Defeat Annoys Mrs Gandhi

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32396, 8 September 1970, Page 13

Defeat Annoys Mrs Gandhi

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI, Sept. 7. The Prime Minister (Mrs Indira Gandhi) yesterday suspended seven members of her Congress Party for defying orders to support her privy purses bill to sweep away the last privileges of India’s princes and maharajahs.

Mrs Gandhi, on her way to Lusaka for the non-aligned nations’ conference, was plainly annoyed when the bill failed by one vote to get the necessary two-thirds majority in the Upper House. At an emergency session a few hours later her Cabinet decided to “de-recognise” the rulers. All seven members, suspended for flagrant, violation of party discipline, are privy purse holders, or dependants of holders. Six are in the Lower House, and one in the Upper. The maharajahs and princes may now try to challenge the Government in the High Court. Whatever happens, a politi-

cal row is expected with increased. criticism that Mrs Gandhi is leading the country away from democracy and concentrating too much powei in her own hands. Ministers and Government officials met yesterday to work out details of the executive order to “de-recognise” the rulers, which may be presented to the Upper House today. In the absence of Mrs Gandhi, the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwantrad Chavan, was in charge of the negotiations. Mrs Gandhi had staked a lot of prestige on the privy purses bill and, after forcing it through the Lower House with backing from Socialist and Communist, parties, was

apparently confident of victory in the Upper House. It was understood that the Government switched tactics because it felt the Lower House vote together with the majority in the Upper House —149 to 75—showed that the bill had overwhelming support despite the technical setback.