26/06/2025
*Emergency: A Necessary Step to Save the Nation*
I am an ordinary Indian citizen, neither a political party leader nor a prominent historian. However, I try to understand my country's history and its challenges. Today, when I think about the 1975 Emergency, I feel it was a difficult but necessary step.
👉 *Unprecedented Crisis Facing the Nation*
▪️The 1970s were not easy for India. While India's international standing grew after the victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak War and the creation of Bangladesh, this angered global powers, especially the United States. The 1973 oil crisis quadrupled crude oil prices, leading to rampant inflation. Consecutive droughts broke the backs of farmers. Amidst these economic crises, attempts to spread anarchy within the country began.
The RSS and Jan Sangh, under the guise of the Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) movement, were trying to create instability in the country. This movement initially aimed against corruption but soon transformed into a conspiracy to overthrow the elected government. Violent protests in Gujarat and Bihar crippled elected governments. From May 8 to May 27, 1974, a strike by 1.7 million railway employees brought the country's transport and economy to a standstill. This was not just a strike, but a strategy to destabilize the nation.
👉 *Conspiracy of Destruction and Hatred*
▪️ The activities of the RSS and Jan Sangh were not limited to mere protest. They conspired to cause casualties by planting dynamite on railway tracks. An FIR was registered in Vadodara, Gujarat, for this conspiracy. On January 2, 1975, the assassination of Railway Minister L.N. Mishra in a bomb blast exposed these destructive intentions. Was all this meant to keep the country united, or to throw it into the fire of hatred and violence?
The most dangerous turn came on June 25, 1975, at the Ramlila Maidan rally in Patna, where JP appealed to the army and police to revolt. He stated that soldiers and police should not obey the Prime Minister's orders. Farmers and laborers were asked to stop production. Imagine what would happen to the country if its largest opposition leader incited the army to rebellion against an elected government? This was an open call for hatred and anarchy, supported by the RSS and Jan Sangh.
👉 *Conspiracy and Internal Instability*
▪️ The 1971 war and the May 18, 1974 Pokhran nuclear test strengthened India on the global stage, but this dissatisfied foreign powers. They did not want India to become a world power. On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court technically invalidated Indira Gandhi's 1971 election victory. This was no ordinary decision. Just a week before, opposition MP Piloo Mody had announced this decision in Parliament, clearly pointing to a conspiracy.
Along with this, Morarji Desai began a fast unto death in Gujarat and on June 25, 1975, declared that he would overthrow Indira Gandhi, besiege her house, and cripple Parliament. This was not a democratic movement but an attempt to destabilize the country and spread hatred. The communal and divisive ideology of the RSS and Jan Sangh further fueled this anarchy. If it had not been stopped, the country would have been engulfed in communal violence and hatred.
👉 *Emergency: A Constitutional Step*
▪️ Under these circumstances, Indira Gandhi declared the Emergency on June 26, 1975. This was not a personal decision but a legitimate step taken under Article 352 of the Constitution, approved by the Cabinet and Parliament. Some say it was to save Indira Gandhi's position, but this is not true. On June 24, 1975, the Supreme Court had granted a conditional stay on the Allahabad High Court's judgment, and Indira could have remained Prime Minister for six months even without being a Member of Parliament. Nevertheless, she prioritized the country's stability and unity.
The Emergency brought several positive changes. Inflation fell from 30% to around 10%. Food grain production increased from 104 million tons (1975-76) to 111 million tons (1976-77). The 20-point program promoted poverty eradication, land reforms, and social welfare. The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act was implemented in 1976, liberating millions from slavery. Rural electrification increased by 12% and the number of primary schools by 10%.
👉 *Questions on Press and Civil Rights*
▪️ I am not saying that the Emergency was entirely blameless. In some cases, civil rights were violated, and this should be acknowledged. However, the circumstances at that time were extraordinary. When the country was on the verge of being consumed by hatred and violence, the government had to take harsh measures. Yet, no journalist was individually jailed, as is seen today. In 2025, India's press freedom ranking has dropped to 161, and journalists who speak the truth are in jail. Is this not an undeclared emergency?
👉 *The Victory of Democracy*
▪️ After the Emergency, Indira Gandhi held fair elections in 1977, which she lost. This demonstrates the strength of India's democracy. If the Emergency had been a dictatorship, would she have relinquished power? It was a temporary measure that saved the country from hatred and anarchy.
*As an ordinary citizen, I believe that the Emergency was a necessity at that time. If it had not been implemented, the communal and destructive activities of the RSS and Jan Sangh would have thrown the country into the fire of hatred. The Emergency not only brought stability but also accelerated social and economic reforms. Today, we must understand the circumstances of that time and ask when the real threat to democracy exists—in 1975, when the country was saved, or today, when the press and voices of dissent are suppressed?*
✍️ The author is an ordinary Indian citizen
50th Miao Block Congress Committee-BCC is a political organization of 50th Miao Assembly Constituency