The 1975 Emergency was a dark chapter in Indian history. When Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a state of emergency in the country on the night of June 25, 1975, one of the first organisations to be banned was the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was the largest of the organisations that were outlawed during the emergency. On July 4, 1975, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was banned. The central government led by Indira Gandhi banned RSS on July 4, 1975, and RSS chief (Sarsanghchalak) Balasaheb Deoras was taken into custody on June 30, 1975, at Nagpur railway station.
Then, the houses of RSS Swayamsevak became special places for the underground movement. Not only did the RSS volunteers and functionaries find a place there, but the houses of the swayamsevaks became reliable havens for leaders and activists of political parties other than RSS. And these cover-ups began just a few days after Indira Gandhi imposed the emergency. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared an emergency on June 25, 1975. Overnight, efforts to bring down a parliamentary democracy of 700 million people to individualism and make it loyal have not gone unnoticed. People’s fundamental rights were taken away. Newspapers, radio TV, and the voice of the press were suppressed, the Lok Sabha was crippled, and the judiciary was made obedient. Within two days of the imposition of emergency on June 27, the RSS chief urged the swayamsevaks to organise people across the country considering the impending situation. The call was not only for the RSS Swayamsevaks but also for the whole nation.
At that time, the houses of Swamsevaks had become a small printing press. During the emergency, various monthly, fortnightly magazines were published nationwide to portray the oppressed, deprived, common people. Small newspapers and bulletins are published in different districts under the initiative of swayamsevaks in the district. A bulletin called ‘Satya Samachar’ started coming out from Delhi. These newspapers and magazines analysed farmers, workers, women, teachers, student journalists, and industrialists. Prominent journalists and newspapers abroad also sent news of despotism against Indians. Some of these newspapers were Newsweek, The New York Times, etc., used to report on the government’s repression.
In 1975, the last week of October, the Commonwealth Conference was held in New Delhi. The government aimed to show that the people supported the emergency and that the country had a free life.
Some of the opponents were also invited to the Commonwealth Conference in accordance with the convention’s policy. The opposition delegation here staged a massive protest against the emergency, and most of the protesters were RSS swayamsevaks. During the 42nd constitutional amendment, the government allowed limited negotiations. And that was a great opportunity to protest. The state district block received a great response from people at all levels. The RSS Swamsevaks then went door-to-door not only to the swayamsevaks but also to the entire people as much including possible of the poor workers of other political parties. The organisation skill that the RSS had shown across the country while hiding, despite so many obstacles from the government, the island of faith in democracy in the people’s minds was a cause of hope.
More than 100,000 of the 1,30,000 Satyagrahis who took up the Satyagraha during the emergency were from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. More than 25,000 of the 30,000 people imprisoned under Misa were Sangh volunteers.
It was extremely difficult to do these things while standing in the opposite position of the government. At that time, the swayamsevaks had to endure many hardships. Many swayamsevaks quit their job and shut down businesses. Education in many disciplines is also disrupted. Despite so many difficulties, swayamsevaks led the entire movement. Jails in all parts of the country were filled with swayamsevaks. During the emergency, 100 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh workers were sacrificed, most in captivity and some outside. Shri Pandurang Kshirsagar, the head of the Sangh’s All India Management team, was among them. (Kratiroop Sangh Darshan, p. 492)
Surprisingly, despite so many atrocities and obstacles, the swayamsevaks have not forgotten Indian culture and tolerance even inside the jail. On the one hand, it was done to unite people outside the jail and build solidarity among them. Similarly, efforts were made to maintain the same courage and solidarity inside the jail. Sports, literature, yoga, wrestling, music, bhajans, first aid, homoeopathy treatment, etc., were discussed inside the jail. Many of those arrested while performing Satyagraha were proficient in various arts and sciences. Those who were wrestlers created entertainment in jail through wrestling. Someone who knew music would make his teammates happy through music. At that time, these were very useful in maintaining mental strength in the face of the intolerable atrocities and tortures of the government.
The news of the emergency was not only known by Indians, but also the news of the plight of Indians during the emergency reached the people worldwide. In this case, too, swayamsevaks played a leading role in delivering news to news agencies in different countries outside India.
There has been a lot of evidence that even if a bad thing is forced, it cannot be made for the long term. And the emergency was a serious injustice imposed on people; it wasn’t long, just 21 months and then the people’s verdict came through elections, and the Indira Gandhi government fell.
It is clear from the words of various newspapers and prominent people that RSS played a major role in the emergency.
On June 9, 1979, the notable socialist and one of the leaders of the August movement of 1942, Achyut Patwardhan, wrote in The Indian Express, “I am pleased to learn that the volunteers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, as well as any other group of political resistance, Were willing to openly collaborate and support those who opposed emergency and can work with enthusiasm and integrity, against the diabolical regime that resorts to blatant repression and lies,” Shri AK Gopalan – became emotional as well. “There must be some high ideal giving them indomitable courage for such a heroic act and sacrifice,” he had said. (Reference:- June 9, 1979, Indian Express)
“The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is particularly noteworthy among the sections that have done this work with fearless dedication,” MC Subramaniam wrote.
On the one hand, when the RSS swayamsevaks were tortured for 21 months during the emergency, on the other hand, they also played a major role in restoring democratic rights. They didn’t stop for once. They stopped only when they achieved the goal, after ending 21 months of torture.
Following the immortal quote of Swami Vivekananda, “Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached”, swayamsevaks fought for truth and justice.
