New Delhi [India], June 26 : BlueKraft Digital Foundation has published a book, "The Emergency Diaries: Years that Forged a Leader". The book delves into the compelling role Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then a young RSS Pracharak, played in the fight against the Emergency.
According to the release, Emergency Diaries - 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. "In the mid-1970s, as India was caught in the iron shackles of the Emergency, Narendra Modi, then a young pracharak of the RSS, found himself on the front lines of a covert resistance against the autocratic regime of Indira Gandhi."
"Based on first person anecdotes from associates who worked with young Modi, and using other archival material, including hitherto unseen letters and photographs, the book is a first of its kind that creates new scholarship on the formative years of a young man who would later on go on to become India's most consequential Prime Minister," press release added.
Home Minister Amit Shah released the book at a function in New Delhi.
"This compelling narrative delves into his untold experiences during one of the darkest periods in Indian democracy. From distributing banned literature to organising undercover meetings, PM Modi's journey during the Emergency offers a unique, ground-level perspective on the struggle against authoritarianism. It's a tale of resilience, ingenuity and relentless commitment to preserving democratic ideals enshrined in our constitution - a testament to how the resolve of thousands of young men like Narendra Modi helped ignite a movement that reshaped a nation's destiny," the release stated.
Prime Minister Modi said that the book will create awareness among the youth of the "shameful time" from 1975 to 1977.
"The Emergency Diaries' chronicles my journey during the Emergency years. It brought back many memories from that time. I call upon all those who remember those dark days of the Emergency or those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media. It will create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977," PM Modi wrote on X.
https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1937713665743917479
As per the release, book narrates Prime Minister Modi's narrow escapes and his unwavering commitment to restoring democracy as he navigates through a landscape of fear and repression. "Drawing from his own memoir, 'Sangharsh Ma Gujarat', and other firsthand accounts, this book not only illuminates a pivotal moment in India's history but also unveils a formative chapter in the life of a leader who would later assume the responsibility of holding the highest office in the world's largest democracy."
Between 25 June 1975 and 21 March 1977, India was placed under a state of Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution. On 25 June 1975, the then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed issued the Emergency proclamation under Article 352, citing threats from internal disturbance. This was the third Emergency in India's history, but the first one declared in peacetime. Earlier proclamations were during wars with China (1962) and Pakistan (1971).