Emergency row: 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas' on June 25, a reminder of how constitution was trampled, says PM Modi

Every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, democracy was completely suppressed, said PM Modi in Lok Sabha.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that every year June 25 will be observed as "Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas".

"On June 25, 1975, the then PM Indira Gandhi, in a brazen display of a dictatorial mindset, strangled the soul of our democracy by imposing the Emergency on the nation. Lakhs of people were thrown behind bars for no fault of their own, and the voice of the media was silenced. The Government of India has decided to observe the 25th of June every year as 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas.' This day will commemorate the massive contributions of all those who endured the inhuman pains of the 1975 Emergency," said  Shah on X.

On June 25, 1975, the then PM Indira Gandhi, in a brazen display of a dictatorial mindset, strangled the soul of our democracy by imposing the Emergency on the nation. Lakhs of people were thrown behind bars for no fault of their own, and the voice of the media was silenced.

The… pic.twitter.com/9sEfPGjG2S — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 12, 2024

Indira Gandhi’s government declared a state of emergency in India on June 25, 1975. Democracy was restored after nearly two years on March 21, 1977. June 25, 2024, marked 50 years of Emergency.

On June 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a “black spot” in India’s democracy during the first session of the new Lok Sabha.

Shah said that PM Modi's decision aims to honour "the spirit of millions who struggled to revive democracy despite facing inexplicable persecution at the hands of an oppressive government". "The observance of 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas' will help keep the eternal flame of individual freedom and the defense of our democracy alive in every Indian, thus preventing dictatorial forces like the Congress from repeating those horrors," said Shah.

During his Lok Sabha address, PM Modi said the new generation of India will never forget that the Constitution of India was completely rejected.  "Every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, democracy was completely suppressed," said PM Modi. “While protecting our Constitution, while protecting the democratic traditions, the countrymen will take a resolution that no one will dare to do such a thing in India again which was done 50 years ago. We will take a resolution of a vibrant democracy. We will take a resolution to fulfil the dreams of the common people as per the directions of the Constitution of India.”

Meanwhile, the Congress termed it "another headline grabbing exercise".  "Yet another headline grabbing exercise in hypocrisy by the non-biological PM who had imposed an undeclared Emergency for ten long years before the people of India handed him a decisive personal, political, and moral defeat on June 4, 2024 - which will go down in history as ModiMukti Diwas. This is a non-biological PM who has subjected the Constitution of India and its principles, values, and institutions to systematic assault...," posted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.