Press Under Siege: Saga of Censorship, Courage & Resistance

Journalists bravely resisted censorship and repression during Emergency, upholding press freedom under intense pressure.

- ALOK MEHTA

The large-scale political repression, arrests, and censorship during the Emergency (1975-77) have again become a topic of discussion after 50 years. However, it is also important to note that despite the sword of power hanging over them, many editors and journalists in India not only challenged the government but also played a significant role in sending information for underground activities and distributing written or printed material across the country.

I had been working since 1971 as a correspondent for the news agency Hindusthan Samachar in Delhi, reporting on politics and Parliament. I used to write articles in newspapers about government-opposing movements in Gujarat and Bihar along with reporting. Baleshwar Agrawal, the chief managing editor of Hindusthan Samachar, and the bureau chief were former RSS propagators. However, being a major news agency of Indian languages, they had good contacts with several Congress ministers and leaders. It was through them that a young journalist like me was introduced to these leaders.