Maybe that the cry of more autonomy for the States voiced at the two-day conference sponsored by the D.M.K. at Madras is neither thought up as a diversion to cover the party’s deficiencies nor a veiled resurrection of the separatist demand. But that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister took special plans to dispel both suspicions may in fact be a recognition of the existence of such apprehensions in many minds. The statement of another leading member and ex-Minister of the D.M.K. that, during his three and a half years’ experience as State Minister, he had found the causes that led to the separatist demand (in Tamil Nadu) were still in existence or were even accentuated certainly cuts the ground from under the Chief Minister’s feet. The D.M.K. apart, the emergence of ruling parties other than the Congress in many States after the 1967 elections has no doubt complicated Centre-State relations and invested complaints of neglect and demands for more powers with a new vociferousness. Such pulls and pushes would themselves seem to underline the importance of a well-equipped Centre to contain them and preserve the hard won unity and strength of the country.
