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Union Home & Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah addressed a program on “Aapatkal Ke 50 Saal” (50 years of Emergency) at Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya in New Delhi, on 24 June 2025. Shri Shah stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has decided to observe June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas.’ An incident like the Emergency, which shook the very foundations of democracy, must never fade from public memory. If society forgets such events, it poses a grave threat to any democratic nation. When such historical memories begin to recede from the consciousness of the youth and adolescents, seminars like this and commemorations such as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ serve the vital purpose of reviving that memory. The event was also attended by Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation Chairman Shri Anirban Ganguly and Panchjanya’s Chief Editor Shri Hitesh Shankar, among other dignitaries.
‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’
Shri Shah stated that many people often question the relevance of discussing the Emergency imposed 50 years ago. Even when Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi decided to observe June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’, this question was repeatedly raised. However, today is the most appropriate day for such a seminar, as history tends to fade from public memory after five decades. The Emergency, which shook the very foundation of our democracy, must not be forgotten. If society begins to lose its memory of such a dark chapter, it poses a serious threat to any democratic nation. Democracy and authoritarianism are not merely about individuals; they represent two contrasting tendencies of the human mind. These tendencies are deeply embedded in human nature and may resurface time and again as challenges before society and the nation. If authoritarianism can re-emerge as a threat, then a democratic spirit becomes equally vital for the nation’s progress and welfare.
No one had the courage to speak
Shri Shah, sharing his personal account of the Emergency, said that today, many casually remark, ‘We weren’t even born then,’ but I was 11 years old at the time. Gujarat initially felt a lesser impact of the Emergency, as the Janata Party had formed the government there. However, that government was later dismissed, and within a year, Gujarat too came under the harsh grip of the Emergency. In my village, Karyakartas of the Jan Sangh, RSS volunteers, socialists, and individuals engaged in nation-building through the Sarvodaya Andolan were all branded as anti-nationals and thrown into prison. From my village alone, 184 people were packed into a blue prison van and taken to Sabarmati Jail. That scene has never left my memory and never will, for as long as I live. We revered our village elders in those days. Even today, I wonder, what was the fault of Professor Mangaldas? No one could answer that question then, and no one dared to. No one had the courage to speak, because the scene we had witnessed was nothing short of brutal and heart-wrenching.
The soul of the Constitution was crushed
Union Home Minister stated that on the morning of June 25, 1975, the sun did rise, but its light was not free. That morning, citizens draped in the blanket of fundamental rights awoke shackled in the chains of dictatorship. On that very day, the soul of the Constitution was crushed, and democratically elected governments were toppled overnight. The youth of this nation must never forget this truth. History has shown us what happens when the dictatorial instinct hidden within an individual comes to the surface. This history must be explained to the youth of our country, who did not live through it and thus cannot fully grasp its gravity. Today, those who constantly invoke the Constitution, did they witness the morning of June 25? At precisely 8 a.m. that morning, the voice of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi echoed from All India Radio: “The President has declared a state of Emergency in the country.”
The JP Movement took root
Union Home Minister emphasized that it was in Gujarat where students first raised the banner of protest, which soon spread to Bihar. The JP Movement took root, railway employees went on strike, and voices rose across the nation against Congress’s corruption. Shri Morarji Desai began a hunger strike, and the people of the country awakened. But drunk on the arrogance of the majority, Indira Gandhi’s grip on power began to falter. To save her position, she threw the entire nation into the flames of Emergency.
1,10,000 opposition political leaders were thrown into jail
During this Emergency, over 1,10,000 opposition political leaders were thrown into jail. And it wasn’t just political leaders, journalists, editors, reporters, student leaders, and social workers were all imprisoned. The legislature, the executive, the judiciary, the press, the media, the artistic community, and the common citizen all were left stunned, watching helplessly as the democratic fabric of the country was torn apart. No one knew what to do. In the blink of an eye, the entire nation had been turned into a prison. Veteran leaders like Shri Jayaprakash Narayan, Shri Morarji Desai, Chaudhary Charan Singh, the revered Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji, Shri Lal Krishna Advani Ji, Shri Nanaji Deshmukh, Shri George Fernandes, and Acharya Kripalani were locked away in dark prison cells. Even those who were members of Parliamentary committees were not spared; they too were jailed. Later, there was also a systematic attempt to topple the non-Congress governments of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
Indira Gandhi amended the Constitution
Shri Shah highlighted that during the Emergency, Indira Gandhi amended the Constitution so extensively that those changes came to be known as a “mini Constitution.” The Preamble was altered, Article 14 was amended, and even the Seventh Schedule was tampered with. Over 40 provisions were modified, and new articles and clauses were added. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment crossed all limits; it was a direct attempt to alter the very basic structure of the Constitution. The judiciary, too, was silenced. Judges considered favorable were appointed in advance, rendering the courts pliant. The manner in which various institutions and agencies were misused during that time is something this society, this nation, and its vigilant citizens can never forget. It is precisely for this reason that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has resolved that the Bharatiya Janata Party will observe ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ so that this memory remains forever etched in the nation’s consciousness.
Safeguarding the soul of the Constitution is a collective responsibility
Shri Shah stated that safeguarding the soul of the Constitution is a collective responsibility of the people of this nation. Anyone who tampers with the original spirit and structure of the Constitution must be held accountable by the public, because in a democracy, it is the people who are the ultimate authority. Today is a day of remembrance for that very principle. Tomorrow is ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’, and by observing it across the country, we can pass on these democratic values to the coming generations, our youth and adolescents. This value system will guide the nation’s conscience for the next fifty years, and this is our solemn duty.