Cabinet adopts resolution against Emergency, Cong launches attack
New Delhi: As the country commemorated the 50th anniversary of Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted it was one of the “darkest chapters” in India’s democratic history and slammed the then Congress government, saying it placed “democracy under arrest.”
Top leaders of the BJP and key ally JD(U) led the charge against the Congress with Modi saying no Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of the Constitution was violated during the Emergency. The Prime Minister also affirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening constitutional principles.
The Union cabinet, at its meeting presided by Prime Minister Modi, adopted a resolution against the Emergency and resolved to commemorate and honour the sacrifices of countless individuals who valiantly resisted the measure and its attempt at subversion of the spirit of the Indian Constitution. It also observed a two-minute silence as a mark of tribute to them.
The Congress, on its part, launched a counter attack on the Modi government, alleging that over the past eleven years, Indian democracy has been under a “systematic and dangerous” five-fold assault that can be best described as “Undeclared Emergency@11”.
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, a book which highlights Modi’s fight for “the ideals of democracy” was released by Home Minister Amit Shah. ‘The Emergency Diaries – Years that Forged a Leader’ is published by BlueKraft.
In a series of posts on X, Modi said the Emergency was one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history. The values enshrined in the Constitution were set aside and fundamental rights suspended, he said.
He said press freedom was extinguished and a large number of political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens jailed. “It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest.”
Saluting every person who stood firm in the fight against the Emergency, Modi said these were the people from all over India, from all walks of life, from diverse ideologies who worked closely with each other with one aim: To protect India’s democratic fabric and to preserve the ideals for which freedom fighters devoted their lives.
“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,” he said.
Home Minister Shah said the Emergency was not a national necessity but a reflection of the anti-democratic mentality of the Congress and “just one person”, a reference to then prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Paying tributes to those who suffered after the imposition of Emergency, Shah said the day reminds everyone that when those in power become dictatorial, the people have the power to overthrow them. The Home Minister said the Emergency was the “Age of Injustice of Congress’ hunger for power”.
The Modi government observes June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ so that the new generation is made aware of the pain and torture that the countrymen faced during the Emergency, he said. “This day tells us that when power becomes dictatorial, the people have the power to overthrow it,” he wrote on X in Hindi.
Later, Shah in his address at an event said memories of the Emergency must be kept alive so that no one can impose dictatorial thoughts on the country.
On June 25, 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi announced the imposition of Emergency in a broadcast on All India Radio, shortly after the Supreme Court granted a conditional stay to an Allahabad High Court verdict declaring her election to the Lok Sabha null and void. It was lifted on March 21, 1977.
“It is as important for the young as it is for the old to draw inspiration from those who resisted dictatorial tendencies and stood firm to defend our Constitution and its democratic fabric,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while reading out the cabinet resolution at a media briefing.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that an undeclared emergency prevailed in the country, as he accused the BJP of staging a ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ “drama” to hide its governance failure.
Hitting back at Prime Minister Modi over his jibes at Congress, Kharge said a government that has no tolerance and does not allow fraternity and liberty to prosper has no right to lecture others.
Addressing a press conference at the Congress’ Indira Bhawan, Kharge slammed the BJP-RSS and said those who “played no role in the independence of the country, in framing the Constitution, and rejected Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution” are raking up the Emergency, 50 years after it was imposed. The same people are now talking of saving the Constitution, he added.
Echoing the Congress view, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed that the country is going through an undeclared Emergency as the “Sangh Parivar government” is trying to do away with the Constitution.
The CPI-M veteran made the allegation in a Facebook post, in which he described the Emergency as “the darkest chapter in the history of Indian democracy”.
BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra condemned Kharge’s remarks against Modi and said the Congress is rattled with the country observing as “black day” the imposition of Emergency because it has brought back the memories of the atrocities committed then.
Awareness on Emergency in Goa schools
Special Correspondent
Panaji: Goa’s directorate of education has issued a circular directing the heads of all schools, including special schools, to undertake activities for spreading awareness about the 21-month Emergency imposed by Congress government on the country from June 25, 1975 to March 21, 1977.
“The observance aims to create greater awareness and commitment among students, teachers and education administrators to the importance of safeguarding democratic values, civil liberties and constitutional morality,” states a circular issued by director of education Shailesh Zingade.
The activities to be undertaken by the schools include outreach with special announcements made during assemblies on the importance and resilience of democracy with mention of the dark days for democracy. A background note will be issued by the DoE in this matter in due course.
A national essay competition is also a part of these activities. The competition has been launched on June 25, 2025.
Display of films by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and exhibition by the Ministry of Culture in schools also form a part of these activities. The exhibition will be made available for download in Hindi and English from the website www.amritkaal.nic.in.
The school heads have been directed to ensure that necessary steps are taken for enthusiastic participation of students in these activities.
