New Delhi: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda has described the Emergency as the severest challenge to India’s democratic existence, stating that it is important for the youth to be fully aware of those “dark days”.

Home Minister Amit Shah released the book, ‘The Emergency Diaries – Years that Forged a Leader’, which chronicles Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s role during the 21-month period, here on Wednesday.

In his foreword to the book, Gowda said while many non-Congress politicians were in prison, people like Modi built a formidable network of communication and resistance.

“I am happy that Blue Kraft Digital Foundation is making a laudable effort in this direction. I am happy they are chronicling the role played by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the time,” the former prime minister said.

The Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] leader, a BJP ally, said the anti-Emergency movement brought together people across age groups and thought processes with one common objective to protect India’s democratic fabric.

He said, “To save our democracy and to save our Constitution was the only big aim of the movement that shaped spontaneously and organically. If it had not been done then, we would be in a very different India today. An India where we probably could not have existed.” It is important for the youth to be fully aware of the dark days of the Emergency and also the manner in which India’s Constitution was subverted by the political executive, the JD(S) leader said.

Referring to Modi’s role during the Emergency, Gowda said, “For a young man like him to witness such a turbulent phase in our history, I am sure, was not just eye-opening and educative, but also shaped his future and his politics.” He added, “As a leader of Opposition in Karnataka, I suffered personally during the Emergency. I was arrested, but this arrest did not weaken me. It became a great opportunity to learn and come in contact with a diverse set of leaders from across India.” Gowda paid tributes to Jayaprakash Narayan, who led the movement, and a number of key opposition leaders at that time, including Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, Biju Patnaik, George Fernandes, Madhu Dandavate, Chandra Shekhar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Shyam Nandan Mishra and Ramakrishna Hegde among others for their role.

He said, “The Emergency had a deep personal consequence for me. My imprisonment during the period deeply affected my parents, especially my father. He passed away in a short period in the grip of fear that I would never come out alive.” The JD(S) leader welcomed the decision of the Modi government to commemorate the anniversary of the Emergency every year as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’.