Nation Observes 50th Anniversary of Emergency: When Indira Gandhi Claimed Only She Could Handle It

Update: 2025-06-24 12:14 GMT
Nation Observes 50th Anniversary of Emergency: When Indira Gandhi Claimed Only She Could Handle It
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Fifty years ago, on the morning of June 26, 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the nation on All India Radio, declaring, “The President has proclaimed an Emergency. There is no need to panic.”

At that time, I was working with The Searchlight, on the morning shift from 8 AM to 2 PM.

Surprisingly, the head of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) in Bihar, who frequently visited our newsroom during the JP movement to collect press releases and signed statements from the Sangharsh Samiti, was unaware of the Emergency until that very morning. He was on friendly terms with several of my colleagues in the editorial and reporting teams. When the chief sub-editor on duty informed him, “You won’t be getting any old press releases now,” he initially dismissed it. But upon learning that the Emergency had been declared and leaders would no longer frequent the press, he immediately sought details and, declining even a cup of tea, departed in haste in his Willy’s jeep.

During that period, Patna lacked major hotels or guest houses. The non-Congress MLAs had resigned, leaving no official accommodations for opposition meetings. Even Bailey Road was largely undeveloped; beyond Sheikhpura, settlements were scarce.

Secret meetings of opposition leaders were held at the large cold storage owned by the late Mundar Shah, which also housed Arya Niketan. His son, Ganga Prasad (who later became the Governor of Sikkim), chose the onion storage warehouse as the venue. Senior leaders like Rajendra Singh Rajju Bhaiya, Bhausaheb Deoras, Govindacharya, and Kailashpati Mishra would gather there.

Outside, intelligence personnel maintained a constant watch. To avoid detection, entry to the premises required coded communication; even Arya Niketan staff at the gate used designated signals. Leaders had to imitate animal or bird sounds to confirm their identity at the cold storage.

A tea vendor at Patna Junction was tasked with identifying key Jan Sangh leaders. Each leader was assigned code names from the Ramayana. After disembarking near Rajvanshinagar, they would stop at another tea stall, where they were re-identified using Mahabharata character names. Finally, at the cold storage gate, they would make an animal or bird call for access.

Kailashpati Mishra, who later served as Governor of Gujarat, was known simply as “Tauji.” In those days, there were no gas cylinders; food was cooked on firewood and cow dung cakes. Water was drawn from a well, and Kamla Devi, Ganga Babu’s wife, cooked for everyone as the household staff had been dismissed. The owner of the house had already been arrested.

Many socialist leaders and student activists, including Lalu Prasad, were admitted under the guise of medical treatment in the junior doctors’ quarters at Patna Medical College Hospital, which had been converted into a prison ward. Others were held in Bankipur and Phulwari jails. Gautam Sagar Rana, arrested in Hazaribagh, was taken first to the Deputy Commissioner’s residence before being jailed, as wives of senior district officials wished to see him.

Regarding press censorship, Patna did not experience the blackouts seen in Delhi. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) office was located right next to The Searchlight, behind a petrol pump. Yadunath Sinha was in charge—well-liked by senior reporters and sub-editors, and always a gracious host after dusk.

For a period, a Joint Secretary from the Home Department was appointed as the censor officer, embodying the adage, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.” One day, our editor S.R. Rao included a mention of rising vegetable prices in an editorial, which was not approved. Consequently, the next day’s editorial column appeared blank.

Later, Yadunath Sinha of PIB took over censorship duties. Being a former journalist himself, he understood both news and opinion. After that, cooperation between reporters, editors, and the censor improved, fostering growing mutual respect. PIB/DPR press releases began receiving more prominence in the paper.

Chief Minister Dr. Jagannath Mishra, also a former journalist, was not harsh. His predecessor, Abdul Ghafoor, upset by the JP movement, had accused The Searchlight of printing “false and concocted stories” and had delisted the paper, instructing: “The Searchlight is bent upon publishing false and concocted stories. It should be delisted at once, and the order should be implemented effectively.” Dr. Mishra, however, was more cautious and continued issuing government advertisements.

Throughout the 21 months of Emergency, no journalist was arrested in Patna. Only five individuals were detained under MISA, and Karpoori Thakur remained underground, reappearing only after the Emergency ended at JP’s rally in Gandhi Maidan.

Editor S.R. Rao upheld the high standards set by his illustrious predecessors—Murli Babu, M.S.M. Sharma, K. Rama Rao, T.J.S. George, and Subhash Sarkar—never compromising. This commitment led leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rajmata Scindia, and Karpoori Thakur to frequently visit The Searchlight to seek his counsel on political matters.

When the Emergency was lifted and a press conference was held at CM Jagannath Mishra’s residence, Indira Gandhi reportedly remarked, “Do you think they will handle the Emergency?” Her comment alluded to the rising inflation, rural unrest, and violence during the Janata Party regime. To her, Emergency was the solution to chaos.

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