Minutes of the Meeting

Summary

This one-page record, issued by the Swatantra Party Parliamentary Office on August 5, 1969, records a meeting of the party’s General Body in Parliament. It lists 19 attendees and six matters discussed, including the Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, the Bank Nationalisation Bill, party coordination in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, attendance for a presidential vote, and the election of the National Shipping Board’s Speaker.

The minutes give members discretion to support or oppose two clauses of the Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, while urging Rajya Sabha members to move amendments to the Bank Nationalisation Bill and divide the House where considered desirable. Minoo Masani also cautions members against passivity in response to Communist members and reports on a meeting of party leaders; the document closes with instructions concerning attendance, voting, and the party leader’s meeting with the Prime Minister. A postscript corrects the attendance record for an earlier Executive Committee meeting.

Key points

• The document records a General Body meeting of the Swatantra Party in Parliament held on August 5, 1969.
• Nineteen members are listed as present, with D. N. Patodia identified as secretary.
• Members were given freedom to support or oppose two clauses of the Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill after an impartial-body reference.
• Rajya Sabha members were asked to move amendments to the Bank Nationalisation Bill and divide the House when considered desirable.
• Minoo Masani urged members not to remain silent spectators in response to Communist members and proposed coordinated resistance.
• Members were asked to remain present in Delhi or their state capitals for a presidential vote and to support Dr. D. C. Deshmukh.
• Members were instructed to support C. C. Desai’s candidacy for the National Shipping Board and participate in the Speaker’s election.
• A postscript records that C. C. Desai and M. R. Masani had attended an earlier Executive Committee meeting but were accidentally omitted from its circulated minutes.