NEW DELHI: The recently released book, ‘Kamal Pushp’ explores the significant role of Jana Sangh’s activists in the defence of democracy during India’s Emergency declared in June 1975. It underscores their valiant efforts across the nation against Indira Gandhi’s trampling of civil liberties and democratic principles.
During the Emergency, about 30,000 political workers were arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA), with over 25,000 being Jana Sangh or RSS members. Prominent figures like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani were incarcerated, along with countless local workers. The book presents accounts such as that of Dr. Bharat Bhushan Goyal, a prominent Jana Sangh figure and well-known Homoeopathic doctor from Dehradun, who was arrested on June 26, 1975.
The authors argue that political vendettas were common, with leaders and members often detained for participating in public campaigns before the Emergency. A case in point is Dr. Khushiram Jeswani, a surgeon and influential Jana Sangh leader from Gujarat’s Kheda district. He had partaken in numerous protests against the state government between 1972-1975, leading to his imprisonment during the Emergency.
‘Kamal Pushp’ sheds light on the inhumane treatment of those arrested during the Emergency, with many activists subjected to custodial torture and brutality. An unnerving account is that of Vaikom Gopakumar from Kerala, who suffered severe police beatings resulting in lifelong health issues.
Moreover, the book underscores the distress endured by the families of Jana Sangh activists. In their efforts to arrest members, the police harassed their families and close associates. This is exemplified by the case of Nar Narayan Singh, a former Home Minister of Madhya Pradesh. His family was persecuted, and some members were arrested, plunging them into financial hardship and hunger.
Jana Sangh activists played an instrumental role in leading the underground and Satyagraha movements against the Emergency. Many initiated the Satyagraha movement, such as Satish Chandra Rai, a lawyer and district office holder of the Jana Sangh. BJP activists, including PM Modi, participated in underground activities, often in disguise, to evade arrest and sustain the movement. Overcoming the government’s stringent press censorship, which prevented the exposure of the crackdown on innocent citizens, Jana Sangh members engaged in the clandestine distribution of cyclostyled newspapers and publications. They remained undeterred by the risk of arrest.
Family members of Jana Sangh activists were also active participants in the resistance. They provided ‘safe houses’ for leaders and activists evading arrest and aided the Satyagraha and underground movement. The narrative shares the story of Rajeshwar Prasad Singh, a BJP worker from Bihar, who helped senior leader Jagdish Prasad Mathur escape after police besieged his village. In essence, ‘Kamal Pushp’ portrays the Jana Sangh’s resistance against the Emergency as a united front. Activists in hiding were encouraged to help the families of arrested members and ensure their basic necessities were met.
The book serves as an important account of the Jana Sangh’s relentless fight for democracy during one of India’s darkest hours.
