60-569: Morarji Ranchhodji Desai (29 February 1896 – 10 April 1995) was an Indian independence activist and politician who served as the Prime Minister of India between 1977 and 1979 leading the government formed by the Janata Party . During his long career in politics, he held many important posts in government such as Chief Minister of Bombay State , Home Minister , Finance Minister and 2nd Deputy Prime Minister of India . Following
120-493: A 'consultative committee' for advisory functions. Thus, Linlithgow refused the demands of the Congress. On 22 October 1939, all Congress ministries were called upon to tender their resignations. Both Viceroy Linlithgow and Muhammad Ali Jinnah were pleased with the resignations. On 2 December 1939, Jinnah put out an appeal, calling for Indian Muslims to celebrate 22 December 1939 as a " Day of Deliverance " from Congress: I wish
180-465: A British abetment in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Avijit Dutt appears as Desai in Mission Majnu . Pradhanmantri ( lit. ' Prime Minister ' ), a 2013 Indian docudrama television series which aired on ABP News and covers the various policies and political tenures of Indian PMs, dedicated the thirteenth episode – "Story of Morarji Desai and Janata Party" – to his term as
240-628: A central Indian national government were formed and a commitment were made to India's independence after the war. The Muslim League promised its support to the British, with Jinnah calling on Muslims to help the Empire by "honourable co-operation" at the "critical and difficult juncture", while asking the Viceroy for increased protection for Muslims. The government did not come up with any satisfactory response. Viceroy Linlithgow could only offer to form
300-659: A clear majority in the United Provinces, with 133 seats, while the Muslim League won only 27 out of the 64 seats reserved for Muslims. The Congress refused to form coalition with the League, even though two parties had a verbal understanding to do so. The party offered the Muslim League a role in government if it merged itself into the Congress Party. While this position had a good basis it proved to be
360-514: A coalition government with the support of the Muslim League . In 1941, when the Muslim League took back its support from the KPP, the Congress and Hindu Mahasabha formed a coalition with Huq. In three additional provinces, Central Provinces , Bihar, and Orissa , the Congress won clear majorities. In the overwhelmingly Muslim North-West Frontier Province , Congress won 19 out of 50 seats and
420-459: A fierce nationalist with anti-corruption leanings, Desai was at odds with Prime Minister Nehru and his allies, and with Nehru's age and health failing, he was considered as a possible contender for the position of Prime Minister. In 1964 after prime minister's Nehru's death, Desai was outflanked in the leadership contest by the Nehru's protege, Lal Bahadur Shastri . Desai was invited but did not join
480-482: A larger electorate, would produce good results for the Muslim League. Of the 482 seats reserved for Muslims the League won just 109. The League won 29 seats in the United Provinces where it had competed for 35 out of the 66 seats for Muslims. The League's top performance was in provinces where Muslims were minorities; there it cast itself as a protector of the community. Its performance in Punjab, where it won just two of
540-438: A mistake. The Congress disregarded that even though they had captured the large part of UP's general seats, they had not won any of the reserved Muslim seats, of which the Muslim League had won 29. In Assam, the Congress won 33 seats out of a total of 108 making it the single largest party, though it was not in a position to form a ministry. The Governor called upon Sir Muhammad Sadulla, ex-Judicial Member of Assam and leader of
600-586: A political organisation. The Congress won 758 out of around 1500 seats in a resounding victory, and went on to form seven provincial governments. The Congress formed governments in United provinces, Bihar, the Central Provinces, Bombay and Madras. The party's election platform had downplayed communalism and Nehru continued this attitude with the initiation of the March 1937 Muslim mass contact program. But
660-652: A protest against the censure passed on him by Government for his conduct as Sub-Divisional Magistrate during the communal riots in Godhra in September 1928, and the intimation conveyed to him that Government considered his offence to be a serious one and one that should ordinarily entail dismissal from service. Desai then joined the freedom struggle under Mahatma Gandhi and joined the civil disobedience movement against British rule in India. He spent many years in jail during
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#1732781147783720-488: A senior politician but did not contest the election himself. In retirement, he lived in Mumbai . When former French Prime Minister Antoine Pinay died on 13 December 1994, Desai became the world's oldest living former head of government. He was much honoured in his last years as a freedom-fighter of his generation. On his 99th birthday, he was visited by Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao , and soon after began to fall ill. He
780-498: Is a celebrity stylist and designer. Desai's eldest great-grandson, Vishaal Desai is a film director and editor known for his documentary on the renowned yoga guru B.K.S. Iyengar, titled 'Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar: Uniting Through Yoga.' Desai, a teetotaler and longtime practitioner of ' urine therapy ', spoke in 1978 to Dan Rather on 60 Minutes about the benefits of drinking urine. He also attributed his longevity to drinking urine. Morarji , an Indian television series about
840-523: The Bharat Ratna . He died at the age of 99 in 1995. Morarji Desai was born into a Gujarati Anavil Brahmin family. His father's name was Ranchhodji Nagarji Desai and his mother's name was Vajiaben Desai. He was born in Bhadeli village, Bulsar district , Bombay Presidency , British India (present-day Valsad district, Gujarat , India) on 29 February 1896, the eldest of eight children. His father
900-622: The Carter administration offered to sell heavy water and uranium to India for its nuclear reactors but required American on-site inspection of nuclear materials. Desai declined, seeing the American stance as contradictory, in light of its own nuclear arsenal. Desai had described the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India's external intelligence agency, as the praetorian guard of Indira Gandhi and had promised to stop all activities of
960-490: The Congress party , despite opposition from the newly elected Nehru as the party president, agreed to contest the provincial elections to be held in 1937. The released Congress leaders anticipated the restoration of elections. They now had a stronger standing with their reputation enhanced by the civil disobedience movement under Gandhi's leadership. Through the elections the Congress sought to convert its popular movement into
1020-538: The Indian National Congress (Organisation) faction of the party, whereas Indira Gandhi formed a new faction called Indian National Congress (Requisitionists). Alternatively, the two factions of Desai and Indira were called Syndicate and Indicate respectively. The 1971 general elections to the Indian parliament were won by Indira Gandhi's faction in a landslide. Desai, however, was elected as a member of
1080-486: The Indian sub-continent . Post-independence, the term "freedom fighter" was officially recognized by the Indian government for those who took part in the movement; people in this category (which can also include dependent family members) receive pensions and other benefits such as Special Railway Counters. He was an Indian lawyer and politician who served as the 5th president of India from 1974 to 1977. In his memory,
1140-544: The Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 . He was honoured with the highest civilian award of Pakistan, the Nishan-e-Pakistan on 19 May 1990. He is the oldest person to hold the office of prime minister, at the age of 81, in the history of Indian politics. He subsequently retired from all political posts, but continued to campaign for the Janata Party in 1980 . He was conferred with India's highest civilian honour,
1200-487: The Mahagujarat Movement led by Indulal Yagnik demanding a new state of Gujarat . Desai proposed that the metropolitan Mumbai be made a Union territory. His logic was that a separate development region would suit the city's cosmopolitan nature, with citizens from diverse settings across various linguistic, cultural, and religious backgrounds living there for generations. The movement led to violence across
1260-770: The United Provinces , the Bombay Presidency , Assam , the North-West Frontier Province , Bengal , Punjab and Sind . The final results of the elections were declared in February 1937. The Indian National Congress emerged in power in seven of the provinces, Bombay, Madras, the Central Provinces, the United Provinces, the North-West Frontier Province, Bihar, and Orissa. The exceptions were Bengal, where
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#17327811477831320-557: The freedom struggle and owing to his sharp leadership skills and tough spirit, he became a favourite among freedom-fighters and an important leader of the Indian National Congress in the Gujarat region. When provincial elections were held in 1934 and 1937 , Desai was elected and served as the Revenue Minister and Home Minister of the Bombay Presidency . Before the independence of India, he became Bombay's Home Minister and
1380-517: The 26 seats the Congress captured were in NWFP, Madras and Bihar. Legislative assemblies * The weak party system in Sind made party-wise results unclear. Different sources reported different breakdowns. Schwartzberg states: Congress 7, United Party 17, Ghulam Husain's party 16, Hindu Party 12, Europeans 3, and independents 5. Jones says, "The most accurate results ... were the official results of
1440-495: The Assam Valley Muslim Party to form the ministry. The Congress was a part of the ruling coalition. In Bombay, the Congress fell just short of gaining half the seats. However, it was able to draw on the support of some small pro-Congress groups to form a working majority. B.G. Kher became the first Chief Minister of Bombay. After result Unionist Party under the leadership of Sikandar Hayat Khan formed
1500-597: The Congress secured 7 seats. Mohammad Ali Jinnah had tried to set up a League Parliamentary Board in Sindh in 1936, but he failed, though 72% of the population was Muslim. Though 34 seats were reserved for Muslims, the Muslim League could secure none of them. The UP legislature consisted of a Legislative Council of 52 elected and 6 or 8 nominated members and a Legislative Assembly of 228 elected members: some from exclusive Muslim constituencies, some from "General" constituencies, and some "Special" constituencies. The Congress won
1560-573: The Congress was nevertheless the largest party, Punjab, Sindh, and Assam. The All-India Muslim League failed to form the government in any province. The Congress ministries resigned in October and November 1939, in protest against Viceroy Lord Linlithgow 's action of declaring India to be a belligerent in the Second World War without consulting the elected representatives of the Indian peoples. The Government of India Act 1935 increased
1620-470: The Government of Sindh", namely: Congress 8, Sind United Party 21, Sind Hindu Sabha 10, Sind Azad Party 3, Sind Muslim Political Party 3, Europeans 3, and independents 12. Legislative Councils In Madras , the Congress won 74% of all seats, eclipsing the incumbent Justice Party (21 seats). The Sind Legislative Assembly had 60 members. The Sind United Party emerged the leader with 21 seats, and
1680-737: The Indira Gandhi government as part of a massive crackdown. The popular anti-corruption movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan and the Janata-wave in 1977 led to the complete routing of the Congress party in Northern India, and a landslide victory for the opposition Janata alliance in the National elections held in March 1977. Desai was selected by the Janata alliance, later Janata Party as their parliamentary leader, and thus became
1740-515: The Janata alliance selected Desai as their parliamentary leader and thus the Prime Minister. Desai restored normal relations with China, for the first time since the 1962 war . He also communicated with the military ruler of Pakistan, General Zia-ul-Haq and established friendly relations. Despite his pacifist leanings, he refused to sign the non-nuclear proliferation treaty despite the threat of stopping supply of uranium for power plants by
1800-576: The Janata party could simultaneously be a member of an alternative social or political organisation. This attack on "dual membership" was directed specifically at members of the Janata Party who had been members of the Jan Sangh , and continued to be members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh , the Jan Sangh's ideological parent. Desai campaigned for the Janata Party in 1980 General Election as
1860-588: The Lok Sabha or lower house of Parliament. Desai went on indefinite hunger strike on 12 March 1975 to support Nav Nirman movement of Gujarat. In 1975, Indira Gandhi was convicted of electoral fraud by the Allahabad High Court, after opponents alleged she had used government civil servants and equipment during the campaign for the 1971 General Elections. During the subsequent Emergency rule in 1975–77, Desai and other opposition leaders were jailed by
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1920-499: The Musalmans all over India to observe Friday 22 December as the "Day of Deliverance" and thanksgiving as a mark of relief that the Congress regime has at last ceased to function. I hope that the provincial, district and primary Muslim Leagues all over India will hold public meetings and pass the resolution with such modification as they may be advised, and after Jumma prayers offer prayers by way of thanksgiving for being delivered from
1980-487: The Muslim League nor the Congress represented Muslims. It also demonstrated the provincial moorings of Muslim politics. The Muslim League captured around 25 percent of the seats reserved for Muslims. The Congress Muslims achieved 6 percent of them. Most of the Muslim seats were won by regional Muslim parties. No Congress Muslim won in Sindh, Punjab, Bengal, Orissa, United Provinces, Central Provinces, Bombay and Assam. Most of
2040-544: The R&;AW after becoming prime minister. He closed down much of the agency, and reduced its budget and operations, such as closing its Information Division. B. Raman , the former head of the Counter-Terrorism Division of R&AW and noted security analyst, revealed that in an informal discussion, Desai indiscreetly told Pakistan's Chief Martial Law Administrator General Zia ul-Haq that his government
2100-552: The USA Congress. Domestically, Desai played a crucial role in the Indian nuclear program after it was targeted by major nuclear powers after India conducted a surprise nuclear test in 1974 . Desai kept India's nuclear reactors stating "they will never be used for atomic bombs, and I will see to it if I can help it". Internationally, he reaffirmed India's stand that it would not manufacture nuclear weapons and would refrain from conducting even peaceful nuclear explosions. In 1977,
2160-551: The city and state, and Desai ordered the police to open fire on the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti demonstrators who had gathered at Flora Fountain . The protesters were led by Senapati Bapat . In the carnage that followed, 105 protesters, were killed. The issue escalated and is believed to have forced the Central Government to agree to two separate states based on language. After the formation of
2220-505: The coalition, rival groups vied to unseat Desai. Controversial trials of prominent Congress leaders, including Indira Gandhi over Emergency-era abuses worsened the fortunes of his administration. In 1979, Raj Narain and Charan Singh pulled out of the Janata Party, forcing Desai to resign from office and retire from politics. The chief reason for the collapse was the demand by the duo and other left-leaning members, like Madhu Limaye , Krishan Kant , and George Fernandes that no member of
2280-422: The country's leader. Indian independence activist The Indian independence movement consisted of efforts by individuals and organizations from a wide spectrum of society to obtain political independence from the British, French and Portuguese rule through the use of many methods. This is a list of individuals who notably campaigned against or are considered to have campaigned against colonial rule on
2340-456: The death of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri , Desai was a strong contender for the position of Prime Minister, only to be defeated by Indira Gandhi in 1966. He was appointed as Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister in Indira Gandhi's cabinet, until 1969. When Indian National Congress split in 1969 he became a part of the INC (O) . After the controversial emergency was lifted in 1977,
2400-404: The elections demonstrated that of the 482 Muslim seats the Congress had contested just 58 of them and won only 26 of those. In spite of this poor showing the Congress persisted in its claim that the party was representative of all communities. The Congress ministries did not succeed in attracting their Muslim countrymen. This was largely unintentional. The 1937 elections demonstrated that neither
2460-451: The fact that Hindu majority provinces would be ruled by Hindus but Muslim league would not rule the largest provinces with Muslim majorities: Bengal and Punjab. The Congress domination over the government made the prospects of federal Muslim politicians appear dismal. Regional parties kept the League out of power in those provinces with Muslim majorities while in the Hindu majority provinces it
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2520-491: The finance portfolio from him but asked him to serve as the deputy prime minister. However, to save his self-respect, Desai tendered his resignation from the Gandhi cabinet. Gandhi also nationalised the fourteen largest banks in India at the same time. There was some difference of opinion between Mrs. Gandhi and Morarji Desai related to Congress candidate for Presidency in India. When the Congress party split in 1969, Desai joined
2580-482: The first non-Congress Prime Minister of India. In January 1977, Indira Gandhi advised the President dissolve the Lok Sabha, which he did, and Gandhi declared that elections to the body were to be held during March 1977. Opposition leaders were also released and promptly formed the Janata alliance to fight the elections. The alliance registered a landslide victory in the election. On the urging of Jayaprakash Narayan ,
2640-519: The government of Tamil Nadu conducts a Pooja ceremony every year on 11 July. A documentary film based on his life was released in 2012. 1937 Indian provincial elections Provincial elections were held in British India in the winter of 1936–37 as mandated by the Government of India Act 1935 . Elections were held in eleven provinces - Madras , Central Provinces , Bihar , Orissa ,
2700-502: The government. Khalsa National Board and Hindu Election Board also gave their support to Unionist Party. Sikandar Hayat Khan led the government till his death in December 1942. He was succeeded on 30 December by Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana . In Bengal, although the Congress was the single largest party, with 54 seats, it was unable to form a government. The Krishak Praja Party of Prime Minister A. K. Fazlul Huq , with 36 seats, formed
2760-488: The life of Desai from his days as an independence activist till his tenure as prime minister, aired on the national public broadcaster Doordarshan 's DD National channel. The Films Division of India made For Peace and Friendship , a 1978 short documentary film directed by C. Ramani about Desai's campaign for nuclear disarmament. Govind Namdeo appeared as Desai in the 2019 conspiracy thriller film The Gandhi Murder , by Karim Traïdia and Pankaj Sehgal, which explores
2820-453: The market. Desai married Gujraben in 1911, at the age of 15. Gujraben lived to see her husband becoming prime minister. She died on 25 October 1981 at the age of 81. Out of his five children, only three survived infancy. Desai's three surviving children were: his daughters Virumati, Indu and his son Kantilal. Virumati, who was married to Ramanlal Desai, died in early 2000s. Indu, a medical student died by suicide in 1953. Kantilal Desai, who
2880-402: The number of enfranchised people. Approximately 30 million people, among them some women, gained voting rights. This number constituted one-sixth of Indian adults. The Act provided for a limited adult franchise based on property qualifications such as land ownership and rent, and therefore favored landholders and richer farmers in rural areas. At its 1936 session held in the city of Lucknow ,
2940-655: The political parties of the opposition fought together against the Congress (I), under the umbrella of the Janata Party , and won the 1977 election . Desai was elected prime minister, and became the first non-Congress prime minister of India. Desai was the second and the last prime minister to have been born in the nineteenth century. On the international scene, Desai holds international fame for his peace activism and created efforts to initiate peace between India and rival Pakistan . After India's first nuclear test in 1974 , Desai helped restore friendly relations with China and Pakistan, and vowed to avoid armed conflict such as
3000-575: The present State of Maharashtra, Bombay, now Mumbai became its state capital. Flora Fountain was renamed " Hutatma Chowk " ("Martyrs' Square" in English) to honour the people killed in the firing. Later Desai moved to Delhi when he was inducted as finance Minister in the cabinet of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru . Desai was socially conservative, pro-business, and in favour of free enterprise reforms, as opposed to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru 's socialistic policies. Rising in Congress leadership, as
3060-687: The prime minister he used to visit and stay at Vidyapith during the month of October. He lived simply and used to write post cards himself even when he held the office of Prime Minister. Sardar Patel deputed him to conduct meetings of farmers in Kaira district which finally led to the establishment of the Amul Cooperative movement. During his rule, he withdrew intervention in Public Distribution System and rationing shops were literally lost due to cheap sugar and oil available in
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#17327811477833120-468: The seven seats it vied for, was unsuccessful. It performed a little better in Bengal, capturing 39 of the 117 seats for Muslims, but could not form a government. Muslim preference was to be represented by regional parties which were allied with those non-Muslims who were not supportive of the Congress. The Congress was victorious throughout India in the open constituencies. Muslim league was confronted with
3180-471: The short lived Shastri cabinet. In early 1966, the unexpected passing away of Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri after only 18 months in power made Desai once again a contender for the top position. However, he was defeated by Nehru's daughter, Indira Gandhi , in the Congress party leadership election by a big margin. Desai served as deputy prime minister and Finance Minister of India in the Indira Gandhi government until July 1969 when Prime Minister Gandhi took
3240-628: Was a school teacher. Desai underwent his primary schooling in The Kundla School (now called J.V. Modi school), Savarkundla and later joined Bai Ava Bai High School, Valsad . Desai resigned as deputy collector of Kaira in May 1930 after being found guilty of going soft on Hindus during the Godhra riots of 1927–28 there. In his letter to the Collector, Morarji stated that his resignation was
3300-413: Was able, with minor party support, to form a ministry. Jinnah took a nationalist stance and emulated the Congress's electoral campaign and appointed Muslim League Parliamentary Boards for the 1937 elections. Through this he expected to advance the party as a coalition partner for the Congress which they might need to form provincial governments. He miscalculated that the separate electorates system, with
3360-482: Was later elected Chief Minister of Bombay state in 1952. It was a period when movements for linguistic states were on the rise, particularly in South India. Bombay was a bi-lingual state, home to Gujarati-speaking and Marathi-speaking people. Since 1956, activist organisation Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti led a movement for a Marathi-speaking state of Maharashtra . Desai was opposed to such movements, including
3420-644: Was married to Padma Kirloskar, died in 2014. Desai has two grandsons, through his son Kantilal; Bharat Desai and Jagdeep Desai, and one granddaughter; Varsha Desai Naik. One of Desai's great-grandsons, Madhukeshwar Desai is currently the National Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha , the youth wing of the BJP. Madhukeshwar is married to Sneha Menon, a celebrity talkshow host. Of his great-granddaughters; Kalayani
3480-471: Was treated in a hospital in Mumbai due to low blood pressure and a chest infection. He died on 10 April 1995, aged 99, after he underwent surgery for a blood clot in his brain. Desai was a moralist . He was a vegetarian "both by birth and by conviction." Desai was a Gandhian follower, social worker, institution builder and a great reformer. He was the chancellor of Gujarat Vidyapith. Even during his term as
3540-409: Was unwanted by the Congress. Antagonised by this rebuff the League stepped up its efforts to attract a popular following. On 3 September 1939, Viceroy of India Lord Linlithgow declared India to be at war with Germany alongside Britain. The Congress objected strongly to the declaration of war without prior consultation with Indians. The Congress Working Committee suggested that it would cooperate if
3600-416: Was well aware of Pakistan's nuclear development . His government undid many amendments made to the constitution during emergency and made it more difficult for any future government to impose a national emergency. However, the Janata Party coalition was full of personal and policy friction and thus failed to achieve much, owing to continuous in-wrangling and much controversy. With no party in leadership of
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