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The Hindu
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Revisiting a dark chapter: 50th anniversary of Emergency declaration
One of the turning points of Indian politics, the Emergency was set in motion by the Indira Gandhi government on June 25, 1975, and remained in place for 21 months till its withdrawal on March 21, 1977. The order gave Indira Gandhi, India's first woman Prime Minister, the authority to rule by decree and saw the large-scale curbing of civil liberties. The then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed announced a nationwide state of emergency, citing 'an imminent danger to the security of India being threatened by internal disturbances,' particularly after the war with Pakistan and the liberation of Bangladesh. It was imposed just days after Indira Gandhi was convicted by Allahabad High Court for electoral malpractice in a case filed by socialist leader Raj Narain who challenged her win from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat. The conviction led to her disqualification as an MP and Emergency allowed her to continue as Prime Minister. The oppressive Maintenance of Internal Security Act was passed during the Emergency era. There was large-scale suspension of fundamental rights for the citizenry, detention and arrest of Opposition leaders and critics, and press censorship. The 38th Amendment Act of 1975 also made declaration of a national emergency immune to judicial review (this was later removed by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978). In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK under M. Karunanidhi denounced it as the 'inauguration of dictatorship.' On January 31, 1976, the Karunanidhi government was dismissed, and a wave of arrests followed. DMK leaders, including now Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, faced brutal third-degree torture in Madras Central Prison. Emergency remained in effect till March 21, 1977, and eventually also led to a Janata Party wave in 1977 that swept the Congress out of power for the first time since Independence. Here is a collection of stories revisiting the dark chapter in India's history.
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First Post
11 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
History Today: The day Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency and history took a dark turn
On this day in 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invoked special constitutional powers to declare a national emergency. It remained in effect from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977, and is seen as one of the darkest periods in India's history. It was also a turning point for the Indian National Congress. During this time, several opposition leaders were imprisoned, fundamental rights, including the right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a), were suspended, and the press came under strict censorship read more June 25, 1975, is often considered one of the 'darkest chapters' in Indian history. On this day in 1975, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invoked special powers granted by the Constitution to announce a national emergency. The order was issued by signed off by the then President, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution. What followed was the curtailing of fundamental rights of Indian citizens, the imprisonment of several opposition leaders, and censorship of the media. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also on this day in 1983, the Indian cricket team lifted its first World Cup title. The team was led by Kapil Dev. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, is your one-stop destination to explore key events. Let's take a look at these events in detail: When Indira Gandhi declared Emergency On June 25, 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the nation through All India Radio and said, 'The President has proclaimed the Emergency. This is nothing to panic about. I am sure you are all aware of the deep and widespread conspiracy, which has been brewing ever since I began to introduce certain progressive measures of benefit for the common man and woman in India.' The Emergency lasted from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977. It is often considered the darkest period in independent India and a turning point for the Indian National Congress. Many opposition leaders were jailed during this time. Fundamental rights, including the right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a) were suspended, and the press came under strict censorship. But why was Emergency declared? In the 1971 Lok Sabha election, Indira Gandhi won from the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh, defeating socialist leader Raj Narain. He later challenged the result, accusing her of election misconduct and violating election laws under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invoked special powers granted by the Constitution to announce a national emergency. News18/File Photo It was alleged that her election agent, Yashpal Kapoor, was a government servant and that she had used government officials for personal election-related work. On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court found her guilty of electoral malpractice and barred her from holding elected office. This verdict was one of the reasons behind the Emergency declaration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On June 25, 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed the Emergency order, citing 'internal disturbances.' The move effectively suspended elections and handed full control to the Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi defended the move by saying the nation was under a serious threat and that strong measures were needed to restore order. Notably, the country had just fought a war with Pakistan and was dealing with severe economic difficulties. With the Emergency in place, fundamental rights of citizens were stripped away. Opposition leaders were taken into custody, the press was heavily controlled, and voices of dissent were silenced. Trade unions were no longer allowed to function, strikes were prohibited, and workers were forced to accept fixed wages without any extra benefits. Meanwhile, Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi launched a mass sterilisation campaign across the country, which became another controversial element of this period. The Emergency was lifted on March 21, 1977. Soon after, Indira Gandhi announced the General Elections. The Congress was defeated, and the Janata Party, led by Morarji Desai, came to power with 298 seats in the Lok Sabha. Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Supporters of the Janata Party, after their party's victory in the parliamentary elections, as Indira Gandhi and her Congress party were defeated. AFP/File Photo In her stronghold of Rae Bareli, Indira Gandhi was defeated by Raj Narain by a margin of over 55,000 votes. Team India lifted first World Cup It was on this day in 1983 that India won its first Cricket World Cup, defeating the West Indies in a memorable final at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. At the time, the West Indies were a dominant force in world cricket, having already won the previous two editions in 1975 and 1979. The team was led by Kapil Dev. Image: X/BCCI Led by skipper Kapil Dev, India posted a total of 183 in 54.4 overs, despite frequent setbacks. Kapil chipped in with a crucial 15 runs, while Mohinder Amarnath made a huge contribution with both bat and ball, scoring 26 runs and taking 3 wickets. For the West Indies, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall led the bowling attack, taking three wickets each. The West Indies began steadily, with openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes putting together a strong partnership. But the breakthrough came when Amarnath dismissed Haynes, giving India the opening they needed. The match's biggest turning point came when Kapil Dev took a running catch to dismiss Viv Richards, who was seen as the biggest threat to India's chances. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From there, the West Indies began to lose wickets in quick succession, and the Indian team was handed a famous and historic win. Led by skipper Kapil Dev, India posted a total of 183 in 54.4 overs. Image: X/@INCIndia This Day, That Year 1947: 'The Diary of a Young Girl' was published. It was the journal of Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish teenager who went into hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. 1950: The Korean War began as communist North Korean forces invaded South Korea. 1993: Kim Campbell took oath as Canada's 19th Prime Minister, becoming the first woman to hold the office. 2009: Michael Jackson, the globally celebrated American singer and dancer known as the 'King of Pop', died at the age of 50 due to a lethal mix of sedatives and the anaesthetic propofol.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Fifty years ago, tryst with fear
Fifty years ago, this day, India received a rude jolt when the Union government declared a national Emergency, that led to a suspension of constitutional rights, including civil liberties, and imposed authoritarian rule on the country. The 21 months that followed were a deeply lacerating time for a people who were building a republic on the foundations of the legacy of the national movement and the Constitution that gave legal sanctity to its ideals. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, singed by the Allahabad High Court verdict that convicted her of electoral malpractices, declared her election null and void, and disqualified her from holding elected office for six years, chose the shroud of the Emergency to stay in office. A pliant President, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, did not object and the country slipped into a long night. Power supply to media offices was cut that night so that newspapers could not report the events underway. Politicians from Opposition parties, trade union leaders, and Sarvodoya leader Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), were arrested that night and organisations including the RSS, Ananda Marga, and Jamaat-e-Islami banned. A few such as Socialist Party chairman George Fernandes went underground to organise a pushback. An estimated 35,000 people were arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act and 76,000 people were held under the Defence of India Act and Rules during the Emergency months. The government had its way with the Emergency because the institutions expected to provide the checks and balances failed to challenge the subversion of the Constitution. (HT Photo) The government had its way with the Emergency because the institutions expected to provide the checks and balances failed to challenge the subversion of the Constitution. Like the President's office, the Supreme Court, except one judge, Justice HR Khanna, cowed before an imperial prime minister and her coterie that unleashed a regime of fear by weaponising legal provisions, suppressing free speech, and imprisoning the regime's opponents. Well-intentioned public policies such as population control measures to anti-corruption and black marketeering provisions turned into symbols of State repression and instruments to jail people. The administration used its publicity arms to claim that all was well with the nation and its citizens. JP, ailing and in jail, was the moral hand that guided the resistance to the Emergency. The political dynamic unleashed by Indira Gandhi saw a coming together of the Opposition parties, and even dissenters within the Congress party, which led to her defeat in 1977. The Emergency marked a rupture in independent India's history. Political India was never the same thereafter, but the restoration of democracy following the massive mandate for the Janata Party was a redemptive action that instilled faith in the power of vote among citizens. The Emergency tested India's tryst with democracy; unlike most other post-colonial nations, it survived the fire, with scars.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Emergency at 50: Learn from the mistakes of the past
On the night of June 25, 1975, India's democratic foundation was shaken to its core. The Prime Minister Indira Gandhi advised President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to declare a state of Emergency, citing 'internal disturbances.' This decision, bypassing all democratic norms, marked the beginning of a dark and unprecedented chapter in India's political history. During the Emergency, the bureaucracy, hand in glove with the government, had turned alarmingly autocratic (HT Archive) This drastic action followed the Allahabad High Court's verdict that found Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractice and disqualified her from holding public office. Instead of resigning gracefully, she chose to clamp down on civil liberties, stifle dissent, and silence opposition through the imposition of Emergency rule. What followed was an authoritarian nightmare—a sweeping suspension of fundamental rights, censorship of the press, mass arrests of political opponents, and the erosion of democratic institutions. Nearly 50 years later, one must ask: Do ordinary citizens—especially the youth of today—truly grasp the gravity of that period? Do they know or remember what it meant to live in a country where freedom of expression was muzzled, where newspapers carried blank columns as silent protests, and where countless political leaders, activists, and innocent citizens were jailed without charge? Three-fourths of India's population today was born after the Emergency. To them, it may seem like a distant historical event, abstract and irrelevant. Many dismiss it casually without understanding its implications. They obviously haven't heard Jaiprakash Narayan's fiery and impassioned speeches, nor are they aware of defiant editorials or read reports of the horrors of forced sterilisation. It was a full-scale assault on the democratic ethos of a modern, independent India. The extent of constitutional manipulation during this period remains shocking. Amendments were pushed through Parliament with little debate, including one passed just a day before a critical Supreme Court hearing on August 10, 1975, which retrospectively validated Indira Gandhi's election—an audacious move that undermined judicial independence and the spirit of the Constitution. These legal acrobatics were designed not to protect the nation, but to entrench the ruling regime. We cannot allow these events to fade into oblivion. Every year, on the anniversary of the Emergency, political leaders and historians recall its horrors. But these reflections often remain confined to academic circles or partisan debates. Among the general public, and especially the youth, awareness is alarmingly low. As public memory fades, so too does political accountability. That is deeply troubling. It is not enough to treat the Emergency as a footnote in textbooks. It must be remembered as a stark warning of what happens when democratic checks and balances are overridden by authoritarian ambition. In the 1970s, it was young people who became the backbone of the resistance led by Jayaprakash Narayan. Students and youth groups mobilised across the country, facing arrests, violence, and intimidation with remarkable courage. The government's decision to mark June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas—a day to honour those who fought to restore democratic governance—is a welcome initiative. But symbolism must be paired with substance. We need educational programmes, public dialogues, documentaries, and memorials that keep the memory of this period alive and relevant. Schools and universities should incorporate the Emergency into civic education curriculums. Public broadcasting should revisit it through archival material, interviews, and documentaries. Libraries and museums must preserve testimonies and records from the period. These efforts are necessary not to dwell on the past but to inoculate the future. As increasing numbers of young Indians enter careers in public policy, it is equally essential that they consider political engagement not just as observers or analysts, but as participants. India needs more than perennial youth leaders in their fifties. It requires fresh voices who understand history, uphold democratic values, and possess the moral courage to challenge authoritarian tendencies—no matter who displays them. As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, we must renew our collective commitment to liberty, justice, and the rule of law. Forgetting that such a catastrophe once befell our nation is not an option. We should guard against anything that blurs the searing memories of that episode. The 21-month period of emergency in 1975-77 serves as an exemplar of the importance of democracy and the dangers of unrestrained executive authority. This recognition and constant awareness can motivate efforts to enhance democratic systems by implementing restrictions on unbridled power of any individual. This also serves as the reminder of the resilient Indian and her eternal belief in democratic ethos of culture and nation. We owe it to the past—and to the future. This article is authored by Priyal Bhardwaj, general secretary, BJP Women's Wing, Delhi and a social worker.
The Print
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Dhankhar slams Supreme Court over Emergency-era verdict, says darkest in judicial history
Dhankhar also questioned the then president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed for signing the proclamation of Emergency on the 'instance' of then prime minister Indira Gandhi and not the entire council of ministers. According to an official statement, he said the judgment of the Supreme Court overruling that of nine high courts legitimised dictatorship and authoritarianism. New Delhi, Jun 20 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday slammed the Supreme Court for its verdict delivered during the Emergency, dubbing it as the 'darkest' in the judicial history of the world. Addressing a group of Rajya Sabha interns here, the vice president said, 'A president cannot act on the advice of an individual, the prime minister. The Constitution is very categorical. 'There is a council of ministers headed by the PM to aid and advise the president. This was one violation, but what was the result? More than 1,00,000 citizens of this country were put behind bars in hours,' he said. Referring to the role of the judiciary during the Emergency, Dhankhar said, 'That was a time when the fundamental essence of democracy capsized in times of distress. People look up to the judiciary. 'Nine high courts in the country have gloriously defined that emergency or no emergency, people have fundamental rights and there is access to the justice system. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court overturned all nine high courts and gave a judgment which will be the darkest in the history of any judicial institution in the world that believes in the rule of law,' he further said. Dhankhar pointed out that the decision was that 'it is the will of the executive to have Emergency for as much time as it thinks fit'. The top court also ruled that during an Emergency, there are no fundamental rights. 'So the judgment of the Supreme Court legitimised dictatorship, authoritarianism and despotism in this land,' he said. The vice president said the present government has 'wisely' decided to observe June 25 every year as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'. Emergency remained in force between June 25, 1975 and March 21, 1977. PTI NAB NAB KSS KSS This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
