Updated ::: July 2 : 2024 :::: Indira Gandhi admitted her mistake, said sorry to Shankaracharya for abuse of power during Emergency

Indira Gandhi admitted her mistake, said sorry to Shankaracharya for abuse of power during Emergency

Interview with G V Anshuman Rao, ex chairman Andhra Pradesh electronic development corporation,  Govt of united Andhra Pradesh. 

Blogger: Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi is being talked about in 2024. You have been following national politics at different stages and in different capacities. First as son of a Congress stalwart from Andhra Pradesh, G V Sudhaker Rao. And then as a corporate captain and newspaper columnist. What is your take on the episode especially in view of the 2024 mandate?

G V Anshuman Rao : 

The last part of your question is the most operative. Election 2024 was a major milestone of our era. The BJP got a setback but Narendra Modi has returned to power for the record third time. So this is crucial. The Congress showed some improvement and so did other opposition parties. But as the saying goes - 

....winner takes it all. That's reality Modi is back in power and hence theBJP will keep this debate about Emergency and Tana-shahi 'dictatorship' on. It's a fact Indira Gandhi tried to abuse power and behaved like Lady Hitler. We cannot wish this fact away.

#But it all happened 49 years back?

Anshuman Rao : This is again an important fact. What did you say .... 49 years. That is next year 2025 --we will have the Golden Jubilee year of Emergency. 

So the debate is relevant. I am with those who want to debate about Democracy and Emergency. That does not mean; I am exposing Congress weakness.It's not a secret. The Congress and other opposition parties will make a mistake to run away from the debate itself. 

Blogger : There is a story that Indira Gandhi herself tendered an apology to no less than the 68th Acharya of Kanchi Kamakot Peetham?

Anshuman Rao: 

What story... this is not a story... It's a fact of history. There you are -- even seasoned politicians like Indira Gandhi admitted her mistake. But today, the Congress wants to run away from the debate.Why ? And the question of Indira Gandhi tendering apology to His Holiness Jagadguru.....this is also a fact of history. 

When Indira Gandhi's troubles were multiple ... she was advised to seek Jagadguru Swami Chandrashekharanda Saraswati's blessing. Later we were told -- initially Jagad Guru refused to meet her and his reason was excesses committed during Emergency. 

# And then she said sorry?

Anshuman Rao: 

She not only said sorry. Jagadguru was very specific, he said you have to assure me that you will not repeat what you did in 1975... come what may. Then Indira Gandhi with folded hands sought his blessing and assured His Holiness and nothing like that will ever happen under her.

Jagadguru raised his right hand as a mark of blessing ...like Sants and Sanyasis do. It changed everything.  I need not tell you, Indira Gandhi was then a changed person. She turned religious and God loving and politically she bounced back to power. 

# Yes, I agree to a large extent, what you are stating...even other leaders have in the past spoken on these lines. But I know you are also a Bhakt of Jagadguru... We know of giants like Dalai Lama and Late Nani Palkhivala who had vert high opinion of Shankaracharya?

Annshuman Rao: That's true.... The Tibetan Spiritual leader Dalai Lama called him the "only monk of this century". Legendary lawyer Palkhivala was also a wonderful columnist. Once he said, Jagadguru's greatest merit was to treat the entire human race as one family. Palkhivala was impressed by the fact that the Jagadguru was a visionary... ahead of his time and did not distinguish between Indian and non-Indianor between Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and Christians. 

# And about his teachings .... the single big message you feel you should share today?

Anshuman Rao: Well, there are plenty of them. I owe a lot to the Guru and his blessings. But to share with you .... I often tell many others...the Holiness once said war and human conflicts can vanish onlyif spiritual understanding is developed between nations and between the rich and the poor. Only thena goodwill is produced. Well, this is something we lack today especially in view of conflicts we have at different levels including Israel, Palestine, Russia and UKraine.

# Coming back to power politics, any commentary from your end in a general sense?

Anshuman Rao: I have told you earlier about the great significance of this election 2024. It is also good, the BJP's numbers came down a bit. This is a blessing in disguise because now they will be able to take corrective steps.

 Otherwise, the battle of 2029 could have been worse. In terms of individual leaders, I have stated somewhere that Home Minister Amit Shah will emerge a true big leader in months to come. 

The 'chanakya' as he is called is an assert for PM Narendra Modiand this will become more and more explicit. 

# Why this question on relevance of Hindutva?

Anshuman Rao: Essentially, Hindutva is a way of life and hence it has to be relevant always. Even Jagadguruand other stalwarts have said so in their own way. Swami Vivekananda also wanted youths of this nationto be physically and in character to be strong. The RSS is a great organisation in man-making. But Hindutvashould not be given or used as a communal platform. Then there is a problem. 

We Indians are essentially democratic. 

Hindutva is like that old stone building that will stand for centuries and not that airport roof. (smiles) 

(The writer is also a former leader of Naga Students' Federation and  former MLA, Western Angami, Nagaland Legislative Assembly)

My attention was drawn to the hyped news item and a chaotic discussion on television over the fact that the central government has set up a panel headed by former President,  respected Shri Ram Nath Kovind to explore the possibilities of 'One Nation, One Election'.

The NDA government at the centre headed by Shri Narendra Modi is noted for such extraordinary kinds of announcements. 

This country had to face the whimsical or Tughlaqi orders of the Prime Minister on Nov 8, 2016 when the high value currency notes were  banned. In 2020 Shri Modi announced national lockdown on the ground of Covid19 leaving migrant workers and thousands at the mercy of fate.

Sept 1, 2023 is another such day. The root of the present issue actually started on August 31 when Parliamentary Affairs Minister tweeted announcing summoning of a Special Parliament session from Sept 18.

All these combined together to establish one fact that Shri Modi as a leader of 140 crore Indians and the BJP as a party are hardly democratic. 

The prime minister rejoices in such theatrics.

But this time, he has gone beyond a few steps and named former President Shri Kovindas the chairman of an official panel. This is unheard of. A former President should not be put to such big embarrassment wherein he has to submit a report to the government.

Left to people like us in my individual capacity and as a former lawmaker from Nagaland, I will request Shri Kovind to reject the request.

A government in power can always set up some panels.

Nothing wrong with any proposal but a former President's status should not be taken for a ride. The man in question or discussion should have the right and good sense to refuse the offer.

Our understanding is very simple. Any person who occupied the highest office of the world's largest democracy and has retired from public life is not expected to become a committee member/ Chairman.

Let me submit humbly, his dignity and sense of honor should no be ridiculed.

As for the merits of setting up of such a panel and whether the country should adopt 'One Nation, One Election' norm, my party the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already reacted officially at the central level.

Delhi Minister Shri Saurabh Bhardwaj has said that the government headed by Shri Modi  is "scared of growing popularity and footprints of INDIA bloc".

I do share the same sentiment strongly. 

Lastly, I also feel Prime Minister Modi may be ambitious to call himself India's 'first President'. Is he taking the country towards US-style Presidential form ?

India's social fabric may not be very enthusiastic about the proposal. India is not America.

An objective scrutiny of the US system will make it clear that in India, unlike with Americans, our challenges, expectations and way of life are absolutely different.

ends 

Mr Asu : Aam Aadmi Party