Books​ Reviews

In June 1975, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed a state of Emergency, resulting in a 21-month suspension of democracy. In India’s First Dictatorship, Christopher Jaffrelot and Pratinav Anil explore this constitutional dictatorship of unequalled impact. Along with focusing on Mrs Gandhi and her son, Sanjay, the book equally exposes the facilitation of authoritarian rule by Congressmen, Communists, trade unions, businessmen and the urban middle class, as well as the complacency of the judiciary and media. While a tiny minority of citizens fought for democracy, an even greater number of people bowed to this strong woman in power. Yet, the Emergency was neither a parenthesis nor a turning point but a concentrate of a style of rule that is very much alive today.