Speaker seeks fresh commission to probe Emergency atrocities
Assembly speaker Vijender Gupta on Saturday demanded the formation of a new commission to revisit and investigate the atrocities perpetrated during and after the Emergency because those 'guilty have not been brought to justice yet.' Chief minister Rekha Gupta at the 'mock parliament' session on Saturday. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)
Gupta was addressing a symposium titled 'Bhartiya Loktantra aur Samvidhaan ka Sabse Andhkaarmaya Daur: Na Bhoolein, Na Shama Karen' organised at the Delhi Assembly to mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency (1975–77).
Gupta said investigation into the Emergency's aftermath remains incomplete. 'The Shah Commission Report 1978 could not undertake a comprehensive examination of the full scale of human rights violations and administrative excesses. It is imperative that a new commission be formed to revisit and investigate the atrocities perpetrated during and after the Emergency. It is important to note that those guilty of imposing emergency haven't been brought to justice,' said Gupta.
Union minister Jitendra Singh, who also attended the event, said, 'The brief but dark period between 1975 and 1977 impacted every citizen in some form — fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was muzzled under rigid censorship, and thousands were detained without trial. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1976, even extended the term of the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies from five to six years — a move that was rightly overturned by the 44th Amendment in 1978, restoring the people's faith in democratic processes,' said Singh.
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta, who spoke at a 'mock parliament' organised by the Delhi BJP's women wing at Maharashtra Sadan, said, 'During the Emergency, anyone who raised their voice against the government was imprisoned without appeal, argument, or law.'
'Thousands were jailed overnight. Newspapers were banned on Indira Gandhi's orders. Even national icons like Manoj Kumar were banned, and a forced sterilisation campaign created an atmosphere of terror. The Emergency imposed by the Congress must be remembered so that the Constitution is never murdered again, and such a period is never repeated in India… understanding why the Emergency is called a 'black chapter' is crucial — so that such a day is never repeated and no such threat ever returns to India. It must be remembered regularly to prevent recurrence,' said Gupta.
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