Amnesty International mails gave hope during emergency: Advani

BJP's prime ministerial candidate and avid blogger LK Advani has said that letters and cards from members of Amnesty International had given him strength, confidence and hope for the 19 months he was incarcerated during emergency.

Reminiscing January 18, 1977 - his last day in Bangalore Central jail - Advani states in his blog that the entry made in his diary on that day is still etched on his mind.

"When I returned to my room for the last time, I found a heap of letters lying on my table. They are more than 600, all of them from abroad, sent by members or associates of Amnesty International... there is a line or two inscribed on each, which gave strength, confidence and hope to all of us engaged in the struggle," Advani says in his blog.

The jail, spread over 21-acre, was recently converted into a Freedom Park by the BJP government in Karnataka. It was inaugurated by Advani himself on February 27.

Congratulating the state government, Advani hoped the park would become a "major tourist attraction of Bangalore, a place of pilgrimage for all lovers of freedom, democracy, independence of the judiciary and the media, and civil liberties".

The senior BJP leader also states in his blog that the park would serve as a "permanent warning to those who might harbour the evil thoughts of bringing India yet again under the jackboots of authoritarian rule". The emergency was imposed by the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government.