Emergency Enters NCERT Class 9 Textbooks: For the first time after almost 51 years, NCERT has included a detailed chapter on the Emergency of 1975-77 in the Class 9 Social Science book. In the new book 'Understanding Society: India and Beyond', the Emergency has been described as one of the biggest challenges faced by Indian democracy.
According to the book, in the early 1970s, protests started taking place across the country due to rising unemployment, inflation and dissatisfaction against the government. During this period, major movements were organized under the leadership of Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan. On June 25, 1975, the government of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed emergency in the country.
The NCERT book states that during the Emergency, most of the fundamental rights were suspended, censorship was imposed on the press and many opposition leaders and activists were arrested. The book also states that this period tested the institutions and civil liberties of Indian democracy.
The chapter also mentions the political background of the Emergency, Jayaprakash Narayan's movement, its impact on democracy and the restoration of democracy after the 1977 general elections. According to NCERT, this is the first time the Emergency has been covered in such detail in the Class 9 syllabus.
On the inclusion of Emergency in NCERT's Class 9 textbook, Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that whenever the BJP government is in power in any state or Centre, they try to present history as per their wish. The challenges facing democracy today have never been seen before in the history of independent India.
#WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh | On NCERT introduces section on Emergency in Class IX textbook, Congress leader Sachin Pilot says, “Whenever the BJP government is in power in a state or in the centre, they try to present the history the way they want… The challenge faced by pic.twitter.com/w47GJNjF29
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He said that the way voices are being suppressed by using social media, media, judiciary, bureaucracy and Election Commission. This is happening for the first time that a government is misusing these institutions.
