Amit Shah Reflects on the 50th Anniversary of the Emergency in India

During a program commemorating '50 Years of Emergency', Union Home Minister Amit Shah remarked that today marks the eve of the 50th anniversary of this significant event. He posed a question about why we are discussing an incident that occurred five decades ago. He noted that as time passes, the memory of national events, whether positive or negative, tends to fade. If the memory of a disruptive event like the Emergency is lost, it could be detrimental to the nation.

 

Shah elaborated that the struggle was won because the people of this country cannot tolerate any form of dictatorship. India is the birthplace of democracy. At that time, the Emergency was disliked by everyone except for the dictators and the small groups that benefited from it. They were under the illusion that no one could challenge them, but when elections were held for the Lok Sabha after the Emergency, a non-Congress government was formed for the first time since independence, with Morarji Desai becoming Prime Minister.

 

Amit Shah stated, "Defining the Emergency in one sentence is challenging. I have attempted to provide a definition. The Emergency was a conspiracy to transform a multi-party democracy in a democratic nation into a dictatorship..." He urged people to imagine being imprisoned simply for the thought of freedom. He expressed that it is unimaginable how brutal that morning must have been for the people of India. Shah recalled being just 11 years old when the Emergency was declared, noting that its impact was relatively less in Gujarat due to the presence of a Janata Party government. However, that government eventually fell. He shared that from his small village alone, 184 individuals were imprisoned, a memory that will stay with him for life.

 

Shah also recounted that at 8 AM, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced the imposition of the Emergency on All India Radio. He questioned whether parliamentary approval was sought, if a cabinet meeting was convened, or if the opposition was consulted. He wanted to remind those who speak of democracy that they are associated with the party that devoured democracy. While national security was cited as the reason, the true motive was the security of power. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister, yet she did not have the right to vote in Parliament. She abandoned moral principles and chose to remain in power.