A few weeks ago, in a review of Professor P N Dhar's book, I had wondered if Mr Bishan Narain Tandon, joint secretary in the prime minister's secretariat during 1969-76 dealing with Delhi and national politics, had also written about his time there. Some days after the review appeared, I received a call from Mr Tandon.
It turned out that he had maintained a daily diary from November 1974 until he was transferred in July 1976 and later also. Mr Tandon had accurately predicted the Emergency. There were 29 volumes, he said, all hand-written -- and all in Hindi. Inevitably, the discussion turned to Professor Dhar's book.
"I can only be a judge of the things I knew about," said
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Mr Tandon, "but although he has written a fine book in many respects, I am afraid Professor Dhar has not quite told the whole story. Indira Gandhi's benign view of corruption and the atmosphere of fear and repression in the Congress party simply don't come through in Professor Dhar's book."
He said that the whole saga of corruption was missing, as indeed was the way institutions were being systematically damaged. Three samples from the diary illustrating this are reproduced below. Mr Tandon has seen this translation.
28.11.74
Last night my wife, brother and his wife went for a dinner which I could not attend. There was a German person there. I have heard of him but never met him. Possibly he works in one of Sanjay's companies. My brother and his wife told me this morning that the German was saying that Sanjay's car which was recently inspected at Ahmednager, its engine had not been made by Sanjay. It had a German engine which the German said he had smuggled into the country. He said that a few months earlier, with the help of some officials from the PMH, he had smuggled two engines into India. The German's wife said the same thing to my brother's wife as well.
10.12.74
When I reached the office, Professor Dhar was waiting for me in my room. He had come to Parliament before going to South Block to tell me how much of his time had been wasted at the PM's residence the previous evening.
Raghuramiah (minister for parliamentary affairs) met the Speaker at the bidding of the PM last evening. He requested the Speaker not to give the ruling which he wanted to give. He told the Speaker that the in the PM's reckoning, such a ruling would lead to a revolt in the Congress party.
The Speaker was furious when he heard this. He upbraided Raghuramiah in no uncertain terms. He told him that the government never took the right decisions at the right time and when problems arise in the House, it is expected of the Speaker that he will bail it out. Until when can the Speaker go on doing this, he asked Raghuramiah and made it clear to him that hewould not change his ruling. Raghuramiah pleaded with him but the Speaker was adamant. Disappointed, Raghuramiah went to the PM's House, shaking and quivering.
When the PM heard Raghuramiah's account, she became furious and Professor Dhar was summoned. (His presence had become necessary because it was through him that Shakdhar -- the secretary of the Lok Sabha -- was being pressured).
As soon as Professor Dhar reached, the PM started to roar. She told him that she was going to resign so please prepare a draft immediately. No one wants to help me, why should I carry this burden alone. I am going to the President right away.
When Professor Dhar asked her why she was so upset, she replied in a high pitch "Now there will either be a new PM or a new Speaker. Both can't be there together. The Speaker doesn't understand and he has the gumption to defy me."
Professor Dhar said he was upset because the PM had lost her temper in front of many persons. He said to me, "I don't know why the PM invited so many people to demonstrate her Kathakali dance." He was deeply upset that the PM was doing all this only to save Lalit babu (Lalit Narain Mishra, minister for commerce, who was involved in a corruption scandal). In his earthy idiom he told me, "Bishan, this dead body is turning out to be too heavy."
12.12.74
...the substance of the judgement was that the expense incurred by the party on behalf of Amar Nath Chawla should be added to his total election expenses. When this was done, the total went beyond the permissible limit and the election had to be set aside. This is why it was thought necessary to amend the Peoples' Representation Act.
The principle enunciated by the Supreme Court could have an impact on the PM's election also. She called Gokhale (law minister) to study the judgement. He called me one day and said that the SC's ruling could affect the PM's election case. The law would have to be amended. When I reported this to the PM she also said that it was too risky not to amend the law and that the amendment must be made through an ordinance very soon.
When it comes to her fortunes, the PM loses sight of right and wrong, she is ready to do anything. If the election petition is decided against her, she will not accept the ruling easily. She will move heaven and earth to escape its consequences. This is her predisposition.