Marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Congress, describing the 21-month period as “one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history.”
In a series of posts on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said the Emergency not only violated the spirit of the Indian Constitution but also placed democracy itself “under arrest.”
Recalling the impact of that era, Prime Minister Modi said, “On this day, the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside, fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was extinguished and several political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens were jailed. It was as if the Congress government placed democracy under arrest!”
The Central Government is observing the 50th anniversary of the Emergency as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas or Constitution Kill Day to mark what it calls a betrayal of constitutional values.
The Prime Minister also criticised the Congress for trying to interfere with the judiciary during that period. He referred to the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1976, which he described as an attempt to centralise power and weaken judicial scrutiny.
“No Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of our Constitution was violated, the voice of Parliament muzzled and attempts were made to control the courts. The 42nd Amendment is a prime example of their shenanigans. The poor, marginalised and downtrodden were particularly targeted, including their dignity insulted,” PM Modi said.
Modi lauded the resilience of those who resisted the Emergency, crediting their struggle for the eventual downfall of the Congress government. “We salute all those who stood firm in the fight against the Emergency. Their collective resistance forced the Congress to call fresh elections, which they lost badly,” he said.
The electoral backlash in 1977, particularly in key northern states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, led to a landslide defeat for the Congress and the formation of India’s first non-Congress government.
Concluding his remarks, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the government's commitment to constitutional principles. “We also reiterate our commitment to strengthening the principles in our Constitution and working together to realise our vision of a Viksit Bharat,” he said.
