The Crisis of Democratic Order Class 12 Political Science

What do we understand by The Crisis of Democratic Order?

"The Crisis of Democratic Order" refers to a period in Indian history marked by significant challenges to the country's democratic institutions and principles. This term is often associated with the period of the 1970s when India faced internal political turmoil, culminating in the imposition of Emergency Rule by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from 1975 to 1977.

Background to Emergency

• 1970’s was a period of political turmoil in India. This period witnessed tensions in relationship between the government and the judiciary.
• Ideological differences erupted within the Congress and it sharpened the division between Indira Gandhi and her opponents.

Economic Context

• India’s economy hit due to Bangladesh war.
• About 8 million refugees came to India, which put pressure on the Indianeconomy.
• America completely stopped helping India.
• Growth slowed down
• Oil prices increased in the international market, due to which inflation in the country increased.
• Unemployment increased
• To reduce the expenditure, the government stopped the salary of government employees.

Gujarat and Bihar Movements

• Gujarat and Bihar were both ruled by the Congress party. In Gujarat, students began protesting against the increasing prices of essential items like food grains and cooking oil, as well as against corruption in high places. Their protests gained support from major opposition parties, which led to widespread demonstrations and the imposition of President's rule in the state. With mounting pressure from students and opposition parties, assembly elections took place in June 1975, resulting in a defeat for the Congress.
• In March 1974, students in Bihar united to protest against rising prices, food shortages, unemployment, and corruption. They invited Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), a former politician turned social worker, to lead their movement, which he agreed to do as long as it remained non-violent and expanded beyond Bihar. This transformed the student protests into a significant political movement with national relevance, drawing participants from various backgrounds. JP called for the removal of the Congress government in Bihar and advocated for a total revolution in social, economic, and political areas to achieve genuine democracy. The movement began to impact national politics, and JP aimed to extend its reach across the country.
• In 1975, JP spearheaded a massive march to Parliament, which became one of the largest political rallies ever seen in the capital.

Jai Prakash in 1975 rally

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The Naxalite Movement

• During this time some Marxist people who did not believe in parliamentary politics also started coming forward.
• These people wanted to end the politicalsystem and the capitalist system.
• To end this system, they adopted the path of violence and used to do guerrilla warfare.
• These people were called Naxalites.
• They snatched the land by force from the rich landlords and started giving it to the poor farmers.
• Violence was committed by these people at many places in the country.

Railway Strike of 1974

• In May 1974, the National Coordination Committee for Railwaymen's Struggle, led by George Fernandes, called for a nationwide strike by all railway employees to demand better bonus and service conditions.
• This strike caused major disruptions, as the country's economy heavily relied on trains for transporting goods.
• The government opposed these demands, declaring the strike illegal and arresting many of the leaders involved.
• The strike added to the existing atmosphere of labour unrest.
• As the government refused to meet the workers' demands, the strike was called off after twenty days without any resolution.

Conflict with Judiciary

• Meanwhile, there were many conflicts between the government and the judiciary as well.
• The government made three changes in the constitution
• Fundamental rights curtailed
• Slight change in property rights
• Tried to give more power to directive principles than fundamental rights
• But these three changes were rejected by the court.
• This led to 2 issues:
  Can the government curtail fundamental rights?
  Can the government change the right to property?
• Meanwhile, it was the turn of the election of the chief justice of the supreme court.
• Always the senior most judge was made the chief justice.
• This time the government ignored three senior judges (JM Shelat, KS Hegde and AN Grover) and made AN Ray a supreme court judge.
• The three judges who were ignored were the same judges who gave the verdict against the government.
• Due to all these reasons, the conflict between the government and the judiciary increased further.

Declaration of Emergency

On 12th June, 1975, Justice Jagmohan Lai Sinha of the Allahabad High Court declared Indira Gandhi’s election to the Lok Sabha invalid. This decision created a political crisis.

Crisis and Response

• Due to the fast-changing political climate and the JP Movement, the government advised the imposition of emergency on 25th June 1975 to President Fakrudin Ali Ahmed. The Prime Minister made this recommendation that night, leading to an immediate proclamation.
• The emergency was declared under Article 352 of the Constitution, which permits a state of emergency based on external threats or internal disturbances. During an emergency, normal federal power distribution is largely suspended, centralising authority with the union government.
• The Cabinet was notified during a special meeting at 6 am on 26th June, 1975.
• After midnight, power was cut to major newspaper offices, and many opposition leaders and activists were arrested early in the morning.

Consequences

• Freedom of Press and several Fundamental Rights of citizens were suspended, including their ability to approach the Court to restore these rights. All protests ceased; strikes were prohibited; opposition leaders were imprisoned.
• This led to an immediate halt of the unrest; strikes were forbidden, and many opposition leaders were jailed, creating a quiet but tense political climate. The government frequently used preventive detention, arresting individuals based on the fear that they might commit an offence, rather than for any actual wrongdoing.
• Following the Allahabad High Court ruling in the Indira Gandhi case, an amendment was introduced stating that the elections of the Prime Minister, President, and Vice-President could not be contested in Court.
• Newspapers were required to obtain prior approval for all content before publication, a practice known as press censorship.
• Due to concerns over social and communal unrest, the government banned the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Jamait-e-Islami, and prohibited protests and public demonstrations.
• The Emergency concluded as dramatically as it began, resulting in the Congress party's defeat in the 1977 Lok Sabha elections.

Controversies regarding Emergency

Why was Emergency Necessary?

• The political atmosphere in the country had turned sharply against the Congress party.
• Opposition parties, led by Jayaprakash Narayan, demanded Indira Gandhi's resignation and organised a large protest.
• This protest was quickly suppressed; strikes were prohibited; many opposition leaders were imprisoned, leading to a calm yet tense political climate.
• The government announced that there was a risk of internal unrest.
• They concluded that a serious crisis had emerged, necessitating the declaration of a state of emergency.

The government also invoked Article 352 of the Constitution, which permits declaring a state of emergency if there is a threat to the security of India or any part of it.

The Emergency had major effects, such as the suspension of Fundamental Rights and the centralisation of power within the union government. Furthermore, the government curtailed the freedom of the Press and introduced press censorship, requiring newspapers to secure prior approval for all published content.

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What happened during Emergency?

• The Emergency was declared in 1975 due to fears of internal unrest, which the government claimed was necessary to keep order and stability in the nation.
• Following the Emergency, an investigation by the Shah Commission revealed that excessive restrictions were enforced in certain areas.
• The government argued that in a democracy, the opposition parties should permit the elected ruling party to implement its policies, especially during a crisis.
• Critics contend that Indira Gandhi exploited constitutional measures meant for national security to strengthen her personal authority, especially by declaring the Emergency.
• The Shah Commission estimated that around 100,000 individuals were detained under preventive detention laws, underscoring the extent of governmental actions during this time.
• In addition to the arrests of political workers and press censorship, the Emergency significantly impacted the daily lives of ordinary citizens, many of whom faced curfews, censorship, and loss of civil liberties.
• The long-term effects of the Emergency on Indian democracy included heightened public awareness of civil liberties and the eventual restoration of democratic processes, alongside reforms in the constitutional provisions related to declaring emergencies.

Lessons from Emergency

• It is very hard to eliminate democracy in India.
• ‘Internal’ emergency can only be declared on the basis of ‘armed rebellion’, and the President must receive written advice from the Union Cabinet to declare it.
• The Emergency raised awareness about the importance of civil liberties. The Courts have also become more active in safeguarding these rights after the Emergency.
• The most important lesson from the Emergency was evident as soon as it ended and the Lok Sabha elections were called.
• The opposition campaigned with the slogan of 'save democracy'.
• The public's decision was clearly against the Emergency.
• The lesson was clear: governments seen as anti-democratic face severe consequences from voters, a trend observed in many subsequent state elections.
• Thus, the experience from 1975-77 actually reinforced the principles of democracy in India.

Politics after Emergency

The experience of emergency was quite visible in 1977 Lok Sabha Elections. The people’s verdict was decisively against the emergency.

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Lok Sabha Elections, 1977

• The Janata Party turned this election into a vote on the Emergency. Their campaign highlighted the undemocratic nature of the government and the various abuses that occurred during this time.
• With thousands arrested and the Press under strict control, public sentiment shifted against the Congress. Jayaprakash Narayan emerged as a popular figure symbolising the fight for democracy.
• For the first time since Independence, the Congress Party lost in the Lok Sabha elections.
• The Congress secured only 154 seats, with their share of votes dropping to below 35 per cent. The Janata Party and its allies won a total of 330 out of 542 seats; the Janata Party itself gained 295 seats, achieving a clear majority.
• In north India, there was a significant backlash against the Congress. They lost in every constituency in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab, managing to win just one seat in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Indira Gandhi was defeated in Rae Bareli, as was her son Sanjay Gandhi in Amethi.

Janata Government

• Following the 1977 election, there was intense competition among three leaders for the role of Prime Minister: Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, and Jagjivan Ram. Ultimately, Morarji Desai took on the role.
• The Janata Party split, and a new government led by Charan Singh was established with the support of the Congress Party. However, the Congress Party later withdrew its support, leading to the Charan Singh government lasting only about 4 months.
• The government under Morarji Desai lost its majority in less than 28 months.
• Fresh Lok Sabha elections occurred in January 1980, where the Janata Party faced a significant defeat, especially in north India, where it had previously performed well in 1977. The Janata Party framed this election as a referendum on the Emergency, focusing on the non-democratic nature and various excesses during that time.

Legacy

1. Congress Transformed

   • Before 1969, Congress was an inclusive party with leaders from different ideologies.
   • By the early 1970s, it identified as a socialist and pro-poor party, relying on Indira Gandhi’s charisma.
   • Political success now depended on dividing voters along ideological and social lines.

2. Rise of ‘Non-Congressism’

   • Opposition parties united to prevent a split in the anti-Congress vote.
   • This strategy led to Congress’s defeat in the 1977 elections, reshaping Indian politics.

3. Backward Castes Gained Political Influence

   • The 1977 elections saw backward castes in North India shifting away from Congress.
   • Non-Congress state governments emerged, with backward caste leaders playing key roles.
   • The demand for OBC reservations led to the formation of the Mandal Commission by the Janata government.

4. The Emergency: A Double Crisis

   • Constitutional Crisis: It was rooted in a power struggle between Parliament and the judiciary.
   • Political Crisis: Despite a strong majority, the Congress government suspended democracy.
   • The Constitution had granted emergency powers assuming they would be used responsibly—but they were misused.

5. Mass Protests vs. Institutional Democracy

   • A key question arose: Should democracy rely only on elections or also on public protests?
   • The inability of political parties to reflect people’s aspirations led to growing mass movements.
   • This struggle between formal institutions and popular protests shaped future political debates, including those on regional identity.

This period marked a major shift in Indian politics, setting the stage for new political alliances, caste-based movements, and debates on democracy.