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How did the Emergency affect the reputation of Indira Gandhi's Congress Party government?

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Mahatma Gandhi, holding a walking stick, walks beside Sarojini Naidu during the Salt March protest in 1930, with several men following behind them. — Indian National Congress Indian National Congress leaders Mahatma Gandhi (left) and Sarojini Naidu (right) on the Salt March in western India, March 1930.

The Emergency (1975–1977) severely damaged the reputation of Indira Gandhi’s government, transforming her image from a celebrated leader into one associated with authoritarianism and the suppression of democratic norms.12

The government’s reputation suffered due to several key factors:

Curtailment of Liberties: The suspension of civil liberties, the imprisonment of prominent political opponents, and the muzzling of journalists and educators alienated large segments of the public.123
Unpopular Policies: Initiatives such as the forced sterilization program, spearheaded by her son Sanjay Gandhi, and a crackdown on trade unions and workers' rights generated widespread resentment.142
Censorship: The imposition of strict press censorship, which prevented criticism of her policies and the actions of her administration, was widely condemned as an "obituary for democracy".12
Abuse of Power: The use of preventive detention and the amendment of the constitution to limit judicial review and protect the prime minister from legal challenges further eroded public trust.2

These actions led to a landslide defeat for the Congress Party in the 1977 general elections, as voters viewed the period as a choice between "democracy and dictatorship".123