"The Emergency" refers to a 21-month period in 1975–77 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi unilaterally had a state of emergency declared across the country. The press was censored and thousands arrested after the dreaded midnight knock.
Indira Gandhi tried to defend the emergency on the grounds that she was trying to protect the State and the Indian people. Nevertheless, her emergency rule faced immense criticism and is undoubtedly one of the most controversial periods of the
As against this, rallies in support of the leader herself increased fast and it became important to display her posters and support her Twenty-Point Programme, a set of economic reforms.
Many newspapers were shut, a code of conduct was implemented for journalists, government nominees were placed in boards of newspaper houses while the country's four news agencies were merged to ensure that the press was completely muzzled. The Press
Ministers made surprise visits to their departments to see how things were working out. The timing of the employees reporting at work was closely monitored. Trains ran on time. Officials who didn't have a reputation at work were asked to retire at
Meetings of more than five persons without permission were not allowed while casual groups gathering on streets were dispersed.
Presidential ordinances, which were later converted into law, empowered the government to arrest and jail people without any trial.
This was a dramatic turn in the Indian political affairs. The democracy was brought to a grinding halt and all the fundamental rights and legal remedies protected by the Constitution of The Republic of India were suspended.
Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352(1) of the Constitution for "internal disturbance", the Emergency was in effect from 25 June 1975 until its withdrawal on 21 March 1977.