Citizens Federation

The Citizens Federation was the political expression of a predominantly Indo-Fijian

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...

movement, and was a forerunner of the present day

National Federation Party The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party. Though it claimed to represent all Fiji Islanders, it was supported, in p ...

. A dispute between cane farmers and the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR) in 1960 regarding a new cane contract led to the formation of the

Federation of Cane Growers The Federation of Cane Growers was formed as an umbrella organisation to negotiate the new cane contract due to take effect from 1960 with the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. Negotiations for 1960 cane contract Talks on the new contract starte ...

under the leadership of Dr A. D. Patel in May 1959. The Federation soon split, however: on 24 July 1960, Ayodhya Prasad of

Kisan Sangh Kisan Sangh was the first farmers' union formed in Fiji on 27 November 1937. This was the result of one man's determination to improve the plight of Fiji's Indian cane farmers. Ayodhya Prasad had arrived from India in 1929, and after a stint as ...

and

Vijay R. Singh Sir Vijay Raghubar Singh, KBE (13 July 1931 – 25 September 2006) was an Indo-Fijian lawyer and politician who held Cabinet office in the 1960s and 1970s. Vijay Singh served in Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's government in a variety of ...

Labasa Kisan Sangh The Kisan Sangh had been active in the Western Division of Fiji since 1937 but had not seen the need to expand its activities to other sugar cane growing districts because of transportation problems and the fact that the other districts combined ha ...

broke away and signed an agreement with CSR for the purchase of the 1960 crop. They were joined by

B. D. Lakshman Brahma Dass Lakshman (1900 – 5 October 1981) was an Indo-Fijian politician, trade unionist and businessman, who had a considerable influence on Fiji’s sugar industry. He served in the Legislative Council in two spells between 1940 and 1963. ...

. Singh and Lakshman accused Patel of dividing the Indian population and leading them further into debt. Intercommunal tensions also rose, with some

Fijians Fijians ( fj, iTaukei, lit=Owners (of the land)) are a nation and ethnic group native to Fiji, who speak Fijian and share a common history and culture. Fijians, or ''iTaukei'', are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live i ...

, such as the Lauan Chief and Legislative Council member Ratu Kamisese Mara, called for Patel to be deported. The Government appointed a commission of inquiry, headed by Sir

Malcolm Trustram Eve Arthur Malcolm Trustram Eve, 1st Baron Silsoe (8 April 1894 – 3 December 1976), known as Sir Malcolm Trustram Eve, 1st Baronet, from 1943 to 1963, was a British barrister and First Church Estates Commissioner. Biography Eve was the son of Sir ...

, into the sugar industry. The Federation Committee was represented by A.D. Patel, assisted by

Sidiq Koya Siddiq Moidin Koya (29 February 1924 – 25 April 1993) was a Fijian Indian politician, Statesman and Opposition leader. He succeeded to the leadership of the mostly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party (NFP) on the death of the party's fo ...

. The findings of the commission were largely unfavourable to Patel's demands. The Federation of Cane Growers contested the 1963 Legislative Council election under the banner of Citizens Federation. It was not organized as a formal political party but sought to promote economic, cultural and political progress and stability in a united Fiji. All three Citizen’s Federation candidates were elected to the Legislative Council. In the Western Constituency, A.D. Patel defeated

Deo Sharma Deo or DEO may refer to: People * Derek Oldbury (1924–1994), known as DEO, a British draughts champion Surname * Abhinay Deo, Indian film director and screenwriter * Ajinkya Deo (born 1964), Indian film actor * Ananga Udaya Singh Deo (bor ...

, president of the Kisan Sangh by 6244 votes to 3346, in the North Viti Levu Constituency, Sidiq Koya defeated

James Shankar Singh James Shankar Singh, MBE (May 10, 1924 – July 27, 2014) was a Fiji Indian farmer, businessman, social worker and politician who served as a Minister in the Alliance Government of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Like many Fiji Indian politicians of ...

by 3,998 votes to 3,480, and in the Northern Constituency

James Madhavan James Madhavan (died 20 December 1973) was an Indo-Fijian politician. He was a member of the Legislative Council and House of Representatives for most of the period between 1947 and 1973 and had two spells in the Executive Council. Biography M ...

defeated

Harish Chandra Kohli Harish may refer to: Aadhar Card dekhna hai Places * Harish, Israel, a town in Israel * Arish, Iran (also known as Harish), a village in South Khorasan Province, Iran *Arasht, Zanjan (also known as Harish), a village in Zanjan Province, Iran Peop ...

by 2,753 votes to 2,175. There was no Citizens Federation candidate in the Southern Constituency, won by

Andrew Deoki Andrew Indar Narayan Deoki (1917 – 12 June 1985) was an Indo-Fijian statesman who served his community as a social and religious leader, soccer administrator, member of the Legislative Council and Senate in independent Fiji and as Attorney Gen ...

. The success of the Citizens Federation in the 1963 elections, and the impending constitutional convention, prompted Patel to transform the Citizens Federation into a fully fledged political party. The

Federation Party The Federation Party was Fiji's first formal political party. The Citizens Federation, which had won three of the four seats reserved for Indo-Fijians at the 1963 elections, decided to formalize its role as a political party, which was offici ...

was duly founded on 21 June 1964, with A.D. Patel as President and Sidiq Koya as Vice-president. Defunct political parties in Fiji Fiji Indian organisations Political parties established in 1959 Political parties disestablished in 1963 {{Fiji-party-stub