[Letter to Mr Minoo Masani]

Summary

This two-page English letter, dated August 26, 1967, is an invitation from Rameshwardayal M. Totla, Chairman of the Reception Committee for the Bharatiya Kranti Dal National Convention, to Minoo Masani. It announces a symposium to be included in the convention souvenir and asks Masani to contribute an opinion on the future of political parties in India and the prospects for democracy.

The proposed symposium is intended to include leaders representing a broad political spectrum, from the CPI (Marxist) to the Jana Sangh, as well as independent non-party intellectuals. Totla requests an article of about 500 words, linking the invitation to the post-election political situation and asking whether the contributions can help analyse India’s political future.

Key points

• The letter invites Minoo Masani to contribute to a symposium associated with the Bharatiya Kranti Dal’s inaugural national convention.
• The symposium’s stated theme is the future of political parties in India and whether democracy will survive.
• The organisers seek participation from leaders across the political spectrum, including the CPI (Marxist) and Jana Sangh.
• Independent non-party intellectuals are also invited to provide balance against the influence of organised political parties.
• The requested contribution is approximately 500 words, with a deadline in the second week of September.
• The letter frames the symposium as an opportunity to analyse India’s post-election political situation and anticipate its future direction.