An Alternative China Policy

Bharatiya Jana Sangh had carried on a three–week campaign to ascertain the reactions of the peasantry to the Nagpur Resolution of the Congress on Cooperative Farming. About fifty thousand villages throughout the country were approached. Besides meetings and conferences the workers tried to elicit the farmer’s views on the basis of a questionnaire given to them. Almost without any exception, all types of agriculturists have expressed their opposition to the idea of pooling thief lands and agricultural implements in joint farming. Since the passing of the Nagpur Resolution a feeling of uncertainty about their future has grown in the agricultural population. At places it has hampered agricultural development on private basis, Because of the farmer’s apprehensions, about the ownership of his land; he is not even enthusiastic in supporting Service Cooperatives. To restore the confidence of the farming population it is necessary that the Government–unequivocally declare their policy of abandoning, and not merely postponing, the idea of Cooperative Farming. The Service Cooperative should not be considered as a stepping stone to Cooperative Farming. The surplus land after the imposition of ceilings should be distributed to individual tenants instead of forcing them to form a Cooperative to get the land allotted.

Jana Sangh considers that the present policy of the Government with regard to China should be changed. The last latter of the Chinese premier clearly shows that she is not prepared to vacate aggression. Instead of wasting our time in fruitless correspondence, we should give a definite dateline to China to withdraw from out territory, failing which we should be prepared to take military measures to drive her away beyond our borders. In the meanwhile, even if we do not sever diplomatic relations with China, we should at least place restrictions on the Chinese diplomats in India similar to those placed on our diplomatic personnel in China in view of China’s violation of the 1954 treaty with India; we should withdraw our recognition of Chinese suzerainty over Tiber. It is also desirable to mobilise the countries of the South and South East Asia, who are all experiencing the menace of Chinese expansionism.

In order to keep up the morale of the people the Government should take some concrete steps to increase the defence potential of the country. A plan for imparting military training to all able–bodied youths between the ages of 20 and 40 may be considered. Also defence portfolio should be handed over to some one who can inspire and command the confidence of the defence forces and all sections of the people.

Mischievous Statement of U.P. Swatantra Leader

Shri. S.K.D. Paliwal is reported to have made a statement hinting at the merger of the Jana Sangh with the Swatantra party. The whole statement is not only baseless but mischievous. There has not been any question about merger or relationship of the two parties. Bharatiya Jana Sangh has been working in the political field with its own positive principles and programmes and as a result of its work it has not only come to stay but is making a great headway in many parts of the country.

In fact, except for our opposition to the Congress policy of Cooperative Farming, there is little common in the programmes of the two parties. Moreover, the way in which the Swatantra party is being organised especially in the North and its support to all sorts of separatist moves and lost causes will hardly inspire the masses or the idealist section of the classes. It is becoming a close preserve of only a section of the vested interests and the disgruntled and discredited ex–Congressmen. As such it is nothing but arrogance on the part of the ex–Congress Minister of Uttar Pradesh to assume a patronising attitude towards an All–India Party like Bharatiya Jana Sangh and make untruthful statements about its relationship with the Swatantra party.

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