NEW DELHI- Government Majority in Oil India

August 30, 1969 tion, elections are held cm the basis of the population and, therefore, the voice of the bigger States become dominant in the Parliament." This passage reflects the thinking of a section of the intelligentsia. Whether over Brahmaputra Control, Railway Divisionalisation, allocation of Central excise revenue, or location of a second refinery, one meets with the familiar sentiment and argument that the Centre is unwilling to do justice to Assam. The political parties are not slow to cash in on this prevalent mood. The 'Centre-phobia' was reflected in the speeches of the communist member, Phani Bora. He said to demonstrators on August 6, "the Government of Assam failed to get the demands of the people realised. Hence the people themselves must come forward to get the demands of the people realised and replace this Government, which is inactive and incapable of realising the legitimate grievances of the people.'' (Statesman, August 7.) Again, on June 4, 1969, no less a person than the CPI chief, C Rajeswar Rao, told an interviewer of a local newspaper that all political parties including the Congress in Assam should form a United Front against the Centre. The reasons he gave were the same: wilful negligence shown by the Centre in failing to industrialise Assam, pro- NEW DELHI vide for irrigation facilities, and ex- tend the broad-gauge railway Line to the whole of Assam.