Agitation For Nehru's Removal

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30210, 15 August 1963, Page 21

Agitation For Nehru's Removal

(N .Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI. Aug. 14.

About 10,000 supporters of opposition parties, excluding Communists, swarmed to the main gate of Parliament in New Delhi today shouting for the resignation of the Prime Minister, Mr Nehru. They carried banners protesting against the high price of food.

Seven thousand supporters of the ruling Congress Party demonstrated outside another gate, shouting slogans in support of Mr Nehru.

Police closed the iron gates and stood on guard with metal-tipped wooden staves.

All opposition parties except the Communists yesterday joined to introduce a parliamentary motion of no confidence in the Government, the first it has faced in 16 years. The motion gave no reason for the censure because the various political parties who backed it have differing motives for their action.

The opposition demonstrators, who claimed to represent 60 per cent, of the people of India, handed out copies of an “open letter to Mr Nehru” accusing his Government of corruption and inefficiency. It ended with the demand: "Quit, Nehru; Quit.” The letter said Mr Nehru’s Government had proved "thoroughly corrupt, incompetent. and wasteful.” It was signed by eight persons from several parties, including the anti-Government right-wing Swatantra Party and three left-wing parties—the Socialist, the Praja Socialist, and the Republicans. The letter held Mr Nehru personally responsible for

"corruption, nepotism and inefficiency" in the Government. and said India had been internationally humiliated "under your long-drawn, week and vacillating leadership.” The Indian Army, it said, had been “disorganised and devitalised" and China had been able to inflict "crushing blows” on India. In reply, the Government had contented itself with “impotent" protest notes. The letter added:

“This is the expert and vaunted handling of the country's foreign affairs." On the home front, the letter accused Mr Nehru of spending large sums on administration “while the masses suffer from acute unemployment and poverty.” and said he had done nothing to improve the country's agriculture. Finally, it said, law and order had “greatly deteriorated.”