Indian democracy touched its nadir during the Emergency (Ghost Writers of 1975, Nov 2). Indira Gandhi was consumed by the human failings of arrogance and vanity. She took her personal setbacks as setbacks to the nation. Nothing could convince her otherwise. People close to her only fuelled her ego; voices of dissent had no place in her scheme of things. Unknowingly perhaps, she also gave rise to the personality cult in Indian politics. Neither devi nor demon, Indira turned out to be only too human in the end.
Sunil Kumar, Delhi
A pathetic attempt to deflect the blame from the source of the crisis. Indira Gandhi was captive to her own arrogance and ambition. Some people say Sonia doesn’t even come close to Indira. Thank god for that.
Anil Kumar, Toronto
If she had really lost confidence in her advisors, why did Indira carry on with them?
Aditya Mookerjee, Belgaum
It does not take rocket science to deduce that all decisions—major or minor—are suggested and influenced. Corporates take a collective decision, but the accolades or blame for a decision accrue to the ceo; this is true in the business of running the country too. The Emergency will always be Indira’s cross to bear.
Aleya Jung, New York
Nice try. Outlook is such a slave of the Congress and the Nehru-Gandhi family that it will go to any extent to defend them. In this magazine’s brand of history, the villains will always be the others. Who doesn’t know that nothing moved in the Congress unless Indira wished it to. Barooa, Rajni and Ray were simply used by her.
Ashok Joshi, New Delhi
As Ram Guha points out in his book India After Gandhi, the Emergency engendered dynastic politics. That, more than anything else, makes me judge it as evil. For instance, it was the coercive nature of the idea that worked against the sterilisation campaign. Had people been encouraged to come forward on their own, it may have garnered some support. But the humiliation of being forced to do it led to its undoing.
Mascon, New Delhi
