Against Emergency

Against Emergency :

With innate character of democracy, the DMK, Whether in power or out of it, has reacted sharply whenever, democracy is threatened.

Despite being a friend of Mrs. Indira Gandhi and a dependable ally of the Congress Party, when Mrs. Gandhi flouted democracy by declaring national Emergency in 1975, the DMK stood by its commitment to democracy and fought tooth and nail against imposition of emergency. The fight against emergency became a second war for freedom.

Tamil Nadu stood in the fore front under the leadership of Dr. Kalaignar. By guiles and threats, DMK was being pressurised into toeing the line of Central Government but no force on each could intimidate Dr. Kalaignar. His faith in democracy was and still is stead fast and is unshakable. Consequently, DMK leaders like Mr. Murasoli Maran, Arcot Veerasamy, Chitti Babu, Sattur Balakrishnan, and M.K. Stalin with more than 500 volunteers were imprisoned under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). But DMK was able to withstand the repression and faced the trials and tribulations. In fact "MISA" became an honour to be prefixed to one's name.

However in 1980, the same Mrs. Gandhi expressed her regret for having imposed emergency and assured the nation that it would not be repeated on any account, DMK magnanimously renewed its alliance with the Congress, forgetting and forgiving the past, as Dr. Anna used to state.