India still trying to come to terms with forced sterilization legacy
The forced sterilization program during the national emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had a profound impact on Indian society, and its legacy continues to be felt today, with many still trying to come to terms with the trauma and the long-lasting physical and emotional effects of the program.
Between 1975 and 1977, India forcibly sterilized 8 million men, including 6 million in 1976, as part of a forced sterilization program during the national emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, leaving thousands dead and many with long-lasting physical and emotional trauma.
The program was aimed at controlling population growth, which was seen as a burden on the economy, but it was widely criticized for its use of coercion and punishment to pressure officials into implementing the program, and communities into accepting it. The village of Uttawar in Haryana was one of the areas affected by the program, where 14 men were taken away by the police in November 1976, and only one survivor, Mohammad Deenu, returned to the village after being operated upon.
The legacy of the emergency continues to be felt in India today, with some experts warning of a return to authoritarianism under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The emergency had a profound impact on Indian society, including the erosion of civil liberties, the denial of information to people, and the weaponization of the law. The press was silenced overnight, with censorship becoming law, and over 110,000 people were arrested, including major opposition figures.
Despite its heavy-handedness, the Emergency was seen by some as a period of order and efficiency, with trains running on time, strikes vanishing, production rising, crime falling, and prices dropping after a good 1975 monsoon. However, the Emergency formally ended in March 1977 after Gandhi called elections and lost, and it is remembered in India as a brief authoritarian interlude, but this framing breeds a "smug confidence in the present" and ignores the fragility of democracy when institutions fail to hold power to account.
The impact of the emergency on Indian society is still being felt today, and it serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting democratic institutions and ensuring that the government is held accountable for its actions. As India continues to try to come to terms with its past, it is essential to remember the lessons of the emergency and to work towards building a more just and equitable society.