Dr. Varinder Sharma
The Emergency, which lasted from 1975 to 1977, witnessed the incarceration and torture of thousands, the curbing of media freedom, and the suspension of civil rights. The decision to observe ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ on 25th june honors the spirit of those who endured these atrocities. It also serves to remind the Congress party of its role in one of the most controversial and oppressive periods in India’s democratic history.
The Emergency saw the suspension of civil rights, the imprisonment of opposition leaders and the overcrowding of jails. Stories of the brutalities emerged after the Emergency ended on March 21, 1977, revealing the extent of the regime’s oppression. Black laws were enacted to suppress dissent, with forced sterilizations being one of the most notorious policies. Press freedom was severely restricted, with censorship imposed, and journalists who dared to criticize the government were jailed. The true state of the Emergency was kept hidden from the public by Indira Gandhi’s administration.
The government’s decision to observe ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ on June 25th each year will ensure that the memory of those who suffered during the Emergency is preserved. It will also reinforce the importance of safeguarding democracy and individual freedoms, preventing any future attempts to repeat such a dark chapter in India’s history.
A Dark Chapter in Indian Democracy
The Emergency, lasting from 1975 to 1977, marked a grim period in Indian history. In 1971, Indira Gandhi won the elections from Rai Bareli with a substantial margin. Her opponent, Raj Narain, an Indian freedom fighter and politician, challenged the election results in court. He succeeded in a landmark case of electoral malpractice against the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, leading to her disqualification and the subsequent imposition of the Emergency in 1975. Raj Narain went on to defeat Indira Gandhi in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections.
Raj Narain’s petition accused Indira Gandhi of election misappropriation and using unfair means to secure her victory in Rai Bareli. This led to an unprecedented situation where Indira Gandhi was cross-examined in the High Court for five hours, marking the first time an Indian Prime Minister had to present themselves in court in such a manner. Frustrated by her disqualification, Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency, effectively curtailing democracy-a fact the Congress Party, particularly Rahul Gandhi, should be reminded of every June 25.
Over half a century has passed since the Emergency, yet its scars remain vivid for those who endured the atrocities perpetrated by Indira Gandhi’s government. By suspending all laws and wielding absolute power, the regime suppressed the populace, turning the entire country into a vast prison. On June 25, 1975, under the direction of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed invoked Article 352, declaring a state of Emergency in India.
Widespread Atrocities and Human Rights Violations
During this 21-month period, the government unleashed unprecedented repression. Key political leaders, including Vijayaraje Scindia, Jayaprakash Narayan, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Raj Narain, Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, Jivatram Kripalani, George Fernandes, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, Arun Jaitley, Jai Kishan Gupta, Satyendra Narayan Sinha, Gayatri Devi were arrested. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and CPI(M) was banned by Indira Gandhi and leaders V.S. Achuthanandan, Jyotirmoy Basu besides Congress leaders who dissented against the Emergency declaration and amendment to the constitution, such as Mohan Dharia and Chandra Shekhar were also arrested.
Members of regional opposition parties such as DMK were also arrested. Many cases where teens were arrested and imprisoned have come to light, one such example is of Dilip Sharma who aged 16 was arrested and imprisoned for over 11 months. The police were out in force for the demonstration and arrested the protestors, including the Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) leaders. Over 40,000 Akalis and other Sikhs had courted arrest during the emergency.
The emergency regime cracked down on trade unionism, banned strikes, imposed wage freezes, and phased out wage bonuses. In the garb of increasing “productivity” public holidays including Sundays, were cut. Bonuses were denied, wages freezed and layoffs increased leaving poor to fend fpr themselves. Worker demonstrations during the emergency were subject to heavy state repression.
Coal miners were forced to work in abysmal conditions with irregular pay, collieries were made to run for all seven days a week, and complaints of workers and unions about the abysmal and dangerous working conditions were ignored and met with state repression. Situation was made so miserable that Despite this there was a loss in revenue, to compensate for this the Indira Gandhi government decided to cut spending in education and social welfare.
The jails overflowed, and the state employed black laws to silence dissent. Compulsory sterilizations, led by Sanjay Gandhi, were forced upon thousands without their consent, and the press faced severe censorship. Government officers were stationed in newspaper offices to monitor and control the narrative, ensuring that any criticism of the government was swiftly quashed.
Suppression of Civil Rights and Political Opposition
The Emergency saw a brutal crackdown on civil rights and political opposition. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was banned, and leaders from various parties, including CPI(M) and DMK, were arrested. The infamous 1974 railway strike led by George Fernandes was met with ruthless suppression, with thousands of employees arrested and their families driven out of their homes. The state repression extended to all sectors, including the judiciary, where the Shah Bano case highlighted the government’s disregard for Supreme Court decisions.
Media Censorship
No newspaper was allowed to publish anything against the Indira Gandhi government. Government officials were deployed in newspaper offices to check editorials before publications. A few days after the Emergency was imposed, the Bombay edition of The Times of India had carried an obituary that read, “Democracy, beloved husband of Truth, loving father of Liberty, brother of Faith, Hope and Justice, expired on June 26”.
A few days later censorship was imposed on newspapers. The Delhi edition of the Indian Express on 28 June had carried a blank editorial, while the Financial Express reproduced in large type Rabindranath Tagore’s poem “Where the mind is without fear”. This was the statua of freedom of press in India during the emergency period imposed by Indira Gandhi and today Rahul Gandhi says that democracy in under threat.
Economic and Social Turmoil
The Emergency also had devastating economic and social repercussions. Public holidays, including Sundays, were cut to increase productivity, wages were frozen, and layoffs became rampant. The poorest sections of society bore the brunt of these policies. In September 1976, Sanjay Gandhi initiated a widespread compulsory sterilization program to limit population growth.
The exact extent of Sanjay Gandhi’s role in the implementation of the program is disputed, with some writers holding Gandhi directly responsible for his authoritarianism, and other writers blaming the officials who implemented the program rather than Gandhi himself. Rukhsana Sultana, a socialite known for being one of Sanjay Gandhi’s close associates, gained notoriety for leading the sterilization campaign in Muslim areas of old Delhi.
As if this were not enough, Sanjay Gandhi’s “urban renewal” program, aided in large part by DDA vice-president Jagmohan Malhotra, who had a desire to “beautify” the city, led to the displacement of 700,000 people in Delhi due to demolitions.
A Tribute to the Resilience of the Indian People
“Samvidhan Hatya Diwas” serves not only as a reminder of these dark days but also as a tribute to the resilience of the Indian people. The courage and determination of those who endured and fought against the gross abuse of power during the Emergency should never be forgotten. It is crucial to keep the eternal flame of individual freedom and democracy alive in every Indian’s heart to prevent the recurrence of such dictatorial forces.
A Call to Remember and Reflect
The recent notification by the Union Home Ministry emphasizes the need to remember the atrocities committed during the Emergency. The period saw the gross abuse of power by the government, and the people of India were subjected to excesses and atrocities that left lasting scars. By commemorating “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas,” the nation pays tribute to those who suffered and fought against these injustices.
Even the union home minister Amit Shah had said and I quote, “As we observe Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, let us commit ourselves to safeguarding democracy and ensuring that such dark periods never recur. The resilience of Indian democracy and the power of its constitution should inspire future generations to uphold the values of liberty, justice, and equality. By remembering the past, we can build a stronger, more vigilant, and democratic India”.
It reminds me a couplet “zulm uska sitam uska hakumat bi uski, fariyaad Karein kisse adaalat bi uski.
Kis chehare ko sacha kahein kis chehare ko jhoota, har waqt badalti huye surat bi uski”.
(The writer is Co-convenor Professional Cell J&K BJP)
