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Motn of Thanks °n JANUARY 30, 1980 President's Address 136 [Shri G. M. Banatwalla] fact is that there is a narrowing of the domestic market; and unless and would be ascertained, but I am sure until that problem is solved, our that this Government will come for- economy will not revive, and the ward with an unequivocal assurance various problems are not going to be to this House that all the recommenda. solved. tions of the Gujral Committee will be duly implemented in the shortest With these words, I conclude, with possible time. all best wishes to the new Govern- ment; and hope that in the interest* X am sorry that the President of of the nation, the Government suc- India has not specifically referred to ceeds in solving the various problem* the various riots that have taken that are there to-day. place. 1 am sure that the matter will receive full consideration, protection ’ THE PRIME MINISTER (SHRIMATI INDIRA GANDHI) ; Mr. Speaker, Sir; will be afforded to the persons displac- before I begin my reply, may I say ed in their riots and complete rehabili- a word to the hon. Member opposite tation of the innocents will also be who raised a question regarding the assured. Republic D ay Parade? I want to Before I conclude, I must express inform him that the programme for our sense of shock and disappointment the Parade, the items and the details at the President of India refraining were decided long before our Go- from an unequivocal condemnation of vernment came in. We did not in- the unabashed, and blatant military terfere with it in any way. In fact, intervention by the Soviet Union into I did not know what it was till w the affairs of Afghanistan. saw the Parade. Anyhow, the part of the NCC does not come before the AN HON. MEMBER: Has it got any Government. But 1 agree with him bearing on the minorities? that such details should be looked into. I hope he and all other hon. SHRI G. M. BANATWALLA: The Members will join me in congratula- Soviet Government says that the ting our Defence Services on the ex- Soviet troops were sent to Afghanistan cellence of the Parade and the Retreat in response to the request made by the All our foreign visitors and others new Afghan regime there, but that is were most impressed. not a fact. As you know, about four to six thousand Soviet troops had Mr. Speaker, Sir; I have tried to be been flown into Kabul beginning from present during the debate on the December 24, at least three days be- President's Address, and specially fore the Government of Amin was during the speeches of the hon. Mem- overthrown. Our own national interests bers of the opposition; but certain un- and international interests are involv- avoidable engagements have prevent- ed in this, Let there be a clear and ed me from listening to them all. For unequivocal condemnation of this un- this I am sorry, but I do get the main abashed incident and also a call should points put before me day by day. be given to the Soviet Union for the withdrawal of its troops from there, 1 mean no disrespect when I say I wanted, to say a few more words that the debate, from the Opposition about the Assam situation. How- side, lacked any heart or conviction. ever, I will try to take some other Most of the arguments made were opportunity to speak on this issue. feeble. Many Hon’ble members are still continuing to flog the dead horse There are various economic ques- of Emergency. They are still to find tions also. It has been tried to be their way out of the trauma of the made out in the House that there past. 1975 and 1977 now belong to were surpluses of savings, foreign history. We have entered 1980, & exchange and foodgrains. But the new decade which has started with Iy j Motn. of Thanks on MAGHA 10, 1901 (SAKA)] President’s Address 133 challenges of gigantic proportions, I would like very briefly to deal with internally in the shape of economic the question of persecution. What and social problems, and in did the Janata Party—in the Janata international affairs, the threat to Party, I include both; the Janata and non-alignment and. to our very secu- the Lok Pal which is Janata (S)— rity. The President’s Address was do after the elections? My party had written when the Government was offered full cooperation in any na- about 4 days’ old. Therefore, it is tion building activity, in any prog- not very realistic of hon. Members to ramme for the welfare of the people. expect that we would, at the time, In fact, my hon. friend opposite -and be able to give details of how we are former colleague will forgive me, going to .tackle these 'Various prob- one of the reasons for our quarrel lems. It was physically impossible to was that we felt that he was bending get any precise view of the state of over backward to support the then the nation at that time. Ruling Party. ' Anyone who tries to belittle the SHRI YESHWANTRAO CHAVAN achievements of the Congress rule (Satara)-; Question! during these 30 years can do so only ‘ SHRIMATI INDIRA GANDHI; That by shutting his eyes to reality. In was my view, Chavanji. That is why, 1947, we were a country newly emer- X said, we differed. But what was ging into Independence after a long the response of the Janata Party? period of colonial rule. We had a political structure which was frag- Instead of allowing my party to mented and an economy which was, function as an Opposition, a cam- in many ways, primitive. Different paign of repression was unleashed parts of the country were existing in against me, my family and my asso- different countries^ (Hon. Members ciates. will perhaps remember—and speciallly There were a series of Ipolitically those from Bengal—of one of the motivated commissions set up. Now last articles written by Gurudev how many were there, I think......... Tagore. He said: “1 know the British will leave India. The question before AN HON. MEMBER: Who is keep- us is, in what condition will they leave ing the account? the country.” And we are all aware (Interruptions) of that condition. SHRIMATI, INDIRA GANDHI : We laboured hard for 30 years to ’<>/j\part from commissions, there were build a nation that was politically other enquiry authorities. We are told viable and economically sound. We by the Home Ministry that there were achieved a strong political unity in 34 commissions. Tailored evidence spite of the immensity and diversity was produced before them. The at- of our people. We developed demo- mosphere in the proceedings, as I cratic traditions that survived know from personal atmosphere, re- through years Of political strife. From minded one of Medieval Britain when a subject state, we grew to a free malicious pleasure was derived in Ration whose voice was listened to harassing the accused and also the with respect in the councils of the days of MaCarthism in the USA world. when public hysteria was whipped up and distortion, concoction and in- The Opposition has chosen to rake timidation was practised on a large up the past. I have preferred to scale through government con- look to the future, but, because they trolled media. Heads of commissions, have referred to certain things, they judges and others were having meet- have left no option for me but to ings with the Prime Minister and the deal with some of the issues with Home Minister. Dozens of cases were ■which they seem obsessed. Firstly, started against my son. Officials close 139 Motn. of Thanks on JANUARY 30, 1980 President’s Address 140 [Shrimati Indira Gandhi] SHRIMATI INDIRA GANDHI: I can understand the hon. Member’s to me were harassed and intimidated; and not only they—if they were embarrassment. An ambassador him- self told me that he got these instruc- guilty, well there is some excuse—but tions. their relatives, their old parents, their sisters who had not very close SHRI ATAL BljHARI VAJPAYEE: connections with them over the years, From whom? all of them were bounded and perse- cuted. Indiscriminate searches at SHRI RAVINDRA VARMA (Bom- their premises were made. Large bay North): Yet the order be placed scale sealing of bank lockers, freezing on the Table of the House, if it is true. of bank accounts of relatives, im- pounding of passports, income tax (Interruptions) cases of relatives; officers were sub- SHRI ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE: jected to investigation by Special courts. Even there was a query; I am prepared to undergo any punish- parents were asked to explain about ment if it is proved that such instruc- expenditure which was incurred be- tions were issued by me. | fore 1947! I was asked how I got a (Interruptions) certain cheque from some university in I960. Arrests of former Ministers MR, SPEAKER: Order, order, j such as Shri Gokhale? Prof. Chatto- Please take your seats. padhya, Shri Bansi Lai, Shri Malaviya, Shri P. C. Sethi and others, top busi- SHRI ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE: nessmen were also not spared arrest. Let her disclose the name of the I am going through it very briefly. If ambassador. I went into details, we could tell you SfHRIMATI INDIRA GANDHI: I some harrowing tales. have no hesitation in disclosing the During the period from the end of name. I will do so to Mr.

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