Reflecting on the 'Horrors of the Emergency': 50 Years Later

On Tuesday, leaders from the RSS and BJP gathered to commemorate the eve of the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Emergency, imposed by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The event, organized by Citizens for Social Justice, saw prominent figures like former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and RSS thinker S Gurumurthy reflect on that draconian period.

Yediyurappa condemned the curtailment of civil liberties and citizens' rights during the Emergency, stating that Indira Gandhi had sacrificed the Constitution for power. This era saw the suppression of fundamental rights, freedom of the press, judicial independence, and public rights, he noted, drawing parallels to Hitlerite misrule.

As economist S Gurumurthy addressed the audience, he criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's recent post-election victory declarations to uphold the Constitution, pointing out the irony given his grandmother's actions during the Emergency. Artist Krishna Shetty also recounted the lesser-known hardships faced by political prisoners during those times, emphasizing the enduring impact on Indian democracy.

(With inputs from agencies.)