Four Decades After Emergency: How Twitter Remembered Indian Democracy’s ‘Darkest Day’

The period from 1975-1977 marked one of the darkest hours for the freedom of speech and expression in the country.

By: News Desk |
June 25, 2018 9:29 pm

Today marks the 43rd anniversary of what is considered to be a black day in the history of Indian democracy. On the night of 25th June 1975, the Indira Gandhi government declared a state of emergency in the country.

The period that followed from 1975-1977 marked one of the darkest hours for the freedom of speech and expression in the country.

After almost four decades later, this is how Twitterati remembered emergency through a series of cartoons.

This old RK Laxman cartoon says all….Everything she preached, she followed exactly the opposite….No FoE/S, No freedom to businesses, throttling of industries, distribution of poverty, hollow speeches like “Garbi Hatao”, etc….#Emergency #Emergency1975 pic.twitter.com/kYtnHqZ1dw

— Ram Gopal (@ramgopaldass_77) June 25, 2018

Cartoon by @unnycartoonist #Emergency pic.twitter.com/OjdUyOAd4Q

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) June 25, 2018

Free Media In India today!!! Cartoon by@satishacharya #Emergency #MondayMotivation #FreeSpeech @TimesNow @CNNnews18 @NewIndianXpress @thewire_in pic.twitter.com/qmy0eWrGqZ

— Sreeja VN (@Sreejavn) June 25, 2018

40 years of #Emergency cartoon pic.twitter.com/BSuYqNalY4

— R Prasad (@rprasad66) June 25, 2015

Power women of India. my #cartoon in @mail_today #Lalitgate #Emergency pic.twitter.com/A8qshqUTic

— Sandeep Adhwaryu (@CartoonistSan) June 26, 2015

Hahaha ! “@MANJULtoons: 40 years after #Emergency. My #cartoon #CongressMurdersDemocracy pic.twitter.com/DMw2zOQRwb“

— Sunita (@Sunna5V) June 25, 2015

43 years ago,on June 25,1975, then PM Indira Gandhi clamped a national emergency that’s been termed ‘the #DarkestDay of the Indian democracy’ .
Here is one ‘cartoon by R.K. Laxman’ exposing the #Emergency era.
Indira Gandhi and her ministers are seen running away from public. pic.twitter.com/qhCsSuMIEC

— Nang Lucky Gogoi (@nanglucky) June 25, 2018