Ever since its independence, India has always been a country very proud of its democracy. Therefore it is astonishing that for a long period everything from civil rights, the judiciary, the press, and any form of dissent was attacked by the very people entrusted with safeguarding these principles. For 21 months from 25 June 1975 to 21 March 1977, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed had officially declared an Emergency in the country. This period is often described as the darkest period in the history of Indian democracy.
The official reason given by the Government was an “internal disturbance” and using the recently concluded war with Pakistan and threats to national security as their reasoning. However, many experts and opposition leaders often attribute it to the Allahabad High Court decision on June 12, 1975 that declared her election null and void. The decision came in the historic case filed by Raj Narain, her opponent in the Lok Sabha elections of 1971. In this case, he accused her of election fraud and the use of state machinery for election purposes. In the
same decision, the court also banned her from contesting in any election for 6 years. Supreme Court Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, on 24 June 1975, upheld the decision. He ordered that all her privileges as an MP should cease but she was allowed to continue as PM until the resolution of her appeal.
Opposition leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan and Morarji Desai staged anti-government protests which PM Gandhi took as a sign of inciting rebellion against the country. Emergency was proclaimed by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and electricity supply to all major newspapers was cut. Many opposition leaders were arrested to quell dissent under the guise of national security. Congress leaders such as Mohan Dharia and Chandra Shekhar resigned their government and party positions and were thereafter arrested and placed under detention.
During this period, PM Gandhi had the required majority mandate in the parliament to make amendments to the constitution and exonerated herself of any culpability from her election case. She also had the President issue ordinances and ruled by decree. Organizations like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Jamaat-e-Islami, along with some political parties, were banned. Numerous Communist leaders were arrested along with many others involved with their party. 1976 general elections were postponed by the parliament extending the term for Indira Gandhi. Legislatures of states ruled by anti-Indira parties, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, were dissolved and suspended indefinitely and President's rule was imposed.
During the Emergency, anyone who dissented or protested against the government, Indira Gandhi, or her policies were arrested under the guise of “national security”. This led to thousands of people being detained across the country. The government also exercised huge control over all forms of media and controlled the information the public could receive. A few days after the imposition of Emergency, Bombay’s edition of The Times of India, the following
obituary appeared: “Democracy, beloved husband of Truth, loving father of Liberty, brother of Faith, Hope, and Justice, expired on June 26”. This led to the censorship of newspapers with Delhi’s edition of the Indian Express on 28th June 1975 publishing with a blank editorial. Financial Express also published “Where the mind is without fear” by Rabindranath Tagore in their edition. Many prominent personalities from various factions also lent their support to the
Emergency. It was endorsed by social reformer Vinoba Bhave (who called it Anushasan Parva, a time for discipline), and industrialist J. R. D. Tata, writer Khushwant Singh, and Indira Gandhi's close friend and Orissa Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy. However, Tata and Satpathy later regretted that they spoke in favor of the Emergency.
Two of the actions that perhaps had the longest lasting effects were the Forced Sterilisation program and the 42nd amendment of the Indian Constitution. In September 1976, Sanjay Gandhi initiated a widespread program of compulsory sterilization to limit population growth. The campaign primarily involved getting males to undergo vasectomy. Quotas were set up that enthusiastic supporters and government officials worked hard to achieve. There were allegations of coercion of unwilling candidates too. In 1976–1977, the program led to 8.3 million sterilizations, most of them forced, up from 2.7 million the previous year.
The 42nd amendment is regarded as the most controversial constitutional amendment in history. It attempted to reduce the powers of the Supreme Court and the High Courts in pronouncing the constitutional validity of laws. The amendment's 59 clauses stripped the Supreme Court of many of its powers. It moved the political system toward parliamentary sovereignty and curtailed democratic rights in the country. It gave sweeping powers to the Prime Minister's Office and the Parliament unrestrained power to amend any parts of the Constitution, without judicial review. It transferred more power from the state governments to the central government, eroding India's federal structure.
This period has left a lasting legacy in our everyday life and our culture with numerous books and movies being made on the period. It is still being viewed as one of the darkest eras of the country after over 40 years. However, it also led to our citizens and our press showcase their resolve and dedication to upholding the democratic principles of our country. Many opposition leaders influenced foreign press outlets to get their voices heard across the world and it was ultimately the influence of countries like the USA and the World Bank that led to the end of the period of tyranny. Therefore we must continue to use our power and make our voices heard whenever we see any injustice in our country or anywhere in the world. We need to do so to ensure that we don’t have to live through another period of Emergency.
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