In Retirement continues....

I do not know if that feeling does not persist even now. On the other hand it is possible that feeling has become strengthened as evidenced by the demand for creation of new States on linguistic basis or even by splitting big States which have only one language into smaller States.

Where a frontal attack may fail, it is possible a flanking movement may

succeed and I think it will be helpful lift the powers of the States could gradually be curtailed and more power placed

in the hands of the Centre, specially powers which may help in creating a

feeling of unity and weakening separatism. That will be not only the line of

least resistance but may be considered necessary on account of the events

which occur now and then in various States. If you could ,give thought to

this and let me have some concrete proposals, I might consider them and see

if anything can be done. I shall myself be giving thought to it”.

After this I met the President and placed my views before him. A kind letter he wrote to me after that ran:

“The more I think about the problem, the more I am impressed by the

difficulties in the way of finding a solution which will be acceptable. While I

am fully conscious of a danger of disruption it is not at all clear if the remedy for it is on the lines that you have been thinking about”.

Having been unable to persuade the Prime Minister of India or the President of India to my suggestion to remodel the Constitution on a unitary system of Government in preference to a federal system, I wrote an article on the subject from my village home in Kangra District in the beginning of 1956, reiterating my views that

federal Constitution may lead to a disintegration of the country.

The response to my article on the unitary system of Government

was very encouraging as would appear from some of the letters

I received. Rajaji who had held the highest positions in the land

wrote to me:

To be continued...