On the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reflected on the dark chapter in India’s democratic history, calling it a moment that reaffirmed the need to protect democracy at all costs.
Recalling his time as a young RSS volunteer during the Emergency in 1975, PM Modi announced a new book titled The Emergency Diaries: Years that Forged a Leader, published by BlueKraft Digital Foundation. The book recounts Modi’s underground work during that time and how it helped shape his political and ideological journey.
“The anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience for me. It reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework,” Modi said.
“I am glad BlueKraft has compiled these experiences in a book. The foreword is written by HD Deve Gowda, a respected voice from that era,” he added.
The book, according to its description, is based on first-hand accounts from people who worked alongside a young Modi, along with archival material, offering rare insights into his formative years. It portrays Modi’s role in resisting the Emergency and defending democratic values.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release the book later today. Speaking on the occasion, Shah described the Emergency as the “Age of Injustice” and blamed it on the “power-hungry mentality” of the Congress.
“Freedom of the press was crushed, the judiciary was shackled, and thousands of activists were jailed. But the people fought back and overthrew the dictatorship,” Shah said.
He noted that the Modi government has designated June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Constitution Murder Day) to remind the younger generation of the suppression and resistance during those 21 months of Emergency.
The Emergency, declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975, suspended civil liberties, jailed political opponents, and heavily censored the press — making it one of the most controversial periods in Indian democracy.
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