Latest news with #TheEmergencyDiaries–YearsthatForgedaLeader
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
PM Modi revived 6 decade old Jamrani Dam project, aims for 2029 completion: Uttarakhand CM Dhami
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 27 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday conducted an aerial survey of the under-construction multipurpose Jamrani Dam project in Nainital district and reviewed the ongoing work at the site. Speaking to ANI after the survey, the Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reviving the decades-old project that had remained stalled for over 60 years. 'First of all, I would like to thank PM Modi on behalf of the people of Uttarakhand that this project was long pending for more than 6 decades now...A lot of time went by, and governments came and went, but the work didn't begin. Under the leadership of PM Modi, the project has been approved. A target of 2029 has been given to complete the project. It is our effort to complete the project on time,' CM Dhami said. Earlier in the day, CM Dhami also attended the launch of the book 'The Emergency Diaries: Years that Forged a Leader', where he described it as more than just a book, calling it an 'experience that touches the heart.' He said the book tells the story of a time when speaking out was considered a crime and staying silent was seen as a form of surrender. 'In these pages, one finds the shadow of such a personality, who kept the torch of his thoughts burning even in that silence. The leadership that has become the voice of India on the world stage today has been tempered in the heat of struggle,' Dhami said. He said that while reading this chapter of the life journey of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mind fills with pride. 'The Emergency Diaries - Years that Forged a Leader' book published by BlueKraft is based on first-person anecdotes from associates who worked with young Modi, and using other archival material, the book is a first of its kind that creates new scholarship on the formative years of a young man who would give it his all in the fight against tyranny. (ANI)
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"An experience that touches the heart," Uttarakhand CM Dhami on 'The Emergency Diaries'
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 27 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday said that the book 'The Emergency Diaries: Years that Forged a Leader' is not just a book, but an experience that touches the heart. He said the book tells the story of a time when speaking out was considered a crime and staying silent was seen as a form of surrender. 'In these pages, one finds the shadow of such a personality, who kept the torch of his thoughts burning even in that silence. The leadership that has become the voice of India on the world stage today has been tempered in the heat of struggle,' Dhami said. He said that while reading this chapter of the life journey of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the mind fills with pride. 'The Emergency Diaries - Years that Forged a Leader' book published by BlueKraft is based on first-person anecdotes from associates who worked with young Modi, and using other archival material, the book is a first of its kind that creates new scholarship on the formative years of a young man who would give it his all in the fight against tyranny. Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the 'Samman Program for Democracy Fighters on completion of 50 years of Emergency' organised at the Himalayan Cultural Centre, Dehradun. CM Dhami said that the period of Emergency will always be marked as a black chapter in Indian democratic history. Paying tribute to the democracy fighters, CM Dhami said, 'Today we are getting the privilege of honouring the great heroes who protected democracy. The period of Emergency will always be marked as a black chapter in Indian democratic history. This decision, as always, was the result of the dogmatism and dictatorial attitude of a family that considered the country as its fiefdom.' (ANI)
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Divine justice, Modi fought Indira's dictatorial ideas, uprooted dynasty politics in 2014: Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that it was 'divine justice' that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a 25-year-old, opposed the 'dictatorial ideas' of then PM Indira Gandhi during Emergency and, in 2014, 'uprooted dynastic politics from the country'. Shah was speaking while releasing a book titled The Emergency Diaries – Years that Forged a Leader by BlueKraft Digital Foundation, chronicling Modi's experiences during the anti-Emergency movement. Terming Emergency as 'a black chapter' in the history of India, Shah said while it was necessary to move on from 'bad experiences', instances such as the Emergency needed to be remembered for eternity lest they occur again. He also spoke about the rationale behind the government's decision to rename June 25 as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas (Death of Constitution Day)', saying 'such an era should only be described in such harsh words'. Shah said Modi contributed to the anti-Emergency movement led by Socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh's Nanaji Deshmukh. 'As a young volunteer who was part of the movement… visiting and looking after the families of those who had been arrested, making arrangements for their medical treatment, distributing secret newspapers which were being published underground in places like markets, intersections among women and students – he (Modi) led this struggle in Gujarat as a youth leader who was 24-25 years of age,' said Shah. He said Modi often used to work under disguise, 'sometimes as a seer, sometimes as sardarji, sometimes as hippie, sometimes an incense stick seller, sometimes a newspaper vendor'. 'And see today, whenever divine justice is done, how it is done. The same 25-year-old youth who rose up against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's dictatorial ideas, visiting home after home, village after village and several cities, the same person… uprooted dynastic politics from the country in 2014,' said Shah. Among the dignitaries present on the dais was veteran journalist and Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts president Ram Bahadur Rai. Shah appreciated Rai, saying he was J P Narayan's close friend who witnessed the Emergency from close quarters. Rai, who was jailed for over a year during Emergency, is a former news editor of the Hindi daily Jansatta. Conferred the Padma Shri in 2015, Rai was the first person to be arrested under the Maintenance of Security Act prior to Emergency, and during it as well, for being on a committee that led the J P movement. An image of the blank editorial page of The Indian Express, published on June 28, 1975 following the imposition of the Emergency, was displayed from the dais. In his address, Shah mentioned The Indian Express and Jansatta for being frontrunners in protesting against the Emergency through blank editorials. Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express. Over the last 15 years, he has covered bureaucracy & politics, crime, traffic & intelligence, the Election Commission of India & Urban Development among other beats. He is an English (Literature) graduate from Zakir Husain Delhi College, DU & specialised in Print at the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. He tweets @jatinpaul ... Read More
India Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"He worked on ground as sadhu, sardarji, hippie..." Amit Shah shares instances of PM Modi's struggle during Emergency
New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, while speaking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new book 'The Emergency Diaries - Years that Forged a Leader', shared instances of PM Modi's covert operations while disguising himself as 'sadhu, sardar, hippie incense stick seller and newspaper vendor' in his struggle against the emergency during 1975 Amit Shah recalled PM Modi's struggle during the emergency, noting that the PM visited the Maintenance of Internal Security Act arrestees and arranged for their medical treatment. Amit Shah also shared that the PM helped in the distribution of the secret newspapers resisting the emergency. 'PM Modi's book 'The Emergency Diaries: Year that forged our leaders', was launched. It is about PM Modi, a young worker who participated in the movement for 19 months. PM Modi visited MISA arrestees' homes and arranged their medical treatment. A lot of secret newspapers used to be published at that time,' Amit Shah said. 'PM Modi distributed those newspapers among markets, students and women and led a struggle in Gujarat at the age of 24-25... The entire story is in this book, PM Modi worked on the ground as a Sadhu, Sardarji, hippie, incense stick seller or a newspaper vendor to make the other work possible,' Amit Shah added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called PM Modi's triumph over Congress in last 2014 Lok Sabha election a 'divine justice' crediting him of 'uprooting the reason for which emergency was imposed; Dynasty politics.' 'Look at how the divine justice takes place. A 25-year-old boy (PM Modi) opposed Indira Gandhi's dictatorship. Today, that same person, in 2014, uprooted the reason for which the emergency was imposed: Dynasty Politics,' Amit Shah said. 'The youth who struggled against the dictatorship is now strengthening the roots of democracy in this country,' he added. 'The Emergency Diaries - Years that Forged a Leader' book published by BlueKraft is based on first-person anecdotes from associates who worked with young Modi, and using other archival material, the book is a first of its kind that creates new scholarship on the formative years of a young man who would give it his all in the fight against tyranny. Earlier, the Prime Minister took to X to write a series of posts. ''The Emergency Diaries' chronicles my journey during the Emergency years. It brought back many memories from that time. I call upon all those who remember those dark days of the Emergency or those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media. It will create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977.' PM Modi posted on X. He recalled how, for a young RSS Pracharak, the anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience. 'It reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework. At the same time, I got to learn so much from people across the political spectrum. I am glad that BlueKraft Digital Foundation has compiled some of those experiences in the form of a book, whose foreword has been penned by Shri HD Deve Gowda Ji, himself a stalwart of the anti-Emergency movement,' PM Modi said. (ANI)
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Swamiji' in jail: Book chronicles PM Modi's daring underground role during Emergency
NEW DELHI: A new book sheds light on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's covert operations during the 1975-77 Emergency, including a daring visit to a jail in Bhavnagar disguised as a 'swamiji' to meet incarcerated activists. Titled 'The Emergency Diaries – Years that Forged a Leader' and published by BlueKraft, the book chronicles Modi's underground work as a young RSS pracharak. Evading detection under a government ban on the RSS, Modi adopted various disguises—most frequently a convincing Sikh identity—and helped run an anti-Emergency campaign through secret meetings, family support drives, and literature distribution. 'He not only ensured the regular publication of anti-Emergency literature but also took on the perilous responsibility of distributing it throughout Gujarat,' the book notes. One of the standout incidents comes from journalist Vishnu Pandya, who recalls that in September 1976, Modi entered Bhavnagar jail disguised as a spiritual leader. 'He stayed with us for about an hour. We discussed the jail administration, the families of prisoners, and how to promote anti-Emergency literature further. No one suspected it was Modi,' Pandya said. PM Modi also proposed innovative tactics — such as hiding pamphlets in barber shops and delivering documents via trains instead of the postal system — to reduce the risk of arrest. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3BHK Transformation Possible for ₹4.5 Lakh? HomeLane Get Quote Undo Longtime RSS member Nagar Bhai Chavda recalled that Modi used code words like 'Chandan ka Karyakram' for meetings and only stayed in houses with multiple exit routes in case of police raids. The book highlights his collaboration with senior RSS leaders Nath Zagda and Vasant Gajendragadkar, and how he advised volunteers to keep community contact alive despite the ban on RSS shakhas. Sharing his reflections on social media, PM Modi wrote: 'The Emergency Diaries brought back many memories. I urge all those who remember or whose families suffered during the Emergency to share their stories online to create awareness among the youth of those dark days.' (With PTI inputs)
