104.1) Introduction
The Emergency in India was a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced a state of emergency across the country by citing internal and external dangers to the country. A state of "internal disturbance" led President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to formally declare a state of emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution. The emergency lasted from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977. The order gave the prime minister the power to rule by decree, which included the ability to suspend civil freedoms and cancel elections. The press was suppressed and the majority of Gandhi's political rivals were imprisoned for a large portion of the Emergency. The Gandhi administration imprisoned over 100,000 journalists, dissenters, and political opponents. Her son Sanjay Gandhi led a widespread vasectomy campaign during this period. Indira Gandhi made the ultimate decision to declare an emergency, which was approved by the President of India and approved by the Cabinet and Parliament in July and August of 1975. It was founded on the idea that the Indian state was facing impending dangers from both the within and the outside.
104.1) Proclamation
Due to the recent conclusion of a conflict with Pakistan, the government highlighted threats to national security. The economy was struggling as a result of the war, the 1973 oil crisis, and the extra difficulties of drought. The government asserted that the protests and strikes had crippled the government and severely damaged the nation's economy. Gandhi heeded the counsel of a few loyalists and her younger son Sanjay Gandhi, whose personal power had increased significantly over the past few years to become a "extra-constitutional authority," despite widespread political opposition, desertion, and chaos throughout the nation and the party.
West Bengal Chief Minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray suggested to the prime minister that a "internal emergency" be declared. Using the information that Indira had received that "there is an imminent danger to the security of India being threatened by internal disturbances," he wrote a letter to the President asking him to issue the proclamation. He demonstrated how democratic freedom could be suspended while still falling under the Constitution's purview.
On the evening of June 25, 1975, just before midnight, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, acting on the prime minister's recommendation, announced a state of internal emergency after settling a procedural dispute.
Mrs. Gandhi recommended and President Ahmed authorised the extension of the Emergency every six months until she made the decision to call elections in 1977, as required by the constitution. Parliament voted in 1976 to postpone elections, something it could only do when the Emergency suspended the Constitution.
104.3) Timeline of Events
1. Emergency Declaration (June 25, 1975)
Citing domestic unrest, Indira Gandhi recommended President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to declare a national emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution on the evening of June 25, 1975. This granted the government tremendous powers, such as the ability to regulate the press and restrict fundamental rights.
2. Opposition Leaders Are Arrested
The widespread arrest of opposition leaders, including Jayaprakash Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Morarji Desai, and several more, was one of the government's first moves. The purpose of the arrests was to stop any coordinated opposition to the Emergency.
3. Press Restrictions
Newspapers had to obtain government approval before printing any content, and the press was strictly regulated. Well-known publications like The Statesman and The Indian Express expressed their disapproval by leaving blank areas where suppressed items had been deleted.
4. The Constitution's 42nd Amendment
By limiting judicial review, bolstering the authority of Parliament, and extending the Lok Sabha's term from five to six years, the government's 42nd Amendment significantly changed the Constitution. It is frequently seen as an effort to impose an authoritarian government.
5. Campaign for Forced Sterilisation
The government launched a contentious population control campaign, led by Sanjay Gandhi, that included forced sterilisations and specifically targeted the underprivileged and disenfranchised. Protests and widespread resentment resulted from this.
6. Evictions and Demolitions in Slums
Under Sanjay Gandhi's leadership, thousands of slums in Delhi were razed as part of urban beautification initiatives. Many low-income households were displaced as a result, which increased public discontent with the administration.
7. Movements for Protest and Resistance
Underground resistance movements developed in spite of harsh limitations. In opposition to the Emergency, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and other student organisations were vital. Pamphlets and secret publications were distributed to raise awareness of the abuses of the government.
8. The Impact of the Allahabad High Court's Decision
Indira Gandhi's conviction for electoral malpractice in the 1971 elections by the Allahabad High Court on June 12, 1975, was a major catalyst for the Emergency. Her election was ruled invalid by the court, which sparked a situation that finally led to the declaration of emergency.
9. The End of Emergency and the General Elections in 1977
Indira Gandhi declared elections in March 1977 after lifting the Emergency in January due to mounting public dissatisfaction. A strong anti-Congress wave during the elections helped the Janata Party win, and Morarji Desai was appointed prime minister. The Congress Party suffered its first national defeat as a result of this.
104.4) Portrayal by Kangana Ranaut
Emergency is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language historical biographical drama film that Kangana Ranaut co-produced and directed. Ranaut wrote the story, and Ritesh Shah wrote the screenplay. Ranaut plays former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the film, which is based on the Indian Emergency. The portrayal of Indira Gandhi by Kangana Ranaut was a true delight to watch, where she showed her acting skills gracefully. The film was like a biography of Mrs. Gandhi showcasing the events pre-, during, and post-emergency.
Team Yuva Aaveg-
Adarsh Tiwari
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