Kamaraj, the 'kingmaker'

To : Mr.Ramachandra Guha

Dear Sir,

With regards to your article in Hindu :

Kamaraj was no doubt a great and honest leader and
freedom fighter. But he was not as noble or inncoent
as generally viewed by the masses. He (and the
syndicate) wanted to hold the levers of power behind
the screens. But for his efforts, Indira Gandhi would
never have been accepted as PM by Congressmen.

After Shastri's death, Morarji Desai was the tallest
and ablest leader ; honest and independent ;
Kamaraj and the syndicate feared that if Morarji
became PM, then they cannot control him ; so he
proposed Indira (a new face and young women), whom he
wrongly belived, can be controlled and maipulated from
behind the screens. Unfortunately for him, Indira Gandhi
turned out to be different and was ungrateful to him and
outmaouvered him ; subsequently he died a dis-illusioned
and unhappy man in 1975.

Pls refer M.O.Mathai's "Reminesenses of Nehru age"
and "Crisis of Conscience" by Rajinder Puri for more
details.

And India had to pay a very dear price for the 17
years of dictatorial and populistic rule of Indira Gandhi,
who over centralised power and destroyed the inner
characters of many public institutions. and economy
and public morals were wrecked for ever.


Regards
Athiyman
Chennai