‘Stripped, tortured, denied medicine in jail during Emergency’

Looking back at the Emergency on its 50th anniversary, city residents, who opposed its imposition back in 1975, spoke to The Tribune about the time when the police and jail authorities turned tormentors for them. The memories are still fresh in the minds of these leaders from Chandigarh who were booked under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and subjected to torture and humiliation at local police stations and the Burail Jail.

Was arrested for throwing posters at then Cong chief Dev Kant Barooh: Ramlal Gupta

Recalling the horror, Ramlal Gupta, an advocate, said he was arrested by the police while he was leading a protest march against then Congress president Dev Kant Barooh.

He said the party held an All-India Congress Committee meeting in Mohali, adding, “There was a strong push for one party rule in the country. Barooh also came to attend the meeting and gave the slogan ‘Indira is India and India is Indira’.”

Gupta, who was the general secretary of the Jan Sangh at the time, said he was given the responsibility to oppose the visit. He decided to lead the protest. When the march led by Barooh reached the Sector 23-22 light point, he threw posters at Barooh. Believing it to be a bomb, the Congress men asked the police to arrest him.

He was taken to the police station, stripped and tortured by the cops. He was again arrested from a town near Bathinda. “Those were the darkest days of Indian history and memories of oppression are still fresh in my mind,” he said.

Surinder Mahajan

Surinder Mahajan said he fought against the Emergency as he considered it his duty towards Bharat Mata. After the imposition of the Emergency, he and Ratti Ram Goyal held the first Satyagraha in Chandigarh on July 15, 1975, as part of the Lok Sangharsh Samiti’s agitation.

He raised slogans and was arrested. His father, Ram Chand Mahajan, and brothers, former Chandigarh BJP president Yashpal Mahajan and Hira Lal Mahajan, were also arrested along with him and remained in jail.

He was again arrested on December 5, 1975, along with Chadra Mohan Chadha and Ram Gopal, under MISA. He, like countless others, remained in jail till the Emergency was lifted.

Jatinder Chopra

Jatinder Chopra, 86, was also arrested under MISA along with Manchanda, Ravinder Sehgal and Surinder Ahuja. He was the general secretary of the Jan Sangh and arrested on the day the Emergency was imposed. He remained in the jail for 19 months.

Desh Raj Tandon

Senior BJP leader Desh Raj Tandon, 92, said he was the general secretary of the Jan Sangh at the time the Emergency was imposed.

The first warrant of arrest under MISA was issued against him in Chandigarh. He was given the responsibility to oppose the Emergency while remaining outside jail.

For two months after the imposition of the Emergency by the Congress government, Tandon played hide-and-seek with the police. The cops and the CID were harassing his family. Finally, he was arrested after two months and remained in the jail till the Emergency was lifted. His family suffered a lot.

Interestingly, he was arrested on his marriage anniversary on August 27, 1975. He was humiliated in jail and denied even basic needs like medicine.

Chandigarh