Emergency: Internal emergency was clamped in the country on the night of 25 June 1975. Emergency is a serious, unexpected and potentially dangerous situation needing immediate action. It is very difficult to say, whether, the emergency declared by Indira Gandhi in 1975 was good or bad. Her election to the parliament in 1971 from Rai Bareilly was declared null and void by Allahabad High Court on 12 June 1975 and the judgement was upheld by the supreme court on 24 June 1975. Indira Gandhi had the option to resign after the judgement of the supreme court, in keeping with the highest traditions of the rule of law. In that case, there would not have been any need for the imposition of emergency. Looking to the other side of the coin, with the popular upsurge, after the general elections of 1971 and triumph in the Bangla Desh War in December 1971, the popularity of Indira Gandhi had soared up to the the peak. During the following years, a number of natural and manmade factors led to the gradual slide in the popularity of Indira Gandhi. That was the time, when rallies, agitations and demonstrations were picked up by frustrated politicians, who freely exploited the expectations and miseries of the people, ultimately leading to a call to everybody, including government servants, police and army personnel for civil disobedience and non-cooperation with the government. Next election was in any way, due in 1976. If the opposition had the patience to wait for some time, they had a reasonable opportunity to displace the government in 1976 and emergency could have been avoided. Emergency is just like a tool. It is neither good nor bad. It all depends, on how it is used and who uses it. If a short spell of emergency is used for toning up things, it is useful. However, if emergency leads to unbridled concentration of power, it has the potential to inflict untold damage to most of the institutions, which provide a sense of assurance to the people, in a civilized society.
Democracy: Democracy is all about people. And the word people is supposed to include all the people, cutting through all the barriers of caste, creed and religion and social, economic and political considerations. Democracy is about a social order, where everybody has sufficient opportunities for socially productive work and has the freedom to utilize his talents, physical capabilities and resources for the satisfaction of his urges, aspirations and inclinations. Democracy provides ample space for everybody for the realization of his dreams, be they intellectuals, capitalists, workers or farmers. Democracy makes it possible for everybody to have his own pie and helps in the development of a congenial environment, so that, everybody has the freedom to shape it and expand it. Democracy is about enjoying the fruits of one’s labour in a free and unfettered manner, without any fear and outside hassles. In a democracy, people stand together, work together, shoulder to shoulder and feel concerned for each other and for the welfare of the community and for the growth and development of the country. Democracy encourages unity in diversity. There are no class conflicts between rich and poor and labour and capital. Democracy dismantles all man made barriers between man and man based on social, economic and political considerations or affinities based on caste, creed and religion.
Curtailment of individual freedom under the garb of emergency is a negation of all that, the democracy stands for and is not in the long term interests of the country or the people. At the same time, agitations, demonstrations and disruptions lead to anarchy, with considerable sufferings to the people and the country.
Days after emergency: There were wide spread arrests of political leaders, immediately after the promulgation of emergency. All voices of dissent were curbed. People did not have any inkling about what was to follow and apparently, it seemed that, there was all quiet and subdued silence, almost everywhere. Those were the days, when I assumed charge of the office of the Director of Technical Education of Rajasthan on 5 July 1975. Soon after, I was reminded that, I had a previous commitment for delivering a talk at Rotary Club of Jodhpur in the evening. Emergency was not a comfortable subject at that time and when the members of the Rotary Club were told that the subject of my talk was “Our duties as citizens during the present emergency,” there were muffled voices and mixed reactions from the members. Rotarian Kishan Chand Bhatia, a past president of the club introduced me to the members. The following transcript of my talk printed in Bulletin No 5 dated 5 July 1975 of Rotary Club of Jodhpur, reflects my reactions and feelings about the emergency during that period:
Our duties as citizens during the present emergency
Man cherishes freedom. Since, times immemorial, the story of man is the story of his sacrifices and struggles for the maintenance of his hearth, home and identity. Ironically, man has developed a social system, known as civilization, which envisages orderly social behaviour and consequently, substantial curtailment of his individual freedom, in exchange for common good, social security and orderly ways of life.
But for some short spells, the common man has not received a fair deal in the country for the last 2000 years. Last 1000 years have been particularly bleak and are full of foreign invasions, alien domination, exploitation of the masses and social insecurity. Mahatma Gandhi was the first political leader, who awakened the masses and made them conscious of their rights. Swedeshi became the symbol of economic regeneration, through available resources. Non-co-operation and civil disobedience provided powerful tools of passive residence. Popular leadership, discipline and individual sacrifice transformed this nation of under-clad and under-fed millions into a powerful force, which, ultimately challenged the British rule.
Sarvodaya is another symbol of orderly social behaviour and mutual co-operation. In a Sarvodaya society, every individual is supposed to be so enlightened, that, no rules, regulations or laws are needed to govern him. The individual puts in his best productive effort, retains the minimum for the satisfaction of his needs and voluntarily makes available his talents and surplus material resources for the benefit and uplift of the community. This social ideal incorporates the best, that, is available in the political systems of the east and the west.
During the last thirty years, the country has made tremendous material progress. Dams, powerhouses, industries, communications, education and research have provided the nation with technological capabilities, which rank among the best in the world. The common man has all along been in the mind, but, he has not been able to share in a reasonable manner, the fruits of freedom and economic prosperity. Indians as individuals have great personal qualities. Contributions of migrated Indians all over the world, including advanced countries like USA, UK and Germany, are an ample testimony of their talent and efforts. India is a great country. It is a mini-world. If we could discipline ourselves as a nation and could put in, all that we have in terms of material and economic resources, in a joint co-operative effort and could direct it for common good, the stagnation can disappear and the wheels of progress can lead us to an era of plenty and prosperity for all.
The present emergency is nothing but a special drive for greater discipline, greater effort greater productivity and a sense of attachment for all those people, who have remained neglected so far. Let all of us, particularly the Rotarians, who are leaders of the community in their own fields, pick up this opportunity to put in their best effort to make this country better than, what it is today.
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