Fifty years after the infamous Emergency of 1975, India in 2025 finds itself staring at a grim paradox. The Constitution remains intact, elections are held, and courts function — yet, democratic values are being systematically hollowed out. What unfolded in 1975 with a formal declaration by Indira Gandhi has now returned in a far more insidious form: an undeclared Emergency marked by coercion without notification, fear without jail, and submission without censorship orders.

In the absence of tanks on the street or presidential proclamations, many remain oblivious to the transformation. But India’s democracy today bears a chilling resemblance to that dark chapter — only this time, it wears the mask of electoral legitimacy and institutional process.

Déjà Vu: The 1975 Emergency and Its Modern Reflection

The 1975 Emergency invoked by Indira Gandhi was a desperate act of political survival, triggered by a court verdict and a mass uprising led by Jayaprakash Narayan. Overnight, civil liberties were suspended, press freedom curtailed, and thousands imprisoned without trial. The Constitution was mutilated, and institutions became handmaidens of authoritarianism.

Fast forward to 2025 — the methods are more sophisticated, but the objectives remain eerily similar. Power is being centralised, dissent criminalised, and institutions neutralised. There is no formal emergency, but its ecosystem thrives — engineered through legal instruments, manipulated media, and executive overreach.

Press Freedom: From Censorship to Capture

In 1975, censorship was direct and brutal. Editors had to submit proofs for government approval. Today, the state doesn’t need to issue gag orders — a combination of ownership takeovers, financial strangulation, legal harassment, and intimidation has ensured obedience.

The 2025 World Press........

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