By Biman Basu
Thirty nine years back in the midnight of 25th
June in 1975 internal emergency was imposed on our country. This declaration of
internal emergency was totally uncalled for because there was no invasion of
foreign enemies, nor there was such situation which could not be solved through
constitutionally approved democratic system.
The look back through pages of history will reveal that the
livelihood of the common people became tough from the early seventies. The
economic development became stagnant and the Government could not find it
possible to create employment for the lakhs of aspirant youth. The gap between
rich and poor was on the rise. ‘Garibi hatao’ (elimination of poverty) was the
slogan of Mrs. Indira Gandhi during the 5th Lok Sabha elections in
1971 and she promised development, increase in employment and price control of
the essential commodities. Congress won 352 seats out of total 518 in that
election to get clear majority. Mrs. Gandhi travelled entire country in the
election campaign to win the confidence of the people and to create record for
her party. But people became disillusioned within only three to four years.
This loss of people’s confidence brought out the autocratic nature of Mrs.
Gandhi. Like other dictatorial rulers she imposed emergency without considering
democratic practices just to establish absolute control of power. The arrest of
the opposition political leaders started from the midnight of 25th
June in 1975 but no minister of the Central cabinet utter single word on that.
Gradually more than one lakh opposition political leaders and activists were
sent behind the bars.
In a democratic country like India it was not at all
necessary to arrest the opposition political leaders to teach them a lesson.
Recalling of the speech of veteran CPI (M) leader A.K. Gopalan which he
delivered in the Lok Sabha on 21st July of 1975 will reflect the
situation very well. He said – ''I am speaking in an unnatural and severe
situation when 34 members of Parliament are not here. They are not absent
because they wanted to but they are not here because they are behind the bars
without trial. Mrs. Gandhi and her party have made the house a matter of farce
and contempt. I too was in the jail and got release only a week back. Jyotirmoy
Basu is known to you all. Nurul Huda is another member of our party. I am an
old man and cannot shout much. I have been released but those two still are in
jail. The motive is very clear. I am not scared of jail because I was behind
the bars for 17 years of last 45 years. But I cannot forget the inhuman
treatment on me for two days. I had to declare hunger strike. Finally I send
telegram to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and that might have changed the
situation …
''The internal emergency was imposed not due to any external
threat but the real causes were ruling of the Allahabad high court, verdict against
Congress in the Gujarat Assembly elections, Indira Gandhi’s denial of stepping
down from the Prime Ministership before the final ruling of the Supreme Court
and mass discontent against Congress Government. The mass discontent took shape
because of deep crisis of Indian economy and adoption of Capitalist mode of
development which made the rich richer and the poor became poorer...
''The imposition of emergency clearly showed that the
Government initiated anti-people measures. All the democratic practices were
abolished. Fundamental rights conferred through the Indian Constitution became
paralyzed. Constitutional provisions given through article 14 and 22 were kept
on halt. Bills were moved for further curtailment of Constitutional rights. All
the power was centralized by the Prime Ministers without even taking into
account the Constitutional provisions.
Amendment of the Constitution became frequent affair. And the same
status of every citizen in front of law also became not mandatory. Government
administration started all sorts of discrimination. The administration did not
find necessary to produce several of the arrested persons to the court, they
suppressed whom they actually have arrested and where they have kept them..."
The BJP Government under the leadership of Narendra Modi has
been formed in the center with clear majority due to illusion among several
poor people especially the young generation.
RSS is the life blood of BJP and that fanatic Hindu fundamentalist force
is playing the key role in Modi’s Government. They have come to power by
promising good days but we have to wait to see how they react to people’s wrath
after failing to minimize the discontent among common people and failure to
create scopes for employment. The communal threat has been increased in the country
with their entry in the helm of affairs. We have to be cautious enough so that
they cannot divert people’s attention after failing to bring any paradigmatic
shift. We should also not forget that it was none other than Trinamool Congress
who brought them in West Bengal.
Since the Assembly elections in West Bengal attacks have
been unleashed on the leaders and activists of the democratic movements by the
police administration and hoodlums backed by the ruling party to prohibit
movements based on people’s demands. False and fabricated cases are being
initiated against the leaders and activists of the democratic movements. Arrest
warrants are being issued against them who could not be arrested. Attacks on
the houses of Left Front activists, looting, arson, terrorization and attacks
on livelihood have been taking place extensively. Cattle, poultry, fishes in
ponds, agricultural produce and seeds also have been looted. About 27300
farmers, agricultural laborers and share croppers have been ejected and
deprived of their right of land. Near about 50000 persons have been evicted
from their own houses. 157 Left leaders, activists and supporters have lost
their lives in attacks by hoodlums nakedly backed by the ruling party. Thousands
of Left activists have been forced to live with injury. All these have been
happening in a state where emergency has not been imposed but still the ruling
party is trying to trample the voice of the opposition. But it is impossible to
terrorize the people for a long time. Movements have to be launched by all of
us for resurrection of democracy and democratic right in the state and for that
close connection with common people has to be reinforced by taking lessons from
history. We must overcome this suffocating atmosphere of terror with confident
note of people’s movement. We don’t have any other alternative.
Communists and Leftists never surrender. The hoodlums of the
ruling party will try to sustain terror-driven atmosphere but isolate them from
people and reduce their strength is not at all impossible. The united strength
of working class and all other poor sections of the society is quite capable of
dislodging them. The call of the hour is to mark protest against all single
attacks in every localities and launch movements. Communists and Leftists may
take attack or lose lives but ultimately victory awaits them. We shall not
forget that the devils could never make history; in the contrary it is always
made by the invincible people.
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