Emergency

It is an Emergency! Cast the snare
sky high and wide, raise the scare
Don’t go by their humane look
Bring the bloody rebel to book!

So what if some are old and feeble
If unfettered, they will have us tumble!
They ask to restrain and not transgress
these are obstacles to our progress!

It is an Emergency! Gather excuses lame
it’s time again for our devious, deadly game
Look them move to disrupt our peace
act quick now, do not suffer the siege!

They have lost all sense of shame
look them give our nation a bad name
Disseminating confirmation of our disgrace
Let’s eliminate them without leaving a trace!

It is an Emergency! Notice the stink
from the ones who tell others to think
They who reason are most dangerous
notice their queries are the most furious!

But questions are not the only artillery
evidence of our deeds is also weaponry
They write and paint, sing and dance
All indicators of freedom fighter stance!

It is an Emergency… time to act with speed
their growing solidarity is precarious indeed
Round up rebels and charge them treason
those against us are enemies of the nation!

Throw behind bars and black them out
eventually erase every rebellious shout
The gullible will swallow our nationalist con
with urgency crush challengers to move on!
in emergency crush challengers to move on!!

~ Pravin K. Sabnis

Note: In India, for 21-months from 1975 to 1977, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency across the country because of the prevailing "internal disturbance". The order bestowed upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, suspend elections and curb civil liberties. Political opponents were imprisoned, press was censored and several other human rights violations were unleashed on the citizens. Many later Governments at various levels, have used an undeclared emergency by resorting to draconian laws (many from British times) to suppress democratic struggles