During the Emergency Indira Gandhi acquired absolute power. Lakhs of political opponents, students, activists were arrested.
Then prime minister Indira Gandhi's government imposed a state of Emergency for 19 months on June 25-26, 1975
Democracy was suspended and India was reduced to a tin pot dictatorship.
She did so after the Allahabad high court found her guilty of election fraud and removed her as MP.
She was also barred from contesting elections for six years.
Opponents led by Jayaprakash Narayan launched a massive national movement powered by students against her.
During the Emergency Indira Gandhi acquired absolute power. Lakhs of political opponents, students, activists were arrested.
The press was gagged, the Constitution amended, the judiciary compromised...
Sanjay Gandhi started a forced sterilisation programme for the masses.
Forced disappearances took place.
Some of the leaders who stood up against her were JP, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, George Fernandes, M Karunanidhi, Lalu Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan, Sharad Yadav...
Kissa Kursi Ka, Aandhi, Hazaaron Khawaaishein Aisi, Indu Sarkar are some films depicting that period.
Kangana Ranaut's Emergency, which released on Friday, January 17, 2025, is the latest film capturing India's dilemma of those unforgettale 19 months.
India's all-time favourite film Sholay released during the Emergency.
Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize is a masterful novel capturing that time.
Other notable books: Emergency Chronicles by Gyan Prakash; The Emergency - Coomi Kapoor' The Sanjay Story - Vinod Mehta; Emergency Retold - Kuldip Nayar.
Indira Gandhi ended the Emergency by announcing fresh elections in January 1977. Political prisoners were freed.
Indira and the Congress suffered a crushing defeat in the general election. Both she and Sanjay lost from Rae Bareli and Amethi respectively.
The Opposition alliance called the Janata Party -- a political amalgam of the Jan Sangh (the parent of the BJP), the Bharatiya Lok Dal, the Socialist Party, Congress Organisation -- came to power under Morarji Desai.
Two-and-a-half years later, the Congress stormed back into power and Indira became PM for a second time.
The BJP-government designated June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas in 2024.
More On The Emergency From Rediff: Below And In Related Links
- Indira Gandhi and her advisers were surprised by the ease with which they could silence democracy
- Indira Gandhi put many of us in jail, but...: Lalu on Emergency
- The Rediff Special: Kuldip Nayar
- Emergency: Why Rajan's story resonates with me
- India's 19 months of darkness
- 'Mrs Gandhi was not inclined to declare Emergency'
- Indira Gandhi: Goddess and her terror turn
- L K Advani on the Emergency
- 'Sonia and Rajiv had no role in the Emergency'
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
© 2025