Guwahati: Attending a meeting on the declaration of emergency, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma commented that those who resisted the declaration and endured intolerable pain and sacrificed immensely to strengthen the democratic spirit will remain as a source of inspiration for the present generation. Over 300 Loktantra Senanis and their relatives were also felicitated in the program.
Sarma said that in Indian democracy, the day when emergency was clamped has been regarded as very significant. Hence 25 June 1975 is considered as a black day. On this day, based on the recommendation of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declared emergency. It’s identified as a dark day because it flouted all democratic principles and norms.
However, braving the high handedness of Indira Gandhi, lakhs of Indians raised their voices for subverting democracy and in return they ended up in prisons. In Assam too, thousands of people stood against the despotism of Ms Gandhi and jumped on the street to show their resentment for imposing the emergency. He said that it was because of the stiff resistance of the staunch believer of democracy, after a period of one year and nine months, democracy was restored (on 21 March 1977).
Sarma added that the Loktantra Senanis fought hard for the return of democracy. On the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, Assam decided to felicitate those heroes. The cabinet meeting on 19 April decided to pay a monthly pension of Rs 15 thousand to Loktantra Senanis, who served imprisonment for demonstrating against emergency. In the event of death of a Loktantra Senani, his/her spouse or unmarried daughter will be entitled to the monthly pension.
He also asserted that in the name of national security, Ms Gandhi used the emergency to act against the forces which she believed to be inimical to her. During the emergency, newspapers were also gagged and the then Congress government arrested several people in the State and sent them to jails. State ministers Ranjeet Kumar Dass, Atul Bora, Keshab Mahanta, Chandra Mohan Patowary, Parimal Suklabaidya, Ashok Singhal, Parliamentarian Queen Oja along with Lok Tantra Senani and their family members were present in the meeting which was organsied at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in the city.
Loktantra Senanis felicitated in Assam
