Seminar on “Remembering Emergency and People’s Reaction” observed at Central University of Jammu

JAMMU: The Department of Public Policy and Public Administration, Central University of Jammu, organized a thought provoking online seminar on the theme “Remembering Emergency and People’s Reaction” on the solemn occasion of Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas. The seminar was convened to reflect on the dark chapter of the Emergency imposed in 1975 and to engage in critical academic dialogue about its implications for Indian democracy.

The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Padam Nath Gautam, retired Professor, Department of Public Administration, Himachal Pradesh University. In his address, Prof. Gautam painted a vivid picture of the Emergency era, highlighting that it was a time of widespread fear and silence, with people across the country not just in urban areas, but also from rural India  rising in protest against authoritarianism. He emphasized that the people’s resistance was truly pan-Indian and democratic in spirit.

Prof. Gautam noted that public servants remained largely neutral, a stance perhaps shaped by the prevailing committed bureaucracy. More concerning, he said, was the fact that even the judiciary, expected to be the guardian of constitutional values, failed to remain impartial. He underlined that the period marked a serious curtailment of fundamental freedoms, and that Indian democracy itself was under grave threat.

Terming the Emergency a permanent stain on the democratic record of the Indian National Congress, he argued that its legacy would continue to haunt the party for at least another fifty years.

The seminar began with a welcome address and speaker introduction by Prof. Santap Sanhari Mishra, Head of the Department of Public Policy and Public Administration. The session concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Dr. Mohit Sharma, who acknowledged the enthusiastic participation of students, scholars, and faculty members from various universities across India.

The department expressed its sincere gratitude to Prof. Sanjeev Jain, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Central University of Jammu, for his visionary leadership and continued encouragement in fostering a culture of academic dialogue and democratic awareness within the university.

The seminar served as a meaningful platform for remembering a critical period in India’s democratic journey and reaffirmed the importance of constitutional values in public life.