When Indira Gandhi found it difficult to make an officer an election agent
The policies and decisions of any Prime Minister cannot remain without being influenced by his close officers or people. Talking about Indira Gandhi, Parameshwar Narayan Haksar was her associate who had a big role in the decisions related to nationalization of banks, split of Congress, abolition of privy purse and Bangladesh war. These decisions registered Indira in history. But, when Sanjay Gandhi’s influence on Indira Gandhi increased and Sanjay came into a very powerful role, Haksar had to leave.
With Sanjay’s rise, people like Rajendra Kumar (RK) Dhawan, who were close to Indira, gained influence. Dhawan was a former employee of All India Radio. Yashpal Kapoor got him entry in Indira’s staff in 1962. Yashpal and Dhawan were brothers (not real). At that time Yashpal Pandit was working with Jawaharlal Nehru.
Later Yashpal became Indira Gandhi’s OSD. This cost Indira a lot and it can be said that it basically became the reason for the imposition of emergency. How, know:
The story begins with the 1971 Lok Sabha elections, Indira’s Congress (R) registered a landslide victory. 352 seats out of 518! In the results declared on March 10, Indira Gandhi had won from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. He defeated Raj Narayan of Samyukt Samajwadi Party by 1,10,000 votes.
Raj Narayan, who gave the slogan of ‘Remove Indira’, challenged Gandhi’s election before the Allahabad High Court. He made a series of allegations against Indira, claiming that she had won the election unfairly. Although most of the allegations were rejected, on the basis of two important points, on June 12, Justice Jagmohan Lal Sinha of Allahabad High Court canceled the election of Indira Gandhi, holding her guilty of electoral malpractices.
Yashpal Kapoor proved costly for Indira
Indira Gandhi had made Yashpal Kapoor her election agent. Kapoor was in government service and was a gazetted officer. The Prime Minister was working as OSD in the Secretariat.
Kapoor submitted his resignation from the post on January 13, 1971. His resignation was accepted on 14 January, but its notification was issued on 25 January. On February 4, 1971, Gandhi formally appointed him as his election agent.
The High Court held that Gandhi had presented himself as a candidate for the elections from December 29, 1970. It was also held that Yashpal Kapoor had submitted his resignation from his service on January 13, 1971, which did not become effective until notified on January 25, 1971. Meanwhile, Kapoor (under Gandhi’s instructions) gave speeches in support of Indira at Munshi Ganj on 7 January 1971 and at Kalan on 19 January 1971. On this basis, the court concluded that Gandhi received the help of government official Yashpal Kapoor for electoral gains.
The Court had also concluded that Yashpal Kapoor, the District Magistrate of Rae Bareli, the Superintendent of Police of Rae Bareli and the Home Secretary of the Government of Uttar Pradesh had taken action for setting up stage, loudspeakers and barricades in connection with the election tour of Indira Gandhi on 1 and 25 February, 1971 and Arrangements were made to deploy members of the police force. The High Court held that this is a corrupt practice under Section 123(7) of the Representation of the People Act.
On these two points, the court canceled Indira Gandhi’s election and also banned her from contesting elections for six years. After this decision, within 15 days (on June 25), Indira had declared emergency in the country.
Some people considered the ‘crime’ for which Indira was punished as an ordinary crime. ‘The Times’ wrote, “It was like firing a Prime Minister for breaking traffic rules.”
Even Indira Gandhi herself did not realize that the court would give such a harsh punishment. He was once summoned to the court and interrogated by Raj Narayan’s lawyer Shanti Bhushan. She was the first Prime Minister to appear in court in such a case.
Another interesting story related to Lok Sabha elections
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