Book on Modi's journey during Emergency recalls his visit to jail in guise of 'swamiji'

EVADING detection as a member of the banned RSS during the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled in different disguises but it did not stop him from visiting a jail, of all the places with high risk for him, as a "swamiji" to speak to the incarcerated activists for nearly an hour, according to a book.

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Then a young RSS pracharak, Modi travelled in different disguises, held meetings with people, including fellow workers from the Hindutva outfit, organised help for families of the imprisoned and ensured regular publication and distribution of anti-Emergency literature during the 21-month-long “authoritarian regime" of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

BlueKraft has published "The Emergency Diaries - Years that Forged a Leader" to chronicle Modi's role in the underground campaign during that period, after speaking to a number of people associated with him at that time.

Modi joined the RSS at a young age and made a mark with his organisational ability. He was shifted to the BJP where he worked at the state and national level before returning to Gujarat as the chief minister in 2001.

He has been the prime minister since leading the BJP to its maiden majority in Lok Sabha in 2014.

Excerpts from the book quote a RSS volunteer, Hasmukh Patel from Nadiad, Gujarat, about Modi's keen mind for innovative outreaches even then, noting that he suggested placing anti-Emergency literature in barbar shops where people from different walks of life gathered, and with religious leaders as followers came to listen to them.