Memories 1950s: Starting A New 'Swatantralata' Party - 1!
In the late 1950s I was a student of C.M.C. in Ludhiana, Punjab. As a reluctant future doctor I had time in plenty for things other than studies. Our C.M.C. dental surgeon was a West Indian of Indian origin. I went to him a couple of times for dental work. Dr Gayadeen did an excellent job on some tiny cavities in my teeth. And at each visit he waxed eloquent on Swatantra, a new political party...though he called it Swatantralata' Party. The founder of this liberal, secular political party was Mr C. Rajagopalachari or 'Rajaji', the man to whom Lord Mountbatten, the British Governor-General of India, had handed over power when India became free. Rajaji had started this liberal-secular party, discarding the socialism of the Congress led by Pandit Nehru...and, of course, with the spiritual guidance of Gandhiji. When I went home to Bombay for summer holidays, I saw in town at Kala Ghoda, so-called after a black horse statue there - a sign-board of the new Swatantra ..At the Kala Ghoda office I met Mr Minoo Masani and told him I wished to start the party in Ludhiana, Punjab. He said the party's Punjab head was Raja Bhalinder Singh of the Patiala royal family. (The Raja later headed India's Olympic Committee.) My CMC friend called Iqbal and a local tea-stall owner joined the project. We contacted the Raja. He came to Ludhiana and we met him in a restaurant to plan the new party inauguration on the Daresi Maidan grounds. And we plastered posters around town inviting the public to attend this gala occasion.. *
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