Marking half a century since the imposition of Emergency in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the Congress, terming it “one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history”. He accused the then Indira Gandhi government of placing democracy “under arrest” and trampling upon the Constitution.
In a series of posts on social media platform X, the Prime Minister affirmed his government’s commitment to upholding constitutional values and lambasted the Congress for suppressing civil liberties and dismantling institutional checks during the 21-month Emergency declared on 25 June 1975.
“It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest,” Modi wrote. “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.”
He saluted those who stood firm against the authoritarianism of the day, recalling the collective resistance across ideological lines that compelled the Congress to eventually call for elections, which it “badly lost”.
“Saluting every person who stood firm in the fight against the Emergency, the Prime Minister said these were the people from all over India, from all walks of life, from diverse ideologies who worked closely with each other with one aim: to protect India’s democratic fabric and to preserve the ideals for which freedom fighters devoted their lives,” his statement read.
Also read: Amit Shah slams Congress over 1975 Emergency legacy
The Emergency, imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi citing “internal disturbances”, continued until 21 March 1977. It followed widespread public protests, judicial rebukes, and growing unrest against the Congress-led governments in several states. The immediate trigger was the Allahabad High Court verdict that declared Gandhi’s 1971 election from Rae Bareli void due to electoral malpractice.
In his remarks, Modi also condemned the controversial 42nd Constitutional Amendment passed during the Emergency, calling it “a prime example of their shenanigans”. The amendment introduced sweeping changes to centralise power in the executive and curtail judicial oversight.
“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,” he said. “The poor, marginalised and downtrodden were particularly targeted, including their dignity insulted.”
The Prime Minister added, “We also reiterate our commitment to strengthening the principles in our Constitution and working together to realise our vision of a Viksit Bharat. May we scale new heights of progress and fulfil the dreams of the poor and downtrodden.”
The government had announced last year that the date would be commemorated annually as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas (Constitution Murder Day), a symbolic declaration of the BJP’s position on the legacy of the Emergency.
Historians and critics have widely acknowledged that the Emergency period was marked by rampant misuse of state power, media censorship, forced sterilisation campaigns, arrests without trial, and a chilling of political dissent. A backlash against the period led to the ousting of Indira Gandhi in the 1977 general election, especially in northern states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The Janata Party coalition, which succeeded Congress after the polls, included the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the precursor to the current BJP. It rolled back many provisions of the 42nd Amendment through the 43rd and 44th Amendments passed in 1977 and 1978 respectively.
The Congress is yet to issue a formal response to the Prime Minister’s remarks.
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