1967 General Elections represented a water mark in Indian politics. The Congress Party in power at the Centre had to deal with non-Congress Governments in several States. The role of the Union Home Minister as the king-pin of the Centre - State relations thus became crucial. Shri Y. B. Chavan excelled in performing that role. Many of his speeches in the Parliament connected with the office of the Governor, the role of the Central Government and imposition of the President’s Rule under Article 356 have become constitutional precedents. His approach to complicated legal issues and the manner in which he shared his own perception of the problems, constitutional as well as political, established him as a national leader. By his readiness to engage in verbal duels and sharp repartees he soon won recognition as an able Parliamentarian.
All the above aspects of Shri Y. B. Chavan’s personality namely as a political leader, an able administrator and as a Parliamentarian are brought out in these two volumes.
It has been possible for me to undertake this task thanks to the encouragement and spontaneous help offered by Hon’ble Shri Shivraj Patil, Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He very readily made available to me facilities of Parliament’s Library. At his initiative, name of an able official, who had recently retired, was suggested to me. Shri Rup Chand, former Deputy Secretary of the Lok Sabha Secretariat worked tirelessly and meticulously and got all the material photocopied and arranged methodically. My selection is based on that material.
About the editorial task, I ought to mention that I have selected only those speeches, especially during Y. B. Chavan’s tenure as the Home Minister, which are of relevance and of interest to the future. In editing the same, I have retained the interventions and replies - often sharp repartees - that bring out the skills of Y. B. Chavan as an able Parliamentarian. Also while maintaining the substance of the speeches I have deleted certain repetitive portions and long wordly duels that are part of Parliamentary debate and add flavour to the same. However, this editing has been undertaken so that a reader does not lose sense of continuity.
The ‘Selected Speeches’ have been compiled in different Sections, each one under a subject heading. Each speech has been presented in a different Chapter, under the relevant Section.
I have also given brief editorial notes to each Section and also to some Chapters to recall the events, circumstances or the context in which the debate took place. This may prove of some use to a reader since most of the speeches included in these two Volumes are over three decades old.
I am grateful to the office bearers of the Pratishthan for all the co-operation extended to me. I am specially appreciative of the assistance that was given to me by Vidyadhar K. Kandalgaonkar by working for long hours in giving a shape to these publications.
I take this opportunity to thank Pratishthan, in particular, its President Shri Sharad Pawar, for having entrusted this task for me. For me it has been a labour of love and my tribute to one who gave me his trust and affection.
August 1, 1995
Mumbai.
R. D. Pradhan
