Union Home Minister Amit Shah today released a book ‘The Emergency Diaries-Years that forged a leader’ in New Delhi. The book delves into the compelling role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then a young RSS Pracharak, played in the fight against Emergency. The book paints a vivid picture of Mr Modi fighting for the ideals of democracy. Mr. Shah launched the book during an event Samvidhan Hatya Diwas 2025 marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency.
During the event, the Union Home Minister flagged off the Loktantra Zindabad Yatra. The yatra will travel across the country with the aim to spread awareness about constitutional values, democratic rights, and the lessons learned from the Emergency.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Shah highlighted the atrocities faced by the people during the emergency. He pointed out that all must keep the memories of the emergency alive so that it is never being repeated. Referring to Mr. Modi’s fight against emergency, Mr. Shah said, a 25-year-old boy opposed Indira Gandhi’s dictatorship at that time and today the same person, in 2014, uprooted the reason for which the emergency was imposed. He said the reason was dynasty politics. He said, the youth who struggled against the dictatorship is now strengthening the roots of democracy in this country.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashvini Vaishnaw said that the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas serves as an opportunity to remember the courageous warriors who fought back against dictatorship and censorship during the Emergency in 1975. Mr Vaishnaw noted, the emergency will always remain the darkest chapter in Indian democracy where citizens’ fundamental rights were trampled and all the four pillars of Indian democracy were attacked. Pointing towards the press censorship during the period, the union Minister said that the then Congress government did everything in its power to silence criticism and hide news and information.
Earlier, in a social media post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the book ‘The Emergency Diaries’ chronicles his journey during the Emergency years. The Prime Minister said that he was the young RSS Pracharak when the Emergency was imposed. Mr. Modi noted that the anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience for him. He said that it reaffirmed the vitality of preserving India’s democratic framework and at the same time, he got to learn a lot from people across the political spectrum. He urged all those who remember the dark days of the Emergency and those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media. Mr. Modi further said that it will create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977.
