In this chapter…

We have seen in the last chapter that the Congress recovered after
1971, but was not the same kind of party. The difference became
clear in a series of events between 1973 and 1975 that brought new
challenges to India’s democratic politics and the institutional balance
sought by the Constitution. These developments led to the imposition of
‘emergency’ in June 1975. Normally, we would associate ‘emergency’
with war and aggression or with natural disaster. But this ‘emergency’
was imposed because of the perceived threat of internal disturbance.
The editorial page of The Emergency ended as dramatically as it had begun, resulting in a
‘Nai Dunia’ of 27 June defeat of the Congress in the Lok Sabha elections of 1977.
1975 was like any other
day, except that the In this chapter we focus on this crucial phase in the history of democracy
space for editorial was in India and ask some questions that have remained controversial after
left blank. The editorial all these years.
was “censored” using
emergency powers. • Why was Emergency imposed? Was it necessary?
Many other newspapers
also carried such blank • What did the imposition of Emergency mean in practice?
spaces–sometimes
to protest against
• What were the consequences of Emergency on party politics?
emergency. Later, leaving • What are the lessons of Emergency for Indian democracy?
blank space was also
banned.

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 chapter 6
The Crisis of
Democratic Order
Background to Emergency
We have already studied the changes that were taking place in Indian
politics since 1967. Indira Gandhi had emerged as a towering leader
with tremendous popularity. This was also the period when party
competition became bitter and polarised. This period also witnessed
tensions in the relationship between the government and the judiciary.
The Supreme Court found many initiatives of the government to be
violative of the Constitution. The Congress party took the position
that this stand of the Court was against principles of democracy
and parliamentary supremacy. The Congress also alleged that the
Court was a conservative institution and it was becoming an obstacle
in the way of implementing pro-poor welfare programmes. The
parties opposed to the Congress felt that politics was becoming too
personalised and that governmental authority was being converted
into personal authority. The split in the Congress had sharpened the
divisions between Indira Gandhi and her opponents.

Economic context

Credit: Abu
PM says

In the elections of 1971, Congress had given the slogan

of garibi hatao (remove poverty). However, the social and
economic condition in the country did not improve much
after 1971-72. The Bangladesh crisis had put a heavy strain
on India’s economy. About eight million people crossed
over the East Pakistan border into India. This was followed
by war with Pakistan. After the war the U.S government
stopped all aid to India. In the international market, oil
prices increased manifold during this period. This led to
an all-round increase in prices of commodities. Prices
increased by 23 per cent in 1973 and 30 per cent in 1974.
Such a high level of inflation caused much hardship to
the people.
Industrial growth was low and unemployment was
very high, particularly in the rural areas. In order to
reduce expenditure the government froze the salaries
of its employees. This caused further dissatisfaction
among government employees. Monsoons failed in 1972-
1973. This resulted in a sharp decline in agricultural
productivity. Food grain output declined by 8 per cent.

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 94 Politics in India since Independence

There was a general atmosphere of dissatisfaction with the prevailing

economic situation all over the country. In such a context non-
Congress opposition parties were able to organise popular protests
effectively. Instances of students’ unrests that had persisted from
the late 1960s became more pronounced in this period. There was
also an increase in the activities of Marxist groups who did not
believe in parliamentary politics. These groups had taken to arms
and insurgent techniques for the overthrow of the capitalist order
Poor
people must have
and the established political system. Known as the Marxist-Leninist
had a tough time. What (now Maoist) groups or Naxalites, they were particularly strong in
happened to the promise West Bengal, where the State government took stringent measures to
of garibi hatao? suppress them.

Gujarat and Bihar movements

Students’ protests in Gujarat and Bihar, both of which were Congress
ruled States, had far reaching impact on the politics of the two States
and national politics. In January 1974 students in Gujarat started
an agitation against rising prices of food grains, cooking oil and
other essential commodities, and against corruption in high places.
The students’ protest was joined by major opposition parties and
became widespread leading to the imposition of President’s rule in the
state. The opposition parties demanded fresh elections to the state
legislature. Morarji Desai, a prominent leader of Congress (O), who

“
was the main rival of Indira Gandhi when he was in the Congress,
announced that he would go on an indefinite fast if fresh elections

“
hamara hai [With Total
Revolution as our motto, the
future belongs to us]
were not held in the State. Under intense pressure from students,
Sampoorna Kranti supported by the opposition political parties, assembly elections
ab nara hai, bhavi itihas were held in Gujarat in June 1975. The Congress was defeated in
this election.
In March 1974 students came together in Bihar to protest against
rising prices, food scarcity, unemployment and corruption. After
a point they invited Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), who had given up
active politics and was involved in social work, to lead the student
A slogan of the Bihar
movement, 1974 remain non-violent and will not limit “
movement. He accepted it on the condition that the movement will

“
itself to Bihar. Thus the students’
movement assumed a political
character and had national appeal.
People from all walks of life now
Indira is India,
entered the movement. Jayaprakash India is Indira
Narayan demanded the dismissal of
the Congress government in Bihar
and gave a call for total revolution
in the social, economic and political
A slogan given by
spheres in order to establish what he
D. K. Barooah, President of the
considered to be true democracy. A Congress, 1974
series of bandhs, gehraos, and strikes

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 95

Credit: R. K. Laxman in The Times of India, 16 April 1974

were organised in protest against the
Bihar government. The government, Loknayak
however, refused to resign. Jayaprakash
Narayan (JP)
The movement was beginning to (1902-1979):
influence national politics. Jayaprakash A marxist in his
Narayan wanted to spread the Bihar youth; founder
movement to other parts of the general secretary
country. Alongside the agitation led by of the Congress
Jayaprakash Narayan, the employees of Socialist Party
the Railways gave a call for a nationwide and the Socialist Party; a hero of the 1942 Quit
strike. This threatened to paralyse the India movement; declined to join Nehru’s cabinet;
country. In 1975, JP led a peoples’ after 1955 quit active politics; became a Gandhian
march to the Parliament. This was one and was involved in the Bhoodan movement,
of the largest political rallies ever held negotiations with the Naga rebels, peace initiative
in the capital. He was now supported in Kashmir and ensured the surrender of decoits in
by the non-Congress opposition parties Chambal; leader of Bihar movement, he became
like the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the the symbol of opposition to Emergency and was the
Congress (O), the Bharatiya Lok Dal, moving force behind the formation of Janata Party.
the Socialist Party and others. These

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 96 Politics in India since Independence

parties were projecting JP as an alternative to Indira Gandhi. However,

there were many criticisms about his ideas and about the politics of
mass agitations that he was employing. Both the Gujarat and Bihar
agitations were seen as anti-Congress and rather than opposing the
State governments, they were seen as protests against the leadership
of Indira Gandhi. She believed that the movement was motivated by
personal opposition to her.

Railway Strike of 1974

What would happen when the railways stop running? Not for one or
two days, but for more than a week? Of course, many people would be
inconvenienced; but more than that, the economy of the country would
come to a halt because goods are transported from one part to another
by trains.
Do you know that such a thing actually happened in 1974? The National
Coordination Committee for Railwaymen’s Struggle led by George
Fernandes gave a call for nationwide strike by all employees of the
Railways for pressing their demands related to bonus and service
conditions. The government was opposed to these demands. So, the
employees of India’s largest public sector undertaking went on a strike in
May 1974. The strike by the Railway employees added to the atmosphere
of labour unrest. It also raised issues like rights of the workers and whether
employees of essential services should adopt measures like strikes.
The government declared the strike illegal. As the government refused
to concede the demands of the striking workers, arrested many of their
leaders and deployed the territorial army to protect railway tracks, the
strike had to be called off after twenty days without any settlement.

Conflict with Judiciary

This was also the period when the government and the ruling party
had many differences with the judiciary. Do you remember the
discussion about the long drawn conflict between the Parliament and
the judiciary? You have studied this last year. Three constitutional
issues had emerged. Can the Parliament abridge Fundamental Rights?
Do ‘committed The Supreme Court said it cannot. Secondly, can the Parliament
judiciary’ and curtail the right to property by making an amendment? Again, the
‘committed bureaucracy’ Court said that Parliament cannot amend the Constitution in such
mean that the judges a manner that rights are curtailed. Thirdly, the Parliament amended
and government officials
the Constitution saying that it can abridge Fundamental Rights for
should be loyal to the
ruling party? giving effect to Directive Principles. But the Supreme Court rejected
this provision also. This led to a crisis as far as the relations between
the government and the judiciary were concerned. You may remember

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 97

that this crisis culminated in the famous Kesavananda Bharati Case. In

this case, the Court gave a decision that there are some basic features
of the Constitution and the Parliament cannot amend these features.
Two developments further added to the tension between the
judiciary and the executive. Immediately after the Supreme Court’s
decision in 1973 in the Keshavananda Bharati case, a vacancy arose
for the post of the Chief Justice of India. It had been a practice to
appoint the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court as the Chief
Justice. But in 1973, the government set aside the seniority of
three judges and appointed Justice A. N. Ray as the Chief Justice
of India. The appointment became politically controversial because
all the three judges who were superseded had given rulings against
the stand of the government. Thus, constitutional interpretations
and political ideologies were getting mixed up rapidly. People
close to the Prime Minister started talking of the need for a
judiciary and the bureaucracy ‘committed’ to the vision of the
executive and the legislature. The climax of the confrontation was
of course the ruling of the High Court declaring Indira Gandhi’s
election invalid.

Declaration of Emergency
On 12 June 1975, Justice Jagmohan Lal Sinha of the Allahabad High
Court passed a judgment declaring Indira Gandhi’s election to the
Lok Sabha invalid. This order came on an election petition filed by
Raj Narain, a socialist leader and a candidate who had contested
against her in 1971. The petition, challenged the election of Indira
Gandhi on the ground that she had used the services of government
servants in her election campaign. The judgment of the High Court
meant that legally she was no more an MP and therefore, could not
remain the Prime Minister unless she was once again elected as an
MP within six months. On June 24, the Supreme Court granted her a
partial stay on the High Court order – till her appeal was decided, she
could remain an MP but could not take part in the proceedings of the
Lok Sabha.
That is like asking
the army to disobey
Crisis and response the government! Is
The stage was now set for a big political confrontation. The opposition that democratic?
political parties led by Jayaprakash Narayan pressed for Indira
Gandhi’s resignation and organised a massive demonstration in
Delhi’s Ramlila grounds on 25 June 1975. Jayaprakash announced
a nationwide satyagraha for her resignation and asked the army, the
police and government employees not to obey “illegal and immoral
orders”. This too threatened to bring the activities of the government
to a standstill. The political mood of the country had turned against
the Congress, more than ever before.

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 98 Politics in India since Independence

The response of the government was to declare a state of emergency.

On 25 June 1975, the government declared that there was a threat
of internal disturbances and therefore, it invoked Article 352 of the
Constitution. Under the provision of this article the government could
declare a state of emergency on grounds of external threat or a threat
of internal disturbances. The government decided that a grave crisis
had arisen which made the proclamation of a state of emergency
necessary. Technically speaking this was within the powers of the
government, for our Constitution provides for some special powers to
the government once an emergency is declared.
Once an emergency is proclaimed, the federal distribution of powers
remains practically suspended and all the powers are concentrated in
the hands of the union government. Secondly, the government also
gets the power to curtail or restrict all or any of the Fundamental
Rights during the emergency. From the wording of the provisions
of the Constitution, it is clear that an Emergency is seen as an
Credit: R. K. Laxman in The Times of India, 26 June 1975

This cartoon appeared few days before the declaration of Emergency and captures the sense of impending
political crisis. The man behind the chair is D. K. Barooah, the Congress President.

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 99 Crisis of Democratic Order
The 99

ber 1975
11 Decem

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 100 Politics in India since Independence
100

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 101

extraordinary condition in which normal democratic politics cannot

function. Therefore, special powers are granted to the government.
On the night of 25 June 1975, the Prime Minister recommended
the imposition of Emergency to President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. He
issued the proclamation immediately. After midnight, the electricity
to all the major newspaper offices was disconnected. In the early
morning, a large number of leaders and workers of the opposition
parties were arrested. The Cabinet was informed about it at a special
meeting at 6 a.m. on 26 June, after all this had taken place.

Consequences
Should
This brought the agitation to an abrupt stop; strikes were banned; the President
many opposition leaders were put in jail; the political situation became have declared
very quiet though tense. Deciding to use its special powers under Emergency without any
recommendation from
Emergency provisions, the government suspended the freedom of the
the Cabinet?
Press. Newspapers were asked to get prior approval for all material
to be published. This is known as press censorship. Apprehending
social and communal disharmony, the government banned Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Jamait-e-Islami. Protests and strikes
and public agitations were also disallowed. Most importantly, under
the provisions of Emergency, the various Fundamental Rights of
citizens stood suspended, including the right of citizens to move the
Court for restoring their Fundamental Rights.
Now,
The government made extensive use of preventive detention. Under even the
this provision, people are arrested and detained not because they have Supreme Court
committed any offence, but on the apprehension that they may commit gave in! What
an offence. Using preventive detention acts, the government made was happening to
large scale arrests during the Emergency. Arrested political workers everyone in those
days?
could not challenge their arrest through habeas corpus petitions.
Many cases were filed in the High Courts and the Supreme Court by
and on behalf of arrested persons, but the government claimed that it
was not even necessary to inform the arrested persons of the reasons
and grounds of their arrest. Several High Courts gave judgments that
even after the declaration of Emergency the courts could entertain a
writ of habeas corpus filed by a person challenging his/her detention.
In April 1976, the constitution bench of the Supreme Court over-ruled
the High Courts and accepted the government’s plea. It meant that
during Emergency the government could take away the citizen’s right
to life and liberty. This judgment closed the doors of judiciary for the
citizens and is regarded as one of the most controversial judgments
of the Supreme Court.
There were many acts of dissent and resistance to the Emergency.
Many political workers who were not arrested in the first wave,
went ‘underground’ and organised protests against the government.
Newspapers like the Indian Express and the Statesman protested
against censorship by leaving blank spaces where news items had
been censored. Magazines like the Seminar and the Mainstream

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 102 Politics in India since Independence

chose to close down rather than submit to censorship. Many

journalists were arrested for writing against the Emergency. Many
underground newsletters and leaflets were published to bypass
censorship. Kannada writer Shivarama Karanth, awarded with
Padma Bhushan, and Hindi writer Fanishwarnath Renu, awarded
with Padma Shri, returned their awards in protest against the
suspension of democracy. By and large, though, such open acts of
defiance and resistance were rare.
The Parliament also brought in many new changes to the
Let Constitution. In the background of the ruling of the Allahabad
us not
talk about the
High Court in the Indira Gandhi case, an amendment was made
few who protested. declaring that elections of Prime Minister, President and Vice-
What about the rest? President could not be challenged in the Court. The forty-second
All the big officials, amendment was also passed during the Emergency. You have
intellectuals, social already studied that this amendment consisted of a series of
and religious leaders, changes in many parts of the Constitution. Among the various
citizens… What were
they doing?
changes made by this amendment, one was that the duration
of the legislatures in the country was extended from five to six
years. This change was not only for the Emergency period, but
was intended to be of a permanent nature. Besides this, during
an Emergency, elections can be postponed by one year. Thus,
effectively, after 1971, elections needed to be held only in 1978;
instead of 1976.

“
Lessons of the Emergency
“
… death of
D. E. M. O’Cracy, mourned by
his wife T. Ruth, his son
L. I. Bertie, and his
daughters Faith, Hope and
The Emergency at once brought out both the weaknesses and the
strengths of India’s democracy. Though there are many observers
who think that India ceased to be democratic during the Emergency,
it is noteworthy that normal democratic functioning resumed
within a short span of time. Thus, one lesson of Emergency is that
it is extremely difficult to do away with democracy in India.
Justice.

“
Secondly, it brought out some
ambiguities regarding the Emergency
An anonymous
advertisement in the Times
of India, soon after the
declaration of Emergency,
1975.
provision in the Constitution that have
been rectified since. Now, ‘internal’
Emergency can be proclaimed only
on the grounds of ‘armed rebellion’
and it is necessary that the advice to
the President to proclaim Emergency
“
Today is India’s
Independence Day…Don’t
Let the Lights Go Out on
India’s Democracy
must be given in writing by the
Union Cabinet.
Thirdly, the Emergency made An advertisement in The
everyone more aware of the value Times, London,
of civil liberties. The Courts too, 15 August 1975 by
‘Free JP Campaign’.
have taken an active role after the
Emergency in protecting the civil
liberties of the individuals. This is
a response to the inability of the

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 103

judiciary to protect civil liberties effectively during the emergency.

Many civil liberties organisations came up after this experience.
However, the critical years of emergency brought many issues
that have not been adequately grappled with. We have noted in
this chapter that there is a tension between routine functioning of
a democratic government and the continuous political protests by
parties and groups. What is the correct balance between the two?
Should the citizens have full freedom to engage in protest activity or
should they have no such right at all? What are the limits to such a
protest?
Secondly, the actual implementation of the Emergency rule took
place through the police and the administration. These institutions
could not function independently. They were turned into political
instruments of the ruling party and according to the Shah Commission
Report, the administration and the police became vulnerable to
political pressures. This problem did not vanish after the Emergency.

Politics after Emergency

The most valuable and lasting lesson of the Emergency was learnt
as soon as the Emergency was over and the Lok Sabha
elections were announced. The 1977 elections turned
into a referendum on the experience of the Emergency, at
least in north India where the impact of the Emergency
was felt most strongly. The opposition fought the election
on the slogan of ‘save democracy’. The people’s verdict
was decisively against the Emergency. The lesson
was clear and has been reiterated in many state level
elections thereafter– governments that are perceived to be
anti-democratic are severely punished by the voters. In this
sense the experience of 1975–77 ended up strengthening Morarji Desai
the foundations of democracy in India. (1896-1995): Freedom
fighter; a Gandhian
Lok Sabha Elections, 1977 leader; Proponenet of
Khadi, naturopathy and
In January 1977, after eighteen months of Emergency, the prohibition; Chief Minister
government decided to hold elections. Accordingly, all the of Bombay State; Deputy
leaders and activists were released from jails. Elections were Prime Minister (1967-
held in March 1977. This left the opposition with very little 1969); joined Congress
time, but political developments took place very rapidly. The (O) after the split in the
major opposition parties had already been coming closer party; Prime Minister from
in the pre-Emergency period. Now they came together on 1977 to 1979—first Prime
the eve of the elections and formed a new party, known as Minister belonging to a
the Janata Party. The new party accepted the leadership of non-Congress party.
Jayaprakash Narayan. Some leaders of the Congress who
were opposed to the Emergency also joined this new party.

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 104 Politics in India since Independence

in The Times of India

Credit: R. K. Laxman

29 March 1977

A cartoonist’s
reading of who
won and what
was defeated in
the 1977 election.
Those standing
with the common
man include
Jagjivan Ram,
Morarji Desai,
Charan Singh
and Atal Behari
Vajpayee.

Some other Congress leaders also came out and formed a separate party
under the leadership of Jagjivan Ram. This party named as Congress
for Democracy, later merged with the Janata Party.
The Janata Party made this election into a referendum on the
Emergency. Its campaign was focused on the non-democratic character
of the rule and on the various excesses that took place during this
period. In the backdrop of arrests of thousands of persons and the
censorship of the Press, the public opinion was against the Congress.
Jayaprakash Narayan became the popular symbol of restoration of
democracy. The formation of the Janata Party also ensured that non-
Congress votes would not be divided. It was evident that the going was
tough for the Congress.
Yet the final results took everyone by surprise. For the first time
since Independence, the Congress party was defeated in the Lok Sabha
elections. The Congress could win only 154 seats in the Lok Sabha.
Its share of popular votes fell to less than 35 per cent. The Janata
Party and its allies won 330 out of the 542 seats in the Lok Sabha;
Janata Party itself won 295 seats and thus enjoyed a clear majority.
In north India, it was a massive electoral wave against the Congress.
The Congress lost in every constituency in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi,
Haryana and the Punjab and could win only one seat each in Rajasthan
and Madhya Pradesh. Indira Gandhi was defeated from Rae Bareli, as
was her son Sanjay Gandhi from Amethi.

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 105

But if you look at the map showing the result of this election, you
will notice that Congress did not lose elections all over the country.
It retained many seats in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Orissa and
virtually swept through the southern States. There are many reasons
for this. To begin with, the impact of Emergency was not felt equally
in all the States. The forced relocation and displacements, the forced
sterilisations, were mostly concentrated in the northern States.
But more importantly, north India had experienced some long term
changes in the nature of political competition. The middle castes from
north India were beginning to move away from the Congress and the
Janata party became a platform for many of these sections to come
together. In this sense, the elections of 1977 were not merely about
the Emergency.

Janata Government
The Janata Party government that came to power after the 1977 elections
was far from cohesive. After the election, there was stiff competition
among three leaders for the post of Prime Minister – Morarji Desai, who
was the rival to Indira Gandhi ever since 1966-67; Charan Singh, leader
of the Bharatiya Lok Dal and a farmers’ leader from UP; and Jagjivan
Ram, who had vast experience as a senior minister in the Congress
governments. Eventually Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister but
that did not bring the power struggle within the party to an end.

Oath taking by the first non-congress government at the centre in 1977. In the picture are
Jayaprakash Narayan, J. B. Kriplani, Morarji Desai and Atal Behari Vajpayee.

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 106 Politics in India since Independence

Note: This illustration is not a map drawn to scale and should not be taken to
be an authentic depiction of India’s external boundaries.

How can Read this map and identify the states where
we talk about a – Congress lost,
mandate or verdict in – Congress lost very badly and
1977 when the north – those states where Congress and its allies nearly
and the south voted so swept the polls.
differently?
Which are the constituencies in north India that the
Congress managed to win?

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 107
Credit: Atanu Roy/India Today

Chaudhary
Charan Singh
(1902-1987):
Prime Minister
of India between
Credit: R. K. Laxman in The Times of India, 13 November 1979

July1979 - January
1980; freedom
fighter; active
in the politics of
Uttar Pradesh;
proponent of rural
and agricultural
development; left
Congress party
and founded
Bharatiya Kranti
Dal in 1967; twice
Chief Minister
of U.P.; later he
was one of the
founders of the
Janata Party in
1977 and became
Deputy Prime
Minister and
Home Minister
Credit: R. K. Laxman in the Times of India

I got it!
(1977-79);
Emergency founder of
was like a Lok Dal.
vaccination
against
dictatorship. It
was painful and
caused fever, but
strengthened
the resistance
of our
democracy.

Janata Party’s faction fight inspired many cartoons at that time. Here is a selection.

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 108 Politics in India since Independence

The opposition to emergency could keep the Janata Party together

only for a while. Its critics felt that the Janata Party lacked direction,
leadership, and a common programme. The Janata Party government
could not bring about a fundamental change in policies from those
pursued by the Congress. The Janata Party split and the government
which was led by Morarji Desai lost its majority in less than 28
months. Another government headed by Charan Singh was formed on
the assurance of the support of the Congress party. But the Congress
party later decided to withdraw its support with the result that the
Charan Singh government could remain in power for just about 4
months. Fresh Lok Sabha elections were held in January 1980 in
which the Janata Party suffered a comprehensive defeat, especially
in north India where it had swept the polls in 1977. Congress
party led by Indira Gandhi nearly repeated its great victory in 1971.
It won 353 seats and came back to power. The experience of
1977–79 taught another lesson in democratic politics:
governments that are seen to be unstable and quarrelsome are
severely punished by the voters.

Legacy
But was it only a case of return of Indira Gandhi? Between
the elections of 1977 and 1980 the party system had changed
dramatically. Since 1969, the Congress party had starting
shedding its character as an umbrella party which accommodated
leaders and workers of different ideological dispensations and
Jagjivan Ram view points. The Congress party now identified itself with a
(1908–1986): particular ideology, claiming to be the only socialist and pro-poor
Freedom fighter and party. Thus with the early nineteen seventies, the Congress’s
Congress leader from political success depended on attracting people on the basis
Bihar; Deputy Prime of sharp social and ideological divisions and the appeal of one
Minister of India leader, Indira Gandhi. With the change in the nature of the
(1977-79); member Congress party, other opposition parties relied more and more
of Constituent on what is known in Indian politics as ‘non-Congressism’. They
Assembly; also also realised the need to avoid a division of non-Congress votes
a Member of in the election. This factor played a major role in the elections
Parliament since of 1977.
1952 till his death;
Labour Minister in the In an indirect manner the issue of welfare of the backward
first ministry of free castes also began to dominate politics since 1977. As we saw
India; held various above, the results of 1977 elections were at least partly due to
other ministries from a shift among the backward castes of north India. Following the
1952 to 1977; a Lok Sabha elections, many states also held Assembly elections
scholar and astute in 1977. Again, the northern States elected non-Congress
administrator. governments in which the leaders of the backward castes played
an important role. The issue of reservations for ‘other backward
classes’ became very controversial in Bihar and following this,
the Mandal Commission was appointed by the Janata party

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 109

Credit: India Today

Credit: R. K. Laxman in the Times of India

This cartoon appeared after the election results of 1980.

government at the centre. You will read more about this and about
the role of the politics of backward castes, in the last chapter. The
elections after the Emergency set off the process of this change in the
party system.
The Emergency and the period around it can be described as
a period of constitutional crisis because it had its origins in the
constitutional battle over the jurisdiction of the Parliament and the
judiciary. On the other hand, it was also a period of political crisis. The

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 110 Politics in India since Independence

party in power had absolute majority and

Let’s watch a Film

yet, its leadership decided to suspend

Hazaron Khwaishein Aisi the democratic process. The makers
of India’s Constitution trusted that all
political parties would basically abide by
the democratic norm. Even during the
Emergency, when the government would
use extraordinary powers, its use would
be within the norms of the rule of law.
This expectation led to the wide and open
ended powers given to the government
in times of Emergency. These were
abused during the Emergency. This
political crisis was more serious than
the constitutional crisis.
Another critical issue that emerged
during this period was the role and extent
Siddharth, Vikram and Geeta of mass protests in a parliamentary
are three spirited and socially democracy. There was clearly a tension
engaged students. Graduating between institution-based democracy
from Delhi, they follow different and democracy based on spontaneous
paths. While Siddharth is a strong popular participation. This tension may
supporter of the revolutionary be attributed to the inability of the party
ideology of social transformation,
system to incorporate the aspirations of
Vikram is in favour of achieving
success in life, whatever the cost.
the people. In the next chapter we shall
The film narrates the story of their study some of the manifestations of this
journeys towards their goals and tension, in particular, debates around
the underlying disappointments. regional identity.

The film is set in the backdrop of the

seventies. The young characters
are products of the expectations
and idealism of that period.
Siddharth is not successful in his
ambition to stage a revolution, but
is so involved in the plight of the
poor that he begins valuing their
uplift more than revolution. On
the other hand, Vikram becomes
a typical political fixer but is
constantly ill at ease.

Year: 2005
Director: Sudhir Mishra
Screenplay: Sudhir Mishra
Ruchi Narain
Shivkumar Subramaniam
Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Shiney
Ahuja, Chitrangada Singh

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 The Crisis of Democratic Order 111

1. State whether the following statements regarding the Emergency are

correct or incorrect.
(a) It was declared in 1975 by Indira Gandhi.
(b) It led to the suspension of all fundamental rights.
(c) It was proclaimed due to the deteriorating economic conditions.
(d) Many Opposition leaders were arrested during the emergency.
(e) CPI supported the proclamation of the Emergency.
2. Find the odd one out in the context of proclamation of Emergency
(a) The call for ‘Total Revolution.
(b) The Railway Strike of 1974
(c) The Naxalite Movement
(d) The Allahbad High Court verdict
(e) The findings of the Shah Commission Report
3. Match the following
(a) Total Revolution i. Indira Gandhi
(b) Garibi hatao ii. Jayaprakash Narayan

EXERCISES
(c) Students’ Protest iii. Bihar Movement
(d) Railway Strike iv. George Fernandes
4. What were the reasons which led to the mid-term elections in 1980?
5. The Shah Commission was appointed in 1977 by the Janata Party
Government. Why was it appointed and what were its findings?
6. What reasons did the Government give for declaring a National
Emergency in 1975?
7. The 1977 elections for the first time saw the Opposition coming into
power at the Centre. What would you consider as the reasons for this
development?
8. Discuss the effects of Emergency on the following aspects of our polity.
• Effects on civil liberties for citizens.
• Impact on relationship between the Executive and Judiciary
• Functioning of Mass Media
• Working of the Police and Bureaucracy.
9. In what way did the imposition of Emergency affect the party system in
India? Elaborate your answer with examples.
10. Read the passage and answer the questions below:
Indian democracy was never so close to a two-party system as it was
during the 1977 elections. However, the next few years saw a complete
change. Soon after its defeat, the Indian National Congress split into
two groups……….. … … …The Janata Party also went through major
convulsions…..David Butler, Ashok Lahiri and Prannoy Roy. — Partha
Chatterjee
(a) What made the party system in India look like a two-party system in
1977?
(b) Many more than two parties existed in 1977. Why then are the
authors describing this period as close to a two-party system?
(c) What caused splits in Congress and the Janata parties?

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