‘कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे’ (11/01/2025)

  

 ‘कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे’

‘स्वप्न झरे फूल से गीत चुभे शूल से, कारवां गुज़र गया, गुबार देखते रहे’- अमर कवि गोपाल दास सक्सेना ‘नीरज’ (4 जनवरी 1925- 19 जुलाई 2018) की यह प्रचलित कविता, जिसे वो वर्षों पहले ही लिख चुके थे, 1966 में सुप्रसिद्ध संगीतकार रोशन ने अपने कर्णप्रिय संगीत से उस वर्ष प्रदर्शित फिल्म ‘नई उमर की नई फसल’ में पिरोया था। रोशन के संगीत में फिल्म के लिए इसे स्वर दिया था मोहम्मद रफी ने जिनकी जन्म-शताब्दी गत वर्ष 2024 में मनाई गयी। 1925 नीरज की जन्म-शताब्दी का वर्ष है। आर॰ चंद्रा निर्देशित यह फिल्म छात्र राजनीति की पृष्ठभूमि पर बनी थी जो भारत सरकार के उपक्रम मेसर्स फिल्म फ़ाइनेंस कार्पोरेशन लिमिटेड द्वारा वित्त-पोषित थी।

किन्तु इस फिल्म और गीत का कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू के राजनैतिक जीवन से क्या वास्ता रहा यह एक दिलचस्प पहलू है। 1966 में कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू की तात्कालिक बिहार सरकार ने इसे बिहार में कर-मुक्त घोषित किया था। संभवतः कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू छात्रों को राजनीतिज्ञों के कपट-चालों से आगाह करवाना चाहते थे।

किन्तु छात्र राजनीति पर बनी इस फिल्म पर बिहार में 1966 में जो गलीज राजनीति हुई वो वास्तव में शर्मनाक था। कृष्ण बल्लभ बाबू पर भ्रष्टाचार के जो आरोप लगे उनमें से एक यह भी था कि इस फिल्म को ‘कर-मुक्त’ (‘टैक्स-फ्री’) कर उन्होंने सरकार के राजस्व का नुकसान किया। यह तो न्यायाधीश अय्यर भी सिद्ध नहीं कर पाये कि इस फिल्म को ‘कर-मुक्त’ करने से सरकार को राजस्व का नुकसान हुआ अथवा नहीं,  किन्तु यह शाश्वत सत्य है कि 1966 के छात्र आंदोलन के बाद बिहार में उच्च शिक्षा में गुणवत्ता का जो ह्रास हुआ और शैक्षणिक सत्र पिछड़ते चले गए उससे असंख्य छात्र अभिशप्त हुए और उनका भविष्य अंधकारमय हुआ। बिहार के छात्र दिल्ली और अन्य शहरों को पलायन को बाध्य हुए। एक पूरी पीढ़ी को इसका खामियाजा भुगतना पड़ा और उनके नुकसान का फायदा चंद राजनीतिज्ञों ने उठाया।

1968 में न्यायाधीश टी॰ एल॰ वेंकटरामा अय्यर की अध्यक्षता में गठित जांच कमीशन को अन्य आरोपों के अलावे इस बात की जांच के भी निर्देश थे। श्री अय्यर ने इस आरोप को सिरे से खारिज कर दिया था।

बिहार में छात्रों को प्यादा बनाकर कितने ही नेता मुख्यमंत्री बने। आज भी इन्हीं छात्रों के बूते कुछ नेता अपनी राजनीति चमकाने में लगे हैं। यह कितना सही है यह निर्णय मैं आप पर छोड़ता हूँ। बहरहाल, यह फिल्म यू-ट्यूब पर उपलब्ध है जिसे देखें और अपना मन्तव्य दें।     

 

AIYER COMMISSION REPORT- POINT- COUNTERPOINT

The following article presents the point of view of senior journalist Sri N.K. Singh, published on November 20, 1970, under the caption 'Aiyer Commission Verdict' and his blog, 'NK's Post' on July 13, 2020. It is followed by the Counter-Point based on historical records to judge the issue on merits leaving the wisdom of judgment to the reader.

AIYER COMMISSION'S VERDICT- POINT-COUNTERPOINT

  

K.B. SAHAY

T.L. VENKATRAMA AIYER

AIYER COMMISSION'S VERDICT- N.K. SINGH

POINT

Bihar: Aiyer Commission Verdict

NK SINGH

“If it helps Bihar regain its soul to any extent it shall have served its purpose.” Justice TL Venkatarama Aiyer concludes thus his much-awaited report of the Commission of Enquiry against six former Congress ministers, confirming the worst suspicion of the public.

The Commission has questioned the integrity of all and has actually sustained a charge of bribe-taking against one, Mahesh Sinha, who has received the severest condemnation.

The Commission was appointed by the former United Front ministry, headed by Mahamaya Sinha on October 10, 1967, to inquire into charges of corruption, favouritism and abuse of power by Messrs KB Sahay, Mahesh Sinha, Satyendra Narayan Sinha, Ambika Sharan Singh, Raghavendra Narayan Singh and RLS Yadav.

Yadav is the general secretary of Bihar Congress. All others are in Congress(O).

Justice Aiyer, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, constituted the one-man Commission. The hearing began on August 7, 1969 and concluded on August 7, 1969. On February 5, 1970, Aiyar submitted his 1,332-page report to the Governor.

KB Sahay- Former chief minister KB Sahay has been found guilty of enriching his sons and relatives at the cost of the state exchequer. His assets have also been found disproportionate to his income.

Mahesh Sinha- Former minister and now vice president of Congress (O), Mahesh Sinha 70, has received the severest condemnation for accepting bribes totalling Rs  1.75 lakh from a contractor and showering undue favours at the cost of the State.

Satyendra Narayan Sinha- He has been found guilty of one charge of favouritism levelled against him.

Ambika Sharan Singh- He has been found guilty of abuse of power in two cases.

Raghavendra Narayan Singh- He says the report, was intent on making petty gains and was guilty of behaviour unbecoming of a person occupying the exalted position of a minister. His net income during the period of his office was only Rs. 68,000; the acquisitions had reached Rs. 2.35 lakh.

RLS Yadav- Five charges relating to the purchase and supply of store materials, appointments, transfer promotions and protection to criminals have been established against RLS Yadav.

After the mid-term poll in 1969, the accused Congress bosses, who occupy important positions in political life, installed Sardar Harihar Singh as chief minister. He appointed a briefing committee for the proceedings before the Aiyar Commission but retreated in the face of stiff opposition.

The 14-kg Aiyer-bomb explosion has also influenced the behaviour of SSP’s Ramanand Tiwari and Karpoori Thakur, who have revolted against the SSP-Syndicate-Sangh-Swatantra alliance within hours of the publication of the report. Tiwari resigned from the leadership of the four-party SVD.

Excerpts from Nov 20 February 1970

 

COUNTER-POINT

Sri N. K. Singh has reported, and I quote, ‘Former chief minister K.B. Sahay has been found guilty of enriching his sons and relatives at the cost of the state exchequer. His assets have also been found disproportionate to his income.

Justice Aiyer did NOT write that ‘K.B. Sahay’s assets have also been found disproportionate to his income.’ What he said about K.B. Sahay’s asset was that - ‘I have observed that though no specific bribery charge has been established against the first respondent, his acquisitions are a bit on a higher side.’

To change the word from ‘bit on a higher side’ to ‘disproportionate’ amounted to twisting the facts out of context and certainly not a piece of fair journalism. Fair journalism demanded that Sri N.K. Singh ought to have put K.B. Sahay’s views on the Aiyer Commission Report, and left the rest to the reader to judge K.B. Sahay as per his wisdom, instead of indoctrinating his mind with his views. 

No wonder K.B. Sahay had challenged ‘The Indian Nation’ on that occasion and declared ‘I leave it to the public to judge the soundness of this logic.’ K.B. Sahay knew that the Press would never be kind to him. Hence he left the matter, including the charges of corruption to be decided by the people. (K.B. Sahay regrets report on assets’, ‘The Indian Nation, February 12, 1970, (Courtesy: Sachchidanand Sinha Library, Patna-1)

Further, though Justice T.L. Venkatarama Aiyar considered his to be a fact-finding mission, his report was based on documentary evidence and an examination of several witnesses who submitted their statements before the Commission. However, the requirement of law allowing the respondents to impeach the credit of a witness by cross-examination was not complied with in this case. It is an established principle that ‘once a party, even by mistake, comes to the witness box and swears and is examined about a document he would become a witness and will be liable to be cross-examined by his opponents.’ (AIR 1957, Madh A, 135) This doctrine of natural justice was denied to K.B. Sahay who rested his case for a wiser decision in the People’s Court.

The vindictiveness of the opposition and the contemporary Press was clearly exposed by the people who vindicated K.B. Sahay in the 1974 elections and rightly so. Unfortunately, this became his last electoral battle. K.B. Sahay was as energetic and cheerful despite his advancing age. “Now I can die in peace. People’s Court has given me the verdict of NOT GUILTY’- K.B. Sahay announced his return to active politics, in an interview to ‘The Searchlight’ on May 30, 1974. Then, as if a premonition of his imminent end, he added, ‘I started my political career in 1923 by entering the Bihar Legislative Council as a representative of Hazaribagh, and now I am here ending my political career by entering the Council once again as a representative of Hazaribagh and Giridih. I thank the people of Hazaribagh and Giridih for reposing so much confidence and trust in me. (K. B. Sahay thanks electorate’, ‘The Searchlight’, May 31, 1974, Courtesy- Sachchidanand Sinha Library, Patna-1).

No wonder the forces opposed to K. B. Sahay engineered another accident soon after his electoral victory – a second one on his life. This proved fatal unlike the earlier ones engineered by the Zamindars in September 1947. 

K.B. Sahay was killed in a car accident on June 3, 1974, just a week after winning the elections and after being vindicated in the People’s Court.

 

 

 

K.B. SAHAY- A PILLAR OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION -Mohammad Muslim Ansari, Chairman, Handloom and Handicraft Corporation, Bihar

 

KRISHNA BALLABH SAHAY 

K.B. SAHAY- A PILLAR OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION

-MOHAMMAD MUSLIM ANSARI

Chairman, Handloom and Handicraft Corporation, Bihar

I came close to the late Shri K.B. Sahay since the stormy and momentous year 1937. The first Congress Ministry headed by Dr Sri Krishna Sinha, was formed on 20^th July, 1937. The people of Bihar gave a clear verdict by an overwhelming majority to the Indian National Congress through the democratic medium of the ballot paper to form a Ministry and run the administration in Bihar State along with other States of India.

A medium-statured, robust, well-built, rotund figure, possessing a round countenance, with piercing and radiant eyes, broad brow was inducted as a Parliamentary Secretary (Appointment and Political Secretary attached with the Chief Minister in the Sri Krishna Sinha Ministry) along with Shri Jagjivan Ram (Development), Shri Jagat Narain Lal (Finance and Commerce), Shri Binodanand Jha (Medical and Local Self-government),  Shri Sarangdhar Singh (Revenue and Education), Shri Sayeedul Haque (Excise) and others. This gentleman was Shri K.B. Sahay. This assignment was the lowest in the rung of the full-fledged Bihar Ministry. But merit and talent could not be suppressed. This was the stepping stone to his ascent to the highest ladder of political firmament in Bihar. Shortly afterwards, he became the Revenue Minister. With his vast intellectual attainments and political insight, he became the Chief Minister of Bihar- the highest executive of the second-largest State in India.

Shri K.B. Sahay had made Hazaribagh his political forum. This was the focal point he operated throughout the Province of Bihar. Giridih, then a sub-division town of Hazaribagh, was visited by K.B. Sahay on numerous occasions. A sizable population of Muslims has been residing at Giridih and its environs. He held frequent meetings at Giridih on various social economic and political issues. He was frank, cordial, outspoken, and receptive to everyone, he encountered. He freely mixed with the Muslims of this town and suburbs. As a matter of fact, he made it a point to visit Giridih on the occasions of the Idd and Bakr-id festivals. He endeared himself to the Muslim masses and the Adivasis in general. He took particular care in studying the socio-economic problems of Hazaribagh and other districts of Bihar to benefit them directly. I vividly remember attending scores of meetings presided over by K.B. Sahay in Hazaribagh district accompanied by Shri Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, a Cabinet Minister of the Srikrishna Ministry and President, of the All-India Momin Conference. It was of K.B. Sahay’s warm interest that the grant of Rs 500/- per year was raised to Rs 12,000/- in favour of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Library located at Giridih. This was in consonance with his instinctive zest for learning his intensely secular approach to the problems of the Muslims, the biggest community among all the minorities of India.

Because of his tremendous popularity with the people of Hazaribagh, he had no difficulty getting elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly. What is rather significant and remarkable is that in every general election, he worked hard to get a Muslim candidate elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly from a constituency in Hazaribagh district. In 1937, besides Sukhlal Singh and K.B. Sahay, a Muslim candidate namely Abdul Majid was elected as an M.L.A. Again in 1946 even weathering the Muslim League ‘wave’ among the Muslims, he was instrumental in getting Shri Mohammad Majid Ansari elected to the Bihar Assembly from a constituency of the Hazaribagh district.

Shri Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, a Cabinet Minister of Bihar, enjoyed the confidence and deep friendship of K.B. Sahay as the Revenue Minister of Bihar, while Shri Syed Jaffer Imam, the Excise Minister of Bihar in the K.B. Sahay Ministry, had the latter's closest trust while he was the Chief Minister of Bihar.

K.B. Sahay as a devoted and a dedicated member of the Indian National Congress, warmly responded to Mahatma Gandhi’s call as revealed in the following statement in his weekly journal ‘Young India’ dated 6^th April 1918- ‘The primary motive of Non-Cooperation is self-purification by withdrawing cooperation, from unrighteousness and unrepentant government. The secondary objective is to rid ourselves of the feeling of helplessness being independent of all government control and supervision.’ K.B. Sahay published the message throughout Bihar, particularly in his familiar Chhotanagpur belt. Again K.B. Sahay, like a devoted supporter of secularism in its truest spirit, supported the following resolution of Mahatma Gandhi- in the context of the Khilafat Movement of the movement sponsored by the Ali Brothers. The Muslims have adopted a significant resolution. If the peace terms are unfavourable to them (which may God forbid) they will stop all cooperation with the government. Thus, it is an inalienable right of the people to withhold cooperation. We are not bound to retain government titles, honour or continue in government services.

Clearly, K.B. Sahay was one of the brightest models of secularism of deep-seated Hindu-Muslim Unity, of perennial communal accord with the sole objective of the rapid progress and unhampered development of Bihar his dear province. In fact, his motto eloquently symbolized the following classical poetic lines of a popular English poet by the name of Longfellow-‘All your strength is in your unity, all your danger is in discord.’