Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 25 : With the aim of commemorating the dark chapter of the Emergency period in India, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday took part in a Mock Parliament event organised by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and BJP Mahila Morcha at the Bhogeswari Phukanani Indoor Stadium in Guwahati.
The 21 months of Emergency are known for forced mass sterilisations, press censorship, suspension of constitutional rights and centralisation of power.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma stated that it is imperative for the new generation of India to commemorate the Emergency every year to ensure that such events are never repeated.
He emphasised that it is the responsibility of the youth to understand and reflect upon the widespread atrocities committed during the 21 months of the Emergency.
Referring to the proclamation of Emergency on 25 June 1975 without cabinet approval, he remarked that it inflicted a severe blow to the nation's conscience. He further pointed out that the Supreme Court's judgement during the Emergency allowed even the suspension of Article 21, which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty, thereby enabling the government to arrest and detain individuals without judicial oversight and absolving the state of accountability even in cases of custodial deaths.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the Shah Commission Report and various historical documents related to that period are now publicly accessible and should be studied by the younger generation.
He also stated that history demonstrates how, in times of chaos and oppression, conscientious groups and individuals have emerged in response. Citing the Navnirman Andolan in Gujarat as a significant movement against Indira Gandhi's regime, he said that it eventually expanded into a nationwide movement under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan.
He further acknowledged leaders such as Morarji Desai, Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, George Fernandes, and Nanaji Deshmukh, who resisted the Emergency, endured imprisonment, and ultimately compelled Indira Gandhi to withdraw the Emergency.
Dr Sarma expressed hope that during this Mock Parliament, participants would reflect on the fact that the Emergency lacked both legal and moral justification. He also recalled that numerous individuals made significant sacrifices to end the Emergency and restore democracy in the country, with leaders from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Jan Sangh playing a vital role in countering Indira Gandhi's authoritarianism.
Referring to a leader from that era who had sworn to protect the Constitution, the Chief Minister remarked that it was the same individual's family that subsequently imposed the Emergency. He noted that, unlike other instances in history where perpetrators expressed regret - such as the British over the Jallianwala Bagh massacre or US Presidents visiting Hiroshima to acknowledge the atomic bombings, the Congress party has never issued an apology for the Emergency.
He concluded by stating that the party responsible for the Emergency should apologise to the nation for undermining its democratic values and should pledge that such an event would never be repeated in the future.
Assam State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party and MP Dilip Saikia, State President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha Rakesh Das, State President of the BJP Mahila Morcha Swapna Bania, along with several party officials and other dignitaries, also took part in the Mock Parliament.