Emergency

Emergency

Internal Emergency declared in 1975, is widely considered as the greatest political crisis India faced since independence.

Background to the emergency

Economic Issues:

A combination of recession, growing unemployment, rampant inflation and scarcity of food grains created a serious economic crisis.

India’s support for the liberation of Bangladesh materially had serious repercussions for India as the exchange reserves were drained and more resources were diverted to defence.

Consecutive monsoon failures in 1972 & 73 affected India’s food grains availability and fuelled price rise.

Large-scale unemployment and economic recession led to industrial unrest and a wave of strikes in different parts of the country culminated in the All-India railway strike in May 1974.

Tussle with Judiciary

The union government, under the leadership of Mrs Indira Gandhi, amended the constitution to the effect that gave parliament the power to abridge fundamental rights in case of legislation giving effect to DPSPs. Later, In Kesavananda Bharti Case (1973), the Supreme Court ruled that there are some basic features of the Constitution, which can’t be amended.

Furious with the S.C. judgement in Kesavanda Case, the Union Government changed the long-term precedence of appointing the senior-most judge in S.C. as Chief Justice. In 1973, the government set aside the seniority of three judges and appointed Justice A.N. Ray as Chief Justice of India.

The Allahabad High Court, while hearing the plea of socialist leader Raj Narain on the validity of the election of Indira Gandhi to Lok Sabha, ruled in his favour and set aside her victory, and ruled her elections invalid on the grounds of abuse of power. However, the Supreme Court later granted a partial stay on this order and allowed Mrs Gandhi to remain MP but observed that she couldn’t participate in the proceedings of the court.

Gujarat and Bihar Unrest

In January 1974, students in Gujarat protested against rising prices, unemployment and corruption.

An assembly election was held in Gujarat in June 1975 and the Congress was defeated.

A similar agitation was started by the students in Bihar in March 1974.

After a point, Jayprakash Narayan took the leadership of the movement and gave a call for a ‘Total Revolution’.

Thus, the student movement assumed a political character.