26 December 1978: Indira Gandhi was released from Tihar Jail after 7 days, why was the Morarji government under pressure to arrest her?

New Delhi: The country’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was released from Tihar after 7 days of jail on this day i.e. 26 December 1978. he/she was arrested for conspiring to assassinate opposition leaders during the Emergency. The arrest led to strikes and protests across the country. After a week’s imprisonment on charges of contempt of Parliament and breach of privilege, he/she was released on the night of 26 December. Let us tell you that Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister of the country for three consecutive times from 1966 to 1977. Reached this post for the fourth time in 1980. he/she was assassinated in 1984.

The country was shaken by Indira’s arrest

The arrest of Indira Gandhi was an unprecedented event. he/she was arrested on 19 December 1978 for planning the murder of all the opposition leaders jailed during the Emergency. The arrest sparked protests across the country. Congress supporters demanded his/her immediate release. Amid nationwide unrest, Indira Gandhi was released on the night of 26 December, after spending a week in jail for contempt of Parliament and breach of privilege.

Morarji government was under pressure to arrest

In the elections held after the Emergency of 1977, the Janata Party won and Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister of the country. There was a demand for prosecution against Indira Gandhi in the new government. There was pressure on the government to teach Indira Gandhi a lesson for imposing emergency. Then on 19 December 1978, a resolution was passed suspending Indira Gandhi from the Lok Sabha and arresting her.

…and Indira reached jail

However, Indira did not move from the House. Finally at night the Speaker of the Lok Sabha issued the arrest order. On the orders of the Speaker, the then CBI officer NK Singh reached Parliament House. Then, without any hesitation, Indira came out of the same door of Parliament House from which she used to come out as the Prime Minister. he/she was arrested and taken directly to Tihar Jail where he/she was kept for 7 days. When Indira became Prime Minister again in 1980, NK Singh was removed from the CBI.

Sonia used to go to jail with food for Indira

The then Morarji Desai government sent Indira Gandhi to jail until the Parliament session continued. he/she was accused of violation of parliamentary privilege. he/she was kept in ward number 19 of Tihar Jail. After this arrest, Indira Gandhi remained imprisoned in Delhi’s Tihar Jail for almost a week. It is said that during this period, Sonia Gandhi herself used to go to Tihar Jail with food for Indira Gandhi.