Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed all public universities and colleges in the state to observe June 25 as “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas”, marking the 50th year of the imposition of Emergency.
The Higher Education Department has asked the colleges and universities to organise awareness marches, involving students and faculty members, with placards and slogans to promote Constitutional values. Departments — particularly those of Political Science — have been instructed to hold seminars on the significance of Preamble.
They have also been asked to conduct interactive events like debates, lectures, workshops, and panel discussions with legal experts, academics, and students, focusing on topics related to democracy, civic responsibility and duties and curtailment of rights during the Emergency.
Institutions have been encouraged to conduct essay writing, poster-making, slogan contests, quizzes, and street plays themed ‘Save the Constitution,’ alongside screenings of documentaries and short films on India’s constitutional and democratic history, to ensure better participation.
The department has also made it mandatory for all participating institutions to meticulously document their activities, with photographs, attendance records, and comprehensive event reports, to be submitted by June 28.
The circular describes the Emergency as “the darkest chapter in India’s democratic history,” highlighting the suspension of civil liberties, press censorship, and mass arrests over 21 months, aiming to foster reflection and reinforce democratic values and constitutional morality among students.
