'A Notorious Example': Shashi Tharoor Recalls Sanjay Gandhi’s Role In Emergency

Last Updated:July 10, 2025, 11:21 IST

Shashi Tharoor said the Emergency should be remembered not just as a dark chapter, and urged people to value and protect the democracy.

A file photo of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (PTI)

The lessons from the Emergency must be fully understood, and the period must not just be remembered merely as a dark period, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor was quoted in an article published in the Malayalam daily ‘Deepika’ on Thursday.

Efforts undertaken for discipline and order often turned into acts of cruelty that could not be justified, he was quoted as saying, referring to the Emergency, declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi between 25 June 1975 and 21 March 1977.

“Sanjay Gandhi, the son of Indira Gandhi, led forced sterilisation campaigns, which became a notorious example of this. In poor rural areas, violence and coercion were used to meet arbitrary targets," Shashi Tharoor said.

“In cities like New Delhi, slums were mercilessly demolished and cleared. Thousands of people were rendered homeless. Their welfare was not taken into consideration," the Thiruvananthapuram MP added.

He said democracy is not something to be taken lightly; it is a precious legacy that must be constantly nurtured and preserved.

“Let it serve as a lasting reminder to people everywhere," Tharoor said.

According to him, today’s India is not the India of 1975.

“We are a more self-confident, more developed, and in many ways a stronger democracy. Yet, the lessons of the Emergency remain relevant in troubling ways," he said.

Tharoor warned that the temptation to centralise power, silence dissent, and bypass constitutional safeguards may reappear in various forms.

“Often, such tendencies may be justified in the name of national interest or stability. In this sense, the Emergency stands as a strong warning. The guardians of democracy must always remain vigilant," Tharoor added.

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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