Mr.
T.T.K., has returned home. Home! After a dazzling career!
"Mr. Krishnamachari looked ten years older, and
much tired like a man who has spent sleepless nights"
comments the reporter of 'Mail' about T.T.K.'s arrival.
His entry inside the Cabinet, first as Minister for
Industries and then as the Finance Minister, created
a mild shock, and many a problem. And his exit too has
created new problems.
Mr. T.T.K.'s loyalty to his chief, and the latter's
regard for the former, has not abated—at least on the
face of it.
Pandit Nehru accepts the resignation with regrets, and
Mr. T.T.K. has stated that he had to 'resign' to maintain
high traditions.
The ex-finance minister was seen off by Pandit Nehru
at the Delhi airport, and at Meenambakkam, the Chief
Minister of our State, Mr. Kamaraj received Mr. T.T.K.
It was more in the nature of 'bowing' to some powerful
influence—good or bad—rather than an exit.
The Finance portfolio, seems to be always crying for
blood—Mr. T.T.K., happens to be the fourth 'causality',
if such a term is permissible.
Sir, R.K.Shanmugaham, Doctor John Mathai, Chinthamani
Deshmuk—all had to 'walk out'—for one reason or another—and
as if to prove that the tradition should not be shattered,
T.T.K. also has come out. The people however are dazed!
They are amazed at the quick turn of events—dramatic
events.
They are shocked at the state of affairs under the Congress
regime—money has been thrown indiscriminately—the Mundhra
affair, has created shock, the people are yet to recover
from it.
T.T.K.'s resignation has not erased that shock—it remains
there—only some more sentiments are surging on along
with that shock, by the cinematic exit of T.T.K. What
does all this mean? —the man in the street asks. Where
are we being led to? —ask the politically minded.
Why are there a series of events like this? —ask the
critics.
Mundhara is behind the bars, Patel is on leave, T.T.K.
is back home, and Pandit Nehru finds himself burdened
with one more portfolio.
But the load on the minds of the people, is of greater
weight, than what is being borne so patiently by Pandit
Nehru—for it is their money—hard-earned money that has
been 'squandered' away, as it were.
Their confidence has been jolted—their hopes almost
damped—by the revelations contained in the Chagla Report.
They are not experts in constitutional law, to understand
the difference between factual responsibility and constitutional
responsibility. They are not very much interested in
analysing and debating the moot point, whether T.T.K's
prestige has been up or down, by his exit.
They are possessed of this one fear—almost terror—everything
seems to be rotten under the Congress regime. They are
bewildered at the bunglings, blunders and rampant evils,
everywhere.
And they but exclaim, why? why?—They are not even interested
in questioning as to who is the culprit.
They know this much—they have laid their heart at the
feet of Pandit Nehru—and they find, heart-rending callousness
rearing up its head at Delhi.
There are 'hints' that many more 'events' are to follow!
There is a talk about launching of fresh prosecutions—probes—enquiries—and
the like.
There are 'many' who ought to have been dismissed—and
T.T.K's resignation is but a thin veil to screen this—say
some.
'All seems to be rotten in the state of Denmark'—and
like Hamlet, Pandit Nehru fumbles platitudes, gropes
into the valley of indecision and is constrained to
munch much sorrow and not a small amount of shame too.
If there had been a Mundra incident, during the British
Regime, that would have created more danger to that
regime, than all the struggles which the Congress launched,
put together.
But this is Swaraj! Hence, there are belated explanations
for blatant blunders! Meanwhile, T.T.K. has, by his
'exit', served his chief in another way—and that is
this—people for a while are bound to talk about the
exit—the significance—the future—the lesson—and such
other items—and because of that 'diversion', they might
forget, temporarily though, the state of affairs at
Delhi.
But, not for a long time! The people are sure to revert
back to the basic problem, why is it that under the
Congress Raj, under the Nehru regime, there are a series
of shocking, shameful incidents! Are we being betrayed?—the
people are bound to ask. And no amount of dramatic 'exits'
and still more dramatic send-offs, is going to silence,
the interrogation.
Answer, they should, and the people have a right to
wrest an answer from the powers that be.
Exit of T.T.K., is but an interlude!
The sordid story has not ended—and the bitter lesson
has yet to be learnt.
(Sub-Editorial
- 23-02-1958)