Opinion Devendra Fadnavis writes: Remembering the leaders who fought the Emergency

On June 25, 1975, a rally was underway at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. Jayaprakash Narayan had ignited a struggle against the Gandhi family, corruption, and anarchy, declaring a “Total Revolution”. The rally saw a large presence of leaders, but two stood at its centre stage: Jayaprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. During this rally, there was a fervent demand for Mrs Gandhi’s immediate resignation, with Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s poem, ‘Sinhasan khali karo ki janata aati hai’, reverberating through the crowd.

However, the next morning was starkly different. News of the imposition of the Emergency reached the nation through newspapers and radio. Most prominent leaders were arrested. All political activities were suspended. Democracy had been murdered while the country slept. As days and months passed, the times changed. Schools and colleges became instruments of government propaganda. The media was entirely under state control; news and editorials faced stringent censorship. Only a handful of newspapers dared to oppose, and with many journalists arrested, most publications surrendered to the government. Many IAS officers slavishly followed Sanjay Gandhi, and no one dared to utter a word of dissent. Even the Supreme Court curtailed freedom of expression and fundamental rights. Aggressive leaders like Fernandes continued their protests while evading arrest, but when his brother was tormented, he, too, was eventually apprehended.

The Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) allowed arbitrary imprisonment without trial. Laws were enacted that prevented recourse to courts — even if a police officer shot someone out of personal vendetta. One Supreme Court judge opposed this, but the other four remained silent. The judge who upheld the spirit of Babasaheb Ambedkar later resigned. The Constitution was torn to shreds merely to satiate the ego of a single family. The Congress party never accepted the vision of the Mahamanav and Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Ambedkar during his lifetime, and during the Emergency, they sought revenge on the sacred Constitution he had given to the nation. Over 3,00,000 people were imprisoned, leaving countless families destitute. Socialists, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and the Jana Sangh were at the forefront of this movement. Only two parties supported the Emergency: The Communist Party of India and the Shiv Sena. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also took an opposing stance.

The Emergency shattered many families. Many lost their loved ones. With the primary earner imprisoned, numerous families fell into debt and faced severe financial crises. Many had their property confiscated, and countless businesses and livelihoods were permanently destroyed. The exploitation was immense, both mentally and economically. Speaking from personal experience, I was just five years old. My father, the late Gangadharrao Fadnavis, was also arrested. My only opportunities to see him were when I went to deliver his lunch to prison or when he was taken for a medical examination. Being separated from my father for such a long period at a young age filled me with rage.
Today, after Operation Sindoor, the Congress party should be ashamed of its stance. Interestingly, just about three-and-a-half years before the Emergency, India had fought a war with Pakistan. At that time, as the Jana Sangh president, respected Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji had declared support for Mrs Gandhi.

After the Emergency was lifted, a massive rally was again held at Ramlila Maidan, with slogans like “Indira Gandhi murdabad, Atal Bihari Vajpayee zindabad”. However, Atal ji calmed the crowd. After the Emergency, the importance of the legislature, executive, and judiciary was further underscored. People understood the profound significance of democracy more clearly, and their faith in the Constitution deepened. Had those leaders not struggled, our country might have succumbed to dictatorship, mirroring the present state of Pakistan.

The democracy we cherish today exists because of the leaders who fought 50 years ago. Remembering those leaders today is even more crucial than remembering the Emergency itself. The more the stories of exploitation by the Gandhi family and Congress come to light, the stronger our democracy will become. The central government has enjoined upon all state governments and Union Territories to observe June 25 as “Constitution Murder Day”, marking the 50th anniversary of the imposition of the Emergency. This commemoration is slated to be a year-long event across the country. We are currently showcasing these harrowing tales of the Emergency through exhibitions in every district of the state, and everyone should visit them. We will also honour families who struggled during the Emergency and fought for the restoration of democracy with certificates of appreciation. The state government has also decided to provide stipends to these families. This is our sacred offering to the temple of democracy. Future generations must understand this history.

The writer is Chief Minister of Maharashtra