Marshall, How can you absolve Indira Gandhi?Whatever your take on this, ultimately it was Indira Gandhi the Prime Minister, who was responsiblefor whatever that took place during the emergency --sterilisations or whatever else, that werethe excesses of the emergency era. If you now want to say that only Sanjay Gandhi was the troublemaker,he was then being hailed as the hero and Indira Gandhi never pulled him up. Also, if you remember, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court A.N.Ray, was appointed by Indira Gandhi, bypassingthe top 3 - Hegde, Shelat and Grover. Indira Gandhi had tried every which way to bypass the Constitution. Whywould she not get favourable ruling? The emergency was not for a month or two, but 21 months of hell. Also, you seem to have sidetracked the issue of Operation Blue Star, which I had mentioned in my previousresponse to your original posting. The Congress Party is yet to apologize to the Sikh families that were impactedby the killings, during the 1984 riots. Naguesh Bhatcar sgbhat...@hotmail.com
> Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:52:48 +0530 > From: mmendonz...@gmail.com > To: goanet@lists.goanet.org > Subject: [Goanet] 25th June 1975, Imposition of Emergency - India's Most > Infamous Day > > Naguesh Bhatcar: > Indira Gandhi was left with no choice. She had violated the constitution to > stay in power and was under pressure from the entire world. > > Response: > It is incorrect to say that Indira Gandhi violated the constitution. In fact > the Supreme Court upheld the imposition of emergency. > There are instances all over the world where dictators after usurping > absolute power have refused to let go. Indira Gandhi, to the best of my > knowledge, was under no pressure or compulsion from foreign sources although > her actions met with general disapproval from the democratic world. It was > basically internal compulsions caused by excesses like mass sterialisation, > demolition of houses, stifling of dissent, imprisonment of those opposed to > her, curbs on freedom of speech etc. which forced her to hold elections. I > do agree with you that it was a good thing that she, Sanjay Gandhi as well > as the Congress Party lost the elections. It brought them back down to earth > and realise the power of the people. > > Naguesh Bhatcar: > And please remember that Sonia and Maneka Gandhi were then the dear > daughters-in-law ofIndira Gandhi! > > Respomse: > Regarding Sonia and Maneka, it is common knowledge that Sonia was never into > politics at that time. However, Maneka was very active and edited a magazine > called Surya which ran articles and stories which would make many an > opposition leaders's ears burn. Maneka fully supported her husband Sanjay > Gandhi in all his activities. Rather than Indira, it was Sanjay Gandhi who > was more hated by the people for his brash ways. Today Maneka and Varun are > leading lights of the BJP. Varun even evoked admiration and applause for his > hate speech in Pilibhit from the sangh parivar. That it backfired in > retrospection, is another matter. > > Regards, > > Marshall
