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Bihar: Recalling the 1977 Movement
By Bhanu
May 29, 2008 |
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Bihar's
second tryst with nation's destiny happened in
1977 (the first one being the historical
Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi in 1917);when it
held centre stage for a radical transformation
which restored democracy back in India. It was
not mere a political movement against the
autocratic government spearheaded by the then
all powerful PM Mrs. Indira Gandhi but it was a
cumulative revolution of the masses against the
atrocities of it's own ruling elites and aimed
at establishment of democratic values in the
country. While the 1917 Satyagraha was launched
under Gandhi's tutelage, it was the great
Loknayak Jay Prakash Narayan who inspired the
1977 movement.
However it was the dauntless determination and
selfless service of some of the great leaders of
the time such as likes of Morarji Desai, Chandra
Shekhar Singh and Chaudhary Charan Singh (all of
whom later led the nation as PM in subsequent
years) at the national and the duo of Satyendra
Narayan Sinha and Karpoori Thakur in Bihar which
enabled in strengthening the movement.
Interestingly, Karpoori Thakur and Chhote Saheb
(as late S N Sinha was affectionately known as
throughout his life) did have ideological
differences; both both the sagacious statesmen
worked together with brilliance to motivate the
people, specially the youth and the student
movement was a grand success in Bihar.
While Chhote Saheb was made the President of
Bihar State Janata Party in 1977;Karpoori Thakur
had the task of coordinating the JP movement
activities throughout the state.
It was the time when youth got ample attention
and representation in political affairs and its
tremendous untapped potential were properly
utilised. The blend of young blood and rich
experience in the 1977 movement was exceptional.
Both Karpoori Thakur and Satyendra Narayan
Sinha's encouragement to the youths brought then
young leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav, Ram Vilas
Paswan, and Nitish Kumar actively in the
movement.
People doubted whether the new generation was
competent and capable of handling the the
constitutional methodology but the Janata Party
won all the fifty-four Lok Sabha seats in 1977
general elections and rose to power in Bihar
too.
Unfortunately the only sad twist in tale was the
chief minister-ship struggle between Satyendra
Narayan Sinha and Karpoori Thakur, in which
Karpoori Thakur attained the distinction of
being the first Janata Party CM of Bihar; the
wedge created between him and then Bihar Janata
Party president S N Sinha caused him to quit
from the chief minister-ship after he lost to
Ram Sundar Das (who had the support of Sinha)
and was succeeded as CM.
However those men were of utmost integrity and
it is a universal fact that there contribution
to the state and nation both as able statesmen
and then in constitutional authority is an
inspiration for the coming generation of
leaders. In fact in their long public career,
they made lasting contributions in important
areas of public policy and programmes.
Bihar shall always remember and take lessons
from the architects of the 1977 JP movement in
Bihar.
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Comments: |
Kudos
to the article "Bihar recalling the
1977 movement"
I appreciate and congratulate Mr.
Bhanu for giving such fruitful
knowledge in his article
"Bihar-recalling the 1977 movement"
which many of us were unaware of. I
also thank him for giving so much
attention on Bihar's rich history.
If few more like him are there, in
future we can have better political
leaders who can help Bihar get back
its status as it had earlier.
Hats off to you. - Er. Somesh
Verma, Microsoft, U.S.A. - May 30,
3008 |
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