Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : On June 25, 1975, India was plunged into one of its darkest democratic chapters. With the declaration of a National Emergency by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was abolished, and a wave of arrests silenced political opposition. While this period is remembered as a grave assault on India's Constitution, it also gave rise to a powerful and disciplined underground resistance, with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at its core.
Immediately after the Emergency was imposed, the RSS, along with several other organizations, was officially banned. Its leaders were imprisoned, and its offices were shut down. However, instead of dissolving, the organization activated a clandestine network that would form the backbone of the nationwide movement to restore democracy. This effort is often referred to by its supporters as India's "second freedom struggle."
Under the leadership of figures like Dattopant Thengadi and Moropant Pingle, the RSS orchestrated a multi-pronged resistance. The first challenge was to break through the wall of state-controlled propaganda and media censorship. The organization began publishing and distributing a vast network of underground newsletters, pamphlets, and bulletins in various languages. This secret press operation kept citizens informed about the realities of the Emergency, government atrocities, and the ongoing resistance efforts, ensuring that an alternative narrative to the state's official version reached the public.
The most visible form of protest was the Satyagraha, a campaign of non-violent civil disobedience. Starting in November 1975, thousands of RSS volunteers, or Swayamsevaks, began publicly courting arrest to defy the authoritarian regime. According to records from the movement, over a lakh of these Satyagrahis were imprisoned during the 21-month period. This sustained campaign of peaceful defiance placed immense pressure on the government's administrative and prison systems.
The RSS also played a crucial role in uniting a fractured political opposition. It was instrumental in forming the "Lok Sangharsh Samiti" (People's Struggle Committee), a broad coalition of anti-Emergency forces that brought together leaders from different political ideologies under the guidance of veteran statesman Jayaprakash Narayan.
The movement was not without immense sacrifice. Families of the jailed volunteers faced severe hardship, yet the disciplined and decentralized structure of the RSS ensured that the resistance continued unabated. This sustained, nationwide effort is credited with keeping the spirit of democracy alive, ultimately compelling Indira Gandhi to call for elections in 1977, which she decisively lost. For the RSS and its supporters, their role during the Emergency remains a defining moment, a testament to their commitment to defending India's constitutional values against authoritarian rule.
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