A-Red-Dawn-That-Set-Too-Soon: Difference between revisions
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Created page with "{{EnglishArticle |display_name=A red dawn that set too soon |author=Venugopal PN |date=2007-04-20 |intro=This month, Kerala is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first government. This government also happened to be the first Communist government in the world to come to power through ballots. |content=The erstwhile princely states of Travancore, Kochi and Malabar which was a part of the Madras state became the state of Kerala in 1956 and the first election to the st..." |
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{{EnglishArticle | {{EnglishArticle | ||
|display_name=A | |display_name=A Red Dawn that set too soon | ||
|author=Venugopal | |author=PN Venugopal | ||
|date=2007-04-20 | |date=2007-04-20 | ||
|intro=This month, Kerala is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first government. This government also happened to be the first Communist government in the world to come to power through ballots. | |intro=This month, Kerala is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first government. This government also happened to be the first Communist government in the world to come to power through ballots. | ||
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Opposition from various quarters was to follow the ministry through out its tenure. It was the era of the Cold War and the world was polarising into communist and anti-communist blocks. India was a fledgling democracy fumbling and often stumbling in coming to terms with the intricacies of democratic and federal governance. The Kerala government itself was not in an envious situation. It had no role model to follow. All the communist governments in the world till then had come into power as a result of revolutions and there was total overhauling of the existing system. But here was a communist party in power in a federal setup which was 'capitalist' in character and had to largely abide by the economic policies of the central government and wholly abide by the constitution of the country. It is interesting to note that many other communist parties in the world called the Kerala experiment 'revisionist' as power had not come through an armed struggle. | Opposition from various quarters was to follow the ministry through out its tenure. It was the era of the Cold War and the world was polarising into communist and anti-communist blocks. India was a fledgling democracy fumbling and often stumbling in coming to terms with the intricacies of democratic and federal governance. The Kerala government itself was not in an envious situation. It had no role model to follow. All the communist governments in the world till then had come into power as a result of revolutions and there was total overhauling of the existing system. But here was a communist party in power in a federal setup which was 'capitalist' in character and had to largely abide by the economic policies of the central government and wholly abide by the constitution of the country. It is interesting to note that many other communist parties in the world called the Kerala experiment 'revisionist' as power had not come through an armed struggle. | ||
However, the first government proved by its record that it is possible for a state government to implement measures to improve the living conditions of the marginalised, at least to a certain extent. As many as 88 bills were enacted in the ministry's shortened tenure of 28 months. The Minimum Wages Act for the workers in 18 industries and for agricultural workers ensured substantial increase in the wages. The Maternity Benefit Act gave women workers of the plantation and other similar sectors much | However, the first government proved by its record that it is possible for a state government to implement measures to improve the living conditions of the marginalised, at least to a certain extent. As many as 88 bills were enacted in the ministry's shortened tenure of 28 months. The Minimum Wages Act for the workers in 18 industries and for agricultural workers ensured substantial increase in the wages. The Maternity Benefit Act gave women workers of the plantation and other similar sectors much wanted security. The Agriculturist's Debt Relief Act provided relief to the peasantry and the National and Festivals Holidays Act provided for seven paid holidays. Until then, workers did not have any holidays. | ||
Several other bills were introduced in the legislature but could not be adopted due to its premature cessation. Of far reaching import was the Panchayat Bill and the District Council Bill envisaging the decentralisation of powers. Several administrative reforms measures were taken up and police was told not to interfere in labour disputes at the same time ensuring security of life and property. Third party arbitration was introduced to solve labour disputes. A police reforms committee was set up under the chairmanship of N C Chatterji, father of the present Loksabha Speaker Somnath Chatterji. Setting up of juvenile homes, rescue shelters, appointment of policewomen, and so forth, were some of the recommendations of the committee. Only a few could be implemented as the ministry was shown the door by that time. A master plan for preservation of water sources was prepared and there was general commendation as it was the first of its kind in India. ("It's still gathering dust", said Justice Krishna Iyer, the then irrigation minister, in a recent interview). | Several other bills were introduced in the legislature but could not be adopted due to its premature cessation. Of far reaching import was the Panchayat Bill and the District Council Bill envisaging the decentralisation of powers. Several administrative reforms measures were taken up and police was told not to interfere in labour disputes at the same time ensuring security of life and property. Third party arbitration was introduced to solve labour disputes. A police reforms committee was set up under the chairmanship of N C Chatterji, father of the present Loksabha Speaker Somnath Chatterji. Setting up of juvenile homes, rescue shelters, appointment of policewomen, and so forth, were some of the recommendations of the committee. Only a few could be implemented as the ministry was shown the door by that time. A master plan for preservation of water sources was prepared and there was general commendation as it was the first of its kind in India. ("It's still gathering dust", said Justice Krishna Iyer, the then irrigation minister, in a recent interview). | ||
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The involvement of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the struggle was first confirmed by Patrick Moynihan, United States' ambassador to India (1973-75) in his 1978 book 'A Dangerous Place'. It was corroborated by Howard Schaffer the biographer of Ellsworth Bunker who was the US ambassador during the crucial years of 1956-61. Bunker is quoted confirming the American and his own involvement in funding the agitation against the EMS' communist government, in order to prevent "additional Keralas". (See Box) | The involvement of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the struggle was first confirmed by Patrick Moynihan, United States' ambassador to India (1973-75) in his 1978 book 'A Dangerous Place'. It was corroborated by Howard Schaffer the biographer of Ellsworth Bunker who was the US ambassador during the crucial years of 1956-61. Bunker is quoted confirming the American and his own involvement in funding the agitation against the EMS' communist government, in order to prevent "additional Keralas". (See Box) | ||
The CIA Hand | '''The CIA Hand''' | ||
The most far reaching US intervention into India's domestic policies during Bunker's New Delhi tenure came in Kerala. The CPI's success in Kerala had marked the first time a communist government had come to power anywhere in the world in a free and fair vote. As Dennis Kux (retired State Department South Asia specialist) had pointed out, the election results "rang alarm bells in Washington", where "preventing additional Keralas became an important argument for augmenting US assistance to India". | The most far reaching US intervention into India's domestic policies during Bunker's New Delhi tenure came in Kerala. The CPI's success in Kerala had marked the first time a communist government had come to power anywhere in the world in a free and fair vote. As Dennis Kux (retired State Department South Asia specialist) had pointed out, the election results "rang alarm bells in Washington", where "preventing additional Keralas became an important argument for augmenting US assistance to India". | ||
The Eisenhover administration at first adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards the CPI state government, but soon became more hostile. Bunker's embassy concurred with Washington's approach and made recommendations for implementing it. Eventually, a clandestine CIA operation was mounted to help dislodge the communists from power. This apparently involved agency funding for political demonstrations organised by the Congress Party and other opposition groups, that were designed to create a law and order situation sufficiently chaotic to justify the central government's dismissal of the Kerala administration. Citing such internal turmoil, New Delhi forced the communists out in 1959. | The Eisenhover administration at first adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards the CPI state government, but soon became more hostile. Bunker's embassy concurred with Washington's approach and made recommendations for implementing it. Eventually, a clandestine CIA operation was mounted to help dislodge the communists from power. This apparently involved agency funding for political demonstrations organised by the Congress Party and other opposition groups, that were designed to create a law and order situation sufficiently chaotic to justify the central government's dismissal of the Kerala administration. Citing such internal turmoil, New Delhi forced the communists out in 1959. | ||
[[File:A-Red-Dawn-That-Set-Too-Soon-2.jpg|alt=Ellsworth Bunker|thumb|right|Ellsworth Bunker 1894-1984 ]] | |||
The CIA's role in Kerala did not surface until Daniel Patrick Moynihan who was ambassador to India in the early 1970s admitted this in his 1978 book 'A Dangerous Place'. The disclosure caused an uproar in India, especially since Moynihan had pointed to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as the recipient of clandestine funds. Gandhi who by then was the prime minister often denounced the CIA had been the president of the ruling Congress Party when the Kerala communists were ousted. She had aggressively called for their dismissal and persuaded the central government led by her father Jawaharlal Nehru to accept her position. She aggressively termed Moynihan allegations "malicious, motivated and absolutely baseless", but he stood by it. | The CIA's role in Kerala did not surface until Daniel Patrick Moynihan who was ambassador to India in the early 1970s admitted this in his 1978 book 'A Dangerous Place'. The disclosure caused an uproar in India, especially since Moynihan had pointed to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as the recipient of clandestine funds. Gandhi who by then was the prime minister often denounced the CIA had been the president of the ruling Congress Party when the Kerala communists were ousted. She had aggressively called for their dismissal and persuaded the central government led by her father Jawaharlal Nehru to accept her position. She aggressively termed Moynihan allegations "malicious, motivated and absolutely baseless", but he stood by it. | ||
Born in Yonkers, New York, Ellsworth Bunker was a businessman who became a diplomat and was best-known for his role as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam from 1967 to 1973. Serving during the years of peak U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, he played a major role in making policy. Bunker began his diplomatic career as ambassador to Argentina in 1951 and subsequently served in Italy from 1952 to 1953 and India from 1956 to 1961. In an oral history interview he gave soon after Moynihan's book was published, Bunker admitted his own involvement. He expressed no regrets about the operation. He contended that the CIA had provided financial assistance to the Congress Party because the embassy had hard evidence that the Soviets were funding the local communists, "as they have done everywhere in the world, But as we have done elsewhere in the world," he went on, "we have come to the assistance of our friends when we knew and had evidence (of) what the Communists were doing financially and otherwise". | Born in Yonkers, New York, Ellsworth Bunker was a businessman who became a diplomat and was best-known for his role as U.S. ambassador to Vietnam from 1967 to 1973. Serving during the years of peak U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, he played a major role in making policy. Bunker began his diplomatic career as ambassador to Argentina in 1951 and subsequently served in Italy from 1952 to 1953 and India from 1956 to 1961. In an oral history interview he gave soon after Moynihan's book was published, Bunker admitted his own involvement. He expressed no regrets about the operation. He contended that the CIA had provided financial assistance to the Congress Party because the embassy had hard evidence that the Soviets were funding the local communists, "as they have done everywhere in the world, But as we have done elsewhere in the world," he went on, "we have come to the assistance of our friends when we knew and had evidence (of) what the Communists were doing financially and otherwise". | ||
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|highlight1=In an oral history interview he gave soon after Moynihan's book was published, Bunker admitted his own involvement. He expressed no regrets about the operation. He contended that the CIA had provided financial assistance to the Congress Party because the embassy had hard evidence that the Soviets were funding the local communists, "as they have done everywhere in the world, But as we have done elsewhere in the world," he went on, "we have come to the assistance of our friends when we knew and had evidence (of) what the Communists were doing financially and otherwise". | |highlight1=In an oral history interview he gave soon after Moynihan's book was published, Bunker admitted his own involvement. He expressed no regrets about the operation. He contended that the CIA had provided financial assistance to the Congress Party because the embassy had hard evidence that the Soviets were funding the local communists, "as they have done everywhere in the world, But as we have done elsewhere in the world," he went on, "we have come to the assistance of our friends when we knew and had evidence (of) what the Communists were doing financially and otherwise". | ||
|highlight2=Bunker said the decision to provide funds was made "in Washington. But then I had leeways[sic] and discretion as to how it might be done and in what amounts." He recalled that S K Patil, not Indira Gandhi had been the intermediary. The agency, he said had had "very good and very close relation with Indian intelligence and was able to get from them pretty good evidence as to what was going on and in what amounts." | |highlight2=Bunker said the decision to provide funds was made "in Washington. But then I had leeways[sic] and discretion as to how it might be done and in what amounts." He recalled that S K Patil, not Indira Gandhi had been the intermediary. The agency, he said had had "very good and very close relation with Indian intelligence and was able to get from them pretty good evidence as to what was going on and in what amounts." | ||
|category=Politics | |||
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Latest revision as of 16:24, 2 June 2026
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