THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A long 50 years after what’s termed the dark age of Indian democracy, thousands of Emergency victims in Kerala are yet to be officially recognised. As many as 13 states have accorded them Emergency victims’ status, providing them monthly pensions, with Odisha being the latest to announce it this January. Despite Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself being a victim, the state government has curiously been unfavourable towards the demand. Ironically, in a first, the CPM plans to observe an anti-Emergency day on June 25 this year on the 50th anniversary of Emergency.
Though there are no official data available, it has been estimated that currently around 5,000 people including those arrested or who took part in protests during the 1975 regime, are alive today in Kerala. On its 50th anniversary, the victims continue to knock at the doors of the state government as well as the Centre for acknowledgement of their status.
The Emergency Prisoners Coordination Committee had approached both the CM and CPM general secretary M A Baby — another emergency victim — a few weeks ago with their long-standing demand. The government, however, turned down their request, citing a 2019 HC order that had then referred the matter to the Union government.
The EPCC had also long wanted the history of Emergency and the resistance it faced, to be made part of school curriculum, with the Emergency torture camp at Sasthamangalam as a memorial.
“Shouldn’t the younger generations know that India underwent a dark age for democracy, not long ago? Having resisted it, the Left has an added responsibility to consider these requests. Several other state governments have accorded the victims such a status; why then can’t Kerala accord us political prisoner status?” asks P C Unnichekkkan of the EPCC. On the 50th anniversary, the EPCC plans to hold a dharna raising these demands, chips in Dhanuvachapuram Sukumaran of EPCC.
It was Punjab’s Akali Dal government, which first recognised these prisoners as secondary freedom fighters in 1980 and provided them pension. Later many states followed suit, with the Odisha government being the latest to provide monthly pension of Rs 20,000 to those imprisoned during Emergency.
While there are mixed responses from Emergency victims themselves with regard to the demand for pensions, many do affirm the need for official recognition. “I don’t agree with asking for remuneration for a sacrifice that we made willingly. But some associations of Emergency victims have asked for pensions,” said senior CPM leader and ex-Speaker M Vijayakkumar, who underwent jail term during Emergency along with M A Baby, G Sudhakaran among others.
“More than pensions, an official acknowledgement is what many of us would like. Of those who underwent imprisonment under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) or DIR (Defence of India Rules) roughly 1,000 could be alive today,” said Sarathchandrababu, who was taken into custody on the very day Emergency was declared.
Meanwhile, Aluva-based Association of Emergency Victims, a pro-right wing outfit, approached PM Narendra Modi, seeking to declare the fight against Emergency as freedom struggle, and that that they be accorded the status of freedom fighters.
“It’s high time that the Centre took suitable steps to recognise the sacrifice of these fighters/satagrahis against the Draconian Emergency era. Any further delay in this matter would be most painful and deplorable,” pointed out association secretary R Mohanan.
Though the V S Achuthanandan government had prepared a list of 6,300-odd Emergency prisoners, the matter was not taken forward. In 2019, the state government started collecting details, but the process was once again put on hold.
Behind bars during Emergency
Those who took part in Satyagraha and underwent imprisonment - 7447
Those who took part in Satyagraha, but were not arrested - 2714
Jailed following various police actions - 86
Jailed under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) - 178
(As per data with Association of Emergency Victims)