Emergency in 1975

The Emergency last declared on 25th June, 1975 midnight on grounds of threats to our national security, completes 50 years this year. It was declared by a Presidential Proclamation by the then President Fakruddin Ali Ahmed on the advice of our then Prime Minister and iron-handed leader Indira Gandhi. In the year 1971, India had defeated Pakistan in the war and liberated East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Post war, the country's economy was in shambles. Drought started leading to a severe agrarian crisis. In 1973, the Oil Crisis of OPEAC, lead to high inflation in prices of oil adversely impacting our economy. Moreover, internal political unrest had developed a crisis where the proclamation was none but imminent. There were assassination attempts on several public personalities, and our own Railway Minister Lalit Narayan Mishraji was brutally killed in a bomb blast at a railway station. The opposition led by Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan alongwith Morarji Desai started massive protests against the leadership of Indiraji after her loss in the Supreme Court case on electoral malpractices against Raj Narain. Opposition leaders and activists organised daily protests. On the 25th of June 1975, JP Narayan organised a large rally in Delhi and incited police and defence personnel to disobey. Also, due to the railway employees strike led by George Fernandes, the entire rail network had come to a standstill. Student protests on fees in Gujarat as well as in Bihar were fuelled by leaders like JP Narayan and others. Hence, the internal security situation in India had turned volatile. There were calls from the ruling Indian National Congress Party for a Presidential Emergency to prevent any further deterioration. Thus, ultimately at midnight on the 25th of June, 1975, President Fakruddin Ali Ahmed declared a state of Emergency. 

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Almost all the major political party leaders were arrested and imprisoned including JP Narayan, Morarji Desai, George Fernandes, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Vijayraje Scindia, Charan Singh, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Raj Narain etc. All forms of strikes, dharnas etc. were crushed down heavily. Elections to the Parliament and the state governments were postponed. Freedom of the Press was suspended and newspapers, magazines etc. were almost stopped except for a few. In the meantime, the government came up with the 20 Point Economic Programme for getting the economy out of the abyss. Increase in agricultural and industrial productivity, improvement in Public Services, fighting Poverty, Illiteracy through strict discipline. Several Ordinances were passed for the same. The 42nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed that empowered the government largely. Apex Bipartite Committees were formed by government at the Centre and the States for creating councils of workers, employees. 

The good part during that time was that inflation had eased greatly. Due to the good monsoon that year, followed by the resolution of Oil Crisis, inflation in food and grains eased. But, after March 1976, inflation started rising again to abysmal levels. Tax exemption for lower earning groups was a welcome step. Moreover, tax breaks for the higher income groups i.e. Rs. 8000-15000/- also helped collections. Wealth tax was cut. Income tax was reduced by 11%. But, the shortfall was compensated well by cuts in welfare related expenses. Demolition of slums in major cities like Delhi and also in Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra for the urban renewal program spearheaded by Sanjay Gandhi were carried out. To reduce the population increase, sterilizations, sometimes forced were carried out.

There were criticism as well as support for the imposition of the Emergency. Prominent newspapers protested by printing blank editorials. Books were written on it. Political leaders, were divided in supporting or opposing it. The US government disliked but diplomatically kept silent. While the Russians supported it and Mrs. Indira Gandhi's actions then. The Emergency lasted for only 21 months from 25th June 1975 to 21st March 1977. About 1 lakh people had been arrested. Despite being a dark period in India's history, it must also be remembered as a time to consolidate on our unity, political and economic development as well as to admire at the firm-handedness of our great leader Smt. Indira Gandhi.