Popular opinion is the greatest lie in the world. — Thomas Carlyle

From Our Archives: A Glimpse into 1960

Editorial

Hon Dr Willy Dupré is known in the Legislative Council for his independent way of thinking. He sometimes flout even the party discipline. We have seen with what vehemence he objected to the increase of the salaries of Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) and ministers when that question was being debated in the Council last year. He was indeed going against a policy adopted by the Ministers of his party. He informed the House that he would relinquish the increase to the Treasury. And he was apparently very serious about it. Whether he kept his word or not, that is another question. He and his conscience knows. But this time he did not take part in the debate when that question once more cropped up, though many people would have liked to see him objecting to the increase.

What we want to prove is that Dr Dupré is a man of independent thinking. But at times his thoughts run wild, his conscious mind is overpowered by his subconscious mind.

On Tuesday last, we had a display of his characteristic independent way of thinking. While vehemently criticising the Central Information Office and its director, he told the House that once the CIO sent him a hindi booklet nicely printed on glossy paper which he threw in the wastepaper basket. Why did he throw it in the wastepaper basket? Can we know whether Hindi considered so repugnant a language that a publication written in it should suffer humiliation at the hands of a member of the Legislative Council — particularly a member of the Labour Party, who enjoys the support of the Hindi-speaking public?

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The Indians and their languages — Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, etc. — have suffered worse humiliations in this country. But things have changed now. Even the Church is encouraging Indo-Christians to wear Indian dress and to learn their mother tongue. The Parti Mauricien, which has made a name for its anti-Indian feelings, finds it respectable to get its president, Mr Devienne, address public meetings in Hindi. Dr Dupré is an old and experienced man, who has known a bit of the world. He should know that when contempt is poured upon a language or a culture, it does not actually belittle the worth of that language.  

We simply say that Dr Dupré has shown a lack of good taste in throwing a publication into the wastepaper basket simply because that publication is in Hindi. Are there no Hindus in his constituency? He could well have sent it to his constituents who know Hindi. But alas! He may have forgotten his Hindi-speaking constituents and on this count he deserves to be forgiven. Shortness of memory is a chronic disease with certain politicians.

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Dr Dupré is fortunate in having shown scorn and contempt for something Indian. Indians are used to forget and to forgive. They have been doing so for millennia now. There is no harm in forgiving an old doctor who is in the evening of his life. Dr Millien left the Labour Party a few years ago and only last week Mr Lucien Pouzet, OBE went over to the Parti Mauricien. Dr Millien is now in political wilderness and Mr Pouzet is no doubt feeling the difference between socialism and the undefined theology of the Parti Mauricien. But nothing is known of the future of Dr Dupré. Anyhow, if he stands at the next general election, thousands of Hindi-speaking people will vote for him because it is part of their culture to forgive both the enlightened and the ignorant.

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Incidentally it is again as unfortunate as deplorable to note the personal attacks Dr Dupré levelled against Mr Hazareesingh, Director of the CIO.

We do not defend Mr Hazareesingh because he is a Hindu and in this very column we have on many previous occasions criticized his Department. We agree with Dr Ramgoolam when he says that the CIO is not giving full satisfaction to the country, but this does not in any way justify the ill-mannered attacks on the personality of Mr Hazareesingh.

Dr Dupré and the leaders of the Parti Mauricien may not like Mr Hazareesingh personally, but they must not allow their private prejudices to interfere with public affairs. After all, they have no guarantee that their own faces are universally liked.

That much said, we wish to assure Mr Hazareesingh and his staff that we shall stand by them whenever they are subjected to unwarranted attacks. But we cannot help reminding them that there is a general feeling that the CIO is not delivering the goods as was expected. Who is responsible? Mr Hazareesingh or the Colonial Secretary, who is the Minister in charge? This is a matter which needs urgent clarification and the sooner it is clarified, the better it will be for Mr Hazareesingh and public interest.

Even if it is necessary the budget of the CIO must be doubled provided of course it successfully puts across to the people what the Government is doing. Information service is considered to be an important concomitant of democracy: its existence is amply justified but our local CIO must improve its services so as to justify its existence. Mr Hazareesingh has the chance of his life to belie his opponents. He must not miss it. Mr Vickers, the Colonial Secretary, must reorient the policy of the CIO. In the rural areas there is gross ignorance of what is being done by the Government; there is also the continuous misrepresentations by the Opposition. All this have to be eradicated and the ClO was created to that very purpose.

7th Year – No 326
Friday 25th November 1960

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