By Elton Gomes
India?s 71 years of independence have been fraught with many untoward incidents. But few seem to have remained in every Indian?s minds due to the sheer gruesomeness with which they were inflicted. To add to this, it seemed as though the government did very little to curb such unwanted acts. Here are the five most important events that changed India after Independence.
The Emergency in 1975
Considered one of the darkest periods in independent India, the Emergency revealed the multiple ways in which the government sought to clampdown on fundamental rights. Imposed on June 25, 1975, the Emergency resulted in the suspension of fundamental rights. Politicians and dissenters were imprisoned, and heavy censorship almost crippled the media. It was the first time in independent India where the government seemed hell-bent on curbing any type of dissent in order to remain in power.
Independent India had a first-hand account of what the Indira Gandhi government was capable of. Gandhi took the liberty of rewriting laws as she felt that the current laws were too slow. She also got the president to pass an ordinance that allowed Gandhi to rule by decree. The Emergency will remain a watershed in Indian history because it placed a politician on a pedestal. It wasn?t concerned about the common man or his rights or the rights of the nation. For the first time, independent India saw the workings of a selfish government ? a government that will always be tainted with the happenings of 1975.
Anti-Sikh riots in 1984
The quest to remain in power and religious fanaticism led to the anti-Sikh riots in 1984. The Khalistan movement was on the boil in India, and Operation Blue Star added fuel to the fire. In an attempt to capture Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the Sikh shrine ? the Akal Takht ? was pounded with 105 mm high-explosive squash head shells. Bhindranwale, an extremist, was known to be hiding in the shrine. By permitting Operation Blue Star, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi incurred the wrath of the entire Sikh community. The anger grew so much that Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. Thereafter, Sikhs were treated as a common ?enemy.?
After Indira Gandhi?s assassination, angry mobs killed Sikhs mercilessly, while the government barely moved a muscle to curb the bloodshed. Were the anti-Sikh killings orchestrated by the government? Perhaps we might never have the answer, but the incident is enough to shake the conscience of anyone. Independent India saw the anarchic destruction of frenzied mobs. Religious fanaticism was beginning to rear its ugly head. It was as though India?s social fabric was based on religion ? and this was something that the nation was going to suffer from for a long time.
Babri Masjid demolition
The Babri Masjid demolition was concrete proof that religion was successful in snuffing out pragmatism. This time, a new ?enemy? was being created. After Partition, it can be said that the Hindu-Muslim divide was kept alive by incidents such as the Babri Masjid demolition. The Bhartiya Janata Party?s (BJP) rath yatras led by L.K. Advani were enough to stoke communal tensions across India. Advani?s processions from Gujarat to Ayodhya were the starting point for communal divides across the country. The divide was now emboldened – alive and kicking due to the kar sevaks? voracious devotion to Lord Ram. The demolition ripped India?s social fabric into two, and its repercussions were felt right up to a seemingly secular Bombay.
The Babri Masjid demolition was perhaps the first time when religious politics came to the fore in such a brazen manner. Advani?s communal speeches were enough to strongly divide India on the basis of religion.? ??
Anti-Muslim riots in Godhra
Till today there hasn?t been concrete evidence as to who set fire to that fateful coach of the Sabarmati Express that killed 59 kar sevaks. But politicians in Gujarat, particularly those from the BJP, already had an ?enemy?- the Muslims. The burning of the Sabarmati Express triggered the worst communal riots in India. Once again, politicians pounced upon the religion card and used it to stoke communal tensions. Then chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi still has allegations against him for being complicit in the anti-Muslim riots.
The 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Godhra will remain a significant example of othering in India. After the Babri Masjid demolition, Godhra made Indian Muslims feel increasingly unsecure and uncertain about their future in India. Godhra saw the worst communal riots happen on its soil, and Indian Muslims will have a hard time forgetting the incident.
26/11 Terror attacks in Mumbai
The city that never sleeps had a horrific nightmare it would never forget. The 26/11 terror attacks revealed how vulnerable Mumbai can be. A group of terrorists held siege over India?s financial capital and wreaked havoc across multiple places. The attack brought to light the shameful way in which the city cops are treated. Hemant Karkare, chief of the Anti-terror squad, lost his life in the attack due to a substandard bulletproof jacket. Recent reports suggest that the Maharashtra Police have still not received efficient bulletproof vests.
The attack will be etched in every Mumbaikar?s memory simply because Mumbai was being ruthlessly attacked, and all Mumbaikars could do was to watch with unbelief on TV. The terror attacks made the Mumbai police more alert, and the city?s borders now have patrol boats to ensure no transgressors can enter.
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