How Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah failed to move a firm TN Seshan despite a hunger strike threat in Kodaikanal

Sheikh Abdullah was the first politician to get a taste of TN Seshan, a bureaucrat who never cowered to the high and mighty and also credited with revolutionising the electoral process in India. Abdullah, also known as Sher-e-Kashmir (The Lion of Kashmir) in 1965 was charged with acting against the interest of the country, dismissed as prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir and jailed. He was brought to Kodaikanal, a hill station about 120 km from Madurai where a young Seshan was serving as the collector. In his engaging autobiography, published posthumously, titled, Through the Broken Glass – An Autobiography [Rupa publications],  Seshan has given a riveting account of his dealings with Abdullah that entailed the Sheikh threatening to undergo ‘fast unto death’ and Seshan refusing to make any concession to the detained leader. Abdullah had been kept in various Indian jails and spent nearly two years under Seshan, from July 1965 to June 1967. In his memoirs, Seshan fondly remembers Abdullah as ‘Kashmiri Mappillai.’ Mappillai in Tamil is affectionately used for the son-in-law. “His [Abdullah’s ] behaviour was unpredictable as that of a son-in-law,” Seshan wrote, recalling how Union home minister Gulzari Lal Nanda and prime minister Indira Gandhi had instructed him to treat prisoner Abdullah as a “special person”. He was allowed to move about within the municipal limits of Kodaikanal. [caption id=“attachment_12714682” align=“alignnone” width=“354”] Through the Broken Glass: An Autobiography by T.N. Seshan[/caption] Seshan’s tiff with Abdullah began when the inmate was moved from Ooty where the National conference chief had managed to give an interview to a foreign correspondent causing acute embarrassment to the Indira government. Seshan tried to accommodate Abdullah at Kodaikanal’s Travellers’ House, a government property after conducting quick repairs, whitewash etc but the fair skin Sheikh refused saying, “You got me wrong. How can any human being stay here? Only horses would stay in a room like that.” Seshan then shifted him to Kohinoor Bungalow, a government-owned circuit house that had originally belonged to Nawab Ali Yavar Jung of Hyderabad. The cordial ties turned cold when Abdullah once disparagingly addressed him as an ‘ordinary collector’. Seshan did not miss the unmentioned undertone but waited for an opportunity to give a befitting reply. That opportunity came within the two days when Abdullah asked for an umbrella when the monsoon had brought in the beauty of rains and fresh air. “Immediately I said, I will write a letter today itself and obtain a sanction. After getting permission I will get you an umbrella,” Seshan told Abdullah. The Collector’s response angered him and he said, “Even for purchasing an umbrella, you need to write and get permission from Madras?” Abdullah had himself been administrative head, having served as prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir between March 1948 to August 1953. Seshan replied, “Yes Sir. I am only an ordinary collector. I need to get permission from Madras.” Though Seshan had spoken these words with a straight face, Abdullah, a politician among the politicians, quickly burst into laughter and said, “Oh! You are paying back for what I had said two days ago.” Abdullah was fond of apples, perhaps missing Kashmiri Delicious or Red Delicious Apple, grown in Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, and the Sopore region in Kashmir. Whereas the apples available in Kodaikanal were of poor quality and small in size prompting Abdullah to retort, “In my land, such apples are given to donkeys and pigs. No human will eat it.” Abdullah saw the real and tough side of Seshan when he tried asking for a favour. There was a rule that as collector, Seshan would read all letters and correspondence to and from the Sheikh before forwarding them with his seal. Abdullah sought a concession from Seshan requesting him to forward a letter addressed to the President Dr S Radhakrishnan without reading it. Seshan did not budge saying, “You may write a letter to the President or the Prime Minister or anyone. But it is my duty to send it only after I have read it.” Abdullah insisted that Seshan should speak to ‘Delhi’ but the Collector declined pointing that there was already an order from them. “I shall not speak to them,” Seshan recalls telling Abdullah who in turn, got angry and adamant and said, “Okay, if this is your decision, I am going on a fast, that too, fast unto death.” In a ‘Seshanian’ style, the Collector, barely 32 then, replied, “I will arrange all the necessary facilities for your fast.” Seshen then informed the Madras secretariat about Abdullah threatening a fast unto death. The officer with whom Seshan had interacted advised him to send the letter without reading it and added, “We will handle it. How does it matter.” Seshan being Seshan could not help raising a poser, “It is you who passed this order [of vetting all correspondence] in the first place. And now you are asking me to overlook it? Please send me an order in writing.” Sehsan then received another call from Madras advising him to avoid any ‘unwanted problem.’ Seshan kept asking for a written order which did not come. Abullah refused to eat anything, skipping lunch. Seshan then received a call from New Delhi from a high-ranking officer asking him directly, “Mr collector, why are you creating a problem?” Seshan remained firm and responded in his measured tone, “I will dispatch the letter only after I read it.” Seshan says he was a little surprised when Abdullah called him within five minutes of the call from Delhi. He handed over the letter that was addressed to the President Dr S Radhakrishnan. “I am giving you the letter under protest,” Abdullah said. Seshan opened and read the letter in front of Abdullah. “It was written in English. In it, he had conveyed that India and Pakistan should become friendly with one another,” recalls Seshan in his memoirs. Another round of fiery exchange followed when Seshan asked, “Everyone in the world knows your viewpoint as regards to India and Pakistan. When it is so, why did you create a problem by asking me not to read the letter and threatening to go on a fast unto death?” Abdullah replied in anger, “It is a matter of principles. You are a servant of the President.” Seshan replied, “I am not a private servant of the Prime Minister or the President. I am a government employee. So, it is my duty to follow the orders laid down by the government.” Abdullah chose to ignore the counter argument and asked, “Okay get me the food.” Seshan passed away in the winter of 2019. His autobiography was in the shape of a raw manuscript then. Nixon Fernando, former research assistant to Seshan, Dr Vishwanath Karad and Rahul Karad of MIT-WPU, Pune, Narayaneeyam Trust worked hard and diligently to bring completeness to the raw manuscript ensuring accuracy and flavour. Just like Seshan’s life and work, his autobiography is a fabulous account of how malpractices and lawlessness in the elections were checked. Today the country needs more and more Seshan-like bureaucrats who are nowhere to be seen. Seshan, while signing off in his memoirs, looks back at his life and career and says, “Life has been Great -Stormy, but Great.” The writer is a visiting fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. A well-known political analyst, he has written several books, including ‘24 Akbar Road’ and ‘Sonia: A Biography’. Views expressed are personal. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.