The Dark Era of the Indian Emergency - Hidden Facts

🕰️ In 1975, Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India, leading to the suspension of fundamental rights and the establishment of a dictatorship.

⚖️ National Emergency is a situation where the fundamental rights of citizens are restricted, allowing for autocratic rule temporarily.

🔒 Emergency can be declared in India due to war, external aggression, or internal disturbances, and it had happened twice before 1975.

🔑 The emergency in India was declared twice, once in 1962 and again in 1971, with the second emergency lasting for almost six years.

💥 The third emergency in 1975 was different from the previous two as it was not due to external aggression. It was triggered by an election petition challenging Indira Gandhi's victory in the Lok Sabha elections.

👉 Multiple allegations were made against Mrs. Gandhi, but most of them were dismissed by the high court.

👉 Two significant findings led to the invalidation of Mrs. Gandhi's election: the use of government machinery for her campaign and the employment of a government officer as her election agent.

👉 The complicated issue arose from the timing of the officer's resignation and appointment as her election agent.

📅 On January 12, 1975, the alhabat high court banned Indira Gandhi from holding elected positions for six years.

⚖️ The Supreme Court allowed her to continue as Prime Minister until the next year, but she wanted a complete stay on the judgment.

🔑 With the risk of losing the case, her only option to avoid dethronement was to declare something.

🔴 In 1975, Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India, turning the country into a dictatorship.

🟢 The reason for the emergency declaration was primarily to protect Indira Gandhi's position as Prime Minister.

🔵 Contrary to justifications, the protests in Bihar and Gujarat were not the main reason for the emergency declaration.

📅 The emergency period in India lasted for 21 months from June 1975 to March 1977.

👥 During the emergency, many opposition party leaders and common citizens were arrested without trial.

💀 Mass sterilization was carried out during the emergency, with 81 lakh people forcefully sterilized and some died in the process.

🔑 Indira Gandhi and her son's defeat in the 1977 election led to the establishment of a non-Congress government in India.

💡 A study by Ramachandra Guha criticized Indira Gandhi's uncomfortable relationship with democracy and her views on the limitations of democracy.

👍 Despite the criticism, the speaker personally admires Indira Gandhi for her bold decisions in foreign affairs.