As India marks 50 years since the Emergency, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor delivers a sharp reminder: democracy is not to be taken lightly. He response on the period between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977, warning that its lessons “must be fully understood, not just remembered as a dark chapter.”

Tharoor specifically pointed to the “forced vasectomy campaigns led by Sanjay Gandhi…where pressure and violence were used to meet arbitrary targets,” mostly targeting poorer and rural communities. He also recalls the ruthless urban “slum demolitions” in New Delhi, which displaced thousands with scant concern for their well‑being.

Tharoor warns that the Emergency should “serve as a potent warning: democratic stalwarts must be eternally vigilant.” He cautions against centralization of power, suppression of dissent, and constitutional bypass all too easily justified under the banners of national interest or public stability.

Released at a time when his relationship with the Congress leadership has been under scrutiny, Tharoor’s article blends historical critique with a clear message for today. He states, “We are a more self‑confident, more developed, and in many ways a more robust democracy. Yet the lessons of the Emergency remain alarmingly relevant.”

By revisiting the excesses of the Emergency coerced sterilizations, forced demolitions, prohibition of civil liberties Tharoor emphasizes that past democratic backsliding is not merely historical; it is a stark warning. He urges citizens and leaders alike to stay watchful, guard constitutional safeguards, and never allow the erosion of democratic norms, no matter what form it may take.