Emergency Excesses

The wounds of emergency, even after four decades are as fresh as ever. Large scale arrests of the vocal leaders of the opposition parties including equally large scale arrests of the prominent congress leaders like Morarji Desai, Chandrasekhar, Bhimsen Sachar, Krishan Kant, Mohan Dharia was a real blow to the democracy of India. The innocent people of our country were suddenly plunged into gloom of censorship, incarceration in dungeons without even the elementary right to know the hows and whys of their arrest. The period of emergency brought untold misery and hardships to the innocent family members of those who had been detained in various jails of the country. On the other hand Indira Gandhi arranged made-to-order audience shouting slogans in her favour: lathi goli khayengay, Indira ko bachyengay. After the nine judges bench of the Supreme Court has over-ruled ADM Jabalpur Judgment upholding the minority judgment of Justice H.R. Khanna, the author has come out with a second revised edition of his earlier book on emergency, published by Regency Publications. The revised edition of the book contains 28 chapters, and 3 Annexures. The chapters of the revised edition cover almost all aspects, including the call for a total revolution by the Lok Nayak which ultimately culminated in the restoration of the democratic institutions destroyed by Indira Gandhi. The book covers the bogey of committed judiciary, supersession of three Supreme Court Judges, bringing poll expenses ordinance to dilute the Allahabad High Court judgment, as also the role of judges who were virtually working under fear and pressure. The relevant portion of nine judges bench judgment dealing with ADM Jabalpur case is also a part of the book. The book is a must for every shelf particularly for those who cherish freedom of expression, democracy and rule of law. The book deserves to be prescribed for the students of law, politics and history.