Historical Event on 3/21/1976

The Indian people have delivered a stinging rebuke to the woman who had ruled them without the benefit of a constitution for the past 19 months by dumping her from office in a landslide election. After 11 years of rule, Indira Gandhi has resigned, and in an uncharacteristically humble statement said she ""accepted the verdict unreservedly"" and promised ""constructive cooperation"" with the new government. The heads of the victorious parties immediately dropped the year-and-a-half-old state of emergency, freed political prisoners, and began negotiations over who would head the new government.