Page 53 - NIS English 16-30 June 2022
P. 53
47 Years of Emergency Nation
AWARENESS OF DEMOCRACY IS VITAL
Democracy is both a culture and a system. In
such a situation, constant awareness of the
situation is required. This is why it is critical
to remember the problems that democracy
Those harrowing emergency faces. No Indian who believes in democracy
days will never be forgotten. can ever forget the night of June 25, 1975.
Between 1975 and 1977, When the country was turned into a sort of
prison cell, an attempt was made to silence
institutions were systematically the opposing voice. Several prominent national
destroyed. Let us make every leaders, including Jayaprakash Narayan, were
imprisoned. The judicial system, too, was unable
effort to bolster India's to avoid the dreadful state of emergency. The
democratic spirit and resolve to media had been restricted as well. Many police
officers were placed as editors in the offices of
uphold the values enshrined in various newspapers.
our Constitution. We remember However, it is important to remember that
everyone who fought for Indian India's greatest strength is its democracy
and the power of its people. Whenever there
democracy while opposing the has been criticism, this elite group of people
Emergency. has used their power to keep democracy
alive. When the country declared a state of
emergency, the opposition was not limited
Narendra Modi, Prime Minister to political circles or politicians; it was not
confined to jail cells. Rather, there was outrage
in the people's hearts. There was a longing for
a vanished democracy. For example, if you get
food all the time, you don't notice hunger, but
when you don't, a hungry person feels awful.
Similarly, the rights of democracy are felt in
everyday life when someone takes them away.
During the emergency, every citizen began to
feel as if something had been taken away from
them. To run any social system, a constitution
is also required. Regulations, laws, and rules
are also required. There is also discussion
of rights and responsibilities. But the beauty
of India is that any citizen can proudly say,
"Democracy is our culture, our heritage, and
we have been raised with that heritage." This
is why its absence during the Emergency was
felt so keenly by the countrymen. As a result,
the people participated the 1977 general
election not for their own benefit, but to protect
democracy. People voted only for the cause of
democracy, regardless of their rights or needs.
From the rich to the poor, everyone voted in
unison.
New India Samachar June 16-30, 2022 51
