“Emergency isn’t always of the kind that India saw on the night of June 25, 1975, which was imposed by Indira Gandhi. Emergency is also the state when the current vice-president of India, M. Hamid Ansari, is questioned about why he hasn’t participated in Yoga Day,” said Justice Rajinder Sachar (retd.) here on Thursday.
Justice Sachar was speaking at a public meeting held to discuss ‘Emergency in the offing’, on occasion of the Anti-Emergency Day that marks the 40th anniversary of imposition of Emergency in 1975.
The discussion, which also saw the participation of senior journalists like Kuldip Nayar and Seema Mustafa, was organised by organisations such as Janhastakshep, Peoples’ Union For Civil Liberties and Citizens for Democracy.
Kuldip Nayar, who spent three months behind bars during the Emergency, said: “Emergency was a curse. At that time there was fear among those in the press. Nobody was ready to speak. The fourth estate of democracy, the press, suffered immensely.”
“Many people see the danger of Emergency from the Modi government and, undoubtedly, developments are in that direction. We should oppose attacks on religious minorities and minority nationalities who are being targeted today,” said Ish Mishra, convenor of Janhastakshep.
