The news story that incensed Bandodkar !!

 By Ben Antao

Kakodkar blocked in bid to bring ashes

(From Navhind Times, June 6, 1964)

Panjim, June 5--The late Prime Minister Nehru's ashes failed to arrive in Goa today and the hundreds of people who had thronged at the Dabolim airport went home disappointed and depressed.

Although there was a certain amount of uncertainty about the arrival of the ashes as early as 11:30 this morning, Chief Minister Bandodkar and his cabinet colleagues were at the airport hoping against hope that the ashes would arrive by a special plane.

Mr. Purshottam Kakodkar, Goa Congress president, was supposed to bring the ashes with him from New Delhi.

But this morning at 11:15, the Chief Secretary of the Goa government received a telegraphic message from Mr. Kakodkar that there was a message from the Chief Minister Naik of Maharashtra that a minister of Goa government would collect the ashes from New Delhi.

Half an hour before the arrival of the regular IAC flight, Dabolim airport was rife with misgivings and doubts about the ashes reaching Goa as expected.

Neither government officials nor ministers could state categorically whether the ashes would be brought, and if so, by whom. All they seemed to rely on was the radio broadcast relayed from New Delhi at 1:30 pm that the ashes would be taken to Goa by a special plane this evening.

As the I.A.C Foker Friendship taxied to a halt, a cloud of expectation tinged with doubt hung over the air terminal. A hushed silence gripped the airport.

Then Mr. Kakodkar alighted from the plane, looking very much sad and depressed. He walked straight to the waiting Chief Minister and apprised him of the developments.

Anxious newsmen rushed to Mr. Kakodkar who said: "I am so sorry to tell you all that I have not brought the ashes of our late Prime Minister. After an exchange of telegrams and telephone calls yesterday with Goa, it was all settled yesterday, June 4, that I would take the ashes to Goa and hand them over to the Chief Minister Bandodkar.

"I was to call at the Prime Minister's house today at 7:30 a.m. to collect the ashes and go straight to Palam Airport.

"This morning at about 7 o'clock, I was told that in consideration of a message from the Maharashtra Chief Minister received at the Prime Minister's house yesterday evening, the programme was changed. According to the same message, the Maharashtra Chief Minister had informed the Prime Minister's house that a minister from Goa would come to Delhi and collect the ashes. In consideration of that message the ashes could not be brought by me today."

Mr. Kakodkar's disclosure found the Chief Minister speechless. When contacted, Mr. Mukund Shinkre, M.P. deputising for the Chief Minister, said Mr. Bandodkar had not heard anything from the Maharashtra Chief Minister interfering in the matter without the knowledge of the Goa government.

Mr. Tony Fernandes, Minister for Labour and Law, said he had no knowledge about the trunk call reported to have been made by the Maharastra Chief Minister to the Prime Minister's house. Asked if his government tried to reach Mr. Naik immediately on receipt of Mr. Kakodkar's telegram in the morning, he replied Mr. Naik could not be contacted as the trunk line was dead throughout the morning.

Mr. S.V. Karmali, Minister for Information and Tourism, said according to a wireless message received at the airport around 4:00 pm today, from Mr. Naik, the Maharashtra Chief Minister knew nothing about the non-arrival of the ashes.

Mr. Naik offered that he would spare a place if the Goa Chief Minister desired  to go to Delhi to collect the ashes, Mr. Karmali disclosed.

Mr. Karmali added that it was probable that Mr. Naik might have telephoned Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri, the Home Minister, to tell him that it would not be proper for a party man other than a minister of the Goa government to collect the ashes. Mr. Shastri, accordingly, must have decided not to give the ashes to Mr. Kakodkar, he said.

A hurried conference soon followed between the ministers and other government officials and it was finally agreed that Chief Minister Bandodkar should go to New Delhi and bring the ashes.

Mr. Bandodkar then left for Bombay en route to Delhi, accompanied by Mr. M.S. Prabhu, general secretary of the ruling Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, who had earlier come from Bombay.

Mr. Bandodkar is expected to fly by a special plane from Bombay to New Delhi and arrive in Goa with the ashes tomorrow afternoon.

Later, replying to further questions, Mr. Karmali said that there was a trunk call for Mr. Bandodkar from  Mr. Lal Bahadur Shastri this morning at 8:30. The Chief Minister could not take the call as he was not in the house. When Mr. Bandodkar came to know of it he tried to get in touch with Mr. Shastri but the trunk line was not working. Attempts to contact Bombay by telephone also failed, he said.

Asked about the public announcement made from jeeps in the principal towns of Goa in the afternoon today to the effect of the arrival of the ashes, he said the government had instructed the police department to make the announcement.

He further said that fearing the non-arrival of the ashes, the government had requested the IAC authorities to reserve one seat in the return flight to Bombay to enable the Chief Minister to go to Delhi.

Mr. M. S. Prabhu, who accompanied the Chief Minister, is reported to have bought a return ticket.

The failure of the ashes to arrive in Goa was a big disappointment. Elaborate arrangements had been made by the government to accord a State reception to the ashes of the late Prime Minister Nehru.

A large number of people had queued up outside the tarmac to pay floral tributes to the ashes. Even as the IAC plane touched down the runway, last minute touches were being  given to the special motor vehicle which contained a stand to hold the urn.

Members of the Legislative Assembly, government officials and prominent citizens were among the hundreds of people who had turned out at the airport to pay their homage to the late Mr. Nehru.

Later, Mr. Kakodkar said that he had gone to Delhi to pay his respects to the departed leader and not to bring the ashes.

While in Delhi, he found out that the ashes were being taken to different States. He felt that some portion of the ashes should be "definitely" brought to Goa also.

"I got in touch with the Prime Minister' house and enquired about the possibility of getting some ashes for Goa. On being told that there was no representative of the Goa Government to undertake the task, I offered my services," he explained.

He said that he had sent telegrams to this effect to the Goa Government through the Congress house and was informed that he could not do so. Accordingly, he was to bring the ashes to Goa and hand over the same to the Chief Minister on arrival.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Kakodkar said when he went to the Prime Minister's house he was given full instructions as to how the ashes were to be carried.

"When I went this morning with a stand and flowers to collect the ashes, I was told that a telephone message had been received from the Chief Minister of Maharashra that if not the Chief Minister, one of the ministers would come to Delhi to collect the ashes".

Posted to TGF by Mr. Ben Antao on June 6, 2002.  Special thanks to Cecil Pinto