Minutes of the Meeting

Summary

This one-page record documents a General Body meeting of the Swatantra Party in Parliament held on 22 July 1968 at Parliament House, New Delhi. It lists 30 members present and records discussion of arms aid to Pakistan, a parliamentary motion concerning the Soviet Union’s reported decision to support India, proposed industrial action by Central Government employees, and a firemen’s strike in the Southern and South Eastern Railways. The members supported Nath Pai’s motion expressing concern over the Soviet decision, while deciding to press an adjournment motion in Piloo Mody’s name if the motion was disallowed; they also agreed that a parliamentary walk-out should not be permitted to result from the dispute.

The minutes present the party’s labour position as favouring negotiation and arbitration rather than an unjustified strike, while also recognising railway firemen’s grievances over union organisation, working hours, and wages. They further record disagreement over whether to attend a Planning Commission meeting on the draft Fourth Five-Year Plan. The meeting decided to prepare a detailed note on the party’s approach to the Fourth Plan, circulate the Planning Commission’s replies to party units and Members of Parliament, and consider a public symposium. The page ends while recording Chief Whip Y. G. Gowd’s discussions with independent member Yashpal Singh; no further pages were available.

Key points

• The Swatantra Party’s parliamentary General Body met on 22 July 1968 with 30 members present.
• Members discussed arms aid to Pakistan and supported Nath Pai’s motion expressing concern about a reported Soviet decision concerning India.
• The minutes record a decision to pursue an adjournment motion in Piloo Mody’s name and to avoid allowing a parliamentary walk-out.
• The party criticised the proposed Central Government employees’ strike as unjustified while favouring negotiation and arbitration for labour disputes.
• Members connected the Southern and South Eastern Railways firemen’s strike to grievances over separate union organisation, working hours, and wages.
• The party planned to formulate a detailed response to the Planning Commission’s draft Fourth Five-Year Plan and circulate it for wider party discussion.