MY MEMORIES

He had not studied. So what? I used to see him read English novels and Malayalam books on the flights. There it was, self education and self effort for self development. So many of our people have never gone through formal schooling. It is not required. Only the individual’s interest and effort make a man. In my opinion, he has this conviction in abundant measure. He succeeded.

He had been a trade union leader. Naturally, one would expect such a person to be sympathetic to the labour as a Minister. When realities face a Minister, he is forced to conclude that however just and deserving the case of the labour for ‘more’ may be, it is just beyond the realms of even a ‘possibility’. In such situations, the human tendency is at least to appear to be sympathetic towards the labour’s demands, trying to shift the blame elsewhere. As far as I recall, I did not experience any such incidents. On the contrary, I found him arguing the case of labour with us, the officers including those of the Finance Department, and when convinced that something was not possible, he left the matter as it deserved, but argued with the labour, the side of the management, with conviction.

An incident etched green in my memory is when the workers of Chakkai Government Engineering Workshop had gone on strike. Continuous negotiations failed. The Minister ordered a lockout. I resubmitted the case saying that it was not the then Government’s policy to order or encourage lockouts. Such a case, in exceptional cases, should go to the Cabinet for decision. He did not feel offended, but desired the procedure to be gone through quickly. That was done and the relevant notification issued. This is only a preclude to the incident that I am to relate.

The next day, or one or two days later, I was driving to the Secretariat in the morning along with my wife. She wanted to take the car for some shopping after I alighted at the Secretariat. Those were days when Secretaries had no chauffeur driven cars. Just at the turning towards the Legislature gate (Bakery Junction) I turned slowly, switching to second gear as it was an uphill road. Suddenly, a group of people jumped in front of my car. As I was taken unawares, I stopped the car with considerable anxiety. At the same time I could hear shouts, the usual shouts in a labour agitation. –’Down, Down–’ etc. My wife too became anxious as I got down from the car. The men did not do any personal harm, but despite my appeal they would not let me drive the car. It was then that a police officer turned up, on seeing the commotion from the old Legislature gate. The shouts grew more vociferous than before. A small crowd of onlookers gathered. The police officer asked me what to do and I told him, ‘Do your duty. I have to go to work’. The police van was brought and the men ‘got’ in. I drove to the Secretariat. My wife had regained her assuring self and told me not to worry about her taking and driving the car. I left the matter there. I did not mention it to anyone, including the Minister Divakaran, to whose former union the workers belonged.

Well, after a few days of the lockout situation, I mentioned to the Minister that it was not good policy to allow things to drift. He expressed his helplessness. The workers were aghast at the somersault that he had made in his new avatar as Minister. He told me that he was also pained, but said if the workers thought that he had changed his love and loyalty for them in his new avatar, how could he change them. Hence the lockout to bring some sense and belief that things beyond a limit were just not possible. He did not indicate even by a hint then that he had come to know of the ‘car blockade’ I had experienced. But he agreed to call a meeting with the workers in his house with a determination to end the unreasonable suffering.

When the meeting commenced, Divakaran asked the labour leaders of the union responsible for the ‘car blockade’ first to apologise to me for the unfortunate blockade. He chided them in my presence and told them, ‘Don’t you know that the Secretary does not decide the policy, but only the Minister or the Cabinet does it? Why then have you demonstrated against my secretary who is sitting here and who is only discharging his duty.’ He even went on to tell them that I had reservations against the ‘lockout’. He would not proceed with the talks.I was stunned, deeply touched and mumbled perhaps ‘let bygones be bygones’. The leaders were naturally equally stunned. There was silence, an eerie silence, a disturbing silence. The Minister gave them a homily and refused to begin the talks. That was enough. I told the Minister that ‘I had no grievance,’ and ‘if I felt bad, I had forgotten the incident in a few days.’ ‘No ! Let them learn a lesson they had perhaps forgotten.’ The labour leaders were also equally anxious as myself to proceed with the talks and conclude the strike. They relented and spoke to me softly for forgiving them. I was embarrassed. The talks began.

Such was the man I saw. I was humbled by his humility and this incident got etched in my memory, not knowing then that I will get an opportunity to share this noble gesture of a soul.

I had not bothered to know about his background or his family. But to me he was a true Minister wanting to respect his Secretary’s feelings and encourage him. I had suggested new initiatives and he gave his wholehearted support. When I left for Delhi in 1973, he gave a dinner for me and my wife along with all the officers and my successor of the Department and their wives.

Here was a simple good man as I knew him. May his soul rest in peace.