NEW DELHI: Devi Lal’s removal as Deputy Prime Minister last week in dramatic circumstances will pave the way for a third force in Indian politics observers feel. The immediate provocation to remove Devi Lal was provided by the latter’s interview with the Illustrated Weekly of India as well as the letter he wrote against Nehru and Khan,
Serious differences were simmering on India’s agriculture and rural development policy. Devi Lal was of the view that villagers were being neglected and the towns cornered all the money for development. He also felt all important posts were given to rich people of urban areas.
Devi Lal also persisted with the plea that the states write off debts of the poor peasants totaling billions of rupees. The urban and bureaucratic lobbies dominating the govt resisted the demand on the ground that farmers were well off and could pay their debts. In any case the govt treasury would be empty if Devi Lal’s demands were met.
In the midst of these wrangling Devi Lal’s position became weak due to his insistence on his son Om Parkash Chantal’s being reinducted as chief minister of Haryana even after he was discredited in the Meham election issue.
In a subdued but determined manner Devi Lal has announced holding of a massive kissan rally at Delhi on August 9 to highlight injustices done to farmers by the ruling class. In this he has support of the powerful Bharatiya Kisan Union and its leader Tikait. Devi Lal appears to be looking even beyond August 9. He met Kanshi Ram of Bahujan Samaj Party an oppressed “lower castes”. He also talked of extending reservations of backward castes. In effect Devi Lal is planning to reorganise Indian polity so that rural poor and minorities got together to challenge the urban upper castes and industrial based parties like the Congress I and Janata Dal.
Meanwhile, Devi Lal said at Ambala that a CBI enquiry should look into the allegedly forged letter on the basis of which he was sacked.
He alleged he was thrown out like a chaprasi by the urban elite belonging to the Jan Morcha now merged with JD. This coterie was aided and abetted by Bhure Lal and Vinod Pande who according to Lal are running the govt by proxy.
At Jaipur, Devi Lal said Arun Nehru was a key man in the Bofors deal and as Gandhi’s cabinet minister he had summoned the Swedish diplomat and told him that in no case must Gandhi’s name be brought in.
Devi Lal wanted a fresh case in the Bofors and Fairfax issues. Producing extracts from Shouries despatchers from Stockholm published in Indian Express of March 27, 1987 Devi lal said it was clear Nehru was involved in the deal.
BOMBAY: Air India and Kuwait airways Friday announced the suspension of their flights from Bombay and Delhi to Kuwait until further notice, in view of the closure of the Kuwait airport and air space.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 10, 1990
