by Vinod Narayanan

The Indian diaspora all over the world are keen on the happenings in India and always keep emotional content towards their motherland or land of origin.

From the colonial times of India itself, the organizations such as Gadharites movement, India independence committee, and such others were formed by the Indian community for the cause to free Mother India. Subhash Chandra Bose’s valiant soldiers of the Indian National Army mostly of Indian expatriates of the East.

After Independence when India became a democratic republic, the Indian diaspora effectively and sincerely intervened and took action whenever the founding principles of the nation were tried to be jeopardized. Unfortunately, most of their selfless efforts are unsung unlike their predecessors.

Pic 1. Hand Written Notice by Indian Students for joining a meeting of Protest against emergency.

In June of 1975, when India was going through fade pages of democracy in history, when the Central Government of India at that time proclaimed a state of emergency which resulted in curtailing fundamental rights of Indian citizens and veiling the principle of democracy.

During this time a group of vibrant Indians got together in Chicago to form an organisation called Indians for Democracy (IFD), to protest and point to the suppression of fundamental rights and democratic values and the very basic principles of the Constitution of India by a Centralistic and totalitarian regime.

Pic 2. News about proclamation of emergency published in ‘Indian Express’ later the Newspaper was banned for publishing  pro-democracy articles.

Prominent among the IFD members are S.R Hiremath, a top management advisor, and Dr Farik. B Presswala a medical examiner, Dr. Hasmukh Shah a New York based psychiatrist, Anand Kumar a researcher in Sociology and other expatriates from all walks of life.

The Indians for Democracy (IFD) started a bi monthly magazine called Indian Opinion inspired by the venture of Gandhiji while he was such South Africa

One notable event held by IFD was a protest march to the Indian Ambassador’s residence in Washington DC on 15th August 1975.

A poster for the event had a circle covered half in black the other half was a sentence saying:

“Don’t let the light go out on Indian democracy”

Next day the Washington Post heralded

“…….Indians for democracy have organised to counter what they say is the suppression of the fundamental rights of Indian citizens and throttling of the Indian democracy…..”

The representatives of IFD traveled across various cities of the US to spread the ideology and organised many events over the next few months.

Pic3. S.R Hiremath

Prominent Indian leaders and personalities such as Ramjeth Jethmalani,  U.R Ananthamurthy, Subramaniam Swamy and Rajni Kothar took part in such IFD organised events.

S.R Hiremath was selected as the convener of the IFD and he did not confine himself to organising events in the US only but traveled to nine European countries and cities including Geneva. Submitted a report to the United Nations Human rights council.

Mr. Hiremath secured the support of famous economist E.F .Schumacher for this cause. Thus the IFD and Indian Community was able to gain the support of the Global community for bringing the light of democracy in India.

When he returned to the US after activities in Europe, Indian authorities impounded his passport along with other Pioneer members of Indians for Democracy.

Hiremath told to the Chicago Sun times about the temporary cancellation of his passport that;

“It makes me happy to know that a few committed people like me can have this kind of impact on the National Government in India…..”

Headline of the interview at Chicago Sun-Times  was “ (Indira) Gandhi foe”

Anand Kumar’s research Merit Scholarship given by the Indian government has been withheld, citing the cause that Mr. Anand worked against the Government Of India.

After the emergency was lifted Mr Hiremath left the U.S and returned to India and got involved in rural development and various environment campaigning. He led the campaign and litigation in ending illegal Mining in the state of Karnataka. Currently, he heads the Citizens for Democracy, an organisation started by Jayaprakash Narayan in 1974. Anand Kumar has also returned from the US and joined his Alma mater JNU.