Question

Answer the following question.
Give an account of the main features of the course of the JP Movement which led to the declaration of Emergency on 25th June 1975.

Answer 1

1. A movement was started by the students of Bihar in 1974 under the Veteran Gandhian socialist Jayprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP, against misrule and corruption practiced by the Bihar Government.
2. Several Students’ political groups, such as Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) Samajwadi Yuvajan Sabha (SYS), and All India Student Federation (AISF) joined various political parties to participate in the movement.
3. Eight young students were killed in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh in police firing as a means of protest against participation in the JP movement. Bihar Chhatra Sangharsh Samiti (BCSS) was formed to spearhead the agitation. Their demand was related to education and food in hostels.
4. During the course of the movement, BCSS tried to gherao Bihar Legislative Assembly, blocked roads to the Assembly, damaged government buildings including the Telephone Exchange and set the residence of former Education Minister on fire. Protests continued at colleges and universities. Three students died in police firing. JP agreed to lead the movement when BCSS approached him. A statewide strike was declared on 23 March.
5. Indira Gandhi attacked JP on 1 April 1974 for demanding to outcast the elected government. 12 students died in police firing in Gaya while trying to paralyze the government program. The students and people organizations kept persuading for the dissolution of the Bihar Assembly but failed.
6. JP turned the movement into Sampurna Kranti Movement. Exams were boycotted, several MLAs resigned, and the appeal was made to the people to outcast Congress government of Indira Gandhi. Indira Gandhi decided to drag this to the election arena. JP realized this and encouraged and appealed to opposition parties, following which the Janata Party was formed. He started traveling all over the country encouraging people to join the opposition and defeat the Congress Party.
7. When Indira Gandhi was removed from the Parliament seat on the grounds of electoral malpractice, she approached the Supreme Court. She imposed a nationwide Emergency on the night of 25 June 1975, when JP opposed her move and asked her to resign.