recorded in these directions where the re
quired natural resources are available.
Andhra Pradesh abounds in fertile soils of Goda
vari and Krishna. The State is rightly considered as
the “rice-bowl” of India. Predominantly an agricul
tural State, Andhra Pradesh became an active part
ner in the “Green Revolution” much earlier than
other States in the country. During 1961-74, the
rice yield in the State was 16.2 quintals per hectare
against the all-India average of 9.8 quintals. Simi
larly the yield per hectare of groundnut in the State
was 8.3 quintals against 6.4 quintals, in the country
as a whole, that of sugarcane was 83.7 quintals
against the national average of 48.8 quintals.
In 1971, the per capita valued added by manufac
turing industry was only Rs. 18 in Andhra
Pradesh against Rs. 45 in the country as a
whole, and Rs. 120 in Maharashtra, Rs. 91 in West
Bengal and Rs. 82 in Tamil Nadu. The average daily
employment of factory workers per 1,000 population
in Andhra Pradesh in 1974 was only 7.2 against the
all-India average of 9.0 and 20.2 in Maharashtra, 18.8
in West Bengal, 16.6 in Gujarat and 12.2 in Tamil
Nadu. The per capita consumption of electricity for
industrial purposes in 1973-74 was 27.4 KWH against
the national average of 54.9 KWH.
INVESTMENT AND GROWTH
This profile of industrial backwardness is direct
ly attributable to meagre investments in industries
sector of the State. During the period 1951-74, the
State received only Rs. 138.58 crores out of Rs. 3,286
crores of central investments on industrial projects
although eight per cent of India's population lives in
Andhra Pradesh.
The Central sector investment in the State is
only nominal, and the aids to industrial sector under
the State plan have been declining steadily. During
the Second Five-Year Plan, 5.4 per cent of the State
*OCIALIST INDIA --
*-
ATTAR CHAND
Plan outlay was allocated to the industrial sector. It
was reduced to 4.3 per cent in the Third Plan, 3 per
cent in the following annual plans, and 3.5 per cent
during the Fourth Plan.
During the Fourth Plan, medium and large in
dustries manufacturing dry batteries, electric fans,
super enamelled coper wires, weighing machines,
steel forging, ball-bearings, pneumatic equipment,
synthetic paints, plast laminates, biscuits and starch
etc. registered growth.
A major fertiliser factory licenced in the Third
Plan was commissioned at Vishakhapatnam during
the period. Similarly, a new cement factory was set
up in Karimnagar District. In the Central sector, a
major heavy engineering unit for the fabrication of
chemical plant and equipment—Bharat Heavy Plates
and Vessels—has come up at Vishakhapatnam while
the units of Atomic Energy Commission and Hindus
tan Aeronautics have gone into production at Hyder
abad.
MINERAL WEALTH
Andhra Pradesh, thus achieved the basic frame
work of industrial growth. Besides, it has a sound
agricultural base and untapped natural resources by
way of mineral deposits and forest wealth. The
minerals deposits include an enormous coal reserve
of 13,000 million tonnes and adequate quantities of
other important industrial raw materials like asbes
tos, harytes, iron ore, manganese ore, mica, china
clay and limestone. With five universities, seven
engineering colleges and 19 polytechnics, Andhra
Pradesh provides enough managerial and technical
manpower to meet the needs of rapid industrialisa
tion.
In the field of industrial sector the work of the
*
Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation
Ltd. (APIDC) is laudable. The main functions of
the Corporation are: 1. Rendering financial aid to
industries by way of participation in share capital
and underwriting of new issues of shares, and
2. Direct promotion of selected industries in the pub
lic privateljoint sectors. -
As a result of the activities of the Corporation,
new investment of about Rs. 132 crores has been
10 e - - APRIL 10, 1975
generated in the State during 1967-74 contributing
to a major part of the investment in the organised
sector. This constitutes nearly 85 per cent of the
total investment in the organised sector of the State.
These projects cover a wide spectrum of industries,
ranging from plastics to pharmaceuticals, and
cement to chemicals generating direct employment
for about 12,500 persons and indirect employment for
about 38,000 persons.
FIFTH PLAN PROJECTIONS
- During the Fifth Plan, the State has set a tar
get of six per cent growth rate for the overall eco
nomy, and 12 per cent growth for the industrial sec
tor. Obviously, the ultimate shape and content of
any development plan depends largely on the aggre
gate of individual investments or project choices.
This is partly the responsibility of the APIDC. The
Corporation seems to be fully aware of this function
and has, after considerable deliberation, proposed an
investment of Rs. 25 crores sufficient to generate a
total investment of Rs. 25 crores during the Fifth
Plan. However, during the recent discussions
New Delhi with the Planning Commission, the work
ing group on medium and large-scale industries re
commended an outlay of Rs. 17.35 crores for the
schemes of the Corporation. A total investment of
about Rs. 160 crores is expected to be generated by
this seed capital from the Corporation.
Besides the Corporation through other State
agencies like the Andhra Pradesh State Financial
Corporation, Andhra Pradesh Agro-Industries Corpo
ration and Andhra Pradesh State Trading Corpora
tion, the State Government is pursuing a policy of
attracting industrial units to the State by offering
free-hold lands to industrialists willing to set up in
dustries in the State.
However, agro-industries can get better encour
agement because of the fact that despite agricultural
advancement, the State is facing shortage of modern
equipment like shellers and harvesting combines. The
State is in need of industrial development and will
welcome industrialists from other States for collabo
in ration.

(SOCIALIST INDIA is thankful JP. He said, “Did Shri Jayaprakash

LETTER TO
THE EDITOR
ABU CLARIFIES
Dear Sir,
I was out of Delhi for some
days and I have only just seen a
reference to me in your report on
the JP March to Parliament in the
issue of March 15. Your Staff
Reporter writes: “The strangest
addition to the bandwagon were
cartoonist Abu, painter M. F. Hu
sain walking barefoot and Shri
Uma Shankar Joshi, MP, the
Gujarati poet and scholar.”
It is quite extraordinary that
my name should be added as one
participating in the march. Apart
from my car getting held up on
my way to Parliament, I have had
nothing to do with the March.
My views on the JP movement
have been clearly expressed both
in Parliament and in my work as a
cartoonist and by no stretch of
imagination can I be regarded as
a sympathiser. I request you to
kindly correct the wrong impres
sion you have created among your
readers.
Your Sincerely,
ABU ABRAHAM.
Indian Express Group of News
papers, New Delhi.
April 17.
SOCIALIST INDIA
to Shri Abu Abraham, MP, for clari
fying his position vis-a-vis the JP
movement. At the time the report
was published it was presumed
that he may have been in the rally
to do sketches (he is wont to
do) for publication in the “Indian
Express” and “Everyman's” both
owned—or managed—by Shri Ram
nath Goenka. However, now Our
doubts have been cleared. And we
hasten to set right the wrong im
pression, that may have been crea
ted among our readers.-Executive
Editor).
S. S. RAY ON THE J.P.
INCIDENT IN CALCUTTA
The West Bengal Chief Minis.
ter, Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray,
has refuted the charge of some
Opposition parties that attempt
was made on JP's life during the
demonstration in front of the Uni
versity Hall in Calcutta on April 2.
In a statement in the State As
sembly on April 7 he said: “I am
taken aback that some people are
trying to raise such utterly base
less allegations.”
Giving a detailed account of the
April 2 incident, Shri Ray said that
the first meeting of teachers ad
dressed by JP passed off peace
fully without any interruptions.
Shri Ray referred to the alleged
derogatory remarks against Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi made by
17
Narayan think that the Chhatra
Parishad and Yuva Congress wor
kers would congratulate him after
such remarks against their be
loved leader. Let not Shri Narayan
forget that Smt. Indira Gandhi
was held in high esteem by the
people of West Bengal.”
He added that when JP's car
reached the University Institute
some demonstrators surrounded
his car but they were removed by
the police. What, however, sparked
off the trouble was the counter-de
monstration staged by the volun
teers of the Nava Nirman Samiti.
The Chief Minister told the
House that the Samiti volunteers
raised anti-Prime Minister slogans.
They also hurled shoes on the
crowd. He said that even as the
State Home Minister Shri Subrata
Mukherjee was trying to pacify
the crowd, Shri Samar Guha, MP,
climbed on to the bonnet of JP's
car and started delivering a speech
against the Youth Congress and the
Chhatra Parishad. This naturally
influriated the people and in the
melee that followed, Shri Guha's
shirt got torn and his spectacles
fell on the ground. The spectacles
were returned to Shri Guha by the
police officer on duty.
The Samiti volunteers then re
quested JP to address the meeting
but he refused and left under po
lice escort.
APIRIL 19, 1975

LEGAL AID TO
WORKERS
PAWAN CHAUDHARY
One of the many good things the
Government has conceived is to
provide free legal aid to workers.
The essence of such an action in a
developing country like ours can
not be better explained and empha
sised than by quoting from the
Legal Aid Committee's report. It
says:
“The rising tide of expectation
of workers may trigger anarchy
which is the enemy of peaceful re
volution; and so it is right that we
organise, through legal aid, an
active simplified and cheap adjudi
catory system and substantive
labour legislation, by feeding field
experience into the prelegislative
conveyer belt and by other means.
If we neglect the present, as Pandit
Nehru once observed, the future
will avenge itself.”
As per reports available, the Go
vernment too has been as serious
and sincere in translating the re
commendations of the Committee
as the latter in studying the pro
blem of free legal aid and then sug
gesting appropriate steps to see
that as medicare is taken care of
by the Employees State Insurance
Scheme, judicare is covered by the
legal aid programme.
Before coming to the significant
recommendations of the Commit
tee, it may be mentioned here that
the scope of free legal aid to wor
kers has not been confined to legal
aid in the matter of industrial dis
putes only. The Committee has
recommended that the legal aid
should be provided simultaneously
in problems of civil andlor criminal
nature. It is appreciable as the
working class forms a significant
part of the society. This apart, it
is the ultimate objective of the Go
vernment to provide free legal aid
to the poor in the society. There
fore, it should surely be unwise to
suggest a separate scheme for pro
viding legal aid to workers in liti
gations of nature other than in
dustrial.
SOCIALIST INDIA
The Committee has recommend
ed that a panel may be prepared
of acceptable lawyers, with each
union's freedom to choose any
lawyer for purposes of represent
ing it in legal proceedings or ad
vising it on problems arising out of
industrial disputes. The lawyers on
the panel are to be specially train
ed and made aware of social con
ditions available in the country.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Any worker certified as such by
any recognised union or labour offi
cer must be statutorily entitled to
free legal aid and advice from the
legal aid agency. The Committee,
further, has not favoured the idea
of application of “means test” in a
case where an individual worker
having no organised union seeks
legal aid. A worker would be pre
sumed not to have sufficient means
to bear the burden of litigation ex
cept where his basic wage or
salary is Rs. 500 per month or
above.
The Committee has made an
other commendable recommenda
tion, i.e. a scheme for collective or
group legal insurance as a fringe
benefit for the organised working
class. At present, there are
around 65 lakhs of workers com
ing under the umbrella of Emplo
yees' Provident Fund Scheme. If
each worker contributed only 25
paise per year, the amount to
gether with an equal sum by the
management and the State, the
Committee has felt, would build up
a sizeable fund of around Rs. 50
lakhs annually to meet the legal
expenses to render legal aid ser
vice to workers and their depen
dents. For this purpose, the Com
mittee has suggested, the Emplo
yees' State Insurance Corporation
or the Commissioner of Employees’
Provident Fund Scheme could be
entrusted with implementing the
scheme.
The eligibility of a worker or
the union for financial support for
conducting litigation, particularly
against the management, from the
funds of the industry itself is an
other ‘revolutionary' recommenda
tion. To convert the recommenda
tion into a reality, the Committee
has suggested the formation of a
litigation fund in each industry
establishment having over 100 wor
kers. Of the said fund, two-third
18
of the legal expenses of the work
ers|unions spent by the concerned
legal aid centre should be paid.
CEILING
In this connection, it would be
interesting to know that as per an
analysis conducted by the Labour
Ministry in 1960, out of 550
appeals, filed in the Supreme
Court during the period 1955-59,
as many as 421 (77 per cent) were
filed by employers, and 63 per cent
of the 286 appeals decided by the
Supreme Court were abortive.
In order to discourage dissipa
tion of resources in litigation, the
Committee has preferred to
put some ceiling on litigation ex
penses, right to appeal, confine
ment of legal aid to a selected class
workers, etc. Some penal steps to
check false and frivolous litigation
have also been suggested. For
instance, where a management is
noted to be guilt of unfair prac
tices, the cost of litigation incurred
by the management should not be
charged on the industry. Likewise
if a union or a worker is found
guilty of unfair practice, the cost
of litigation should be borne by the
union or the worker, as the case
may be.
Last but not the least, if the
Public Sector is keen as it has al
ways demonstrated to be to add
another feather in its cap, by tak
ing credit of being a model em
ployer, and becoming pioneer in a
venture of adventurous nature the
recommendations contained in the
Committee's report offer it an am
ple and vital opportunity.
READ
REGULARLY
APRIL 19, 1975

42 YEARS OF
INDIAN AIR
FORCE
MOHAN CHANDRA JOSHI
The era of the single-engined
Wapitis and Harts has come to an
end. The structure of 1933 borne
Indian Air Force has entirely been
changed. Today, the 42-year-old
Air Force is “compact force of 45
squadrons of indigenously-built
aircrafts equipped with supersonic
striking power. “Marut”, the first
indigenous aircraft, is one of them.
In the mid 'fifties the experts at
the Air Headquarters, recommend
ed an advanced aircraft which
could fulfil the needs of high alti
tude interception and ground
attack task. They also suggested
that it should be indigenous with
the design provided by Indo
German team.
In 1964, the two models of 1.02
million role aircrafts were handed
over to the Indian Air Force, and
in 1967 the first squadron was
equipped with these aircrafts
named after the mythological
spirit of thunder and tempest. The
role assigned to the “Marut” for
mation was ground attack.
The proud story of the exploits
of “Marut” during the last war
with Pakistan is now the part of
the history of Indian Air Force.
In 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, the
“Maruts”, “the spirits of lightning
and tempest” rained death and
destruction on the enemy line par
ticularly in the western region
and the Rajasthan sector.
CRFDITABLE PERFORMANCE
The “Lions” and the “Maruts”
-the most prestigious and young
est squadron—lived up to the le
Longewala, the heavily defend the Indian Air Force symbolised
ed camp Ghazi, Sundra, the Rhori the spirit of adventure, courage
Khanpur rail link, and marshalling and daring. The country felt
yards at Mirpur Khas were some proud of its achievement and per
of the places where the “Maruts” formance. He expressed the hope
covered themselves with glory. that officers and men of the IAF
But it was in Chor on December 7 must maintain the highest stand
when one of the “Maruts” encoun ards.
tered a Pakistan Air Force
F-86 Sabre. A shot burst from Smt. Gandhi, in her message,
said that the Indian Air Force had
its gun and the Sabre went down
in flames. Nine days later, once played a gallant and commendable
part in the defence of the country.
again, they engaged three MIG-19s
PAF in Combat and claimed an
other “kill” in hot combat. Wishing good luck to the offi
cers, men and civilians of the IAF
But the most daring and credit on the occasion, the Defence Min
able achievement was complete des ister Shri Swaran Singh said IAF
truction of a Pakistani directional had more than once proved its
beacon navigation aid at Naya valour and capacity in defending
Chor. the country's integrity and render
ed equally meritorious service in
The notable feature of all these relief operations during peace
operation was that no “Marut” time.
fighter bomber was shot down or
even damaged by enemy aircrafts The Chief of the Air Staff, Air
though ground fire did cause dam Chief Marshal O. P. Mehra, empha
sised the need for inter-service co
age to some. The squadron ope
ordination at all levels. He said
rating “Maruts” won eight Vir
that the commitment to the con
Chakras and Vayu Sena medals
for their role in operation. cept of joint responsibility of the
Services should be total.
PRESIDENT'S GREETINGS
The proud defenders of the sky
play a significant role in the peace
time as well mercy mission in natu
ral calamities, and keeping com REDUCTION In a §
munication with places otherwise FUEL CONSUMPTION
inaccessible. In January this year, (IN WILLION TONNES)
the Alouettes and the twin-jet MI-8
helicopters proved their worth as a
valuable component of the trans a ſtººd
port fleet of the Air Force.
The inhabitants of the quake-hit
areas of Himachal Pradesh gradu #
ally called them the “angels of
mercy”. Within a fortnight of hec
{}
tic operations, conducted under
trying conditions, the “chopper”
boys flew about 400 sorties and,
besides evacuating casualties,
transported 81 tonnes of load.
They built a strong air bridge,
which linked the earthquake-hit
areas with the plains.
t- - - vo -
On April 1, the Indian Air Force &
*4-4

5 a 3 : ;
-

=
-

3
gends linked with their names in cº- wº - *a- - -> -- *
obscrved its 42nd anniversary and or tº 3 “c ºx- cr; -
1971. Operating from air bases in on this occasion the President Shri ->
35 - *
* >
= <->
-s.
- -
V-4-

the simmering deserts of Rajas Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and the -

-
-
PS
**- vo
V-1
§:
than and flying at the deck levels, Prime Minister Smt. Indira Gandhi º s
--
5
the “Maruts” carried out about 300 felicitated the officers and men of |NNS
-

-r:

offensive air sorties during the the Indian Air Force.

Counter-air operations against Pak
stan air bases. In his message, Shri Ahmed said
w
ſ 80CIALIST INDIA 19 APRIL 19, 1975
 U.S. Arms Supply To
An Indian Response
A sense of deep disappointment has been voiced
in the Indian sub-continent over the US decision to
lift the decade-old embargo on the supply of arms
to Pakistan. Among the countries which have in no
uncertain terms expressed their grave misgivings at
this unhappy development are Afghanistan and Ban
gladesh, apart from criticism of US policy in this
regard in other countries. In India, the US decision
to resume arms supply to Pakistan has been de
nounced by policymakers, parliamentarians and the
press throughout the country.
It is my belief that the clock of history will be
put back by this imprudent US decision, one of the
most serious developments in the present decade, as
it has far-reaching implications. That Pakistan can
secure lethal weapons is not merely a question of
“gun-running” in the world; it is not a question of
an abstract discussion of who is selling arms to whom.
It is a question of arms being poured into a country
and a region from which we have had to face ten
sion and war in the last 27 years.
In fact, this development poses a threat to the
security of India. It has, therefore, become neces
Bary to analyse this event from several angles.
POWER BALANCE
My impression is that this development is the
precursor of a deliberate reversal by the United States
of what appeared to be the post-Vietnam trend in
US policies. Was this trend forced upon the US
administration by its failure to win the war in Viet
nam, by the unprecedented resistance of a determined
people and, finally, by the revulsion of American
opinion and revolt of the youth of the United States.
The American forces had to be pulled out, and the
USA had to cut its losses. This opened up the pos
sibility of withdrawal of massive US presence, in
volvement and interference in this region.
It was also hoped till recently that the US Sec
retary of State, Dr. Kissinger, might usher in a new
era, an era of cooperation and reduction of tension
in this region, after the collapse of the old balance
the USA had created through alignments with Thai
land, South Vietnam, South Korea and Taiwan. In its
place, a new balance, a US-China-Pakistan balance,
was possibly sought to be created which, it was
thought, would be more acceptable in this region.
Just about the time that the US administration was
building up this balance in Asia the Bangladesh de
velopments took place, reducing Pakistan's effective
ness for a while in it, which incensed both the USA
and China with India.
SOCIALIST INDIA
Pakistan:
Dr. VIDYA PRAKASH DUTT, M.P.
An attemt seems to be on the way to reinforce
the US-China-Pakistan equation—all the three of
them having their own separate reasons for doing
so. At the same time, Washington is discarding the
phase of limited withdrawal and embarking upon an
interventionist policy once again, a “forward policy"
in the whole of this region.
OLD DOMINO THEORY
Now that the wounds of American involvement
in Vietnam are being healed in that country, now
that memories are somewhat fading, the US policy is
switching back to the old stance—of establishing a
dominating presence in the Indian Ocean, on the
Indian sub-continent, in South East Asia and in the
entire region. -
There seems little doubt that some US policy
makers subscribe to the classical German theory of
balance of power, the main ingredient of which is
that it must be weighted in favour of the country
developing it. So, all the effort we now see from
the Cape of Good Hope, through the gulf region to
Pakistan, and on to Saigon and Pnom Penh is a part
of an attempt to create a dominating American pre
sence, of a new balance of power weighed in favour
of the United States. This is also the old domino
theory which is being resurrected, and which history
has always disproved.
At his press conference just after the announce
ment of the lifting of the embargo, Dr. Kissinger is
reported to have said in a statement that India was
getting one billion dollars worth of arms assistance
a year. He added that India is not exercising any
restraint in purchase of weapons which she is get
ting that is comparable to Pakistan.
The official American statement which was re
leased to the world justifying and announcing the
end of the American embargo of arms supply to Pak
istan, however, mentioned the figures of US $1.6
billion dollars over a ten-year period. I do not know
whether this was a distortion of facts. All the same
the US statement mentioned the purchase
of $800 million worth of military hardware by Pak
istan in this period. If that is so, what kind of a
new balance is US administration creating in this
region?
THE REAL PROBLEM
Apart from this new balance, equation and pre:
sence of the USA in south Asia, this development
will be used as a lever for continuing pressure against
APRIL 10, 1975
 India. Afghanistan, Bangladesh and other countries
of the region. Whatever may be the United States
propagandist view, the problem is not that we are not
an “independent variable” any more, as if India is a
mathematical or statistical equation. The problem is
that India is independent. In fact, the problem of the
Indo-US relations is that over the years India has
not been willing to accept that the United States
knows what is good for us.
Jawaharlal Nehru once said that our real prob
lem is not that we are weak and that we do not
count in world affairs, our real problem is that we
are big, that we count in world affairs and that we are
independent. If a survey is made of the scene of the
'fifties, our problem with the United States was that
we were not prepared to accept the US theory that
we should become enemies of China and join in the
campaign of rolling back the “tidal mud of Commun
ism”, as it was put at that time.
. Then, in the late 'sixties and early 'seventies the
United States was annoyed with us because we did
not accept whatever China was saying, as the United
States had by then made up with China. We
are not blaming the United States; they are doing
things according to their perception of what they
think their interests are. The real trouble between
India and the United States is that our perceptions
of what our respective interests were have not coin
cided, or have been different. And, if any roof were
needed, we could find it in the previous US Ambas
sador, Mr. Moynihan's telegram, which did not say
that India was becoming a “camp follower” of the
Soviet Union but bluntly posed the question whether
the United States accepted independent India's
independent foreign policy, or whether the United
States would want independent India to be “de
stabilised.”
APPROACH TOWARDS PAKISTAN
No, the question arises what our response
should be. My view is that we should have a digni
fied approach to these problems. Our policy towards
Pakistan should be of two kinds—one long-term
strategy, and the other immediate tactical one. What
are the alternatives we should place before the peo
ple of Pakistan? We might even be driven to criti
cise the Simla Accord and say that we were quite
wrong in withdrawing all our forces and in releasing
the prisoners. But what is the other alternative? Is
it only discontent, discord and confrontation for all
time to come, or should we offer them the alterna
tive of an outstretched hand of friendship?
Tactically, there is no doubt that we have to be
prepared for any eventuality; that is, we have to be
vigilant and take note of all these developments. But
strategically we must have a vision—the vision for
which we have been struggling for the last 27 years.
That India, Pakistan and Bangladesh must settle
whatever difficulties and problems arise biliterally
amongst themselves, and not through any foreign
presence and foreign interference. Unfortunately,
Pakistan has been following just the opposite policy
SOCIALIST INDIA
of trying to inject foreign influence or to obtain “good
offices” of foreign powers. Perhaps it feels insecure
in relation to such a big country but there is a differ
ence between India and Pakistan. India is nearly
ten times bigger and, therefore, artificially equating
the two can never succeed.
We have to maintain the Simla spirit, the prin
ciple of bilateral discussions and negotiations to settle
differences between India and Pakistan, and continue
to place that objective, that vision, before ourselves
and before the people of Pakistan.
COUNTERVAILING FORCES
What should be our response to the US action?
In all such situations we have to have countervailing
forces. On the one hand, nobody will deny that we
must strengthen self-reliance; that it is inner
strength which finally counts. We have met many
challenges in the last 27 years which implies that
there is inner strength in this country, that there
is confidence in the people that we will be able to
meet all eventualities.
We cannot merely go about abusing the United
States, China or, for that matter, any other country.
This is not a sensible foreign policy. Our policy has
been to maintain friendly relations with all without
surrendering the right to safeguard our interests
and we must enlarge areas of friendship with others.
Only by a judicious combination of countervailing
forces can we succeed in meeting the situation. India
is too big a country to be anybody's camp follower
and India must and will remain independent.
We should mobilise our forces, weaken the
forces hostile to us, strengthen friendships we have,
and reinforce our bonds with our neighbouring coun
tries such as Afghanistan and Bangladesh and others.
We must also mobilise all the available countervail
ing forces in the Non-aligned world. In foreign policy
there are no simple solutions, no easy answers. Ours
would have to be a prolonged struggle, may be for 10
or 15 years, during which we must mobilise our
tactical and strategic forces.
We might even find countervailing forces within
the United States, and develop a dialogue with those
forces which are aware of dangers of the present US
policy. It is only by doing all this that we can meet
the situation.
Courtesy : Indian and Foreign Review
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT -
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
31 APRIL 10, 1978
 Taſmſºns why ambas
ſaWOIAlſº ſº IND|S|| || ||N

Rich natural resouces, mineral, A number of large industrial under

agricultural and forests,waiting to takings in the Central, State & the
be exploited. Joint Sectors generating spread effect.

A stable Government with a

Comparatively more peaceful and positive approach towards -

cordial industrial relations. industrial development of the State,

A well developed infrastructure A package of incentives subsidy, -

including a string of financial 8 on project reports, supply of land,

development agencies like water 8 power at concessional
KSIIDC, KSFC, KSIC & KIADB. rates, price preference etc,

unemployed, specially to unemployed takings started in the backward

engineers and technicians under districts of Dharwar, Mysore and
special employment schemes. Raichur.

For details, please contact:

DIRECTOR OF INDUSTRIES & COMMERCE,
Karnataka State, Vidhana Veedi, Bangalore 560 001
Issued by the Director of Information & Publicity, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore 560 001
i
-

SOCIALIST INDIA 22 - ºr APRIL 19, 1975


A CHIEF NMINISTER’S
DOCTORAL THESIS
DR. JITENDRA KUMAR
POLYANDRY IN THE HIMALAYAS
DR. Y. S. Parmar
Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., Delhi
Rs. 30
Obviously Ambika Johar, a mod actress of the
Indian screen and ardent votary of female freedom
had not read Dr. Y. S. Parmar's scholarly dissertation
on polyandry in the Himalayas when she wrote in the
March 2, 1975 issue of the “Illustrated Weekly of
India: “...As you know, group marriages have
begun to be formed in Europe. But they are a century
too late! In India we used to have them ages and ages
ago. Even today—in the villages of Himachal Pra
desh—we have group marriages. Topless fashions
have also existed in India. These expressions
Indian culture are only now being copied in the West.”
Dr. Parmar (Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh)
calls the custom of polyandry as was practised in the
upper tracts of the Himachal a “tragedy", and adds:
“The tragedy is Himalayan not only literally but also
metaphorically.” He traces the causes of Himalayan
polyandry to the severe eonomic necessity of keeping
their petty portions of land unfragmented by the
poor people of the Himalayas. The rich had no need
for it. A rich man used to look down upon the cus
tom even when it was in full vogue.
A reading of Dr. Parmar's book ought to divest
oneself of the romantic view of polyandry as sanc
tified by the Mahabharata legend of Draupadi and her
five Pandava husbands (Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna,
Nakula and Sahadeva).
SOCIOLOGICAL ESSAY
Dr. Parmar discusses the practice of polyandry
among various castes and in diverse regions of the
Himalayas: the Bhats, Kanets, Kolis, Dumras and
Chanals scattered over the upper tracts of Sirmur,
Simla and Kangra hills.
Basically a sociological essay supported by facts
and figures, certain passages in the book remind one
of some distant and simple land and people—poor
but picturesque —- one may have read about in some
Elizabethan saga by a Sir Philip Sidney or perhaps
in a romantic tale of the Highlights poetised by a
Wordsworth. For example, the description of a
Second marriage in Sirmur on page 54.
Barring some minor variations, the basis of poly
andry in the Himalayas was, as a general rule, the
SOCIALIST INDIA
fraternal right to common property. Usually, the num
ber of brothers who could have a common wife was
restricted to five — perhaps this number derived its
force and social sanctity from the legend of the five
Pandava brothers and their common wife, Draupadi.
And the custom did confer a certain degree of supre
macy upon the female over the male members of the
Himalayan society as it also called forth both wordly
wisdom and human resourcefulness. For example, her
tact and distributive justice in bestowing her sexual
favours equally among all the brothers and her willing
decision to ask the brothers to acquire an extra wife
when she felt she alone could not adequately perform
the household duties and other chores!
The socio-economic pivot which sustained a smooth
operation of polyandry in the Himalayan society was
a custom called reet. Reet was a financial considera
tion originally paid to the parents of a girl who was
sought to be made and taken as wife by a group of
intending husbands. This custom gave the wife an
upper hand over her husbands. She could leave them
any time she wanted and marry again some other man
(and his brothers). All that was needed to make the
new arrangement receive its social and moral accept
ance was to return the amount of money and other
consideration to her former husband(s).
of
THE “REET" CUSTOM
Perhaps all social customs and moral codes have
only a limited contextual validity. The custom of
reet finally gave way to degeneration and as the
means of communications with the Hindu society in
the plains increased, the mountain people found the
customs of reet socially untenable. Economic oppor
tunities for the hill people increased and the poor
people found it possible to marry a woman and keep
her to their individual selves. Polyandry is a thing of
the past in the Himalayas now and monogamy has
taken its place in most parts.
Dr. Y. S. Parmar has written a remarkably
readable book. It is a scholarly book without scholarly
pretensions. It has a brief but useful index but re
grettably, it has no bibliography. The author men
tions having consulted some rare books from the
Baroda State Library and a list of references would
have been a help to other scholars of the subject.
A point which the present reviewer would not
like to miss is the belated publication of Dr. Parmar's
doctoral thesis on polyandry in the Himalayas. It
raises the question of motivation on the part of pub
lishers. Why did it take a full generation and more
for this interesting and illuminating work to come
to print? Perhaps, being a scholar is not enough;
To be accepted and sought after by an established
published one has to be a VIP Dr. Parmar's book
would have been of more than academic interest had
some rightly motivated publisher thought of bring
ing it out just when it was freshly written in 1944
to earn for the author a doctorate.
APRIL 19, 197;

World Sanskrit Conference
In Berlin
-
SATISH MISRA
Formerly of the Jawaharlal Nehru University,
Shri Satish Mishra is now engaged on a doctoral thesis
on Indo-GDR relations at the Humboldt University,
Berlin.
The International Sanskrit Conference held in
GDR from March 19-21 marked 150 years of Sans
krit studies at the Humboldt University, Berlin. The
conference was attended by scholars and Indologists
from many countries. The papers read at the con
ference showed keen interest taken in Indian studies
by Socialist countries.
The conference, organised by the Institute of
Asian Studies, was also attended by Indian scholars.
On the opening day Professor W. Morgenroth in his
paper traced the history of 150 years of Indology at
the Humboldt University. It was interesting to see
how the progressive traditions of Sanskrit studies
were maintained even during the difficult times of
Nazi oppression. The conference was also organised
to honour the memories of the famous Indologists
of Humboldt University. Herr Franz Bopp and Herr
Albrecht Weber. These two scholars developed Indo
logy on humanistic and progressive traditions, which
are being carried and nurtured by the scholars of
German Democratic Republic.
In the year 1825, Franz Bopp was called, for the
first time, to start the Department of Sanskrit at the
Humboldt University. In the beginning Bopp was
busy with Sanskrit linguistics. Under the able guid
ance of Bopp, the German-Latin dictionary was
brought out. During these difficult times, the Maha
bharata was also introduced to the German people by
the scholars of the University. In the middle of the
19th century, Albrecht Weber, who had already be
come famous through his translations of the Yajur
veda, joined the Humboldt University. Under the
influence of Weber, active interest was taken to in
troduce to the world the forgotten Indian treasures,
of Buddhist and Brahmanic literature.
KEEN INTEREST
The conference was attended by the scholars of
Soviet Union, Poland, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and
other Socialist countries. It was remarkable to note
the approach of Socialist scholars towards the
Indian stuides. They are busy not only in interpreting
the past, but they are also showing active interest in
modern Indian subjects and literature. Professor
Morgenroth along with other Socialist scholars main
tained that for them India is not the history of the
SOCIALIST INI) IA
occupation and plundering, but is basically the his
tory of its literatures. A number of papers present
ed at the conference dealt with the theme “Sanskrit
and its impact on the modern Indian languages.”
They also discussed at length the problem of the
development of the modern Indian languages. The
consensus among the participants was that Sanskrit
should be exploited in such a manner as it could
serve as a progressive factor rather than a retarding
factor.
After Albrecht Weber, it was Richard Pischel,
who carried on the work done by earlier progressive
Indologists. Pischel came to Berlin in 1902, and
under his guidance “Tocharlogie” was established.
Before Pischel came to Berlin, he had already risen
to eminence owing to his interpretations of the
Rigveda. Pischel also traced the impact of Greek
culture on Indian philosophy. He did not only con
centrate on the old Indian culture and philosophy,
but also interpreted the middle centuries. Pischel's
early death in 1908 did not allow him to complete his
mission. Pischel died in India, where he was giving
lectures at important centres on medieval India.
During the conference the famous drama of
Kalidas “Beautiful Malavika and the “King . Agni
mitra” (“Malavikagmmitram”) was also staged for
a select audience. It was a treat to watch the pro
duction. The drama was translated by Weber and
was staged by the Theatre of the city Plauen to
mark the occasion of the Sanskrit conference. The
participants were also invited to a painting exhibition
of Erich Muller, whose paintings are the reflections
of his passion for India. The painter Muller paint
ed India with his keen eyes. Two young Indian
artists with classical Indian music gave a treat to the
audience.
CONCEPT OF PURUSHARTHA
Dr. M. C. Byrski of the Warsaw University, Poland,
read a paper on Purushartha. He was of the opinion
that the concept of Purushartha is applicable even to
the modern times. It was a delight to hear his views
on this old Indian concept. Professor R. N. Dande
kar of the Poona University presented his paper
“Samvadasukta in the Atharvaveda”. Dr. R. K.
Sahay, Guest Professor of the Humboldt University,
read a paper on “Sanskrit Poetics and Hindi Criti
cism”. He traced how Hindi has enriched itself from
Sanskrit poetics. Professor Chelishev of Soviet Union
presented the paper “Modern Hindi and Traditions”.
He was of the opinion that Hindi should not be deve
loped on conservative traditions of Sanskrit, but on
the progressive patterns. Professor R. S. Sharma of
Delhi presented his paper on the peasant society in
pre-Vedic times. His paper aroused a lot of inter
est, It was discussed at length.
The conference was divided into two main sec
tions of language, history and culture. Professor
R. K. Sharma of the Darbhanga Sanskrit University
read his paper on the concept of Panini's Grammar.
Continued on Page 26
24 APRIL 19, 1975

Fifteen Years Of Moscow’s
Friendship University
Prof. VLADIMIR STANIS
Rector, Patrice Lumumba Friendship University
Every year, Moscow cordially welcomes thou
sands of young men and women from different coun
tries of the world who want to have their education
in the USSR. Beginning mid-fifties, the
USSR has been giving large-scale assistance to the
developing countries in training their specialists. Feb
ruary 1960 became an important milestone in the
training of specialists for Asia, Africa and Latin
America, when the Soviet
Government decided to
open the Friendship University in Moscow.
Its sponsors were the Soviet Afro-Asian solidarity
Committee, the Union of Soviet Societies for Friend
ship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries
and the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions.
In 1961, in memory of the outstanding leader of the
national-liberation movement in Africa, the Friendship
University was named after Patrice Lumumba.
During the 15 years of its existence, our univer
sity has trained nearly 5,600 specialists for 90 coun
tries, including 297 for India. Sixty per cent of the
graduates are engineers, doctors or agronomists.
SPECIALISATION
On returning home, most of these graduates
continue to maintain contacts with their teachers
whose advice they seek on practical and scientific
work. Here is what S. B. Sadhu, who graduated
from the engineering faculty in 1966, says in a letter
he wrote in Russian: “I graduated from the univer
sity in 1966, and since then I have been working
as a designer at the Heavy Machine-Building Plant
(HMBP) at Ranchi. During my work here, I have
come to realise how valuable and thorough was the
knowledge J had acquired at the Friendship Univer
sity in machine-tool making.”
More than 1,000 teachers, some of them most
outstanding in their fields, conduct scientific and
pedagogical work at our university. Some of the
works by our professors and teachers have been re
gistered as discoveries and have won State Prizes
of the USSR and other awards. In the first year of
the university, in the autumn of 1960, there were
along with 539 Soviet students—an equal number of
young people from 59 countries of Asia, Africa and
Latin America. Ahmed Murad Taki, a 22-year-old
young man from Sierra Leone, was the fortunate one
to receive the student's card No. I. After graduating
from the university. Ahmed Marad Taki is now work
ing as a doctor in his homeland.
Each year, the university's admission committee
SOCIALIST INDIA
receives about 6,000 applications through public or
ganisations and governmental institutions and direct
ly from young people in Asia, Africa and Latin Ame
rica, as well as through Soviet missions in these
countries.
The commission selects 700 candidates from
among those who have completed secondary educa
tion. In Moscow, they have to appear for the en
trance examinations at which they can answer ques
tions in the language in which they are fully con
versant. On passing these examinations, they are
enrolled at the one-year preparatory faculty. During
this period, they study Russian and undergo a course
in general education.
On the successful completion of their course at the
preparatory faculty, they are admitted to one of the
six main faculties: engineering, physico-mathematical
and natural sciences, medical, agricultural, historical
philological, economics and law. Depending on their
chosen field of specialisation, education lasts from
four to six years. Lectures, seminars, practical les
sons in the laboratories, in clinics and at industrial
and agricultural enterprises form part of the curricu
lum. Apart from well-equipped lecture-halls, the
univrsity has several linguaphone rooms and a com
puter centre. New TV is also being introduced as
an instructional medium.
In preparing the curricula, proper attention is
paid to socio-economic, scientific and technical prob
lems of the develpment countries. Subjects like tropi
cal medicine, industrial and civil engineering in
tropical countries, the cultivation of agricultural
crops and the development of livestock breeding in
topical and subtropical zones are being taught.
The curricula of social sciences include Economics,
History and Law. Besides these, other projects pre
pared by the students are also connected with the
solution of topical problems of Asian, African and
Latin American countries. Experience shows that the
newly independent states require cadres of broad
specialisation. Students of the medical faculty, for
example, study the organisation of public health. The
graduates of the agricultural faculty, apart from
specialising in Agronomy, acquire knowledge in the
field of zoo technology and the economy and mecha
nisation of agriculture.
RESEARCH
The departments of the university conduct their
scientific research in climatic conditions close to those
in Asian, African and Latin American countries. The
results of the , research are used by instructors in
their teaching work. In training a specialist, the
Soviet higher school shows great concern for the for
mation of his personality. The university's activity
is permeated with ideas of internationalism and the
struggle against racial and national oppression. The
young people from 90 countries who study here live
as a single international collective and have their
own organs of self-government.
The students of each nationality form their own
Continued on Page 26
APRIL 10, 1975
MOSCOW'S FRIENDSHIP UNIVERSITY BERLIN SANSKRIT CONFERENCE - -

Continued from Page 25 Continued from Page 24

association. At present, there are 79 such associa
tions. The biggest is the Indian one, which unites
262 students. The solidarity meeting held on the
campus in support of the peoples' struggles for free
dom and national independence, evoke warm response
and active support of all the students. Foreign dele
gations, which visit the university, are always wel
comed by the students. They take them around, and
tell them about their life and studies.
There are many talented youngsters among our
students. The budding artists among them attend
a studio in the evening, while singers, dancers and
musicians rehearse in the student club. The Central
TV includes performances of the university's ama
teur art companies in its programmes. These con
certs acquaint Soviet people with the indigenous art
of the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America and
serve the strengthening of friendship among nations.
During annual holidays, some students return home;
others either tour the USSR or enjoy their rest in
the university's Holiday Homes on the Black Sea
Coast and in Moldavia. All this is free of charge.
DECOLONISATION OF
U.S. EMPIRE
He stressed in his paper that even today Sanskrit
serves a useful purpose in the solution of some of
the difficult problems of Hindi grammar.
A book exhibition was also organised on this
occasion. The exhibition was divided into three
periods: First, from early times to 1918; Second,
from 1918 to 1945; Third, from 1945 to present times.
A total of 178 books were displayed in the exhibition
The exhibition, held in the University library, show
ed the interest taken by the German Scholars in in
terpreting, the Indian past.
The International Sanskrit Conference in GDR
was a firm proof of the interest taken by the GDR
scholars in Sanskrit studies. Indology is being deve
loped on progressive traditions in GDR in the light
of modern thinking. After the establishment of the
first Socialist German State on the German soil, the
proper conditions have been created to carry ahead
the progressive traditions of German Indologists in
the present times.

Continued from Page 12

Minister, Mr. Kukrit Pramoj, Ame SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND.....
rican troops will be out.
“The US intervention in South
Vietnam began with both open and You may not know the hidden talents in you unless you
surreptitious violations of the try to bring them to the surface.
spirit of the Geneva accord, which
forbade the presence of foreign The virtues that you cultivate, the education that you ac
troops in Indo-China. It ends in a
quire and the experience that you gain, are your best assets
murky atmosphere of presidential
prevarication, distortion of the that can infuse in you are confidence to stand on your own.
truth and administrative subter
fuge.” Thus, you will find that self-help is the best help and it
As a footnote, the following
comment by P. L. Bhandari, for
never fails. We at Syndicate Bank are ever anxious to help
merly of the Indian Foreign Ser you help yourself.
vice should be apposite:
“Whatever the State Depart Be it during your education or when you want to set up
ment may say about the collapse
of their propped-up dependencies your own enterprise, we will be glad to lend you a helping hand
in South Vietnam and Cambodia—
-
and the failure of the Secretary's to set you on your own. In fact at every stage of your life
shuttle diplomacy between the Syndicate Bank can be your trusted friend.
Arab States and Israel—no euphe
misms can disguise the plain fact
that Mr. Kissinger has come a
cropper. What price now for the
Nobel Prize hé so proudly accept
ed in 1973 for negotiating the
syNDICATE BANK
—50 years of progressive banking
mythical peace treaty in Vietnam.”
Already President Lon Nol has de
Head Office:
serted his sinking ship and it is
only a matter of time before Presi Manipal (Karnataka State)
dent Nguyen Van Thieu also K. K. PAI
seeks refuge in safer waters. The Chairman & Managing Director
miracle man in whom so many had /
reposed their trust has proved to
be no more than an idol with feet
of clay.”
 --
* ... . .
;
.*

THE
- ( ) isits OF
PUBLIC 25 TOP CORPORATE GANTS
PUBLIC t PRIVATE SECTORS
(1973-74)
SECTOR

IN

CONMNMANDING
§co §co
§ºrs

HEIGHTS

OVER

PRIVATE

SECTOR
i . ; ;
ii t i i i
A Correspondent \: ſºns] L

The Public Sector achieved an impressive record
of assets expansion of 22.0 per cent in 1973-74 against
12.0 per cent in 1972-73 and 7.4 per cent in 1971-72,
according to a study conducted by the “Economic
Times” Research Bureau (ETRB).
Large corporations in the private sector also
showed a marked improvement in their assets expan
sion during 1973-74. A detailed account of the assets
expansion by the private sector was published in the
last week's issue of SOCIALIST INDIA.
In the overall rating of Indian corporations, the
Public Sector continued to dominate, taking the top
ten positions. The biggest private sector giant, Tata
Steel, ranked only 11th in the overall rating. In
the previous year the company had ranked 10th.
A major factor that has influenced expansion of
SOCIALIST INDIA
assets of the large industrial corporations has been the
faster growth of inventories. In other words, a higher
rate of inventory accumulation of 14.5 per cent pushed
up the expansion in total assets to 11.4 per cent in
1973-74 though the rate of growth in productive capi
tal was only 10 per cent. Relatively large inventory
accumulation was noticed in Texmaco, Indian Tube,
Motor Industries, S.I. Viscose, Straw Products,
Greaves Cotton, Shree Ambica, Engineering Construc
tion and Larsen and Toubro.
Among the 101 top corporations in India, com
prising private sector and Government companies, as
many as 41 are in the Public Sector. These 41 com
. panies account for more than 68 per cent of the total
assets and 58 per cent of sales. Sixty public limited
companies in the pirvate corporate sector ac
count for the rest.
27 APRIL 19, 1975
 Hindustan Steel with total assets of Rs. 1,021.3
crores continues to be the unchallenged leader of
the Indian corporate scene followed by Food Cor
poration, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Indian Oil Cor
poration, Fertiliser Corporation, Hindustan Auronau
tics, Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Shipping Cor
poration of India, National Coal Development Corpo
ration and Heavy Engineering Corporation (all in the
Public Sector).
THE TOP TEN
The biggest giant in the private corporate sector,
Tata Steel, is small when compared to the top corpo
rate sector, Hindustan Steel, which is four times larg
er than Tata Steel. Further, the biggest private sec
tor leader, Tata Steel, finds only the 11th place in
the combined ranking of the 101 large corporations
in India.
Indian giants, no doubt, are giants only in the
Indian context, but they look puny when compared
to the multinationals. Indian Oil Corporation and
Hindustan Steel which are relatively larger in terms
of sales turnover rank only 186th and 225th in the
non-US industrial companies of the world. When the
combined ranking is made with US and non-US giants,
only two Indian leaders, Hindustan Steel and Indian
Oil Corporation occupy the 473rd and 391st ranks
respectively in terms of sales turnover among the
top 500 giants of the world.
MINI INDUSTRIAL GIANTS
Mini industrial giants (next 100 companies so
described in the ETRB study) in the private corporate
sector outshined large industrial corporations in per
formance during 1973-74. The volume of trading as
revealed by the business activity of mini giants was
a shade better than that of large corporations.
Investment in industrial undertakings in Public
Sector being relatively large, there were only 18 un
dertakings in the second and extended list of 100
mini corporations as against 41 corporations in the
first list.
Also there were only four Public Sector under
takings among the first ten in the second list while all
the top ten belonged to the Public Sector in the first
list. -
In terms of ratings according to total assets, the
first place in the second list goes to Projects and
Equipment Corporation of India, a Public Sector unit,
followed by Madura Mills, Hindustan Cables, Singa
reni Collieries, Motor Industries, and S.I. Shipping in
that order.
In the over-all listing of 100 mini giants (ranks
102 to 201), there were 18 Government companies,
eighty public limited companies in the private corpo
rate Sector and two private limited companies in the
private sector,
In terms of combined performance, the total assets
of 100 mini giants at Rs. 1,287 crores in 1973-74 ex
panded by 11.3 per cent which was only a shade lower
SOCIALIST INDIA
than that of large giants. Rate of growth in terms
of sales, pretax profits worked out at 11.8 per cent,
39.9 per cent and 48.7 per cent respectively for the
100 mini giants as compared with only 7.4 per cent,
16.7 per cent and 11.8 per cent for the large corpo
rations. -
PROFITABILITY RATES
All the profitability rates for 200 large industrial
corporations in the private corporate sector showed
an increase in 1973-74. While the gross return on
capital employed was higher at 10.9 per cent as com
pared with 10.4 per cent in preceding year, the gross
return on sales and net return on owned funds im
proved from 10.4 per cent to 11.3 per cent and from
9.8 per cent to 10.9 per cent respectively. An over
all ranking of these 200 large corporations based on
their combined performance reveal that the top 20
performance rankers belonged to textiles, shipping
and chemical industries.
The available information on Public Sector per
formance shows that the overall profits of 89 running
industrial undertakings improved by 718 per cent to
Rs. 141.5 crores in 1973-74 from Rs. 17.3 crores in
1972-73.
In terms of profit the performance of Public Sec
tor as a whole was commendable during 1973-74.
Major Public Sector corporations which recorded
sizeable improvement in profits in 1973-74 were Hin
dustan Aeronautics, Minerals and Metals Trading Cor
poration, Hindustan Machine Tools, Bharat Heavy
Electricals, Fertiliser Corporation of India, Oil and
Natural Gas Commission and Shipping Corporation
of India.
In terms of total funds employed, over-all return
in Public Sector continued to be lower than for in
the private sector. In fact, a larger number of Public
Sector units with heavy initial investment have been
more capital intensive. The improvement to profits
of many of these units, thus, reflects the better ope
rating results in 1973-74.
BE IT KERALA OR KASHMIR
ASSAM OR GUIARAT
THIS IS MY COUNTRY
APRIL 19, 1975
 SON-ET-LUMIERE AT TEEN MURTI
Continued from Page 10
dule, functioning as the leader of the democratic
parliamentary system, planning schools, colleges,
hospitals, national laboratories, hydro-electric pro
jects, factories.
The scene then shifts from the national to the
international stage, where Nehru endeavoured to act
as a bridge between antagonistic ideologies and power
blocs, commending to the nations of the world co
existence instead of co-extinction.
The final and moving scenes in the “Son-et
Lumiere” recall the fateful twenty-seventh of May,
1964, when Nehru passed away, and the audience
hears the memorable words of his ‘will and testa
ment’.
: The Sound and Light specteale at Teen Murti
*
-
House is a gift from the Jawaharlal Nehru Memo
s
º
rial Fund to the Nehru Memorial Museum and Lib
rary Hindi (7-30 p.m.) and English (9 p.m.) versions
are of an hour's duration each. The shows are held
every day after sunset, except during the rainy sea
Son (mid-July to mid-September). The entrance
fees Rs. 3 and Re. 1.
This Sound and Light programme based on
script by Shri Ali Sardar Jafri was produced by the
Nehru Memorial Fund under the direction of Shri E.
Alkazi, Director, National School of Drama. Shri
D. P. Dutta has provided the sound effects and Shri
Tapas Sen, the well-known lighting specialist has
orchestrated the light effects. Vanraj Bhatia has
scored special music.
Extracts from Nehru's speeches are used in both
Hindi and English versions. Some are reproduced in
his own voice.
The voices used in the commentary are those of
Partap Sharma, Gerson de Cunha, Sam Berkeley Hill,
James Hardman and E. Alkazi (English), Om Shiv
puri, Sudha Shivpuri, Gulshan Kapoor and Brij
Bhushan Sharma (Hindi).
Philips India Ltd. and N. V. Philips, Holland
have executed the complicated technical design as
well as provided the equipment ranging from a 4
track tape deck to a Numerical Control Unit, 167
light circuits to 18 km of cables 1,000 light fittings
to an amplifier rack with nine amplifiers, sound
columns and relays.

PREPARATIONS FOR tions to theState Assembly The following are the names of
GUJARAT ELECTIONS started in New Delhi on April 15 the PCC (Ad Hoc) representatives
when the President of the Gujarat and the DCCs assigned to them
º Pradesh Congress Ad Hoc Com within brackets:
The Union Home Ministry has mittee Shri M. S. Solanki and its
Written to the Chief Election General Secretary, Shri Prabodh Sarvashri Gordhanbhai S. Patel
Commissioner to make arrange Rawal, met the senior Congress and Dinkar Desai (Rajkot City
ments for holding elections to the leaders.
and District Congress Committee),
º Gujarat Legislative Assembly in Jaisukhlal Hathi (Ahmedabad
the first week of June. This is in Before leaving for Delhi, Shri
Solanki told reporters at Ahmeda City), Smt. Kokilaben Vyas
pursuance of the assurance given (Gandhinagar), Ibrahim Kalaniya,
by the Prime Minister, Smt.
bad that efforts would be made
to give adequate representations Harisinh Mahida and Lalitchandra
Indira Gandhi, to the Syndicate Patel (Mehsana), Ghanshyambhai
to women, Adivasis and the
leader, Shri Morarji Desai, to Oza and Narsinh Makwana
hold elections in early June. minorities by selecting at least
one candidate each from among (Sabarkantha), Jashwant Mehta
At Gandhinagar, capital of them in each district. (Kaira and Nadiad), Dr. Thakore
Gujarat, the staff of the Chief bhai Patel (Banaskantha), Sanat
Election Officer have started mov The Gujarat PCC (Ad Hoc) has Mehta and Amarsinh Chaudhari
ing for obtaining ballot papers taken various steps to reactivate (Panchmahal), Manubhai Shah
and engaging men and material and strengthen the District (Baroda City and District),
and accommodation for setting up Congress Committees. Soon after Vijayakumar Trivedi (Broach
polling booths. the Ad Hoc PCC was announced, City and District), Chhabildas
The last elections to the State its office-bearers met at Ahmeda Mehta and Gangaram Rawal
Assembly were held in March, bad and decided to depute one or (Kutch), Prabodh Rawal and
1972 when the Congress swept two senior Party leaders in each Maganbhai Barot (Surendra
the poll capturing 140 out of the district for stock-taking and nagar), Kantilal Ghia and
total 168 seats. Of the remaining submit their recommendations on Yogendra Makwana (Jamnagar
seats, the Syndicate won 16, Jana how best the District units could City and District), Natwarlal
* 3, CPI 1 and Independents be energised. -
Shah and Shankerlal Guru (Juna
garh City, District and Porbandar),
WORK ALREADY DONE
By the time the Assembly was Manoharsinh Jadeia and Kum.
dissolved on March 15, 1974, all The representatives met, under Kumudben Joshi (Bhavnagar City
the 28 Opposition members ex the guidance of the GPCC (Ad and District), Manubhai Palkhi
cept one independent from Panch Hoc) President, Shri Solanki, the wala (Amreli), Jhinabhai Darjee
mahal district, and as many as DCC office-bearers and workers at and Balkrisna Shukla (Ahmeda
68 Congress members had resign the various District headquarters bad District), Ratubhai Adani and
ed their membership. and submitted last month their Nanoobhai Trivedi (Surat City
Meanwhile, the consultations recommendations to the PCC (ad and District) and Bhairavadan
for selecting the Congress candi Hoc). Their recommendations Gadhavi and Chandulal Lakhani
dates for the forthcoming elec were being examined, (Bulsar and Dung).
 sought to get a better deal for
women through abolition of

Arya Samaj Centenary Celebrations “satti”, the “purdah”

child marriage, polygamy
system,
and
introduction of female education
Functions were held all over followed would lead to much and widow remarriage.
the country on April 12 to mark happiness and prosperity. In the field of education, Swami
the centenary of Arya Samaj. The External Affairs Minister, Dayanand set up a chain of
Addressing a meeting in New Shri Y. B. Chavan, described
“gurukuls”, DAV schools and
Delhi, the Union Agriculture Swami Dayanand Saraswati as “a colleges, and “Kanya Vidyalayas"
Minister, Shri Jagjivan Ram, man of great vision”. He praised to counter the alien British sys
paid tributes to the founder of him for espousing the cause of tem of education.
Arya Samaj, Swami Dayanand the weak and downtrodden.
It was in 1875 that Swami
Saraswati. He praised the basic
In Jammu, the Chief Minister Dayanand founded the Arya
tenets of Arya Samaj and stress
of Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Samaj to rejuvenate the decadent
ed its relevance to the present
Abdullah said that the Arya Hindu society. The Samaj was
day society.
Samaj should rededicate itself to not to be confined to any group
The Union Minister for Infor the teachings of Swami Dayanand. or sect, caste or community, but
mation and Broadcasting, Shri I. was of consmopolitan nature. Its
DAYANAND SARASWATI motto was Krinvanto Vishwamar
K. Gujral, recalled his personal
association with Arya Samaj and Swami Dayanand Saraswati, the yam (“May you make the whole
emphasised the Samaj's role in founder of Arya Samaj, was the universe full of the noble and the
the country's freedom struggle. product of the nineteenth century righteous.”)
He also referred to its efforts in revolutionary upsurge in the
country. He, more than anybody In the past 100 years, the
spreading education and improv
else, contributed to the “liberali Arya Samaj has established a
ing the lot of the weaker sections network of over 5,000 branches
of the society. sation” of the Vedic religion
which was then best with many in different parts of the country.
The Chief Executive Councillor It has its branches abroad also.
orthodox dogmas.
of Delhi, Shri Radha Raman, There are 800 units of Arya Vir
pointed out that many revolu Swami Dayanand's biggest Dal in India, Nepal, Fiji, Mauri
tionaries and freedom fighters challenge to orthodoxy was his tius and Trinidad; 300 Arya
were the product of the Arya advocacy for the total eradication Kumar Sabhas, 325 colleges and
Samaj movement. of untouchability and for equal high schools, 80 Gurukuls and
rights for women. He pointed out Sanskrit Pathshalas, 400 orphan
The Arya Samaj leader, Anand that the Vedas accorded equal ages and Goshalas, 400 Pathshalas
Swami, said that the ancient rights to women and quoted for Harijans and 1,000 libraries
Indian culture and the vedic Yajurveda to this effect. He and reading rooms.
values were still relevant. He said
that the Samaj's philosophy
offered solution to the many
present-day problems.
Earlier, over 100,000 devotees
of Arya Samaj participated in a
huge procession. A stamp brought
out by the Post and Telegraph
Department to commemorate the
centenary of Arya Samaj was
released by Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi. Present on the occasion
was the Union Minister for Com
munications Dr. S. D. Sharma.
The procession, which started
from Irwin Road, took nearly five
hours to reach the Red Fort. It
was led by Swami Anand.
In Bombay, the Maharashtra
Chief Minister Shri S. B. Chavan
presided over a meeting held at
Chowpatty to mark the occasion.
Shri Chavan extolled the ten
principles of Arya Samaj. Seven Prime Minister released the special stamp to commemorate the Arya
of them, he said, related to the Samaj Day. To her right is Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, Minister
conduct of individual lives and if for Communications.

SOCIALIST INDIA 30 APRIL 19, 1975


I.F.W.J. Seminar On Newspaper
Economics
A strong plea for the immediate
delinking of newspapers from big
business and the diffusion of their
ownership was made at a Seminar
on “Newspaper Economics” orga
mised by the Indian Federation of
Working Journalists at New Delhi
on April 13.
Inaugurated by Shri M. Chala
pathi Rau (Editor, National
Herald and a founder President of
$he IFWJ) and presided over by
Shri J. P. Chaturvedi, (a former
President), the Seminar's proceed
ings were enriched by the consider
ed views of Shri I. K. Gujral, Min
ister for Information and Broad
casting; Shri H. K. Paranjape, a
Member of the Monopolies Com
mission; Shri K. V. Raghunatha
Reddy, Minister for Labour and a
former
Minister for Company
Affairs; Shri Rajni Patel, Presi
dent of the BPCC and a director
of Bennett Coleman and Company
(owners of the Times of India
group); Shri H. D. Malaviya, Con
gress MP; Shri Mohit Sen of the
CPI, and Shri R. C. Dutt former
Secretary of the Ministry of Infor
mation and Broadcasting.
A STAFF CORRESPONDENT
cies. He also urged that the Plan
ning Commission in preparing the
Plans must take into account the
Press. He wanted the journalists
to work on their own and prepare
plans for the next five to ten
years.
Shri Chaturvedi, in his prelimi
mary remarks, made reference to
the monopolistic trends that were
emerging as could be seen from
the facts and figures provided by
the Fact-Finding Committee on
Newspaper Economics.
Shri Raghavan of Blitz wanted
the seminar to prepare a “scheme
of constitutional and legislative
measures” needed to achieve
the
long-delayed objective of delinking
the. Press from its industrial and
family-cum-feudal moorings — and
for broadbasing the management
through diffusion of ownership.
Shri Raghavan felt sad that the
draft proposal prepared in Novem
ber, 1971 for the delinking of news
papers was gathering dust. Shri
Paranjape pointed out that there
were two aspects of monopoly—
one being the
mission, which was a veritable
compendium, did not seem to merit
any editorials in the newspapers.
Regarding delinking of the news
papers, he counselled that 1. The
Government should not in anyway
interfere with the freedom of the
Press directly or indirectly; 2. The
elements who were sought to be
delinked must not be given any
scope to come back by any back
door; 3. Care should be taken that
there would not be any judicial
objections; and 4. There should be
national consensus in regard to de
linking and diffusion.
Shri S. B. Kolpe, President of
the IFWJ, speaking in the after
noon, pointed out that already
there was maximum consensus
among political parties and elected
representatives in Parliament be
longing to different political par
ties.
PRICE-PAGE SCHEDULE
Shri K. V. Raghunatha Reddy
feared that behind intercorporate
linking there is a possibility of
multinationals having interests
not only in the papers but also in
destabilisation. He urged investiga
tions to be carried out.
Speaking in his personal capa
city, he wanted special attention to
be paid to the restrictions that
could be imposed on the holding
of shares and the Constitutional
amendment needed to separate
freedom of expression from free
dom of the Press. He wanted the