I do not want to pass judgement about any matter without the fullest enquiry. But it seems to me quite obvious that it does not require any further enquiry that, firstly, the several incidents that had happened there were peculiarly horrible, and I am not for the moment referring to firing nor have I referred to the student agitation. I have no views about it, I have not referred to it as such. I did know of student agitation, this strike everywhere, regardless of the merits of the agitation. And I dislike firing intensely on anybody except when one is absolutely compelled to.
I have even suggested, and some people have criticised me for it, that it would be a good thing that normally the civil police did not possess fire arms at all, while the armed police possessed them — that too in an emergency. Some people have told me and even newspapers have said this man goes about venting his private opinions in public irresponsibly. I think that criticism is to some extent justified. But, I cannot function with the Indian public except on the basis of frankness. Naturally I do not speak out everything I feel but I still say much more than perhaps I ought to.
I am entirely opposed to this type of demonstration which is becoming rather common; I think it is very wrong. This demonstration which leads to violence, destruction of property, injury to human beings and firing; then after firing a great deal of protest against the firing, further agitation on the basis of the firing, enquiry committees — it is all a vicious circle and go round and round and it creates ill will and actually encourages the very wrong tendency that we want to discourage.
Of course I cannot, and nobody can, say that whatever happens this will not take place; obviously no, no responsible person can say that. But, broadly speaking I have come to the opinion that the civil police should not have fire arms. I think it is unfair, mind you, I am not blaming the police I am saying that the poor police are put in a very difficult position again and again. What is the poor policeman to do, half a dozen policemen or 10 policemen surrounded by thousands of excited people throwing stones at them; what is the poor policeman to do? Well, I cannot say, any average man retaliates and tries self-protection. It may be a wrong thing to do, I would say it may be an unwise thing to do. But, therefore, my sympathy is, in such a position with the poor policeman who is surrounded on all sides by this kind of thing. But, the fact is that the action taken does not end the trouble; it makes it increase, it makes it even worse.
So to come back to the Kerala situation. I have not referred to the student agitation or what the government did to it. I have not referred to the firing on the students and enquiries taking place; let an enquiry decide. But, I was referring to various other incidents and to something else — the whole background there, a background of violence, etc., and the fact that as a result of all this, as I have said, a very considerable number of people in Kerala have a feeling of insecurity, have a feeling that they are not being impartially and fairly dealt with. I have no doubt about that. You may discuss with me what the proportion is; well I cannot say what the proportion is, whether it is 40% or 50% or 45 or 35% that is immaterial. It is an adequate, big proportion, whatever that is. And it is a proportion which includes not party men, not political people, but non-political people also, considerable numbers. It is a bad thing, that kind of thing; that is what I have said. And I think all this requires a thorough probe, an impartial, independent probe.
To that some of the leaders of the Communist Party have said that I got one- sided versions and was swept away and that I should not have done that. Well, I admit that many of the versions I have received were one-sided in the sense that party men gave them, whether they were Congress men or PSP men or RSP men or other party men. But plenty of them came from people who were not politicians at all, who have nothing to do with politics. We, therefore, said it is a development which is a dangerous development.
I said in Calcutta somewhere that the people of Kerala have been among the most peaceful of India. I do believe that. But, they are no longer so. I said that look at these people who have been the most peaceful in India, indulging in this kind of thing. That is the merit of the criticism of the change. But, that is used as a kind of a testimonial to the Government: see how peaceful the people of Kerala are. You see what we are seeing in Kerala, what I fear is developing, is this violent technique of action, which is not even Communism but something — it may be allied to Communism some way — thoroughly bad I think. But, it is a destructive thing; it is terrorising people to do this or that, well, there it is.
We do not wish to interfere in a State Government and we have not thought of interfering in that way, constitutional way. Of course, I cannot guarantee what will happen in the future; we have not thought of that. But, because States have autonomy as they have and we respect that autonomy of States, that does not mean that the Government of India, whatever the Government of India might be, can ignore everything that happens in the State. That is everything pertaining to the freedom and security of the individual.
After all, there is a Supreme Court here. The Supreme Court spreads out all over India and is meant to give its protection to an individual in any part of India if it is approached in the proper way. So apart from the Supreme Court, the Central Government cannot be oblivious of or ignore where fundamental inroads into the security, of freedom of individuals, in any parts of India are concerned. I am not clear in my mind, as to what the Government of India should do. But, I am quite clear that we cannot ignore such a situation. So far as we are concerned we shall pursue, proceed constitutionally and with an attempt to be absolutely impartial and not be governed by party considerations or the like…
This is part of ThePrint’s Great Speeches series. It features speeches and debates that shaped modern India.