Emergency Period of Post Independence India

(General Studies I – Post Independence History section – Post-independence Consolidation and Reorganization within the country.)

Pre-Emergency period (1960’s-1975) –

• The dominance of the Congress Party was challenged intermittently, but it maintained a strong central presence under leaders like Nehru, Shastri and later, Indira Gandhi.
• Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister in 1966, navigating challenges like party factionalism. Her populist policies like the Green Revolution and nationalization of banks in 1969 consolidated her power.
• By the early 1970s, despite a victory in the 1971 India-Pakistan War, economic difficulties, corruption, and the centralization of power led to increasing dissatisfaction.
• Navnirman Andolan (1973-74) started as a student protest in Gujarat against economic hardships and corruption but rapidly spread and gained widespread support, ultimately forcing the resignation of the state government.
• In 1974, Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) called for “Sampoorna Kranti” (Total Revolution) in Bihar, advocating for comprehensive societal change and challenging Indira Gandhi’s leadership.

Emergency Period (1975-1977) –

• The immediate cause for declaration of emergency was the Allahabad High Court’s decision on June 12, 1975, which invalidated Indira Gandhi’s 1971 election victory due to electoral malpractice.
• On June 25, 1975, following Indira Gandhi’s electoral disqualification and escalating political unrest, the Emergency was declared, citing internal disturbance.
• Fundamental rights were curtailed, the press was censored, and political dissent was crushed. Over 1,00,000 people were detained without trial under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).
• During the Emergency, Indira’s younger son, Sanjay Gandhi, spearheaded controversial initiatives, including a forced sterilization campaign and slum clearance, causing widespread public outrage.
• Implemented by Indira Gandhi during the Emergency, the ‘20-Point Program’ aimed at economic development and social justice but was criticized for its coercive enforcement.

Post-Emergency (1977-1984) –

• The 1977 elections, post emergency, were marked by a significant shift, where the Janata Party, a coalition of parties opposed to the Emergency, won a decisive victory.
• Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister of India in this government, establishing India’s first non-Congress government at the centre.
• The Janata Party led coalition government was plagued by internal strife and an inability to effectively govern, leading to its collapse in 1979. Charan Singh briefly held the office of the Prime Minister with support from Indira Gandhi’s Congress, only to lose it as Congress withdrew its support.
• Consequently, Indira Gandhi made a political comeback by winning the 1980 elections. Her second tenure was marked by efforts to consolidate power but was also tumultuous due to escalating problems like the Punjab crisis.
• Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984, leading to anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. Her son, Rajiv Gandhi, succeeded her, bringing a brief period of calm and promising modernization of the economy.

Emergency is considered as a black spot on the vibrant history of India’s democracy as it threatened the constitutionally cherished democratic values, adversely impacted civil liberties, and led to grave human rights violations. It made the country realise the importance of a free polity and the need to safeguard the democratic system.