ThePrint CutTheClutter: 50 years of Indira Gandhi’s Emergency, its unintended consequences & terminal decline of Congress
Jun 25, 2025
Fifty years after Indira Gandhi's nationwide Emergency, its consequences continue to shape Indian politics. The discussion reveals how this pivotal moment challenged Congress's dominance and sparked the rise of coalition governments and regional parties. It highlights the unintended legacies that may have reinforced democratic institutions. The relationship between media and public life, altered by censorship during this era, is also examined, contrasting India's evolution with political changes in the U.S. during the same period.
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No More Internal Emergency
- After the Emergency, an internal Emergency cannot be imposed except in case of armed rebellion.
- This constitutional safeguard prevents misuse of Emergency powers for dictatorial control.
Emergency Strengthened Press Freedom
- The Emergency galvanized Indians' commitment to press freedom through a collective social contract.
- This contract guarantees essential press freedoms despite no stronger constitutional protections.
Emergency Weakened Congress Control
- The Emergency shattered Congress's total political dominance and strengthened states' powers.
- The 1994 Bommai judgment made dismissing state governments nearly impossible on flimsy grounds.