June 25 to be observed as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ to mark Emergency: Amit Shah

He also said the observance of ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ will help keep the eternal flame of individual freedom and the defence of the democracy alive in every Indian

Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday announced that June 25 every year will be observed as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Divas’ or Constitution murder day.

A gazette notification issued on Friday by the Union Home Ministry notes that Emergency was declared on June 25, 1975. (Amit Shah | Facebook)

“On June 25, 1975, the then PM Indira Gandhi, in a brazen display of a dictatorial mindset, strangled the soul of our democracy by imposing the emergency on the nation. Lakhs of people were thrown behind bars for no fault of their own, and the voice of the media was silenced,” Shah said on his X account.

“The government of India has decided to observe the 25th of June every year as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas.’ This day will commemorate the massive contributions of all those who endured the inhuman pains of the 1975 Emergency”, he added.

“The decision made by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi “is intended to honor the spirit of millions who struggled to revive democracy despite facing inexplicable persecution at the hands of an oppressive government”, he said.

“The observance of ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ will help keep the eternal flame of individual freedom and the defense of our democracy alive in every Indian, thus preventing dictatorial forces like the Congress from repeating those horrors,” he added.

Earlier, last month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) organised programmes across the country on the 49th anniversary of the Emergency.