The Congress should extend an unconditional apology to the people of India for imposing Emergency and dictatorship on a nation, the history and civilisation of which are rooted in democracy, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.
Emergency was one of the darkest periods in India’s history and the youth today should learn about how the nation was plunged into darkness and freedom was suppressed, he asserted.
The Emergency declared on June 25, 1975, by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi lasted until March 21, 1977. It was marked by widespread press censorship, arrests without trial and the stifling of dissent in academia, politics and civil society.
“The Congress Party must give an open declaration that they will not bring back Emergency to our country’, the chief minister told reporters after attending a ‘Mock Parliament’ to mark the 50th year of the imposition of emergency. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi always ‘talks about the Constitution but he must remember that it is his family and party that “murdered the spirit and soul of the Constitution,” Sarma said.
“Today we are observing ‘Black Day’ because on this day 50 years ago, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had clamped the emergency illegally and even went to the extent of suspending the Fundamental Rights of the people,” he said.
There was a resistance movement led by Lok Nayak Jay Prakash Narayan and lakhs of people came out to the street and protested against the imposition of Emergency, Sarma added. ‘If every youth of India remembers Samvidhan Hatya Diwas (Day of the Constitution’s murder), then in future no one thinking like Indira Gandhi will be encouraged nor will the darkness of Emergency cover India again,’ he said at the Mock Parliament.
Sarma said that one should not forget two facts — the Congress subverted the Constitution to latch on to power, and even 50 years later, the mindset behind Emergency is still thriving in the party.
Earlier in the day, the chief minister of the BJP-ruled state had also lashed out at the Congress, stating that those who had “strangled the Constitution are today trying to become its protector”.
“As we mark 50 years of this brutal episode, India pays tribute to the brave men and women who stood firm to uphold the Constitution during those dark times,” he said in a post on X.
“It was solely due to their courageous efforts and valiant sacrifices that the Congress party was brought to its knees — marking the end of a shameful chapter in our history,” he added.
Sarma said those who had “strangled the Constitution are today becoming its protectors”.
“25 June reminds us of the darkest chapter of Indian democracy. Never forget the dark days of the #Emergency,” he added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had last year announced that the Narendra Modi government would observe June 25 as the ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ to commemorate the “massive contributions” of those who endured “inhuman pain” during the period.
