CBAP1'l!R V

PARTICIPANT GROUPS t mEIR ROLES AND SmAtEGIBS n

t€!!$!es e, Sou.n,! 1. li,th A9#tHst Come! tS§$

lbo ACt1P - 14 th August Comm1 ttee ot \:lor king People

(Shrattlaj1v1 Sem1t1) -played its role aD a pressure group

at 8 time ,.,hen students movement 'WtlIltea a bOOQt and guidanco

in the bog1nn1.ngana the oommi tteo performod this 1:olo:

effectivel.y.

fho ACb'P is a body forDlOcl by ~ trc4e un10ns on the

eve of 14 AUgust 19720 , 0.1. Patel (knol1ll os n QI" among lt1a

friends) a 1i\'0.,<J11'e staffer of $he, a:&m9 •••• of lf1dl,Et (Ahmedabcd

e<i1 t!on) is the oonvenOl' of ACW. It Gl!" Gubmi ttea that "Sf ... .

a chal-ter of domandsmth a list of 25 llllfUlf1l1oQ aasucanceo

ottbe Governmon~. p~so being the OOnorol Secretary of the

OUjerat Union of J'ournaJ.1sts, "G'!t' playod important "010 in

persUaAing his col1eaguGo to resist sllppl'esolon of no~s or the sal tat! on ao. dowod by sOJ1l!) preas mnnagements and ~

Government :l.n the na.ceent staae or tho ag1tat:..\on.

tillsn the students s~tod tbo es1tation on tlle issue

of ~ food bUl, the Uth Aligu.st CQlntl1ttco vJas the firot

organ1ZGQ body to lend its supp~t to the agitation. On tho

un1vers1t,yoempus and in the ACb'P offico, lts loaders nursed

tbestu.dent aot1v1ots and 1DoUlcatod in them tbs first lOBSons

.. 119 ..

120

of a long dra\-1Zl 011 t strugglo. Ona of 1 ts old member s (a

rGtireCl reporter) I1tloCl to oollect al'ounc:l h1m: a small number

of lmp1'oas1onable youth at ent?anoe of the u.n1vers1 ty bullalng

end told them that uhat they hs4' 4oneon the CeQlpus "'as

nothing but breaking of sOUle glass panes while thair cOWlter ..

pa:rts in LUCknoli Univer ttl ty hrui set on tire the '\'!hole OGtlpUS,

1. ts buUdlngs and the proper ty.

For about one woek the student" ag1tat:1onrem.aineci

oonfinod to the u.n1vG? a1 ty. Like the GaX'ller 11m1 ted ag1 ta;.

tiona tha.t had bGen oarried on al'ound an issue in a Qollege,

and confin1ng to a colleGe or the un1vers1ty. But the 14th

AUguot Co.rnm1ttoe "'aD to help the ag1 t ati on to broak, open such

confinos w4 to sprecd it on tho lal'ger arena. of people t s

life. -The .M;tJpt s ~ot1n« of 7th ·January decided to observe

.Mlmednbed Bam'lh on lOth Januat'y ana the Studentst YUvak Lagan1

Scm1 t1 supported it. Also in a uniquo uay, more than 87

trado unions 1n the 01 ty ueloomed ana Gupported th1a call.

Tho uorld.ng journaJ.:tDts of the 01 ty t!llso obsel'ved the bandh

f~ . the first time in thO h1st~y ot c-ujarat1 journal1SJ.

~1o.ro than a ntLll10n people might baVe in one t!ay or another

obser ved the bandh •

. That day the pol1co repression l~d to l'11c1e$preca~ riots.

HlSA \1&0 usod, nGl" being one of its fUst victims. Curto",

\~CC elc:nP3d.~1s only helped c?nvert people's sympathy :lnto

cotivo eo-operation. On 12 January ACrJP l19nt a step tuvther

an4 hlghGl? up. It gave a. oall to ObSer'l1e GajaVat Bandh on

25 January. 7110 nel'Jly tormo4 NNS. tUUldl'tlda 'of trade, unions, . -. .

collage wcch~G and othGrs responde4tO it.

14e~e on 19th lIhen ACliP l1aa tl-,ing to organize a

mGet1ng, 21 ot its ~oeders .1'e Q'rested., But the Chief

l-11n1stGr ties committed to negotiate with ACt-JP on the semo day.

T'tlG ACWP thereforo ro1'used to, tal-k: 'With the GoverDmen t unlace

all tbeoe leaders tIarerele-ased.' The Government'bed to.

During the last t\:1o l10ek l.ong movement~ it "Was for th.e first

time that the GovernmGnt n84 conceded before the 081 tatcrs.

In the negotiation that follooweCl the next 4ayt F:1nonoe l11nistel'

AmtU. Qasa1 re1~ated that the esita.tion \'!oUld be ourbed. Tho

AC\1l' 'til th&.'e\1 from negot1aUon tabla. It was erounCi th1sper104

that the ag1 tattoD lias 1ncrea.s1n,gly becom1ng an'ti·Ch1manbhai

in its tbl"U61t. ibe same even1ng ito J.eaders along'1! th those

of students and GUATA 1:-."31"0 a1:reotod UDder UISA. 1be step of

tho GovOJtnmont p210ved un1ma.g1nat1vo. Violenoe in the 11ake of

!'reah l1ava ot :food riots erupted in many pa?ts of Gtijdt1at.

Different programmes of pA'o{;eot mUl tipllecl in terms ot inten.-

a1 ty and tJ14th. Tb1s paved the \'lev for the sucoess of Gujarat . Bandh in spite. of non-cooperation of the Jane. Baugh. The call

ot the NNS and ACt·JP to boyoott the official progl'ammes on the

Republla Day alsO' got good response from the people. In. ~jJ~ ~

ooUabOl'atloDl\otherbod1os", NNS, ACtiP also published some

lesflets(,.~a series 1osuo - 7) \vhieh contained caustio

ma.terial. against the Chiof lfl1n1ot3r.

ibc .ACt'1P, hO\ieVer, l~ked lsrge organ1zational. set

up and a sustained popular base. 11botovor Wluenea it he1

lias confined to Ahroodabad. . It eiso got bsmstr~gby corttdn

constraints exercised by the natUt'o of its membership l1h1oh

was lel'gel.y aorvloc-bound in tectOl'lea,l so, it coUla not

take open Otto41t for some of the propaimnes. Ow1Il8to a -

t4arnet bo<il· s ~a.k.Il$ss and cons~a1nts oDl'oiaec.'i on it in

a rogtOll ha:v1ll8pregmat!a commerC1alpo11t1oaL eultw1et it

had to ~esort to a unttod tJ'·ont pollcy by t4ng alignment

'Wi th socltll11 mOl's le,1 Umate foroos and had to push torl18rd

the students into the l.eaderah1p rOle.· file m14C11e Class

beck(j1'ound of NNS leaders alsO uas not pe1:tl0ulEWly nut1'1t1vG

for the et1stalnad- Wl.uenoe oft.h.1a 14a1tnat body.

Jdt3r tho ant of the Ch1manbha1 aovermaent, tJhen

tho anti-PntoltaoUon and 1tast.lppOl'teJ.tstr1od to drat1 the

movement to its olose ao that its power coUld bo .established,

"01" described ! t as tt a very cunn1ng and: lU!)EUl eonsp:lZecl to

suppreoa the movement". 2b ACtJP, 'theJ.le1"o:tet .deolDl'od tho.t

the movOttlent "tJQO ogeinat the $vlls otpr1oe ... rlso and cor-l'l1P­

Uon uh1ch 'tlel'O stUl at large. too movement, the~etorOt·

shoUld continue anQ it ties l1eQ&tu:nag, that rtl68 MLA \,/ho have

sllDta1ned the ChirAanbha1 Pate.1Govarllment must also be -,

lit

1 G. Y. Patel. in Da.ve, iCamda1.' and Patel, G,!13~ElP1un ltp~ &IdolS!! (GUjal'at1},(Ahmedabad, 1974), P..

2 Ib1d.,p. 47.

123

to :lift the reo~iot1ons on meetings and processions ami

t11 thtirG.l:1 the Army from ..6hmec:iabad, othel''t1iso thoro \111.1 be

oolleotive an ~on 'leg civil disobedience. UndGr eel" tain

e:troUDlstanoes 0VGn ,men the restrictions uere 11ftodl) the

AC\'JP 1:1as not given pormiss1:on to Q1"gan1ae the process1on.

~o ACl:JP, th~ll1et or at sa tlstlElQ ;. tsalt' 'Wi th met ely gi v1ng

call to trade unions af.fU1ated to it to organize pl'ooess1ono.

However, ~ts o:la1Jn that vat'1ous employees unions had orga-, . , 3

n1zed procesg1ons on massive so~e 1n the "Jake of':1 tsoell

does not sound convincing. The Wlueno e at AC1:1P una eJ..reed1

on wane. Since 27th January othor forces like the GUA5'A,

and etter the fall. of ~he GOvernmont, CODgress(O) and the

J ana Sengh had emor gefoi on the tr on t and they had g1 ve~

mornantum to the NNS, pushine AmJP into b8¢kground. So also

many athOl' employooa'un1ons, had alreaiy resolved o:Iactu.ally

started organizing their prooessions or forms 'of protest ....

not beca.u.se of the AC1.;p call. for the same, but independont

of it.

Thus the IJ:HP had served 1. ts useful. .roJ.ein gi v 1ng

ll10mentum tQ themove:asn~ ",-,hen ttl-ISS s~ an agitation;

but by the very nature of its base and fW'lOtiona;L Orienta-.

tion, ltreooded in tho background in tbeoourse of the

" movement. 7h1a is slso evident trOln the 1'act tha.t 1 ts ola1lil

••• n t .. d ..... ' J ..

3 Ibid. t· pp.. 48 ... 49.

4 Ibid.. P. 50 •. ·

124

to prepare tor the th1rd stege of the movement to l'e4l.lco

pricos and to oraaniSe Q. eonvention of al~ the tra.t1e WQnB

and the like active institutions from allOVe"l tho state in

the end of April 1974i, remained a st1ll.-born1dea Otting to

the lack of popUlar support and the muocle to move onbl

.1 teal! to the th1r4 stage. Ho~vor t tho ACl'JP t s eontr1but*1on

1n tnldng ou.t the agl tation from the tTn1vovol ty 'C£1llPu.st

enooW!aging student lee4~s to move Ont1srda~ to helP' them

aubtly {reinforced by somP d1os1donto congreos leaders} to

Cnl&rge tho .food b1ll issue into tho lCl'aer issl.lGS on4

creating a condition of mass struggle by orSanizing aucceos­

ful bODClhs need t~ be acknOlllodgca.· The l'£T:.IPpt'CWidos Q

good OOSO' of a };la11nst force l1h1ch, eVen ,-,hen l'eneot1ng tho

mood at1d needs of tne oommon man in a condit1onof deprl ...

vaUon, oan only gUide from beh1nd, and nt the moat push a

movement ma~nl.y act1vized by the middle claes 1ll a boUl'geo10

society for 0. \"'hile; but it cannot lead it. Its experienco

of having beon a oatalyst in the bGg1nn1ng and 1Dto oblivion

at the end brings out tilO oOllDtra1nt eXe1'cised. by a prSS­

mat1c, sedatoaommereial po11t1ooJ. cUltUl"a on an 1CiaOlog1ool­

oriontod . e.xt?e.rne preosure ~oup in Gujorat •

. 211& Jane. Stlllgh and its student tling .Ald1U Bha?t"1ya

V1dyOl"tlli Far1shdl (ABVP) plB30d very important pot't in tho

l~av Nirman m.ovement. Some of the most orgon1z0Q lUUl loti\o»s

125

\1():~k:od under its d1l'eotion and oall rem demonstration and

protest programme given by the ABVPproved qll1te effeo.t1ve.

The03 NNS loaders belonged toPaldl, Ra1pur an4 Khad1a and

Darlapw;' at'Q$.S of Abm,edabaLi. medioal students. Nav N:ume1l

Sam1tl, :Rajkot, 'fJankaner, Olll!angsdhra Bhavnagar, Ked! and

Kalol. 7b.e ABVP al.ao atSl'tad NNYUvati Sunit1" liN N-abUa

Sem1t1. NN lo1ssihyern1k (school) Sam1 t1 and even Wi Ba1

5 ssn1U.

~ough the ABVP tunc t1oneC! as a psrt or the ma1tl.$-

tream of No-v Ntrman movementv a mOi'e ceaetUl analysis brings

out the 41st1not pattarn ottheir behaviour. tis aterted

trom the Ve1FV OOl'ly stagG ot the movament. on 6th JanuEO!'y

tho YUvalt Lagan! Semit1 lee.dors deo14ad to meat the Ch1et

H1n1s\:ar. At that t1mo A'l'Wl Oz& of AaVP 'tJ1~ew hom this

pro~atnme Ql1 41fferenoes V11 th llallkad. soon thereettor 1 t d14

not associate ltaelt with the call Ear 3 days strike, eon.-

. 'a1del'ing 1 t to be a long str1k:etUldel' the e1rcumsttl.llOos. But

as the leftists along with 14th A.ugust Committee began to

take hold of the movement ABVP aloo plunge4 111 directly.

J ana Sangh t.and ABVP 01: san1aed 1l0lll0 1mpress1.ve bandbs in tbo

thUQ t1eek of January, lent its support to join the mportant

eell for GujeQat Banah g1vanby the l~th AUgu.at Committee tiUlQ

NliS. ThO' Jann Sangh ana mvp's cla1ln was that even bef()1'()

25th January ,Jana 8angn hsi alree4y organized moge than 100

-va 4 ..

5 AIl otf1c1.el souroes Qommi tted to non-idenUt1cat1on esti .. mated that t'.BVP hed It 1nf11 tt c.tedQ most of the 700 NN Semi t1 s in the state.

126

bandha en a. merk of protest aga1nst tho govorDDlentt 0: ta1lurea.

This had alroady served the purposo of janajagaell (pUbliO

s,"areness), and thGl'G was no ground tor dUPlioation.

Hot:!av~ t there \'Jas other side ot the oontt'oversy.

Jana sangh seems to have a soft 007ner tot Cb1manbha1 wMn

the latter came to pOl:JOr atter $uee()ssfUll1 detl1ng the ~&­

d1 tiona sought to be established by the PfSJne M1n1stGr 111

relation to the state Cong.rass affairs. A.B. VeJPCWGots

statem.ent from Nagp1.1r appreoiating Ch1menbba1t a sUo(!OSS is·

also reveal1ng. That ClWnel1bha1 Patel \'las approached by the

Delhi Cit1zons CotmaU (dominated by Jana Baugh) to 1naugu:rato

the celebration 01' sar4at' Jayant1 is signifioant in this

11ght. The AlSVPalso had rema1ned aloof from par t1c1pat1on

1n the. ttprapanchvat1.t programme signifying the shoops rep­

resenting l1LAs It purcha.sed" by Ch1manllha1; that a vigorous

oppOSition group, otherw1se out to piok up any opportunity to

s:a:pose those in ·po,~rt lends some oroaenoe to this theory

of "softness tow~Q.a 'the chief lUn1stertt scm&G ·E1t1oUlate

eo tivlst sympathizers of ABVP also told dur1ng field study

th~t they ~ Pl'otested against this line of policl 1n tbeu

closed meetings. only attar 'Cb1manbhai declined at the last

minute to preside ~var the Ssrdar Jayanti function that

second thought about su.pporting b1m began to be given in

Jana sangh •

. Howver, the dynomica of popular movement end tho

vacuum ol'eated b1 popular m~ loader s gOing underground aloo

127

lured them to compel thO ABVP to keep pace 1-11 th the movetnent

and they becane active against the Government. ·And once the)"

began. organiz1ng protestpropammes, the, proved to be qu,1ts

etfGctlve and dre~ the publio attGntion •.

EVen after rema1n1ng 1n the ma1netreem of the NN

movement, its streak ho~.,el'~ema1nedd1$t1not. For: oxemple,

whonthe cOllege toaohel"s 104 by the ·OUA!A became luko11C'fm

soon aft3r the on~ of the Chief lanlsw~ J·ana sangh cr1t1-

c1zed the a.ttitudo of OOA.fA leaders an4 thO ABVP voluntoors

pa1nted on the l1alls of Abnle4abad thousands otstatements

aga1nat tbeeo leedO?o 'tJi th a v1ot1 to rovealing tbair 01.080

eontacto \11tb ,_tJ an1-parJ 1 group of the GUJeo.t Congress. !ibie

put the GUATAleaders ontbe detons1vo. Oll.eo tihen marked,

Shnllesh sholl ana others visited SUl:'en<.ira Nagar, they. 't1ero

challenged by tho local. ABVP acUvists in ohs:-ge of the NNS

in tho town ood 'tJGre asked to evolve a l1011-deflned policy

ond c~ord1nated pl'ogramme c.IlQ cea::niza'tion. In Rajkot, thOro

uoa c cons~t Oonfrontat1on end compsti t10n betasen the NNS

taking gl11dance from tbQ NNB of AbmedabQd and th3 NNS of

Rajkot organized by the ABW. Pa't'tl1 they split student

communi ty on tho linGS of Garcesia. ·OCnhc.tr1ya).and Kanb1.

(Pat:tQar) Jlaate gTloUp(i, the latter su,pporting the ABVP. In

SUl'at the YuvakSongram Satn1t1 sew:a eOllstant stz.'Ugg!e 1n

as to what l:1.naof polley andprogrcmmo because tvo o£ 3. ts

ma1n office boar"",s \10re a popular ABVP loaders (Bherti)

end a prog1'Gao1val or"1ented1ntelllgont MarJd.st (BhagiI'ath

Shah). 'fbG confrontation le4 the Sam1t1 on the brink of its

split.

Bo'f.'Ovor -the most 1tnpreaslvepertOl'manco WaG ,t.ba

d1tleot challen30 Biven by. ABVP to the Cb1efNNSJ..eaderp 'When

tho lnttet1 tried to go to N9W ~W wi ttl a v1ot1 to nGBot1a-

ting ~ tb the congross Hlgh Command tottlld oat a tlolut1on

ot the 1Jnpassa over ~G qUGaUon- Q£ Q·1asolu.t1on of the stat:)

Aa~bly. Lcd by Chan4r akan t ShUkla., the Gener al BeC1'etal11

of the ABVP, tho ABVP eot1v1ats led ot.hOr NNS mem'bGrs 1n

foroibly pulling· -qOl<1Il tor some t1me,arui bal ting nauka4.

Shah. and otherl) l'rom boarding a train from Ahme4aba4. SO

also they ombavrassed thoSG student la'adors' 'tJho, soma way.

\~ere to gob1 plane frQlll Ahrtlf3aabsl to 'Neu lblh1. Tiley quoeo

tionod li~ they wre going by aU and "ho had patel for their

air feJ!e. !ho deglamour1zation pjrocess of Jsn1, ~lanka4 and

o~a vag thUs started by tb1e t1cllasi<ientn grou.p of liN

Sam! ti. ~e \11s4an of nogot:lating \'11 th Congress leader s ..

once atter theso N!~S leaders baa cleclared that 1t )11's Gan4bi

so 'U1.shea, lElt h~ oome 40tm to Al'lmoc1aber1 to sottle the

Gtljarat questlon. ttbe torms of negotiat1on, tbe myst$rious

aUnosphe1'$ int1hiah all this was taking lllaoe 1'3_0 broUght

to light by the ABVP. So mu.chombs:rrtlSoc2 tho top loaders

of NN Samlt1 tJC1'G that 1n He", 8$lhi they gave a diroctive

to dlsmiDs Che.ndrcltant Shukla.

But meanl'JhUe the oxeout1v'e committee of the NNS

lih:Lon met 1n Ahmedabad had elso qUGs't'lonec1the moaning and

the mot! va behind the Delhi v:1.s1 t of NNS l$a4ers. ~e spdo­

work doneb), the ABVP lfhlle the popLilar NNS leaders l1Q'a

u.nderg1'ound after mid-J'a11Ua'r1 till thQ exit of Cb1lnanbba1

end effeotiVG prope:mmos organisM by ShUkla and SOnal ~se1

(a fuebran4 popUlar Yuvati leader of Pa.1..dl NNSDm1t1) psi4

thom. the dlv1d8nQs uhen the, l1Qt'8 challenged by the top

leaders of NN Sam1 t1 .on the 14th l:1CJJ!ichp tho NNS Ot'gan1zea a

publ.io meet1llg at Kankar1a (Ahmedabad) and the ABVP ",dong"

of tho NNS tbel"e Qeclared that if dissolution 1:1as not

oonceded they ",OUl.d nQl} declare a progromme to remove Inaira

Gand.b1 tt Ill41ra Hataou • In th.o final stage ot the denouement

that 'Was to end. in·· d1ssolu t1on, th5 ABVP leader s of the NNS

triad to give the movenlGnt a thrust directed against the centrE

andltrs Gandhi. Howevar o it did not succeea. Before that

the d1sso1tltion \"1$.6 given.

~o AUVJ> bad, howover, a distinct mark on the :1ntor.

nal aynem1cs of NN Sem1 ti a.a.an organization and as a move-

ment. As a movement :it \1as g1v~nteeth end musoles thus

supPlementing and supporting the widespread eQceptab1l1~

ana1.mpact creatod by the massive popu.lar1ty of tlan1sh1

Jan1 and Uma Kant 1-18nkeCl. Qrgan1zat1oncll.y tho i\BVP hed

n surrepUously brough~ 1nto eXistence" so many lacaJ. NN

Sem.1t1s 1nfl~ellOeQ or directed by 1t that tho top leaders

~ tho I~O 1n Ahmedabad did not vent1.l?e to organize and

130

oo.ordlDs:tG them on GQ3Q':ai':-wtde ba.als1est their leadersh1p

sboUld b$ challenged in such OUJaJat...\d4e co-ordination.

!{he activities of the ABU else l'oveal. that it couJ.,4 not opota.,

tuncUon as ABVP tar the political pa.1'ties bed gone Gotrln in

the estimate of the people, ··end it ooUl.4 .not have tu.ncuonoa

eftor'tl.Elssly'W1thout talldng on the gal'~ of Nav HUman.

The jane. sangh pl,81ed suoh a rolo that no clear

pattern GOUld be diseerned. Its V1dhyartb1 Pat'1shad t the

student tront oon~1buteQ to l'ornllmt1ng the 1ntensity Of the

movement, its d1se1Pl1nEjtd 1101'kers Played important role 1n

intensifying the movemen_t in S~a.sbtt'a - pal'tioUlal'ly in

Rajkot and 1ll Ahlnedabac2 (aerta1n parts like KhBdla., Ra1putt,

Da1'lapur, Pal41 and Shah! Baug,. etc.), B~oda, Stll'at, Nad1aC1,

Anand and Nehsana. But it played Ciub10us role during the

first stage of the movement. For exampl.e, 'tfhen tile oall to

obsorve Gujerat Bandh on 25th January 1974 \1aa-glven by 14th

Augl1St Comm1ttee anc1 tho -Nav Human Sam1t1, the Jana Sangh

openly deole.1!ed that it did riot support it (~!¥ldo$, 17 Jnn~1

197~). In the Repub11cDaa- number (26 Janttal'y 191(\) of

§..ac.ihana, a l10Gltly ~pathet1o. toth1$ partyo special. montions

. were made to bring ou.t Ch1msnbba1 Government into favourablo 6 -

Ught. HO\'1eVel', 1. t 'Was dOllf! so1n !J.eahana~,s special.

_ WI

6 kiwnldll (GUja?ati), Mal'ch 197~. AlsoseePadniasbree JeovOillal Jairamae.s. D1SlsoJ.u~1on of the V&4han Babbs (Guja1?ati) (Pnbllahect"'oy Gu.18ro.'E students cIrCle, ---j;t"ebruar y 1974) 0 -

131

supplement of the llUInber sponsored b1 the StElteaov$1'ntllGnt.

t:Jb1lfl V14h,yai'U Psr1ahad pal' tlelpate41n the strikes $.l'l4 ",' .

programmes of encouras1ns, U$ellOG of, stwlenta 1n the e4ua a,... ,

tlonal'1nstl tuttOl1S. "the J-~ena Senght ""ana §~ weekl1 in...

dlrec't11 O!lCouvage4 the stwlents to join ,tile inaututiOllSf

that ,the wr1te-Q;pstavoUl'dle ,to 'the gc"rerllm<'mtt1G'JG made. . . ..

T.hough ibls chSftge \!lSS ropu41a.dbl1ts able o41tozt ViabnU

Pancb'ap be edt tor1aJ.J.r 'E):lI:Pla1ned the stEW4 taken b, §SC!l!e~ f • . '

But W H.-nat's, _ok$dyant8.sG otthe s1tu&t1.onSn an , ' " ' ,'," 7

atJnosphereeasll, surcW&C<lw1th commotion 8Jld sentiment.

It also tried 1n an organized effO!',tto bOSlllaafO

the 1mage of the leadG1"s of 'th$ GUATA by taking the eih1an­

tego.' o£ animpressi-ono'fdUemma. crGated by'sQ!ltO GUATA

load_a in soft-peddling the ttlovemen.t aftsl' the &nt of

ChbnanbllE4Patsl "'om, Gove!'nmGn(:. Ho't1Over, doUbts t1CAl$ , ,

ra1Qf;ld about its motivations. It 1s interesting that till

18 Janu.S1'y,this Pe.?t)' protested aas1nst ettOl1Otn1C pr1vo.-.... .,,,

tione 1n a "'81 that d1d not ol.ea:rly aok tor' the Chief " ,

l11nls'br'iIl r&s1gna:'\:i.on •. ," ,"

As no~ olso'WlGro, tho J'ann Sangh also attemptod

to g1t7G th$ moveaent, such turns as uoUld be usefUl to 1tsolg.

In tbtn mntte& t 1. t tried to steal tho moroh over otbel1 OPPo-

slt;1.on ps:ti.os- pert1oUlarl.yover tho Congress (0) 1n surat

ana Ibmedabed. Fee axampl.oo l'1hen D1nesll Shah, SG0l1et$.'1 of

.... ~

7 Ibi(\.

132

G.p.C.C. (0) asked the people to "t1.rlte letters of demand to

the Qovernor against theM1D1str.v. the Jana SMgh wgr,1tarsin

Ahtnedabad put the stsnp of thoir paY'ty on': such hun4reds Of prowst post cerda. SO also the Jana. sangh establlshe4 (#'

tried, to take hold OVe? as lUany u.n1ts of the N av N1rJ'Jlan .

Sam1ti as possible. In Ra3kotthe Jana Sangb. and the Nay

N11'man Sami t1 l'Jen t 1n different d1reot1oJls 1n their apFoaoh

to the movement. ' In surat, 1t tried tolntl.uenae the IUvak

Sang:r.' am Sand ti e1:'J4 1 ts su.pporw beoame 1. ts ohairman. BOliever ,

it must be notgd that the unstructul'ed movement ot the you.th

and lUlorganized tOl'II1 of the Smni t1 ~e also responsible tor this. And 1. t OX'8r:Jn1zed effeat1ve anti-price 1'1seag1 tat10ns

oer11cr than the movement had started. e.g. on the verllfirst

day ot the yeE£{! 1974l, 1 to an"ti-pric$ rise moreha in Jetpur

had lod to doath by pol1ee shooting ana 1 ts repercussions

t1GrG soon felt in neighbouring areas. lJhatever part1s~ah1p

this oppos1t1on party might have sho\m tot-JEmde programmes

oraen1ztJd by some of its units (as Pald1.fl Ra1pur. Daz1ap~)

they \-!Oro ft!lC more impt$ssiVG and bOlder than organized

by othor NNSB!ni t:l ,units. O:p, a single c1ay 1 t had or gen1zoo

as many as tt:O bondba apd betltscn lOth elld 20th, JeJlUGty it

gaVe a. boost t~ the movement by organizing more than 105

bandbs ma1nly in saura.shtrap North Guja?at and Ka1ra dle­

~1ct.

133

GujSl1at Congress (O) had from the ooglnn1na v1ot1Oc.'l

the movement as "spontaneous mass movement lea by tho stu... \

dented .- Marsl3i Desa1 na4' 'described 1. t so 1n his ste:tsent

pub11she4 on 6 J enua:ry 1974: whereiu he hed aleo tnt gee! stu ...

dento and the poople to kGep the agitation non-violent. Lator 8 ' '

on H1 tGndraD9sa3. also 4es0l'1bed it in. the esne veln 1ll

!!..o,.und lIP)...!' e speoial nl.1Ulber on t.b1s theme.

\11th this' viow of, the movement end also desil'ous

of keeping all poll t1cSl.' part10s £11:101 fromlt, Congrooa (0)

had decided not to oees: to meddle mth the movement. It

haa aeoided· to plV a supporting rolo by ~aenia1ng ita Olm.

1ndep3n4ent, constJ?u.ct1vo progrcmmoa onpeacetUl. and non-. ,9 .

violent 11»88. on the other band. it ~1e4 to l'ema;ln 1n

cont1nuolls dialogue \-11 th the studen t lGatle~ s and Pl81G4 a

cruoial role ator1t1oal stasos when the movement appsa?eci

to be sagging. For instance, 1mmecU.atsll after the oxt t of

Ch1monbha1 N1n1oi:rl 'When the offorts ~e being mado by thG ,

dlso1dent group of the rUling party to pOl?suac1e th9 atudonto

. Pl

8 131 tel'l4l'a DGsa1 joined Congreos (R) soon after olooUons in, GUj£a?at in 1975 and s1noo Janta Front l-11n1ot:i:'y haa been vota4 out of pO\'Jer and Pros1dGnt· s rUlo impoDoc1, thore ere good chances ofB1tendra Dasai' s be:1n.g tho no:t. Ollief I:l1n1a~.

a Me Q\'JaX'eneSfJ 'Was ell along seen in our talks \11 th O1nosh Shah, tho GPCC (0) secrata:17, and othero 11ke the Presidont o£ surat City Congreas (O) (:Olnm1t~o.

to give up thetr demand for dissolution of the ABaembly,

congross (0) opened a MW. bont of the m.OVGIIlout by d~clS?1ng

rst.ltgnatiQIl$ of all- th$ 1e Con81'ess (OJ l4LAs to bll!ng about

dissolution t.b'rough voluntaJ'1 X'esignations of the tu"As.

G1nce then tbe~& t1SS1lO golngback.

Aga1n b, seconrl ~&k of Febr_uavywhen the Dttongth

of the mOVeJl1$nt seemed. to be sagging in the '\'Jeke ofpo110Q

srepress1o-n and- intrigues of the Congress leaders, .and un­

oon~olla1Jle v10lence 't1as spreading., liar or j1 Daaa1 launched

bis 1ndet1n1 tt faatev&ntuSJ.ly- lead1ng to the dissOlution of

the Assembl, -and opening th$ possibU1 ty of QU.1ck rostora.­

tion of n~elC1.

CO~O$S (0) Committee-s 1nall the d1strlots of

Guja'fat QrBaniz$,d suppO!'t1ng pl10grammea in_ tu:rJ.e'\:11th. local.

s1tue.tion!lo $urat C1t)t eongre·ss (0) Comm.1ttee organised "8

btmdred par cent peac-ef'ul and non.-vlo1en t sur at 13andh" on

10 Januar,1974. congreas (0) claimed that 1 ts surat d'is. -

Utlet oomta1tt&e 'WQS the first to carry the movement into

villages. In BUl.aal', Panobmahals, Burnt an<! Broach, ! ts

eommlttae!)J organised the movement a!ilong SChedtae4 ~lbes

peOPle. Its !tWa and. Meheana D1a~1ot Congress Cotam1ttoes

orgSll1zcd ttMe.Voh on Foot" to preoont peop1e' adcman4 to tho

Govetnor. Its Ahtnedabad and Ka1ra un! ts organiZed satya­

e:rclla ot p$scefUl p:1oket1ns against the Government off'1ceso

Its BOlrO(}a, Un1ta oourted a?t'osts 1ndofiancoot prohibitorY'

135

orders. Prea140nta of tho CongrOSB Comc.t1 tteos In Ab.rnodabed

t1Ol'e Sl'rested under !USA andmo?e than 100 t1Ql9kern of

COIl#ess (0) courbd el'rests clur1ng the agitation. BU.t lts

Saul'ashtrn rogionandKutob region Wli ts' cOUld' 'Ol"gan1ZSt Qt\lI

symbolic pi.' ogr snmes.

7ile par ty launched a massive U post;...cQa carnpaignn

by 'tla..Y of a peaCeful democratic pi'()#emme to demand d1sso1u-

· ttOllof the Assemb~yp c1 f;l.zonsl1Cr~ called uJ?on to drop

post;...oal'Cls oddll'essed to the Governor demanding 41sso1ut;1on.

Unlike the AB\1P' of Jane. sangh n sinCe ,1,t t1aa deoided

to kOop the movement Independent or poll tioal pca:t;1otP,

Gu.jal1Qt V1dhya»tl'd. senate 'itself. l'ematne4 11170 ,bat!~ound. Nsv I~:1.rl.tUln Samlt1 vas coD4ueUng the student movement. liOl1-'

ov~ (desplto tb1s tact wben Dr Amul J?Gsa1, the rlU1ng COl'lgl'Gs:

e::x-lI4.nlster accused Gu.j$1",at Vidhyatttbt SGnat9 of ~y1ng, to.

croata r:1ft crnongstuQents) GQ3al?(;1t V1tlby~th1 SOnata orG~

nizecl a moreha at h1sresidence to pre$Ont h1tn a. caricaturo.

painting of tJ,K.a:ncb1dd' . (chsti1$lign) to eltposetho frequent

cbeng1ng of poll tical colours bj ~1ll i)$eai •. Its etudGnt

\11n&t the Guja?a.t1 V1dh1el'tbi senate also crgan1zeci blood

donation and firat-aid $ervloGs trte thoso \:founded by pollco

repression. Its Mehil.a Congross playo\1 the role of orGani­

zing uoment s mOl'ohtls8.nd pl'ocoesionB 1n urban cent!:toa.

Hi tondra Dasa1 and Babubha.1 ,Pat91 ~ore constantly

moving among the people an4 the QPCC soereta?y, Dlneah Shah,

~a$ keoping a Qons~ant d1oJ.ogue \11 th the student

10 leaders.-.

.136·

. Its sUb.tn1ssion that it ftPla.,yed an active construo­

. t1ve assisting pole anti never t:rle4to eaptul'e or QvershsSol'1 - .

this spontaneous mass-movementu is wall-taken. But its 1mp¢ct

't:Jas not VEtry mo.ch~ Hawver .. it never ela1med 80).e credit

for i tsel!. In the reSUl. t a nEn.i tun40f goodt11l.l tor tb1s

party ttas creatoCl in Gtljal'at.Yot it l'18S:)Jann Sangh t-lb1oh

by ita vigOltousand ~ten asgress1vep:rogrammes?ema1nc(l

mora in limeUght smong tho opposit1on partioD. In the ond,

hOlJa'Ver ·1 t . \oJss)lOl' a1' jl ~$a1, .'\-1he b1 laUnChing his fast 1n

support at the F.l~ demand for dissolution stole tho maroh over

other oPPosition p~t1es.

!he moVe1Xlon't 'WSS also eha-racter1.zed by el'1lergonoe

of yoWl,G g1rlD and house-'t11ves as S)ti'Ve pat't1c1pante in oomo . .

o:t the most effective and lnnov·ative ·progremmeo. ftlc gtrlc , - . -

got aetive in the ag1tntlon 'When on 22 JanuS'," the SRp·

manbandle4 girls· belong1:ng to H.L At'ts Coll.eGG. (Ahmedaba4)~

!bis ovoke4 \,J14eapreasi reaction among the young eil'~S and tho

sections belonging. to a4a4em1ooommuni t.v .and th0 generel,

publio. !rneWlrepant1ngpo11co ,and . the. ,go'Vel!'nment encourOScl\

tbewomen noti to oome out aDd Ot'gan1ze agitation aga1nst th,")

repr!ess1vego~ernment. soon a Nav N!rman YUvat1 Sam1t1 uas

•• fs f F

10 GPCC (O)t a note (unpublish3d) presented to the l10rldng Colllmitteo meet1.nis oZ the pesty helCi inAprU 1974: in Now Dslh1. .

formed. Its Peld1 branoh ties partioUlsrly e.etiva. It

organized n prooession wttbg11'lS holding 'broom-sUeks to

be presented to the GU~a!'e.t fl'adosh Congress offioe to eloen

,. to augean stabl.es. The young girls h13 aoke4 buaest (i_one­

t\'atea before tho Akashvan1 buUciing for S .. ta unbalanoGCl

ne1<12lbUlleti.ns, end pl'eseU1'1zeu th& lOCal Congross lEtaders

to resign. At a Qeot1.ng otcollego gtrlO f!itttd()nts~ on S

FebltUBX'y 1974, a l·loh1la Nev 1'11rmen Ssm! t:1 t1ao .termed. It

protested against the useot t(;/!loo aga!n8t tJOOlen c)emonstr'e-

tors. In 14an1naga1.', young girls and old tlomen t:Nganlzed 0.

pt-ocoso1on, They he:Ld t'VelanU (round 'tJOoden stick» a tool

to prepaYe chapa:t=1) and pl.81edoInpty tinsot OUt vegotable

glwe and ~oaone and olarn.onJ'ed for their su.Ppll- Even

primary end seoondary sohool girls linod all streets in

Ahmedabad and othel' paX'ts ot Gu.j ar at oal"11er with sn ti. 11 . f Ch1menbba.1 pl.eycards end postGrso and atter- h1s aUt

against the corrupt COngl'8aa polIticians and the V1dhan

Sab]la.. EVon the Uusl1mvomen;wltbout pur4~tcame out - . . ; • :. QI

ona . oat on tast in theU \'lards to demcnd dissolution of the

V1ClhanSa.bha. ftle \1omen...fQlk of Mandv 1nS..pQleend UsSen

Gopalni Ravo11 aru1Khad1a and BaraspUl' (~4abad) ana. Nedi.

Falla. and. I·1eh1dh~pura (surat) bltaved the saP end f'nced the

ordeals of savago repression, sboul40l' - to shou.l.4or \11 th

. males. At one POint the lJQ019n of Kbed1a engrU, challenged

u .. . p • J •

138 ;

~ saP thus: nIt 1'OU tae one shot on our sons and kUl

one, we ~1l1 conceive anddellver hundreds of such sons to , ,

brave your reprossion." Tne genersll.y soft spoken tenc1er

look1ng g1r~s spoke in face of the hard .. b1tt1ng polioo

officer in a student-police' enoounter, abottt the $V,lls of

rG~GaS10ll end the cause for "bieh they 't.:1QG fighting. Not

onJ.ythat, fo.?, tbe fir at time the women young and olcl ... all

over tho otat3 had arisen on 0. big scale bu.t they contribu­

ted to the no~ forlllS and' 'style of protest and poll tical.

C omrnun1cation.

A big procession of about 1,000 liOlllSn unoar

JyotsanabeU ShWrla, on ol.d beedo:a t1gh~ and U'rrAUaben

Bhatt, an ox-mem.ber of .H1teDdrn Desai ~lstt'y was the high­

light of, the protests mado in surnt. It very effeotively

Pl'esento4 thcp10 ture of tho pl18ht or tho oommon l'famen (tho

. long qu.ouos, @ortase of enUl.tOl'B'OO4SZ'e1ll at the!a1» price

shop. the hungry ehUdren and Dll that). EarlIer l:Jrs Shukla

tlas brutsUy han41ad by thO SRP and a mooUng of 600 women

Ol'gan1sec:t b.y the J.jahile. congress crt t1c1sod tie. action. It

resolved that, lmen the woman pot!~ 10 1nsUl ted. the revoJ.u-, ' , 12'

t10n does not romain far oft. Tho CoUec~ p3rsonally

apologized to Mrs ShUkla, 'oa.y1n8 that "youa'ro l1ke my granG 13 mother. I ~1l1 aotha needfUl."

•• • ' ,. _.1 t ,.

12 ' gUJpq;a.t 1&& tr!}, 28 Jamt€J:'y 1S'7.(\.

13 Ibid.» 1 Februory 197~ ..

~e Gujeeat branoh of the All. India WOment scontorenee·

and ita ag1 tation eomm1 ttoe looking atter the problems of'

prioe-rise and corruption ltlet in Ahmedabad and SU1*at (on 4.

and 6Febr~.v respectively) and deoided to CEfRJty tO$'wa1'4

the agitation by collecting representativos of Its 63b:renobes . . .

in Gan4hl Negaran4 not to diaper Be til.l the· Chief Minister . . . . .

gave them a hearing. fbe Chief t11n1etcr gave them a hearing.

In early Febru.sX'Y the Jans SaD8h l'11ng in Broach CelU$ out

w1 th a l$1'15e procession of l10man t1h1ob submt tted a memorandQm

to the Collector. ~be women <ieznanQed Pres14ent. s rule,

judioial lnt.tu1r1 into the fUing and arresting the prloe

In Navsari \<Jhen Dinkel' D0sa1t the: local. liLA appl'oach ..

od 800 men and women fasting ao a pal."t at egi tat1on, a gal

tied a ralth1 on the hanoo1' {)$sa1, \.,hen Desai asked her t ",hat

"VGeP Paaallt' (A brother. s girt to his sisteSt tor t101ng tho

l'althee), she tJoU1.d like to have hom him, the SMart girl

demanded hie resignat10llj non.p1ussGd. the politician \'Jent . . ~ .

aaa,y'. At tel' sane days the same MLA Tt'SS to be shaVo4 on

his hoa4and was to be conducted on n donkey 1n EL prOCG-

salon.

one of the notable aspects of women1 srole was tnat

oven tbe m.odern oollege girls resorted to trad1 ~fna.1. forms

of expressing the1l' resentment and disgust u1 th -4m Chief )

/

l.eO

M1n1s~er and the GoVe1'llIllont. In v~1oue psts of urban

Gu.J arat tho 'aOlflon and gtr1.8 nicely Cl.ad,1I3:te' seen beatins

the bleaat ana WGeplng profu.sely tor the .suppoaed death of

the Chief 1'l1n1Dter. Ma.tl1 sang· the f~al £long for 'the

Goverll.\llent. It usa a treat to see sopbisUoatad college g11-18

in their bell-bottom lllod t beating tho~ fareboads 1n tho

open gateu83 of the Raj Bha'Van (Gov~norl s residenoe) to

morn symbolically tb3 ~ supposed)4eatb of· thepOl1 t:!.c1o.nt:J*

. ~e famale folltbel.onging to the tam:1l.1es of «OVOl't).

mont emPloyees dtd peaoGful picketing nesrthe 8steof ··the.

Ssob1vala.;vain Gandh1 Nagar., l'lhen the pol.lce t-esorte<i to

lath1 c~gev the· emPloyees got axe! ted: o;n.Q hed gheJ.'aoeQ

tho D3puty BeoPetctrl, Ba'lalan1. So:ne female members of the

Nuv IUrman Sanli t1 also \,lGl'e inJUl'04.15 EVan long aft&r the

100uo '.faa settled and Vldban SSbhCl d1ssOl. ved the ntudents . .

of B.D.lWts College for g11'1$ in Ahmedabad demonstrated

aeainSt its Principal tar alloge4 CQl'tl'Upt behaviour and took;

part in tile burning ofb1s Cel'.16

Po1.1 tic1zat1on of \'I01Denciur1ng the movement WaG un­

procedented •. MOllY of the 'l1omen including the young girls have

undergone the1r~1rst expel'ience of po11 tical socialization.

Ho~ this phenomenon ~oUl4 effect their futuro bohav1our

.l'omaSna to be 63011 •

• , 11

16 l.Q3. ~,1 1 l:lal'ch 197~.

16 Ibid., 26 l1ach 19740

1411

~e tU.ssid$nt Congressmen have pl.a,yo4,. very ca.talyUc

role in the GUjattat movement. From the b$g1nn:l.ngof the move.,

ment tbe1 hadrema1ned veri acUve' alld at certain (Jl'i t1ct4. . ,

points kept the 1"1rG of ag1 tat10n burn1ng lJilen1 t \'Jas likely

to cool down 8$" a result Ot the Cb1manbha1 t s effor t at re­

conciling the students leaders.

Tbe.41ss1dent faction aBa.1nst Chimanbhai compy:lsed

of certain influential or vocal. leaders like RatLtbhai

Mlen1. sanat Mehta, Jashwant Mebta Blld Prabodh Re.Yel, in

the Congress Legislature party an4 Jh1Jlabha1 DaJlJi in- the -

Pradesh Semi t1,. S;i.nce JUlJ'1973 when they Wl'e ou'bnanoe~ver-ed

by the dom1nant taot1on: l.ed by Ch1manbhai the,)' were nursing _

the soars of their wounds.- When towaV'ds the end of th$

year 19'13 pT'1ce r1sereaAbed a Deli peak _ end people got dis­

gusted 111 th long queues tor scarce commod1 t1es, they decided

to organize an ant1-pr1Qe rise sammele.n of the party -workGrs.

The date and the venue of the oonference had to be changed in

r~.sponse to eel'ta1n d1ff1oUl ties oreated trQn w1 tb1n the

pat'ty. HOl-,ever t 1 t was to 'eOinc1de with the 1e;r sell ag1 tat10n

that began arol.U).d the $am9 period on· the Queation of hostel

toad oUl. The oolncidence 'Was more than aoo14entel and it

symbol.1ze4 the complementa.1'l role that the dissidents tierS to . "1.' . -plav 1ntbe movement. '- !U-so. the way the people outSide 'tho

17 It issignif1cant that the dissidonts ~e first tG assooiate price-rise w.1 th corruption. . '

Bhagatslnb Hall in Gomtipur ares. of Ahmedabad ,demonatratet1

and hackled t.lle, dissidents pgt1c1pating in the anti ... price

rise ,sammelan. anUeipate4 that such g1t&n1olts ttere not gOing

to 1nal.llate ~m trQill the onu.s of tespona1b111 tl l1b1ob

poople placed c,n the'rul1ng party asa whOle. In his mesnaso~

tho OPeC Pres1aent,DGr 35.,blossed the o onv cntion mld statsCl • - , ••• I 4

that ttlQ <10 not oJ-aim that tho poS-son of faot1onal1am. 1s

romoved; but tdtJlollt abol.1sh1ng .tact1onal1smt 1 t lIas not

poos1ble to overcOJ:l& 'thO crisis ldhen the students fOl"mecl the

YUvak La,aan1 Samit1 in the '\1eke of fooGl'lots".'

some ex-l(1n1Efters oncoureaed them to erJn1 on thoir

G81 tat:1on oga1nst the Government'. ' d'OO1'\1ards thol 'WOre aloo

promiQGd l;JhatGV9J1 help' the3 requUed. Honey and vehloles

't:JOre alsO mado aVE'dl.ablo to thea. A bl'otber of the top

leedor of the NNS acted ase link botuoen h1ln and the taction

leader s like Oel'J:t nnQ on 19th 14anubhal V'$a8t ~ NLA fr om

13havnag~ \11red tOO Pr1me l1ill1ster requesting her not to , '

petain Cb1manbhP1 aD the Cll:let Uln.1ster. ' OD 13th January,

22 llLAs bolong1ng to the 41as14ent group in. a signed

meraO'.ilandum asked tbe Cen~Gto imposo the Prosidentt s rule

In, Gujsrat. llot:ever. 1~ lJ8El countered by more than 100

Consress !1LAs suppO?t1ng tbe Ch1e£ kan1s~. DurlJl6: tll1s

psr10ci the lanistGr for 8app»o Narondraoinh Jh&l.e l1aa tho

chio.f tcraet. EVan tow.' m1n1awrs of the Ce.binet hat! asked

Ch1monbhaS to 4rop .biIn from tho- M1n1stry. 1be diDaiaonts

ohBl'go4 him 'for corruption, illsffio1ency an4m1S!Uanogomont.

- .

In the· memoran4um al~ tha,hsd chtmge4 .'~ oovernment tor .' .

• & ",

m1sm6nagOlllQ1'lt, tar4¥ adm1n1stra:tlonan41net.f1c1enc,. .Again·

thfl1 "tJetetrlin8 to rel.ate: pJlc$J'1S$w1 th G"On\tPt1on, £0'8

'Which M.al1alanke!' flail al.so 0.1 Uo1"e4 ·tnaGOlt~nment. fbO.

41ms14Bnt pl~ 1mpor-t~trol.e thus'ln,Bivlns thG·· anU-pr1cG

l!'1se movement 'en autl.OOJ'lnlPtiQD: movement., In its wake Jhe.1.e. lfQClstrlppe40fhla porttol.lo on t.he, 15th bUt tho

conciGscendl~ ChS,ef Htnt ••. wa.. l.ate. tor 'Jl.QW .. tl)s. oonuptioll

. '\iS$ link" 1dthMmse~t and· the autl~C~l'Upt1on mov&lil&nt t18!l'

tald,ng antt.-Ohiaanbh.a1 tu:rn. isl&¥ alld iaaSa$Sir. the

~o l\htI.ledabad aaUies. openl.I1rnpJ.loaWd the Chlef tUnistel'

14 th regat'd to corJ*upt melpra$t1..oe$. !rhe1 414 so b,v gJ,V1118

1lnpo:ctanoe to this aspect_ of the·" aotlv1ties of th$ Man!

taoUon. NeenwhUe ~end1ng ~.~lkGNar$1nbHe.kea.1lElt

HtlSDlukbV~a, ,XoWa VyuJ, K.P. Shah, Vok$l'1a,. Bhenupre.ea'!

Pendya tmd other aske4 tf# oalJ.1ng eo l'oqu1alt1onedmoet.1llg

of thO ~C. At the ~ t1me,·AmUl UOse1, _,the F1nancte

141nistel' atatod that the ea.b1net was lfot'Jd,ng as a team.. But

the cU.asidents -1nclw:ling $even ex-.tI1n1sters asked tor

ilame4tate Pres1~ent~ s rule. n_j1, however, -118>8 -y111g to

'1'185 the rolo of atn.d1a~1n t1'd.s 1n~na1 s'trUgg].til ..

Ja1sW.thl.sl Bathlalso tried to evoke -a sort of consensus

bo-tt."G~n the ~lng gro\).pa. ' Beanm41e \1 t uaa also repor. t<X!

tha~ tho High eOnnnand throu.,gh ;lts l$ttekshs4 scold04

Jasht1ant llehta and Vasudev ~lpatb1 for hold1Dg the an'ii:1-

144

price Convention on the 5th Jan~ary. Unc1au.nted, the a:tas1-

dontscontinua4 the1l' oampalgn a.rui on tho 20th, their leaders " " "

stated before F.akl'Jra441Jl Ali Ahmed) "the then Un1onFQ04

1,11n1stor, that last y$ar (1972) toodgra1ns WGr'& found in

~ market in spite of the tamine, ana their prices were

oo.tn~at1vel.y 10\1, l'1hile thls "year (1974) 111 sp1ta of a

good monaoon (l.97a) prices \16re high and they' were in acute

sh()1t~age.. ntey ascribed this to tn1sm.a.:nage.montt lack of

efficienoy and corruption of the government .. pert10Ularly of

the ex-SUppJ.st M1n1s tor 1) l.8 There were both 10g10 an4 some

trutb in tlw s~nts of the 41ss1dent taction. To the

d1ss1c.ionts 11kGMsn1, Jash\1a.nt Mehta, Madhe.vs1nh SOl.ank1,

Ibrahim Italan1a. and Yogelldl'a Makl1ana also goes the credit

of pressing the (leman4" like that put by ths gO"Vel,-nment group,

for the l'elease of mOl'e foocigl'a1ns or removal of the restric­

tionson thO 1ntar-state ,mtntement of co_so gra1ns.. HOlJever,

J.lanubha1 Panchol! pointed out that" thle was alL rl~ht as f~as <1'

1 t t16nt bu~ the dissidents ShoUld not have torgot4(,Qn that

the Centro had gone on 1'e(luc1ng 1 tsaupPll to the needy

Gtlj t:1Jl at. AS such the dissidents shoUld not ha.ve hel.d 0Dl.1

sta~ Governinont as responsible. !all') Contl:o t s tauJ. t ties

rather mucb grea~ i:han the statsJ 8.19 On 22nd in "the

meeting of '\:be GPCC, AQen1 stated that an 1nqu1r, into th$

18 f3f.mge_Eib~. 21 Januar, 19'7~. lR6 .. Ila:n,S, 21' January 1974.

19 lmealfhogg1,. 21 ;i e.nuary 1974."

ehCJaoo ~Oc.?lfUp~on oau1no:t tjaO C~ocs .o~Q 1l101waS-nc

Mnc:>lf clloulti ~ 1101(\ o'\; 0 h!C1llovol bOcCllC¢ftthGro io a

!tl~ooaion ~ tt~ poop}..o tll.a~ t:O(OOll£WQooon)olJ. t:300~"'!,~.

S1~ Ch!OC ~Q~ ~ on. tWo, {iofoJl.S!vo. !it.'3 OPCC Preo1(1ont

d2.Ci llO~ bot,~,. fc»OUN (;ll~ aCQ~ tori ~tlPO?~1 "oo14on'l:'o

'IIt!l.o in tlO oto~. f'ilO or.:;lJ 6:;s t1:Ou ~lJ l)1~ t, tho

UnSQll Ilc:;o ,t;;;'n1tl~. tJGO o.(±:X1 :In c liSoOO cont(OGnoo hol.4 !tn

i!Ot1 U::llll1:, cio 1lO~ tilo gdr~0Ac!.1ctl ~ IQiJ3 pd'~ Z'0SPonoSJ)l.O

tor:: ~f';) cctLto:~on (1n GajeQotJ)ull l.i1tl \: l?oplloth t*1?cct1oncl10

hco C2.d:l ecnO:lbu\tG ~ 1t; but !!.~ io om.:a~6.~ • .JE.::l~' a O'cu.oo.ooo c4.'1..rt t~Ot1CO cutt;l.clcn u.y inaS~

, ,

oc.t1VO. 1lct.~va:t a.n aD !1ll1~no.1 t."'"'1k tl1~i:h:l J~na1.1otc~

t.l'l$ BOLlO l~n!to~ roPl~ tg t1 ~oot3.on cl:Jots.t·~ l1Q10 ~ tb:)

dicoMlcnto "~'~ ~y beG t'o1~ tho P?oi.llco of Cbtli1~aeoo. ·no

'Uoo ov,~..r::$;o~c ~at,~ :!n\.":aZ1d! paty 4SiiZ0410neGtt oOUlA be

!J'ooovc(l. nu~ '~~C~yoo.::.1t ct't tla1zo(! tno1'olo oi' tba

t.1:loxtt.l:::.tco tho t~ tilOY 1~ ap1lcd..ocd tlP. ·raobl.ctl 09 '.

c:lf£t=cOO, o..1t1 hGt1 QCcon ttl~d ~ rm cf.)lo 02l.atl '.ent3 ct'clOl?,

end oS t:.1l1ch tho ojij)oc:?,,\1..o..:. .. pc~oo hc.t'} 'l:-""'.l!On .~ ~~ ~ . ....,.",", 20 \::~ .....

ru.J. tbSo ctcco t1l~o tIEl.!) no oceztoop~onco bot't.~on

tllo orzor~ ~ "tllo (1;?ori;?..(lollta cmd th~ Ql1mSna -toapo oC ~

t::oV""'...lilOU~ ~,4:lsr;lGcnto oo~4 0'Dl.1 OllCQlmCSQ sano we . , . , I

!O~~O no~ to on~ :lnt;l CJ'JY ccoro~~ u:ltli' th.Ooto.~

Qoyornm.ent and finance a paet of the expenditure inourl1ed

b, some of them. Bu.t the, ava1lecS themsolveso! tho a1tua­

tlQl1 1n \1h,1ch Ch1manbha1 t1as il:IOl'eae1ngll00Com1ng Ullpopular

'01 pressing their pOints befoJl6 the High Command. ~oU8h

initially td.'Ghou.t allY substantial. gain, thay came bonQ.y' to

the Congress lae.ders in N~w Dalh1 'tiho had not roconoiloQ to

the '1nbQi'ent challengotb.a~ Ch1manbha3. had givon to tho

style o-t lnQira GanQh1 in her managing the lQedOl'ship problem

in tho stabs. ~e 41ssiclonts l:lere not auppresood oven

thou.gh a govel'Dm6nt oonvolled by thQi~ otm party tlaa in

<1snger (unlike the su.'bsequen:t High command policy in B1hcr)

but they t1el'e used to \f6aken- the Chief Miniotel1 bo'th u:t thin

end outside the parw_ They uore givan to l.Ulde1'atan4 that

no ohange in the gOVEJl'l1tI1OIlt set-u.p in thO S~ato -was possible - ~

t1ll the Uttar Pradesh elections W1"e hela. But as ono

41ss1Uent lea4ar 1nta~preted th1s to Us in the ,l.ate Januatrl~

th1$ meant that tile chango-over otlOa4$l"s.b1p ties not

al togethell' 41a.aUowed _ the H1gh Command hsa tao! tl.1 kept

tb.eles.de~sh1p 1:ssU3 \-l1de open, thus encou.:tagltl.g them to

cont1nUEt theU' struggle a.g:a1nst Ch1manbha! ul~ boundo •

.Also even though the High. Cetmmand dad \-J1shat effectinB or

allO'W1ng tb.e J.ea(iorsh1p change. it was not poss1bl.O sa tb.3

dissidents t:erG tRek. and did not sounQol'edil::tJ.o in topplina

Chimanhha1 -~ho proved mC'fo resourcefUl to g1lS."id bill big

11laj 01' 1ty the Congress Legiala tu.1:e P- ty.

1~7

AnYl1tJ:¥ discerning onough clues r~ opt1mlsm, the

dissidonts contintte4 their effort. Their link "11th some of

the leadersofc·ollege teacbersalao ptove4 helptul.. 131'

tho on4 of J·enu.tmy the l.atte1r haa become more e.ggr"essi va and

some sort.of co-~ainat1on l'J6S aJ,.ao seon in the presentation

ma40 by the dissidonts.and the tGaehera t leaders before

It.C. Pant the obaorvet: eant by the Congress B1gb Command on

30th J f.UlUEi'1. . 1he lUSh Oommend howeve:1 'WOl4d not r.lm ta1t1ns stend age1nst Chimanbha1 as he rel'llatne.<1 pavortuJ. in terlllS at tho logislative strength and the dissidents \;lould hordlt

proviciG on. DJ.tornat:1w to h1m. So thoi:' l10queat of canuel

inwventlon (Zl January 1910.> into tho state etfa3Zn t1stJ

not anter ta1nod 'tJhen thelmaC!e ver, strong prosontat1on

before the Union l11n1s~ tor Irl?1ga~on stating that tho·

"prosont government 1s a\lou.stod from all the aoctiono of

the peOple". 2hey elsa op1ned that oven if ~ centre "WOUld

OOlaO forth ldth more hol.p of fooograins, situation could not

be redoernod. SO muoh un.popUl.~ the Chief I:in1ot3~ bad

boco:no. Roopoll!l1ng to a quost1on by Pant, sanat Mehta aa;1.c.'1

tho." thoy 110I'O not interested in· 0111 pos! tion in the 111n1strl

even if it ~oul.d bo rosllUfflod as susgeated b1 pant. l'hat

thoy ",anted t!co tho Central. intervention through .~. tntnpat'el"l

Prosidont' a rUle. }ilani tried to 1mplloos upon the High

comman4' 0 obcorver that thoi ~Et not rospons1ble for stailtina

the· as:1 ta~on~ bu~ the latrger issuos of prieo-rise. shortages

and corrupt1on. He elsa did not agt'ee that a p~t1eulSl1

poll tioal. pa11ty alone was responsible. He rightly obaracteri­

zed the Jl10vemsnt as spontaneou,s anCl m4esprGad. The ~oup(e)

enoouttegod by the Chiof M1n1sterasoorted that he hml the

largf) aupp~t of 105 .MLAs and 225aolegawa of the goneral

body ~ the Peo. In apt te of his s2Jlcere effort at enlisting

co ... opQat1on of Da1!jl aneS' others, it dld not Gome forth.

COl'J.'tupt1on ch~ges \1EtrO 8St1011 otanc:lj.ng aga1.nst Dal*j1 and

Adan1 eJld that Ch1matlbha1h1mself 'tlao ~Oaa, to prov1do tor

tho 1nclus1on of tho Chief 1UJ.l1nW elsa in tho3Ul'lsdlotion

of the I'l'oposed Lett Pal b1l1.

HOt'1$Ver t a mu cleavage "'as opell1ng up no'\:! atthG

Cabinet level. ~f1.;GOh1of lUn1ster haa pi'opoaed thnt all the'

M1n1t!l'~lfS shOUldjointl, meet K.C.Pent an4 malte a ooncertod

presentCttion thfough a oommon memorandum tJb1oh'\iss to be . -

drafted by the L~ Minister O1vyakant Nanattatw.HowGvar, \.,hon

Ch1manbha! SUggested to Nt:mev$W that one Of tho poin'S MoUld . -

refGr that the dissidents uero hOlp1ngthe e.g1 taws evon - . . . 21

ti1 th finanoe, Nentlvaty did not agree. t'11 thh1m. Ne.navaty

also 1nd1eatot\ thct no 'WUl not sign, on nuch a mOillO?a.ndum.

Tho Chief laniamP ooneodod 'and the ~~=e.ndum lias preparod ; ..

in hiD name olllJr. But all tho H1n1S~ s ~G to meGt as a

colloctivity l'1hen that tJos to be ou.bm1~tD4 to Pent. ot.hero \

coUld oeQ individUally at tlls sam~~,ame:"----\ l1eon~llo oorta1n

devalopm!luts holped I~.pnav~-tO -pel? suade l..mul Desa1 ant\ .:

ntakorabha! Patel to g1vetbe1!' pl'osentatlon ooparate11.22

In the rn~o'i:1ng with Pant also, it \>188 re~ta4 that Gbia414

not apee t11th Ch1manbhe1' s analysis that .tb3'eg1taUon wao

oonfined tmll to m"ot.- .olties 114& Ahmechilat.\ant1 BS?oC!a. In

a sspatla'te meeting nmul Dasai arot1 the attention of pent ~

the tail.U1'G of. the suPpJ.1 on the pa:rt of edm1n1sWation and

the election of tho V1e$-Chanoell~ of Gujat'at l1n1:vero1t,y.

AmUl. lXlsai \'.1as eJ.so against· the t1S1 Cb2manbha1 t1a!l

he.n41.1ng tM levy p?o'bl.em because of his soft oO?nel.'" f01l the

termers and tl:w1:e pressure groUP, Iale4ut sangh. On thlc

point D3sa1 evon' agreed. \dth hin hoatUe adVOl1sary Da11j1 ..

He had· also em.b2nassed. tho Chief M1n1s_~ by.indirectl1

mp110cting the SUpply lU.nlstor,Jhala, in tho meetings of

the c~oU of Minis_so end -aho at~~eds hd to 81w up

his pOl-Vol.io under the pressU31e of MS~ NanaVa'ty and

IJAflRa1nh Cbaitdhc«'1 b6()ke4 by popUl.a? c1emand1n the state>.

or lata. Derjl uas also snell at DSsa1' e otf1e1al. ttos1C!enc.o

tn ~O\' prlvatel.y tal..1t1ng 'tl1 th h1nl 1n long mee t1ngoo

BOliSver, Pantl s vlett provided the context men duoct

eommlmlcati.on and contsot bE>~en tho 41asiC!ent taction and

the dlssonUng m1n1s~s bGeamo peroeptiblo. Its. illlPaot on

Pant ~as seen uhon be repG'rtad batore . the li1gh Command that

there was no WlitY in tho stnt3 Cab!nat. It l1atJ also Sound

this Ume- that Dar j1 tlme" off hie posture of a non-eomm1 tte4

n I

22 lbl<1o

160

mediator b&tt.~on the t'tlO grOUps of Congress ans1 sUl)Jnl tted

beforo Pent that it tho Centre t10Uld not 1nto:rvono ~o

CongrossPEA'ty in GIljeZ!1(\t'Will be tin1ahod. Ch9manbhaial.ao

had openl.l subIn1 tteel a. caso dQc1Wng G3 tho 1llG301? thi1us'i:·

of tho 'U.ss14onta' dOmam1. Pen~ ropor toCl that thGl'G tIM

some truth in \'!hat they su:bt:a:t tWd ana aomettdng aboUld bG

dono in that mattel'. «bus the dissidents though d~oe.ted

aupcrf1Q1all1 bad clea?ed the p1.tohtor .furthcm ~oh. on 5th Fobl'ua:t'y Jaabaant Mehta reltol"a.ted Dt!1lit $ stand thnt tho

violent agitation u11J. .subtd.de within 24 ~a of tlloCbiet

111n1etor tsros1gnat1Oll. Be $lso. merIted ~t 1. t was an

agi tatlOll by oppos1 tion pa::!1ties.. on tho tollO't11na cloy

111tU2a G£nCUli in saveral. of tbopoll. oampa1gn spooohOa made

1n U-etrg PrdGsh t announca4 to the ·etf'cct tha.tlK Violonoo

subsided a declsionQbout G\l3era~ c0Ul,4bo takan.On tilo

6th D~ j1 asked for sending ano~ QlJl1ssa'tl to f1n<i out

llhat type of a Qovement 1, t \1oa.. 5hG samE) <Say hE) told tha

pross that he 1·.t0Ul4 resign 1£ the High ComtnBlld tel t tbat

l>y that tho coDCi1 tions UOUld 2.mpt'ove. Mean't1h1l.oth1ngs

boCm to movo ver:y Zast. on the ovening of tho 7~t four l-11n1oi';ors (J$U:Q.. DGaa1, Nanavaty, Chau4bari ami Nav.tnol:lanUra

navon1) gavo on tJl. 'tdmatWll to tbe Cl110t I11n1ntes to resign

ui th1n 4B hourn otbo?\'J1sG they ",aula resign frOZl tho1.dn1oUty.

Tl'ds precipl tameS the 1'SZst !'ate.crisia in the GovGl.'ll1i10nt.

Ch1menbha:t rotalio.te4 QuiCkly by aropplng theLl. lIo aleo

151

tried to a.tlS\1Sr .15 pOints of ehargos of the four Y.d.n:1.sWPs

in equ.ally harsh tona. ibe:e was noli 41raot OOl'ifOspOnasnCG

botwoon dlBs1denoo'tr.i. thin the Cabinet ana the" goXlel?al moot1

of the raging poopie., and the defiant mln1swrs ",antGd to

be on the right a1do. file following 4a.Y, follo'\'f.Lng an Un~

l1al"d 1llc1dont at Raj BbnVan tme]10 stuclent lea4eJ1's t1e:r~

sevorol.y beaten b, tile ,pol1ce, l1aganbho1 Barot. Chimanbhei' a

om time 11euWDap.t, res18IlGd. me a1ss14ent grou.p wloomaCl

them el.l. In a., pross eonf~onee 1n Ns'tl D3lh1, the PrimQ

l-11n1ster vaguely h1n'te4 that even 1f' thG centre \1B.S conaic3er1nc . ", .

tho problaa of Presidentt s rqJ.G, oovioUsl.Ii.t coUld not bo

d1eou.ssod in the publi0.But slle cone oded that th& internal.

tight ot the Congress hd compl1ca'tod th9 already difficUlt

Situation. In Ahm~abe.4t meanwllUe, tbe diss1dents presen­

ted thai» ma1n £lrgUmOuta e&a1~t tho Ch1ef Minister. end tbGi2

stand usa nOt-I reinforoed byftes1gnat1ons of tho li1n1S~D

(Ghie. end bin tug colleagues bad elao indicated _ to resign)

end the rising t:1d:e of popul.ar upsurge a.o cryateu1ze4

tl1roughthe ~aJlhot's, atlldonts and other seotiono.

~u.o, the a1sa14ents \1Ot'ld.ne from m tll1n tho

Co~oss syotom had, tactfully WlSQ peoplol stJl'ath tQ Dring

homo to the deo1s1on-m..akOrs. 1n Ne'l1 ,051h1 tbat tbo Cb1Gf

111n1stor coUld no longer be al.lol'1oa to continue. Ookbalo

in his roport rotl.eQ~d· the mood of the peOple on tho 9th.

~o Chief U:l.n1ster Was aSkod to G~p dOtJn, 't~oh ho. hed to.

~G dissidents saw that 'i.iboy had 'ion the battlo in the fuot

152

rol.'llltl. Now after the suspended ASsembly 'tlOUld be revivod

after some t1m0t theJl' .expeoted to ~ewn topo'tJOr.

But tho l1.lnner s of the battlo liGl10 to lose tho

"tJsV and all that tho, had in terms of position ~ the lott..·

aVO!' of prestige. For as the non-pO\' Usan groups of

hundreds of soclal 81lQ publ1ouorlters, echleaUon1s\:;fl~

uoment sorgan1zat1ons. JG1o£esslonals and studonts hd rop.

rosentee! . balero LC.: Pant ana B.R. Gokhsle, tho poop},.e ht:tl . .

no tr'ust $1 thar in Ch1manbhaS. or his ~1 val. thG 41ssicaont

congross faotion .. -In fact, as made olea? bofor$ ~C. Pent.

instances t30re not wantlng ill Jf31lUI5Sy l1hen tho It.tld1ng

dls$14ont lOs4el!s llke sanat 14ehta fl1ld otbot'Qw vteloua

distriots of tbe state hed \leecs9 the tet:aet of pOpUJ.eE'

Sf:1 tatlon. .. \,1911 as those bolong1ns to ClWnGllbhat (¢ OUp ana this 11M p:l'om1nently ciS.sPlayed in '\:he press. Aleo £lome of

the· pOwel*fUl groups1n01.ud1ns the sWdents hd· aJ.l-aesly

opeDly eomrn1tt04 thomselveato tho: dGl'l1.and rae the dissolution

of the Gtlja'S'at V14hen sa.b~, Ulo press 001 tcm!als, columns

e;nd the reports- hell not 1nf1*oqu.antiLy dra$l the attent10n of

1. teo %eedel'a to the-responl!d.bll1 ty of the d1ss1den~s also 111

contr1bu.ting to thesOl1ct1d Plliht of the OQiJl11l0n man. ihe

dissidents and a $eot.1on or GUAfA loadors hoped. tbe.t

Ch1menbbai. having been the ma1nta.vge~ of oor:euptton, hie . 23

exl t l:loul.4 bX'bg <icnm the tempo end BpiJGe4 of tho movement.

d . t I r l F"

23 This l1QS sta"\!ad bysQUl.G leadGr6 of the GUATA and an elcsClt-131 S"et:l.t'od professor from Bal'oda befo:re Golthale t1ho:a tho1 met etw the matn representation of the teachers had deman4ed tho QissoluUon of the Asm')1nbly.o

HOUOVGl'$ tho movement atte~ a tempor~y lUll gathGed momentum

en4 got mt!lt1Pllod 1n~ms ot: ''ri.g0la. !ntonS1t; end spread.,'

and the a"'as14Gl1t mtAs beo_o the ·"MGf tEmget Of' tho various

programmes esld,Dg t(tf renigllatton of tho t:lLAs.Rav1 ShEUlkol1

MehSt'al. Ja,yopraltaah NsPaaSXlbles8G4 tho oontinuanoe of tho

movomsnt. SO aleo. the lG$U.Jl8. t')4u.cati.ona). e.JXl. ct\1twJaJ.. elites

liko lbaebonk~ Jonb1, Ias.tl't·~t Shukla, SulthaJ.alJ1, UO\fJ.anltaf.

R.I. Patel. Uellllbha.1 PanohoUand m.ost of tho Qol.~-w.rlt;et's

of thO 4a1lS,e a., file }'J4'Otls. 1nclu4ing 19a jha& an4 f1.mb2& ~S-fCbp£ (BQIllbSl) al8.0 fl'OQUOlltl, 1mpresS3Ci upon too pQl101'

that bo that aissolut1Oll was lleoose~y ancl 1nev1tab.l,e sa the

prosent V1dhan Sebha baa ,tor£o1tod people's conf14ence encJ it

had bocome Ul'el..ovant. Datlji \1ta.s 1rked24 and was a.gainat

demand tor cU.Sso1Ut!Ol1Oll 15 17obrUet'I1.974. no evon tbleatGned

throUgb apubldo 'statomont 'that he woUl4 40 ell that hG GoUla

. to cotmw ·tho tlWl4_ocl'at1c ag1 tattonn a1mOd a.t gott1Dg tlas1a ....

nat10n from tho~. llie stClllQ drE:W the attonUon of matlf

for onl.y a t01'tn.i.ght bofore he bad BOon aandb1 111 tho ag1tat1na

stu..(ionta (tbat t1m,() aga1nst tile ChlGt Hln1steP). l~mong othors

l1ho had becomo tho to?6et of ponplo's l:1fath or had been impro-

perl.y ttsootod by a crOtd ti3i'0t Betubh.a1 Mont. K.P. Shah •.

yogondtta !;lakwana, Na;.'s1nh l·lek:t,ana, It.1.ldl.a V,as, V:lrJi f;1un1a.

I J •

24 f'ilO ox-Ch.1.of H1n1stGzt Ghan~e:nbho1 OZt:\ 1na. oandid statement hod observed that tho protost of the poopl.e t100 not m0i1011 68a1~t .Ob1monbha1 grOQP but aaa1nst Conenooo tootionalism 1tae~f. It \JeD obV1ous that be1ng 1n POl'le1' the termor \'Jas the main ter8Gt, bu.t thG peoplo 'tJore t;OOl"Y of con-upUon o.nd feetioncl.ltmt.

Gorobandas Chokhawala., H1mmatbha1 Rajt1a41t Gbnfilhlam' Pand1t,

Sanat Mehta, Oinkerbba1 .Desai, and Shankerlal Guru. ibeX

t.~e untor tunat$ to suffer the Qoerc1ve IDO thode at the orowds

and tile 10una ftC oUps.

Men1ab1 Jan1 had Cl'iUc1ae4 in a pllbltc AilGot1n&

hold in Ahrnodnbaa on 17 February 1974 that ~e Conpe.es

illolu.d1ng its dissident g.f!oup \'Jas adopt1rig a double otsn4ar4.

!he nen <lea in e. ~ettt;\r ~1tten to J.b1nabhai Ds:rj1, JlJiani,

Jasln1ant l{ohta, Madhavs1llh Solanld aIJd Am.~EJ1nhSOl.emd. had

stated that no et£Ol't shoUld be Jnade, Ul'l4er the present

circumstances to form a 8ovettnment. 25 Hol'1Gy~. thG opUon , '

to form thO 8ovar.llmant at a' oonven1ent t1mo uam kept open.

B~t for tbis,tho ~tat1on hod to be, eooled 4own.

and, 1£ possible, t1itb.d'f'.41'1l1. !he. d1sa1c1ont COllg1!ess load_s

now cB1Ilped 1.11 Now naJ.h1. 1il1a woUld give them respS. to trom

the inoreaseCi heat o£ eg1 tation bOCk h~ al1d waula ,ena.bl.o

to move th$ l1~ela that ooQJ.dbr1nC thelma 19a.dGl'S to Nov

Dolb1 \1ha.?e it lJasDlo.rEt oonven1011t toceJole an4 pol'DUede them

to get Qll; the l1n&son which,the dlss14ents \'1an~ to tvoe4.

T.be baeltgttoUIlCl 'tIaSprepet'edtbJ'otlgh Kellu Bhavsa1 in the

fourth t1eok of' Februatt" 'endth,en MenlBhi Jeni. ShaUeah Shah

and o~a t;al'O oontacted_ tbl'ollgh h1m. Jasbl1ent llahta,

satyamPatel and otbers'pl6lGd all'1mpOl"taxlt 1'010.,26 , Ko.nu

n Ii. t f "

25 §!!!ies!tl 18 Febru.ary 197(\.

26 To avoid duplication. ttle de-taUs EA-e not ,repoated ' , here.

155

lias 'tJOD. over for it the SUbstence o1·dGmand of ~S 'tJan oOXlOeded

~oUgh negc)'ttatiOn, with Clecls1on-make):s of the l1Uling ptmty.

Guja1'at cOUld be spS,red from furt.hQ' vlo1enc~. AlWOal. to the

leftist OJ.tientattonot Uen1rab1 and Itanu 'Was also made that

tho movclIlGntshOUld end last. the rightist elementiJ ''JOUleS

got holli of ~ movement. otbel'B 1/e%'e 1mprec

saed b1 ~ 11100

that the, 001.44 by, tb1s 'tJa.'V soo tho movement tOl:)at'4s s.iis ,. \

trul ttUl 010$.& 1n.-wb1ch thoy lI0ul4 ahat-a c!ted1 t.rhe ' , .

stfa1Xlgy of the 41as14ents suoCGodea but to their cbagrin

the, SQl1 a ho?d~ of student \-10711£oro frcs all oiler Guj_at

rattle! then a Gozen or the knOtm ql1~ty uhom. thoy oOUld

findeas)' to handle. ftw CfGnti'f el NNS leaders of Abrile4abs4

\'Sa not to bs the sub300t to pVosSU?oe 1Yom thin vast

number of t10l?kel? s "Iho ..,ao tram othel' 01 tieo en4 lfllo in

turn 'e3ll'G d1f1'1CUl. t to be han41e4b,y the llhmeOabe4 studont

leaders. ft:o cU . .tt1oUl Uo'o ~e addoti to tho p1en of· tho

diss1dents.. t1h110 ono~oup of the d1sa14ents \'180 tl.'y1ng to

man. 1·lan1oh1. tho other l18S trying to par suado Menkad. In

terms of the offer thoy. modo,. pOinto they touohed end demands

they oonOGOOO, thoro ",as no co-ordination bOtooen those groupo.

Rethsr ovt-Jl!y dissident grOtlp l1antea to bel S!l~to1' than tho

othar end t1anb4 to takO tho Qred1 t fo:;! the allppooed solllt1on

so that they tJUl gain in ~ futut'a t'lOOn tho High ConlQalld

l:JoUld oons1a~ the formation of 1~1n1o't\'y in . Ga:odh1nfl8S.

D1ffeJ1ont laotions had d1ft~Gnt Qo4 ... father ill thTl eQ~()e.e

156

High Command through ldl1ch they opOl'atGd to tlx meG,ti.ll8S of

the at1140nt lGadel'o \11 tb this or that oen~al ~Oe4e?.. 9lus

Jastwant l-1ehta l1OUl<i put 14EDlisb1 in oontact tilth Ookhale.

11anJtadtJould ~ medeto moot Za4av by other potlp.

fhoir d1fflOult1o~ aul. t1pJ.1ed beCa.t1S() the, had lost

fe,vouJ1 td.th tQG cOS"e of the BiBb OOtnmand.2'1 file B1,gh Commlall4

d16 no tl1ke ~ \1ar they t1eltc cemp1ng in NOl1 Dol.h1 when 1D

such s crt t1oeJ. time they abQ1lld havo been in GUJat'nt to

guide the~ partyJ!lGn. - some of them wonCie1"e(! it tho1 had'no

base In' GU30at to operate tr.. So evon when. they 'promisod

,some stuaent leadGrs on COl1,Wn pOin to, tbo~ coU14 not dell vcr the goode ~8U.8G' the' H1&b CQIDJllan<11eBder \10144 not oblige

them to' c;on0e4etbe agreeGpolntsbetOl1e thQ student loadGl1tJ.

I~ot only this. aomo 41ss:t4$nt l~aders avon taUed to get the

stuaent leUle»s tho1l1 promtse4 meeti.ng tJith the High COJDmand

at sohedUlG4 t1lnea anc1 We og$ste4 a cl'ed1bU1 ty' gap_ ~1r

stro.~gYt theretore,.tloppG4. l:JhUonee.ver bome they 1101?Q

o~1 t$.elzG4 by a Awa'b$1! of 4aUlea r~' ,thf)11l osoapimn

..... , 1 b to ' 1

suggeste4b1 tile. long absenoe 1n Guj.at at til "1.' @itt­

oal timo,in NewDa.1h1 the1 d1d n:Qto.ry muoh t1e1.ght.

,U$$nwhUd mor-e ana more SI.1PPor ta~ s of tb&41ss14en ts 't1e.?G

res1gn1ng .hom the Assembly Wlder tne pUblic preasue.

Cbimanblla1 \fSS also folloWing his dea1gn of hastening the

d1sso1u.t1on by asldng bis SUpP01'WS to fles1gnPil hom. the

Assembly on one side while lD41reotlr &no~ag1Dg the

eg1tatol'a. to f'orce the aupportel!sot the d1asldent taction

also to leave the .Assemblyo rhus'WhsD. the dissOlution came

.1nev1 tably tho d1ss1den t group received the greatest blow

and the11' loss t1as the heavlea't. '!{he cl1es14ents thus per­

formed the role of a gu.ide and Pl'oVoCstu.eUl' of the students

whenever tlXl4 l1h$l'eVQJ1 possible. 7heV dpt the protraoted

ag1tat1onal1ve to oreate enough prob~em.s tor the Ch1ef

llin1ster Vis-a-Vis the oontra. tacttUlll use4 the increased . -

te.znpo of the movement for Qstabl1shing rap.pO?t l:J1th s01l1G

Ol'St\1h,UO 1ll1nister s, tried to serve asl1nks betuGen NNS

lee40l'8 and the lI1gh Command. oo ... oi'd1nate4 their plan with

GUAXllloaQel's at t1meSt an4served to cE«ry ·out the plan of

the Centre V1s-s,..v1s Ch11Oanbba1 in GUjQat. In the f1l'o1;

stage they suC)coe4ed 1Jl g1v1ngtbemovemant a deGUM .turn

aga1nst Ch1manbhe1 and ""sr_ it "I> when it seemed cooling

dOl1Il; b~t 1n thG sccond. the mov~nt p?ove4· as a ftBbasmasu:t"

f' i . 11.9 ... 28 Analysis of the nameaot those \'1ho ~ea1g11e(i l"J1U l'Gveel

that qUite a good number. or llLAs belonged tOCh1manbha1 . . group, even after his exit trom Oongresa part,.

168

for them. Tho cry' agatnatc01'21upt1dn and the rUl1ng elite

oroated by them tor a l.1mS:teQ purpose engUlfed them alao. , ..

Thoy created the steaus lns1de the COngress p!'$sSUl'ecool~el'

'N1 ttl the help of fire of agitation b1ll'ld,ng outside. Bu.t .

Ul timatel9 the hoat 1lo\1ld not be oontrolled.. -As a J'eaUl t , '

~e l:101ghts of the- High Oo.mmand as v1611 as the steam

fle\1 off because of the unoontroUed pol1. t10ai boat

outs1clo.