On this day, June 25, 49 years ago in 1975, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency in India through an announcement on All India Radio. The Emergency lasted nearly two years, during which widespread arrests occurred, the press was heavily censored, and civil liberties were severely restricted for millions of Indian citizens. This 21-month period, known simply as the Emergency, is considered one of the darkest chapters in India’s political history.
Here is a timeline of events related to the Emergency on its 49th anniversary.