Fifty years after Indira Gandhi's emergency: India's democracy in danger!

Fifty years after Indira Gandhi's emergency: India's democracy in danger!

Schwerin, Deutschland - Fifty years ago, on June 25, 1975, India experienced one of the darkest periods in its history: the proclamation of the "Emergency" by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This decision was a desperate attempt to secure its power while the country was shaken by protests and economic problems. In her first radio address after this decision, Gandhi calmed the population and announced that there was no reason to panic. In her opinion, it was necessary to "save" democracy, but at the same time its government closed newspapers and introduced a rigorous censorship system that severely restricted freedom of expression and assembly. Hundreds of opposition politicians, journalists and union leaders were detained, which led to a massive displeasure among the population. It is estimated that over 110,000 people were arrested during this 21 months, which made the Emergency a phase of quasi-autocratic rule, as the [NZZ] (https://www.nzz.ch/international/indira- and-die------ deepste-krise-democracy-Democracy-Democracy-Democracy-Democracy.

originally triggered by a court ruling that Gandhi denied participation in political offices, the emergency period was also shaped by a student movement led by J. P. Narayan. This received support from the Hindu nationalist Jana-Sangh party. During the Emergency, the 42nd constitutional addition, which Gandhi's authority also secured in future elections, achieved special popularity. The political landscape of India changed significantly; On the one hand, the citizens were faced with massive restrictions on their rights, on the other hand, the pressure from civil society continued, as the freedom emphasized.

a turning point in history

The war with Pakistan in 1971 had originally increased popularity, but its power base was fragile. The elections in Gujarat, which she lost in 1975, led to massive protests, which ultimately led to the proclamation of the emergency. Indira Gandhi's son, Sanjay Gandhi, took on central tasks during this time, especially with controversial campaigns for slums and the forced sterilization of eleven million men, which additionally fueled displeasure among the population. One aspect of this time, which was referred to as the "constitutional dictatorship", was that the constitution remained in force, but the fundamental rights were severely circumcised. The prospects for democracy in India were again more optimistic in 1977 after the emergency of the emergency and the victory of the Janata Party.

The Indian democracy, which has been impressively firmly anchored since it was founded in 1950 and the first election in 1951, is still facing huge challenges. The pressure on freedom of expression and the number of journalists' detention increases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized June 25th as the "Day of the Murder of the Constitution" and is faced with the heir of the Emergency. Journalists like Prem Shankar Jha express pessimism with regard to the future of democracy in India and consider Hindunationalist politics as a serious threat to freedom of expression, reports the bpb.

traces of the past and the present

India, the most populous democracy in the world, offers a fascinating but also complex picture. The political landscape is shaped by numerous factors, including a large number of regional parties and the influence of cultural differences. The Congress Party and the BJP dominate the scene, the latter achieved a clear victory since 2014 and was also successful in the 2019 parliamentary elections. The structure of the Indian parliament, consisting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, is crucial for the political decisions, and the next big choice is in 2024. The discussion about the abolition of the regulations of the 42nd constitutional addition becomes more intense, since the political balance in the country continues to work.

Today, 50 years after the emergence of the Emergency, Indian democracy remains on shaky legs. In a country that is often celebrated as a dazzling, chaotic example of democracy, there is a lot to clarify and discuss. The challenges are enormous, but hopes for a confident future are unbroken despite all the adversities.