The 21 months under Emergency—from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977—were considered the ‘darkest period’ for the Indian press. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi suspended freedom of speech and imposed restrictions against media outlets censoring news that could cause disturbances. Some newspapers rebelled and ran blank editorials as protests, or published enduring quotes of freedom fighters; the others filled empty news slots with frivolous items like recipes on onion raita.