Government to observe June 25 as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ to commemorate Emergency
Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, July 12
The ruling BJP-led NDA dispensation on Friday declared June 25, the day late Prime Minister and Congress stalwart Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in 1975, as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah made the announcement sharing a gazette notification in this regard.
“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.
“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,” Shah said.
He said the decision made by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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.
#SamvidhaanHatyaDiwas,” the Home Minister posted on X.
The development comes at a time when the Constitution of India has emerged as a principal point of political contestation between the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the ruling BJP-led NDA.
The Constitution was a major prop of the opposition against the BJP in the recently held General Election with top Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the BJP was seeking 400-plus seats for the NDA in a House of 543 to attain absolute majority and change the Constitution, primarily through scrapping of constitutionally mandated reservations.
Rahul Gandhi and most Congress MPs recently carried copies of the Constitution in their hands as they took as Lok Sabha MPs.
The BJP on the other hand has been whipping up the anti-Emergency sentiment, with PM Modi personally leading the charge against predecessor Indira Gandhi and iterating that the Emergency will never be imposed again.
Reminder of what happens when Constitution is trampled over: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the government’s decision to observe 25th June as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ will serve as a reminder of what happened when the Constitution of India was trampled over.
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
“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,” the Prime Minister said after Union Home Minister unveiled a gazette notification declaring June 25, the day late Prime MinisterIndira Gandhi declared the Emergency in 1975, as Samvidhan Hayta Divas.
25जून 1975 वह काला दिवस था जब तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री इंदिरा गांधी के तानाशाही मानसिकता ने हमारे संविधान में निहित लोकतंत्र की हत्या कर देश पर ‘आपातकाल’ थोपा था। केंद्र सरकार ने प्रत्येक वर्ष 25जून को ‘संविधान हत्या दिवस’ के रूप में मनाने का निर्णय लिया है।
यह दिवस हमारे सभी…
— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) July 12, 2024
