BJP Observes ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ Across India, Recalls Emergency as Dark Chapter in Democracy:

Read, Digital Desk : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday observed ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Constitution Murder Day) across the country, commemorating the anniversary of the Emergency imposed on June 25, 1975. The party organised a series of programmes in different states to highlight the impact of the Emergency on democratic institutions and civil liberties.

As part of the observance, BJP president Nitin Nabin participated in an event in Haryana, while former party president and Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda attended a programme in Patna, Bihar. Seminars, exhibitions and public awareness campaigns were also organised by party leaders and workers across the country.

Recalling the Emergency, Nitin Nabin described it as one of the darkest chapters in the history of Indian democracy. In a message posted on social media platform X, he said June 25, 1975 marked the most severe assault on democracy in independent India, when an attempt was made to suppress the spirit of the Constitution and curtail democratic freedoms.

He stated that the Emergency was imposed to protect political power and that democratic institutions as well as citizens’ fundamental freedoms were subjected to unprecedented restrictions. According to him, the observance serves as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding democratic values and protecting individual liberties.

Paying tribute to those who resisted the Emergency, Nabin said the day honours the sacrifices and struggles of countless democracy activists who fought to preserve constitutional principles under difficult circumstances. He also alleged that for decades, efforts were made to erase the memory of the Emergency from public consciousness and to marginalise the sacrifices made by those who opposed it.

The BJP leader said the decision of the Narendra Modi government to officially observe June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ had restored historical recognition to those events and to the individuals who defended democracy during that period.

He further said the occasion should not only remind citizens of the past but also reinforce the collective commitment to protecting the Constitution, democratic institutions and civil rights in the future.

Targeting the Congress party, Nabin questioned why it had never offered an unconditional apology to the nation for the Emergency despite frequently invoking constitutional values in contemporary political discourse. He argued that genuine concern for the Constitution would require acknowledging and apologising for what he described as the suppression of democratic processes during that period.

Referring to historical developments preceding the Emergency, Navin noted that on June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court had declared the election of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi invalid. He alleged that political considerations were subsequently placed above national interest, resulting in restrictions on democratic freedoms and constitutional norms.

The Government of India has decided to observe June 25 every year as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ in remembrance of the Emergency imposed in 1975. According to the government, the day is intended to honour those who raised their voices in defence of democracy and constitutional values during one of the most controversial periods in India’s political history.