The story around imposition of Emergency by Indira Gandhi on 25th June 1975

On 28th September 1942, British government arrested Raj Narain and logged him in jail, where he would remain detained until 1945. Raj Narain was a social worker, and a freedom fighter. He was born in 1917 in a village near Varanasi. In 1934, he became member of Congress Socialist Party. When he was arrested by the British he was the president of Student Congress and was leading protests in and around Varanasi during 1942 Quit India movement.



After independence, Raj Narain joined the Socialist Party led by Acharya Narendra Deva, Jayprakash Narayan and Dr Rammanohar Lohia. Dr. Lohia described him as "a person who has heart of a Lion and practices of Gandhi". Dr. Lohia even said, "if in India there could be just three or four persons like him, dictatorship can never shadow the democracy".

In 1971 Lok Sabha elections Raj Narain contested against Indira Gandhi from Rae Bareli constituency. After Indira Gandhi won the election by fraudulent means, Raj Narain filed a petition in Allahabad High Court alleging that Indira Gandhi used bribery, government machinery and resources to gain an unfair advantage in the election. Narain specifically charged Indira Gandhi of using government employees as election agents and of organising campaign activities in the constituency while still on the payroll of the government.

During the course of the trail, Indira Gandhi attained the dubious distinction of becoming the first India Prime Minister to be cross-examined as an accused in a High Court. On 12 June 1975, Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha found Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices. Sinha declared the outcome of election in Rae Bareilly constituency "null and void", and barred Indira from holding elected office for six years. He had found Indira guilty of misusing government machinery. The court order gave the Congress party twenty days to make arrangements to replace Indira Gandhi in her official posts. Indira Gandhi challenged the High Court's decision in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court delivered the verdict on 24 June 1975, upholding the High Court judgement and ordering that all privileges Indira Gandhi received as an MP be stopped, and that she be debarred from voting.

Indira Gandhi then asked the President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, to declare emergency, and state of Internal Emergency was declared on the next day, 25th June 1975. The reason cited was that political disorder was a threat to national security. Raj Narain was arrested and put in jail, along with other opposition party leaders like Jayprakash Narayan, Vajpayee, and Advani. Using sweeping powers granted by the emergency decree, thousands of opposition leaders and activists were arrested, press censorship was introduced and elections were postponed. During this period, Congress party amended the Indian Constitution and overwrote the law that Indira Gandhi had been found guilty of violating. As the constitution requires, Indira Gandhi advised continuation of Emergency over every six-month period and the compliant President Fakruddin Ahmed approved it every time.

In Januray 1977 Indira Gandhi decided to hold elections. Voting was conducted between 16th and 19th March. Counting of votes was done on 20th March. The Congress party faced a historic defeat, with its seats tally coming down from 350 in 1971 to 153 in 1977. The Janata Party alliance won a landslide majority with 345 seats, winning close to 52% of total votes polled. Raj Narian contested again from Rae Bareli constituency against Indira Gandhi, and defeated Indira Gandhi by more than 55,000 votes. Emergency was officially ended the next day, 21st March 1977.

Another Sad Day

May 13, 2004 was one of the saddest days of my life. Yesterday was another, and more so. What happened was not unexpected. Everybody was preparing for it for last 3 days, or longer. Me too. Yet when I heard the news that Bal Thackeray was no more it hit me hard. It is interesting how my grief grew slowly but surely over next day a half. Probably my first reaction was, "Well it was coming". And then when I thought about it, I was moved to tears. Some months back I had commented that I felt as if I am dead within.So it was surprising that there should be tears in my eyes. I was surprised that this heart that I thought had died had the capacity to feel so much pain. On call with Chandragupta and Baba, I shared my grief. That was Saturday morning (US Central Time). Then I went about doing my things with my heart heavy with grief. In the evening I went to Hindu temple at Madrid, Iowa, for Diwali celebrations. Briefly the grief was forgotten. When I came back at night, grief took hold of me again.

The next morning was no different. I woke up not very upbeat, and as the day went on the thought of life without Bal Thackeray was slowly sinking in. In the evening I thought I should see videos of what's happening in Mumbai. I went to youtube and searched for videos of Bal Thackeray's funeral.


At the back of my mind was the thought that my life will never be the same again. As a teenager in Mumbai in eighties and nineties, Bal Thackeray was a towering influence on my psyche. No day passed when I did not hear something from or something about Bal Thackeray. I remember his speech in Ghatkopar just after Ayodhy episode. I remember his reaction to the movie Bombay. "There is nothing to be apologetic about (Shiv Sena's participation in Mumbai riots)", he had said. He was the only politician in India to oppose the Mandal commission. He was also the only politician who publicly took credit for Ayodhya. His historic protection of Hindus in post-Ayodhya riots kept Hindus of Mumbai alive. When asked by reporters that he scares certain people, Bal Thackeray said emphatically, "Of course they (those who are anti-national, and anti-Hindu) HAVE to be scared of us"! Beyond all these, there probably are more reasons why I adored Bal Thackeray. I know, emotionally my life wll never be the same again.

Maharashtra has produced three really, really great leaders in the 20th centuary - Lokmanya Tilak, Veer Savarkar and Bal Thackrey. The last of those left us for heavenly abode last week. May his soul rest in peace!

An Article - India's Democracy Weakened

An excellent article on how the evil nexus between politicians, bureaucracy and judiciary to protect the interests of the rich and the powerful has weakened Indian democracy.

Biting my fingers

As I write this, the final phase of polling is under way for the 15th Lok Sabha. This election is supposed to be more closely fought than any other Lok Sabha election before this.

In the last year or so I have gained tremendous equanimity with respect to happenings in our world. It is not that I don't care what happens in the world. Far from that, I am really concerned about where the world, and especially India, is heading. But, of late, incidents in the outside world do not take away from me my equanimity. I feel elated or disappointed. I become happy or unhappy. But I do not feel depressed or demoralized. This world is like a dog's tail. No sooner than you think that it is straightened out, do you realize that is as curved as it ever was. Despite the imperfections of the world we have to go on doing what we consider to be best for the world and ourselves. Not only do I think this way, to a reasonable extent, I am able to live this thought.

Despite all this, the on-going elections is making me nervous. I feel attached to my desires. I desire certain result and it makes me nervous to think that it may not turn out to be so. My quiet continence only hides the flutter of the heart within. I have to try to be detached. Our great country will outlast impacts of a hundred elections. No power on earth can stop the forward march of our great nation. No matter what happens in this election, our country will continue to progress.

Thirteen centuries ago a great child was born in the small village of Kaladi in central Kerala, by the Periyar river. The child grew into a boy who changed the future of this nation forever. Millions have followed his path and nurtured the soul of this nation. One moment, one election, one party, one family cannot impair the institution of four thousand years and cherished by a billion people.

Our beloved nation would go on, unfettered, unshackled, unhampered. I know should never be discouraged at failure. I have never been. Never will I be in future. If anything, not seeing success should only strengthen one's resolve to work harder, with greater detachment, towards a loftier goal, more wisely. That's the spirit I am made of. If not today, there will be success tomorrow.

Shocking!

Rs. 1000 crores for a birthday bash! So shocking, it leaves me dumbfounded.

Teesta Setalvad figths for Godhra victims!

I was surprised to read a news item in today's ToI by Smita Deshmukh that Teesta Setalvad is fighting for Godhra victims! Piqued, I went on to read the whole stuff. Here's it in a capsule:

According to Teesta Setalvad -
* False evidence has been gathered by the prosecution against the accused
* Application of POTA for Godhra is questionable
* There is no evidence of a terrorist conspiracy in the case (isn't it for the courts to decide?)

Good! My worldview isn't flawed. Teesta Setalvad is indeed fighting for the accused ... as expected.

The article does raise one question though :-
What cumpulsions drive sane and sensible journalists to write misleading articles?
Any expert answers?