NetaGiri: When Babuji Jagjivan Ram overshadowed 'Bobby' post-emergency

It was biting cold in January 1977, but the country's political landscape was on fire due to the Emergency. While Indira Gandhi was giving her speech on the radio, leaders of Opposition parties were being released after spending months in jail. Back then, a meeting was held at the Delhi residence of Morarji Desai.

Among those present in the meeting were leaders of four Opposition parties -- the Jana Sangh, Chaudhary Charan Singh-led Bharatiya Lok Dal, Socialist Party, and the fourth one was Congress (O) led by Desai himself. Post the meeting, it was decided that these four parties would contest the general elections under a common flag.

On January 23, 1977, a press conference was held in the presence of Jayaprakash Narayan and the new party, Janata Party, was announced. All the Opposition leaders were contesting elections against Congress under one flag and one party. While on the one hand, the opponents were coming together, on the other, Congress received a big blow from its own powerful and big Scheduled Caste leader Jagjivan Ram. In just 10 days after the Janata Party was formed, Jagjivan Ram announced his exit from Indira Gandhi's Union Cabinet.

Interestingly, Jagjivan Ram was among those leaders who voted in favour of imposing an Emergency in the country. With the resignation of Jagjivan Ram, one thing had reached the general public was that all was not okay within the Congress party. At that time, Jagjivan Ram was fondly known as 'Babuji' in politics.

Historian Ram Chandra Guha talked about this in his book Bharat: Nehru Ke Baad. After leaving Congress, Jagjivan Ram announced his party, named Congress for Democracy (CFD). After its formation, he said that it would work to stop the division of votes of the Opposition parties.

Amid the unity of Opposition parties and senior Congress leaders leaving the party, the dates of general elections were announced. It was decided that elections would be held in March's third week. Post this announcement, the Opposition parties came out on the streets to protest against Indira Gandhi and Congress. On March 6, 1977, Opposition parties started their election campaign. A rally was organised at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. The Indira Gandhi government made every possible effort to stop this rally from making it unsuccessful.

Back then, there was only one TV channel in the country, which was also under the direct control of the government. To make the rally unsuccessful, the superhit film of that era Bobby was aired on TV. The purpose behind showing this film -- starring big names like Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, and Pran -- was to stop the people of Delhi from attending the rally.

The government expected that people would stay glued to their TV sets and watch the film but this move remained unsuccessful. It was the effect of the unity of Opposition parties that as many as 10 lakh people participated in this historic rally in Delhi. After this successful rally at Ramlila Maidan, the headline of a newspaper the next day read, "Babuji has defeated Bobby!" Many prominent leaders, including Jagjivan Ram, Jai Prakash Narayan, and Morarji Desai also participated in this rally.