PM Modi's 'Secret Meetings' During The Emergency: Excerpts From ‘The Emergency Diaries’

On the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a new book that offers a deeply personal window into one of the most controversial chapters in India's history. Titled 'The Emergency Diaries', the book captures his experience during the 21-month-long suspension of civil liberties that began in June 1975.

The book was released on Wednesday by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Published by BlueKraft Digital Foundation, 'The Emergency Diaries' draws from firsthand testimonies of those who stood by Modi during those turbulent years, supplemented with archival records and rare insights. It aims to shed light on how that era shaped the Prime Minister's political convictions and leadership journey.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi shared, "‘The Emergency Diaries’ chronicles my journey during the Emergency years. It brought back many memories from that time. I call upon all those who remember those dark days of the Emergency or those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media. It will create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977."

He added that such stories would help awaken today's youth to the reality of what he described as a "shameful time" in Indian history — the Emergency period from 1975 to 1977. He said press freedom was stifled, Opposition voices were jailed, and constitutional rights were curtailed under then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's regime.

Secret Meetings And Modi's Role During Emergency

The book captures personal accounts of those close to Modi during the Emergency. Here's one of them:

Nagar Bhai Chavda, a volunteer of the Sangh for a long time, elaborated, “I remember an incident from the days of the Emergency. The Sangh was working secretly, and meetings were organised in the guise of ‘Chandan ka Karyakram’. We would tell each other that there is ‘Chandan ka Karyakram’ at some Swayamsevak’s home. It meant that Swayamsevaks would gather at a home to prepare the strategies for the Sangh’s activities over breakfast. Modi introduced us to these terms.”

Meetings were usually held at the homes of karyakartas. Modi carefully selected the houses where the meetings would be held. The choice of these houses was made with great discretion. When choosing these houses, he ensured that, in the event of a police raid, a clear escape strategy was in place. He also instructed the karyakartas on what actions to take during such raids. Modi’s steps indicate how meticulously he planned for any situation, outlining detailed plans to navigate even the most challenging circumstances. For example, during the Emergency days, Modi would only stay in houses with two or more exit routes.
When selecting houses in Vadodara, Prabhakar Vyas recalled an incident from the Emergency days and said, “There were two doors in my house. One faced the front, and the other door opened into the field. If the police ever came searching for me, Modi would exit through the back door, and no one would know.”

Piyush Gandhi, a retired government lawyer from Godhra, witnessed Narendra Modi’s careful consideration of details. Recounting an incident from those days, he said, “A secret meeting was organized at a house, where Modi was also present. The police received information about the meeting and arrived at the location. The host was worried, but Modi remained composed and assured him that the area had been selected carefully. He reassured the people there, saying, ‘Before selecting this house for the meeting, I had already made the plan beforehand. I know that this house has four doors, so even if the police come through one or two doors, we can easily escape.’’’ Conveniently, one of the doors opened onto the street where the local office of the Sangh was located.

Prakash Mehta, a Sangh worker from Gujarat, recounted, “Narendra Modi used to come at odd hours, sometimes in the morning and sometimes at night. He had a distinctive approach to work. During the Emergency, a secret Sangh meeting was held at my house; Modi was one of the attendees. When he reached the meeting room, he noticed that the shoes and slippers outside the door were arranged in a very neat manner. He walked into the meeting room and stated that the government had imposed a ban on all meetings. Since the shoes and slippers were arranged so neatly outside, anyone could easily infer that a Sangh meeting was happening. He warned that the police could come anytime, so it was essential to scatter the shoes and slippers in a disorganized manner.”

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