Shah Commission
Encyclopedia
Shah Commission was a commission of inquiry appointed by Government of India
in 1977 to inquire into all the excesses committed in the Indian Emergency (1975 - 77)
. It was headed by Justice J.C. Shah, a former chief Justice of India
. The commission deposed hundreds of individuals and after two years produced a 500 page report on the persons responsible for atrocities committed during emergency. The report was particularly scathing of Indira Gandhi
, her son Sanjay Gandhi
, Pranab Mukherjee
, Bansi Lal
, Kamal Nath
and officers belonging to civil services who helped Sanjay Gandhi. This report was later rejected by the congress government headed by Indira Gandhi, which was back in power in 1980. The government also took the extraordinary step of recalling every published report and destroying the copies. Earlier, it was believed that not a single copy of this report exists in India. . However, copies of the report are now being reported by individual collectors and libraries. Era Sezhian, an Indian parliamentarian has republished his copy of the report in a book form called "Shah Commission Report - Lost and Regained". A copy of the report of the commission seems to have slipped out and is currently held by National Library of Australia
.
Katherine frank
, who is famous for her book on Indira Gandhi mentioned in the biography that Indira Gandhi was unwilling to cooperate during the deposition and J.C.Shah lost his cool after three days of patient questioning and reprimanded her.
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
in 1977 to inquire into all the excesses committed in the Indian Emergency (1975 - 77)
Indian Emergency (1975 - 77)
The Indian Emergency of 25 June 1975 – 21 March 1977 was a 21-month period, when President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, upon advice by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, declared a state of emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution of India, effectively bestowing on her the power to rule by decree,...
. It was headed by Justice J.C. Shah, a former chief Justice of India
Chief Justice of India
The Chief Justice of India is the highest-ranking judge in the Supreme Court of India, and thus holds the highest judicial position in India. As well as presiding in the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice also head its administrative functions....
. The commission deposed hundreds of individuals and after two years produced a 500 page report on the persons responsible for atrocities committed during emergency. The report was particularly scathing of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, her son Sanjay Gandhi
Sanjay Gandhi
Sanjay Gandhi was an Indian politician. The younger son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi, he was a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family...
, Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Kumar Mukherjee is the current Finance Minister of India and leader of the current Lok Sabha.Mukherjee is a senior member of the Cabinet Committees on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Parliamentary Affairs, Political Affairs, Prices, Security, Unique Identification Authority of India,...
, Bansi Lal
Bansi Lal
Chaudhary Bansi Lal was an Indian freedom fighter, senior Congress leader, former Chief Minister of Haryana and considered by many to be the architect of modern Haryana. He was born in a Jat family of Golagarh village in Bhiwani district of Haryana. He served three separate terms as Chief...
, Kamal Nath
Kamal Nath
Kamal Nath is an Indian politician and the current Union Cabinet Minister of Urban Development. He is a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India. He represents the Chhindwara constituency of Madhya Pradesh and is a member of the Indian National Congress .-Early life:Born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He...
and officers belonging to civil services who helped Sanjay Gandhi. This report was later rejected by the congress government headed by Indira Gandhi, which was back in power in 1980. The government also took the extraordinary step of recalling every published report and destroying the copies. Earlier, it was believed that not a single copy of this report exists in India. . However, copies of the report are now being reported by individual collectors and libraries. Era Sezhian, an Indian parliamentarian has republished his copy of the report in a book form called "Shah Commission Report - Lost and Regained". A copy of the report of the commission seems to have slipped out and is currently held by National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
.
Katherine frank
Katherine Frank
Katherine Frank is a noted American author and biographer, now living in England. Her works include a highly-acclaimed biography of Lucie Duff Gordon, and the more controversial biography of Indira Gandhi.-External links:...
, who is famous for her book on Indira Gandhi mentioned in the biography that Indira Gandhi was unwilling to cooperate during the deposition and J.C.Shah lost his cool after three days of patient questioning and reprimanded her.