History Today: The day Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency and history took a dark turn

June 25, 1975, is often considered one of the ‘darkest chapters’ in Indian history.

On this day in 1975, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invoked special powers granted by the Constitution to announce a national emergency.

The order was issued by signed off by the then President, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution.

What followed was the curtailing of fundamental rights of Indian citizens, the imprisonment of several opposition leaders, and censorship of the media.

Also on this day in 1983, the Indian cricket team lifted its first World Cup title. The team was led by Kapil Dev.

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Let’s take a look at these events in detail:

When Indira Gandhi declared Emergency

On June 25, 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the nation through All India Radio and said, “The President has proclaimed the Emergency. This is nothing to panic about. I am sure you are all aware of the deep and widespread conspiracy, which has been brewing ever since I began to introduce certain progressive measures of benefit for the common man and woman in India.”

The Emergency lasted from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977. It is often considered the darkest period in independent India and a turning point for the Indian National Congress.

Many opposition leaders were jailed during this time. Fundamental rights, including the right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a) were suspended, and the press came under strict censorship.

But why was Emergency declared?

In the 1971 Lok Sabha election, Indira Gandhi won from the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh, defeating socialist leader Raj Narain. He later challenged the result, accusing her of election misconduct and violating election laws under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

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It was alleged that her election agent, Yashpal Kapoor, was a government servant and that she had used government officials for personal election-related work. On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court found her guilty of electoral malpractice and barred her from holding elected office.

This verdict was one of the reasons behind the Emergency declaration.

On June 25, 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed the Emergency order, citing “internal disturbances.” The move effectively suspended elections and handed full control to the Prime Minister.

Indira Gandhi defended the move by saying the nation was under a serious threat and that strong measures were needed to restore order.

Notably, the country had just fought a war with Pakistan and was dealing with severe economic difficulties.

With the Emergency in place, fundamental rights of citizens were stripped away. Opposition leaders were taken into custody, the press was heavily controlled, and voices of dissent were silenced. Trade unions were no longer allowed to function, strikes were prohibited, and workers were forced to accept fixed wages without any extra benefits.

Meanwhile, Indira Gandhi’s son Sanjay Gandhi launched a mass sterilisation campaign across the country, which became another controversial element of this period.

The Emergency was lifted on March 21, 1977.

Soon after, Indira Gandhi announced the General Elections. The Congress was defeated, and the Janata Party, led by Morarji Desai, came to power with 298 seats in the Lok Sabha. Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister.

In her stronghold of Rae Bareli, Indira Gandhi was defeated by Raj Narain by a margin of over 55,000 votes.

Team India won first World Cup

It was on this day in 1983 that India won its first Cricket World Cup, defeating the West Indies in a memorable final at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.

At the time, the West Indies were a dominant force in world cricket, having already won the previous two editions in 1975 and 1979.

Led by skipper Kapil Dev, India posted a total of 183 in 54.4 overs, despite frequent setbacks. Kapil chipped in with a crucial 15 runs, while Mohinder Amarnath made a huge contribution with both bat and ball, scoring 26 runs and taking 3 wickets.

For the West Indies, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall led the bowling attack, taking three wickets each.

The West Indies began steadily, with openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes putting together a strong partnership. But the breakthrough came when Amarnath dismissed Haynes, giving India the opening they needed.

The match’s biggest turning point came when Kapil Dev took a running catch to dismiss Viv Richards, who was seen as the biggest threat to India’s chances.

From there, the West Indies began to lose wickets in quick succession, and the Indian team was handed a famous and historic win.

This Day, That Year

1947: ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ was published. It was the journal of Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish teenager who went into hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam.

1950: The Korean War began as communist North Korean forces invaded South Korea.

1993: Kim Campbell took oath as Canada’s 19th Prime Minister, becoming the first woman to hold the office.

2009: Michael Jackson, the globally celebrated American singer and dancer known as the ‘King of Pop’, died at the age of 50 due to a lethal mix of sedatives and the anaesthetic propofol.