JP In Jail

by M.G. Devasahayam

When Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency in 1975, the people of India were deprived of their freedom and fundamental rights. The event remains a dark chapter in the history of the sub-continent. Jayaprakash Narayan, branded 'Enemy No.1' of the state, was arrested under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and dispatched to Chandigarh's 'Emergency Jail'. Faced with the state's brute force, individuals and institutions surrendered and the world's largest democracy was drifting towards dictatorship. JP, who had tirelessly toiled for the triumph of freedom, dared the might of Emergency dictatorship and fought to restore democracy in India. During JP's six-month confinement, India's 'Second Mahatma' transformed defeat into triumph; the 'Delhi Durbar' indulged in a series of intrigues to isolate and incapacitate him, and reconciliation between Indira Gandhi and JP was sabotaged by a 'coterie' wielding 'veto power'. A riveting first-person, authentic and uncensored account by M.G. Devasahayam, who as district magistrate and inspector-general, prisons, at the time, was in effect JP's custodian, and closely associated with him throughout his confinement.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Rohit Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone even if they never put a foot in school, knows godse. And everyone thinks what he did was horrible. And he is used as a political tool to keep the identity the majority of this country down.

But even if you go through all the stereotypical schooling you will never know how congress, used each and every mechanism at its disposal to kill democracy and the last leader of Gandhian era, Jai prakash Narayan.
Dr. Alva in his report stated clearly that jp's kidney problems which occured because of over medication was detected earlier but it was left untreated. His both kidneys had failed and they were trying their best to not release him. If it were not for the efforts of the writer who was the DM of Chandigarh at that time , JP would have died. And congress would have won in the next election and we would have said good bye to democracy and rahul gandhi would have been our king rn. It's a different matter that he does think he is the king regardless.
When he was released, he got treatment in Bombay where they found out both his kidneys have failed. He was on dialysis twice a week when he was rallying people and opposition for the election and after his release he just survived 4 years. They say gandhi got us freedom when actually what he got us was dominion status. JP got us freedom and democracy. And Bihar is paying for it. JP and the whole anti emergency base was in Bihar. But once congress came back to power, they took their revenge on Bihar.

It's ironic, that it was Bihar where India's biggest empire originated, mauryas and then this. And now bihari is a synonym for uneducated labourer. Recently the universe is getting full of these ironies.

[Dinesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of a man who opposes single handedly against the mighty democratic center and being a reason for making a non-congress party tonlead the country for the first time in India.