[Swatantra Party Minutes of Meeting]

Summary

This one-page English meeting record, dated 25 March 1964, records a Swatantra Party parliamentary meeting held the previous day in the Committee Room of Parliament House. Prof. N. G. Ranga chaired the meeting, which was attended by Minoo Masani, P. K. Deo, Himmeatsinghji, Yashpal Singh, P. N. Solanki, P. H. Bheel, Dhanna Singh Gulshan, and P. K. Ghosh.

The principal business was a report on an opposition leaders’ meeting with Home Minister Gulzarilal Nanda. The Swatantra Party’s position was that Sheikh Abdullah should be released promptly, followed by fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The minutes state that this would allow the people of Kashmir to choose their own government and enable a friendly discussion with India about the territory’s future status. The meeting unanimously endorsed this position and authorised Ranga to advocate it in the adjourned meeting with the Home Minister. The record closes with a vote of thanks to the chair and is signed by Kapur Singh, Secretary.

Key points

• The meeting took place on 24 March 1964 at Parliament House and was recorded by the Swatantra Party Parliamentary Office the following day.
• Prof. N. G. Ranga chaired the meeting.
• The meeting considered a report on opposition leaders’ discussions with Home Minister Gulzarilal Nanda.
• The party supported Sheikh Abdullah’s early release and fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The stated objective was to enable Kashmiris to form a government of their own choice.
• The party linked a settlement of the Kashmir issue to reducing killings along the India–Pakistan frontier.
• The position was unanimously endorsed, with Ranga authorised to present it to the Home Minister.