"Anything we wrote during the emergency, went through strict scrutiny and censorship," Atin Das

The Emergency of 1975 is deemed as one of the darkest phases of independent India’s history. On this day in 1975, the then President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed announced a state emergency across the country on the recommendation of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi led Union Government. The emergency period, which saw unbridled state incarceration, stifling of dissent, government crackdown on civil liberties, censorship of the press as well as in many cases violation of human rights, last for about 21 months thus ending on March 21, 1977. This period is thus seen as a hotly contested topic in the academic as well as political circles of modern India, as we mark the event’s 46th anniversary today on June 25.

One of the most experienced and veteran journalists of this valley, Atin Das of Silchar is among a handful of people alive today who had firsthand experience of that dark chapter of Indian political history. Former senior editor of popular Bengali daily Dainik Jugasankha, Atin Das recalls he was an “independent journalist” back then who used to work with different print publications of that time published from different states.

Sharing his personal experience of the Emergency phase with Barak Bulletin, he said, “The political condition of the country was already in turmoil starting from 1974, and everywhere protests were getting erupted against the Indira Gandhi led Congress government. There were various allegations of malpractices, irregularities, corruption against the Union Government at that time which led to the protests and strikes all over the country. I was back then, working with a weekly newspaper called Barak Patrika, which later started publishing thrice a week.”

He added, “When the Emergency was imposed in 1975, gradually our journalistic freedom was snatched which later also got to individual freedom of speech and expression as well. Anything we write on any form of publication went through strict scrutiny and censorship of the government and anything you say against or criticising the government got scrapped off before publishing. Everybody had to work under strict state surveillance and individual liberty was tainted.” At that time, Atin Das says he used to also write for major print media houses like Kolkata-based Ananda Bazar Patrika, Hindustan Standard, among others.

Throughout the conversation, the veteran journalist stressed the importance and relevance of this date June 25, stating that this day should serve as a reminder of people’s struggle against state suppression and authoritarianism. He is quick to remind, during that era, daily newspapers didn’t even exist in the region and most newspapers were published weekly or fortnightly. “As it was getting hard to publish to people’s voice and frustration surrounding the socio-political condition of that time, I decided to start writing for Arunadoi newspaper. Until then, I used to write for Barak Patrika, which was started by me and late AF Golam Osmani, who later became an MP,” informs Das.

He adds, “In Arunadoi Patrika, I used to write a weekly column called ‘Ami Jodi Kono Desher Pradhan Mantri Hotam’ (If I was the Prime Minister of any country), where I used to express my views and opinions regarding the then affairs of the state. It was quite popular back then and even got international acclaim, as I could criticise and comment on the state’s administrative matters being implicit. On one of those columns, I had written once that if I was the Prime Minister of any country, I’d keep the Education Department under my control and would centre the social development of the country around it.”

Many media personalities of this valley including senior journalists, editors, owners of today at one point in time had started their journalism career through Barak Patrika asserts Das. Such is the legacy of this Bengali newspaper, which was helmed by Atin Das during one of the most tumultuous periods of Indian history. All over the country journalists were arrested or harassed for critiquing the government, Atin Das too had seen many of his colleagues and known associates getting arrested for merely expressing their views on paper.

Historic cartoon on Emergency by Abu Abraham (Indian Express). President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed from bathtub signing Indira Gandhi's Ordinance pic.twitter.com/K5nTwbgHl1

— J Gopikrishnan (@jgopikrishnan70) June 25, 2017

“During our time, journalism wasn’t like today where it’s thoroughly professional now. Whatever opportunity we used to get, we would grab that. We also encouraged to express the people’s voice. The State Public Information Officer of Silchar at that time used to say, “The only headache I have in Silchar is Atin Babu. One can’t tell when he’s going to end up writing what”, as I never shied away from expressing my thoughts”, said Atin Das.

In the past 46 years since the announcement of the Emergency on that fateful day, India as a country underwent many shifts and changes over the years, with political unrest not uncommon even in the context of current times. But never has been another chapter in the history of independent India yet, which had amputated the very fundamental institutions of the country, with media being one of them. The ‘Fourth pillar of Democracy’ was shaken to the core by the imposition of the Emergency and its cracks are still visible through the experiences and tales of people like Atin Das who battled state suppression, armed only with a mere pen.