A Suitable Boy(128)
Limpet–like, however, Shri Ram Dhan continued: ‘Is it a fact that the honourable Home Minister was in constant touch with the local authorities of Brahmpur, in particular the District Magistrate and the Superintendent of Police?’
‘Yes.’ L.N. Agarwal looked upwards, having delivered himself of this single syllable and as if seeking patience, towards the great dome of white frosted glass through which the late morning light poured down on the Legislative Assembly.
‘Was the specific sanction of the Home Minister taken by the district authorities before making the lathi charge on the unarmed mob? If so, when? If not, why not?’
The Home Minister sighed with exasperation rather than weariness as he stood up again: ‘May I reiterate that I do not accept the use of the words ‘lathi charge” in this context. Nor was the mob unarmed, since they used stones. However, I am glad that the honourable member admits that it was a mob that the police were facing. Indeed, from the fact that he uses the word in a printed, starred question, it is clear that he knew this before today.’
‘Would the honourable Minister kindly answer the question put to him?’ said Ram Dhan heatedly, opening his arms and clenching his fists.
‘I should have thought the answer was obvious,’ said L.N. Agarwal. He paused, then continued, as if reciting: ‘The developing situation on the ground is sometimes such that it is often tactically impossible to foresee what will happen, and a certain flexibility must be left to the local authorities.’
But Ram Dhan clung on. ‘If, as the honourable Minister admits, no such specific sanction was taken, was the honourable Home Minister informed of the proposed action of the police? Did he or the Chief Minister give their tacit approval?’
Once again the Home Minister rose. He glanced at a point in the dead centre of the dark green carpet that covered the well. ‘The action was not premeditated. It had to be taken forthwith in order to meet a grave situation which had suddenly developed. It did not admit of any previous reference to Government.’
A member shouted: ‘And what about the Chief Minister?’
The Speaker of the House, a learned but not normally very assertive man who was dressed in a kurta and dhoti, looked down from his high platform below the seal of Purva Pradesh – a great pipal tree – and said: ‘These short-order starred questions are addressed specifically to the honourable Home Minister, and his answers must be taken to be sufficient.’
Several voices now rose. One, dominating the others, boomed out: ‘Since the honourable Chief Minister is present in the House after his travels in other parts, perhaps he would care to oblige us with an answer even though he is not compelled by the Standing Orders to do so? I believe the House would appreciate it.’
The Chief Minister, Shri S.S. Sharma, stood up without his stick, leaned with his left hand on his dark wooden desk and looked to his left and right. He was positioned along the curve of the central well, almost exactly between L.N. Agarwal and Mahesh Kapoor. He addressed the Speaker in his nasal, rather paternal, voice, nodding his head gently as he did so: ‘I have no objection to speaking, Mr Speaker, but I have nothing to add. The action taken call it by what name the honourable members will – was taken under the aegis of the responsible Cabinet Minister.’ There was a pause, during which it was not clear what the Chief Minister was going to add, if anything. ‘Whom I naturally support,’ he said.
He had not even sat down when the inexorable Ram Dhan came back into the fray. ‘I am much obliged to the honourable Chief Minister,’ he said, ‘but I would like to seek a clarification. By saying that he supports the Home Minister, does the Chief Minister mean to imply that he approves of the policy of the district authorities?’
Before the Chief Minister could reply, the Home Minister quickly rose again to say: ‘I hope that we have made ourselves clear on this point. It was not a case of prior approval. An inquiry was held immediately after the incident. The District Magistrate went into the matter fully and found that the very minimum force which was absolutely unavoidable was used. The Government regret that such an occasion should have arisen, but are satisfied that the finding of the District Magistrate is correct. It was accepted by practically all concerned that the authorities faced a serious situation with tact and due restraint.’
A member of the Socialist Party stood up. ‘Is it true,’ he asked, ‘that it was on the prodding of members of the bania trading community to which he belongs that the honourable Home Minister’ – angry murmurs rose from the Government benches – ‘let me finish – that the Minister subsequently posted troops – I mean police – throughout the length and breadth of Misri Mandi?’