Bhopal, June 25 (IANS) Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Paatil will address the inaugural session of ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’ programme, on Wednesday, being organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Madhya Pradesh unit here to mark the 50 years of ‘Emergency’ imposed by former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi.

The programme will start at 4 p.m. at the BJP headquarters in Bhopal in the presence of state BJP President V.D. Sharma.

On this occasion, the BJP leaders will honour those who were imprisoned under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency period.

During the programme, those who were arrested (MISA bandis) for opposing the Emergency, will address the sessions to share their own experiences in and outside jails in Bhopal and other parts of Madhya Pradesh.

Tapan Bhaumik, one of the MISA bandi, who will be the special guest at BJP’s programme, in brief interaction with IANS, said that he was only 16-years-old when the Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975.

Bhaumik said that he along with some others were arrested by the police and were taken to the Habibganj police station.

He recalled that when they were released from jail on March 21, 1976, people of Bhopal gave them a rousing welcome, which was a “healing balm” for torture they had faced.

The group then decided to join the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bhaumik added.

The imposition of Emergency was a turning point in Indian politics as the citizens of the country experienced darkest days of democracy between June 25, 1975, which remained in place for 21 months till its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.

The Emergency was imposed just days after Indira Gandhi was convicted by the Allahabad High Court for electoral malpractice in a case filed by socialist leader Raj Narain, who challenged her victory from the Raebareli Lok Sabha seat.

The conviction led to Indira Gandhi’s disqualification as a Member of Parliament and the Emergency allowed her to continue as the Prime Minister.

The oppressive MISA was passed during the Emergency period.

There was large-scale suspension of fundamental rights for the citizenry, detention and arrest of opposition leaders and critics, and press censorship.

–IANS

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