Kochi (VSK). Kochi witnessed a rare sort of congregation of rare camaraderie on June 26, 2023. It was not a merry- making affair. It was not a protest. It was not a venue for conspiracy. It was the get-together of the fighters of the country’s “Second Freedom Struggle” against the Fascist ‘Emergency 1975-1977’. They were RSS swayamsevaks and the warriors who fought Emergency lock, stock and barrel risking their life. But, of course a non-violent agitation by all means. They underwent Fascist police torture and imprisonment for indefinite period. Despite all undemocratic measures, defiling of the Constitution, ‘committed judiciary’, black censorship, nepotism of Indira Gandhi and Co., RSS workers, under the auspices of Lok Sangharsh Samiti, carried out non-violent agitations during the entire Emergency period.
The aforementioned warriors met in Kochi against the backdrop of the 48th anniversary of the declaration of Emergency. M. Mohanan (senior RSS functionary and president of Kerala Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti) presided. C.K. Padmanabhan (former state president of BJP), P.R. Sasidharan (former Prant Pracharak of RSS and currently Dakshin Kshetra Karyakari Sadasya, P. Rajan (veteran journalist who was jailed for writing against Emergency), R. Mohan, E.N Nandakumar and T. Satisan (the author) addressed the gathering. They all were the freedom fighters during Emergency who underwent all sorts of Emergency excesses.
The speakers presented mementos to the 2nd freedom fighters. Mementos displayed the picture, name and the day they staged satyagraha, courted arrest, underwent police torture and imprisonment. The programme was confined to the satyagrahis from Kochi city, nearby Thrikkakkara, Thrippunithura and Maradu Municipalities and Cheranelloor Panchayat. Most of them suffer one or other serious health problems, thanks to the inhuman police torture and imprisonment they suffered. One of them came to the programme from the midst of chemo therapy. He had a valid reason to justify his ‘adventure’ – He was not sure if he can attend a similar programme next year.
Smt. Seethalakshmi and Smt. Maya, who were arrested, beaten and jailed for staging satyagrah, were on the dais despite their ill health. Several participants heard, to their dismay, the frightening stories of Emergency from the speakers, with utmost curiosity and anxiety.
