1924..
A wing of the then Congress party had wanted to enter electoral politics. Desabandhu Chittaranjan Das, an eminent Bengali Lawyer, emerged victorious in the elections and became the Mayor of Calcutta. Regarding official negotiations, he then went to the then Governor of Bengal Province. He very modestly but firmly stated that as he was elected by the people of his city, he would like to choose his own Commissioner.
Amused, the Governor had very nicely accepted Das' request and told him to choose any ICS officer from the British cadre whom he deemed fit and competent. Das once again put forth a modest question stating why he should select someone from the Goverment. He declared that he would like to select his own young men and women, i.e, the brightest Indians.
On the account of the great stature Das had at his command, the Governor instantly offered permission. D.C. Das selected a 27 year old youngster. This young man did an outstanding job for the next one year, and managed to earn immense acclaims from the British Government, the officials, the Municipal Council and the people.
One fine day, it so happened that this dynamic young man was jailed, as he had incurred the Government's wrath and ire by participating in the freedom struggle. He was put in the Alipur jail of Calcutta. As the news reached Das, he again approached the Governor and put across his views that he had not come to him to pick up a brawl. He once again firmly told, that in or out of jail, the 27 year old youngster would serve as the Commissioner.
The British Government gave an extraordinary order saying that the young man would continue to be the Commissioner of the city, and the files for the city would be periodically circulated to him and the orders shall be implemented.
The orders are still present in our present Government archives. That practice continued till the young man was shifted to Mandalay Jail. That very young man went on to become the Mayor of Calcutta city by 1930. By 1940, he became the President of the Congress party in the country. He was the founder of the Azad Hind Fauj, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
That was the Local Government tradition and Democratic tradition 87 years ago in our country during colonial rule. That was the power the Government leaders had at that time; the power to directly choose efficient people from the common public.
Can't we have at least that back? Can't our own constitution, written by us for ourselves permit the same act which the British Government had permitted? Can we not have the communities govern? Can we not have pride in our cities?
- Compiled from Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan's speech at Mumbai University
A wing of the then Congress party had wanted to enter electoral politics. Desabandhu Chittaranjan Das, an eminent Bengali Lawyer, emerged victorious in the elections and became the Mayor of Calcutta. Regarding official negotiations, he then went to the then Governor of Bengal Province. He very modestly but firmly stated that as he was elected by the people of his city, he would like to choose his own Commissioner.
Amused, the Governor had very nicely accepted Das' request and told him to choose any ICS officer from the British cadre whom he deemed fit and competent. Das once again put forth a modest question stating why he should select someone from the Goverment. He declared that he would like to select his own young men and women, i.e, the brightest Indians.
On the account of the great stature Das had at his command, the Governor instantly offered permission. D.C. Das selected a 27 year old youngster. This young man did an outstanding job for the next one year, and managed to earn immense acclaims from the British Government, the officials, the Municipal Council and the people.
One fine day, it so happened that this dynamic young man was jailed, as he had incurred the Government's wrath and ire by participating in the freedom struggle. He was put in the Alipur jail of Calcutta. As the news reached Das, he again approached the Governor and put across his views that he had not come to him to pick up a brawl. He once again firmly told, that in or out of jail, the 27 year old youngster would serve as the Commissioner.
The British Government gave an extraordinary order saying that the young man would continue to be the Commissioner of the city, and the files for the city would be periodically circulated to him and the orders shall be implemented.
The orders are still present in our present Government archives. That practice continued till the young man was shifted to Mandalay Jail. That very young man went on to become the Mayor of Calcutta city by 1930. By 1940, he became the President of the Congress party in the country. He was the founder of the Azad Hind Fauj, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
That was the Local Government tradition and Democratic tradition 87 years ago in our country during colonial rule. That was the power the Government leaders had at that time; the power to directly choose efficient people from the common public.
Can't we have at least that back? Can't our own constitution, written by us for ourselves permit the same act which the British Government had permitted? Can we not have the communities govern? Can we not have pride in our cities?
- Compiled from Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan's speech at Mumbai University
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