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Name of the autobiographical book: HAND OF DESTINY – THE TURNING POINT
Author: MR.C. SUBRAMANIAM
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay; 1993
Summary by DR.V.S.GOPALAKRISHNAN
I chose this book primarily as India’s “midnight children” and “post-midnight children” are likely to get some interesting political insights about the pre-Independent decades in India. The author was a State Minister, Central Minister and Governor in India. Though not in the same league as Rajaji and S.Radhakrishnan, he did leave a good impression as a “good” politician, educationist and statesman produced by Tamil Nadu.
The author passed B.A. (Physics) in 1930 and took a law degree (B.L.) in 1932 before entering politics. He came from the Gounder community and his wife Sakuntala belonged to the Balija Naidu (Kamma) community. The author (let us call him C.S.) says that the famous Alladi had a poor memory for names! When once Alladi called C.S. “Mr.Pillai”, the latter replied “I am a Gounder”. Alladi said, “Sorry, Mr.Pillai”!
Let us get into some interesting glimpses into history straight away. The Congress Working Committee, on 2 Jan 1930, resolved to observe (Sunday) 26 Jan 1930 as “Purna Swaraj Day”. Lord Irwin was the Viceroy then. Thus 26 Jan (1950) became India’s Republic Day. And, can you believe that the famous M.K.Vellodi ICS (Sub Divisional Magistrate) gives the following sentence to C.S. for simply shouting slogans to boycott toddy shop auction - rigorous imprisonment for ten months and a fine of Rs.500!
When Rajaji’s Debt Relief Bill was being discussed in Madras Assembly, the Opposition leader T.T.Krishnamachari asked whether the statistics of rural debts were with the Government. Rajaji replied, “our friend TTK would ask mosquitoes be counted before they are eradicated!” Even today the lethargic State Governments and the Central Government function with this TTK mentality.
Nehru had great admiration for Rajaji. Nehru wanted Rajaji to be India’s first President. This was opposed by the Hindi zealots. Rajendra Prasad became the first President. Rajaji became Premier of Madras Presidency in 1937 for a few years and again became Chief Minister in 1952. Rajaji sought nomination to the Council but Nehru did not approve Rajaji not contesting Assembly election after becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1952. That led to estrangement between Nehru and Rajaji and Rajaji’s quitting the Congress. The reviewer feels that after having been Independent India’s first Governor General, Rajaji’s becoming C.M. was infra-dig.
When there was a vote of confidence motion on the Rajaji Government, the author C.S. told the Socialists that they were between the devil and the deep sea (meaning the Congress Party and the Communists.) Interestingly, Anthony Pillai (Socialist_ asked, “Sir, I would like to know which is the devil and which is the deep sea”.
C.S. was a valiant opponent of “Hindi imposition” on the South. In the AICC (All India Congress Committee) Conference at Guwahati in 1958, the recommendations of the Language Commission were being considered. The “Hindi Resolution” was opposed by C.S. and Nehru was upset by it. And Morarji was pro-Nehru. Eventually, the “C.S. Formula” was accepted, that is, English would continue so long as non-Hindi population wanted it.
Dravidian politics of Madras was always interesting. Periyar resigned from the Congress party on the ground that it was becoming a Brahmin dominated organization. Thus was born the D.K. (Dravida Kazhagam). Kazhagam in Tamil means ‘a group of people’. Their targets were principally Brahmins. It is conveniently forgotten that historically the kshatriyas and the vaishyas had largely oppressed the Sudras. The Brahmin community was very small and generally poor though educated, and its members were mostly priests, cooks and teachers. Interestingly, the D.K. was pro-British and anti-Independence. Even Annadurai was a signatory of the Memorandum to the Secretary of State requesting the U.K. not to grant Independence to India. When the past-seventy Periyar married a young girl of nearly 30 years, this was resented by other D.K. men like Annadurai. Thus was born the D.M.K. (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) as an off-shoot of the D.K. (Munnetram means progress in Tamil.)
Let us go to the national level politics. The British Prime Minister Attlee came out with a declaration on 20 Jan 1947 that Britain would leave India not later than June 1948. However, the Governor General Mountbatten was in a great hurry to get out of India and this happened in August 1947 leading to unprecendented carnage amongst hindus and muslims that could have been avoided had the withdrawal been planned and leisurely till June 1948 as promised by Attlee. What was Mountbatten’s big hurry? Nehru has gone on record, I think, that Mountbatten was keen to exit India in a rush in order to attend Queen Elizabeth’s marriage ceremonies in Nov 1947!
It is interesting that Gandhi was prepared to accept Jinnah as the first Prime Minister of a UNITED INDIA but the Congress party did not accept it. When the Prime Minister Nehru died in May 1964, Lal Bahadur Shastri became the new Prime Minister. Shastri’s Home Minister was Gulzarilal Nanda. Both of them together made an ideal combination for imposing Hindi on the South. They suddenly brought in Hindi into all Governmental working. In protest, C.S., a Central Minister, immediately gave his resignation to the President Dr.S.Radhakrishnan. Then started widespread riots in Tamil Nadu. Shastri then went to the President and asked him to accept the resignation! However, it was not done!
Review/Summary by Dr.V.S.Gopalakrishnan
Published: October 08, 2007
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