On the anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975, Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the day as “Constitution Murder Day,” describing it as a reminder of what he called a dark chapter in India’s democratic history when constitutional freedoms were severely curtailed.
In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said the Emergency period, declared on June 25, 1975, represented a time when Indian democracy was “brutally crushed.” He said the occasion serves as a warning and a reminder for citizens to remain committed to safeguarding the Constitution, democratic institutions, and fundamental rights.
Modi also paid his respect to people who opposed the Emergency and resisted the suspension of civil liberties during that period.
“Constitution Murder Day today reminds us of that dark era when Indian democracy was brutally crushed. It inspires us to always remain committed to protecting democracy, the Constitution, and citizens' rights. My respectful salutations to all the luminaries who opposed the Emergency,” he posted on X.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also recalled the “dark” chapter of India’s democracy saying freedom of speech was curtailed and the rights of millions of citizens were violated. He hailed PM Modi’s leadership for upholding the values of democracy in the country.
All about the Emergency
The Emergency in India was declared on June 25, 1975 and lasted until March 21, 1977. It was proclaimed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and formally issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing “internal disturbance.”
The immediate trigger was a combination of political unrest led by the JP Movement (Jayaprakash Narayan) demanding Indira Gandhi’s resignation, and an adverse judgment by the Allahabad High Court invalidating her 1971 election over electoral malpractice.
During the Emergency, civil liberties were suspended, opposition leaders including Jayaprakash Narayan, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and others were jailed, and press censorship was imposed. Fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 22 were curtailed.
BJP has been extremely critical of the Congress Party over the move, claiming that people were subjected to atrocities and their fundamental rights were curtailed by the grand old party to remain in power.
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