[Letter to Mr Minoo Masani]

Summary

A one-page circular from the Swatantra Party’s National Head Quarters at 10-A Flowers Road, Madras, signed by V. S. Srikumar as Joint Secretary and addressed to Minoo Masani at 148 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay. Dated 14 June 1976 — squarely inside the Emergency — it convenes the National Executive of the All India Swatantra party at the office of the Maharashtra unit, 143 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday 29 June 1976.

The agenda is terse but historically loaded: proposed amendments to the Constitution of India, the proposed formation of a democratic opposition party by the merger of certain political parties, organisational matters, and any other subject the President may place before the Committee. The second page shows the reverse of the letterhead and the 20 paise inland-letter envelope in which it was posted to Masani, complete with sender’s imprint of the Swatantra headquarters at Flowers Road, Madras.

Key points

• Circular sent from Swatantra Party National Head Quarters, 10-A Flowers Road, Madras-600084, on 14 June 1976, addressed to Sri M. R. Masani at 148 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay.
• Signed by V. S. Srikumar as Jt. Secretary of the party.
• Convenes a National Executive meeting of the All India Swatantra party at the office of the Maharashtra unit, 143 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bombay, at 3 p.m. on Tuesday 29 June 1976.
• Agenda item 1: proposed amendments to the Constitution of India — a live question during the Emergency.
• Agenda item 2: proposed formation of a democratic opposition party by the merger of certain political parties, foreshadowing the Janata coalition.
• Agenda items 3 and 4 cover organisational matters and any other subject the President may place before the Committee.
• Page 2 shows the reverse of the letterhead and the 20-paise inland-letter envelope (अन्तर्देशीय पत्र) used to post the circular to Masani.