Jayaprakash Narayan : Selected Works: Vol. VI (1950-1954)
Contents: Foreword. Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. To B.R. Ambedkar, 17 July 1950. 2. Address at the Rotary Club, Bombay, 18 July 1950. 3. To the secretary, Ministry of Defence, 28 July 1950. 4. To Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, 28 July 1950. 5. Address at the journalists association, Gorakhpur, 31 July 1950. 6. On famine conditions in parts of Northern Bihar, 6 August 1950. 7. Report to the people of Bihar on famine conditions in Purnea District, 8 August 1950. 8. To Asoka Mehta, 10 August 1950. 9. To Asoka Mehta, 11 August 1950. 10. Statement at Press Conference regarding starvation deaths in North Bihar, Patna, 11 August 1950. 11. To Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, 18 August 1950. 12. To Vallabhbhai Patel, 19 August 1950. 13. To Jawaharlal Nehru, 21 August 1950. 14. To Gopalaswami Ayyangar, 22 August 1950. 15. To H.M. Jagtiani, 23 August 1950. 16. To Hirday Nath Kunzru, 26 August 1950. 17. To K.K. Menon, 27 August 1950. 18. Address at the inaugural session of the Nav Sanskriti Sangh, Banaras, 27 August 1950. 19. Speech on the food situation in Bihar, Patna, 28 August 1950. 20. \'Social democracy in free India\', 28 August 1950.........
"Jayaprakash Narayan (1902-79) was one of the most prominent leaders and thinkers that India has produced in modern times. Although he never sought power for himself, he played a major role not only in the struggle for independence, but also in the socialist and Sarvodaya movements and finally in the movement for strengthening democracy, popularly known as the J.P. movement.
This series of volumes has been planned with a view to presenting as comprehensive a picture as possible of the evolution of J.P.\'s political life and thought through his writings, speeches and letters. As he was in many ways a mirror of his times, it is hoped that the series will also provide glimpses of the main currents of ideas and movements during the times in which he lived and worked.
The present volume covers a period of four years (1950-4). Those years witnessed several important political developments, such as the holding of the first general elections in India (1952) the formation of the Praja Socialist Party as a result of the merger of the Socialist Party and the Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party (1952); the failure of the talks between Nehru and J.P. (initiated by the former) in order to ensure cooperation between the Congress and the PSP (1953) and controversy over them in the ranks of the PSP; growing involvement of J.P. in the Bhoodan-Gramdan movement and his announcement of Jeevandan. J.P.\'s deep interest in the struggles of various trade unions till 1952, are also fully covered through his addresses to their members as also his correspondence with the officials and cabinet ministers, at the centre as well as in Bihar. The same applies to J.P.\'s deep interest in the fight for democracy in Nepal." (jacket)
