Team News Riveting
New Delhi, June 25
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the dark days of Emergency could never be forgotten.
“The period from 1975 to 1977 witnessed the systematic destruction of institutions. Let us pledge to do everything possible to strengthen India’s democratic spirit & live up to the values enshrined in our Constitution,” he said in a tweet.
Emergency was imposed for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The order was issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution due to the prevailing “internal disturbance” and the Emergency was in effect from June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.
The order powered the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed.
The final decision to impose an Emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the President, and thereafter ratified by the Cabinet and the Parliament (from July to August 1975), based on the rationale that there were imminent internal and external threats to the Indian state.
The Emergency is considered to be one of the most controversial events of independent India’s history.
