Sixteen Stormy Days

by Tripurdaman Singh

62. ‘Bihar Estates’, Times of India, 13 July 1950, Bombay, p. 8.

  63. ‘Land Reforms’, Times of India, 6 July 1950, Bombay, p. 1.

  64. The committee consisted of C. Rajagopalachari, C.D. Deshmukh, K.M. Munshi, Jagjivan Ram, B.R. Ambedkar and N.V. Gadgil.

  65. ‘UP Zamindari Abolition Bill: Compensation Issue’, Times of India, 12 June 1950, Bombay, p. 1.

  66. ‘Zamindari Abolition to Cost Rs. 414 Crores’, Hindustan Times, 15 July 1950, New Delhi, p. 5.

  67. ‘72 Clauses of UP Zamindari Abolition Bill Passed’, Hindustan Times, 5 July 1950, New Delhi, p. 7.

  68. ‘Indian Constitution a Clumsy Document: Criticism by Socialist Party Conference’, Times of India, 11 July 1950, Bombay, p. 3.

  69. Ibid.

  70. Note to the home minister, 25 July 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 14/2 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 223.

  71. Ibid.

  72. For a good overview of communal representation and Justice Party politics, see P. Maran, ‘The Evolution of Communal Representation in Tamil Nadu’, unpublished PhD dissertation, Madurai Kamaraj University: 2012), especially Chapter 3.

  73. See – K. Veeramani, The History of the Struggle for Social Justice in Tamil Nadu (Chennai: 1998), p. 25, 26; P. Maran, The Evolution of Communal Representation in Tamil Nadu Unpublished PhD Dissertation (Madurai Kamraj University: 2012), pp. 124–140.

  74. ‘Admission to Colleges: Validity of Madras Order Questioned’, Times of India, 8 June 1950, Bombay, p. 3.

  75. ‘Madras Order on Colleges Again Challenged: Student’s Petition’, Times of India, 15 June 1950, Bombay, p. 3.

  76. Champakam Dorairajan v. State of Madras, AIR 1950 Mad. 120.

  77. Ibid.

  78. ‘Appeal against Madras Order: Student’s Petition’, Times of India, 14 June 1950, Bombay, p. 7.

  79. Ibid.

  80. ‘Penalty for Talent’, Times of India, 12 June 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  81. ‘Communal Rule: To the Editor’, Times of India, 6 June 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  82. Ibid.

  83. ‘Letters from Our Readers’, Hindustan Times, 17 June 1950, New Delhi, p. 7.

  84. ‘Communal Rule: To the Editor’, Times of India, 16 June 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  85. ‘Penalty for Talent’, Times of India, 12 June 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  86. Ibid.

  87. ‘Communal Basis for Admissions Invalid: Madras High Court Upholds Petitions’, Hindustan Times, 28 July 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  88. Champakam Dorairajan v. State of Madras, AIR 1950 Mad. 120.

  89. Ibid; ‘Madras Govt. to Appeal to Supreme Court’, Hindustan Times, 29 July 1950, New Delhi, p. 5.

  90. Champakam Dorairajan v. State of Madras, AIR 1950 Mad. 120.

  91. Ibid; ‘Madras Govt. to Appeal to Supreme Court’, Hindustan Times, 29 July 1950, New Delhi, p. 5.

  92. ‘Minister Warns Madras Students: Strikes in Colleges Deplored’, Times of India, 6 August 1950, Bombay, p. 13.

  93. ‘A Dangerous Portent’, Times of India, 11 August 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  94. ‘Minister Warns Madras Students: Strikes in Colleges Deplored’, Times of India, 6 August 1950, Bombay, p. 13.

  95. ‘Invalidation of Communal G.O.’, Times of India, 11 August 1950, Bombay, p. 7.

  96. Champakam Dorairajan v. State of Madras, AIR 1950 Mad. 120.

  97. ‘A Dangerous Portent’, Times of India, 11 August 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  98. Note to the Home Minister, 25 July 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 14/2 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 223.

  99. Jawaharlal Nehru to Chief Ministers, 3 August 1950, G. Parthasarathi, ed., Letters to Chief Ministers, 1947-1964, Vol. 2 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1986), p. 162.

  100. ‘A Dangerous Portent’, Times of India, 11 August 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  101. ‘Rehabilitation Grants to Smaller Landholders: Schedule to UP Zamindari Abolition Bill Passed’, Hindustan Times, 28 July 1950, New Delhi, p. 8.

  102. ‘UP Zamindari Abolition Bill’, Times of India, 5 August 1950, Bombay, p. 7; ‘UP Land Bill Changes’, Times of India, 28 July 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  103. ‘Bhumidari Zindabad: UP Zamindari Abolition Bill Passed’, Hindustan Times, 5 August 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  104. ‘UP’s Feudal Order Being Changed: Intermediary Rights Acquired’, Hindustan Times, 5 August 1950, New Delhi, p. 9.

  105. ‘Zamindari Abolition’, Times of India, 30 June 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  Chapter 3: The Deepening Crisis

  1. ‘Year of Deepening Gloom: Unsolved Problems, Demoralised People’, Times of India, 15 August 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  2. Ibid.

  3. Rohit De, A People’s Constitution (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2018), p. 2.

  4. ‘Indian Political Notes: Issues for Congress Presidential Election’, Times of India, 10 August 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  5. Ibid.

  6. An independent country composed of the current states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

  7. ‘The Indian Background: Befuddled Communists’, Times of India, 23 August 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  8. Ibid.

  9. Ibid.

  10. ‘Zamindari Abolition in Bihar: Talks in Delhi Concluded’, Times of India, 21 August 1950, Bombay, p. 1.

  11. See B. Shiva Rao, ed., The Framing of India’s Constitution: Select Documents, Vol. II (New Delhi: Indian Institute of Public Administration, 1967), pp. 231–40; Gopal Sankarnarayan, ‘The Fading Right to Property in India’, Law and Politics in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Vol. 44, No. 2, p. 225.

  12. Ibid, p. 226; Granville Austin, The Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1972), pp. 87–99.

  13. Jawaharlal Nehru to Sardar Patel, 26 August 1950; Jawaharlal Nehru to Sardar Patel, 28 August 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), pp. 104–05; Rajmohan Gandhi, Patel: A Life (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, 1990), pp. 520–26.

  14. ‘Tandon Elected Congress President: Outright Victory Over Rivals’, Hindustan Times, 3 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  15. Rajmohan Gandhi, Patel: A Life (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House 1990), pp. 504–06, 520-–26, particularly p. 526.

  16. ‘Fears of Crisis in Congress Discounted: Election of Mr. Tandon Hailed’, Times of India, 4 September 1950, Bombay, p. 5. Funnily enough, Tandon only lasted a year of his supposed three-year term. He gave way to Nehru, who then held the office of prime minister and Congress president for the remainder of the term.

  17. Kripalani was a former Congress president, who had been associated with the Congress for close to three decades, and had been its general secretary for twelve years.

  18. ‘Bihar Land Reforms Bill to be Amended: President’s Assent Expected Soon’, Times of India, 7 September 1950, Bombay, p. 1.

  19. ‘Decision on Compensation’, Times of India, 8 September 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  20. Ibid.

  21. See Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajendra Prasad, 11 September 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 51; Sardar Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru, 11 September 1950, Durga Das, ed., Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Vol. IX (Ahmedabad: 1974), p. 274.

  22. See G.P. Sharma ‘Nationalist Response to Agrarian Conflict: Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Peasant Politics in Bihar in the 1930s’, Studies in People’s History, Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 216–24.

  23. Sardar Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru, 11 September 1950, Durga Das, ed., Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Vol. IX (Ahmedabad: 1974), p. 274.

  24. See Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajendra Prasad, 11 September 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 51.

  25. Sardar Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru, 11 September 1950, Durga Das, ed., S
ardar Patel’s Correspondence, Vol. IX (Ahmedabad: 1974), p. 274.

  26. Nehru would complain bitterly to Patel about his masterminding Tandon’s election, and accused him of pressuring and bullying people into voting for his preferred candidate. Jawaharlal Nehru to Sardar Patel, 28 September 1950 (Draft Letter), S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 107.

  27. Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajendra Prasad, 11 September 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 51.

  28. Ibid.

  29. Jawaharlal Nehru to Sardar Patel, 12 September 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 52.

  30. Statement to the Press, 12 September 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 114.

  31. ‘Estates Should Not Be Taken Over: Bihar Zamindar’s Notices’, Times of India, 20 September 1950, Bombay, p. 8.

  32. Ibid.

  33. ‘Communal Reservations in UP End’, Hindustan Times, 11 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  34. Jawaharlal Nehru to Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, 12 September 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 117.

  35. Ibid.

  36. ‘Nehru Deplores Craze for Office: Congressmen Reminded of Gandhiji’s Teachings’, Hindustan Times, 18 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 4.

  37. Ibid.

  38. See Jawaharlal Nehru to Sardar Patel, 28 September 1950 (Draft Letter), S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 107.

  39. Jawaharlal Nehru to Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, 19 September, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 136.

  40. ‘Indo-Pakistan Issues to be Solved Amicably: Nehru Condemns Loose Talk of War, Subjects Body Adopts Motion on Communalism’, Hindustan Times, 20 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 6; Rajmohan Gandhi, Patel: A Life (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, 1990), p. 526.

  41. ‘Unqualified Support to the Constitution: Clear Exposition of Secular State Ideal’, Hindustan Times, 21 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  42. ‘Economic Plan Adopted’, Hindustan Times, 21 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 1; ‘Congress Favours Continuation of Controls: Economic Policy Motion Passed’, Hindustan Times, 22 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  43. ‘Tandon Approves Government’s Foreign and Home Policies: Firm Attitude Towards Pakistan Urged’, Hindustan Times, 21 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 5.

  44. See Myron Weiner, Party Politics in India: The Development of a Multi-Party System (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1957), pp. 70–78.

  45. ‘Nasik Session: Control of Election Machinery’, Times of India, 22 September 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  46. Jawaharlal Nehru to Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, 19 September, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 136.

  47. Harshan Kumarasingham, ‘The Indian Version of First Among Equals: Executive Power during the First Decade of Independence’, Modern Asian Studies, Vol. 44, No. 4, p. 715.

  48. ‘Confidence Vote in Pandit Nehru: C.R.’s Comment’, Times of India, 23 September 1950, Bombay, p. 8.

  49. ‘Unqualified Support to the Constitution: Clear Exposition of Secular State Ideal’, Hindustan Times, 21 September 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  50. Jawaharlal Nehru to Chief Ministers, 1 October 1950, G. Parthasarathi, ed., Letters to Chief Ministers, 1947-1964, Vol. 2 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1986), p. 209.

  51. Jawaharlal Nehru to Chief Ministers, 27 September 1950, G. Parthasarathi, ed., Letters to Chief Ministers, 1947-1964, Vol. 2 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1986), p. 205.

  52. VG Row v. State of Madras, AIR 1951 Mad. 147.

  53. Ibid.

  54. Ibid.

  55. ‘Right of Association Cannot be Denied’, Times of India, 15 September 1950, Bombay, p. 1.

  56. Jawaharlal Nehru to Chief Ministers, 14 September 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 540.

  57. Kameshwar Singh v. State of Bihar, AIR 1951 Pat. 91.

  58. Jawaharlal Nehru to Sri Krishna Sinha, 19 October 1950, S. Gopal, ed., Selected Works of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vol. 15/1 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1993), p. 52.

  59. Statutory agriculturists had been a category created in colonial Punjab to prevent agricultural land passing into the hands of auction purchasers or urban mercantile communities, considered a major cause of the rebellion in 1857.

  60. ‘Current Topics: Reservation of Posts’, Times of India, 11 October 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  61. Ibid.

  62. Ibid.

  63. Bharati Press, Smt. Shaila Bala Devi v. The Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, AIR 1951 CriLJ 309 (Patna)

  64. Ibid; Abhinav Chandrachud, ‘Freedom of expression was once wide-ranging in India. Then Jawaharlal Nehru asked for changes’, Scroll.in, 5 September 2017, https://scroll.in/article/849499/freedom-of-expression-was-once-absolute-in-india-then-jawaharlal-nehru-asked-for-changes (accessed on 1 June 2019).

  65. Bharathi Press, Smt. Shaila Bala Devi v. The Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar, AIR 1951 CriLJ 309 (Patna).

  66. ‘Bombay State Road Transport Organisation Illegal: Decision by High Court’, Times of India, 17 October 1950, Bombay, p. 7.

  67. ‘UP Bus Drivers Move High Court: Full Bench to Hear Writ Petitions’, Hindustan Times, 8 April 1950, New Delhi, p. 8; ‘Nationalisation of Road Transport in UP Challenged: Case Before High Court’, Hindustan Times, 13 April 1950, New Delhi, p. 7; ‘Right to Ply Private Buses: Further Hearing in Transport Nationalisation Challenge Case’, Hindustan Times, 15 April 1950, New Delhi, p. 8; ‘Restrictions on Use of Bus Routes Unconstitutional: Further Arguments in Allahabad High Court’, Hindustan Times, 17 April 1950, New Delhi, p. 8.

  68. Moti Lal and Others v. State of Uttar Pradesh, AIR 1951 All. 257.

  69. ‘Failure to Consider Permit Applications on Merit: High Court Judgement in UP Bus Owners Case’, Hindustan Times, 14 May 1950, New Delhi, p. 12.

  70. ‘Nationalisation of Transport: UP Cabinet Approves Draft Bill’, Hindustan Times, 29 July 1950, New Delhi, p. 8.

  71. ‘Bombay State Road Transport Body: Bill to Enlarge Powers’, Times of India, 3 April 1950, Bombay, p. 3; ‘Procedure About State Road Transport Body Criticised: Debate on Official Bill in Bombay Assembly’, Times of India, 11 April 1950, Bombay, p. 5; ‘Wide Powers of Decision for State Road Transport Body’, Times of India, 12 April 1950, Bombay, p. 3.

  72. ‘Bombay State Road Transport Organisation Illegal: Decision by High Court’, Times of India, 17 October 1950, Bombay, p. 7.

  73. Ibid.

  74. ‘Parliament Approves Road Transport Bill: Establishment of Bombay State Organisation Validated’, Times of India, 30 November 1950, Bombay, p. 9.

  75. Granville Austin, Working a Democratic Constitution: The Indian Experience (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2003), p. 42.

  76. Ministry of Law, File No. F34/51-C – National Archives of India (NAI), quoted in ibid.

  77. Munsif literally means a judge or magistrate. A munsif court is the lowest court handling civil matters in India.

  78. B. Venkataramana v. State of Tamil Nadu, AIR 1951 SC 229.

  79. ‘PM Fixes General Election Deadline: Caretaker Government Cannot Have Indefinite Lease of Life’, Hindustan Times, 1 November 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  80. For a succinct account of the situation in Punjab, see J.S. Grewal, Master Tara Singh in Indian History: Colonialism, Nationalism, and the Politics of Sikh Identity (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2018), pp. 454–62.

  81. ‘General Election Likely to be Put O
ff: Autumn Suggested as New Date’, Hindustan Times, 11 November 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  82. ‘General Elections Next October: Decision Made by Delhi’, Times of India, 12 November 1950, Bombay, p. 1.

  83. ‘General Elections in November 1951’, Hindustan Times, 15 November 1950, New Delhi, p. 1.

  84. ‘Sudden Postponement of General Elections: Socialists’ Concern’, Times of India, 12 November 1950, Bombay, p. 1.

  85. Ibid.

  86. ‘Pandit Nehru Now “Shri Jawaharlal”, Times of India, 7 November 1950, Bombay, p. 7.

  87. ‘Ensuring Rights and Liberties of Citizens: Bombay Judge’s Views’, Times of India, 16 November 1950, Bombay, p. 5.

  88. ‘Zamindars Plan to Fight New Law: Legal Action Proposed’, Times of India, 22 November 1950, Bombay, p. 3.

  89. Ibid.

  90. ‘Master Tara Singh Released’, Times of India, 30 November 1950, Bombay, p. 3.

  91. Tara Singh v. State of Punjab, AIR 1951 Punj. 27.

  92. ‘Fundamental Rights’, Times of India, 5 December 1950, Bombay, p. 4.

  93. ‘Government and State’, Times of India, 30 November 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  94. ‘Fundamental Rights’, Times of India, 5 December 1950, Bombay, p. 4.

  95. ‘Master Tara Singh Released’, Times of India, 30 November 1950, Bombay, p. 3.

  96. ‘Government and State’, Times of India, 30 November 1950, Bombay, p. 6.

  97. ‘Civil Liberties in Peril Says N.M. Joshi’, Times of India, 3 December 1950, Bombay, p. 4.

  98. Ibid.

  99. Ibid.

  100. ‘Fundamental Rights’, Times of India, 5 December 1950, Bombay, p. 4.

  101. Jawaharlal Nehru to Chief Ministers, 18 December 1950, G. Parthasarathi, ed., Letters to Chief Ministers, 1947-1964, Vol. 2 (New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund, 1986), p. 291.

  102. Ibid.

  103. Ibid.

  104. Ibid.

  105. See Rajmohan Gandhi, Patel: A Life (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, 1990), pp. 520–24.

  106. Sardar Patel to Jawaharlal Nehru, 3 July 1950, Durga Das, ed., Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Vol. X (Ahmedabad: Navajivan Publishing House, 1974), p. 358.

  107. Ibid.

  Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm