‘One of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history’: PM Modi on Emergency

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed the Congress party on the 50th anniversary of Emergency, which is being observed as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’. He said the imposition of Emergency marked one of the “darkest chapters in India’s democratic history”.

“Today marks fifty years since one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history, the imposition of the Emergency. The people of India mark this day as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. On this day, the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside, fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was extinguished and several political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens were jailed. It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest,” the Prime Minister wrote on X.

He further stated that no Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of “our Constitution was violated, the voice of Parliament muzzled and attempts were made to control the courts”.

“The 42nd Amendment is a prime example of their shenanigans. The poor, marginalised and downtrodden were particularly targeted, including their dignity insulted,” the PM said.

Lauding the efforts of people who stood firm in the fight against Emergency, he said it was their collective struggle that ensured that the then Congress government had to restore democracy and call for fresh elections, which they badly lost.

“We also reiterate our commitment to strengthening the principles in our Constitution and working together to realise our vision of a Viksit Bharat. May we scale new heights of progress and fulfil the dreams of the poor and downtrodden,” he said.

Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva also condemned the Congress party on the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Emergency. Calling it the "darkest chapter" in India's democracy, Sachdeva called on the youth to remember the history.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "The Emergency is the darkest chapter in this democracy. Fifty years have passed since that traumatic period, and today an exhibition will be organised at Connaught Place in Delhi so that today's youth can know how Congress murdered democracy. This is a history that must be remembered, showing how, when a dictator resorts to dictatorship, all values collapse."