Latest news with #50YearsofEmergency
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘50 Years of Emergency': Political, social activists recall the ‘dark period', say ‘memories still fresh'
'It was around 10 am on June 26, 1975. I was addressing a small gathering under the banner of the Lok Sangharsh Samiti of Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, near the famous eatery Sher-a-Punjab at the junction of Lower Bazar and the Mall Road — just hours after the imposition of the draconian Emergency in the country. I still remember deputy superintendent of police-rank officer Ami Chand approaching me. He put his right hand around my neck in a friendly manner and whispered in my left ear, 'Aayo Shastri ji, thodi sair kar kai aate hain' (Come Mr Shastri, let's go for a walk). I couldn't resist, and that 'walk' lasted nearly 19 months — from June 1975 to March 1977,' Radha Raman Shastri, a former Sanskrit teacher in a government school, recalled. He was later elected as an MLA from Chopal, on a Janata Dal ticket. A native of Chopal in Shimla, 82-year-old Shastri said: 'Instead of taking me to a nearby police post, I was directly taken to the Sadar police station where they served me two chapatis and a bowl of yellow dal. I assumed, like many, that I would be held for 24 hours and then released. But that illusion was shattered when I was bundled into another police vehicle and sent to the Nahan Central Jail. There, I met many contemporaries from across the state including the senior-most Jan Sangh leader, Shanta Kumar. In 1975, I was the general secretary of the Lok Sangharsh Samiti's Himachal Pradesh unit.' 'For almost six months, I was not allowed to meet my wife and children, who had moved to my father-in-law's house. Back then, I owned a printing press at Nav Bahar in Shimla, which was raided nine times as police suspected anti-government and anti-Emergency posters were published there. Eventually, I had to sell it for Rs 12,000 despite the purchase price being Rs 1 lakh,' Shastri added. Bharat Bhushan Vaidya, an 83-year-old advocate, said: 'I was a practising lawyer back then. I remember how a large number of police personnel took me to the Boileauganj police station from my house a day after the Emergency was declared. Several others were also detained, without any explanation.' Vaidya, another resident of Shimla's Subhash Nagar, said: 'Although I was released on bail much earlier than many of my contemporaries, the real sufferers were the families of those imprisoned for nearly 19 months.' During the Emergency, each of the Nahan Central Jail in Sirmour district, Kaithu Jail in Shimla, and Solan Jail in Solan district was full with hundreds of political and social activists. According to instructions of the Central government, activists from Shimla were detained in Nahan, and the ones from Chamba in Solan — to ensure their family members would not be able to visit them. Including their family members, Shastri, Vaidya, and many others who had endured this 'dark period' attended a programme titled '50 Years of Emergency' — an exhibition, and a mock parliament — organised by the BJP in Shimla, where participants re-enacted debates between the ruling party and opposition leaders from that time.
Economic Times
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Secular, socialist not in Ambedkar's draft, time to rethink: RSS
Dattatreya Hosabale sparks debate. He questions the need for 'secularism' and 'socialism' in the Constitution. He notes these words were added during the Emergency. He highlights BR Ambedkar's original draft lacked these terms. Hosabale suggests a reevaluation is necessary. He criticizes those who imposed the Emergency. He demands an apology to the nation. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said on Thursday that a rethink on the need to have the words " secularism " and " socialism " in the Preamble to the Constitution must be undertaken as these words were added during the Emergency period and were not part of the original draft laid down by BR Ambedkar."During the Emergency, two words were added to the Indian Constitution's Preamble -- secularism and socialism. These were not in the Preamble drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. These words were added when Parliament was not functioning and the judiciary was made helpless," he said."Later (post-Emergency), no attempts were made to remove these two words," Hosabale said. "Now, it needs to be considered whether these two words should remain in the Constitution," he added. Hosabale was speaking at a programme on '50 Years of Emergency' held here, which was also attended by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla and other prominent BJP leaders "The Preamble is eternal. Are the thoughts of socialism as an ideology eternal for India?" he asked."Secularism could be part of various central and state policies as it was earlier," he naming Congress leader and leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi , the RSS leader said those who imposed Emergency are now roaming around with the Constitution in their pockets."They have not apologised to the people of the country till today. They haven't sought will have to apologise to the nation," Hosabale added.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Secular, socialist not in Ambedkar's draft, time to rethink: RSS
New Delhi: RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said on Thursday that a rethink on the need to have the words " secularism " and " socialism " in the Preamble to the Constitution must be undertaken as these words were added during the Emergency period and were not part of the original draft laid down by BR Ambedkar. "During the Emergency, two words were added to the Indian Constitution's Preamble -- secularism and socialism. These were not in the Preamble drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar. These words were added when Parliament was not functioning and the judiciary was made helpless," he said. "Later (post-Emergency), no attempts were made to remove these two words," Hosabale said. "Now, it needs to be considered whether these two words should remain in the Constitution," he added. Hosabale was speaking at a programme on '50 Years of Emergency' held here, which was also attended by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla and other prominent BJP leaders . by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist Reveals: The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo "The Preamble is eternal. Are the thoughts of socialism as an ideology eternal for India?" he asked. "Secularism could be part of various central and state policies as it was earlier," he said. Live Events Without naming Congress leader and leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi , the RSS leader said those who imposed Emergency are now roaming around with the Constitution in their pockets. "They have not apologised to the people of the country till today. They haven't sought will have to apologise to the nation," Hosabale added.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP neta: Cong still hasn't apologized
Mumbai: The till date has not apologised for the Emergency, said politician . At a press meet to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Prasad said the Constitution was strangled by making amendments and asked, "Will Congress leaders apologise for turning the entire country into a prison, torturing opposition members, and committing atrocities on ordinary citizens by forcibly performing sterilisation surgeries?" Over 1.5 lakh people were jailed, said Prasad. He said 253 journalists were arrested. Earlier in the day, '50 Years of Emergency - A Dark Chapter in Indian History,' a felicitation programme for democracy fighters, was organised at Raj Bhavan. CM said the Emergency was an attempt to attack democracy but democracy fighters put up a great fight and thwarted this attempt. Governor C P Radhakrishnan said democracy played an important role in the Indian freedom struggle. The governor felicitated Medha Somaiya, Shripad Musale and 3 others while 250 others were presented a certificate of appreciation. All had been arrested under the MISA Act. TNN
