On the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Emergency, Union Minister and BJP President JP Nadda launched a sharp attack on the Congress Party, accusing it of still operating with the same “Emergency mindset” that led to what he called the “murder of the Constitution.”
Marking ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’ (Constitution Murder Day), observed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) every June 25, Nadda released a video message on X (formerly Twitter), recalling the imposition of the Emergency by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and its devastating impact on Indian democracy.
“India is the world’s largest democracy, but on this day 50 years ago, Congress trampled on the soul of the Constitution. The Emergency wasn’t just a political episode—it was a direct attack on democracy,” Nadda said.
He added that Congress had used the excuse of “internal unrest” to impose authoritarian rule, during which civil liberties were suspended, press freedom was muzzled, and political opponents were jailed.
“Even today, the Congress continues with the same mindset. Back then, Indira Gandhi murdered democracy; today, her party still works to subvert the Constitution,” Nadda charged.
Recalling the events leading to the Emergency, Nadda pointed to the June 12, 1975 verdict by the Allahabad High Court, where Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha found Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices and disqualified her from holding public office for six years. The ruling came in a case filed by Raj Narain, whom Gandhi had defeated in Rae Bareli.
Despite a conditional stay by the Supreme Court allowing her to remain in office but barring her from voting in Parliament, Gandhi declared a national Emergency on June 25, 1975, citing internal disturbances.
“She silenced the press, arrested opposition leaders overnight, and misused Article 352 to crush democracy,” Nadda said.
This declaration of Emergency marked the third in independent India’s history, following previous instances during the wars with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1971. However, unlike those, the 1975 Emergency was not linked to war or external aggression, but rather a political crisis.
The BJP is using the 50th anniversary to reiterate its narrative of defending democratic values, positioning the Congress as historically authoritarian. The party also paid tribute to those who resisted the Emergency, calling them heroes of democracy.
Nadda concluded by urging the people of India to “never forget the dark chapter of 1975” and to remain vigilant in safeguarding the Constitution and democratic institutions.
