Saurabh Varshney, senior journalist
How can anyone forget the dark chapter of midnight of 25th June 1975? The heat, heat and storm had already scorched the public mind; on top of that, the entire nation was shocked by the message that came on the radio. The country had never seen emergency before. The sudden political storm created chaos in the country. The emergency imposed in the country is considered to be the most controversial chapter in the history of Indian democracy. This period, which lasted for about 21 months, not only shook the political system, but also raised serious question marks on civil liberties, freedom of expression and constitutional values.
The emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had raised serious questions on the country’s democratic institutions, civil liberties and freedom of expression. Five decades have passed since the Emergency ended, but its dark stains have not been completely washed away. The reason for this is not only the memories of history, but also the continuous challenges to democracy. Whenever there is a debate on centralization of power, autonomy of institutions, freedom of expression or the role of the opposition, the memory of the Emergency automatically gets refreshed.
Remembrance of the events of Emergency is necessary not only to curse the past but to make the future safe. Unfortunately, political parties often discuss the Emergency from their own viewpoints. One side calls it the biggest attack on democracy, while the other side tries to compare the present circumstances with that period. Amidst these political allegations and counter-allegations, the real need is that the country should objectively evaluate that period and assimilate the lessons learned from it.
Only respect for civil rights, accountability of power, freedom of the press and strengthening of constitutional institutions can prevent the recurrence of that dark period. Forgetting history is not the solution; It is important to learn from it and make democracy stronger. Emergency should not be made merely a subject of political discussion, but should be made a permanent lesson of democratic consciousness.
When the Emergency ended in March 1977, the country heaved a sigh of relief, but the pain, fear and damage caused to democratic institutions were felt for a long time. Censorship of the press was imposed during the Emergency. Newspapers did not have the freedom to publish news without government permission. Opposition leaders were put in jail. Thousands of political activists, journalists and social workers were detained without trial. Freedom of expression, considered the soul of democracy, had almost ended.
In the last phase of the Emergency, the most criticized were forced sterilization campaigns and slum clearance actions. At many places, people were forced to undergo sterilization under administrative pressure. The poor and weaker sections became the biggest victims of this policy. This created widespread dissatisfaction among the public. Many families suffered social, economic and mental hardships, whose pain is still recorded in the pages of history.
Emergency is also called frightening because by that time the autonomy of democratic institutions had become quite weak. The power’s influence on parliament, judiciary and media had increased. The rights of the people were limited and an atmosphere of fear was created. People were beginning to realize that if civil rights were not protected in a democracy, the regime could move towards autocracy.
The general elections of March 1977 also proved the strength of Indian democracy. The then Prime Minister decided to hold elections and the public gave its verdict through voting. For the first time, a non-Congress government was formed at the Center and a new government was formed under the leadership of Morarji Desai. This was an important moment for the restoration of democracy. The end of the Emergency made it clear that the people of India have a deep attachment to democratic values. No matter how powerful the government is, ultimately the people are supreme. This period also underlined the foresight of the Constitution makers and the need for democratic institutions.
Today, five decades after the Emergency, this incident is still remembered as an important warning. Its message is clear that democracy does not depend on elections alone, but is strengthened by civil rights, independent judiciary, independent media and accountable governance. The end of the Emergency symbolized both the horrors experienced and the renaissance of democracy.
This history teaches us that society should always be alert to protect freedom and democratic rights, because the biggest strength of democracy is informed citizens. When every citizen of the country will be aware of his rights and duties and the government will work within the limits of the Constitution, only then will those dark spots of Emergency be truly erased and India’s democracy will become more mature and powerful. (These are the personal views of the author)
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