அறிஞர் அண்ணாவின் கட்டுரைகள்

PARTNERS IN A PASTIME

At last, they have decided to go up the Hills! Of course they have offered no explanation to the public for this exodus. Need they? They happen to be the chosen, and seem to know, how best to hoodwink the voters. Hence they have announced to the public that they would be holding a session at Ootty in the month of April. Wise men, indeed, and those millions, who have no other weapon except a 'scrap of paper' given once in five years, stand dumb-founded. For, they have heard, the Congress leaders, thunder a thousand times, against this 'exodus'. They have heard, similes and metaphors, gushing forth from the lips of those patriots. They thought, that those words, came straight from the hearts.

None who had the opportunity of hearing Hon'ble C.Subramaniam on the floor of the House, has seen his gait and pontifical air, would have thought that the 'exodus' would ever come about at all. The Leader of the House, assured the members, that unless all parties agreed the government would not take up this question of exodus. In fact, the Minister, even requested the member from the Nilgiris, not to bring in this question before the House, hereafter. The Hon'ble C.Subramaniam almost sealed off that proposal. So, even the members of the Legislature were taken by surprise, when the announcement came from the chair, that the Business Advisory Committee decided that the House should meet at Ootty.

Apart from other points, the party in power should explain to the people, and more especially members of the legislature, why they have gone back, why they have thought it fair and fit to indulge in an act almost amounting to gross betrayal. After making a statement on the floor of the House, the party in power, placing its reliance on the brute majority at its command, acts in a contrary way, flouting the moral standard expected of it. What has become of that assurance? Why should the Leader of the House, don on the hero's garb, and issue an assurance, that unless all parties agree, he is not going to consider the exodus at all, and then, sneak in to announce, that in spite of the dissent from the D.M.K., they are going up the Hills?

Parliamentary democracy rests upon such fine principles as, assurances, joint decisions, and the like. It is not enough to wield the majority—there should be as far as possible, common agreement. When the Leader of the House wants and even gets common consent from all parties, on such intricate problems as the language question, student problem and the like, why should he think it politic to rush on to the Hills, brushing aside objections from the D.M.K.? Ootty, they say, is the Queen of the Hills—but that does not mean, that the Leader of the House should succumb to its cooing, deserting democratic decency. What are the special reasons, that he could put forward for taking such a course? Except, perhaps, the backing of numbers, the Minister has got nothing else in his armory. “What could the D.M.K., do!—composed, as it happens to be, of only fifteen members! We have a hundred and fifty! And we have the unique comradeship of the Communists!! The D.M.K., would fret and foam. The people too may be a bit irritated—but there at Ootty, the season is charming, birds with their multi-coloured plumage, and flowers to match them, the lovely lawns, why should we not get the Holiday spirit, —should we stay and sweat, when the call comes from the Hills! The D.M.K., refuses to be floored by all arts of persuasion and cajolery. But on that account, we should not give up the pleasure of holding our 'durbar' at ootty, during the season!”—The Leader of the House seems to have thought in this vein. But what amazes one, is not this decision alone, but the different 'poses' that the Leader put forth from time to time.

He was all along thinking, that a sweet smile, a soft word, just a pat on the back, would be enough, to cajole the D.M.K.! But, when the D.M.K., refused to become a party to this, the Leader put forth a different pose, by saying that he is not at all interested in this exodus. Failing in all his subtleties, the Leader of the House, had to eat his own words, by taking a sudden decision to hold the sessions at Ootty.

Many would have forgotten, the history behind this itch. It is not a sudden thought. The Congress party, during those days, when it was in the wilderness, condemned the exodus. But as soon as it assumed power, the itch started. And the Congress party made many attempts to go up the Hills.
As early as January 1956, the proposal was brought forth before the House, discussed and given up. The present Leader of the House, was then too adorning the same place, and when member after member began attacking the proposal, he gave up the attempt at last, and put forth a heroic pose, by saying that his party was not interested in the exodus, unless all parties agreed.

In fact, a piquant situation arose, in 1956.

Unlike now, all parties agreed, at the Business Advisory Committee to hold the sessions at Ootty. But as soon as a resolution to that effect was placed before the House, by Sir, P.T.Rajan, members from all parties began bombarding. Mr. Subramaniam, confident as now, about his arts in persuasion and argument, attempted to soften out the situation. And failing in that, he threw up his hands, and threw away the proposal, and exclaimed,

"Sir, I would like to make a statement on behalf of the government. When the matter came up for consideration before the Business Advisory Committee, the Committee as a matter of fact, felt that even without reference to the Assembly the government could take a decision, and there was unaimity of opinion among all parties including even the Communist party. I want to state that here. Even then I knew that it was likely to be made political capital of. That is why I said the government were not prepared to take up that responsibility. I suggested that there should be a resolution and if that was accepted by all the parties on the floor of the assembly the government could take up the responsibility."

The question is two-fold. Why should the Communist party, think it fit to support this move for exodus now, having opposed it in 1956? And, why should the Leader of the House, think it advisable now, to give up his attitude of caution, and democratic decency, when in 1956 he was not prepared to take up the responsibility unless there was unanimity?

In fact, after finding the House in no mood to support this move, Mr.Subramaniam said,
"In view of the fact that there is no unanimity and the political parties are opposing this move, the government also are against the resolution."

Now too, there is no unanimity—the D.M.K., refuses to be a party to this gross vulgarity of an exodus. At least in 1956, the Leader of the House, found unanimity in the Business Advisory Committee—now, the D.M.K., expressed its dissent at the Committee itself. And yet, Mr. Subramaniam announces, his decision. Why? Why! Because, he feels he is strong enough, to defy any code! Because, he feels, that the public would not raise their little finger as a protest against this unjustifiable onslaught on democratic etiquette. What answer has the public to offer to this affront—for, it is nothing short of an affront. It is not at all, an issue as between the Congress and the D.M.K. The D.M.K., has done its duty, by stoutly opposing the move, and the Congress party has now taken the final decision even without moving a formal resolution in the House. It is now up to people, be they of any political persuasion, to speak out.

There was, in 1956 a spirited speech, from a Congress member on the floor of the assembly, against this move. And it is in the hope, that a perusal of that speech, would be of much help to those who are awe-stricken by the bigness of the party, that the speech is reproduced. Here it is, and the speaker is, Mr. A.M.Rathnaswamy.

“Mr. Speaker, I am sorry I am constrained to oppose the resolution so ably moved by Hon. Member Mr.P.T.Rajan. We should take into consideration the context of the present situation when this resolution is moved in this House. We should also take into consideration the feelings of the people outside this House and we must also consider what amount of backing there will be for this kind of resolution. Ever since the Congress took up the reins of administration in this country, it began to shake off all the vestiges of imperialism. The popular Congress Ministry when it took up the reins of administrative responsibility in this State in 1937 under the able leadership of Mr. C.Rajagopalachariar, this question of holding session of the Legislature in Ootty was considered and that Ministry rightly decided that the session could very well be held in Madras and there was absolutely no need to hold it in Ootty.

“Sir, I doubt very much the statement made by the Hon. Mover of the resolution when he said that the expenditure would be only Rs.50,000. Sir, when we feel like having a session in Ootty, the whole Capital should move and you can very well imagine the implication, financial and otherwise, of such a move. The whole Secretariat has got to move and many of the paraphernalia have got to be observed. There is already a feeling in this country that there is a good deal of red-rapism still continuing. We can imagine what amount of delay in the disposal of papers there will be if the session has to be held in Ootty. I do not know whether the Hon. Mover of the resolution feels that the Secretariat has also got to be moved to Ootty or not. In case it was necessary, it will entail a good deal of expenditure If, however, the Secretariat had to function in Madras and the session had to be held in ootty, I am afraid the delay in the disposal of papers will be enormous. What amount of difficulties and inconvenience would be experienced by the people? I leave it to the imagination of the Hon. Mover and also the Government. I am afraid that this is not a popular move. After all, our Congress Ministries both in the various States and in the Centre are endeavouring their very best to build up a true democracy in this country. Democracy was defined by no less a person than Abraham Lincoln that it is a Government of the people by the people and for the people. Therefore, we have got to take sufficient caution and care in this kind of move before any decision could be arrived at on this question. It was all right for the Europeans to have the session in Ootty so far as this State was concerned and in Simla so far as the Central Government was concerned. Those people came from a very cold country and so wanted to have some relaxation and rest in this hot country. But I wonder how there can be any analogy between we Indians and those Europeans. After all, we are born and bred up in a hot place, I would only like to tell the Hon. Mover of the resolution that after all we are trying to build up a Government based on democratic lines and are trying to create a socialistic pattern of society in this country with the Gandhian background. So, I appeal to him to understand the implications of his move. We are struggling very hard to see that the Second Five Year Plan which is going to be taken up by our Government is implemented successfully. Even assuming that the extra expenditure will be to the tune of Rs. 50,000. I would like to point out that that sum is not a small one. Nowadays, every pie counts. There is already a feeling in a minds of the people that the tax burden is very great. Considering the various points and the implications of his move, I urge upon the Hon. Mover of the resolution to withdraw it. Thank you, Sir.”

To be honest and frank, one has to say that this ‘Hill going’ is nothing but a costly pastime. The D.M.K., has spurned the offer from the Congress, and has refused to become partners in the pastime. The Communists have agreed to become partners in the pastime. We await the verdict of the people.

(28-12-1958)