Indira Gandhi's Emergency: When India's democracy was put on pause

In 1975, Indira Gandhi's imposition of the Emergency in India put the nation's democracy on hold, suspending civil liberties, arresting opposition leaders, and muzzling the press. Lasting for 21 months, this period saw an unprecedented concentration of executive power, with over 110,000 individuals detained and widespread rights violations, including forced sterilizations and violent slum demolitions. Despite claims of restored order and efficiency, this era marked a dark phase in Indian history, characterized by censorship, political repression, and unchecked authority.