The Emergency (India) 25th June
The 21 month Emergency declared on June 25, 1975 by then PM Indira Gandhi often referred to as the "darkest phase of independent India" was the third time an emergency was declared in independent India. The first two were during the Indo-China War 1962 and Indo-Pak War 1971 respectively.
In India, "the Emergency" refers to a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had a state of emergency declared across the country. Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution because of the prevailing "internal disturbance", the Emergency was in effect from 25 June 1975 until its withdrawal on 21 March 1977. The order bestowed upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed. For much of the Emergency, most of Gandhi's political opponents were imprisoned and the press was censored. Several other human rights violations were reported from the time, including a forced mass-sterilization campaign spearheaded by Sanjay Gandhi, the Prime Minister's son. The Emergency is one of the most controversial periods of independent India's history.
The final decision to impose an emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the president of India, and thereafter ratified by the cabinet and the parliament (from July to August 1975), based on the rationale that there were imminent internal and external threats to the Indian state.
The final decision to impose an emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the president of India, and thereafter ratified by the cabinet and the parliament (from July to August 1975), based on the rationale that there were imminent internal and external threats to the Indian state.
Chain of events:
- The 1971 War with Pakistan already caused a deceleration in GDP growth
- Droughts, unemployment and oil crisis further troubled the Indian economy fueling massive labor and student unrest in the country.
- George Fernandis, the then President of the All India Railwaymen's Federation organized an all India Railway Strike which led to massive arrests and unrest in 1974.
- Mass protests were being led by Jaya Prakash Narayan (JP) against her corrupt and autocratic government.
- The Govt. was increasingly trying to control the judiciary. On 12 June 1975, Indira Gandhi's election to Lok Sabha was declared void by the Allahabad High Court on grounds of electoral malpractice. She rejected calls for resignation and chose to go to the Supreme Court.