Latest news with #anti-Emergency
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
A tale of twists and turns of two leaders in Kerala during Emergency
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Half a century after the country suffered through Emergency, the twists and turns that it left behind in Kerala continues to spin curious political tales. As the nation prepares to observe the 50th anniversary of Emergency on June 25, not many would be aware of how two veterans of state politics, switched to the other side of the political spectrum during the period. The dark days of the Emergency are obviously something that the entire Congress leadership in Kerala would want to forget; but not him. Senior Congress leader and former speaker N Sakthan Nadar would probably be the only leader who has happy memories associated with the period. Sakthan who was part of the Kerala Congress -- not a Congress ally back then -- underwent a two-month jail term in the initial days of Emergency in 1975. Beginning his public life via student politics at Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta, Sakthan went on to win the student union election at Thiruvananthapuram Law College as a Kerala Student Congress (KSC) candidate. He was district secretary of the Kerala Congress when he took part in the anti-Emergency protest. He was arrested from the picket line at the Secretariat. 'It was 1975. A host of leaders such as C K Hareendrdan and Selvaraj served jail terms with me. Comrade K Anirudhan was our leader in prison. I was in jail for two months,' recounts Sakthan. As fate would have it, the Kerala Congress became part of the Congress-led political front in 1976 and Sakthan crossed over to the other side. 'It was Mani sir (K M Mani) who brought me into politics. In 1977, I was fielded as a Kerala Congress candidate. In 1984, I joined the Congress and became minister and speaker. Incidentally, I'm the only leader in the entire country who has served as pro-tem speaker, deputy speaker and speaker of the house in the same assembly session,' Sakthan told TNIE. The tale takes an interesting turn, with the entry of the other leader. Even as Sakthan moved to the Congress, at around the same time, a prominent Congress leader decided to part ways with the grand old party.
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP looks for youth to debate in favour of Emergency for ‘mock parliament'
Lucknow: Imagine a BJP functionary urging youth to speak in favour of the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975. Surprised? But that's what the saffron outfit plans to do as it gears up to organise a 'mock parliament' in nine districts to mark 50 years of the Emergency between June 25 and June 27. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Though the BJP describes it as a "black chapter" in the history of Indian democracy, the party is looking for at least 7,000 youths who can stir up a debate by speaking in favour of the Emergency, which was imposed by Gandhi for 21 months — between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977 — citing a breakdown of the law and order situation in the country owing to massive protests by the opposition parties alleging corruption by the Congress regime. "Since it is a mock parliament, we have decided to enrol at least 40% of the youth who can speak in favour of the topic. This would serve the purpose of striking a balance during the event," UP BJP yuva morcha's state general secretary and in charge of the campaign, Varun Goyal told TOI. The BJP has decided to register at least 18,000 youths in the 18-25 age group for the event, which will see a clash of pro and anti-Emergency views. These youths will be screened by a committee of the BJP yuva morcha, and at least 80-100 people will be shortlisted for each of the nine districts — Meerut, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Ghaziabad, Aligarh and Bareilly — where the event will be organised. However, Goyal said, the party is not able to get that many youths who can speak in favour of the Emergency. "We are somehow convincing a host of them to do so," he said, asserting that most of the youth want to speak against Gandhi's decision to impose the Emergency. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Goyal said that the idea of the event was to make people aware of how Congress strangled democracy. He said that today's youth was guided by the present-day political dispensation, which sought to inculcate the feeling of nationalism and democracy. Analysts believe that encouraging youth to argue for the Emergency may well be part of a mock exercise where debating controversial topics from all sides fosters critical thinking and rhetorical skill. Nevertheless, experts said, by inviting young people to argue in favour of the Emergency, the BJP aims to ultimately discredit those arguments by confronting them head-on with counterpoints. This can also provide the BJP with harder ammunition to further criticise Congress while letting those arguments hang in public only to get them torn down with stronger rebuttals, say analysts.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP to felicitate Emergency-era detainees from city on 50th anniversary
Nagpur: As the 50th anniversary of the Emergency approaches, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to mark the occasion by honouring those who were jailed or actively participated in the anti-Emergency resistance in Nagpur during the 1975-77 period. City BJP president Dayashankar Tiwari and former MLC Girish Vyas announced that the party will felicitate over 450 Satyagrahis, including women and youth activists from Nagpur, who were jailed under the draconian Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and Defence of India Rules (DIR). The event, titled, 'Loktantra Senani Swagat-Vandan-Abhinandan Samaroh', is scheduled to be held at Vanamati Auditorium on June 25 at 5pm. Senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe will be the chief guest. According to Vyas, Sahasrabuddhe will also visit the homes of several MISA detainees' families as part of the outreach programme. "The Emergency was the darkest chapter in Indian democracy. Thousands were jailed without any trial, censorship was imposed, and even music and media were stifled. Yet, people across the country, including here in Nagpur, stood up and resisted," said Vyas, adding, "The BJP wants the current generation to remember and recognise this important struggle." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Tiwari added that the Emergency was not merely a political event but an assault on constitutional values. "The Emergency crushed democracy and silenced people. Late prime minister Indira Gandhi's govt arrested Opposition leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Charan Singh, and thousands of grassroots activists to stay in power," he said. Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the former mayor said, "Those who claim to carry the Constitution in their pocket to safeguard it were the ones who disgraced it by levying the Emergency." He said many unsung heroes from the city were jailed during the 19-month-long Emergency. "Women, youths, and social activists from the city joined the Satyagraha. Our aim is to honour their contribution and sacrifices," he said. Referring to the recent efforts, Tiwari said that Maharashtra's cabinet, under CM Devendra Fadnavis, has doubled the monthly pension given to MISA detainees. Additionally, BJP leaders have recommended that the recognition and benefits given to freedom fighters should also be extended to Emergency-era detainees. The city BJP will also launch a campaign to educate people about the Emergency. A special publication is being brought out that will highlight how constitutional values were subverted under the then-PM Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi's youth brigade. Articles by prominent leaders, including Union minister Gadkari and CM Fadnavis, will be published in newspapers and distributed in slums and Dalit settlements. "The attempt to strangle the democratic system failed because people stood up against it. It was the largest movement after Independence. We want to ensure that this chapter is never forgotten," Vyas said. The BJP also plans to organise tours for students and citizens to the homes of Emergency detainees and publish stories of their resistance. "History must be told truthfully. The sacrifices of those who fought to protect the Constitution must be remembered and celebrated," Tiwari concluded. Former mayors Anil Sole, Archana Dehankar and ex-corporator Ashwini Jichkar were also present at the press conference. (Box) 150 youths to participate in debate on Emergency To create awareness among today's youth about the Emergency and the atrocities committed during that period, BJP city chief Dayashankar Tiwari said the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha has organised a 'Model Parliament' debate at the Zilla Niyojan Bhavan on June 25, where 150 city youths will engage in a battle of wits over various aspects and impacts of the Emergency.
