Minutes of the Special Urgent meeting of Presidents/Secretaries and active workers of the Party held on Saturday the 9th February 1974 at the Party Office at 4.00 p.m.

Summary

These two pages record a special urgent meeting of Swatantra Party presidents, secretaries, and active workers held at the Bombay party office on 9 February 1974. Chaired by Girish Munshi, the meeting focused on launching an immediate campaign against indirect taxes on commodities of common consumption and for raising the personal income-tax exemption limit before the forthcoming Union Budget. The proposed campaign would collect mass signatures on a petition addressed to Piloo Mody, M.P., so that he could present it to Parliament later that month.

The minutes set out an organisational timetable: petitions were to be prepared in different languages, local units were to complete their work and submit collected signatures to the State Office by 24 February, and the papers were to reach Delhi in time for parliamentary presentation. The Chairman also proposed an early press conference to explain the scheme. The members unanimously welcomed the plan and pledged their cooperation. The record ends with the meeting’s termination at 5.00 p.m. and a vote of thanks to the Chair.

Key points

• A special urgent Swatantra Party meeting was held in Bombay on 9 February 1974.
• Girish Munshi chaired the meeting and explained the need for an immediate public campaign.
• The campaign opposed indirect taxes on commonly consumed commodities.
• It also sought a higher personal income-tax exemption limit before the next Budget.
• The proposed tactic was a mass-signature petition to be submitted to Piloo Mody, M.P., for presentation in Parliament.
• Petitions would be prepared in different languages and organised through local party units.
• The meeting established deadlines for collecting signatures, forwarding the papers to Delhi, and holding a press conference.