Marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has turned the occasion into a nationwide political campaign aimed squarely at the Congress party.
Ministries, state governments, and party units across the country commemorated the day as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas — the day the Constitution was “murdered.”
In a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a two-minute silence was observed in remembrance of what was described as a dark chapter in Indian democracy.
Following this, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw read a resolution that strongly condemned the Emergency:
“The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, resolves to honour the sacrifices of countless individuals who bravely resisted the Emergency. T
he year 2025 marks 50 years since Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, a time when the Indian Constitution was subverted, and fundamental rights, personal liberty, and human dignity were suspended.”
The statement also referred to the suppression of major movements like the Nav Nirman Andolan and Sampoorn Kranti Abhiyan, which were crushed in the lead-up to the Emergency.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah echoed the sentiment, calling the Emergency “one of the darkest chapters in India’s history,” imposed by a “despotic ruler” aiming to protect dynastic rule. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra further reinforced the party’s stance:
“The attack on democracy began 50 years ago with the Emergency. Nearly 1.5 lakh citizens were imprisoned overnight. Leaders like Kharge and Jairam Ramesh today fail to grasp the level of pain and suffering endured by ordinary Indians back then.”
While the Congress accused the BJP of running an “undeclared emergency” in the present day, the ruling party seized the moment to revisit 1975 and hold the Opposition accountable in the court of public memory.
The political offensive was nationwide.
In Bihar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary criticized the Congress-RJD alliance, stating: “The nation now clearly sees who damaged democracy. Lalu Yadav, once a disciple of Jayaprakash Narayan, is now aligned with the Congress — the very party responsible for the Emergency.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma demanded an apology from the Congress: “Rahul Gandhi must acknowledge that it was his family and party that undermined the Constitution.”
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav accused the Congress of hypocrisy: “For its interests, Congress has repeatedly disrespected the Constitution. Today, they speak of Ambedkar, but their actions say otherwise.”
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria remarked: “If democracy was ever truly dismantled, it was under their government. They turned the entire nation into a prison.”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis added that not only were Opposition leaders jailed, but constitutional amendments were pushed to erode Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s legacy. “Indira Gandhi attempted to crush democracy, but the resistance of democracy warriors ensured its survival.”
BJP leader Sudhanshu Trivedi emphasized the legal spark for the Emergency, noting: “The only time in India’s history a Prime Minister was barred from contesting elections due to electoral malpractice was Indira Gandhi. In response, she declared an Emergency.”
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan recalled his ordeal during the period: “As a teenager, I was handcuffed, beaten, and jailed. The scars of those beatings remain, and the country must never forget this blot on Indian democracy.”
Former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar also shared his experience: “I spent 16 months in jail after participating in a satyagraha. The Emergency was imposed not for the country, but to safeguard Indira Gandhi’s power. While Congress subverted the Constitution, the BJP has stood by it.”
