India, July 2 -- I write this as India marks the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Emergency, during which the Constitution itself was weaponised to create a dictatorship.

My father, Arun Jaitley, is remembered as amongst the most eloquent leaders of the nation, a staunch nationalist, astute politician, lawyer par excellence and a unique consensus builder, who worked relentlessly to ensure collaborative process till the result was something that every member could at least accept, if not support.

Curious, I once asked how he had much forbearance for the diametrically opposite views of others. He responded with lessons learned from the Emergency, and what it had cost to safeguard the right to voice an opinion different from that of those in p...