Sonia Gandhi Says Indira Gandhi Publicly Regretted Emergency Excesses, Apologised for Them

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has said that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi publicly expressed regret and apologised for excesses committed during the Emergency, while arguing that the responsibility for the period should not be attributed solely to Sanjay Gandhi.

In an interview with The Hindu's N. Ram, Sonia Gandhi said that although Sanjay Gandhi was often associated with the Emergency in public perception, Indira Gandhi had also faced considerable pressure from some of her senior colleagues at the time.

"It was not only Sanjay, though in the public mind he is often seen as synonymous with the Emergency. There was a lot of pressure from some of her senior colleagues, and I think there were very few people around her like Rajiv who had a different point of view," she said.

Sonia Gandhi added that her husband, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, would convey to his mother complaints and feedback he heard from members of the public.

The interview comes ahead of the worldwide release of Sonia Gandhi's memoir, Belonging: A Journey of Love, scheduled for November 10.

Sonia Gandhi acknowledges curtailment of democratic rights

Asked whether the Emergency should be recognised as an authoritarian and anti-democratic chapter in India's history, Sonia Gandhi acknowledged that democratic rights had been curtailed, while also describing the circumstances preceding its imposition.

"It was only after the Emergency that I came to know the true gravity of what had been happening. Yes, democratic rights had been curtailed, and there was a suspension of habeas corpus, but it was done constitutionally," she said.

Explaining the situation from Indira Gandhi's perspective, Sonia Gandhi referred to what she described as rapidly deteriorating conditions, including violent protests, attacks on government offices and public transport, organised unrest and calls for the bureaucracy and armed forces to disobey government orders.

She said that, with the benefit of hindsight, the events of that period could be viewed in a broader perspective. She also pointed out that Indira Gandhi eventually called for elections in March 1977.

"Hindsight allows us to put things better in perspective. Let's not forget that it was Mrs. Gandhi herself who came to recognise what was happening and called for the March 1977 election. And you know very well that she herself later publicly expressed regret and apologised for excesses during the Emergency," Sonia Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi praises his mother

The Emergency was declared by Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. The period saw the curtailment of civil liberties, suspension of constitutional safeguards, restrictions on the Press and an expansion of executive powers.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared his mother's interview on social media platform X and praised her public life and personal values.

"Sixty years in public life, and still the same person. Proud of you, Ma," he wrote.

He also shared a quote from Sonia Gandhi in which she reflected on the values she had retained over the years, including loyalty to family and friends, sincerity, empathy, duty and responsibility.

"I have tried my best to be true to them: Loyalty to family and friends, sincerity and feeling for others, the idea of being dutiful and responsible. I think I can say that in these I am the same person Rajiv met sixty years ago," she said.