The High Court had given its decision. Now everyone’s eyes were on Indira Gandhi’s next step. The opposition was increasing the pressure for resignation. So the supporters were citing the huge mandate received in the elections. The crowd coming from Delhi as well as neighboring states or being brought here gathered at 1, Safdarjung, swearing to die. Party leaders and chief ministers of states were all involved in the competition for loyalty. There was a sound of some heavy footsteps. But what will that be? Was this situation only a result of the Allahabad High Court’s decision of June 12? Let’s return back. Let us remember the midnight of 15 August 1947. Then the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had announced the independence of the country. The country did not sleep that night. The sun had peeked out early. The next morning came with new light of hope and joy. At a gap of 28 years. Date of 25 June 1975. The time was still midnight. But the decision that night was to kidnap ‘democracy’, the soul of freedom.
The irony is that this decision was of Indira Gandhi, daughter of Pandit Nehru, who laid the foundation of democracy. Since then this date got stuck in people’s minds. Why and what happened then, read his story.
That era, the crown of Goddess Durga was on Indira Gandhi’s head.
After the historic split of Congress in 1969, Indira had decided to approach the public court ahead of time. Earlier, Lok Sabha elections were held in 1967. In that election, Congress got 283 seats in the Lok Sabha, which was 78 less than in 1962. The party faced an even bigger blow in the state assembly elections. At that time, non-Congress contract governments were formed in nine states. After dissolving the Lok Sabha in December 1970, Indira reached the public in 1971 with a pro-poor progressive image.
There was a tremendous increase in his popularity after the nationalization of 14 banks and the abolition of privy purses of the kings of former princely states. In the split of Congress, he proved his hold on the party and the government by sidelining the old stalwarts. In the presidential elections of 1969, his candidate V.V. Giri had won over Congress’s official candidate Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy. Indira Gandhi’s popularity was at its peak. The scattered opposition decided to issue a common challenge. A grand alliance of Congress (O), Swatantra Party, Jan Sangh and Sansopa was formed.
After dissolving the Lok Sabha in 1970, Indira reached the public in 1971 with a pro-poor progressive image. Photo: Getty Images
Remove Indira was his slogan. Indira’s counterattack, ‘They say remove Indira – we say remove poverty’ proved to be very lethal. Voters filled Indira’s bag. Compared to 1967, they got 69 more seats i.e. 352 seats. The voters completely rejected the Grand Alliance. Syndicate Congress (O) got only 16 seats. In 1967, Swatantra Party had got 44 seats. This time the number was eight.
Jan Sangh reduced from 35 to 22 and Sansopa from 23 to three. Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal got only one seat. Not only this. In the same year, his bold and decisive role in the creation of Bangladesh and unilateral victory over Pakistan took place. And after defying America, the biggest superpower, the crown of Goddess Durga was adorned on Indira’s forehead. At that time she was not just the undisputed leader of India. Other countries also recognized his talent.
then slope
But there was a slippery slope ahead. The creation of Bangladesh brought fame and an opportunity to settle scores with Pakistan and also a flood of tragedies. The country was burdened by more than one crore refugees who came from there. There was drought for three consecutive years since 1972. Grain production decreased by eight percent. There was a huge jump in prices. The government took over the wholesale trade of food grains and then got rid of it as the problems increased. Amid rumors of nationalization of food grain trade, grains started disappearing from the market. There were incidents of robbery in many parts of the country. OPEC, the organization of oil exporters, increased the prices of crude oil by four times, which had a direct impact on the prices of all commodities. By 1974, the inflation rate started touching thirty percent.
Indira saw a foreign and opposition conspiracy behind every problem. Photo: Getty Images
Industrial unrest, closure of factories, labor strikes, all these had a direct impact on life. In 1972-73, there were 12 thousand strikes in Bombay alone. The scope of unemployment increased further. Although the railway strike of 14 lakh employees led by George Fernandes in 1974 was crushed with force by the Centre, it mobilized another large section against the government.
Pokhran and Sikkim merger also ineffective
The ruling party now started seeing the judiciary as an obstacle to the progressive measures of the government. Leftist voices within the party raised the need for a committed judiciary. In April 1973, as part of this effort, Justice A. N. Ray was appointed Chief Justice.
Indira was beginning to feel bored with the parliamentary proceedings. Communist leader Hiren Mukherjee wrote in 1973, ‘Her father was happy to participate in the proceedings of Parliament, whereas Indira seems indifferent to it. Sometimes it seems that she does not want a presidential system of government? Amidst this crisis, Indira took two bold steps. The first nuclear test was conducted in Pokhran on 18 May 1974. On 8 April 1975, the Chogyal of Sikkim was placed under house arrest in his palace. Sikkim merged with India and became the 22nd state of the country. At any other time, these two big actions would have made the Prime Minister extremely popular within the country and further strengthened him. But amidst internal unrest and uncontrolled public problems, even these big achievements could not show favorable political impact.
On June 12, Allahabad High Court canceled his election to Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli. Photo: Getty Images
Growing distance between government and opposition
The bitterness between the government and the opposition was increasing. Indira saw a foreign and opposition conspiracy behind every problem. In his every speech there were vigorous attacks on the opposition. The opposition, which had been wiped out in the 1971 elections, was getting a chance to stand again. The victory of joint opposition candidate Sharad Yadav in the Jabalpur Lok Sabha by-election of 1974 boosted the morale of the opposition parties. But the real strength given to it was the student movement of Gujarat. On 20 December 1973, L. D. Engineering College students took to the streets against the 20 percent increase in mess expenses. On January 3, 1974, students of Gujarat University also joined the strike. On January 7, students from the entire state were on the streets. Then workers, middle class, lawyers, teachers all started joining it and new demands were included.
Unsettled Gujarat becomes center of conflict
Ahmedabad and Vadodara remained closed for two days from January 10. Violent confrontations took place in 33 cities during a province-wide strike on January 25. Army had to be called. Curfew imposed in 44 cities. The Chimanbhai Patel government of Gujarat, surrounded by corruption and failures, was the target of the agitators. Within a month, about 100 lives were lost in violent incidents. More than 3000 were injured. More than 8000 arrests were made. Indira had to ask Chimanbhai to resign. He resigned on 9 February.
The Center had to impose President’s rule in a state ruled by its own party. A state in which 140 Congress members were elected in the assembly of 167 members. JP reached Gujarat on 11 February. The enthusiasm of the students and youth increased further. The strength and pressure of the movement can be judged by the resignations of the MLAs. On February 16, 15 Congress (O) MLAs resigned from the membership of the Assembly. Then three MLAs of Jan Sangh joined it. Ultimately the students forced 95 MLAs to resign. On March 12, 1974, 79 year old Morarji Desai sat on a fast unto death in Ahmedabad demanding dissolution of the Assembly. The assembly had to be dissolved on 16 March. On 6 April 1975, Morarji Bhai was once again on fast. This time the demand was for dissolved assembly elections. Elections were held on 10 June.
Jayaprakash Narayan, who led the JP movement.
Again the command is in the hands of JP
On June 12, Allahabad High Court canceled his election to Lok Sabha from Rae Bareli. On the same day, the second disappointing news for Indira was from Gujarat. Compared to the last election, Congress’s seats were reduced by 65 seats. The party reached opposition. The first non-Congress government was formed in the state under the leadership of Babu Bhai Patel of Janata Morcha. Meanwhile, the heat from Gujarat was reaching other states. Bihar was ahead in this.
On March 18, 1974, the students of Patna were on the streets. The call was to not allow the assembly session to continue. Congress MLAs reached the Assembly in the morning itself. But the students appealed to Governor R.D. Bhandare’s car was surrounded. After this, widespread violence took place amid police lathi charge and rain of tear gas shells. Students requested JP for leadership. JP, who had separated from active politics a long time ago, was restless with the deteriorating situation in the country. He had also written a letter to Indira and the MPs in this regard. He put a condition before the students to stay away from political parties. The students agreed.
Vacate the throne or the public will come!
On April 8, 1975, a crowd of lakhs was behind JP on the streets of Patna. On June 5, 1974, the crowd that gathered at Gandhi Maidan in Patna witnessed JP’s call for ‘complete revolution’. JP said that mere resignation of the cabinet and dissolution of the assembly will not bring change. System change is necessary. He expressed the need to close colleges and universities for a year and utilize the power of students and youth in society-nation building.
The campaign to dissolve Bihar Assembly started from 7th June. 13 out of 24 MLAs of Jan Sangh resigned from membership. Eleven MLAs who refused to follow the leadership’s instructions were expelled from the party. Seven out of 13 members of Sansopa resigned. Out of 23 Congress (O) MLAs, no one resigned. But apart from all this, JP’s leadership and the association of major opposition parties gave the movement a national character. In whatever state he reached, people flocked to listen to him. He was a friend of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He had rejected every benefit related to power after joining his government or even later.
His moral authority and aura were greater than any power. Some statements of Indira and even more indecent comments of some sycophants pulled JP directly onto the path of struggle. On the other hand, despite the overwhelming majority in the House, the government was failing to control public discontent. JP’s leadership further strengthened this dissatisfaction. Allahabad High Court’s decision of 12th June took away Indira’s moral right to rule. The decision gave more strength to the opposition. Dr. Lohia was remembered as saying, ‘Living communities do not wait for five years.’ Dinkar was repeating, ‘Vacate the throne or the public will come.’ The youth raised the sky above their heads, “A light in the darkness – Jai Prakash – Jai Prakash”.
21 month eclipse on the sun of democracy
The learning from Gujarat was fresh. Indira was not ready to bow down any longer. Even her colleagues had no idea of the steps she was going to take. The date was 25 June 1975. That evening there was a huge meeting of opposition parties at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. Demanding Indira to step down, JP appealed to the government employees and security forces not to obey the orders of the unethical government.
In an attempt to bring Indira and JP closer, Chandrashekhar had distanced himself from Indira and that evening had gone to Regal to watch the superhit film “Sholay”. On return, friend Dayanand Sahay said that today JP did wonders in his speech. Chandrashekhar said that then consider this as his last speech for now. The same night at 3.30 a police vehicle reached Gandhi Shanti Pratishthan. JP was woken up. Then they were on the way to Parliament police station in the police car. Chandrashekhar was in a taxi behind. He was worried about JP. But Chandrashekhar was stopped outside the police station.
Later an S.P. took him inside. Told that you are also arrested. By then the police had brought many other opposition leaders to the police station. The police were hesitant in informing JP about the arrest. Chandrashekhar told him, “A vehicle has arrived for you. You go. We will be taken to another place.”
JP said, “You too!” Then it came out of JP’s mouth. Wisdom contrary to destruction. Indira’s friend Bengal Chief Minister Siddharth Shankar Ray had come forward with the plan of internal emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution. The formality of the cabinet’s consent to the plan was completed the next morning. President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed had signed it in the night itself without any hesitation.
That night wreaked havoc on the opponents. There were nationwide arrests. Every voice that was or could be raised in opposition to the government, its next destination was jail. Electricity to newspapers was cut. Censorship was imposed. Civil rights were taken away. Lakhs of opposition were in jail. The rest of the country was an open jail. The next 21 months were the eclipse of dictatorship over the sun of democracy.
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