The specter of the Emergency imposed in 1975 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi continues to intermittently haunt Indian politics, even after nearly half a century—sometimes at the national level, and at times in state assemblies.

On Friday, it was the Rajasthan Assembly’s turn, as the 50-year-old “ghost” cast its shadow over the debate on the Rajasthan Ke Loktantra Senani Samman Bill 2025. This Bill aims to grant statutory status to the benefits of pension, medical treatment, and free travel for those who were imprisoned under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and the Defense of India Rules (DIR) during the Emergency.

Advertisement

During the debate, ruling BJP members recounted firsthand experiences or stories of hardship from that era, while opposition Congress MLAs argued that lawbreakers were being rewarded and that discussions on 50-year-old events were overshadowing present-day pressing issues.

Initiating the debate, BJP legislator and Loktantra Senani Tara Chand Jain described the Emergency as an era of injustice and atrocities, where people were harassed or detained for trivial reasons.

Parliamentary Affairs and Law Minister Joga Ram Patel defended the Bill, stating, “Loktantra Senanis did not go to jail for their own misdeeds; they were imprisoned for fighting for the nation’s cause.” He further accused the Congress, saying, “Those who claim to uphold the Constitution should remember that Indira Gandhi defied the Allahabad High Court’s ruling.”

Government Chief Whip Jogeshwar Garg, who himself endured imprisonment during the Emergency, criticized opposition members for attempting to justify the excesses of that period.

He highlighted the arbitrary actions of officials, citing cases where even an 83-year-old veteran, Radha Krishna Rastogi, and a 13-year-old child were detained. Garg also claimed that chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” was treated as a crime, and that many magistrates avoided or deferred hearings.

However, Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully downplayed the severity of the Emergency, asserting, “Had the situation been as dire as claimed, Indira Gandhi would not have returned to power in 1980 with a resounding majority.” He also praised Gandhi’s achievements, including the retreat of the US 7th Fleet, the historic surrender of 92,000 Pakistani soldiers, and India’s first nuclear test in Pokhran.

The Bill was ultimately passed by voice vote. It formalizes pension provisions for Loktantra Senanis, who have been receiving Rs 20,000 per month as pension, Rs 4,000 per month for medical treatment, and free travel in state-run buses.

The pension was first introduced in 2008 under the BJP-led Vasundhara Raje government but was discontinued in 2009 when the Congress, under Ashok Gehlot, came to power. The BJP reinstated the scheme in 2016, but it was again discontinued in 2019 after the Congress returned to power.

With the passage of this Bill, the pension scheme can no longer be abruptly discontinued by the incumbent government.