New Delhi: On the 50th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency in India, the Union cabinet passed a resolution on Wednesday to commemorate and honour the “sacrifices of countless individuals who valiantly resisted the Emergency and its attempt at subversion of the spirit of Indian Constitution.”
The Union cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, observed a two-minute silence and paid tribute to the exemplary courage and valiant resistance of ordinary citizens who stood up to the Emergency’s excesses, whose constitutionally guaranteed democratic rights were taken away and were then subjected to ‘unimaginable horrors’.
“The year 2025 marks 50 years of the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas — an unforgettable chapter in the history of India where the Constitution was subverted, the Republic and democratic spirit of India was attacked, federalism was undermined, and fundamental rights, human liberty and dignity were suspended,” the resolution said.
“The Union Cabinet reaffirmed that the people of India continue to repose unflinching faith in the Indian Constitution and the resilience of the country’s democratic ethos. It is as important for the young as it is for the old to draw inspiration from those who resisted dictatorial tendencies and stood firm to defend our Constitution and its democratic fabric,” it added.
Referring to India as the ‘Mother of Democracy’, the resolution noted that the nation stands as an example of “preserving, protecting and safeguarding constitutional values.”
In a series of posts on X, Modi asked people to share their memories of the Emergency on social media.
Then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency across the country on 25th June, 1975, citing internal and external threats to the country.
President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed officially issued the order, under Article 352 of the Constitution because of a prevailing ‘Internal Disturbance’.
The order bestowed upon Indira the authority to rule by decree. The tumultuous 21-month Emergency period ended on 21st March, 1977.
