Odisha directs universities to mark 50 years of Emergency with 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'

Representative image

The Odisha government has instructed all state-run universities and colleges to observe Samvidhan Hatya Diwas (Constitution Murder Day) on June 25, commemorating 50 years since the imposition of the Emergency in 1975. The move follows a Union Home Ministry notification issued on 11 July 2024 designating the date for remembrance.
In a letter quoted by The Indian Express, the higher education department mandated awareness marches featuring students and faculty carrying placards championing constitutional values, alongside debates, workshops and lectures on the Emergency’s impact.
The communication described the 21-month period under then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as the "darkest period in India’s democratic history," citing the "suspension of civil liberties, erosion of constitutional safeguards and unprecedented centralisation of executive power."
"Fundamental rights were breached, the press silenced under strict censorship, [and] thousands of political leaders, journalists and civil society members were imprisoned," the note stated. It called for "deep reflection and renewed commitment to democratic values and constitutional morality."
Institutions must also organise seminars on the Constitution’s Preamble, panel discussions, documentary screenings, street plays and competitions. Attendance will be recorded and submitted to authorities, The Indian Express reported.
The BJP-led state government has separately arranged a large-scale event to mark the day. Earlier, it announced a Rs 20,000 monthly pension for those jailed during the Emergency, a move seen as a political counter to Congress-led narratives.
The directive underscores the BJP’s continued emphasis on framing the Emergency as a cautionary tale against authoritarianism, even as opposition parties accuse the ruling party of undermining democratic norms itself.