The Indian Scene

THE INDIAN SCENE
(January 25 to April 17, 1953)

By Prof. D. GURUMURTI, M.A.,Ph.D.

A. GENERAL

The Republic Day celebrations this year marked the end of the post-partition era and the opening of the era of reconstruction and regeneration. The Five Year Plan, partly under way, symbolises this new outlook, and the President in his message called for the full implementation of this programme of paramount importance. Side by side with the spectacular gaieties of the capital, in the way of parades, processions, public meetings, folk dance and song witnessed by the thousands at the National Stadium, there was a note of serious resolve to work for the ideal of a welfare State. As Sri Nehru put it. “Many of us have no idea of the other parts of the country. India is bigger than any of us. The folk dances and songs represent the spirit of the people.” Sarvodaya Day, 30th January, was marked by mass spinning at Rajghat, wreaths laid, Gita read, and a mass rally; forty thousand participated and a vast tableau of Mahatmaji’s life was presented. The Centre has taken steps to increase the amenities of the capital, as befitting its importance as an international centre; there is to be flood-lighting of domes and temples, scenes and sights of historic importance, with a revolving wheel of light over Parliament House, while in session; a master plan for better housing in the city is being developed.

The President made a tour of Madras State in the second half of February covering an inspection of the Visakhapatnam shipyard, where 500 trainees gave a march past, a visit to Bhavani Sagar, the latest reservoir in the South, a pilgrimage to Madura and Rameswaram Temples, Setu Snan, addresses at Karaikudi and Madras, a visit to Mahabalipuram–in all eleven days of strenuous tour, which helped to reassure the extreme South of the country of its vital cultural importance in the vast pabulum of India’s national consciousness. Meanwhile our Prime Minister on 21 February switched on the first Power Unit of the Damodar Valley Scheme; the first of the seven of the multi-purpose projects, the Tilariya Dam in Bokara, Hazaribagh District in Bihar–a reservoir of twenty square miles’ extent. The dam is of 94 ft. height and 510 ft. width. As he opened the life-giving waters to irrigate one lakh acres of new land, Sri Nehru’s eyes filled with the vision of the India of our dreams; he saw the New India being born, with cheap electricity for cottage industries, with no need to wait on, looking to the skies helplessly. The month of February was saddened by the passing of the great servant of India N. Gopalaswami Aiyangar. In a feeling reference both the Vice-President and the Prime Minister in Parliament expressed the national loss “as a gap or a wound difficult to heal”. A life full of devoted service, of sterling worth, of unmatched administrative capacity came to an end on 10th February as the tired body dropped down. The Prime Minister had come to lean more and more on the sagacious and ripe experience of this veteran statesman and we sympathise with the Prime Minister in his irreparable loss; and the nation is the poorer today of first-rate administrative talent.

The quarter under review has been a busy time for all legislatures, with opening addresses and budget debates in all States and in the Centre. Sri Munshi has set a new precedent by opening the U.P. Assembly with a Hindi speech. One special feature has been the co-operation extended to Acharya Vinoba Bhave’s Bhoodan Yajna by legislatures and State Governments. At the Centre a Committee of Parliament with the Vice-President as Chairman has been constituted. Dr. Radhakrishnan pointed out the effective social revolution aimed at by the fundamentally peaceful approach of this unique movement.

Sri Nehru took a few days out of Parliamentary duties to go on a joint tour with the Burmese Premier on the Indo-Burma border towards the end of March. The Naga Chiefs of the Lushai Hills area gave tumultuous welcome to the two Premiers and assured Sri Nehru that they would give up their head-hunting practices. The proudest event of Sri Nehru’s border tour was the opening, in the heart of the Lushai Hills, of a stretch of 121 miles of road built by voluntary labour. April opened with the passing of Mr. Asaf Ali in Berne, Switzerland. His death removes from the Indian scene a valued servant of the people, who was noted for his breadth of outlook, and outstanding part in the freedom struggle. A week later passed away one of the great architects of modern Indian industry, Walchand Hirachand, the pioneer of ship-building, expert engineer and gifted industrialist.

B. NATION-BUILDING

Uttar Pradesh sets the pace for the country in nation building. The Community Projects there are to be extended to a thousand more villages in May next; four hundred workers are under training; the project is at work in 1500 villages in 9 districts already. The Chandraprabha Project reclaimed 16,500 acres with convict labour; two lakhs were earned by the workers which they could send to their relatives, setting an example of greater efficiency. As a special effort for the Republic Day Week, eight lakh workers with voluntary labour made 800 miles of road, and repaired 700 miles of old road. Another step of great significance is the proposal of the U.P. Government to grant lands to elementary school teachers to supplement their income by cultivating them and raising food crops for themselves–a most valuable proposal worth being tried in all the States of the Indian Union. The U.P. Government propose to spend 2 crores and 20 lakhs on canals and tube wells; 21,000 maunds of improved seed are being distributed; the Japanese method of rice cultivation is to be tried in 3 districts; 48 lakh acres will be used and production is expected to go up by 20%; the Universities and Colleges are organising refresher courses for young farmers. Bengal is putting on hand anti-malaria measures on a large scale; they are to spend two crores in 5 years on house to house spraying of D.D.T. The Khargpur Institute of Technology is completing its process for manufacture of synthetic petrol; it is in an advanced stage. Bengal has a 3.5 crore scheme for Japanese method of rice cultivation. Seeds and water pumpsets are to be supplied; production is expected to go up to 3500 lbs. per acre from the present 800 lbs. Sensational developments of oil prospecting are expected; large deposits of coal in Darjeeling District are suspected. The experimental project for mining lignite in Madras State has been inaugurated. In an area of 100 square miles, 2000 million tons of high grade lignite is estimated to lie. The third agreement for setting up a refinery near Visakhapatnam has been completed. It is expected to go into operation in 1955; five thousand tons of crude oil a year will be available. Indian investment up to twenty five per cent is provided for. Thus there will be three refineries on the whole engaging fifty crores of foreign capital. One hundred Bhoodan workers at the bedside of Acharya Vinoba Bhave at Chandil have planned the campaign to reach the target of twenty-five lakh acres, of which six and a half lakhs have been already obtained. There has been a phenomenal growth of co-operative societies; two lakh members control a capital of 10.5 crores. Rice procurement has touched all-time record, The Food Minister is confident that the total requirement can be procured internally; foreign purchase will be limited to build up emergency reserves. The Minister for Agriculture inaugurated on 16th March a nation-wide campaign for the Japanese method ofrice cultivation. Even if two per cent of the cultivators adopted this method, production will be increased by 14 lakh tons. The Success of this method will solve the food problem.

C. INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS

The speech in Parliament by Sri Nehru on Stalin’s passing gave Moscow papers banner headlines. The handsome tribute paid by India’s Prime Minister evoked sympathetic chords in many hearts–‘end of a certain era in history’, ‘great in peace and war’, ‘builder of a great nation’, ‘no single figure in history, played such a large part in history’–phrases of sincere appeal which woke the world to Stalin’s achievements. The visit of top-ranking medical experts sponsored by the World Health Organisation is an event of significance. They spent four weeks in interchange of scientific Information, delivered lectures, granted radio interviews, conducted operations and paid a great compliment to medical advance in India. Two Nobel Prizemen were among the team. Two operational agreements with the U.S.A. have been concluded involving two million dollars for technical aid for river valley projects and agricultural implements. Norway is raising 67 lakhs to help in improved fisheries in Travancore-Cochin–a stretch of ten square miles will be scientifically utilised by mechanised fishing boats. Out of the forty projects of W.H.O., eighteen are working in India including the D.D.T. factory at Delhi and the Penicillin factory near poona. Forty Indian doctors are under training abroad. India is to give training facilities for South-East Asian countries under the Colombo Plan.

Interesting visits include the Iranian Press Delegation, a Japanese Mission, the Australian Press Delegation, Mr. Aneurin Bevan, Mr. Odinga and Mr. Murumbi from East Africa, and Dr. Ralph Bunche from the U.N. Secretariat.

Sri Nehru opening a Physical Training Institute said, “The world could survive without mind but not without manual labour.” Mr. Murumbi: “All eyes in Africa are on Mr. Nehru. They expect help in the liberation of African peoples.” The opening of the Academy of Dance, Music and Drama in Delhi on 28th January is an event of great significance. Chief Justice Rajamannar is the Chairman. It is meant to be the first of three Academies; the other two will be the Academies of Letters and Arts. Maulana Azad presided over the ‘Golden Jubilee of the National Library at the Belvedere at Calcutta on 1st February. Sheikh Abdullah said Kashmir is fighting India’s battle for secularisrn in combating the Jammu agitation.