June 25 a day to pay tribute to Emergency victims: PM Narendra Modi
Aditi Tandon
New Delhi, July 12
Days after President Droupadi Murmu termed the imposition of Emergency in 1975 as the darkest chapter of direct attack on the Constitution, the BJP-led NDA dispensation on Friday notified June 25 as “Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas (Constitution Murder Day)” in an evident attack on the Congress.
What the notification says
The Government of India declares June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas 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 great abuse of power in future.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the charge recalling the Emergency imposed by his late predecessor and Congress stalwart Indira Gandhi in 1975 as “the darkest chapter of Indian history”.
“The government’s decision to observe June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas will serve as a reminder of what happened 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 Indian history,” the PM said after the Union Home Minister unveiled a gazette notification declaring June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in a quick retort said India had been marking “Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas for 10 years”.
“When a BJP leader urinates on tribals in Madhya Pradesh… When every 15 minutes a major crime takes place against Dalits and every day six Dalit women are raped… When minorities are subjected to illegal bulldozer justice, is it not the murder of the Constitution?” asked Kharge.
The government move comes at a time when the Constitution has emerged as the principal symbol of political contestation between the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the incumbent BJP-led NDA regime.
“On June 25, 1975, the then PM Indira Gandhi, in a brazen display of 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 June 25 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,” Amit Shah said.
He said the decision seeks 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 Constitution was the main prop of the Opposition against the BJP in the recently held General Election with Congress leaders accusing the BJP of seeking absolute majority in the Lok Sabha to change the Constitution and scrap SC, ST and OBC quotas.
The message went deep down, BJP’s review of its below par poll performance in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra revealed. The BJP ended up below the simple majority of 272 in the Lok Sabha and had to lean on allies for government formation.
With Congress MPs recently flashing copies of the Constitution even while taking oath as Lok Sabha members, BJP’s Friday move seeks to counter the Opposition narrative. Top union ministers and BJP chief JP Nadda amplified the message on Friday with the BJP gearing up for a national outreach against the Congress on the issue of declaration of June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas.
