43 Years of Emergency in India – Reason, Duration & Facts about the ‘Darkest Phase of Independent India’
The 21-month-long emergency imposed in India between 1975 and 1977 is remembered as the darkest phase of the post-independence India.
On June 25, 1975 the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi announced a state of emergency in the country. It lasted for 21 months and was withdrawn on March 21, 1977. Forty three years to the day, we list down all that you must know about the emergency, one of the most controversial phases of independent India. The reason cited for the imposition of emergency by Indira Gandhi's government was that there were several internal and external threats to the Indian state. Though the actual reason is a topic of debate.
After the 1971 war with Pakistan, Indian economy was not in a good state and there was a considerable decline in the GDP growth. Then, the Allahabad High Court, in its verdict against a case on Indira Gandhi for election malpractices, took away her power to preside over parliamentary proceedings. Gandhi challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court.
Also politician and independence activist Jayaprakash Narayan’s protest against her corrupt practices was gaining momentum and he was garnering a nationwide support. He demanded a resignation from Indira Gandhi in light of the Allahabad High Court’s verdict. And he announced his plans of protest across the country in every state capital on June 25, 1975.
Using her power as granted by the Article 352 of the constitution, Gandhi declared an emergency. President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed issued an ordinance after which the emergency was imposed. After the Indo-China war in 1962 and the Indo-Pak war of 1971, this was the third time a state of emergency was declared in India.
What makes the emergency a controversial phase apart from the reasons cited for its imposition? There were many such incidents in India during the period, for which it is remembered as the darkest phase of post-independence India. Some of which are as follows:
Freedom of Press Threatened
The press suffered a lot under the emergency. There was heavy censorship imposed on the media that barred them from reporting anything against the Indira Gandhi government. It censored the media in unparalleled ways. For instance, The Indian Express’ first edition after the emergency consisted of a blank page instead of the editorial. The Financial Express had Rabindranath Tagore's poem, "Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high".
Violation of Human Rights
Spearheaded by Indira Gandhi’s son Sanjay Gandhi there was a forced mass-sterilisation. He said it was for the motive of family planning. Also, people’s fundamental rights were threatened. An order was passed to detain or arrest anyone who opposed the government. They didn’t even have the right to appeal in court.
42nd Amendment of the Constitution of India
Gandhi also headed the 42nd amendment of the Indian constitution. It attempted to reduce the power of the Supreme Court and High Courts to pronounce upon the constitutional validity of laws. She amended the constitution in such a way so as it exonerated her from the charges in the election malpractice case.
Turkman Gate Demolition and Firing
The infamous Turkman Gate Demolition and Firing incident took place in 1976. People protesting against the demolition of their houses ordered by Gandhi’s government were shot and killed by the police. The government claimed it to be an order to cleanse the slums of Delhi.
These are some of the major incidents that made the period of emergency a dark phase in the Indian history. After this, Indira Gandhi's popularity as a leader declined considerably. She faced severe criticism for her actions from the people. She also faced major opposition from the RSS and the Sikh community.
A result of her declining popularity reflected in the elections. The emergency was called off on March 21, 1977, and she resigned on March 24. Congress lost the Lok Sabha elections to the Janata Party and Moraji Desai preceded Gandhi as the Prime Minister of India.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 25, 2018 03:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).