Swatantra Party was founded in the year 1959 by leaders opposing the socialistic policies of the Congress government. Some of the prominent leaders of the time including C Rajagopalachari, Minoo Masani and N G Ranga collaborated to form a liberal-conservative party. The party stood for market-based economy and the dismantling of the license raj.
In its first party convention held in Bombay on 1st August 1959, several regional parties and erstwhile Kings and Princes including the Maharajas of Jaipur and Patiala joined the alliance to form a strong liberal front opposing the socialist and communist political ideology then dominating Indian political discourse.
Other distinguished members of Swatantra included Dayabhai Patel the son of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, businessmen like Homi Mody, A D Shroff and experienced members of the civil service like H M Patel, Narayan Dandekar and J M Lobo Prabhu. N G Ranga went on to become the first party president while, Minoo Masani was elected as the secretary of the party.
The Swatantra Party contested its first general election in the year 1962 and won 25 seats in the third Lok Sabha of 1962- 1967. It also won a total of 207 seats in various other state assembly elections and went on to form a main opposition to Congress in four states including Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Orissa. The next general election of 1967 made Swatantra party the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha with a total of 44 seats. Unfortunately, the rise of the party came to a halt after it managed to obtain just 8 seats in the next general elections of the year 1971.
After Rajaji’s death in 1972, the party lost its momentum. In 1974, the Swatantra Party joined six other opposition parties to form the Bharatiya Lok Dal.
Statement of Principles of The Swatantra Party, Aug 2, 1959
Statement of Principles of The Swatantra Party included principles that the party aimed to live by. These were adopted at a Preparatory Convention held at Bombay on August l and 2, 1959. These principles included a pledge to Social Justice and equality of opportunity for all people without distinction of religion, caste, occupation, or political affiliation. The party also held that the progress, welfare, and happiness of the people depend on individual initiative, enterprise, and energy. A total of twenty-one principles were adopted by the Swatantra Party. The Swatantra Party was founded in 1959 by leaders opposing the socialistic policies…
Sixth National Convention: Swatantra Souvenir, 1973
The Swatantra Souvenir was published by the Swatantra Party in 1973, after the death of C Rajagopalachari (Rajaji) in 1972. The Souvenir recaptures the troubled mind and voice of Rajaji, which in the last fifteen years of his life was one of pain and anguish at the way things were going on in India. The articles and comments printed in these pages are a random selection of his views on economic and political affairs. The last section ‘Miscellany’ seeks to provide the reader with little snippets from his ‘Dear Reader’ column in Swarajya and will give one an idea of…
Congress Misrule and the Swatantra Alternatives, 1966
The Congress Misrule and the Swatantra Alternative was written by Swatantra Party MP, M.R. Masani and published in 1966. The book is a compilation of MR Masani’s speeches that shed light on the Swatantra Party’s stance and their goal of providing the people with a better government than the ruling party, at the time, was able to. It sets out to provide solutions to the basic social and economic problems in the country, by systematically covering the issues of tax, peasantry, workers’ rights, foreign aid and the devalued rupee. The books end by making a strong case for liberal democracy…
Devaluation: The Guilty Men
Swatantra Party was founded in the year 1959 by leaders opposing the socialistic policies of the Congress government. Some of the prominent leaders of the time including C Rajagopalachari, Minoo Masani and N G Ranga collaborated to form a liberal and conservative party. The party stood for market-based economy and the dismantling of the license raj. Devaluation:The Guilty Men was published by the Swatantra Party in the year 1966. The text is a compendium of the speeches delivered by the Party’s Secretary General and Joint Secretary, MR Masani and N Dandekar during the discussion on the economic situation. The pamphlet…
For God’s Sake, Go
Swatantra Party was founded in the year 1959 by leaders opposing the socialistic policies of the Congress government. Some of the prominent leaders of the time including C Rajagopalachari, Minoo Masani and N G Ranga collaborated to form a liberal and conservative party. The party stood for market-based economy and the dismantling of the license raj. For God’s Sake Go was published by the Swatantra Party in the year 1966. Swatantra Party MP, MR Masani’s speech delivered in the Lok Sabha on November 2, 1966 during the debate on the No-Confidence Motion, forms the content of this short book. The…
Foreign Capital? Yes! Govt-to-Govt Loans? No!
The pamphlet ‘Foreign Capital? Yes! Govt-to-Govt Loans? No!’ was published by the Swatantra Party. The first half of the pamphlet covers Minoo Masani’s speech on May 3,1996 during the discussion on the Finance Bill, in which he elaborates upon the resolution he had tabled, which failed to be discussed due to a paucity of time. The resolution called for the creation of conditions wherein effective investment of domestic and investment capital could be possible by removing restrictive controls, excessive taxation and inflationary policies. The second half of the pamphlet focuses on the speech delivered by MN Dandekar on May 17,…
Manifesto for the State Assembly Re-election, 1974
The State Assembly Re-election Manifesto was published by the Swatantra Party in the year 1974. The manifesto aimed at a revolutionary and progressive change in the economic, social and political regimentation done by the Congress Party. The manifesto was centred around the belief that social, moral and economic development in Uttar Pradesh could be brought only when the creative enterprise of individuals is allowed to operate unfettered by the state and when people enjoy the initiative to work for their economic well-being according to their wish and resources.
Garibi Hatao: The Swatantra Way
Published by the Swatantra Party, Garibi Hatao: The Swatantra Way is a short essay written by Manubhai Amersey that sheds light on the failures of Indira Gandhi’s Garibi Hatao movement by looking at the different facets of poverty in India. The author spells out the Swatantra Way of addressing the question of poverty, which is through industrialization. The party stands for rural industrialization creating millions of new jobs, reducing pressure on land, obviating the necessity of land ceilings and creating prosperity where it is most needed
Swatantra Party Election Manifesto, 1967
Swatantra Party Election Manifesto, 1967 did not only bring to the fore ineffective governance by the Congress in the previous decades, but also laid emphasis on “A New Government with a New Policy.” This new government with a new policy is what the Manifesto claimed to establish if the Swatantra Party won. The manifesto focused on the common man, agriculture, industry and trade, labour, democratic planning, abandonment of inflationary policies, abolition of gold control, among other things. The Swatantra Party was opposed to nationalisation of banks. The manifesto also argued for electoral and administrative reforms.
Swatantra Alternative to Third Plan
Published by the Swatantra Party in 1963, the Swatantra Alternative to the Third Plan is a pamphlet comprising of MR Masani and Professor NG Ranga’s Lok Sabha’s speeches during the course of discussion on the mid-term appraisal of the Third Plan in the Parliament on December 5, 1963. In addition to the speeches, the pamphlet contains the substitution motion moved by the Party in August 1960 opposing the Third Five Year Plan. It lay down alternatives to the path that the country took under the Third Plan, arguing that the Plan led India towards economic chaos and political disaster.
Fundamental Rights
Fundamental Rights: Our Fight Against Tyranny is a Swatantra Party publication that covered a 1967 speech delivered by MP Sriraj Meghrajji in the Parliament. The speech followed a 1967 Supreme Court judgement (I.C. Golaknath and others vs State of Punjab) that declared that it was not within the powers of the Parliament to abridge or take away Fundamental Rights granted under laid down in Part III of the Constitution. Following the judgement Nath Pai proposed a Bill that aimed at giving Parliament the power to amend the Fundamental Rights. Sriraj Meghrajji pleads to the parliament to carefully deliberate and reflect…
From Darkness to Light
Published by the Swatantra Party in the early 1970s, From Darkness to Light is a comic book that lays emphasis on the woes of Indian farmers and related agriculture practices and processes. The comic adopts the nature of a manifesto as the party lays down their proposed policies and ideas to work for the prosperity of the agricultural sector. The Swatantra Party also highlights the shortfalls of the Congress government and their promises, thereby reminding people to carefully consider who they vote for in the upcoming general elections.
Lawless Legislation
Edited by A.P. Jain and published by the Swatantra Party in 1963, Lawless Legislation is a compilation of speeches and articles by members of the Swatantra Party that shed light on why the party opposed the 17th amendment to the Constitution. The Seventeenth Amendment is to act as an authorization charter for applying zamindari laws to all ryotwari lands and other lands held by all kinds of owners. A leader of the Swatantra Party and Indian liberal, C. Rajagopalachari writes about how the climax of lawlessness is reached when the law actually seeks to amend the Constitution itself in order…
The Relevance of Rajaji’s Economic Thinking Today
M.R. Pai, Vice-President, Forum of Free Enterprise, Bombay inaugurated the first Rajaji Memorial Lecture on 5th December 1983 by talking on the subject of the Relevance of Rajaji’s Economic Thinking Today. Pai spoke about how freedom and democracy are essential for growth and development of a nation. Rajaji’s far-sighted economic policies and ideologies based on freedom are the way for quick economic prosperity and social stability. It would strengthen free society. In the light of economic events of the 1980s, it was clear that Rajaji’s economic philosophy was more relevant then than ever before.
Why Swatantra
Published by the Swatantra Party, Why Swatantra is a conjoined effort of C Rajagopalachari, NG Ranga, Minoo Masani and KM Munshi as they analyse with incisive logic the need for a new party and explain with great clarity the party’s fundamental philosophy and programmes. Why Swantantra? They answer: to save freedom, to preserve the family economy, to restore Fundamental Rights and to provide a democratic alternative.
Social and Religious Decay
The Social and Religious Decay was written by C. Rajagopalachari. It begins by explaining how one must have an innate desire to improve and help others. Any policy sabotaging these “social urges” is harmful. Emphasizing the role of free will, Rajagopalachari evaluates Congress’ policies as forceful, harming voluntary social cooperation existing in human nature. He argues that the ruling party’s tall claims and unrealistic economic growth objectives have replaced the promotion of welfare. An expansionary monetary policy and centralized State-power have led to dependence rather than self-reliance. Rajagopalachari also argues that Congress’ policy of expropriation was against the moral laws…
What the Swatantra Party Stands For
In this essay, MR Masani evaluates the merit of Swatantra Party’s ideas and discusses the Party’s agenda in the February 1976 elections, listing qualifications for being a stronger candidate than Congress. Drawing inspiration from the Bible, Lincoln, and Gandhi, the Swatantra Party believed in limited government and trusting the conscience of the citizens. Just like different body parts serve different functions, the Party believed citizens, organizations, and the government have different roles which should be respected. It supported a mixed economy, accepting the government as an industry player without having a monopoly. Hence, the Party was against controls and supported…
End to Appeasement
In End to Appeasement, MR Masani expresses his displeasure at Nehru’s foreign policies on the issue surrounding Chinese aggression. He questions if India truly follows its non-alignment policy. He vociferates through the essay his disapproval for Nehru’s tactics of avoiding conflicts, suppressing facts from the Parliament, and failing to raise border issues. He mentions how Nehru repeatedly dismissed the warnings against the Tibetan invasion being a threat to India’s security. Masani attacks the Chinese government for repeatedly breaching India’s trust and the mutual commitment to harmony. He ends the essay with his interpretations of what non-alignment truly means and lists…
Real Land Reforms
Authored by NK Ganapaiah, Real Land Reforms talks about the need to produce new wealth for India’s prosperity by expanding agriculture. He proposes the modernization of agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture, fisheries, forestry, piggery, and poultry to solve national poverty and unemployment. He highlights land burden, fragmentation of holdings, unsound policies on the same, and underutilization of wastelands as grave issues affecting India’s agricultural production. He indicates the government’s unfair treatment of progressive farmers because of the land policies affecting their incomes. Furthermore, he describes how the farmer’s plight heightens because of failed monsoons and a lack of government facilities like…
Democracy in India
Written in the late 1950s, Democracy in India is Atulananda Chakrabarti’s attempt at redefining democracy. It covers two articles, “Role of Universities” and “Democracy for New India- Give Us the Definition.” In the former, he talks about universities as the central figures in shaping people’s ideas and thoughts. He says that a government’s way of functioning affects the way people live. In “Democracy for New India- Give Us the Definition,” he talks about the challenge of co-relating democracy and socialism. Atulananda urges universities and academicians from various fields to jointly work, discuss, and publish, providing the government with evidence for…
To Prosperity through Freedom (V. R. 1960)
The following musing is an excerpt from ‘To Prosperity through Freedom’, published in journal Incorporating the ‘Free Economic Review’ and ‘The Indian Rationalist’ Vol. 8 No. 5. The piece written by V. R. discusses and contextualizes Swatantra Party’s Philosophy and Policy which was declared at Patna on 19 and 20 March 1960. Like Luther at Godeoburg, Mr. C. Rajqopalachari has nailed his Fourteen Points on the door of the Ruling Party in the crucial challenge. The Patna Convention authorised a statement of policy on 19 and 20 March 1960 which is issued to the general public in the form of…
