Emergency Imposed After Govt Faced Corruption Allegations & Court Verdict On PM Indira Gandhi

On the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar highlights the political and economic context that led to one of the darkest chapters in India’s democracy. He recalls how, despite a landslide win in 1971, the government soon lost popularity due to rising corruption, skyrocketing inflation, and growing public unrest. Mass agitations erupted in Gujarat and Bihar, and serious questions were raised about the business dealings of the then ‘yuvraj’. The final blow came with the Allahabad High Court verdict, which found the then Prime Minister guilty of corrupt practices and misuse of government machinery — events that ultimately triggered the declaration of Emergency.