Why Governor K.K. Shah recommended dismissal of DMK government in Tamil Nadu during Emergency in 1976

The reluctance of the M. Karunanidhi Government in Tamil Nadu to implement curbs on publications critical of the Internal Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi Government at the Centre was among the reasons cited for dismissing his Ministry 50 years ago. At the same time, his government was accused of muzzling media publications run by the Opposition. President’s Rule was declared for the first time in Tamil Nadu on the night of January 31, 1976.

A perusal of records from The Hindu archives shows that the then Governor K.K. Shah had sent a detailed report to the Union government outlining reasons for recommending President’s Rule in Tamil Nadu.

Free circulation of anti-Emergency reports

One of the issues flagged by him was that the attitude of the government to the proclamation of Emergency has been one of lack of cooperation, if not total disregard of the instructions of the Central government. “This resulted in the free circulation of a lot of literature including newspapers containing exhortations and public speeches highly critical of Emergency measures. These publications found their way to the neighbouring States also and complaints were received from Kerala and Pondicherry (a Union Territory, now renamed Puducherry) about the difficulties faced by them by the flow of such literature from Tamil Nadu,” Shah said in his report.

Screengrab of the report published in The Hindu on February 3, 1976
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives

According to Shah, the half-hearted attitude on the part of Karunanidhi-led DMK government was also indicated from the fact that very few activists of the banned organisations were apprehended and inadequate steps were taken to put down circulation of clandestine literature.

‘Media of Opposition parties muzzled’

The Governor also wrote: “Apart from the laxity in the implementation of Emergency measures, there have been glaring instances of misuse of power. For instance, the powers vested in the State Government under rule 47 (1) of the Defence and Internal Security of India Rules, 1971 have been misused to muzzle news media belonging to Opposition parties.”

Demand for State autonomy as weapon

Another charge against the DMK Ministry was it had misused the broader agenda of State autonomy. “Under the cover of demand for State autonomy, DMK leaders including the Chief Minister and other Ministers have from time to time held out veiled threats of secession in case the desired autonomy was not granted. Sinister comparisons have been made in their public utterances with the events in Bangladesh and the fate of Mujibur Rehman [Bangladesh President, who was assassinated in August 1975],” Shah wrote.

Then Tamil Nadu Governor K.K. Shah at the residence of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in Madras on June 12, 1971
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives

According to the Governor, some DMK leaders had also issued a threat of revolution in Tamil Nadu if the life of the Legislative Assembly was not extended. “In the Fifth State conference of DMK held on 25-28th December, 1975 at Coimbatore, it was underlined that if the party’s demand for State autonomy was not conceded, the DMK would have no alternative but to revive its earlier demand for a ‘separate Tamil Nadu’. The sustained campaign involving propaganda, agitational approach and indirect encouragement to a climate of violence on the part of the DMK party/Government to achieve the above purpose runs counter to the concept of national integration. Unless checked in time, this will have disastrous consequences,” Shah contended.

Therefore, he felt, if the DMK was allowed to continue in office longer, it will seriously jeopardise democratic norms and democratic functioning. Shah, who listed out allegations of administrative and financial improprieties, said the constant interference with official machinery and amassing of wealth by the DMK leaders and cadres on an extensive scale, “the half-hearted, if not hostile, attitude towards carrying out instructions of the Central Government to meet the Emergency,” have all created a feeling that the Ministry stands only for the interests of the DMK party and its followers, to the exclusion of the other sections of the population. “A stage has been reached when the confidence of the people in the ability of the Government to provide a clean, impartial and efficient administration has been completely eroded,” he argued.

The Governor, therefore, shared his view that a situation has arisen in which the State government cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and recommended necessary action under Article 356 of the Constitution for the administration of Tamil Nadu. Consequently, he recommended the forthwith dissolution of the State Legislative Assembly.

Then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi garlanding Governor K.K. Shah on the occasion of his 66^th birthday at Raj Bhavan in Madras on October 27, 1973
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives

Sarkaria Commission

Shah then went on to make a further recommendation. “It is also my considered view that in the larger public interest a high power commission should be appointed to inquire into the several serious allegations against the Ministry and the Ministers involved. Such a step alone will restore public confidence,” he wrote.

Acting on this recommendation, the Centre had appointed the Justice Sarkaria Commission of Inquiry to probe into the various allegations against the erstwhile Karunanidhi Government.