The Crisis of Democratic Order
The below controversies arose regarding to the declaration of Emergency in 1975 in India :
(i) Was the Emergency necessary? : The supporters of Emergency say that it was necessary for the regular functioning of the government because Jayaprakash Narayan had asked the police, army and the government employees not to obey government’s illegal and immoral orders. Critics point out that there was nothing wrong in the agitation of the opposition parties. It was peaceful and non-violent.
(ii) What happened during Emergency?: The government stated that it used the Emergency for the welfare activities for the people such as twenty point-programme. The critics however point-out that the Emergency was used for programmes like compulsory and forced sterilisation and relocation of the poor. Press censorship, torture and custodial deaths were order of the day.
(iii) Lessons of the Emergency : Critics point out that India ceased to be democratic during the Emergency but the fact remains that democratic functioning resumed within a short span of time. The general elections were held in March 1977. Indira Gandhi and her party was defeated but they accepted the defeat in a democratic way.
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• Effects on civil liberties for citizens.
• Impact on relationship between the Executive and Judiciary.
• Functioning of Mass Media.
• Working of the Police and Bureaucracy.
Indian democracy was never so close to a two-party system as it was during the 1977 elections. However, the next few years saw a complete change. Soon after its defeat, the Indian National Congress split into two groups ................ The Janata Party also went through major convulsions ........ David Butler, Ashok Lahiri and Prannoy Roy. –Partha Chatterjee
(a) What made the party system in India look like a two-party system in 1977 ?
(b) Many more than two parties existed in 1977. Why then are the authors describing this period as close to a two-party system ?
(c) What caused splits in Congress and the Janata parties ?
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