The Narendra Modi-led union government of India has declared 26th June as the Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas, which translates to ‘Constitution Murder Day’, to pay tribute to the victims of the emergency. The Union Home Ministry on 11 July issued a gazette notification saying that the Government of India has declared 25th June as “Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas”.
The notification states that a proclamation of Emergency was made on 25th June 1975, following which there was gross abuse of power by the Government of the day and the people of India were subjected to excesses and atrocities. It adds that the people of India have abiding faith in the Constitution of India and the power of India’s resilient democracy.
The gazette notification states “Therefore, Government of India declares 25th June as “Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas (संविधान हत्या दिवस)” to pay tribute to all those who suffered and fought against the gross abuse of power during the period of Emergency and to recommit the people of India to not support in any manner such gross abuse of power, in future.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on 𝕏 that observing 25 June as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas will serve as a reminder of what happens when the Constitution of India was trampled over. He said, “It is also a day to pay homage to each and every person who suffered due to the excesses of the Emergency, a Congress unleashed dark phase of Indian history.”
To observe 25th June as #SamvidhaanHatyaDiwas will serve as a reminder of what happens when the Constitution of India was trampled over. It is also a day to pay homage to each and every person who suffered due to the excesses of the Emergency, a Congress unleashed dark phase of… https://t.co/om14K8BiTz
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 12, 2024
Posting the notification on 𝕏, Home Minister Amit Shah said that “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.”
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.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 12, 2024
The… pic.twitter.com/9sEfPGjG2S
He added, “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.”
The union home minister further tweeted that the decision of the govt is intended 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 defence of our democracy alive in every Indian, thus preventing dictatorial forces like the Congress from repeating those horrors,” he added, using the hashtag #SamvidhaanHatyaDiwas.
The decision made by the government led by PM Shri @narendramodi Ji is intended to honor the spirit of millions who struggled to revive democracy despite facing inexplicable persecution at the hands of an oppressive government.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) July 12, 2024
The observance of 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas' will…
As Rahul Gandhi bas been accusing the BJP of trying to change the constitution, the Modi government is using emergency to counterattack him. The emergency was mentioned by the president in her address to the parliament, and the Lok Sabha speaker moved a resolution condemning the same.
The emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi govt lasted for 21 months, during which rights of the citizens were suspended in the country. The proclamation of emergency issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution gave the prime minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be cancelled and civil liberties to be suspended.
During the emergency, most of political opponents of Indira Gandhi were jailed, and the press was censored. The govt said that the emergency was imposed due to prevailing “internal disturbance”, but it was the result of Allahabad High Court declaring Indira Gandhi’s election null and void after finding her guilty of using state machinery in election campaigning.
When the Supreme Court upheld the High Court verdict but allowed Indira Gandhi as PM pending her appeal, this led to massive protests by Indira Gandhi’s supporters and the opposition. After that, Indira Gandhi asked President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to proclaim a state of emergency, without consulting the cabinet.
The Emergency ended on 21 March 1977 and Indira Gandhi called fresh elections, which she lost and Morarji Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister of India.
