Indira went to jail for privilege breach

New Delhi: Former prime minister, Indira Gandhi, went to jail for a night after a row involving breach of Parliamentary privilege in December 1978.

On observations made by Justice J C Shah Commission that probed the excesses during the 1975-77 emergency, Gandhi was indicted.

Following this, Home Minister Charan Singh moved a resolution of breach of privilege against Gandhi.

It was carried, and Gandhi was sentenced.

This triggered unprecedented emotional scenes in the Lok Sabha.

Speaker K S Hegde took one hour to sign the resolution.

During this one hour, Gandhi went about consoling crying colleagues, including B Shankaranand and Hari Singh Mahida.

C M Stephen was seen shouting slogans and was prevented from coming to fisticuffs with ruling party members.

During those chaotic moments, journalists entered the house and Indira Gandhi held the first and only press conference in the precincts of the Lok Sabha.

Delhi policemen then took her away after the speaker allowed them to come in.

She spent one night in a makeshift jail before being released by Magistrate R Dayal the next afternoon.