Retired Officer on Jailed Leaders' Strategy During Emergency

New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) - Recollections from a retired prison officer reveal how political leaders jailed during the Emergency, under the guise of yoga, badminton, and football activities, strategized a robust political uprising against Indira Gandhi. H C Verma, who served as the assistant superintendent of Tihar Jail, vividly remembers the events from 50 years ago, despite now being 76 years old.

He recalls an abrupt influx of political detainees, starting with Raj Narain, known for his legal victory over Indira Gandhi in the electoral malpractice case, detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). This was soon followed by the confinement of other prominent figures such as Lala Hansraj Gupta, Nanaji Deshmukh, Parkash Singh Badal, Arun Jaitley, George Fernandes, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Vijaya Raje Scindia, and Gayatri Devi.

These were no ordinary inmates. Their stature brought unique challenges to the authorities at Tihar Jail. Some initially reacted with anger and confusion, finding themselves amidst an incarceration they had never envisaged. Verma reflects that prison officials became direct representatives of an oppressive system, often facing verbal onslaughts from the detainees.

The interaction among these political prisoners, from different parties and ideologies, laid a foundation for unified political resistance. Nanaji Deshmukh, for instance, expressed a wish to communicate with Vijaya Raje Scindia. Although initially separated by facilities, leniency was shown when Scindia requested yoga lessons from Nanaji. It didn’t take long before the jail officials identified these exchanges as embryonic discussions leading to the creation of the Janata Party, which later played a pivotal role in dislodging Indira Gandhi's government in 1977.

As days unfolded, the political detainees adapted to their new environment, engaging in recreational activities facilitated by the jail staff, such as badminton, ludo, and football. The officers attempted to uphold the dignity of the prisoners, ensuring clean living conditions, nourishing meals, and mental diversions. Verma emotionally recounts meeting his former teacher, Master Somraj, among the detainees, reflecting the personal turmoil experienced by officials amid chaotic duties.

Under MISA and the Defence of India Rules (DIR), Tihar Jail became home to approximately 1,900 detainees at the peak of the Emergency, with 350-400 political prisoners. The successful management of both hardened criminals and distinguished political figures was a task Verma, who eventually became the superintendent of prisons, took with seriousness and empathy.

The lifting of the Emergency on March 21, 1977, was a moment of relief for both staff and detainees. Many of the released leaders later ascended to prominent political positions, with some, like Madan Lal Khurana, maintaining connections with their former jailers. Verma, reminiscing on those turbulent times, reflects on the personal and political journeys of these historic inmates and the unique chapter of India's political history they shaped.

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