Union Minister Amit Shah announced that June 25 will be observed as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Murder of Constitution Day) to commemorate the struggles during the Emergency imposed in 1975 by Indira Gandhi’s Congress government. The Emergency, lasting until March 21, 1977, saw the suspension of civil liberties, mass arrests, and curtailment of press freedom.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Shah criticized Indira Gandhi’s actions as “dictatorial,” asserting they strangled the soul of Indian democracy.
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He highlighted the mass arrests and stifling of press freedom during that period. Shah added that the government decided to mark June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ to honor those who suffered and fought against the Emergency’s abuses.
25 जून 1975 को तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री इंदिरा गाँधी ने अपनी तानाशाही मानसिकता को दर्शाते हुए देश में आपातकाल लगाकर भारतीय लोकतंत्र की आत्मा का गला घोंट दिया था। लाखों लोगों को अकारण जेल में डाल दिया गया और मीडिया की आवाज को दबा दिया गया। भारत सरकार ने हर साल 25 जून को ‘संविधान… pic.twitter.com/KQ9wpIfUTg
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 12, 2024
He wrote, “On 25 June 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, showing her dictatorial mindset, strangled the soul of Indian democracy by imposing emergency in the country. Lakhs of people were jailed without any reason and the voice of the media was suppressed. The Government of India has decided to celebrate 25 June every year as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’. This day will remind us of the immense contribution of all those people who suffered the inhuman pain of the Emergency of 1975.”
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi supported the announcement, emphasizing that the commemoration will remind the public of the consequences when the Constitution is trampled. He reiterated that June 25 will be a tribute to the Emergency victims, describing it as a “dark phase” of Indian history unleashed by the Congress.
In response, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh dismissed the announcement as a publicity stunt by the BJP government. He accused Modi of imposing an undeclared Emergency for ten years and claimed that Modi’s “Emergency” ended on June 4, following a “decisive personal, political, and moral defeat” handed by the public. Ramesh dubbed June 4, 2024, as “Modi Mukti Diwas” and criticized Modi’s alleged assaults on the Constitution, arguing that for him, democracy equates to maintaining power.
