How Did Young Narendra Modi Combat Tyranny During the Emergency?

New Delhi, June 25 (NationPress) As the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, which was enforced by the then Indira Gandhi administration on June 25, 1975, it serves as an opportunity to reflect on the contributions and sacrifices of those who opposed the 'murder' of democracy and the suspension of civil liberties and fundamental rights for over 20 months.

Modi Story, a well-known social media account on X, has chronicled some details regarding the darkest hours of the Emergency and how a young Narendra Modi endeavored to protect democracy and uphold the Constitution as a 'ground worker'.

The X account also shared several inspiring stories from this bleak period, highlighting how Narendra Modi balanced various roles to bolster public faith in democracy, encouraging students to resist state oppression. It featured videos of some 'defenders of democracy' who collaborated with young Modi, recounting experiences of how he concealed his identity during the Emergency while continuing to rally students against the dictatorship.

Vijay Rajpal, who first encountered Modi in 1973 at the RSS office in Ahmedabad, recalled that Narendra Modi took refuge in his home, where he learned how to wear a turban to evade police detection.

“Narendra Bhai was under the scrutiny of Gujarat police due to his involvement in the mass opposition against the Emergency. We ventured to Chandni Chowk, where he purchased a turban and returned to Gujarat disguised as a Sardar,” he reminisced.

Prakash Mehta, an NRI currently residing in Australia, recounted their resistance against the Emergency under the banner of the ‘Navnirman movement’.

“Police were barred from entering our campus. We operated as underground activists from there. Narendra Modi motivated students to rise against the Emergency, conducting clandestine meetings in hostels and urging them to disseminate the message through graffiti in public areas. To evade police and act quickly, he suggested an innovative method — creating steel stencils to spray 'Emergency Hatao' in just two minutes!” he shared.

Daxesh Mehta, a former Councillor in Gujarat, reflected on the days of resistance against the Emergency, working alongside young Narendra Modi to contribute to the movement.

“At the height of the Emergency, crucial documents and literature frequently needed to be transported from the RSS office in Ahmedabad, which was under constant police observation. To avoid detection, Modi would send young boys to carry them instead of older men, slipping past street checks unnoticed. This seemingly minor task demonstrated Modi’s foresight and strategic clarity even in high-pressure situations,” he conveyed in a video message.

Swami Govind Dev Giri Mahraj, a seer of the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust, revealed that not many are aware that during the Emergency, Narendra Modi spent weeks in solitude, meditating at the Garudeshwar Mandir.

One notable anecdote pertains to young Modi’s role as a ‘food transporter’.

Nirmal Motwani, a Surat resident, recalled: “A vital responsibility of Narendra Modi during the Emergency was caring for the families of imprisoned karyakartas. On one occasion, the spouse of an imprisoned karyakarta asked him to deliver home-cooked food to her husband. Modi agreed — and despite the constant threat of arrest, he personally went to the jail to deliver the food!”