Gujarat Navnirman movement
Also called: Gujarat movement · Topic: The Emergency (1975-77) and the Crisis of Democratic Order · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 6 "The Crisis of Democratic Order"
Meaning
The Gujarat Navnirman movement was a student protest in Gujarat that began in January 1974. "Navnirman" means "rebuilding". The students protested against rising prices and corruption in the Congress-ruled state. Major opposition parties joined them. It was the first big mass protest of the crisis years before the Emergency.
Example
The protests led to President's rule in Gujarat, meaning the state was run directly by the Union government. Morarji Desai of the Congress (O) threatened an indefinite fast to press for fresh elections. Assembly elections were held in June 1975, and the Congress lost. This defeat came in the same month as the Allahabad High Court verdict against Indira Gandhi.
Don't confuse with
- Bihar movement: it began later (March 1974), was led by Jayaprakash Narayan and became national. The Gujarat movement stayed mainly within the state.