s t or ybar est es t i mon yt ot hef ac tt hatgr eatnat i onsf ac egr a vec r i s es .I n1933,t heUni t edSt at es Hi wass t r uc kbyt hegr e atdepr es s i on ,whi c he xpo se dt hef al l ac i esoft hema mar k ete conomy . Af e w y ear sl at ert hemi mi l i t ar ymi mi ghtofJ apanwasc r us hedbyt heUni t edSt at esdur i ngt heSec ondWo Wor l d War .Att hes t ar toft hel as tdec adeoft hemi l l enni um,t hef r agi l i t i esofSoc i al i s m wer eex pos ed andi tl edt ot hee v ent ual demi s eoft heSo vi e tUni on. I ndi a ’ ss t r engt hhasal wa y sbeeni t svi br antdemoc r ac y .Our si sper hapst heonl ycount r ywher e peopl ef r om c ont r as t i ngl ydi ff er entc as t es ,c r eed,r el i gi onandr ac el i v et oget heri npeac eand har mon y .Theo t herhal l mar k sofourc ount r yar eas t r ongj udi c i al s y s t em an daf r eepr es s .The i mpos i t i onoft heemer genc yi n1975s t r uc katt hev er ycor eoft hes ei deal s ,whi c hc ons t i t ut eour democ r ac y .I twasper hap st hedar k es tper i o di nt hehi s t or yofi ndepe ndentI ndi a . TheRea sons On25 t hJ une19 75 ,Pr i meMi Mi n i s t e rI n di r aGa Ga ndh ii mp os edanemer g en cyi nt h ec ou nt r y . Fu nd ame nt a lRi g ht ss t o ods u s pe nd ed ,c e ns o r s h i pwa si mp os e do nt h ep r e s sa ndpr o mi mi n en t pol i t i c al l eader swer ear r es t ed.Sowh atpr omp t edMr s .Gandhi t ot ak es uc hadr as t i cs t ep?Co ul d t h ee me me r g en cyha v eb eenav o i d ed?Wh Wha tr o l edi dh ers o nSa nj a yan dh i sc r on i e sp l a ydu r i n gt hi s c r uc i al per i od?We Wer et her ean yper s onal mo t i v es ?Ther ear ej us ts omeoft heques t i onst hatwe wi l l t r yt oans wer . I nma nywa y st h ef o un da t i o nf o rt h ee me me r g en c ywa sl a i dwh ent h eAl l a ha ba dHi g hCo ur ts e t as i deI ndi r aGa Gandhi ’ sr eel ec t i ont ot heLokSabhai n1971ont hegr oundsofel ec t or al mal pr ac t i c es .Thi sv e r d i c t ,whi c hc ameon12t hJune,wasl at erc hal l engedi nt heSupr emeCour t , wh i c hon24t hJ une1975,gr ant edac ondi t i onal s t a yt oMr s .Gandhi ,t her eb yal l o wi nghert o r emai namemberofpar l i amentbutdi s al l o wedhe rt ot ak epar ti npar l i ament ar ypr o cee di n gs . Howev er ,t hi swasj us tt hefi r s ts t ep.Theot her ,mor es i gni fi cantr eas onf ort hei mpos i t i onof e me me r g en c ywa st h e“ J Pmo v e me me nt ” .Ma n yr e ga r dJ a y a pr a k a s hNa r a y a nas“ t h eGa nd hi o f I ndependentI ndi a” .I nhi sent i r epol i t i c al c ar eerhenev erc ont es t edanel ec t i on.Af t ert he Al l ahabadHi ghCour tv er di c t ,“ J P” ,ashewasbet t erk nown,ga vet hec al l f ora“ T ot al Re vol ut i on” a ndal s ode ma ma nd edt h er e s i g na t i o no fMr s .Ga nd hi .I nf a c to nJ u ne25 ,1 97 5,h ea nn ou nc e da
anofdai l ydemons t r at i ons ,notmer el yi nDel hi ,butal s oi nev er ySt at ec api t al anddi s t r i c t pl headquar t er sunt i l I ndi r aGa Gandhi t hr e wi nt het owel .Heal s oappeal edt ot heAr my ,t hepol i c eand t hebur eauc r ac y“ t or ef us et oobe yI ndi r a”and“ abi deb yt heCons t i t ut i oni ns t ead” .Hi sas soc i at e Mor ar j i Des ai wentas t epf ur t her .I nani nt er v i ewt oanI t al i anj our nal i s thes ai d,“ Wei nt endt o o v er t h r o wh er ,t of o r c eh ert or e si gn .Fo rg o od … Th …T ou sa nd so fu swi l l s ur r o un dh erh ou sea nd pr e v entherf r om goi ngout …ni ghtandda y . ”I nc i den t al l y , De sai wasonc eDeput yPr i meMi Mi ni s t er i nh erg ov e r n me me nt . Man yar guet hatt heeme r genc ywast hei ne vi t abl eout c omeofs oc i a l ,ec on omi candpol i t i c al c r i s esr es ul t i ngi n“ s ys t emat i cf ai l ur e”Oneoft hem i sPr of .P. N.Dhar ,Sec r et ar yt ot hePr i me Mi ni s t erandherc hi efoffic i al adv i s ordur i ngt hi sper i od.I nhi sbook“ I ndi r aGandhi ,t he emer genc yandI ndi anDemoc r ac y ” ,hest at est hati twasl ar gel ybec aus eo ft heoppos i t i on pr es s ur et hats hewasf or c edt or es i gn.Hesa y s“ Ev e nbef or eshecoul dfi l eherappea l ,t owhi c h s hewa se nt i c ed ,ad el e ga t i o no fo pp os i t i o nl e ad er sf r o mt heCo ng r e ss( O) ,J S,BL D,SPan d Ak al i Da lc al l edont h ep r e si de nta ndpr e se nt edamemor a nd um t ohi ms a y i n gt h at“ agr a v e c ons t i t ut i onal c r i s i shadar i s enasar es ul tofMr s .Gandhi c ont i nui ngt ooc cup yt heofoffic eoft he pr i memi ni s t erdes pi t eac l earandc at egor i c al j udi c i al v er di c t . ”Apar tf r om Dhar ,t her ewer eot her s wh os u p po r t e dt h eEme r g en c y . On eo ft h em wa spr o mi mi n en twr i t e rKh u s hwa ntSi n gh ,wh oa tt h e t i mewast heedi t orof“ TheI l l us t r at edWeek l yofI ndi a” .Hes ay s“ ByMa Ma y1975publ i cpr o t es t s ag ai n s tMr s .Ga ndh i ’ sg ov e r n me me nth adas s ume dn at i o nwi dedi me ns i o nsa ndof t e nt u r ne dv i o l en t . Wi t hmy myo wne y e sIs a ws l o ga nc h a nt i n gp r o c e s s i o nsg od o wnBo mb mb a yt h or o ug hf a r e ss ma ma s h i n g c a r spa r k e do nt h er o ad s i d esan db r e ak i n gs h op wi n do wsast h eywe nta l o ng .L ea de r sof oppo si t i onpar t i eswat c hedt hec ount r ysl i di ngi nt oc haosasbemus eds pe ct at or sho pi n gt hatt he mo un t i n gc h ao swou l df o r c eMr s .Ga nd hi t or e si g n. ” F r o mt h ea bo v ear g ume nt si ti sc l e art h atMr s .Ga n dh iwa sap owe r h un gr ywo ma ma nwh oi mp os e d t hee mer me g enc yt os af eg uar dherownpol i t i c al a ndper s onal i nt er es t s .Andt heonl ybenefi c i ar yof t h i sun f o r t u na t epe r i o dwa sh ers onSan j a yGa nd hi . TheMa ManAndHi sMi Mi ssi on
hemos tc ont r o v er s i al fi gur esi nI ndi anpol i t i c s ,Sanj a yGandhi hasof t enbeenac c us edof Oneoft bei ngt hemas t er mi ndbehi ndt heat r oc i t i esc ommi t t eddur i ngt heemer genc y .I ti swi del ybel i e ved t hat ,t hr oughhi sas s oc i at eJ agmohan,heor der edt hedemol i t i onofSl umsi nDel hi ’ sT ur k man ma Ga t ea r e a.T oma k ema t t e r swo r s e ,b ot hSa nj a yan dI n di r aGa nd hi d ev e l o pe daT we nt y Po i n t pr ogr am whi c hadv er t i s edt he“ s al i entf eat ur es ” . Ho we v er ,t hemo mos tc ont r o v er s i al agendawast hei mpl ement at i onofaf ami l y pl anni ng pr ogr amme.Thi spr ogr ammewasar es ul tofSanj a yGa Gandhi ’ ss oc al l ed“ v i s i on”t ocont ai n popul at i ongr owt hi nt hi scount r y .Offic i al l y ,t hi sex er c i s ewassuppos edt obeav ol unt ar yonef or b ot hme me na ndwo me me n.Ho we v e r ,t h er ewe r er e po r t st h atg ov e r n me me nto ffic ffic i a l swe r ef o r c i n gy o un g un ma ma r r i e dme n,t h ep oo ra ndi ns omec as ese v enpo l i t i c al o ppo ne nt s . ThatSanj ayhadadi c t at or i al s t r eaki nhi sper s onal i t yi sev i dent ,ashef r equent l yus edt oor der Ca bi ne tmi ni s t er sando t hergo v er nmentoffic i al s .I nonef amousc as eI .K,Guj r al ,t het hen mi ni s t erf ori nf or mat i onandbr oadc as t i ng,wasf or c edt or es i gnaf t erher ef us edt oobe ySanj a y Ga nd hi ’ sor d er s .I n de rMa l h ot r ar e ma ma r k e d,“ Hi swa y swe r er u dea ndc r u de .Heh adak n ac kof at t r ac t i n gr i ff r affandr oughnec k st ohi m.Butno neoft hi spr e v ent edCongr es s men,h me i ghandl o w, f r om f awni ngonhi m ands wear i ng“ et er nal l o yal t y ”t ohi smo mo t herandherf ami l y . ” Ho we v e rKh us h wa ntSi n ghc al l sh i m a“ l o v a bl ego on da ” .Hes a y s“ I ns omewa y sh ee pi t o mi mi s e d t h es l o ga nh eh adc oi n ed :Ka am z i y a ad a,b aa t e i nk um –wo r kmo mo r e ,t a l kl e s s .Hewa say o un g ma ni nahu r r yt oge tt h i ng sd on e.Heha dn op at i e nc ewi t ht e di o usde mo mo cr a t i cpr o ce ss esan d r edt ape,not i mef orl ongwi ndedpol i t i c i ansorbur eauc r at s .Thef ac tt hathehadnol egi t i mac yf or i mpos i nghi sfiat sont hec ount r ybes i desbei ngt hes onoft hepr i memi ni s t erwasofl i t t l e c o ns e qu en c et ohi m. ” Thef ac tt hatt i l l t oda yhi snameev ok esf earamongt hepubl i csho wst henot or i et yi nhi s per s onal i t y .Al s of r om t heabo vet heanal y s i si ti sev i dentt hathes howedut t erc ont emptt o war ds democ r at i ci ns t i t ut i onsandwoul dgot oanyex t entt os ubv er tt hem.I nf ac t ,i ti ssai dt hatSanj ay Ga nd hi wa s“ f u r i o us ”wh enI n di r aGa Ga nd hi d ec i d edt oen dt h eEme r g en c y .
er ,i ns pi t eofal l hi sf al l ac i est her ei sonec ont r i but i ont hatSanj ayGa Gandhi gav et ot he Howev nat i on:t heMar ut i c ar .I twasen vi s i onedasac heap,aff or dab l ea ndi ndi genouscart hatt h e mi ddl ec l as sc oul daff or d.T oda yi ti sI ndi a ’ sl eadi ngaut omobi l ec ompan y .Ho we v er ,ev ent hi sc ar pr o j e cth adi t ss ha r eo fc on t r o v er s y . Th eman ne ri nwh i c ht hel a ndwa sa cq ui r edwa s ques t i onabl eandt her ewer es er i ousdoubt st hatt hepr oj ec tmi ghtbes hel v edaf t ert het es t v er s i onoft hec arf ai l ed. TheI mpact I nad di t i o nt ot hec ommonma ma n,t hej u di c i a r ya ndt heme me di abor et h ema xi mu mb r u nto ft h e e x c es s esoft h eeme r g en cy . Th eCo ns t i t ut i on ,wh i c hi st h emo sts ac r eddo cu me me nto fa ny f unc t i oni ngdemoc r ac y ,wass ub v er t edi nt hemos tr ut hl es sma mannerpos s i bl e.I ndi r aGa Gandhi ens ur edt hatal l pr oc l amat i onsandor di nanc eswer enots ubj ec t edt oj udi c i al r e vi e w.She ame nd edt h eRe pr e se nt at i ono ft h ePeo pl eAc ta ndt woo t h erl a wsi nsu char e t r o sp ec t i v e ma nn ert oen su r et h att h eSu pr emeCo ur tha dn oo t h ero pt i o nbu tt oov e r t u r nt h eAl l a hab adHi gh Co ur tv er di c t .Asseni orad voc at eAr u nJ ai t l e yl ament s“ Th ej udi c i ar ywhi c hhadal r ea dybeen ma depl i a bl ebyt h es u pe rc e s s i o nsi n19 73wa st h ema i nv i c t i m.Th eSu pr e meCo me ur tb ya maj or i t yoff ourt oonehel dt hataper s onc oul dbear r es t edorde t ai nedwi t houtl egi t i mat e g r o un dsan dt h er ewa sn or e me me dyi nt h el a wc o ur t ss i n c ea l l Fu nd ame nt a lRi g ht swe r e s us pended.Theat t or ney gener al ofI ndi aar guedf ort hego ver nmentt hatac i t i z enc oul dbek i l l ed i l l eg al l yandnor emedywasav ai l abl es i nc et her ewer enoFundamen t al Ri ght soft hec i t i z enan y mor e. ”Shemi mi s us edAr t i c l e356t odi s mi mi s st heoppos i t i ongo v er nment si nGu Guj ar atandTa mi mi l Nad u. Th ef o ur t hes t a t eofde mo mo cr a cyi . e .t h eme di awa sal s ono ts pa r e d.Cen so r s hi pwa si mp os edon ne ws pa pe r sa ndba r r i ngaf e w,l i k eTheI n di a nEx pr e ss ,noot h erne ws pa pe rh adt hec ou r ag et o de f yt hece ns or s hi po r de r s .Wh ent h eDe l hi ed i t i o na pp ea r e do nJ un e2 8,TheI nd i anEx pr e ss c ar r i edabl ankfir s tedi t or i al andt heFi nanc i al Ex pr es sr epr oduc edi nl ar get y peRabi ndr ant h T agor e ’ spoem “ Wher et h emi ndi swi t houtf earandt heheadi shel dhi gh”c on cl udi ngwi t ht he pr a y er“ I nt ot hathe av enoff r eedom,myFat her ,l e tmycount r yawak e. ”
nf ac t ,Ramnat hGoen ka,t hedar i ngpr opr i e t oroft hene ws paper ,e xpl ai nst heor deal i nhi sown I wor ds .“ Thego v er nment ,a ct i ngu ndert heper s onal di r ec t i onsofI ndi r aGandhi ,abus edi t s au t h or i t yan ds ub v er t e dl a wf u lp r o ce s se st ol i q ui d at emea ndmygr ou po fc omp ani e s e con omi c al l yan dma k emea nob j e cto fp ubl i cr i di c ul ea nds ha me me .On eo ft h ep r i memi n i s t e r ’ s fi r s ta c t son26 t hJu ne19 75wa st or e mo mo v eh ermi l d ma nn er edan dd emo cr a t i c al l yi n cl i ne d I nf or mat i onmi n i s t erI .K.Guj r a landr epl ac eh i m wi t hVi dy aChar anShuk l a,whos het hought woul dbe t t ers er v eherGoebbel s i andes i gn. ” Thi sc ens or s hi pal s ohadi t sl i ght ers i des .Vi nodMeht a,whoedi t edt hes l eaz ygi r l i emagaz i ne De bo na i rf r om Bo mba mb y ,wa sa sk e dt oha v eh i sar t i c l e sa ndp i c t u r e sc l e ar e db ef or et he ywe r e s entt ot hepr i nt er .Thec ens orl ook edo vert hepages .“ Por n?Theekhai !Pol i t i c sno. ”Mos tofi t wassof tpor n.I twasqui c kl ycl ear ed! ! Fo rt hepr e ss ,t h eeme r g en c ywa sac r u el r e mi mi nd ert ha tt h eSt a t ec ans na t c hi t sf r ee do m ar bi t r ar i l y . Hen ce,s oonaf t ert heeme r genc yend ed,t hePr es sCounc i l ofI ndi awasf or medwhos e ma i nai m wa st os af e gu ar dt h ef r e ed om o ft h ep r e s san dt oma ma i n t a i nandi mpr o v et h es t an da r d s o fn ews p ap er sa ndne wsa ge nc i e si nt h ec o un t r y . Th ee me me r g en c ywa sa1 9 mo nt hor d ea l ,wh i c hfi n al l yc a met me oanen do nJ a n ua r y2 3r d19 77 ; I ndi r aGandhi c al l edf orf r es hel ec t i onsandt her el eas eofal l pol i t i c al pr i s oner s .I twasa c our ageousdec i s i on,c ons i der i ngt hef ac tt hats hewasundernov i s i bl ec ompul s i ont odoso.I t wasadec i s i ont hatwo ul ds t a r t aper i odo fdar k nes sf orher s el f ,hers onSanj a yGandhi andhi s c ot e r i e.Ho we ve r ,t hi sper i odwoul dbes hor t l i v edass hes t agedas pec t ac ul arc omebac ki n 1980. TheAf t er mat hAndTheCome mebac k Soonaf t ert hewi t hdr a wal oft heemer genc y ,gener al el ec t i onswer edec l ar e di nt hec ount r y . Th e Co ng r e sswa sr e du ce dt oj u st1 53se at si nt h eL okSa bh aa ndt h eJ an at aPa r t yl e db yMo Mo r a r j i De s ai c a met me op owe r .I twa st h efi r s tt i mean on Co ng r e s sg ov e r n me me ntt h ata s s ume dl e ad er s h i p
h ec ount r y . Bo t hI ndi r aGandhi andhers onSanj a yl os tt hei rs eat s .Thusbegant hedar k es t oft per i odi nI ndi r aGandhi ’ spol i t i c al c ar eer .
Th eg ov e r n me me ntc o ns t i t u t e dt h eSh ahCo mmi mm s s i o nt op r o bei n t ot h ee x c e s s esc ommi t t e dd ur i n g t hee mer me g enc y .I tr ec or dedt hathi ghhandedandar bi t r ar yac t i onshadbeenc ar r i edoutwi t h i mpuni t ydur i ngt heEmer genc y .I ni t sr epor tt hecommi s s i onr ec or ded“ Wi t houtt heawar enes sof whati sr i ghtandades i r et oac tac cor di ngt owhati sr i ght ,t her ema ybenor eal i s at i onofwhati s wr ong’ ” .I ndi r aGan dhi her s el fwasar r es t edonanumbero fc har ge si nc l udi ngmi s us eofher offic i al andano t herc as er el at edt oder i v i ngi l l egal benefi t si nc onnec t i onwi t hpr oc ur ementof j eepsf orel ec t i onpur pos es .Thear r es tofI ndi r aGandhi wasadr amat i caffai rt os a yt hel eas t . Theoffic eri nc har geatt hatt i me,Mr .N. K.Si nghi nhi sme memoi r s“ ThePl ai nt r ut h” ,r ec or dst hathe andhi st eam hadt ot ak ehert oBadhk al ,at our i s tr es or tont heout s ki r t sofDel hi ,f ear i ngt hat t h er emi g htb eab ac k l a shi nDe l hi .Ho we v er ,t h i sph as ei nhe rl i f ewo ul dc o met me oane nds oo na s t hec our t sac qui t t edher .Andi n1978,s her es t ar t edherpol i t i c al j our neybycont es t i ngaby el ec t i onf r o m Chi k mangl ma uri nKar n at ak a.Mean whi l e,t heweak nes s eso ft heMo Mor ar j i Des ai go v er n me me ntwer eb ei n gs l o wl ye xp os ed .Th eb as i soft h ef or ma t i ono ft h eJ an at aPa r t ywa so nl y one:t or emo veI ndi r aGandhi f r om power ,what ev ert hec os t .I twast hi sver yf ac t ort hatl edt oi t s br e ak u pa ndt h ei rs ub se qu en to us t e rf r om po wer .