A seminar titled “Emergency@50” was organised in Kochi on January 19, 2025, by the Kochi International Book Festival (KIBF). The event aimed to educate the younger generation about the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. It focused on how the Emergency was imposed, how it defaced and defiled the country’s Constitution, and the atrocities unleashed across the nation. The seminar also shed light on the Lok Sabha elections declared by Indira Gandhi, her subsequent defeat, and the rise of the Janata Party regime.
The seminar was inaugurated by Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai. He reminisced about the dark days of the Emergency and shared his own experiences from that time. He spoke about the anti-Emergency Satyagraha batch he led as a law student, risking his ambition of becoming a lawyer. He emphasized that the Emergency should never be repeated and criticized the hypocrisy of those who now brandish copies of the Constitution in and outside Parliament, despite having defiled its rules and laws during the Emergency. He pointed out that human rights were utterly buried during that time. Referring to Rahul Gandhi, he remarked on the irony of a leader from the same Congress party wearing the mask of a human rights activist today. He also suggested examining those who supported the Gandhian model of non-violent Satyagraha against the Emergency now, in the 50th year of its declaration.
Socialist leader and senior lawyer Adv. Thampan Thomas, former MP (Lok Sabha) and former national president of Hind Mazdoor Sabha, spoke on the occasion. He shared his experiences during the Emergency, including his midnight arrest and life as a MISA detainee. He recounted how he utilized his jail term to read epics and classic books, thanks to his close association in jail with P. Parameswaran, a veteran RSS Pracharak, former national vice-president of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, former director of the Deendayal Research Institute and Bharatiya Vichara Kendram (Kerala Chapter of Prajna Pravah) and former President of Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari. He also shared his close association with co-detainees who were senior RSS functionaries.
Adv. Dr. Sebastian Paul, former MP (Lok Sabha) and MLA, also addressed the gathering. He spoke about the anti-democratic Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi and how it shattered the values of democracy.
During the inaugural ceremony, five prominent women were honoured for their sacrifices during the struggle to restore democracy. These women and their families had suffered immensely—some were brutally beaten and jailed, while others lost their normal lives due to their families’ involvement in the anti-Emergency struggle. The honourees were V.I. Mayadevi, Lalita R. Prakash, Santa Nandakumar Pai, Latika Vijayan, and Ambika Shaji Vennikkolil.
During the one-day seminar, ten papers on the Emergency were presented by resource persons. The list of papers and presenters is as follows:
- “The World’s Autocrats” by Adv. P. Krishnadas.
- “Emergency – What and How” by Senior Advocate Sanalkumar.
- “Democracy During Emergency” by Dr. C.M. Joy, Prof. R. Dhanyalakshmi, K. Sasidharan, and T.S. Linesh.
- “Intellectuals and Emergency” by Adv. P.L. Babu.
- “Youth’s Role in Anti-Emergency Agitation” by Adv. Shikha N.P.
- “Emergency: Reflections in Malayalam Literature” by Dr. M.P. Bindu.
- “Dynasties in Democracy” by Dr. M.P. Sukumaran Nair and Dr. Vinodkumar Kallolikkal.
- “Emergency and Constitution” by Adv. K.V. Sabu.
- “Role of National Movements in Anti-Emergency Agitation” by M. Mohanan and Dr. Vandana Balakrishnan.
- “Kerala and Bharat After Emergency” by Adv. K. Ramkumar and L. Vinod.
Since 1997, the Kochi International Book Festival (KIBF) has been operational in Kochi. It was launched in connection with the Golden Jubilee celebrations of India’s independence. Since January 1997, KIBF has been organizing exemplary book exhibitions in Kochi and various parts of the state every December. Intellectual seminars, cultural programs, and various art forms are integral parts of the 10-day exhibition each year. A three-day Literary Fest is also a significant feature of the festival.
Last year, KIBF organized a similar seminar in connection with the centenary of the legendary Vaikom Satyagraha, which was launched to secure the rights of OBC and scheduled caste people to walk through the roads surrounding the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple and for temple entry. Mahatma Gandhi and Sree Narayana Gurudev had blessed that non-violent agitation. This year, the annual souvenir will feature the papers presented at the seminar on “Emergency@50.”
T. Satisan, senior journalist, associated with Organiser and Panchajanya weekly, who was an RSS functionary during the Emergency, and a senate member of Goa University, introduced the respected women before they were honoured. J. Vinod proposed the vote of thanks.
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