The JP Movement And The Emergency

Pre-Emergency Crisis

• Burden of feeding Bangladeshi refugees, cost of 1971 war leading to large budgetary deficit.
• Monsoon failed for two successive year 1972&1973. This lead to droughts resulting in massive shortage of food grains and increase in prices.
• drop in power generation with fall in agriculture production.
• 1973 Oil shock led to increase in prices of crude oil more than 4 times. 
• Industrial recession.
• scarcity of essential articles of consumption. 
• high unemployment.

Gujrat and Bihar Unrest

• In January, 1974 student movement in Gujrat against the rise of prices of food grains, cooking oil and other essential commodities. This movement was joined by political parties. This led to imposition of President rule. Fresh elections were announced in June. 
• Gujrat agitation success inspired protests in Bihar (March, 1974). This was led by Jay Prakash Narayan (JP). He came out of his political retirement to lead this movement. He gave call for "total revolution"- struggle against the very system which has compelled almost everybody to go corrupt. 
• Demanded resignation of Congress State government.
• Indira Gandhi refused the demand of dissolution of State government. 
• JP now moving out of Bihar, tried countrywide movement for removal of Congress and Indira Gandhi.
• JP movement was declining by the end of 1974.
• Then Allahabad HC convicted Indira Gandhi for indulging in corrupt campaign practices in election and invalidated her election. (1975). Due  to this judgement Indira Gandhi could not seek election to parliament or hold office for next 6 years. Therefore she could not remain Prime Minister. 
• Later in Gujrat Assembly polls Congress was defeated. 
• Allahabad HC verdict and Gujrat results revived the JP movement.
• JP led mass mobilization and civil disobedience to force Indira Gandhi to resign. 
• Indira Gandhi declared Internal Emergency on 26 June 1975.

Justification by Indira Gandhi for imposing Emergency

• Threat to India's stability, security, integrity and democracy due to disruptive character of JP movement. Direct call to army for mutiny and police to rebel was given. 
• Need to implement programme of rapid economic development.
• Intervention and subversion from abroad with the aim of weakening and destabilising India. 

JP and Indira Gandhi both chose undemocratic ways. JP should have demanded and Indira Gandhi should have offered to hold fresh elections to the Lok Sabha. 

JP Movement Flaws

1. His concepts of "partyless democracy" and "Total Revolution" were unclear and nebulous. What type of system it will be was not defined.
2. Socio-economic and political content, programme or policy of Total Revolution not defined. 
3. JP movement was capable of creating space for fascist components.
4. Supported by parties which has nothing in common and ideologically incompatible e.g. Communal JanSangh and Jammat-i-Islaami, RSS, conservative and secular Congress(O), Socialists and extreme Naxalite groups. 
5. No organisational structure, depended on others like RSS.
6. undemocratic in demands and character. Wanted to remove government through extra-constitutional mass agitations instead of electoral process of elections. 
7. Incitement to army, police and services to rebel. 

Democratic Options Available To Opposition

1. Wait for SC judgement and demand its implementation. 
2. Wait for General Elections due in early 1976, meantime use peaceful agitations and propaganda. 
3. Demand immediate fresh elections as HC judgment has eroded Indira Gandhi mandate to rule. 

Democratic Options Available To Indira Gandhi

1. Hold fresh elections. If not accepted by JP then she could have legitimately imposed Emergency.
2. Could have announced Emergency would be lifted if opposition gave up demand of her resignation and accepted the verdict of SC or elections. 

Excess of Emergency

• suspended Fundamental Rights and Civil liberties. 
• Censorship of press.
• Main leaders of Opposition arrested under Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).
• Parliament became ineffective, 
• State Government rigidly controlled. Two non-Congress government, DMK in Tamil Nadu and Janata in Gujrat dismissed in 1976. 
• Reduced powers of judiciary.
• 42nd Amendement, 

Public Response

• Majority of people were initially passive or even supported, By beginning of 1976 Emergency became unpopular. 
• Emergency arrests were made of leaders or anti-social elements. 
• People impressed by positive outcomes.
• restoration of public order and discipline. 
• less crimes.
• general improvement in administration. 
• improvement in inflation (mainly due ti excellent rains).
• 21 point programme for socio economic upliftment by Indira Gandhi.