Gopalkrishna Gandhi speaks at the Mysuru Literature Festival. | Photo Credit: Ma Sriram
Former Governor of West Bengal, scholar and diplomat Gopalkrishna Gandhi said that in need should remember the way people offer resistance to this.
Mr. Gandhi, who spoke here at the Mysur Literature Festival, noted that the emergency situation was an ugly affair and no one could deny it.
He reminded that even Gandhi’s parades in Parliament admitted that the emergency situation should not be stored, said it was important to remember people who resisted it and went to prison in this process.
“I don’t think it is necessary to run Gandhi and others, and on its 50th anniversary, it is important to remember those who had the courage to resist the emergency situation and fight against it rather than throwing stones on those who started it,” he added.
Mr. Gandhi answered the question that the moderator asked during the session, and said that during an emergency point of view, people were going to jail and did not know if they would be released again, and it was the courage to remember.
He said that there are authoritarianism forces around the world, and ordinary people need the courage to resist or fight against it. Regarding the question of freedom of speech, Mr. Gandhi said that although it is formally given, it can actually be undertaken. The conversion of freedom of expression is not a law, but he added through the evidence of fear in the environment of the day.
Mr. Gandhi expressed optimism about the future of India in a time of politically charged environment and explained his opinion with two recent sports moments.
He remembered how the mother of athlete Neera Chopry kindly acknowledged after the international sports event that his son Arshad’s Pakistani rival also played admirably well and was like a son.
Similarly, when the Indian chess of Prodigy D. Gukesh defeated the best Chinese player, the former humbly referred to his opponent as a “real champion”, Mr. Gandhi mentioned.
“If the two Indians can talk to such respect and generosity about Pakistan and the Chinese competitor,” he said, “there is hope.”
Published – 5 July 2025 17:28
