Speeches in the State Legislatures : 1946-62-10

Speaking during a discussion on the Annual Reports of the Bombay Public Service Commission on 17 February 1961, Shri Chavan observed that it was true that the best of our talented young men migrate to foreign countries because of lack of scope for them in public sector and that every effort was being made to arrest the brain-drain. Replying to criticism that posts, such as the Director General of Publicity were filled independently, Shri Chavan remarked that the Public Service Commission was always consulted before making such appointments because they came under a special category. As for the post of the Deputy Director, Small Savings, he explained that it was excluded from the purview of the Public Service Commission because Government wanted a man who could achieve results and not be merely brilliant.

On 13 April 1961 the Chief Minister, Shri Y. B. Chavan described in a speech in Legislative Council, the circumstances leading to disturbances that took place at Nagpur under the aegis of Nag- Vidarbha Andolan Samiti. The latter, he said, was against the celebration of Shri Chavan’s birthday by the Nagpur Congress Committee and, therefore, decided to stage a demonstration as a precautionary measure against which, the District Magistrate, Nagpur issued prohibitory orders banning meetings and processions. Even so, the District Magistrate gave permission to a meeting, but the police had to resort to a mild lathi charge in order to disperse the unruly Nag-Vidarbha advocates, Shri Chavan stated and defended police firing and lathi charge. Commenting again on 12 June 1962, on the performance of the Bombay Public Service Commission (1959-60) Shri Y. B. Chavan, gave the assuarance in the Legislative Council that the defects and shortcomings in the procedural matters would be removed at the earliest. He further conceded the need to impart coaching to candidates appearing for the Commission’s examination. He reaffirmed Government’s policy of giving concessions to Backward Class candidates as regards age but not merit. On the medium of instruction he opined that he favoured Marathi as the medium of instruction but the knowledge of English had to be perfected through more efficient teachers.

In his reply to the debate on the discussion on supplementary statement of expenditure on 25 July 1962, Shri Chavan, allayed the fears of many members of the Council regarding various issues such as the criteria of appointment of members of the Legislature to the Police Commission by pointing out that there was no favouritism or anything fishy about it. The objections raised by the Opposition members were superficial, he added.

One of the noteworthy and remarkable features of his role as Chief Minister of Maharashtra was that he encouraged co-operative farming and brought Zilla Parishads into being because he believed in democratic decentralisation of power.

Shri Chavan had to face many contretemps during his tenure as Chief Minister. But he withstood all of them like the colossus and earned the popularity of the masses as well as the politicians and intellectuals.