3 Things Revisiting the Emergency, DNA sampling challenges, and SC rejects a plea
Jun 25, 2025
Neerja Chowdhury, a veteran journalist and contributing editor of the Indian Express, delves into the impact of the 1975 Emergency on Indian politics, discussing repression and civil rights. Brendan Dabhi shares insights on the harrowing challenges of identifying victims from the recent Air India crash using DNA profiling, highlighting the emotional toll on families. The conversation also touches on a controversial Supreme Court ruling concerning a military personnel's murder conviction, emphasizing accountability in the justice system.
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Emergency's Authoritarian Impact
- The Emergency led to civil liberties suspension and authoritarian control for 21 months in India.
- It involved press censorship, arrests of opposition, rule by decree, and forced sterilizations.
Forced Sterilization Anecdote
- Neerja Chowdhury shared how forced sterilization quotas uprooted families from homes in Delhi.
- People resented sterilizations and slum clearances during Emergency but were silenced by press censorship.
Democracy Needs Strong Institutions
- The Emergency taught that concentrated power threatens democracy and institutions have to stay strong.
- Democracy thrives under weak leaders who share power and consult widely, paradoxically preserving democratic sensibilities.