,:;. ~. .

PA~ OF LnADiRSHIP t A srol)Y OF RESOURCEs, OR QANIZATION m D ItB fICULAT.IOW

~ough thel'e l1as ove»al.l unrest among all sactiono

ot sociotyt the areas of dlscontont d1~tel;ed trom group to

group, In ordel' tounde.;L's~c.'t the nature an4 process of tho

turmoil that took pleae in Gu.j rI1 at. 1 t is necessary to

dolineatG "the nature of the varlouo groups end their intor­

eDtion.

Indl1str1al1stsor' big' bu.s1nQOSEIOn aro not e.ftactoQ

by tho steep price rise at Corllupt politics. rooy EflJo h1Bhl1

, Ol'gan1zod ond .el'e in ,a pos1 t10n to Wlsert thoU' 1ntoreato

through Ol'aanlzat:1.onsllke theMUlownero' luiIsoo1at-:1on, tho

Chambazs of Commerce, Henutac,Wr.s' Associations, l'Jho10ocle

~a1n l~erchants' Aasoe1aUou, ,tho l-lahsJane (GaUds), etc,

Mel local asc001a.UOllS liCel.1nked' up '-ld th otnto and no.t1oncl

l.evel oJtaanlzat1ons, AS a grollP.t.b~l Sl1ppQt't the party ana

tho faction t1h1oh 1s in pQ'tJGl'. !hey sive tinsnc1al support

to tho lana Sangb as well $S. the rUl1ng Congross. ~Ol

ob11,o minister St ~ and -officer a BXl4 haVG no d1ff1cUl t;v

in "gett1ng th1nSD donetl • tJhat they cannot influonce e." tho

poliey level~ they manage' to get at th0 1mplenentnt1on levol.

The11' hold on tho ruling party and 9n the e~t'12niott'at"1on 10

• t,"

160

(l.toundnut aU dealers ere well crsan1zea 1l'l Gujat'ato , '

In ordel' to extrecrt a higher profit. they e:telnterested1n

expo,,-t1ng oU tl) othe;. states. theN $Jl~gl.e ou.t 011 on a

l.arge soale to .snape eao1s$ 4\1t.y. !he goverxunent has al:t1BiS .

stlccwnbea to the '011 .c1Qal.61'S 111 0»$ \'.lq r:Jt wother. It lias

reporteCl1n tho presstbat theoU Cleel.a gave large amounts

to 1001 v'lda.al pol1 tiel ana of the ruling pat'ty 'and to't1al'4e

Pal'ty ft.:Ul<ls tor olect1ons~ Tb.ese dealers wore strong tlUppot' ....

tera of Ch1menbhai Patel. At a meeting betueen 011 dealers

and the government in Ootober 1913, the Ch1ef 1-11n1ster is

reported to have said, UYou. knOw my intGl'*1sts and I knOll . .

yoUl' 1ntorests. You proteot 1111 interests and I will protect

, . YOUl'1ntol'Gsts. a 1 Soon attGrth1s mee~ng. tbe prices of

g1'oundnut 011, \ih1ah bad . sho~ a deol.ining trend, shot up

sherpJ.,y_ ~eovert in Noyember the government gavo up the

pract10e of. procu.r1ng o1l.th1'ou,gb l$vy from groundnut 011

mill.s.· tis also war ked to the advantage of 011 dealer s.

Nor· 'Was the government strict towards hoarders and black-

ma?ketoe1' s.

Ind~v1duaJ.1Y. bUsinessmen and industrialists _6 in eompeti tion 'With each other ·in business and publi0 lUe.

For stntus as well as pa~onage sane of them spOUSOl.' edu­

cational institutions and several othel" vOl.unt_y asaoQ1ations.

A few of them have also sponsOle4 or supported students

or ganizat1ons. They aupp01' t d1f'ferent poJ,.1 tical. pal'ties,

•• tel • 1

1 Quoted 1nGbanshyam Shah,·' Ulo Upsurge1n Guj.eretfl , Econo~q ~. ,Poll tical viee~x, vol. IX, nos. 32-~, p. l~o

161

~atantre, 00%1#998 (0), Conpess (B), andJana Sangb.

Acoording to them, aJ..l'the four politioal. pSrtiee, thOUgh

. they dlfter in theU! postures, supp~t their interests in

one or another "e3,. Ind1v14Ually, they also support differont

groups w.:t.th1n the psrties, •. Ana differ-ent 1Wllstr1al1ets , . t ( • .

sp«f~ no effort to b't1ng men belong1ngto the gOl.lps thor support to po~ a.nQ to keep .them there in tbeface of

opposlt1on tram ·their aompetito:s. Ho't!9vel", allot them

~e b1tterl1 oppoa$4 to the 'rad1caLs' t the pl1o-poOl' politi ....

olans "tho are opellly 88a1nat Qus1ness tntGrests. For ins­

tanoe, au:ring the recent events 1n CUjsat, the' :lndustr:1alists

antl the other rich persons 'Weli'e divided as supporters or

opponents of Ch1manbha1 Patel, AmUl. Desai, Gb1ya, Adan1, Oao

or Thaltorobha1 Patel. according to tibat at, eny mamen t sui tad

their diverse ~sonal In:f;$rosts. But, they were al.l aaa1nst

Jb1nabha1 Oat' 31, the Prosident ot t~ Go.javat Congress, \:1ho

. bad l'ofulledto su.ocwnb to the demands or rich businessmen sa . .

and industrialists. Sutfioe 1 t to note here that thoy play

a signifioant ro:Le in faotion fights \11 thin the rUling party •

. . A seotion of the peasants has become pl'osPe$ous

du;ring the last 'ttiO aecades.· BGOauseof the irr1gat1011

t~1t1es,fert1l1zGl's, ne\'"' seeds and tranap~t fao111t1ea

and beoause of the enOrmous 4em~ for cash arops in lih1ch tho

prosperous' peasantry of oentral and south Gujarat spocialS-DOo,

'I j, 'i - i l ••..

16S

the peasants have become vsty rich ana'fsy p()l'16r~ul poll t1 .. '

cally. ~ they EfPe no l.onger mere peasantsJ, through 'thoU , , ,

. conti'ol of governmsilt .and t1:le CD-opera.tive ~G41t 111SttW ...

tiona, they have become b1g entraprene""'$fl. 11&11.' !he-I

haVe thus beenllnke4 ~lth ut''bsn bu.sinesSmen and 1i:1d\1~

trlal1ats •.

DUr1ng tbellldepanaen-oeao'fement. ~. peasants of

Central. and south flllJa'rat l.aunched ag:ltaUons a,sa1nst the

ari t1sh ,GovGrXlment to oppose l$Ild rev~nue. /Ul4, since

Independence, they have bee~ or8an1zed under 41tferent names.

Bll8:Ue1bhaiPatel,$ a leadlng Patider l.eatlel" of Kh.oda,Ci1str1ct

and the fOunder' of Vellabh Vldyenasar", Organ1ze4 a politioal.

p&rt.v, l\he41lt Sansh. in 1952 to oppose .land legislation. In

l.9tSa the peasant 1ntQreat 1n the ~ten.tJ.'a an4 Congress

parties organized the lQu)du.t Handel, outside theU' parties.

And· in 1973, the Khedut, SemsJ, un4er the leedel'sh1p of

Day_em Patel otsouth Gt.lja31at, VaUabhbha1 Pa.tel of

saurashtra an4AJnbu.bhai Patel of not' th ~srat. came into'

enstenee., . to oppose • pro~esslve' land legislation.

:aes1aea au.ch organiZations, cotton grQwers,. tobacco #O\18)1S,

suga:oane gro~a end others have set up th&1l' respoct1ve

or gan1zaUons and have worked as po'Wol1fQl. lobbies trJi tb1n the

Congress tn. Ahmedabad and 'Ntl't1 Del.hi. Lilte the industrialists

and rich buainesamen, the rich peasants mainta1n go04

relati'ons \11 th the taction :1n pouer. fttoil' hold on tho

163 ,. i ,

administration too 1s stl'ong. Lend legislation has so tE# \

not been able to make much impact a.t the 1rnpJ.ementaUon

laval. .And whatever surplus land has been aoqu1redt.Ulder

the acts lagel, has gone to the 'upper end middle castes ..

The eoncil tion of aoall farmers and la:n4lGfls labourers have 3 remained moTo or loss the SSG as before.

~KhGclu.t Samsj bed become notivo.in the latter

part at 1973 egs1nst the proposed 1004 ceU1ng bID as 1.1911

as the lev)' on paddy. In OCtober) the SOIllaj organizod

meetings, prooeselons and demonstra.tions ega1nst tho land

ceiling b1l1. It organ1ze4 a huge rally at Gandh1naaar whero

a confrontation bet\1Gen poliee allS1 (iomonat!:atoro took: place.

A procession of tsenegG sons an4 4e.u.ghto:rs of the tarme:rs

waa or gan1zed in NetJ Del.b1, lih!eh submi t~G memor a.n4urn to

the Prime l-11n1stsr.dom.and1ng proteotion of the minors.

rights in lana. nro Khe4uts also organiZod mQrebao and

gheraoos oga1.nst 1·lLl1a an4tr1ed to per oua4o them to l1os1gn

from tho state Assembly. .In some v1l1aaen, tho organized

peasants boycotted government -tlOrks.· These P36sants

demons~ats4the~ swongtb in tbs Sabat'kantha by ... election

in 1973 \-Jh&re they oonoontrated the1.r E)ffarts in favour of

sardal' Patel. s daughter J.jen1bsn Patel, the oongrass (Q)

a an414 a.to.

· .

The GoVernment oould not acr.ap tha .land ceiling b1l1 but at the same time 1 t could not go aga1nst :the paaeants. It

is 1nterastS.ng to not3 hor'e -that b~l'1ng four Oi! five mombara,

all the Consr'ess leg1slatOl's favoured a ra1sill8 of the

ceiling. nte gova:rmnont rejected a suggestion of a Congress

'HLA that· ~1.Cul w~ l.and be taken over tl'Oi1l so-oalled

fsltmez a 'Whose non-agl!10Ul~ai' annual inoome t'lao mOl'e than

Rs.15.000. T.he aovernmentalso rejeotG4 even the s1mplo

auggeat10n of fottm1ng til uatchdol,t oommittee to check on the

1mplementati.on of the bUl. . Nor did tbe~over~nt take

e1ly other $tcps to gear up 1 taown . admln1strati vo macbinery

to implement the bU!. . And tl'l9 peasants tOOk fa ple4ga in

public that sU1*pl.us lan4would not be SUl'ren4ere(lto the

Government for distribution among the landless un4er the land

ca1ling Act. .A leader of the Samaj audac1ousl.l told a. ptlbl1c

meeting that the Act \'1as not goinS to be 1mpl.emonte4 as n tilo

consress goverlllAents do exaotly oppos1 te of ubatthey

profess".4. .

~e Samsj organized "patrol squadS" in the 200

villages of surat district tt to keep a v1g1lft It Each aques1

"Was headed by a nConunandertf fOr a group of ten vU188es. It

also or ga.n1zed ft Sat'd~ Senastt to protect the crops in tho

3u~g1on.· on 24 November 1973p a moeting of lancUess labourors

'\1as. in wl'upted at Bel'Qo11, south Guj ar at, by the YOllllg sons

t"

4. Quoted in Ghallshyam Shah, n. 1, p. l433.

1.65

of tarmers. A Ha:vljan you:tb was injured in the stons.,.;

thi'ou1ng. S1Dd.l~ 1ne1dents aLso tools:. pl.nce ln SQIlEl v1llases

of central. Gujarat.

During the tiS,' at 'tJee1t of Deoemb~ tl'le 01 t1zene of Rajkot 01 ty, 6D.1.U!a.shfaa, 0lI' ganize4 demonstrations demanding

\:later faR the, city-hem 'thf) Bhd~ Dam. .At the same· t1me,

the taJ'mars of RaJltot dlstr10t threatened tho govornmont

that thel 'WoUld launch a three .... stese agitation, otO..m1nating

in a satyagraha in tho final -stage. to J:Ol'oibl,.f relo$S8 u-r1-

gat1on\ia~ t:r om BhEdal' Dam to the stanc1in8 ¢lPop of

sugarcane and cotton in an ares of 7tOOO aCres 1.n RaJkot

d1stt' 1c t. !Ib.e government rGloaac4 the ~atel" 1Jlune41~to11.

Another m~or 1ssu.o on l'1h1ch t.h$peasants defied

tho governmont in. December 1:tas that of levi'. '(b psddy

levy is, 1n feet, not nOli_ It\'Jao 1ntroduoed by the erst­

l1b1l.e Ba110da stato.) ~- gOV'$1'nment has %Qade several changes . ,

111 thO Levy Act oVEm theyet:ms. 2be 1973 LGvy Act 1s a.n 1mprovoment oyfiJ1 the 1967 Act, According to the new AQt,

small farmers haV1ng 0llS acre or loes UQro exempted trom

tho J,.eVl. MOl'aoV~f the rates had boon fued proaross1val.y

whereby aal.ltai1mors haCl to -PSI little ami· big te.?mers

had to pay more. For instanoe, in SUl'at district, out of

70.000 farmel1s only 27,000 tEmmers (i.e. 39 per cant) htd

to pa.y'levy at d1ft~ont rates. Txio idea was that onl1

thoso tS'tmora t1ho 't1are rich an4 baLi benefited from plann1ng

166

'Wore to be attectec! b1tbe levy. But as on preVious ocoas:1ons,

to protect theUt 1nte:resta the· big farmors mob111zec1 ell

peasants ega:tnsttb.e levy 1n the name of' the eonmton 1nte%tGsts

of tho BonS of ·tbo soU.

~ poor .. casual and unskllle4 labo~er s - ,go

generally dumb. In the v1l.1ages from l1hGJ'e thoy migrate to

urban arees, they t2'eJ.cn41oss labourero. Thera they ha:?dll

used to get enough '\'Jerk· to keep al1ve. As a rlUo they are

Uli tor-atG-•. ltl urban areas the, live in al.wns and thE)ir

belongings ee mea.g.t'e. "!Cho\lgh :they 1.11'e in the city, they

ar~not a.oqua.1nted Ui th o1tyl.1to. ntGI live at a eub-

hutnan level. The present poll tioal system ls OQDlple tolf aUen

to them. 1bey feel strongly th~ pinch of rising priCss and

seare! t,y. But this 1s nut ll&t~ to them.5':ilts has been a fact

of life totithem tor long. Even c1uring normal ~s., the

prices have been aJ.~ays b~yond their reach and they eou].d

not afford to meet even the1X' essential "needs -t1h1oh are any

'\'lay very to",.

Fa.ctOl1y labo\.U'Ql's a'rG of two types. OOOOomtrrtCOD

those t':no uork on a. da.Uy 'Wage basis. The. factory rules of

the government do not appl¥ to them. U they ",ark £ormol'o

bours and produce mOl'e, they get more monoy. ~ey do not

get ,,,ages for Sund~s and otht?rho11da,ys 'tJhen they do not

work. ~e'y EIJ1e unorgan1ze4.

The othet' typo of factory labourers. el!ca thoaia ~­

ganized in trade unions. l~oat of these trla4e unlons 1»

Gu3~a.t e!'a dominated by the MS300r 11ahajan wblch is tn!I4do4

to the phUosophy of clans ooll.aboration a:nd.not .ole.ssool1oio-'. - .

fllct.- ftle 14aha3an avOids 41rootacUon S\!loh Bsstl."ikes or gheraoes. ben (luring the ler ae.soal.e ~eU'encllmelit of

~~

t1Ork~s in the texttl,e mUls in 1.972, .tl'.\e ~lahajan aid. not

launch Sll7 ~ tat1on. liOl:Jeve;, a. fe\l1 tr~ u.n1ons are con.­

trolled by Boc1a11st ·eJl4·oommu.n1stpat'ties. Barring a fo"

6%Cept1one, all the Wad() uniQns, Dyana lat'ge, 1tlOl.'k as

brokers be'ttfaen tbe manase.ment and the workers. or the,

,·,ol'k as cloa»1ng ege1lO1ee for taking the problems to the

labour off1ce,ra and' other authOl'l t1es.·. Once in a wh11et

they nogotiate. wi tb the manageIl\ent On issues such as bonus

CI& rlse !n wages on benaltof the workers. But thel do not

a1m at 4eveloping a t2Qr1:t1ll8 olass. oQll$c1ouanosa among th&

faotorY'iorkers. ConS$qu.entJ.Yt the factory 'tJorkers loolt

u.pon their problems in terms at eoonomio dam and a andere

not ooneerllGd Hi til the largGlt issues relat1ngto the societal

struoture. As a. X'esLU. t, fraternity among the workerrs no a

OlSSB has not developed in Gujat'a.t. In tact, they have

17ema1ned qlU. te diVided .... among H1ndl1s, l;lU.nl1ms. Banlyast

Har1jans and so on. During the 1969 communal riots Bome of

these \'lOr'ltSl's ldlled each other •.

1.henumber of the ag1'ieUl tural labourers has :risen

1nGtl~arat at aXL al.al.'Dlin:g ~a.t& during the last deoade fl'om

. 14.77 POl' cen't ~ the tJdrk1ng popUlat1on in 1.961 to 22.48 per

168

cent 1».1911.5 A few of them eJ'e atto.ched labourers uhoe:rG

employed 01 ther on annuEll oontraot&,: i.e" 1\tom Boll to lioli

(.Apr11 to M~ch) or on seasonal., oontracts tor tour montbs.

As attache4 labourers they 11ve 'tilth the empJ,.oyet e.n4 perform

all sorts of chores from. clean1ng.utE/naUs to agrlcuJ.tw1a1

t1ork. fi}&1 1i11!ffJ not organ1aed ana in. social and pOlo! t10al

mattel.'s they foUow the instru.ctions of their mastGra. A

le:rge number of agr10uJ. turall:abourers are casual "or-kers.

fhey get Glllpl.Olment fo? about 7 months in a yeer.. For the

:rematn1ngperlod" they either· do not have anything to 40 at'

m1gl'ate to J#ban areas in search or llnsJdl:lEuS ~obs fJ'2 uork on

thoU' O\1n lena. 1i' theybaya er:q • It is eet.:!.lilate<S that on

an aVOl'~e a le.boU1:G1' 1s total.17 unemployed tor a por104 of

l004E\1s in a 10f#. Be gOts ~oughl.y bom I1s.1to Rs.3 perm (Jay

to~ asr1cUl tu:ral. lf01"k.. GeQSOl'l.8J;. employmont and· measro 1noo:m.e

make the egl"1ol.U.·tt.u1al leb1)urers' 11fe extremely d1tt1eUlt.

Exoept 1n scutn GUjEWat, thel Q'e Wlorg~1ae4J thGrofOl"o,

their pert1oi'pat1on 1n au1. protest acUV1ty 18 negl1'glblG.

In south GUjel"at; Sea.-vodeya ldkGl'a have orgell1ZG(1

a,gr1cuJ. tural. labourelts, particUlarly the Dltble..o or HeJ,.pat1e •.

~e B.elpatS. seva sangh, an organ1satlon at a#1cul tural

laboUl'efs~ 'tiorlts on the pbilosopbyot Olaas oollaboration.

The t1ork~s' of the sangb ~each ha.?lnony bett1een landlO1'da and

laboUl'e1'~ •. It ma1nlyeonduets \'1elfers activities suoh so

III , . tdL •• i ••

169

OOl1struet1ns hu.ts, oonduo t1ng' night schools ana propasat1ng

proh1b1 tion to upl.1tt tho labotU'e1's, !!ho lan41or(}s, howvor,

do not, app1'ove of these r'eformist aotin Ues of the Gand1'l1sns.

Because the, fear that educaUon 'and consciousness among the

Helpatis 't1ouJ.d endanger the11' interests. they 'by to' cub

the act1v1t1es o!the Sangh;, ~s obviollSJ.y c~eates conflicts

~Gtwaen the .1aruUorc1s anCl ~pat1s. In suoh 01 tu.at:1.ona.

lnte:vestingl,Y enough, tbe Gandh1anwarkors pacify end oontrol.­

tbe'1abourera.' During 1913, Balpe.t1s of SOJn$ v1Uases

l.aunehoda strlke a.ca1nst landlords demand1ng4a1l.y ,\iege' of

Rs.3. . In such oasaD, as Jan Imeman ob-serves, 11 the sqo1aJ.

't'I01'kGrs intervene in order to Pi'cVent'1.!1s1ng tensions and to

t'oacha comprom1se. selt ... roepoot en4 clsssO'on$C1o~sneaD

ere not taught. on tb,.e cOlltrarl,tile organisation does not

aim at making the Balpatis able to stand up tor themselves,

a\1at'e of their exp101 tat10n and opp!'Gss1on, but env1sagoo

, their adju.stlnontto tho aoc1Ell system "11 thout a fundamental

ohange in their 4epOndence.t16

.1be Ia14c.ile olaDS consists, or hiGher ana upuera ,

mobile seo.t1ons of intel.'med1a111 castes ongeged in uh1ta ...

oollar Jobs or smal.l bus1113as. Like the 'Working class, tilerl is no common 1ntat'est or ideOlogy that inspired tbia olass.

It is div1dod into several groups of 1nterosta. IllComs-t71 •

the lowe.? m:1ddl.G e~a.sa .. clol'ks, typlsts, accountants, sbo. I

•• 4

170'

asaistants, teachers. potty shopkGepers. 'etc ... 1s not better

off than the industrial t-JorkGrs. Yet a great social., gap (Ii videEJ

thettio 'Who live 'in d~fQ1'ent »os1dential areas 1.n the cltios.

Inau,str1a1 wor.kers.live in sLUIlS s;od o,halQ"s ~hel'$ the eoonomic

,oon41 tlOJl of ·the people 1ab, and large S$1lG. PEll'sons' of

lOliQ m1ddlG elass- 11'10 1nS969J!. i.e., sweetBor rocentl,

()ons~lloted hOl1sing socioUes outside tbo 014 res1.dential

towns l'1herethe upper m1ddle class and the rich also live • . .

Thus their aspirations, norms and vaJ.UGS SIs thQse r4 :the

rich. F()'i' ins_ceo a clerk des1rea to have a re.trJ.gerat~ t

a fant a sofa-set, etc. be~ause bis neighbour 011 his rela.tive:> . possesses these things. For h1m, these tiJ!e symbol.a of

otatus. But heaoes not have the means to have a11tb.ose

'l.l.lXlW,y' items (looked upon b1 now 01 his oJ-ass as nooosai­

t1es) l:1b1cb the neighbour, "iho . 1a e1 ther a. 80verDnient offiCe!

or small fe.otol'y ... otrner h~ as a mnt~e? of cou;t"se. coneequentl.1,

the p;resellt eoonomic hatctsh1p 111 ts h10 bava. fila saneo of

"relatlve ciepr1vat1ontt 1s V~l s~on8. 1n~. Ho teel.s

, that 2. t 1sb1s right to fight aaa1nat 1nJuaUce. And he

finds injust1ca eVel'Yl'lhel'e. ""All. ~e eCl'1"Qptu he excl.aims.

But he finds b:1tnself' llelples$ a,ga1nst 8overnmont sel'van~e.

~8an1se4 bus eonductorst 1'1okahat1 d1'1~e.rst traders, pol-ice.

etc. Be sass 1JIuJloral:1 t¥ all around h1m. But he doeo not

'organize as aclaasaga1nstotber orCa:tl1eed 11l~esta. !!befe ...

tors, conSUlt1G1' movam.en tEl of the m1ddlo ela.s~ have not

sllcceeded 'against Utaciors and farmera.

171

bra ls a cont1ntlollS oonf11ct between oonsumers ,

and t!1a4ers 1n tho urban areas, 14th the tormer becoming more

vocal ,and conscious of the1l1 rlghta. 2he, (lonfl1ct beOaDl&

~pel' a few 4e,ys bOto.?e u.pa,t1rge as a ttesUl t of rlains prlc00

s1l4 scarcity of comfn0Ci1 tIes, on 'eh$one hand ~ 1nOiplont.

,conS'UJIWl' movements OD tho otbor. There l'fa& a gener'Sl

impreeslon among the people that shopkeepers ~l'e blaok IIlS1'ket­

sera, hoarders and prof1t&e!'s. In 0U1.' srgvcy o£ Ah!ne4ab04

an4 Bat'oda 1 t 't1as found that ·avery tb11'4 man had Q feelIng

that he was being eontimloualy ohe-ated \)1 shopkeopers. !brao

fo~ths at· populatlon 414 not tru.st tre4e'rs. 75 per cent of

. the reapon4ents reporte4 til,at they got e4Ul terateci material.

from mal'ket. file1 alleged that in order to makG mot'o profit

tho shopkeopers anQ. V a4eitsm1:a:ed all sorts of ad.uJ. terants

u1 tb eommOd1 ties and tMs playea 'm. ttl the 11 ves 'of peoplo.

!Ibe pVoflt'aer1ng atti tu4s end _rogenoe of ehopkeepers \iSS

ev1dent dU:r1ng riots, too. Xu be ~en t1io curte\-1 periods

when people rushed to. do their shopping, the, found shop­

kee-pGrn taking advantage of tbiss1tuatlOl'l by tthargina much

higber prices. nd.s brought th$ eontJ:lct bet\1e-en shOp...

keepers and people into tIlo open ands01l1~ oust~ B looted

some snops in Maa't'l'a tsl1ation.

In e2dl t:ton to econom1e otre1ns and..tl'ustratlon, e.

largo 1ll.1ttlbar Of peopl.e founcl themsel,Vos pow~less and 001.1>­

lees 1n thelr relationshlp ~ tb thepo11 tical systeln. !hel

tel t al.1anatod. Nine out of, tan 1.'8spODtlents tel t that

112

ne1tberelecteCl representatives nor officials pa1d attenUon

to the problem or common man. He founa 'ld,mself pot:3i'lessin

his personal. lite' as well as in the soc1"""poJ.1t1oal set up.

50 pel! centcf urban ttespordents thG'1'efore stated that they

h&f lost fei th in Eaeotion. They"fel.t eleoUona ,",~e decep­

tive. ODly Ilea of 1Df1uence .an4 ,Cloney coUld tight tho else­

Uons. Atter eleotions they said, leaders did not cars for

eleotorate. Pol3-ticians OtU.l looked afte1! their· om 1ntorests

and lnterests of their gVou,ps.

Be feols that 1n the ~esent soctal struotu:re, he

sufter s the most. He (;ompla1ns against the goverfll:llent,

sge1nGt its schemes tor the development of baok~ar4 classen

and \1OUare p'rogrammes for thelaboll1'el' s. . He also complains

against1ndustr1sl1sts and big bus1nossmen. He~i;)els some­

~ha~ 11ke tbios . "POor persons do not have mant needa and

they dO' not have to observe a car te1n &t:1.quette. lU.ch

persons have no probl$llls. BUt l4G't the m1ddle oJ.ass, have

shOl't meant4, yet \4e haVo to liVe ~ a oertain \181. He haVe

to .m$taint,l~ status. A poor person can. beg, but tie

cannot. e& eme, therofaro, sana1d.ohed be tt1sen the etfl\1ent

t'1oh and the hugal labourers." 7 ~e Jn14dle class is f~ :- ~ ....;;

of such agOll1es. ·Dle· mos~ Ol'ga.n1rae4 and twticula'b. soctiOns

of the m1dCile olass _0 tho teOOhCi"o allCt thG etuden'i;s. tile,

~e la1',ge in terms of numbeJ1$ a1iO~o1_f4ie h1gbl.y ~s1t1ve .. e ......

. t'" .... . / .~

and VOGel. . /._. - '......... /-/" ~ - -.--J ~ ."-... "" " '''--

I' . 6'- ... , _

? Ibid., p. 1.435. / /

/. r'

173

Coll~geiDe.eher s. who QQDl01i1~nl.1 from the upp3Jt ana m14dle oastes fate a foroe to reckon 'Wi til in Gu;jel'at. .Dur1ng

the laat 4eoa4e they havec:;,rsan1~ed and 4e,,010pe4 a p~fU.l.

teachGt's or gan1z ati on for pl1otectinS, enCl. edvanc1ng theil'

1ntOl'esta aga1nst un1vers1 't7 end_ 0011G89 m8lia8_ents.Uho

college management is -largelydoJn1nated by big businessmen.,

1nclus~1eltsts and rich pea.o$.tlts.

P'Ul'tbert -~ollege teachers of Guja?at .1n ge~a1 end

01' Ahme4aba4 in p~t1oUla1' .e more poll t101zGd than m.an1

other seot1ons of _ the m14410 ol.ass. SODlo of -the cOllo«G

teachor s 'Wl'1 ~ i'ogule2l11n the· vornac1ller W\1opapors on e.lJ.-.­

maJaI: issues t.1ngGoc1et.v~ Collego tGacharo in general,

and tho1r organisational loade31o 1n partle\lla1'o a against

Ch1manbha1 fatal who had been a teacher, a .prino1 alef a

0011e80 endman~er· of a string of oolleges. C bhei

, fatel had used his oon tfol of the colleges fa!: po 1 tical

onaa. He lias Jlesponai'bletor- bringing be.olt Ish\7e1' haS. Patel

aD Vice-Chancellor ot Guja?at UnivePalty. IahVel'b ai PatGl.

had osl1e" ~0l1. b1tterl1 opposod by oOllege teach rs and

ma40 to l'oa1gn~ It may be' .noted that deep! to e~e

organization, cOllege teaoh011S tJould not succeed

elect10ns to tho U':u1verslty Exeoutive (Syndioato) 1n the

'V4,ce-Chanoello.v's olGct1on in leh1ch Ch!m8IJbhai Pa ,ueine .

btl' po_ end patt'ODB/Io ai. Cb1td M1n1"te&'i~ pers nell1 and openJ..y eenvassetl for. his o'tm oandWAOC. !.ilJ:\ scharo'

. . ~"

l.eaders had launeh3d an agttat:1.on f- 4'?.pi!OV()utjng C, enbhal

~ ~ - \ ',- , ---- I

114

)?!ltel frombecom1ng the able£' M1n1ste~ of Gujarat 1n JUl1 • , J •

1973. Botb' the pol1 tioal. suoa.8SS Of Ch1manbha1 Patel and . .. , ~ .

his suocess in 1lnpot1lIl& his. 't11l1.1n the affe$»s of the tJn1 ..

VOl's! tl p?Q4uoed a sht#p senae of tJ'uatfatlon _Qng teachers. . . .

As elselfbare, more tbUn 75· pel' .oent of~Qgredue- .

te students COlQe ft'OJ.a Jd,441e ... lnoOlilG O'l ll1gh.!ncome poups an4

belong to higher middle> oalstas. ibe composltioD. of: thG •

students, b1the~ fathers' o(!<n,tpa't:1on. .Va1'le,strOJ!l city

ool;Leges to 'tal.uka town' oolleges. In the cttleSt according

toa s\U'VG1 of cOllege stl.14ents, tho fathers of 3a pOl' oent

of the students ate engasoci in \fhi to-oollar lobs, a1 th~ 1n

the gove~nnien' 0'1! Snprlvate B01'vioo. $le ltathGl's of about

f!1 per ectof the students are e1 ther bus1neOsmGn or taet0111

otmel'S. ,And 16 pel1 cont of the stw.ienis sa eons of farmers.

BQell '2 pQlP cent of the stu4ents come from thG 'd01'Jd,.ng

class. In ta1.uka, toe oolleSQD amajorl t.v of the Stu.Ciell ~

so the sons an4 daughters of te1lr.a(l»s. Jaangtlle hoatel

students of BSt'oaa, Ahtae4abad, SUt1at, Z,lo.?v1,Bha'Vnags end

Re.3kot, In;aJlI belong to' the ltlt.ldec1 clasa.

On the 'Whole, a 1.$'8$ nl11nbOr of stl1denta .s1tO not . '

1n torGstea in their studies. ' ntel tina tbe~ studies tire-

aome, 'boaring. beal'lng 11 ttl.Q ~elat1onsh1p ·to their Uvea.

~o stu4onts,pa-t1culs:rll those belonging to thO lower middlo

class, comple1n that the present G4u.catlon does not enab1e

them to earn a stable 11vGl1bo04. !lhel ccnstantJ..v won;

175

about thejl' future economic seourity. But they do not ltnotJ

tho uay out. !rna)" tb.or¢for~, 1rn1 tate tho :rich atudents.

on tho o'\:hor band, studento belonging to' fam1l1os of rich

paa.aants, factory Olmora and b1gbuotnoasmon do not Cai:G

for their studies either .. thoUSh tor qUite different

reaoons. For them oollegE) 1sa potJ't1me. 'lhey Sa.Y "tIe do

not care tor studios. 1.']0 do not want QGgl'oea. tic have enough

land. 11& have joined college just to have oxpor10tlC0 of

COlleee life. ibis is a tbne to on3oy 11f~." On the ~bolO,

excopt for tlw1r dress and perm1ss1vonooa in sox relaUon­

sb1PSt avaUable studies ouggoot that students do not bolA

values <1:i.fferent from thoit' parents r:Je the rUl.1D8 01000.

Hot:Ovel'. a small. bat s1snifioant aeot1~n of aw ...

cants in aU 01 ties :1.0 morc sono1tivG to'dat'ds social.. pl'ob­

lams such as poverty, inaquallty and injustioe. For ins­

tance a group of otudents 1n Ahmedabad formed .a.group, name4

!i!Y!t 1.e. flIn. 111 1.971. In 1972, the croup brought out a

m1meogre.phe4 book.l.e~, • Donkey":, in \ihich :tt satuleolll

compal'cd poli tio1a.ns \,11 th <Ionkoyo. Oil 26 January 1973,

tho grollp published a booltlet JBbWtll't i.e. hunger. on the

front page, 1~ s81s dt1hat ali'e tlc:du.s t ? ~'here the 11&(1\101,

/-JJe thoso tJ.adus' 1ilGDnt· to bo tl:ll'o\,m a",~ . l>;Ze they to bO

\,10'l?n? or are thoy to ~ oeton?" ~ po1nt that tho group

UaG maldng 'Was that poor people do not ltnow 'What 'l.eaus'

J ero. S1gnifieQ;J.'l.tJ.yc' the booklot uaa1nauguratod by a

ohoo-abino boy. In Beroda ana SU.t'ot somo students organiz04

176

stud¥ Q$roles 1n 1973 to discuss eoonom1o and pol1t1oal

problems. Ii. .tel'! students also sanet2Jnos vis1t Slum eroas

~th a view to helP1ne poor porsons.

~ more atf~uent soat1onot the etu40nt commun1tf

1s not serIous about ita -stwU.ea. ~1 e1thQ reed (il#ins

the last month be.tOl1G the,exe!!!1Uat1o:a ~,get_ks ~ough

Ulegl-t1mate means. NaIll of them _6 mora lntsl'ested in

films than in spar ts, debates, dr 8Il1a, -danco or discussion.

~y roam about 'on the 'college campus, tease girls, use

vltu.perative, _language, s1 t ln, llestaurents, ~O ~ rUm sbo\1S.

take LSD or -l~qw>rand thus s1mpl.V tt ld.ll" time. l:1hen 1n a

croa2, they haJ.'ass tbe~Uler tdEUl, bus 4rlv~s, cOllduotora,

hotel boys, hawkers and above all, girls. ~el have a

mti.sanoe value 1n urban areas. ~eu mtsoh1oi and $UPposedl;.1-

oal'ebee 1.1te attl'act men, othGr students to their .1014.

And with monel, they are able to oolloct "..oups 8?ound the:al~

They ~e allJ-B¥S in .faVOl# of a strike. 11' not £o.r any other

reasontilan at l.east fOil tu;o.. _ - . ~

1'1\_e If) no p~~Ul. city ~ state loVe)., students.

Ol'gan1zat1on except the V101a?tb1 Per1ehs4 t!llioh :l.a e.snoa1~

ted \'11th the Jana. sanch. DUr1ng tll'3 last five yess, about

000 <losen student oraan1sat1011s have oom.elnto oXistenoe in !

.Ahmedabad. aut non~ of. them ~ a ste))le O1'soollaUona1. not-_ r

work, progranwe or rsgu.l.ett membel'ab1p. Uley so l.a1'goll

M soq creations of some tempo1f~1 events. ~e1 launch ag1..

tations sn4 issue press statements but there 1s no foUo\1-UP.

171

Most of thene Ol'sen1zaUona se supported \')1 41tterent

poll tioal loeder s be;J.ong1ni to the· rUJ.ing ~ well. •

appoal t10n parties. . In OlI'c.\Gr to Plake theirappee1 c1tyt1i4e. . .:

the varlo11s Ol'gall!zat$.ona get Unitod tU'l.QeI' SOIlG oouUnOJl

bennor. lior inatance, . the V14.Yertb1l4~aatha Saml t1 was

forsneti1n 1971 for ,l,auncb1ng 8B1 tat10ll &&atnst the feer1.se

1n Ahma4abd. <

on the ~ole, stu4entst E!g1 tations ha.ve 1ncwease4

in IMts since 1966-61. Durlng the period 1961-68 end 1969-10

tbe1no14enoe of· £l81taUon em~ UntVWsity 'atu.<Jents on a

1! otlgh count, l:1aa . E1» ound46 og1 tatiOllS par 10, 000 students

por yeal'; en40f thoae eoWld 1.4 par 10,000 't*'>lH:t Violent.

Large-aoale students S&1tationo he4 bGeoms a l'egUlEW fea:tare

after 1965. \':e do not have, ~8.ta O1lStu4onts a,g1 taUons fat

the \'1bole of OUJeVat. HOl1&ve1'. tile 4ata on protest end

violent lno1dellts :t.n S\n'at ana· Allinedabed suggost that GuJattat

'ttaB rel.aUvel.y peaceful tlll 1963 on the student tront sn4

the nwnlle1" of atLldontst' protests has increased in tbe laat . .

five ye~s.

Ow:' Ol:1ll. SlU'VG7 4ata. Qn the otlldonts of Ah!Iladabd

QIld13a.t:oCla cities au.gg$st that most t.l'tuClQllts psrtialpate4 in

schoOl or aolltige st\'1kes. About 49 pm1 cent of the under ..

grs:Q~~ (Al'ta Bll4 CommOl'ce) students approved o:t ow1ltes 1n

college on students' pl"Obl.OltUil, They believed thatteachel's

an4 oollege authorities d14 not listen to their, eomple1nts.

Thirty tour per cent of the students, hOl1e'feP» disapprovod

~78

ot strikes. ~.Y fel ttbat QnJ..y rol'1c.iy stuaents organ1zed

st!1kes. some of .thcm.1tep01.'ted that lIlost of." the etr!l1kes

l$!*e org~zea on flimsy grounds.

During 1973, the . stwienta of Gujtmat leunche4

seyeal. agitations •. 'In Maroh .. Apru, D-Com studentsWSlked' . - . ," .

out of ·the1l' elteaination centres in Ahme4abed ·1uprowst

ega1nst ~tOllght' .Ql1Gsf;1on papers.· .!ihe .. aathorlties gave in

to their demand~ for· a re~exarn1nat1on 1n.sll papers. In

Ju.ne-J'ulY1 students of the i\V1.trvSdiC Coll.eg~ oflilimedabad

damaged thecolloge building in supportaf their de.m.~s.

In JUly stua en ta l.~bed stJ,'Sdtat1on protesting against

the. tn.'tight 1nCongresa~taeen the Ch1manbhal Patel and the

OZQ factions. !!hey aleogiavee. call frli: bandb in support

of their 4emsuds. InOctobor1! stuQents ot 'tbeH.L •. couoerce

CoUstG, Ahrne4ebad, demanded postponsm&ntot . f1l1st tolna

tests as the)1 l1all1ied to pa1't101pa~ 111 f'loOa "aUef work.

Theoollcge authorities: and teachers 414 not listsn to tho

sti1c1ents' 4EUnand and the Pr,1nolpal and the PrQfessors 1"0618-. .

ned en· 'bloc i.n pttoteot age100t the aeman4a~ ~o atu4ents

haato \dthdIlali 'the Ciemana but the tens1oncontinueCI. In

Novetnber 1973. stUdents of PetLar1 .College of ·Khe4a district

organ1aed 'a procession· asa.1nst the University authorities . . .

for l'e1na~t1n6 the Prinoipal. of the colloge..tU.l coUeges

of the 418trlo t suppo~tGdthe 4eman4.,

In Bav04a, the conflict between students and tbc

. state ~ansport authority has rema1xied e: permanent feature

179

throu.ghout 1973. In sough Gu.ja:rat, students launOhed an

e.g! tat10n aga1nst a tee rise and for. the 1'emo,81 ot the

"1ntel'nalevaluat1ouat .systom. . In~.at.NaVSal'l a.nci Ch1kbl1

sever al instances or student Ulllre.st vere repor te4. In

saure.sht?a, part1oUla:rl.y.:1n Bbavnagat', Morn; .Rajkot and Jamn~a1', students eg1te.t1ons on aQinelssu.e or other .bad

been l'eporte.d almost every othel' month 1n the ne1.:JspapSl'a.

BeSides, as aI-eault ot new Univers11;y ~t, the

students of GUjarat Univers1ty usre given 1'epl'esentat1on

and U out of ·1.46 seats 1n Un1versity Cot.at(Sene.te) \:._6

allotted to thsm.In Co tober 1973 in el.ee tlonstotho

court, students t1e1'e mob1l1zeCl by teaQhe1's, poll t1oal. pa1't:l.es

and managements. Beoause ~ their reBo~oes, the man ....

ments oOuld' win over the stuaents and got their Sllpport for

then nOtn1n.ees in eloctions. Some popUlar teecbe1's and . . .. ~

students ~e defeated. Ulis reaUl. ted in" frustt'aUon ot

students •.

From the above allal..YS1s, 1 t is obvious that 40Jn1.

nant soelo-eoonom1Q groups psrt1eUlarly land~ p&sse:o.tr,

and bl1sinf)ss-indusi:rlallet cliquo have good hold over Gujarat

poll tics and 1 t .1stheretol?e not surprising that tholGedef.

ship particUlarly of students"which emel1go4<luring tile agi­

tation had somethin.g s\1bstant1el to do ,,11th these groups.

Throughthe1r very strong lobbies 1n tho government, thaI get

180

things done l11th little 41ff1cUl. 'ty, Poll tioal. psrt1&s

generall, Clepenc1 Oll these ggoups ff# funds. (luring eleoti.ona.

an4the'yoontr1bute 1111el'&11 to al.l ~pollt10a4 pat:ties. , ,

!be intGtaotlon of these groups end poUts-cal. parties and

the agltators1s an interesUng feet foUlld4urinS O\U" 1nvcs-.

tigaUon. out of 20 top student loadors tntorview:xi about

the fundsthGY got t~ kOQP1ng the momentum of agitation,

8lmost everybOdy agroed that thel got flnancial QSSlstel1CG

hom every sOU1'OGI

1. FromOppos1t1on pol1t1c-al,partioQ (part1oUla't'l.y JSt Congress (0) Cl em)

2. Erombus1nesS'!:O.£ll'l-t'i1 a4~ $

s. F.Pom :Landed peaaanul'

.4. From D1'&S1~ent ConglesSIlQn

,6. Fr01i1 othol' 'sources "

40

,20

10

20

1.0

30

8 SOUl'ce,' nola survey end 1nterviol1 baoQd on open emled qUGotionna1l'o.

9 Ibid.

2. From oppoB1tion paJlt1es. part1cUlem18 JS, Congress (O} and .CPM '-. 30

3. hom b1l.s1nGas-!ndu.str:1al. ~oup . -20

4. i'rOJXllanded peaaantr, 20

. 6. From· other sources· . li'U

All the top stwientJ.ecders ll&1onged to upper or ·m1ddle

olass and vel', fell to lower m14ale class aDd· none to labo~ class,10

Class

UPIC M1c1C(bClass

MldQle M1a4l.G Class

Lo\1S1' N1ddlo Class

Labou;r Claso

No

8

a 4

NU

~ose students ae1'o \'lar<1aof very influential pGl'sonb.

Fathers ottwo end brother ot one \1Gl'e rich tra4ers and

. bus1nessmen, father of one a .thr1 v1ng oomm1ssiona.aont,

£etber ot another a very high offioial in I!O of Government

o£ :Indla,tather of yet anothor' a Depll'tf .secretary in 9!lu­

cation Depa'timent of state Government an4 of yet another an

ex-Min1ster haVing important·position 111 OZa .and Cb1manbhat.

Uln1strJ'.BPo~ of one was e. leading journalist of ~

local. GujaJiat1 DOt'Jspaper who hQl,ped lnpropaganda an4

II q

... 11 prtnt1ng hand bUla etc.· Mostotthem ht!!d atfUiations

t:4 tbpol1 tiOal pEll Ueat,12·.:

ntsa14ents 1n ·Collg#eas

.Jana Sangh

. Congress <oj J.P.-ito

. C.P.l;

C.P.M.

6

'5

16

8

1

1.

Brothel' of' one was an UnP01:tBllt l..eaCl.ei.' of Oonares~ tR),

. father of one. $. Jana Sangh wcmw. and ctanother an aot1vo

~kBrof Congre:;;r8 to). At least two Of ;thestudent loaaers

; sata· thatthel ~e 0_4 hoLders of CPI and lB.. ~e stu4ent

wing of .J8 1.e. AilVP 'tJaB active 'tb1'ougbout the ag1tat1on aJld

m,reoUl.ou.s andadvent-urou,61 teata Wde perfo:r41ledbl women

stu4Qntsot toe .A}3VP. 9nC. or them was Pres1den~ of a Dls'b!iot 13 YoutbCongrees. .

'Iv • , .0 I'. r r~"·· JI

11 Ibi4.·

12 1b14.

13 Ib14.

. ;~e class struc ture and pol1 tieal .1een1ngs of teeoher a . .

(tiho plege4 lmpOl'tant pert lngu:t41ng studentedU1'ing f'irst

phase onll) was found to be mot's f# less astboao·of students.

JUnong professionals Bna others (l.ea.~sJ lihopeJ.'ticlpatad in

the ag1ta.t1on the same phenom$nQnuss l11tnessad. But .Sign1f1 ...

cant point 1stbat even here the 4an1nant soc1o-econom1o

groups .played a crucial. role.,

n

t1hy usa 1 t in GUJal'at alone and 1n noothst'statGs

that the upsur se took place? How is 1 t that GuJ ala.t happenod

to be the pace-Setter? John R. Hoccl sals that, for the pt-ssent,

eJl:ploana't1ons can be sougb~ among.

(a) Historical factors ~

. (b) SoC1o~eeonom1e factors

(c).State-based poll t'1cal fa.ot~s, atlI1

(d) AJ..1-India pol1t1c al l' ec tor "-1.4 .

~e historical Sgtlm$nt miGht contan4that Q\1jetttat

bappens to be a state in India Where nat1onal1st mobilization

• r.

an4 the 1neulQaUon of Gandh1an values haa tbe1r4eepeat 1mpaot.

)10J.100ver, $1noe Uulepe~~mce Grlj~at has hsJ an exo-epUone:u,

high t'tollC$ntratiou rJf Gan4h1en soeial.t'1orkers an4 vnl8(tE;1~ba$ea

~etorm pl?'Q~eots.- ~$e bave not ~, proVided ~_g$ oa4l'es of

political stJUv1ats but generated anenbeno:e4 sense of political

efficac1 ~ henoe mil! tenet In the' face otm1sgovernment, on

the part of the people.:xpose4 to them. 15, fil6B1'gument has

merit asa prBl1nd.n~.v basis for· assess1ria eompatative raoep. ,

Uv1\v to poP\U.1at eppoals~ BUtlsol.ating the 1mInaCl1ate

cauSes of 'the upsu:t.Jae requires cQnS1d~S:-ation of additional

Before taJd.na up thoSO<!l~conom1o end state based

po11t.1.cal. fectors. 'it is J1el:evant to ment10n all. IXId~

pollt111al taotora. " it numb_of all.:-ll::ld1a PQl.lt1o"al faetors , '

affeoted therlee of agitation 1n au~a?at. Cil11>1" among

theS$ l1as the poll tic al. performance of Pr1mo Minister InQ1l'a

Gandhi., As ,J .D. ,s9tb1nas suggested,S. t 't1ae Mrs oandb1

who ~ovlded, ironically, "the cnt1Oalst1mulus for popullsn , ' '. , ,'16

111 contemporary tnd1an po11 t1cs.lnhSr attempt to serv1vG

. tho COllg1'GeO spU t dur1ng 19f3:9-71, she 'Was impelled to rosor t

to popuUGt $'pPOalst since "th$ pal'ty arganiZation .21QD1a1ned

lS1lply In Con~ess (0) hands. ~e Oongroso (8) nationslJ.l

tle11ed on bor ch~1sma to 'Win el.eotions and to resal VEl

1 t ',. '( • , •.• J" q •.• -.

15 Ibid., p. 327.

1.6 J .1). &l'tb1, .Inda.a 1li\. crise (l)alll1, 1975), pp. :192.5.

186

internal party dispute. !li'd.s strategY-might have sucC(lJeded-

if institutions bdbGen oreatG-d to sbsOltb the n~'t1 pert1c1pant$

attraoted by popUlist appeals. and :1£ governmental p8tt£orlilallOG

had lived up to arouDGd GXJ>ectat1ona. t!he11e this aid not

happen and ",here state-based, oon41t1onS- t.JerO ripe •• 0 Gan4h1's

-popUlism waaswiden11 oOllfronte4 \i1 tha Il$W end nu)l'Q mU1tant

popUlism. As JOhn R. \>!oodputs it, "In GUj al' at •• ~MX's QatJ.dbi

''Jaa being beaten at l.east tempot'a'rU, -ather _O\m.game.n1? .. SGcolldly OGn~ellntel1vent1onlsm hed. a negat1v$

1rnpaet on the autonomy of sta.te politioal. doveloptllont. Us..·

poc1al.ly -th.e-1mposlt1on or a' Ch1ef HWstol" (Ghansbysn Osa.)

dependent for his authority on Ne:1:J J.)elhl solved no 1nt?a-

congreafl d1spute3 andlont an atED.osphe»e of 111481 t1macl to

state Govar_nt-. -Moxieover-t theabS3nee of a sPQltGsman _in

the central oabinet after Morat'ji's dGpa:t'un-e left Dlany

Gujarat1s feeling their leg1~t& interests ... ospecieU,

'tJ1 thregnrd to Na:cmejaproJeotL8 .... val'-ebG1ng 19nat'eci by the

centre. - !he depondence on the oentre of Gl1jm'at, a toot!

defioit state, has been mentione4earl1er. Hhon th3 4opeXl-

dance lias. seen as being o:xploi tea to GUjeratt B dotl'imen t - as

1n the 1notance of GUJal'aU· tt~OllU'lbut1onstt to the 1974

Utt~Pl'adesh elee't1Oll- an e.:Agry response to the oentral

author! tl was predictablo.

_If.... t f

.' .

nw atato beaed polItical tacto»s P~tlCul.s:rl1 the

1nne.r .te.ot1on fighting 'I:nthe Congress (il). have a1rea41 been

e~la1ne4 Gat'l1or. l)U:rug oU,v 11$14 sUfvey after 1ntenslve

lnterv1e11EJ an4 obsarVa'U.ou '~" were able to find out the most.

1nlportant a:p4 1mme41a~ causes. - , .

A lat'ge nuInber of ~esponctents (60 per cent) repo1'te4

that p'a.oe ]lise was the lIlOst 1mpdt'tant. ail4 nt"Ost iJnn1eQlata

oeuae of·the upS'l;)%lge. other oauses bo1ne po11t1c81. oorruption

{symboliaetJ by Ch1Inanbha1 and, biaN1nls--trl)and "s.soontont

aJnong toeohOra and stutlents. ftlEl-p.viees of essenti81 commodi­

ties .had shQPl11neroasE;uJ 4Ul'lng 1913. fbOtlgb. the prices oame

dow slightly efter the JUl., rlotsln Ahmedabad. tbeyahot up

aga1n after AUgust 1973, Qesp1te a bUDlpel" crop. 2110 prices

offoo4gra1ns,ecl1blG oUt gheo, vegetables ana, moat rO$6 trom

3 to moratban 100 pol" cent during the lastono !leer. WJ.lt

cost Bs..2 per 11 t!9. cup of fpa 35 to 40 paisa, charges tor a

l.1m1tsd ·'thal1.fl of food Rs.2 and even 'chana' (gram) ~

"s1ng"(groUlldnut)cosi; 80pa1se for a bW:l4red grams. one had to PS¥ not loss: than'Rs.1OO per month for tt10 me~s a

da,y.19 certa1ll essential conunodlt1es 41sappeEDle4 from 'tbG

market, 011 g'bee, butte!' t baby fOOd, - ite1"oSGl1G, otc. U)1"$ not

tabs found 1n the above meJket. Foodgt'ains like l1hGat ell4

rice ~e also scarce.

19 Data seleoted fran neuspapora.

G\;lja't'at 1$ a defi0it state 1n foodga1ns. It 4oponaa

on the centro tor feeding the peop:Le •. !ale state Zacod a

precarloustood sit11at1OllfoUow.1ns a. drastio cut lnthe suppll

of toodgra1na by the centra after: Jw.'1rrl 1973 •. As .a1nst its

mon th1y :teqU1l'GJlOll t . of 100.000 tonnes ofwh&at the' state 801;

only 36.000 tonnes a month in November an4. Daoembe1' , 1&73.

Gu3arat was rOQelv1ngl05. 000 tOl1lle~ 'tlhen OZtl was Cblof

M.1nistor, but Cen.Ue ·peganto re4tlee allocation to GUjal'at

end by December 19131 t Has reduced to a mat'o 35.000

tonnes.20 ft1e po~ qu~i ty. end the moagre quaJJtt ty of food.

gra1ns forced poOr per-soneto bU1 from open market t-!.nere

pr1ceo of oommexitties \lelte ttdce as bigb. 'lhe steep rise

and eo~c1 't1 of essential oommotllties had. thus gene~atsa

m.ass discontent •.

PoU tioal corruption waS Q'no~ pop~ alog811

",1th s.Wdent-taaoher leot~s to col.leot lQge O1"0w4sfO'R

processions. 8~ao otc •. .out or total J'Gap0n4onto'1Q,p$1'

cent bellov04 that leadel'sand U.1ll1a~s wero oorrupt an4 . . , .. .

felt that people's ndSGl'Jes uore dlreotl, related tooo:ntupt

practices ot polt Ua1ans. Q.rnost all of them 't1ere vocal

_ I 1 t

20· Ch1menbha1 petel., n. 18, .p. 15.·

· 21 about Ch1manbha1 being Qorrupt1on 1nca:nate.People 1n

general ena tGaohers anQstudents in part1OUle:6 'W(!i.'te rather

shocked by tho menoeuwes alld man1pw.atlons of Ch1nUlnbbal at

Panchvat1tbro~b wb10h m coUld became Chl(!lt MWatel". 2h10

Panonvati 4rama 'Was known as pl'apanohvatl (mf.Ul6tJet) end

soon attar h1e booom1ngCh1et)11nlstaJ? some wachers brought

out a procession of sheep and ,lamb to' highlight the t1rn1d1ty

of the ULAs liho supportG4 h1m.. His polt UQalstyle \-Jas roaarded

as tnon-Glljarat1' t1'sd1tional. elite culture dOJn1nateCl bl

Brahm1ns and. Denle.s was Sh'rouQ~ by a Pat1da'r who bed h1s

ru.stio style ~ pol1tical management. He l'lase • Khe4ut

Putt'a' (son of a tsrrnel') snd lias tharefor~ not acoeptable to

Banta-Brahm1nculture.. J.lost of the responilents reporte<l that

not only urban GuJa:fat1s but also tile central leaders psrUau-

181'1y the Prime M1n1~tor "Werequ1te unhappy t11th h1m. anct

evarybody 'Was 1nteresteeJ ill, ousting hill&. It was also \'114011 '

believed that J to. eolleot tunas tor uttal' Pradesh elections h&

hed struck a deal \-11th groundnutoll t'ieal.@s 'Whioh res1.1lted in

sharp rise of groundnut 011. Urban Gujal'atl population 1s verI

....... J. V.. 9

21 Respontlents part1Q\\l.al'l¥ students and ~aohers al.l.egecl that Mr Patel. had managed tOalllQSs mucb weal ttl t11 th!ll su months of Cb1e£ l-1tnistelfsh1p. ROt as a Pr1nc1pal. ot a College o\med. 1959 model LambrGtoca. 13ut tOtlsv he is sa1d to O\ill t1.lree o1nelnahousost one :,ubbor tao~1. one flat aud three (U""s. One prom11lent senior teaoher salas til have seen h1m rIding onb101cle when he was a toaohe1', on a scooter liilen he was a Principal.. end tod81 he has three Oal'S. It tb1s 1s not corruption, 'What else It 1s?"he .sa14.

i89

sensitive to this issue beOSllS6 there 1s mass. consumption of

groundnut 011. . SO because Of steep rise in ~'oWJ.4nut 011,

there was mesa frustration end people thoUght it "'QSbecau.se \

. otpo11t14alcorl'Upt1on. Re-spon<1ents se:1d. other NWsWs t1S1'G

equ.aUy OOftllPtpgt1cUl.t:crll liatLlbha1 M,e:n1.tihat Cb1manbba1

in pa\'~10UJ.ar contrf1butad l1asMs :tnsens1t1V$ness to crying

needs of oOmmon man. Me m!.G~111g otpotential ·of movement,

his carelessnoss in allowing his 1mage to be what 1 t beoame,

bis palpable method of manipUlation" perm1tU,ng pol1ce tor

1rresponfJlble repression ana hlgb haadedness. All this

aggr a.'fated t.Il.e' s1 t1lat~on.

!lbe third 1Dlportant oause t1h1ch most of the respon...

dents reportGd was tiscontent aDlone: students and teaoh&rs

of GuJ·a1 at univer stttea . and· GoUeses l1ers jo1n1ng their . .

cOWltel'p~ts ill India to avtioUl.ate and agitate tw. the removal

of CaJI ta;1nunJust condit1()ns 111 educational 3,nst1 tuUons. .

OveruhGlm1ns nu.raberof teachers \'Jere hi ttot' about the conditione

\-lhieh. enabled pr:l. vate couege managements to exploit them.

They demaXJ4ecJetrec't1ve proteotion trom GIljare.t t1n1ve~s1:tty. 22

Tb1e tnolu4E!dtlle1r propeJt ,epgesentationon the lUl1vera1ty

. , bod1esanQ college man.eaeJUents.· . 5hey thought Ch$Jnanbha1 tIM

:responsible ~or ma1d.ng Ill&sa ·ote4uoat1on. In b1e GBrl1Gr

ca'reer 1n e4QOaUon as teaoh&r andpr1no1pal. ah1manbha11s

reported to have csvec1 out 1l1a Q·ea ot 1ntlusne& tbrough SQQ1G

'lUI ,s q L, __

. 190'

. .

ooUege manasements. '111e teaohel's t181'e 'by:e,nd l~SG very

hi ttGr w1 til b1m an4tbe1'ttante4 to settlethe1r o14sC01'Ga .

111th Cl'Wnanbba1. students gen_aUy haw problentn. tn'a'VerY

part attne cOllllilry _ tne11'Gso»te<l to violent strikes oft

and on. But the tlQ1 thel le4tbe movement in G\1ja?at tias

probabl1 the tirst of its ~~' 1D .Incite. a;nd.the4o\tslopmGnt

o:t' til(;)U ag1 taUon has been 4;1.scl.1ssed s.ne6l'l1er chapters •..