“Denial of freedom is a universal phenomenon whichever party is in power. Only the background changes from time to time,” said historian M.G.S. Narayanan.
Releasing the book Adiyantharavastha — Iruttinte Nilavilikal by BJP leader P.S. Sreedharan Pillai in Kozhikode on Sunday, he said Mr. Pillai had chronicled history in an unbiased manner and that the book would be of great use to history students in the future.
The book is Mr. Pillai’s take on the Emergency imposed in the mid-1970s in the country by the then Congress government led by Indira Gandhi. Mr. Narayanan said the Emergency was a turning point in the history of independent India and that it was the beginning of the decay in Indian National Congress, which had played a major role in the Indian freedom movement earlier. He said the response to the Emergency was lukewarm in Kerala as against the north Indian states that had fought the situation tooth and nail.
Writer and JDS leader M.P. Veerendra Kumar, in his presidential address, pointed out that Mr. Pillai had studied the topic in depth and had succeeded in converting his book into a historical document. “The struggles for the protection of fundamental rights of citizens have always been that of a minority. But when they succeed, it becomes the victory of a whole nation,” Mr. Kumar said.
The book was released by Mr. Narayanan while historian K.V. Thomas received the first copy.