**THE CRISIS OF DEMOCRATIC ORDER: COMPREHENSIVE CHEAT SHEET**
**BACKGROUND TO EMERGENCY (1973-1975)**
• Emergency imposed in June 1975 due to perceived threat of internal disturbance (not war/natural disaster)
• Unusual emergency: First time imposed within India for domestic political crisis
• Key question: Was it necessary or a threat to democratic institutions?
**POLITICAL CONTEXT (1967-1975)**
• Indira Gandhi emerged as towering leader with tremendous popularity after 1971 victory
• Party competition became bitter, polarized, and personalized
• Congress vs Opposition: Conflict over role of judiciary and government power
• Congress split (1969) sharpened divisions between Indira Gandhi and opponents
• Relationship between government and judiciary deteriorated → Supreme Court found many government initiatives unconstitutional
• Congress accused Court of being conservative obstacle to pro-poor welfare programs
• Opposition parties (esp. Congress-O) argued politics was becoming too personalized
**ECONOMIC CRISIS (1971-1975)**
• **Promise vs Reality**: Congress slogan 'Garibi Hatao' (remove poverty) in 1971 elections not fulfilled
• Bangladesh War (1971) consequences → 8 million refugees from East Pakistan created economic strain; US stopped aid to India
• Oil price shock in international market → manifold increase
• **Inflation rates**: 23% in 1973, 30% in 1974 (highest in independent India at that time)
• Government froze employee salaries → dissatisfaction among bureaucracy
• **Agricultural crisis**: Monsoons failed 1972-73 → 8% decline in food grain output
• Industrial growth low, unemployment high (especially rural areas)
• General atmosphere of dissatisfaction created fertile ground for opposition movements
**MARXIST-LENINIST (NAXALITE) THREAT**
• Groups rejecting parliamentary politics, believing in armed struggle and violent revolution
• Aimed at overthrowing capitalist order and established political system
• Particularly strong in West Bengal where State government used stringent suppression measures
• Represented internal security threat to ruling Congress government
• Increased activities during 1973-75 period of economic crisis
**STUDENT MOVEMENTS: GUJARAT (JANUARY 1974)**
• Started against: Rising food grain/cooking oil prices, corruption in high places
• Triggered by: Same economic conditions affecting common people
• Major opposition parties joined (Congress-O, Jan Sangh, Lok Dal, Socialists)
• Result → President's rule imposed in Congress-ruled State
• **Morarji Desai's role**: Congress-O leader announced indefinite fast demanding fresh elections
• **June 1974 Assembly elections**: Congress defeated in Gujarat — first major setback
• Significance: Proved opposition could defeat Congress with public support
**BIHAR MOVEMENT (MARCH 1974 ONWARDS) — MOST SIGNIFICANT**
• Initial issues: Rising prices, food scarcity, unemployment, corruption
• **JP's role**: Students invited Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), retired from politics, to lead movement
• JP's condition: Movement must remain non-violent and have national scope
• **Sampoorna Kranti concept**: JP demanded 'Total Revolution' in social, economic, political spheres (true democracy)
• Character shift: From student agitation to broad-based political movement
• Support base expanded: All walks of life joined; opposition parties mobilized
• Government response: Bihar Congress government refused to resign despite protests
• Methods used: Bandhs, gehraos (sit-ins), strikes organized nationally
**JAYAPRAKASH NARAYAN (JP) — KEY PERSONALITY**
• 1902-1979; Called 'Loknayak' (leader of people)
• Background: Marxist in youth, Congress Socialist Party founder, 1942 Quit India Movement hero
• Turned Gandhian after 1955; involved in Bhoodan movement, peace initiatives
• 1975 People's March to Parliament: One of largest political rallies in capital
• Became symbol of opposition to Emergency and Congress rule
• Moving force behind formation of Janata Party
• Criticism: His mass agitation politics and revolutionary ideas were debated
**1974 RAILWAY STRIKE**
• Called by railway employees nationwide → threatened to paralyze country
• Coincided with JP's Bihar movement and student agitations
• Represented multiple fronts of challenge to Congress government
• Combined with other protests created perception of breakdown of order
**POLITICAL CONSOLIDATION AGAINST CONGRESS**
• Opposition parties projecting JP as alternative to Indira Gandhi
• Opposition alliance: Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Congress (O), Bharatiya Lok Dal, Socialist Party, others
• Both Gujarat and Bihar movements seen as anti-Congress and anti-Indira Gandhi
• Indira Gandhi believed movements motivated by personal opposition to her
• Criticism of JP's ideology and methods from various quarters
• Personality-driven politics: Movement seen as opposition to leadership rather than specific policies
**JUDICIARY-EXECUTIVE TENSIONS**
• Supreme Court struck down many government initiatives as unconstitutional
• Congress position: Judiciary violating parliamentary supremacy principle
• Growing debate about 'committed judiciary' and 'committed bureaucracy'
• Tension between welfare state ambitions and constitutional limits
• Court seen as conservative obstacle by Congress, defender of rights by opposition
**SLOGANS AND POLITICAL MESSAGING**
• D.K. Barooah (Congress President 1974): "Indira is India, India is Indira" — personalization of power
• Bihar movement: "Sampoorna Kranti ab nara hai, bhavi itihas hamara hai" (Total Revolution our motto, future ours)
• Press censorship: Editorial in Nai Dunia left blank on 27 June 1975 to protest emergency
**CBSE EXAM TIPS: WHAT EXAMINERS LOOK FOR**
**2-Mark Answers**: Define one concept or name one cause of Emergency with brief explanation
• Example: "Economic crisis meant inflation of 23-30% causing public hardship"
• Focus: Single point, clear definition, one example
**4-Mark Answers**: Explain 2-3 factors or compare two movements/aspects
• Structure: Opening statement + 2-3 detailed points + concluding link
• Example: Explain both economic and political factors leading to Emergency
• Include: Specific data (inflation rates, election results), leader names (JP, Morarji), movement names (Gujarat, Bihar)
**6-Mark Answers**: Comprehensive analysis of causes/consequences, compare perspectives, or trace events
• Structure: Introduction + chronological/thematic 3-4 body points + analytical conclusion
• Must include: Multiple factors (economic, political, institutional), specific examples, leader roles, opposition response
• Example: "Analyze why Emergency seemed necessary to Indira Gandhi but unnecessary to opponents"
• Analysis: Present both Congress position (threat to order, Naxalites, anti-incumbency) and opposition view (democratic crisis)
• Remember: Show understanding of constitutional tensions, judiciary role, personalization of power
**KEY CONCEPTS FOR REVISION**
• **Emergency**: Constitutional provision invoked for internal disturbance — unprecedented use
• **Garibi Hatao**: Campaign promise unfulfilled → legitimacy crisis
• **Sampoorna Kranti**: Total/complete revolution, JP's vision for systemic change
• **Committed Judiciary**: Supreme Court seen as taking political stance, not neutral
• **Personalization of Politics**: Power concentrated in individual leader (Indira) rather than institutions
• **Democratic Opposition**: Non-violent mass movements as democratic alternative
• **Economic Inflation**: Primary grievance affecting all social classes
**CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE (Essential for answers)**
**LONG-TERM SIGNIFICANCE**
• Question of when emergency can be declared in democracy
• Tension between order/stability and liberty/democratic participation
• Danger of personalizing politics and weakening institutions
• Role of judiciary as constitutional guardian
• Impact on party system and opposition unity
• Lessons for Indian democracy about constitutional balance
Q1. In which year did the inflation rate reach 23-30 percent, causing widespread economic hardship?
Answer: B — The study material explicitly states prices increased by 23 per cent in 1973 and 30 per cent in 1974 due to international oil crisis and Bangladesh War aftermath.
Q2. Which justice of the Allahabad High Court delivered the judgment on June 12, 1975 that declared Indira Gandhi's election void?
Answer: A — Justice Sinha delivered the Allahabad High Court judgment declaring Indira Gandhi's 1971 election void for electoral malpractices, triggering the crisis.
Q3. What does 'garibi hatao' mean and in which election was it used as a slogan?
Answer: B — Congress used 'garibi hatao' (remove poverty) as the slogan in 1971 elections, but socio-economic conditions did not improve afterward.
Q4. Which state's Congress government was defeated in June 1975 elections after students' protests?
Answer: C — Gujarat students protested against rising prices and corruption in January 1974, leading to assembly elections in June 1975 where Congress was defeated.
Q5. Who led the Bihar movement of 1974 and demanded total revolution (Sampoorna Kranti)?
Answer: B — Jayaprakash Narayan, who had quit active politics, was invited to lead the Bihar student movement and gave the call for total revolution with national appeal.
Q6. Which constitutional article was invoked by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to declare Emergency on June 25, 1975?
Answer: B — Article 352 was invoked citing the perceived threat of internal disturbance to national security, allowing Emergency declaration.
Q7. Assertion: Press censorship during Emergency meant newspapers could not print editorials. Reason: Many newspapers left blank editorial spaces to protest the censorship.
Answer: A — Both statements are true—press was censored so newspapers couldn't print editorials, and they left blank spaces as protest, with blank spaces later also banned.
Q8. What was the impact of the Bangladesh War (1971) on India's economy that contributed to the Emergency crisis?
Answer: C — The Bangladesh crisis brought 8 million refugees, US aid stopped, oil prices surged internationally, leading to 23-30% inflation in 1973-74 and contributing to the crisis.
Q9. Which of the following is NOT a reason mentioned in the text for the imposition of Emergency in June 1975?
Answer: D — The 1962 Sino-Indian War occurred 13 years before Emergency and is not mentioned as a reason for the 1975 Emergency declaration.
Q10. According to the study material, what was the connection between the failed monsoons of 1972-73 and the Emergency crisis?
Answer: B — Failed monsoons 1972-73 resulted in 8% decline in agricultural productivity, worsening food scarcity and inflation that fuelled public dissatisfaction and protests.
What was the economic inflation rate in 1973 and 1974?
Prices increased by 23 per cent in 1973 and 30 per cent in 1974, causing severe hardship to common people.
Who was Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) and what was his role in 1974?
A former freedom fighter who led the Bihar student movement of 1974, demanding total revolution and spread of agitation nationwide.
What was the Allahabad High Court judgment of June 12, 1975?
Justice Sinha declared Indira Gandhi's 1971 election void for electoral malpractices, triggering the constitutional crisis leading to Emergency.
Define garibi hatao.
The slogan 'remove poverty' given by Congress in 1971 elections, but socio-economic conditions did not improve after 1971-72.
Which state government's failure in 1975 elections marked a major political turning point?
Gujarat's Congress government was defeated in June 1975 elections after students' protests against rising prices and corruption.
What does MISA stand for and how was it used during Emergency?
Maintenance of Internal Security Act used to arrest opposition leaders and activists without trial under preventive detention powers.
What were the consequences of the Bangladesh War on India's economy?
About 8 million refugees crossed into India, US stopped all aid, and oil prices increased manifold causing widespread inflation.
Name three opposition parties that supported Jayaprakash Narayan in 1975.
Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Congress (O), Bharatiya Lok Dal, and Socialist Party were among the non-Congress opposition parties.
Which article of the Constitution was invoked to declare Emergency on June 25, 1975?
Article 352 was invoked, citing the perceived threat of internal disturbance to national security.
What does the blank editorial space in Nai Dunia newspaper on June 27, 1975 symbolise?
It symbolises press censorship during Emergency—editorials were censored and many newspapers left blank spaces to protest.
What does the term 'garibi hatao' mean? Give one example of how the promise was not fulfilled after 1971. [2 marks]
Define as Congress's 1971 election slogan meaning 'remove poverty'. Example: inflation 23-30% in 1973-74, unemployment high, or agricultural decline after Bangladesh War despite promise.
Explain the role of Jayaprakash Narayan in the Bihar student movement of 1974. How did his participation transform it into a national issue? [4 marks]
JP joined in March 1974 with condition of non-violence and national appeal. His involvement attracted opposition parties (Jana Sangh, Congress(O), Socialists). Demands: dismiss Bihar govt, total revolution. 1975 parliament march—largest rally. Opposition united behind him.
Analyse the causes that led to the imposition of Emergency on June 25, 1975. What were its immediate consequences on Indian democracy and politics? [6 marks]
Causes: (1) Allahabad judgment June 12, 1975 voiding Indira's election; (2) JP-led nationwide agitation with opposition unity; (3) economic crisis—inflation 23-30%, unemployment; (4) railway strike threat; (5) constitutional crisis between Court and Executive. Consequences: Article 352 invoked, Fundamental Rights suspended except Article 21, press censorship, MISA arrests, 42nd Amendment added socialist/secular. Result: Congress lost 1977 elections to Janata Party (542 seats), Indira lost Rae Bareli.
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