Alka drew my attention to this event and we noticed no news channel, accept for one unknown channel, is talking about it. Of course one of the reasons is that many prominent politicians in the current government were hand in glove with Indira and Sanjay Gandhi to unleash their diabolical schemes upon the country.
I have very little knowledge on this subject. I remember I was in Ambala with my grandparents, and besides, my knowledge of Indian social and political history is quite limited.
It was surprising to discover (through this WikiPedia link) that the firstmost opposition to the imposition of the emergency came from the Shiromani Akali Dal, and perhaps that’s why the Congress developed such a strong disliking for the Sikhs (the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, for example). In fact the opposition was so strong that Indira Gandhi feared it would lead to a nationwide movement and tried to strike a deal with Sant Harchand Singh Longowal. I think this must be the reason why Indira Gandhi sent Bhindrawale to Punjab — to factionalize the Akali Dal.
Why did Indira Gandhi impose the emergency? What were the circumstances then? Again, I haven’t done much reading, but according to various sources on the Internet, the Allahabad High Court had declared her election null and void. The major goofup was that while she was acquitted of serious charges she was found guilty on the charge of misuse of government machinery for her election campaign, something that every politician in this country does naturally. One thing lead to another and on her advise, the then president, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, declared the emergency.
Almost all opposition leaders were put behind bars. Journalists and editors were arrested and tortured. People were not allowed to protest. Some claim 100s of 1000s of people were operated upon forcibly to implement Sanjay Gandhi’s (I somehow agree with the drastic measure) birth control policy.
Anyway, if you have more information on this, please share it in the comment section and I will publish it here in the post.
