Tharoor Reflects on Emergency, Warns Against Autocracy

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has called for renewed vigilance to protect India’s democracy, reflecting on the Emergency (1975-1977) as a stark warning against centralized power and suppressed dissent. In an article published in Malayalam daily Deepika on Thursday, the Thiruvananthapuram MP described the Emergency, declared by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, as a dark era marked by unjustifiable cruelty.

Tharoor highlighted the forced sterilization campaigns led by Sanjay Gandhi, Indira’s son, which used violence and coercion in rural areas to meet arbitrary targets. He also noted the ruthless demolition of slums in New Delhi, leaving thousands homeless without regard for their welfare. “Efforts for discipline and order turned into acts of cruelty,” he wrote.

While acknowledging India’s growth as a stronger, more confident democracy since 1975, Tharoor cautioned that the Emergency’s lessons remain relevant. He warned that tendencies to centralize power, silence dissent, or bypass constitutional safeguards could resurface, often justified as serving national interest or stability.

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“Democracy is a precious legacy that must be nurtured and preserved,” Tharoor urged, emphasizing the need for constant vigilance to safeguard India’s democratic values.

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