In an article eminent modern historian Ramachandra Guha rightly said that Pandit Nehru was a hero of his generation. I wholly agree with him. I was fortunate to grow up during Jawahar Lal Nehru's tenure of Prime Ministership. I had met him on several occasions over two decades.
My father late S R Kanthi was a big political leader of his time and he was also a close associate of Nehru and his contemporaries.
Before the state of Karnataka was reorganized on November 1, 1956, what we is now known as Mumbai - Karnataka region was a part of Bombay Presidency.
My father was a known freedom fighter and became Parliamentary Secretary under B.G. Kher then Prime Minister of post independent Bombay Province.. Later he was Deputy Speaker of Bombay State Assembly.
We lived in Bombay (now renamed as Mumbai)and Bagalkot till we relocated to Bangalore, the Capital of the reorganized State of Karnataka in 1956. I was taken to Nehru's programmes in Bombay when I was too small to remember all details.
One thing I remember is seeing Gandhiji, Panditji and Vallabhai Patel on the dias during the Bombay Session of AICC. Panditji was wearing is typical half sleeve Nehru Jacket.
I first met Nehru in person at my native place of Bagalkot during an election campaign. He had come there with his daughter Indira Gandhi. She was looking so beautiful just like a film star.. My father had a long talk with Nehru on that day. There were more than 25,000 people almost all of them were villagers who wanted to catch a glimpse of the man, the second most important man after Mahatma Gandhi.
Nehru was truly loved by the masses. Some of my experiences with that great man are here.
Nehru was a workaholic. He used to stay at the Prime Minister's office till late night attending to public work and dictating letters to world leaders.
Once I came to Delhi with my father. My father and I were returning home after watching "Ten Commandments" movie at Regal theatre at Connaught Place in New Delhi. In those days there was not much security restrictions. Our car entered the Raj Path from the Connaught Place side. I was both shocked and surprised to see Pandit Nehru working in his office at that hour. I could see his bald head under a bright light and a ceiling fan. My father said "Look Mahendra, Panditji is still working at his office. What a great man he is!" It was around 1 AM. I can't forget that incident.
In 1962, my father became Karnataka Chief Minister (then known as Mysore state). He had come to Delhi to meet the Prime Minister Nehru. I had accompanied him to Teen Murti Bhawan.
Nehru was sitting outside his magnificent bungalow. He was visibly happy to see my father. He called his attendant and said "Mysore se Kanthiji aagaye. Coffee leke Aajao (Mr. Kanthi has come from Mysore, bring some Coffee for him).
He asked my father to continue as the leader of the Mysore Legislature Congress Party. He was concerned about groupism within the party. He said, "Kanthiji you continue as Chief Minister. You are acceptable to all. I will make S Nijalingappa Governor of Uttar Pradesh or the External Affairs Minister. Both Lal Bahadur Shastri, Morarji and Guzarilal Nanda like you a lot."
My father said, "Sir, it is not Nijalingappa, who wants to be the Chief Minister of Mysore. We the people of Mysore want him because he united all Kannada speaking people by his movement for the unification of Karnataka. You are my boss. I will obey your order. But, I have the right to resign."
Nehru replied with a broad smile on his face. "You are in the best traditions of Congress Party."
Once Nehru came to Bangalore to attend a public meeting at the Central College grounds. There were more than 20,000 farmers were waiting for him. The moment Nehru entered the ground in an open car, the crowd went hysteric. A senior police officer could not manage the crowd. The people were pushing him to touch the hands of Nehru.
A quick tempered Nehru lost his cool. He snatched baton from that Police officer's hand and pushed the people back with it. He shouted "why are you pushing me like this? Go back to your places. I want you to remain silent".
Nehru's voice was so powerful. His words commanded great respect. The crowd fell silent and withdrew. After that Nehru spoke for about 40 minutes about various Five Year Plans and Policies.
I had met Nehru at different places. I once met him Acharya Vinobha Bhave's temporary ashram at Ilavala near Mysore. He preferred to travel by open cars in Bangalore and Mysore. People would gather on streets to greet him. He used stand up and reciprocate their greetings.
There is one other incident I remember with amusement. Pandiji, President Rajendra Prasad and Govind Vallabha Pant flew down to Mysore in an IAF Dakota Aircraft. The Mysore airport was too small for landing larger capacity aircrafts. As their aircraft was approaching the airstrip - then suddenly few buffaloes and cows entered runway and started running around.
Panic stricken IG and DIG of Police started chasing them in open jeeps. It was a scene to watch. Everybody was nerves and plane was approaching the run way fast. Luckily the VIP aircraft landed safely without an incident.
In my opinion, Nehru's idea of India was totally different from Mahatma Gandhi's idea of India. But, Nehru revered Mahatma and Mahatma loved Nehru dearly. Nehru was not interested Mahatma Gandhi's Gram Swaraj and village industries. He believed in 'Big Push'. Hew was impressed with Soviet leader Stalin's policy of industrialization. He firmly believed that heavy industries, large steel plants, big chemical / transport factories and big dams would transform India into a developed nation. These were according to him pre-requisites for economic growth to take place.
At the same time he believed in both government socialism and a real individual democracy. There was a mismatch.
Nehru was and is a terrific personality. He was a World leader in true sense. During his time, India was a very poor country. But, Nehru brought respect to India by his personality.
He was a colossus. There can be only one Nehru.
(Dr. Mahendra S Kanthi is an Internationally known Economist. He taught International Economics at various American Universities for over 4 decades. He was also associated with the United Nations. His father and renowned freedom fighter S R Kanthi was Chief MInister of Karnataka during Nehru's regime)
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