30 Years Ago

"The Muslim League candidate must not be defeated" - Indira Gandhi

In his reaction to the elections in Kerala last week, the Congress(0) President, Shri S. Nijalingappa, eloquently described the results as "darkness before dawn". Maybe the Congress (0) dawn is a little longer in coming; but the darkness that the Congress (I) has spread is beginning to be seen in all its "darkness visible". From the political debris in the state a new axis of the traditional enemies of India has emerged. The CPI which betrayed the nation in 1942, and the Muslim League, which stabbed it in 1947, have now joined hands with the ruling political 'junta' to rule the country... For instance the communists have 'lost' seats and votes to her; the Muslim League has 'lost' seats and votes to her; and it is not without significance that both of them seem to be quite cheerful about it. Comrade Dange is reported to have told some of his followers in Delhi that they would take over in ten years' time. The leopard has not changed its spots; it has only covered them up. The unholy axis between these three groups emerged in all its nakedness in fact.

Reports reaching here from Kerala say that Smt. Indira Gandhi freely mixed with the CPI and League men, addressed their meetings, while the comrades and the Leaguers in turn addressed her Congressmen in a number of constituencies... To an election rally in Palghat, from where Jana Sangh secretary Rajagopalan stood she ordered: "The Muslim League candidate must not be defeated." A Marxist did, however, defeat him—and Jana Sangh increased its vote by ten thousand. Even in Kerala more men were willing to stand up for India and be counted....

Three DMK Ministers booted out

Tamilnadu Ministers K.A. Mathiyazhagan, Vezhavendhan and Muthuswamy have resigned their jobs to take up party work : Though these resignations were decided upon by the DMK executive "to spare some Ministers for party work," political circles view it as action taken by Chief Minister Karunanidhi against three Ministers because of the serious allegations by Congress (O) leader Shri P.G. Karuthiruman. Shri Karuthiruman's charge was that Mathiyazhagan had bought a house at Gopalapuram for Rs. 2 lakhs in the name of Rajasundari Ammal his wife... He also said that there was nothing new or wrong in taking such loans for building houses, and that Minister Nedunchezian, and even Chief Minister Karunanidhi, had built houses in a similar manner.

Immediately Nedunchezian and Karunanidhi intervened and said they had got only small building loans and that too many years back. Shri Karunanidhi went on to say that he had applied for loan for his house, which was valued at Rs 40,000 only; the loan he got was just Rs 20,000. He said that only half the total value of a house could be given as loan. In this way, Chief Minister Karunanidhi himself threw a stone on Mathiyazhagan's head. The same evening Mathiyazhagan, Muthuswamy and Vezhavendhan submitted their resignations, which were immediately accepted. The allegation against Vezhavendhan was that within a short period after becoming Minister, he had built a bungalow for Rs 1,50,000. Vezhavendhan issued a statement saying that the 'house' was only a gift from his father-in-law! September 26, 1970