October 30, 1977, Forty Years Ago

Front page of Indian Express on October 30, 1977

JP on Janata
Jayaprakash Narayan, in an interview, has said that the Janata Party has done “nothing extraordinary” so far, and wants the Janata Party governments, at the Centre and the states, to do “something which will make an impact on the people, and make them feel that a change has taken place”. He is prepared to give them “at least one year”. “The Congress,” he says, “had 30 years”. Besides, most of the ministers in Janata governments have had no experience, neither administrative or political. Even so, the Janata Party’s overall performance has not been bad. Democracy has been restored “which, by itself is a big thing” and “most of Mrs Gandhi’s misdeeds have been undone.” JP wants to convene a meeting, “not a big one”, of intellectuals, administrators and legislators — “those who want to create a new India” — to suggest “some concrete steps”, without making long speeches or entering into intellectual exercises. “It will be a programme for straight implementation,” he says.

JP on prohibition
Jayaprakash Narayan said that drinking is not a vice, “if you drink within limits”. Giving his reaction to prohibition, he said, “It is not fair to make prohibition fad”. He said there could be persuasion or even the pressure of law for the people living in poor economic conditions. But legal sanctity would not make prohibition a success. Illicit distillation would begin, JP said.

JP on RSS
Jayaprakash Narayan said that if necessary, there should be law to deal with the RSS. Replying to a question on the future of the RSS, he said: “I am against any legal action, but if necessary, that should be done.” He said that the RSS should either open its doors to other communities
or wind up its activities. “I am clear that the RSS has no justification to exist now,”
he said.