Salman Rushdie · English Literature

What does the 'Emergency' represent in 'Midnight's Children'?

  1. The 1947 Partition of British India into independent nations
  2. The suspension of civil liberties declared by Indira Gandhi from 1975 to 1977
  3. The devastating outbreak of the bubonic plague in the city of Bombay
  4. India's first successful nuclear weapons test at Pokhran in 1974
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Correct answer: The suspension of civil liberties declared by Indira Gandhi from 1975 to 1977

The Emergency is a pivotal historical event in the novel, portrayed as the 'widow's' attempt to eliminate the Midnight Children. It represents a dark turn toward authoritarianism in the Indian democratic project.

Difficulty: Medium Question 15 of 20

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