New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the book “The Emergency Diaries – Years that Forged a Leader” today at an event in the national capital. The book delves into the compelling role that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then a young RSS pracharak, played in the fight against the Emergency. It also features a special foreword by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

After launching the book during the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas programme, Amit Shah said, “Today, PM Modi’s book ‘The Emergency Diaries: Years that Forged a Leader’ was launched. During the Emergency, Narendra Modi ji lived underground as a young RSS pracharak and actively participated in the 19-month-long movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan and Nanaji Deshmukh. As a young activist, PM Modi struggled tirelessly — he visited the homes of those imprisoned under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act), spoke with their families, and helped arrange medical treatment. He also played a role in the secret distribution of underground newspapers, spreading them in markets, public squares, among students, and women. In Gujarat, Narendra Modi, then a young man of just 24–25 years, took a leading role in this struggle.”

Watch | HM Amit Shah say, “Today, a book was launched, ‘The Emergency Diaries: Years that Forged a Leader’…During the Emergency, Narendra Modi ji lived underground as a young RSS pracharak and actively participated in the 19-month-long movement led by JP Narayan and Nanaji… pic.twitter.com/iH7FETdtiE

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) June 25, 2025

“PM Modi used to work underground, disguising himself as a sadhu, Sardarji, hippie, or an incense stick or newspaper vendor. Look at how divine justice works — a 25-year-old boy (PM Modi) opposed Indira Gandhi’s dictatorship by going door to door, village to village. Today, that same person, in 2014, uprooted the very reason the Emergency was imposed: dynasty politics,” he added.

Earlier in the morning, PM Modi also shared about the book on X, saying, “When the Emergency was imposed, I was a young RSS Pracharak. The anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience for me. It reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework. At the same time, I got to learn so much from people across the political spectrum. I am glad that BlueKraft Digital Foundation has compiled some of those experiences in the form of a book, whose foreword has been penned by Shri HD Deve Gowda Ji, himself a stalwart of the anti-Emergency movement.”

“‘The Emergency Diaries’ chronicles my journey during the Emergency years. It brought back many memories from that time. I call upon all those who remember those dark days of the Emergency or those whose families suffered during that time to share their experiences on social media. It will create awareness among the youth of the shameful time from 1975 to 1977,” PM added.  DeshGujarat

When the Emergency was imposed, I was a young RSS Pracharak. The anti-Emergency movement was a learning experience for me. It reaffirmed the vitality of preserving our democratic framework. At the same time, I got to learn so much from people across the political spectrum. I am… https://t.co/nLY4Vb30Pu

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2025