50 years of 'Emergency': Journalist recalls fear-induced discipline and efficiency; says forced sterilisation fueled dissent

Time of India

8 hours ago

While the Emergency (1975-77) is often described as a dark phase in Indian democracy, veteran journalist Hisam Siddiqui, who was a law student at that time, says there was another side to it.
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He acknowledges the excesses — especially the controversial male sterilisation drive under the govt's family planning programme — but also recalls a period marked by discipline and administrative efficiency.
'For common people, there wasn't much trouble. The real hardships were mostly faced by political workers and certain communities, particularly Muslims, during the sterilisation campaign,' he said, recalling incidents of violence at places like Saharanpur and Sultanpur, where police firing occurred and lives were lost.
However, Siddiqui pointed out that public services were efficient during the Emergency. 'Offices, schools, and govt departments worked with clockwork precision. People would even go to railway stations to set their watches,' he recalled. 'There was less corruption and officials were held accountable. Works completed on time,' he said.
'However, dissent began when govt employees, including teachers and doctors, were forced to meet sterilisation targets, often in unreasonable ways.
Even childless individuals were not spared. Basic shiksha adhikaris put pressure on teachers while doctors also faced harassment,' he said.
According to Siddiqui, the Emergency did suppress political dissent and implement harsh measures, but it also introduced a degree of order that some sections of society appreciated. 'There was fear of the system — but that fear brought results. Rationing improved, trains were punctual, and the bureaucracy became more responsive,' he said.
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He also mentioned that some public figures supported the Emergency. 'Vinoba Bhave called it a 'Festival of Discipline', and Bal Thackeray praised Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's leadership. Even some Communist parties lent their support,' he noted. 'If that one issue didn't exist, the Emergency might not have faced so much criticism,' he remarked.