Why in Indian History the period of "Emergency" is associated with authoritarian rule?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Forced sterilisation campaign was initiated.
Option (1) Forced sterilisation campaign was initiated. — Correct. During the National Emergency (1975-76) normal parliamentary and legal procedures were suspended, and laws and ordinances were issued directly by the government. The government introduced a coercive programme of mass sterilisation: vast numbers of mostly poor and powerless people were forcibly sterilised. Rule by force, without the consent of the people or of Parliament, is what makes the period authoritarian.
NCERT (2025-26): “2.7 Population Policy in India … The Family Planning Programme suffered a setback during the years of the National Emergency (1975 – 76). Normal parliamentary and legal procedures were suspended during this time and special laws and ordinances issued directly by the government (without being passed by Parliament) were in force. During this time the government tried to intensify the effort to bring down the growth rate of population by introducing a coercive programme of mass sterilisation. Here sterilisation refers to medical procedures like vasectomy (for men) and tubectomy (for women) which prevent conception and childbirth. Vast numbers of mostly poor and powerless people were forcibly sterilised and there was massive pressure on lower level government officials (like school teachers or office workers) to bring people for sterilisation in the camps that were organised for this purpose. There was widespread popular opposition to this programme, and the new government elected after the Emergency abandoned it.…” |