Must keep memories of Emergency alive so that it is never repeated: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI — Describing the Emergency as a dark chapter in the history of post-Independence India, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said memories of the event must be kept alive so that no one can impose dictatorial thoughts on the country.

Addressing an event organised on 50th anniversary of proclamation of Emergency, Shah also said that when it comes to social and national life, such events must be remembered eternally so that the country's youth and adolescents are aware and prepared to resist injustice.

He said the country will never forget the injustice and atrocities committed by the Congress during the Emergency that was proclaimed on this day 50 years ago and hence Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightly decided to observe the day as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'.

The Indira Gandhi government had imposed the Emergency on June 25, 1975. The Modi government observes this day as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'.

"Today, we have gathered here to remember a dark chapter in the history of post-Independence India. We must keep the memories of the Emergency alive so that it is never repeated, and so that the youth of the nation (grow up) cultured and organised.

"It is said that some bad events should be forgotten and this is true too. But when it comes to society and the national life, bad events should be remembered forever...so that their repetition never happens," he said.

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The home minister said Prime Minister Modi took a decision to observe June 25 as the 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' and this name was chosen carefully.

The way the country was turned into a prison, the judiciary was silenced, and the restrictions were imposed on the writers during the Emergency, the entire period must be described with such harsh words, he said.

"To ensure that no individual can ever impose their dictatorial mindset on this country in the future, it is very important to remember the day of imposition of Emergency," he said.

The home minister also released a book 'The Emergency Diaries: Years That Forged a Leader' which is based on first person anecdotes from associates who worked with young Modi, and using other archival material. The book is a first of its kind that creates new scholarship on the formative years of the prime minister.

The book paints a vivid picture of PM Modi fighting for the ideals of democracy and how he has worked all his life to preserve and promote it.

"The book chronicles his experiences as a young activist during the Emergency, a period in which he was actively involved in the movement for 19 months. At that time, secret newspapers were published and PM Modi played a key role in distributing them in marketplaces, among students and to women," he said.

Shah said the story of how a 24-25 years old Modi led a resistance movement in Gujarat is in this book.

"PM Modi worked underground disguised as a sadhu, a sardarji, a hippie, an incense stick seller or a newspaper vendor," he said.

The home minister said a divine justice is taking place as a 25-year-old person (PM Modi), who had opposed Indira Gandhi's dictatorship, has uprooted in 2014 the very reason for which the Emergency was imposed -- the dynastic politics.

"The youth (Modi) who struggled against the dictatorship is now strengthening the roots of democracy in this country," he said.

Shah said in the book, PM Modi describes his participation as a young activist in the movement, led by Jayaprakash Narayan and guided by Nanaji Deshmukh, against the Emergency.

The book describes how Modi visited the homes of MISA detainees, met their families, arranged for medical care, published underground newspapers, and led a struggle in Gujarat.

"I appeal to the youth of the country to read this book. A young person, who fought against dictatorship in his early days, is today, as prime minister, further strengthening the roots of the democracy," he said.

The home minister said many times, history does not merely narrate events, it also reveals intentions and perspectives.

He said Babasaheb Ambedkar along with others drafted the Constitution through discussions.

"All those discussions and consultations were brought to an end by Indira Gandhi with a single sentence, 'The President has declared an emergency'. This one sentence destroyed the entire spirit of the Constitution," he said.

Shah said the entire world knows that there was no threat to the nation's security and the only threat existent then was to the chair of Indira Gandhi and therefore the Emergency was imposed.

The function was also addressed by Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Delhi LG V K Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.