The present volume is the sixth in a series of ten volumes of the Selected Works of C. Rajagopalachari, being published in association with the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library.
This volume brings out Rajaji’s active engagement with electoral arrangements and campaigns in the south. Rajaji led the Congress to an overwhelming victory in 1937, and was subsequently chosen as leader of the newly elected Congress contingent.
He argued in favour of autonomy for the provincial government and carried forward various measures as Premier of Madras: propagation of the Hindustani language and the use of khadi; the prohibition of alcohol; temple-entry for the Untouchables; and his response to the demand for a separate Andhra province.
Vol. VI also carries abstracts of the budgets that Rajaji presented, which highlight his remarkable expertise, even in financial matters. It is a collector’s edition that will be a useful tool of reference on the life of Rajaji, and narrates a very important phase in the history of India’s struggle for freedom.
Ravi K. Mishra is Deputy Director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi.
Narendra Shukla is Head, Research and Publications Division, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi.
List of Illustration
Preface
1. Letter to Govind Ballabh Pant – 6 January 1936
2. Letter to Amal Home – 12 January 1936
3. The Harijan Problem: Article – 12 January 1936
4. Is Congress a Political Party?: Article – January 1936
5. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 7 February 1936
6. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 24 February 1936
7. Tribute to Kamala Nehru – 28 February 1936
8. Letter to Jamnalal Bajaj – 29 February 1936
9. Price of Khadi: An Appeal – 26 March 1936
10. Literacy Franchise Bungle – 30 May 1936
11. Letter to J. B. Kripalani – 1 June 1936
12. Best Course for the Government: Suggestion – 3 June 1936
13. Letter to K. M. Munshi – 5 June 1936
14. Nibbling at the Problem – 6 June 1936
15. The Enrolment Bungle – June 1936
16. Letter to N. K. Srinivasaraghavan – 15 June 1936
17. The Enrolment Bungle – 15 June 1936
18. Letter to N. K. Srinivasaraghavan – 18 June 1936
19. Interview to the United Press – June 1936
20. Office Issue: An Interview – 7 July 1936
21. Statement on Resignation from the Congress 11 August 1936
22. Letter to Mahatma Gandhi – 11 August 1936
23. Letter to Bhulabhai Jivanji Desai – 22 August 1936
24. Views on Trichinopoly Controversy – 23 August 1936
25. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 7 September 1936
26. Letter to M. S. Narayana Rao – 5 October 1936
27. A Message of Congratulation – 13 November 1936
28. Letter to K. M. Munshi – 18 November 1936
29. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 23 November 1936
30. The Proclamation at Work: Statement – 1 December 1936
31. Stand by the Congress: An Appeal – 19 January 1937
32. Election Manifestoes : An Appeal – 25 January 1937
33. Letter to Devadas Gandhi – 25 January 1937
34. Election Manifestoes: An Appeal – 2 February 1937
35. Plea for Supporting Congress Harijan Candidates – 2 February 1937
36. Views on C. S. Ratnasabhapathi Mudaliar's Withdrawal from Assembly Elections – 3 February 1937
37. Reply to Sanatanists regarding Congress and Religion – 8 February 1937
38. Letter to Devadas Gandhi – 12 February 1937
39. Congress Election Campaign: Review – 12 February 1937
40. Vote for India's Freedom: An Appeal – 13 February 1937
41. Letter to Devadas Gandhi – 20 February 1937
42. Letter to K. M. Munshi – 2 March 1937
43. Work in the Councils: Interview – 2 March 1937
44. Striking Response to Call: An Appeal – 2 March 1937
45. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 8 March 1937
46. Appeal for the Task Ahead – 10 March 1937
47. Interview on Implications of Decision – 22 March 1937
48. Telegram to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 25 March 1937
49. Statement on Formation of a Government – 27 March 1937
50. Act Already Wrecked: Statement – 31 March 1937
51. End the Impasse: Reply to K. V. R. Reddi Swami Naidu – 3 April 1937
52. Danger of Flouting Public Opinion: A Warning – 6 April 1937
53. Congress Propaganda among Masses: Advice to Workers – 10 April 1937
54. Letter to Ghanshyam Das Birla – 13 April 1937
55. Progress Towards Real Democracy: An Interview – 14 April 1937
56. End of Congress Session: An Interview – 14 April 1937
57. Statement on Ministers in the Constitution – 18 April 1937
58. Public Address on Government of India Act – 21 April 1937
59. Reply to European Association – 23 April 1937
60. Interview on Allahabad Decision – 3 May 1937
61. Letter to T. S. Ramaswamy Iyer – 3 May 1937
62. Letter to the Returning Officer and Collector of Madras – 3 May 1937
63. A Fraud on the Act Rule: Views on Interim Ministries – 4 May 1937
64. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 10 May 1937
65. Interview to the Associated Press – 11 May 1937
66. Appeal to All India Spinners' Association – 11 May 1937
67. Speech on the Indictment of Interim Ministers – 11 May 1937
68. Letter to A. Lakshmi Narayana Reddiar – 11 May 1937
69. Letter to the Secretary, Madras Provincial Varnashrama Swaraj Sangha – 12 May 1937
70. Letter to Ghanshyam Das Birla – 13 May 1937
71. Letter to the President, Sylhet Union – 13 May 1937
72. Dismissal or Resignation: Statement – 14 May 1937
73. Reply to R. Srinivasan's Statement – 17 May 1937
74. Letter to G. F. Andrews – 17 May 1937
75. Letter to Commissioner of Police, Madras – 17 May 1937
76. Letter to the General Secretary, A.I.C.C. – 19 May 1937
77. Letter to Devadas Gandhi – 20 May 1937
78. Circular to all Taluk and District Congress Committees – 20 May 1937
79. Congress and Office Acceptance: Statement – 22 May 1937
80. Letter to A. Lakshmi Narayana Reddiar – 22 May 1937
81. Statement on Kottapattam Incident – 24 May 1937
82. Appeal for Peace – 25 May 1937
83. Statement to the Press – 26 May 1937
84. Letter to Arthur Alfred Hayles – 26 May 1937
85. Letter to J. B. Kripalani – 3 June 1937
86. Letter to Purushotamadas Tandon – 4 June 1937 113
87. Statement to Madras Mail – 4 June 1937
88. Statement to The Hindu – 5 June 1937
89. Letter to the Editor, Silver Screen – 5 June 1937
90. Letter to Pattabhi Sitaramayya – 7 June 1937
91. Essentials of Hinduism: Article – 8 June 1937
92. Letter to J. B. Kripalani – 11 June 1937
93. The Congress and Harijans: Rejoinder – 14 June 1937
94. Harijan Uplift – 15 June 1937
95. Letter Regarding Congress Presidents in Local Bodies – 15 June 1937
96. Statement to the Press – 17 June 1937
97. Letter to Jamnalal Bajaj – 17 June 1937
98. Letter to the Secretary, Punjab Assembly Congress Party – 17 June 1937
99. Letter to Jamnalal Bajaj – 18 June 1937
100. Issue of Forged Letter to Andhra Leaders – 18 June 1937
101. Inaugural Address at Andhra Provincial Conference – 20 June 1937
102. Letter to V. Natesa Pandaram – 25 June 1937
103. Statement on Restraint Order of Yusuf Jaffar Meherally – 29 June 1937
104. Letter to V. Natesa Pandaram – 1 July 1937
105. Appeal to Services – 11 July 1937
106. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 11 July 1937
107. Letter to Dr T. S. S. Rajan – 11 July 1937
108. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 15 July 1937
109. Speech in the Madras Assembly – 15 July 1937
110. Letter to Ahmad Thambi Muhammad Mohideen Maracair – 17 July 1937
111. Make the Villages Smile: Statement – 19 July 1937
112. Letter to M. R. Masani – 20 July 1937
113. Letter to A. Muthukumaraswamy – 29 July 1937
114. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 3 August 1937
115. Letter to K. A. Nachiappa Gounder – 3 August 1937
116. Letter to K. M. Munshi – 5 August 1937
117. Letter to B. G. Kher – 6 August 1937
118. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 8 August 1937
119. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 11 August 1937
120. Letter to Arthur Alfred Hayles – 21 August 1937
121. Letter to Dr Zakir Husain – 25 August 1937
122. Letter to Cecil Fabian Brackenbury – 26 August 1937
123. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 28 August 1937
124. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 29 August 1937
125. Madras Budget Speech: 1937 – 1 September 1937
126. Letter to E. Raghavendra Rao – 3 September 1937
127. Reply to the Discussions on Budget in the Madras Assembly – 4 September 1937
128. Standard of Life in India: Appeal – 4 September 1937
129. Speech on Education – 5 September 1937
130. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 7 September 1937
131. Letter to V. S. Srinivasa Sastri – 9 September 1937
132. Speech on Fight Against Drink – 14 September 1937
133. Reply in the Madras Assembly – 18 September 1937
134. Reply on Separation of Judiciary and Executive – 21 September 1937
135. Letter to K. A. Nachiappa Gounder – 21 September 1937
136. Letter to Vishwapal Sharma – 21 September 1937
137. Motion on Grant for Police – 22 September 1937
138. Speech on the Issues of Harijans – 27 September 1937
139. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 28 September 1937
140. Statement on M. C. Rajah and Basheer Ahmed Sayeed's Resolutions – 29 September 1937
141. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 6 October 1937
142. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 9 October 1937
143. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 12 October 1937
144. Letter to John Guthrie Tait – 12 October 1937
145. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 9 November 1937
146. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 13 November 1937
147. Telegram to Jawaharlal Nehru – 16 November 1937
148. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 17 November 1937
149. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 26 November 1937
150. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 30 November 1937
151. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 8 December 1937
152. Letter to J. B. L. Munro – 11 January 1938
153. Telegram to the Viceroy of India – 20 February 1938
154. Letter to Ghanshyam Das Birla – 25 February 1938
155. Madras Budget Speech: 1938 – 1 March 1938
156. Letter to Gulzarilal Nanda – 1 March 1938
157. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 8 March 1938
158. Letter to the Press – 10 March 1938
159. Letter to Subhas Chandra Bose – 13 March 1938
160. Letter to K. M. Munshi – 13 March 1938
161. Letter to P. James Grigg – 2 April 1938
162. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 7 April 1938
163. Letter to D. V. Lonkar – 13 April 1938
164. Letter to Hamid Ali Khan – 17 April 1938
165. Letter to J. B. Kripalani – 17 April 1938
166. Letter to N. B. Khare – 28 April 1938
167. Letter to Mahatma Gandhi – 24 May 1938
168. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 28 May 1938
169. Letter to Mahatma Gandhi – 29 May 1938
170. Introduction of Hindustani: Reply to Critics – 9 June 1938
171. Letter to Mahatma Gandhi – 9 June 1938
172. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 10 June 1938
173. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 10 June 1938
174. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 12 June 1938
175. Difficulties of Administration: Tribute to Services – 12 June 1938
176. The Miracle of Radio – 16 June 1938
177. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 17 June 1938
178. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 17 June 1938
179. Speech on the Need for Learning Hindustani – 18 June 1938
180. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 22 June 1938
181. Memorandum to the Viceroy of India – 23 June 1938
182. Appeal to Bank Depositors – 24 June 1938
183. Message to Women – 28 June 1938
184. Letter to the Chief Director of the Travancore Bank – 29 June 1938
185. Letter to Mahatma Gandhi – 7 July 1938
186. Speech at Pamidi – 11 July 1938
187. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 13 July 1938
188. Speech on Andhra Province Issue – 16 July 1938
189. Speech at Ellore – 23 July 1938
190. Appeal for Unity – 24 July 1938
191. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 25 July 1938
192. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 19 August 1938
193. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 26 August 1938
194. Letter to Devadas Gandhi – 29 August 1938
195. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 2 September 1938
196. Letter to K. Natarajan – 12 September 1938
197. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 25 September 1938
198. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 25 September 1938
199. Speech on Prohibition – 1 October 1938
200. Speech on the Role of Policemen – 15 October 1938
201. Letter to Mahatma Gandhi – 17 October 1938
202. Speech on the Development of Large-Scale Industries – 24 October 1938
203. Letter to Hamid Ali Khan – 27 October 1938
204. Letter to Subhas Chandra Bose – 9 November 1938
205. Letter to Sarat Chandra Bose – 18 November 1938
206. Circular Letter – 21 November 1938
207. Letter to J. B. Kripalani – 7 December 1938
208. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 16 December 1938
209. Letter to Lord Zetland – 21 December 1938
210. Letter to Mahatma Gandhi – 28 December 1938
211. True Refinement – December 1938
212. Letter to the General Secretary, Madras Press Labour Union – 7 January 1939
213. This is for Bapu’s Consumption – 8 January 1939
214. Street Caricatures: Statement – 20 January 1939
215. Speech on Estates Land Report – 26 January 1939
216. Letter to Subhas Chandra Bose – 29 January 1939
217. Remarks on Law and Religion – 31 January 1939
218. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 1 February 1939
219. Letter to the Governor of Madras – 2 February 1939
220. Speech at the Opening of Cancer Hospital in Madras – 2 February 1939
221. Telegram to the Viceroy of India – 10 February 1939
222. Letter to Maniben Patel – 18 February 1939
223. Letter to S. Satyamurti – 18 February 1939
224. Government’s Labour Policy: Advice to Workmen – 18 February 1939
225. Article on Technical Financial Phrase – 23 February 1939
226. Discussion on Budget: 1939 – 24 February 1939
227. Telegram to the Viceroy of India – 5 March 1939
228. Tried & Trusted Leader: Appeal – 9 March 1939
229. Reply to the Debates in the Legislative Assembly – 20 March 1939
230. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 24 March 1939
231. In Defence of Hindustani in Schools – 25 March 1939 39
232. Letter to S. Satyamurti – 28 March 1939
233. Letter to Lord Linlithgow – 5 April 1939
234. Rajaji’s Rejoinder – 10 April 1939
235. Letter to Subhas Chandra Bose – 11 April 1939
236. Situation Quiet in Vellore: Statement – 10 May 1939
237. Reply on Madras Sales Tax Bill – 17 May 1939
238. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 25 May 1939
239. Letter to B. G. Kher – 26 May 1939
240. Letter to J. B. Kripalani – 28 May 1939
241. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 2 June 1939
242. Do Not be Misled by Propaganda on Sales Tax – 2 June 1939
243. Letter to Akbar Hydari – 10 June 1939
244. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 10 June 1939
245. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 11 June 1939
246. Letter to Ghanshyam Singh Gupta – 12 June 1939
247. Need for Trust in Congress: An Appeal – 18 June 1939
248. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 1 July 1939
249. Letter to the Office Secretary, Punjab Provincial Congress Committee – 6 July 1939
250. Letter to V. S. R. M. Valliappa Chettiar – 15 July 1939
251. Letter to Akbar Hydari – 17 July 1939
252. Letter to Abdul Hameed Khan – 19 July 1939
253. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 25 July 1939
254. Letter to Akbar Hydari – 29 July 1939
255. Letter to Abdul Hameed Khan – 1 August 1939
256. Letter to Ghanshyam Singh Gupta – 5 August 1939
257. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 16 August 1939
258. Letter to Vallabhbhai Patel – 16 August 1939
259. Appeal for South Arcot Election – 30 August 1939
260. Sympathy for Poland – 18 September 1939
261. Letter to Devadas Gandhi – 20 September 1939
262. Letter to John Francis Ashley Erskine – 29 September 1939
263. Prohibition in North Arcot – 3 October 1939
264. War Resolution – 20 October 1939
265. Britain’s Want of Trust – 23 October 1939
266. Speech on the War Resolution – 26 October 1939
267. Resignation of the Congress Ministry of Madras Province – 27 October 1939
268. Letter to Mahadev Desai – 28 October 1939
269. Letter to Dr Rajendra Prasad – 1 November 1939
270. Speech on Civic Amenities in Madras – 1 November 1939
271. Declaration About India – 15 November 1939
272. Indian Demand for Freedom – 27 November 1939
273. Impasse Cannot Last Long: Interview – 30 November 1939
274. Letter to Devadas Gandhi – 5 December 1939
275. Rajaji Refutes Charges against Congress Ministries – 10 December 1939
276. Fraught with Mischief – 14 December 1939
277. Call for Constituent Assembly – 15 December 1939
278. Reply to Maurice Linford Gwyer – 25 December 1939
279. Letter to J. B. L. Munro – 25 December 1939 Appendices
Appendix I
1. Congress Proceedings in Hindi: Resolution moved by Rajaji at the All India Hindi Sahitya Sammelan – 29 March 1937
2. Rajaji’s Letter to Prime Ministers of Five Congress Provinces – 3 September 1937
3. Telegram to Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel – 1 November 1937
Appendix II: Joint Statements, Letters and Appeals
1. Hindi Prachar Sabha – 10 April 1936
2. Kamala Nehru Memorial – 14 April 1936
3. Letter to Jawaharlal Nehru – 29 June 1936
4. Aftermath of Cyclone – 4 November 1936
5. Joint Note of Rajaji and V. V. Giri – 3 April 1939
Appendix III: Reference Items
1. Gazette of India – 28 July 1934
2. Allahabad Resolution – 26-29 April 1937
3. Proposal by the Tamil Nad Provincial Congress Committee – 19 May 1937
4. Place of Film in National Life – 12 June 1937
5. Extracts from the Madras Prohibition Act, 1937 – [November] 1937
6. Note on Sergeants and Sub-Inspectors of Police – 13 March 1938
7. Congress Work in Andhradesa – 7 June 1938
8. Forcible Feeding of Hunger Strikers – 6 July 1938
9. Draft Government Order – [April 1939]
10. Note – 10 April 1939
11. Satyagraha is Kisans’ Birthright – 8 June 1939
12. Resolution on War as passed by the Madras Legislative Assembly – 26 October 1939
Appendix IV: Miscellaneous Items
1. An Imaginary Conversation between Rajaji and Akbar Hydari – 27 June 1939
2. Bills Passed by the Madras Legislature 1937–39
Chronology (1936–1939)
Index