Describing the Emergency imposed from 1975-77 as the “biggest blow” to democracy in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that it gave birth to a new generation of political leadership that was ready to “live and die for the country”, and not just “for TV screens”.
“Leadership born during Emergency was not one for TV screens. It was a leadership to live and die for the nation,” said Modi while paying tributes to socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan on his 113th birth anniversary.
Modi’s comments came a day before the first phase of polling in the Bihar assembly elections where many of those who fought together against the Emergency imposed by the Congress government of Indira Gandhi are in opposing camps now — from JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar and RJD’s Lalu Yadav to BJP’s Sushil Kumar Modi.
On Sunday, the Prime Minister also visited former PM A B Vajpayee and former defence minister George Fernandes since they had played a very important role during the Emergency period between 1975 and ‘77 and have been ailing for quite some time.
“Emergency was the biggest blow to democracy. The kind of crisis that hit the country during that period had tempered the Indian democracy which came out stronger. I am grateful to those who struggled and fought against it. …Emergency should be remembered not to cry or brood over what had happened then, but to strengthen our resolve to fortify and further strengthen the democratic values and framework in our country,” Modi said.
“The biggest message that came out of the anti-Emergency struggle was the inspiration to fight repression. So many people in politics today owe their initial days to those days of Emergency, JP Movement, Navnirman Movement … they gave birth to a new kind of politics in the nation,” Modi told a packed Vigyan Bhawan, where the audience shouted slogans of “Bharat Mata ki jai” and “JP amar rahe” (Long live JP).
“We do not want to remember Emergency to criticise someone, but to constantly be reminded of commitment towards democracy and freedom of press,” Modi said.
Criticising former PM Indira Gandhi for imposing the Emergency, Modi said something good emerges even from a bad and the struggle that ensued during that period helped strengthen democracy.
Noting that the struggle by Jayaprakash Narayan for democracy should be treated as a benchmark, Modi said: “Even though he was a soft-spoken man, his speeches were like the boiling lava.”
Observing that democratic values are inherent among Indians, Modi recalled although the top political leadership was in jail when elections were announced, the people sent home many powerful leaders by exercising their franchise.
While there was a view at that time to boycott the elections, another view was to take part in them, he said.
“When elections were declared in 1977, the top leadership was in jail. No one knew what was happening outside. But see the strength of people and their respect for democracy. Elections were held in the shadow of fear, people did not attend public meetings due to fear. But voters sent home many bigwigs by employing the mighty tool of democracy,” he said.
Modi said Indira Gandhi was more bothered about her image abroad than within the country, adding that several opposition leaders — including then Jana Sangh MP Subramanian Swamy — went to foreign countries to spread the word against repression.
Paying glowing tributes to Jayaprakash Narayan, Modi said, “JP’s message of total revolution should give us the strength to convert it into the form of total development while bringing about ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ and to further strengthen democracy.”
He also lauded JP for being a person with an open mind who was not restricted to any one thought or ideology. “He lived for the truth and what he felt was right,” he said.
Modi also recalled how he had worked closely with veteran BJP leader L K Advani, whom he saw closely during the Emergency, and highlighted the role played by Akali leaders who differed with the political views of those in power at the time.
He lauded Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as the ‘Nelson Mandela of India’, saying, “He has spent so many years in prison and that too for political reasons.”
Remembering Jan Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh — whose birth anniversary also fell on Sunday — Modi mentioned former President APJ Abdul Kalam, saying, “If there is anyone whom Abdul Kalam ji has personally praised in his writings, that’s Nanaji Deshmukh.”
Modi felicitated Advani and Badal on the occasion.
Advani said when India became free, the focus was not only on freedom from colonialism but also on strengthening the democratic framework. He also congratulated the PM for “organising a programme like this” to remember and honour those who fought against Emergency to strengthen democratic values.
Badal said JP was one who thought of integrating and developing villages and urged the Prime Minister to set up a committee of experts that could help make agriculture a profitable venture. “JP was an institution, he was a light house and a role model” Badal said.
Besides Advani and Badal, among those who were felicitated at the function were four governors, Kalyan Singh, O P Kohli, Balram Dass Tandon and Valubhai Vala.
Former Deputy Speaker Kariya Munda, BJP leaders V K Malhotra, Jaywantiben Mehta and Swamy, NCP leader D P Tripathi, journalists Virender Kapoor and K Vikram Rao, and activists such as Prof Ramji Singh, Kameshwar Paswan and Arif Baig were also honoured by Modi.