NEW DELHI: A day ahead of the anniversary of the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister of India
Indira Gandhi in 1975, Union minister
Arun Jaitley on Sunday chronicled the 21-month-period in his Facebook blog.
The part I of the three-part series started with a narration of the 1971 India-Pakistan War which led to the creation of Bangladesh and the subsequent general elections, won by Indira Gandhi by a massive mandate.
The Union minister then highlighted the "mismanagement" of the economy and said that while the world was embracing change, Indira Gandhi chose "popular slogans over sound and sustainable policies".
The minister further highlighted government's conflict with the judges and Indira Gandhi's oppressive policies to clamp on the national press. Both these measures cost her the political goodwill and her support dwindled, the minister wrote.
Jaitley highlighted two "freak" events, which were initially thought to have little or no bearing on the central government, which eventually led to the downfall of the Indira government - the students’ protests and her disqualification as the Member of Parliament.
"Then came the stunning news that Justice Jag Mohan Lal Sinha of the
Allahabad High Court had unseated Mrs. Indira Gandhi as a Member of Parliament and declared her election as null and void. She was accused of spending more money on the elections than permissible and having secured services of Yashpal Kapoor, a public servant, to further her election process. She was held guilty of corrupt practices," wrote Jaitley.
Following these developments, the opposition intensified its pressure on Indira Gandhi to resign. Amidst mounting pressure, Indira Gandhi on the midnight of 25 and 26 June, 1975, signed a fresh proclamation which was signed by the President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed on a state of internal emergency, Jaitley wrote.
