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dated February 8, 1957: Kripalani's appeal

Acharya J.B. Kripalani, the Praja Socialist leader, has emphasised the need for building up a healthy, strong opposition for proper functioning of parliamentary democracy in the country. Inaugurating the PSP election campaign in Delhi, he said the people should always remain alert as "eternal vigilance was the price of independence." A centralised parliamentary democracy had been set up in this country with the people as its custodians. They had the right to vote freely. The Government was only an agency to execute the wishes of the people. If the people did not understand this basic thing, the democratic set-up would not function properly. Democracy was in an infant stage in India. Men of ability and integrity were very few. The people still believed in sectional patriotism and parochial ideas. Under such conditions, only men of honesty and integrity should be given votes irrespective of their party affiliations. The Acharya said there should be no interference in the election by any governmental agency. Ministers should not take advantage of their official position for election work. Pandit Nehru, Pandit Pant, Maulana Azad and Mr. Jaya Prakash Narayan were national leaders whatever party they belonged to. "We want Pandit Nehru to be above party and act as a national leader only." He said it was wrong to say the Congress had won freedom for the country. Freedom was won by Mahatma Gandhi, divine mercy and people's sacrifice.

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