Opinion Decmber 9, 1977, Forty Years Ago
Shah Commission Three former ministers of Indira Gandhi’s cabinet testified before the Shah Commission that they were kept completely in the dark about the imposition of the Emergency. Mrs Gandhi’s senior-most cabinet colleague, Jagjivan Ram, said she had told them later “she wanted to give a shock treatment to the country”. She had given this […]
Decmber 9, 1977, Forty Years Ago 
Decmber 9, 1977, Forty Years Ago
Shah Commission
Three former ministers of Indira Gandhi’s cabinet testified before the Shah Commission that they were kept completely in the dark about the imposition of the Emergency. Mrs Gandhi’s senior-most cabinet colleague, Jagjivan Ram, said she had told them later “she wanted to give a shock treatment to the country”. She had given this as the main justification for imposing the Emergency, Ram said as she felt there was indiscipline among students and the working class. Former law minister, H.R. Gokhale, and former I&B minister, I.K. Gujral, felt she had adopted an “unusual” procedure for imposing the Emergency. Gokhale’s surprise submission before the Commission despite the advice of the Congress Working Committee to partymen to await formal summons, created quite a stir. Gokhale said he was surprised the law ministry was not consulted. Gujral felt the situation could have been met in a normal way, and despite the political tension there was no apprehension of a serious law and order problem.
Time Capsule Out
The controversial time capsule, embedded for the benefit of the posterity to be taken out after 5,000 years, was brought out amid much fanfare after an unimpressive short time — only 51 months and three weeks. The capsule is said to contain a 10,000-word document embossed on an aluminum foil recording the country’s achievements. It was embedded opposite the Red Fort to mark the 25th anniversary of India’s Independence.
Nobel For JP?
The Indian inter-parliamentary group unanimously recommended to the Centre to forward the name of Jayaprakash Narayan for the Nobel Peace Prize of 1978. The meeting was presided over by the Lok Sabha speaker, K.S. Hegde. Samar Guha, Janata Party MP, proposed JP’s name and the proposal was adopted unanimously.
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