"Tanashahi" is the toast of the town ... Opposition including Congress like to call Namo - a Dictator ::: The reality in 1975 it was Indira Gandhi who suspended the Constitution

 It's true. 1975 -- June 25th -- Emergency was imposed and Democracy was sabotaged. Indira jailed her political opponents and shackled the fourth estate -- launching India on a completely different path.

On June 25, 2024 -- it will be 49 years since Emergency and presuming the Modi government is likely to return to power .... there will be several functions, seminars and TV debates.  

We are just trying to put a few anecdotes -- to start with and if the response from my patrons are good enough -- there will be a mini series in this blog. 

 One joke related to Emergency was actually linked the then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. A Mumbai/Bambai police officer was apparently looking for a 'match' for his charming daughter. 

But he could not get the 'right' match as his daughter was too demanding. The legend has it when the cop looked around and saw there was no stranger - he told some of his friends in undertone :: - "What my daughter wants (the Bridegroom - Dulha) is not a mere Pati (husband) but a Rashtrapati (the President of the Union).

Famous cartoon that lampooned the President 

Anecdote -- ".....when Babu beats Bobby"

The 'Bobby' is the popular Raj Kapoor film and 'Babi' is about Babu Jagjivan Ram, the former Defence Minister and also father of senior politician Meira Kumar.   

When Indira Gandhi decided about announcing the dates for polls in March 1977; despite the so-called IB reports, the mood was against Indira Gandhi. Babu Jagjvan Ram quit the ministry and on one Sunday planned to address a large gathering in Delhi. 

Directed by the government of the day, Doordarshan played smart and telecast the movie 'Bobby' that starred Rishi Kapoor and the 'young' Dimple Kapadia. The idea was to prevent people from attending the rally and participating in an anti-Congress demonstration. 

However, a huge crowd gathered at the Ram Lila Ground. The next day a few newspapers carried the headline -- 'Babu beats Bobby'.