2017-01-11 Wed

An expert gives an objective view. He gives his own view.
- Morarji Ranchhodji Desai

Morarji Desai was a stalwart supporter of Mahatma Gandhi. He was the fourth Prime Minister of Independent India and the first head of Non-Congress Government.

Desai joined the civil services in Gujarat under British rule but later left it in 1924 and joined the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930. He had sharp leadership skills with a strong will and spirit due to spending many years in jail during the freedom struggle.

In 1934 and 1937 he was elected and served as the Revenue Minister and Home Minister in Bombay Presidency owing to his fame as a freedom-fighter and his position in the Indian National Congress in Gujarat. In 1966 he contested for the position of Prime Minister but lost it to Indira Gandhi.

In 1917 a petition was filed by Raj Narain, supported by Morarji Desai and Jaya Prakash Narayan which was organised into mass protests throughout the country against Indira Gandhi. As a result, opposition leaders including Desai were arrested under the protocol of emergency.

New elections were held in January 1977. Indira Gandhi lost and Morarji Desai was elected as the Prime Minister of India. He is internationally known for restoring peace with China and Pakistan and was also the key member in Indian Nuclear Program during Pokhran-I.

Morarji Desai is the only Indian to be honoured with Pakistan’s highest civilian award ‘Nishan-e-Pakistan’ in 1990 and on 11th January 1991 he was awarded the highest civilian award of India ‘Bharatratna’.

To remember this freedom fighter and at headstrong Prime minister of India a commemorative stamp was issued in 1996 by the India post.