PM Modi Calls 1975 Emergency Direct Assault on Constitution as India Marks Samvidhan Hatya Diwas
On June 25, 1975, then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed issued a proclamation of Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing internal disturbance. The Emergency, enforced by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, lasted until March 21, 1977, and is widely regarded as one of the most controversial periods in independent India's political history. Following the 50th anniversary in 2024, the Modi government formally declared June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas through a gazette notification, with the stated purpose of preserving the memory of what the notification described as gross abuse of power and the atrocities suffered by the people of India during that period.
PM Modi: Democracy Was Placed Under Arrest
Marking the 51st anniversary on June 25, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to all those who defended democratic values during the Emergency. He described the period as a direct and deliberate assault on the Constitution and its institutions. In a series of posts on X, the Prime Minister noted that fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was extinguished, and thousands of political leaders, social workers, students, and ordinary citizens were imprisoned. He emphasised that the spirit of the Constitution was violated, the voice of Parliament was suppressed, and attempts were made to bring the judiciary under control. He also pointed to the 42nd Amendment as a particularly damaging example of how the Constitution was manipulated during that period. The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to strengthening constitutional principles and working toward the vision of Viksit Bharat.Amit Shah: Congress Had a Dictatorial Mindset
Union Home Minister Amit Shah marked Samvidhan Hatya Diwas with a sharp critique of the Congress party, stating that the Emergency was born from a dictatorial mindset that sought to strangle the soul of Indian democracy. Shah said the government observes June 25 each year specifically to ensure the Congress can never again inflict such an assault on democracy and the Constitution. He underscored that during the Emergency, the media, the judiciary, and democratic rights were all crushed simultaneously, making it a dark chapter that must never be forgotten or repeated.You may also like
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JP Nadda and BJP CMs Join the Commemoration
BJP National President JP Nadda described the Emergency as the greatest atrocity ever inflicted on the people of India, stating that it was imposed to protect the political interests of one family at the cost of the entire nation. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta called the Emergency the most severe blow ever dealt to Indian democracy, pointing to the gagging of the press, the violation of civil rights, and the stifling of free expression. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami echoed these remarks, describing it as a dark phase written by a government intoxicated by the arrogance of power. Chief Ministers and BJP leaders across multiple states participated in commemorative events marking the day.What Happened During the 1975 Emergency
The Emergency lasted 21 months and fundamentally altered the relationship between the government and the governed. Fundamental rights were suspended, and thousands of political opponents, journalists, and activists were detained under the stringent Maintenance of Internal Security Act. Jayaprakash Narayan, who had led the Sampoorn Kranti movement in Bihar against the Congress government, was among those arrested. Press censorship was imposed, severely limiting independent reporting. The Shah Commission, set up after the Emergency ended, documented mass detentions, a forced sterilisation drive, and widespread censorship as among the key excesses of the period.Opposition Calls It Political Theatre
The Congress and other opposition parties did not let the day pass without a counter-narrative. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called the BJP's commemoration a drama staged to divert attention from governance failures. Several opposition leaders argued that the Modi government had itself imposed an undeclared emergency over the past decade through the alleged weakening of institutions, arrests of human rights activists, and political use of central agencies. Other opposition voices questioned why Samvidhan Hatya Diwas was not also observed on dates associated with what they described as constitutional violations under the present government.
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