All five opposition parties walked out of the Indian Parliament last week when headed by indira Gandhi introduced new constitutional amendment to make the dictatorship's rule absolutely watertight. S. GUPTA, an Indian student, reports below on life under the Emergency.
A VIOLENT BATTLE took place on 19 April this year between the police and local residents in the middle of Delhi. By the end of the day over 100 people lay dead (some estimates were even as high as 300), among them a few policemen.
Inis controntaton nad grown oul or a protest over the issue of compulsory sterilisation. In the area where the clash took place, a number of houses had been knocked down and their occupants offered resettlement only if they agreed to be sterilised. In addition there were stories of people being picked up off the streets by the police and being sterilised against their will.
Despite so many deaths in the heart of the capital, there was no mention accent in mie once vocherous Dur Bov completely censored press. But such an incident-could not be covered up so easily. On the third day after the riot, a short police statement was issued. This seemed to believe that only five people were killed. Two days later, however, another statement was issued admitting to 11 dead.
This was followed by an article identical in every single paper which raved against "rumour-mongerers' and "miscreants'. who spread "groundless' stories about Government intentions to impose compulsory sterilisation. Groundless? The Maharashtra State Government is almost certain to pass a olll insisting or sterilisation of parents with three children, and similar moves are afoot in a number of other states. Chancellor. If any are found to have been active in lett polucs, tney are immediatel refused admission. This happened to a friend of mine whose sole 'crime" had been to participate in a Marxist study group!
A lecture boycott was organised against these vermisanons. our ca nor succeed m ending them. Student union elections are banned - and consequently there are no student unions. Student representatives on appointed by the authorities.