Vishwajyoti Ghosh

4 stars for this book if only for the choice of subject. Draconian period of Emergency. A period of 21 months (I think book says 18 months; need to check)- little short of 2 years. Article 352.

More than the much-talked about sterilization programs, it narrates how systematically government had taken a leaf out of Nazis (to author's credit he hasn't used the word 'Nazi' at all or said it as such - well-oiled propaganda machine via government media agencies, total control over independent media outlets (remember blank editorials by IE), small media outlets crumbled up, complete network of spies (read Big Brothers) in case you are a rebel, total control on what you talk, think etc.

This book has two parallel narratives - one dealing with individuals (of course, euphemisms are used) who played a role in emergency along with actual events. Second narrative is about three idealist young men - VP, Parvez and Master - who get disillusioned and yet have to come together during Emergency in Delhi, city of Powerpolis.

I loved the interrupting spreads that detailed early life and motivations of both Indira (named Moon in book along with her sons Prince and Pilot) and JP (nicknamed Baul and Prophet in the book.) Siddhartha Shankar Ray is the unnamed Bengali 'gentleman' who suggested implementing Emergency to Indira. Man of wry letters, serious novels and joke books is of course Khushwant Singh, who it is well-known supported Emergency. He looks justifiably stupid in the only two references that have been made about him in the book. Ah, and of course, J.R.D Tata who supported Prince in his venture and also Emergency has an unnamed reference to him.

I was mostly interested in first narrative - some of it uses sepia artwork effectively. All the Indira-time slogans such as 'Work More, Talk Less'; ‘The Nation is in Deep crisis ’ and even JP's 'Total Revolution' phrases figure well in narrative. Some of events about slum clearance, treatment of poor Muslim population (remember it was mostly in Jama Masjid and Turkman gate area) by 'secular' government, the oppression, distrust and arrests have been well-captured.

The second narrative though begins on a promising note is sometimes nebulous. In the latter part of their story, I thought their personal motivations and story gets lost in main plot. Yet, a wonderful effort, it is shame how most of us and ones born after 80s do not know how close we came to lose it all. How draconian and tyrannical that period was.

P.S: As for artwork, I just registered it as medium. But, I do remember few full-page illustrations that conveyed hurt, tyranny and pain very well.… (lisätietoja)