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Hans India
a day ago
- Science
- Hans India
A déjà vu moment for Indian space odyssey
Call it providence or pure coincidence but June 25 seems to be a day of destiny as regards India from even before it achieved independence. Many spectacular events have unfolded on this very day over the years. On June 25, 1932, India became the sixth team to be granted Test cricket status when it played its first match at Lord's on that historic day. Close to midnight of June 25, 1975, the then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed proclaimed national Emergency citing 'internal disturbance'. It was to mark a watershed event as India's political landscape underwent a dramatic transformation and gave a new democratic dimension. On June 25, 1983, India rewrote cricketing history by emerging as world champions, when Kapil's Devils upset all calculations and put an end to the hat-trick quest of West Indies by winning the ODI World Cup in a stunning manner. Now 42 years to the day, June 25, 2025, to be precise, an Indian with the tricolour on his shoulders has put the country's name in a league of extraordinary achievers. A distinguished IAF pilot and astronaut, Lucknow's 39-year-old Shubhanshu Shukla scripted history by embarking on a space odyssey along with three others on Wednesday as part of an ISRO-NASA supported commercial spaceflight by Axiom Space that blasted off for a 14-day sojourn to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Incidentally, Shukla is one of four astronauts picked for ISRO's historic Gaganyaan mission, which marks India's inaugural human space flight endeavour. The lift-off at 12.01 pm on Wednesday (after several eleventh hour heart-breaking postponements) took the clock back by 41 years when Hyderabad's very own Rakesh Sharma became India's first man in space. He spent eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984. A day after the take-off, Shukla went a notch higher than Sharma when he achieved the distinction of being the first Indian astronaut to have travelled to ISS. Along with three other astronauts, he reached the ISS when the Dragon spacecraft, named Grace, docked with the orbital laboratory at 4:01 pm (IST) on Thursday over the North Atlantic Ocean, marking the climax of a 28 hours flight. Incidentally, Axiom 4 mission heralds the return to space not just for India, but Poland and Hungary as well. Also onboard is the mission commander Peggy Whitson, and mission specialists Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski and Hungary's Tibor Kapu. If Shukla stirred the emotions of the countrymen with 'Sare Jahan se Achhcha…' while speaking to Indira Gandhi, Shukla's first message from space was equally patriotic. 'The Tiranga embossed on my shoulders tells me that I am with all of you. This journey of mine is not a beginning to the ISS but to India's Human Space Programme. I want all of you to be part of this journey. Your chest, too, should swell with pride... Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!' The October 10, 1985-born history-maker was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in June 2006. He has an excellent track-record as a combat leader and seasoned test pilot having a mindboggling 2,000 hours of flight experience across aircraft like the Su-30 MKI, MiG-21, MiG-29, Jaguar, Hawk, Dornier and An-32. It is time Indians took a break from wars and conflicts and celebrated the glorious achievements of Shukla, Sharma and Sunita Williams, who set new benchmarks in spacewalk, which redefined 'resilience' during her nine-month stay aboard the ISS. Bravo, India's torchbearers of the extraordinary kind.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Arjun Ram Meghwal writes on Emergency: Democracy demands vigilance
Fifty years ago, on June 25, 1975, India witnessed the darkest hour in its democratic history when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, in a dictatorial move, declared a national Emergency that would leave an indelible scar on the nation's constitutional fabric. What followed were 21 months that fundamentally altered how Indians perceived their democracy, government and constitutional heritage. The situation that culminated on that ill-fated morning when the mother of democracy felt embarrassed due to actions taken by a power-hungry dispensation. The Allahabad High Court had passed a crushing judgment, convicting Indira Gandhi for election irregularities during the 1971 Lok Sabha elections and disqualifying her from holding office. Confronted with increasing pressure to quit, she announced the decision that shocked the entire nation, recommending to the President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, without the consent of Union cabinet and on plain paper instead of official letterhead, to invoke Article 352 of the Constitution citing 'internal disturbances' to declare a National Emergency. As she bypassed the cabinet, this move was a hard blow to the well-established constitution driven governance mechanisms. This draconian matter was brought before Union cabinet during the meeting held next morning at 6 am on June 26, 1975. The decision initiated a dictatorship in every sense. Constitutional liberties granted to the citizens disappeared overnight. The freedoms of speech, association, and movement under Article 19 were suspended with a mere pen stroke. The protection of life and personal liberty under Article 21 were null, and worst of all, citizens lost access to courts under Article 32, which was referred as the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution by B R Ambedkar. The Emergency's initial victims were opposition leaders who dared to challenge the government. Thousands were jailed under the draconian Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) and Defence of India (DIR) Act. Sonn, though, every citizen bore the scars of this dark and oppressive chapter in India's democratic history. The era witnessed an unprecedented assault on the executive, legislative, and judicial organs of the state. The dictatorial measures implemented by the Indira Gandhi government during the Emergency continue to haunt the collective memory of the nation. My 92-year-old grandfather, while engaged in his routine cow-rearing activity, accidentally injured his hand and was taken to PBM Hospital in Bikaner for treatment. Once admitted, he discovered that the attending doctor, under pressure to meet sterilisation targets set by the population control policies — heavily influenced by Sanjay Gandhi — had sinister plans to subject him to forced sterilisation. Realizing the inhuman and coercive nature of the situation, my grandfather fled the hospital immediately, choosing to leave his injury untreated. His narrow escape spared him, but the trauma left a deep scar on the entire community. Unfortunately, unlike him, more than one crore people were forcibly sterilised during 1975-77, making it one of the darkest chapters in India's democratic history. The blatant misuse of administrative machinery to serve the interests of a single family was glaringly evident during this period. A striking example was the highly publicised visit of Sanjay Gandhi to Bikaner on March 24, 1976, to address a Yuva Rally. Despite holding no constitutional position and not being a state guest, his visit witnessed full-scale deployment of government resources, raising serious concerns about protocol violations and the misuse of public funds. As a telephone operator in the Postal & Telegraph Department at the time, I found it particularly ironic that the administration was instructed to install a temporary telephone connection directly below the rally's rostrum — an arrangement typically reserved only for the Prime Minister during official visits. This act not only highlighted the undue influence Sanjay Gandhi wielded but also symbolised how state machinery was coerced into serving personal and political ambitions over constitutional norms. At a time when common citizens were stripped of their fundamental rights, such cosmetic displays—lavishly funded by public money—showed a cynical disregard for constitutional propriety. Such instances epitomised the moral decay and authoritarian arrogance that defined India's most turbulent democratic crisis. The regressive nature of the constitutional amendments during the Emergency gravely undermined the democratic spirit, creating an imbalance among the organs of the state. The 38th Constitutional Amendment excluded Emergency proclamations from the jurisdiction of courts and enhanced power of president and governor to pass ordinance. Soon after, the 39th Constitutional Amendment, enacted on August 10, 1975, retrospectively barred courts from adjudicating election disputes involving high constitutional offices such as the Prime Minister, President, Vice-President, and Lok Sabha Speaker. This was a clear attempt to shield Prime Minister Indira Gandhi from judicial accountability following the adverse verdict of the Allahabad High Court. The independence of the judiciary was systematically eroded. One of the most glaring examples was the infamous ADM Jabalpur v. Shiv Kant Shukla case, where the Supreme Court upheld the suspension of fundamental rights during the Emergency. Justice H R Khanna, the lone dissenting voice who courageously upheld the primacy of individual liberty, was superseded in the appointment of Chief Justice of India — despite being the senior-most judge—marking a direct blow to judicial integrity. Further cementing authoritarian control, the 42nd Constitutional Amendment was passed, among other things, to extend the term of the Lok Sabha from five to six years, thereby diluting the democratic mandate and extending legislative power without fresh electoral legitimacy. It also made significant changes to the Preamble by adding three new words: Socialist, Secular, and Integrity. During this period, the government promulgated 48 ordinances bypassing the normal legislative process of debate, scrutiny, and amendment in Parliament. The Shah Commission, set up after the Emergency, drew a horrific picture of wholesale detentions, compulsory sterilisations of the poor, and routine institutionalised misuse of power during those black months. The press, the fourth pillar of democracy, was systematically throttled under this dictatorial regime. Journalists were arrested for covering opposition leaders sympathetically. The revered Navajivan Press, founded by Mahatma Gandhi himself, had its presses confiscated a symbolic attack on the heritage of the freedom movement. In an unprecedented move, four big news agencies Press Trust of India, United News of India, Hindustan Samachar, and Samachar Bharti were merged under compulsion into one organization called Samachar. Fifty years after the Emergency, Congress's duplicity stands exposed. On the one hand, it spreads misinformation in the name of 'Savidhan Bachao Yatra'. On the other, it remains ignores the mockery of the Constitution by its own leaders. Rajiv Gandhi, on July 23, 1985, said in the Lok Sabha, 'There is nothing wrong with an Emergency'. This act of taking pride in a dictatorial act shows that family and power remains the top priority for the Congress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, then 25 years old, bravely opposed this authoritarian regime in unique ways. To avoid detection, he disguised himself in multiple identities and conducted underground meetings. He worked for the publication of the anti-Emergency literature. When the RSS was forced to go underground, Modi ji worked tirelessly in maintaining democratic opposition to the authoritarian rule of the Congress government by working as the General Secretary of the newly formed Gujarat Lok Sangharsh Samiti. Acknowledging the wounds of the past, the Modi government, through a Gazette notification on July 11, 2024, declared June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas. This observance serves as a solemn reminder of the betrayal of constitutional ideals during the Emergency. It calls upon citizens to be vigilant guardians of democracy and reinforces the value and cost of our hard-earned freedoms by learning from those darkest chapters in history. Our Constitution embodies the sacrifices, wisdom, hopes and aspirations of generations. As India moves towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047 under PM Modi's leadership, we must reaffirm our commitment to protect and uphold its sanctity, drawing strength from citizens' resolve to build a vibrant and developed democratic nation. The writer is Union Minister of State for Law and Justice (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Revisiting a dark chapter: 50th anniversary of Emergency declaration
One of the turning points of Indian politics, the Emergency was set in motion by the Indira Gandhi government on June 25, 1975, and remained in place for 21 months till its withdrawal on March 21, 1977. The order gave Indira Gandhi, India's first woman Prime Minister, the authority to rule by decree and saw the large-scale curbing of civil liberties. The then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed announced a nationwide state of emergency, citing 'an imminent danger to the security of India being threatened by internal disturbances,' particularly after the war with Pakistan and the liberation of Bangladesh. It was imposed just days after Indira Gandhi was convicted by Allahabad High Court for electoral malpractice in a case filed by socialist leader Raj Narain who challenged her win from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat. The conviction led to her disqualification as an MP and Emergency allowed her to continue as Prime Minister. The oppressive Maintenance of Internal Security Act was passed during the Emergency era. There was large-scale suspension of fundamental rights for the citizenry, detention and arrest of Opposition leaders and critics, and press censorship. The 38th Amendment Act of 1975 also made declaration of a national emergency immune to judicial review (this was later removed by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978). In Tamil Nadu, the ruling DMK under M. Karunanidhi denounced it as the 'inauguration of dictatorship.' On January 31, 1976, the Karunanidhi government was dismissed, and a wave of arrests followed. DMK leaders, including now Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, faced brutal third-degree torture in Madras Central Prison. Emergency remained in effect till March 21, 1977, and eventually also led to a Janata Party wave in 1977 that swept the Congress out of power for the first time since Independence. Here is a collection of stories revisiting the dark chapter in India's history.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
History Today: The day Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency and history took a dark turn
On this day in 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invoked special constitutional powers to declare a national emergency. It remained in effect from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977, and is seen as one of the darkest periods in India's history. It was also a turning point for the Indian National Congress. During this time, several opposition leaders were imprisoned, fundamental rights, including the right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a), were suspended, and the press came under strict censorship read more June 25, 1975, is often considered one of the 'darkest chapters' in Indian history. On this day in 1975, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invoked special powers granted by the Constitution to announce a national emergency. The order was issued by signed off by the then President, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution. What followed was the curtailing of fundamental rights of Indian citizens, the imprisonment of several opposition leaders, and censorship of the media. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also on this day in 1983, the Indian cricket team lifted its first World Cup title. The team was led by Kapil Dev. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, is your one-stop destination to explore key events. Let's take a look at these events in detail: When Indira Gandhi declared Emergency On June 25, 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed the nation through All India Radio and said, 'The President has proclaimed the Emergency. This is nothing to panic about. I am sure you are all aware of the deep and widespread conspiracy, which has been brewing ever since I began to introduce certain progressive measures of benefit for the common man and woman in India.' The Emergency lasted from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977. It is often considered the darkest period in independent India and a turning point for the Indian National Congress. Many opposition leaders were jailed during this time. Fundamental rights, including the right to free speech under Article 19(1)(a) were suspended, and the press came under strict censorship. But why was Emergency declared? In the 1971 Lok Sabha election, Indira Gandhi won from the Rae Bareli seat in Uttar Pradesh, defeating socialist leader Raj Narain. He later challenged the result, accusing her of election misconduct and violating election laws under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invoked special powers granted by the Constitution to announce a national emergency. News18/File Photo It was alleged that her election agent, Yashpal Kapoor, was a government servant and that she had used government officials for personal election-related work. On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court found her guilty of electoral malpractice and barred her from holding elected office. This verdict was one of the reasons behind the Emergency declaration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On June 25, 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed the Emergency order, citing 'internal disturbances.' The move effectively suspended elections and handed full control to the Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi defended the move by saying the nation was under a serious threat and that strong measures were needed to restore order. Notably, the country had just fought a war with Pakistan and was dealing with severe economic difficulties. With the Emergency in place, fundamental rights of citizens were stripped away. Opposition leaders were taken into custody, the press was heavily controlled, and voices of dissent were silenced. Trade unions were no longer allowed to function, strikes were prohibited, and workers were forced to accept fixed wages without any extra benefits. Meanwhile, Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi launched a mass sterilisation campaign across the country, which became another controversial element of this period. The Emergency was lifted on March 21, 1977. Soon after, Indira Gandhi announced the General Elections. The Congress was defeated, and the Janata Party, led by Morarji Desai, came to power with 298 seats in the Lok Sabha. Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Supporters of the Janata Party, after their party's victory in the parliamentary elections, as Indira Gandhi and her Congress party were defeated. AFP/File Photo In her stronghold of Rae Bareli, Indira Gandhi was defeated by Raj Narain by a margin of over 55,000 votes. Team India lifted first World Cup It was on this day in 1983 that India won its first Cricket World Cup, defeating the West Indies in a memorable final at Lord's Cricket Ground in London. At the time, the West Indies were a dominant force in world cricket, having already won the previous two editions in 1975 and 1979. The team was led by Kapil Dev. Image: X/BCCI Led by skipper Kapil Dev, India posted a total of 183 in 54.4 overs, despite frequent setbacks. Kapil chipped in with a crucial 15 runs, while Mohinder Amarnath made a huge contribution with both bat and ball, scoring 26 runs and taking 3 wickets. For the West Indies, Andy Roberts and Malcolm Marshall led the bowling attack, taking three wickets each. The West Indies began steadily, with openers Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes putting together a strong partnership. But the breakthrough came when Amarnath dismissed Haynes, giving India the opening they needed. The match's biggest turning point came when Kapil Dev took a running catch to dismiss Viv Richards, who was seen as the biggest threat to India's chances. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From there, the West Indies began to lose wickets in quick succession, and the Indian team was handed a famous and historic win. Led by skipper Kapil Dev, India posted a total of 183 in 54.4 overs. Image: X/@INCIndia This Day, That Year 1947: 'The Diary of a Young Girl' was published. It was the journal of Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish teenager who went into hiding with her family in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. 1950: The Korean War began as communist North Korean forces invaded South Korea. 1993: Kim Campbell took oath as Canada's 19th Prime Minister, becoming the first woman to hold the office. 2009: Michael Jackson, the globally celebrated American singer and dancer known as the 'King of Pop', died at the age of 50 due to a lethal mix of sedatives and the anaesthetic propofol.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Fifty years ago, tryst with fear
Fifty years ago, this day, India received a rude jolt when the Union government declared a national Emergency, that led to a suspension of constitutional rights, including civil liberties, and imposed authoritarian rule on the country. The 21 months that followed were a deeply lacerating time for a people who were building a republic on the foundations of the legacy of the national movement and the Constitution that gave legal sanctity to its ideals. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, singed by the Allahabad High Court verdict that convicted her of electoral malpractices, declared her election null and void, and disqualified her from holding elected office for six years, chose the shroud of the Emergency to stay in office. A pliant President, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, did not object and the country slipped into a long night. Power supply to media offices was cut that night so that newspapers could not report the events underway. Politicians from Opposition parties, trade union leaders, and Sarvodoya leader Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), were arrested that night and organisations including the RSS, Ananda Marga, and Jamaat-e-Islami banned. A few such as Socialist Party chairman George Fernandes went underground to organise a pushback. An estimated 35,000 people were arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act and 76,000 people were held under the Defence of India Act and Rules during the Emergency months. The government had its way with the Emergency because the institutions expected to provide the checks and balances failed to challenge the subversion of the Constitution. (HT Photo) The government had its way with the Emergency because the institutions expected to provide the checks and balances failed to challenge the subversion of the Constitution. Like the President's office, the Supreme Court, except one judge, Justice HR Khanna, cowed before an imperial prime minister and her coterie that unleashed a regime of fear by weaponising legal provisions, suppressing free speech, and imprisoning the regime's opponents. Well-intentioned public policies such as population control measures to anti-corruption and black marketeering provisions turned into symbols of State repression and instruments to jail people. The administration used its publicity arms to claim that all was well with the nation and its citizens. JP, ailing and in jail, was the moral hand that guided the resistance to the Emergency. The political dynamic unleashed by Indira Gandhi saw a coming together of the Opposition parties, and even dissenters within the Congress party, which led to her defeat in 1977. The Emergency marked a rupture in independent India's history. Political India was never the same thereafter, but the restoration of democracy following the massive mandate for the Janata Party was a redemptive action that instilled faith in the power of vote among citizens. The Emergency tested India's tryst with democracy; unlike most other post-colonial nations, it survived the fire, with scars.
