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        I have just finished reading an outstanding book of great historic importance called PMO DIARY - II, The Emergency by B N Tandon of the Indian Administrative Service. His most important assignment was a long stint as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's office during the fateful years of the rise and fall of Indira Gandhi from 1969 to 1976. Unlike in England or USA or many other Western countries, Civil servants in India usually do not maintain a diary or write their memoirs. Even when a few civil servants endeavour to do so, their accounts are full of imagined half truths, laced with egoistic self praise or filled with unabashed adulation of a few selected political leaders under whom they had the opportunity of working. Consequently we do not have authentic sources for understanding modern Indian history after our independence.

B N Tandon's book on the emergency is a spectacular exception to this general rule. This book by B N Tandon contains the diaries kept by him during one of India's most momentous periods. This volume covers the draconian days of emergency from 16 August, 1975 to 24 July, 1976. As a Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Secretariat, Bishan Tandon was witness to critical events of the time. His entries, which were made almost on a daily basis, trace the trajectory of the political crisis that overwhelmed the country following declaration of emergency by that shameless dictator called Indira Gandhi on the midnight of 25 June, 1975. This diary clearly brings out the authentic facts relating to the sequence of events leading to the massive preventive detention of political leaders like Jayaprakash Narain, Morarji Desai, Atal Behari Vajpayee in the opposition, closing down the newspapers and censorship of them and the asphyxiation of liberty by progressively more and more repressive legislation under the personal supervision of Indira Gandhi and her renegade son Sanjay Gandhi.       The whole of India owes a deep debt of gratitude to B N Tandon for having created an accurate record of the day-to-day events relating to the critical days of emergency. This diary will stand as a light house throwing informed light on the small mindedness, wickedness, immorality, immaturity and irresponsibility of Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister during the days of emergency.

B N Tandon

        B N Tandon rightly deserves the title of 'Samuel Pepys' of Emergency India. Who is Samuel Pepys? Samuel Pepys, (1633 - 1703) was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, famous chiefly for his comprehensive diary. Although Pepys had no maritime experience, he rose by hard work and his talent for administration to be the Chief Secretary to the Admiralty under King James II. He was one of the first to apply methodical research and careful record keeping to the business of government, and his influence was important in the early development of the British Civil Service.The detailed private diary that he kept during 1660 - 1669 was published after his death and is one of the most important primary sources for the English Restoration period. It provides a fascinating combination of personal revelation and eyewitness accounts of great events, such as the Great Plague of London, the Second Dutch War and the Great Fire of London. Quite like that of Samuel Pepys, B N Tandon's diary will have an abiding place in Indian history as one of the most authentic sources of accurate information relating to the misdeeds of Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay Gandhi in the treacherous times of emergency. We get an insight into the persona of Indira Gandhi and her working style. We get a fascinating glimpse into the character of petty political leaders and others who became powerful at that time in their true colours.

        B N Tandon writes in his preface to his Diary with great humility and reverence: 'The Indian tradition regards that Satyam (truth), Shivam (auspicious), Sundaram (beauty) is the ultimate objective of literature. The Diary describes a stark reality of the times. Whatever has been written is nothing but the truth.... The Diary presents a clear picture of politico-administrative happenings of a particular period. The reader is quite free to come to his own conclusion about its beauty'.

        After reading B N Tandon's gripping Diary, I can say with informed conviction that in his candid and courageous account we can see the combined splendour of Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram. When he joined the PM's Secretariat (PMS) as Joint Secretary on 4 October, 1969, the staff strength in that office was 198, going up to 229 in 1977. In 1967, P N Haksar became Secretary to the PM. About him B N Tandon says: 'He was an extraordinary man and I have no hesitation in saying that in my entire career I have met only two or three other officials who could rank with him in dedication and accomplishment. All those who worked closely with him could easily feel the warmth of his personality, immense patriotism, wide intellectual and cultural interests, his fearlessness and fair mindedness. Without changing the structure of the PM's Secretariat, he raised its ability to advise and help the PM to a very high level. He also fostered a sense of spirit de Corps which is rare in government offices. This was the main reason why a handful of officials were able to convert a relatively small office into such an important and influential one. Later this was reinforced by the leadership of his successor, P N Dhar'. This splendid structure was brought down in one stroke by Sanjay Gandhi during emergency.

        The facts relating to the sudden rise of Sanjay Gandhi to the position of an overriding, de facto Super Prime Minister are described graphically which bring no credit either to Sanjay Gandhi or to his mother Indira Gandhi. According to Tandon, Sanjay's interference in administration and government started with his Maruti project. The manner in which his mother Indira Gandhi allowed him to misuse her office and power has been recorded in the Gupta Commission's Report. The most glorious moment in India's administrative history was reached in 1975 when Sanjay Gandhi clearly told the officers working under the Union Law Minister, H R Gokale, that there was no law above him. He wanted his wishes to be fulfilled immediately and without question. To help him, Indira Gandhi attached one of her assistants to him and Sanjay's order and wishes were conveyed to different Ministries and officers through this assistant. This took the form of deciding appointments in the Ministries and departments that were of direct concern to Sanjay's project. Very soon this began to happen throughout the government. Pliable, corrupt, meek and convenient officials were appointed to important positions and gradually it became customary for all important appointees to be interviewed by Sanjay and the assistant. Even one or two ICS officers in their late fifties creeped and crawled before Sanjay for getting posts of their choice. Thus arose a coterie of what Tandon calls - Palace Guards. Indira Gandhi used to send her Ministers and senior officials to Sanjay for orders. The result of all this was that a DARBAR was held in the PM's house in the Prime Minister's absence where senior officials reported their actions to this coterie of Palace Guards and sought its orders. Is it not a matter of shame for all of us?

        B N Tandon says that Indira Gandhi failed to take substantive advantage of her successes during 1969-71. On 13 March, 1971, Jayaprakash Narain wrote congratulating her and said that - You have been given an unprecedented mandate to serve the people. I hope you will face the present challenges after serious consideration. I did not approve your conduct during the Presidential election even though I knew that it was a matter of political survival for you. Now that you have got so much power, I pray to God that He will give you good sense. The whole world now knows that Indira Gandhi proved herself to be incapable of it from 1971 to 1977 when she was thrown out by the people. This will be clear from what she told Kuldip Nair, the journalist: 'You see here is a question of whom the party wants and whom the people want. My position among the people is uncontested'. Her pride and arrogance reached their climax during the period of emergency. The sharp decline of moral values in politics and administration that took place in Indira Gandhi's time had never been witnessed before.

        Here is an entry by B N Tandon dated 28 May, 1976: 'Gopal gave another instance of how the PM can stoop to any level to achieve her political aims. The only family member left of Kamaraj is his aged sister, who is a very poor lady. Malaviyaji had thought that to help her, she could be given an LPG Agency. The PM stopped this. The reason is that Kamaraj's sister is still with the Congress (O) and shows no sign of wanting to defect to the Congress (I). At any rate, the PM will not easily reconsider this case'.

        When Mahatma Gandhi helped Rt. Hon'ble Srinivasa Sastri to settle the Annamalai University students' strike in 1940, Rt. Hon'ble Sastri cabled the Mahatma: 'Magnanimity! Thy name is Mahatma Gandhi'. It would have been in order if only Kamaraj's sister had sent a cable to the PM: 'Meanness! Thy name is Indira Gandhi'.