Swatantra Party Minutes of Meeting

Summary

These three pages record the 3 September meeting of the Swatantra Party’s Organising Committee for Greater Bombay, chaired by M. R. Masani. The minutes document the committee’s finances, membership-drive arrangements, Gandhi Jayanti programming, and coordination with party units and organisers across Bombay and other regions. Bombay was asked to contribute Rs. 1 lakh over twelve months, while an initial cash and in-kind contribution of Rs. 5,000 was sanctioned for Rajasthan.

The committee also approved a public meeting condemning Chinese aggression, while maintaining that the Swatantra Party itself should not adopt a specific foreign-policy position; individual members remained free to express their views. The convenors’ reports address meetings, labour policy, publicity, and constituency organisation. The final page records the creation of a political sub-committee empowered to handle urgent matters, in consultation with K. M. Munshi and A. D. Shroff.

Key points

• The Greater Bombay Organising Committee met on 3 September under the chairmanship of M. R. Masani.
• A budget of Rs. 1,80,000 was prepared, mainly for costs in deficit areas, with Bombay expected to meet one lakh of the amount.
• The committee sanctioned Rs. 5,000 in cash and kind for Rajasthan’s party work.
• Membership forms were distributed to organisers in Rajasthan, Delhi, Gujarat, Poona, Nasik, and other areas of Maharashtra.
• The committee approved advance publicity and a Gandhi Jayanti meeting, including a possible film on Gandhi.
• A citizens’ meeting condemning Chinese aggression was approved, while the party declined to adopt a specific foreign-policy stand.
• Reports on labour, publicity, and constituency organisation led to proposals for a labour statement, handbook distribution, enrolment placards, and a political sub-committee for urgent action.