The Ninth Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament) had the shortest of tenures and witnessed the most tumultuous and unusual events in the Parliamentary history of India.
Constituted in December 1989 it lasted for just 15 months 14 months shorter than the tenure of the sixth Lok Sabha which saw the installation of the first non-Congress-I government under Morarji Desai and later under Charan Singh.
The dissolved house as in the sixth Lok Sabha saw two prime ministers hold office Morarji Desai and Charan Singh in the sixth and V.P.Singh and Chandra Shekhar in the ninth Lok Sabha. The third Lok Sabha (196267) saw three Prime Ministers Nehru Shastri and Indira Gandhi.
It was the third time the Lok Sabha was dissolved ahead of elections Indira Gandhi dissolved the fourth Lok Sabha in 1971 one year before its scheduled expiry and Charan Singh in 1979 nearly three years before time.
The ninth Lok Sabha was witness to bitter controversies two governments bumping from crisis to crisis and finally a constitutional impasse with the house faced with the task of passing the finance bill even after the prime minister had resigned and his resignation accepted by the president
The crisis-ridden history of the ninth Lok Sabha could be divided into two parts the V.P.Singh phase and the Chandra Shekhar phase.
V.P.Singh’s minority government with support from BJP and the left parties came into being on December 21-989 after the November elections in which no single party could muster absolute majority.
Following is the chronology of events leading to the fall the V.PSingh government resignation of Chandra Shekhar and the dissolution of the ninth Lok Sabha.
Dec 21989: V.P.Singh sworn in as prime minister and Devi Lalas deputy prime minister as National Front government assumes office. The day Devi Lal’s son Om Prakash Ghautuala sworn in as Haryana chief minister amidst bitter controversy that sows the seeds of the fall of the National Front government.
Feb-March 1990: widespread violence in Meham by election in Haryana where Chautala is a candidate deeds to demand by members of the National Front for the resignation of Chautala much to the annoyance of Devi Lal. A piqued Devi Lal resigns as deputy prime minister plunging the National Front government into its first crisis but withdraws resignation following persuasion by chief ministers of Janata Dal ruled states.
April-May: Meham by poll countermanded Chautala resigns as Haryana chief minister and BD.Gupta takes over Bypoll in Mecham again countermanded following death of an independent Chautala a candidate in Meham however wins Darba Kalan by-election.
July 12. B.D Gupta resigns and Chautala takes over as Haryana chief minister throwing the Front government at the center into its second crisis.
July 13-16:Three canal ministers resign in protest against Chautala’s reinstallation prime minister V.P.Singh himself resigns and takes back resignation in a high drama which finally ends with the stepping down of Chautala.
July 28-July 31:Fresh crisis erupts with Devi Lal implicating central minister Arun Nehru in the Bofors pay offs citing for evidence a letter purportedly written by V.P.Singhin 1987 to the president which turned out to be forged Devi Lal also ridicules several of his cabinet colleagues in a press interview and calls V.P.Singh ‘spineless’. Several ministers resign one after another demanding action against Devi Lal.
Aug 1:V.P. sacks Devi Lal and two days later the National Front reaffirms confidence in Singh.
Aug 7:V.P. announces acceptance of Mandal commission recommendation of 27% quota for backward classes in government jobs 10 years after the submission of the report) Widespread violence engulfs the country with young students both boys and girls dying in flames in protest action. The prime minister is under pressure to resign.
Sep 25-Oct 22:The BJP is apparently irked by the acceptance of the Mandal commission report. Its president LK Advani begins his “Rath Yatra” (travel in Chariot) amidst protest and controversy. Various political parties demand halt of Yatra undertaken to promote the cause of Ram temple in Ayodya.
Government promulgates ordinance taking over the disputed site in Ayodya in a bid to defuse tension but both BJP and Muslim leaders reject the move. Government withdraws ordinance
Oct 23:The BJP chief Advani arrested as his Yatra enters Bihar. The party promptly withdraws support to the government throwing the V.P.Singh ministry into its worst crisis.
The “Chandra Shekhar phase” of the ninth Lok Sabha begins with the formal split of the Janata Dal as dissidents elect him as its leader.
Nov 6: Congress-C decides to support Chandra Shekhar.
Nov7:V.P.Singhresigns after losing vote of confidence 36 tm 142. Nov 9: President R Venkataraman invites Shekhar to form the government and Prova majority on or before Nov 20.
Nov 10:Shekhar sworn in as prime minister Devi Lal deputy prime minister
Nov 16:Shekhar wins vote of confidence (280 for 214 against 1] abstentions 17 absences total strength 522).
Dec 28:P M meets with Akali Dal (S) leader Simranjit Singh Mann.
Jan 14:1991:P M says Iraq should vacate Kuwait and that Indian troops will not join multinational forces.
Jan 30:DMK government in Tamil Nadu dismissed President’s rule imposed and state assembly dissolved. Rajiv Gandhi writes to PM on his handling of the Punjab problem and on his stance on the refueling issue and the Gulf crisis. PM attends dinner at which Khashoggi is present.
Feb 9:PM Rajiv Gandhi call on president
Feb 16:Congress issues ultimatum to the government to stop refueling by Feb 21 or face defeat in Parliament
Feb 18:PM Announces decision to go in for a vote-on account.
Feb 20:Five ministers disqualified by speaker resign.
Feb 25:PM refuses: to table in Parliament CBI report on phone tapping.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 22, 1991
