Union Cabinet Condemns Emergency on 50th Anniversary; PM Modi Calls for Thriving Democracy

The Union Cabinet today passed a resolution unequivocally condemning the imposition of the Emergency in 1975 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, marking the 50th anniversary of the controversial period. The resolution was followed by two minutes of silence, observed in memory of those whose constitutional rights were suspended and who endured “unimaginable horrors,” as stated by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during a cabinet briefing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing his cabinet colleagues, emphasized the importance of today’s generation understanding the “perils of the Emergency” and stressed the nation’s duty to ensure a “strong and thriving democracy.”

Prime Minister Modi also took to X (formerly Twitter) on the 50th anniversary, recalling the extensive suppression of civil liberties, including the arrests of opposition leaders and activists, and widespread media censorship. He described the period as if the then-Congress government had “put democracy under arrest,” echoing the sentiment of the cabinet resolution which reaffirmed the unwavering faith of the Indian people in the Constitution and the resilience of the country’s democratic ethos.

The resolution, read out by Vaishnaw, highlighted 2025 as the 50th year of “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas,” an “unforgettable chapter in history of India where the constitution was subverted, the republic and democratic spirit of India was attacked, federalism was undermined, and fundamental rights, human liberty and dignity were suspended.” It underscored the necessity for both young and old to draw inspiration from those who resisted “dictatorial tendencies” and firmly defended the Constitution.

Further commemorating the day, a book chronicling Prime Minister Modi’s role during the Emergency, titled ‘The Emergency Diaries – Years that Forged a Leader’, was released. Published by BlueKraft, the book highlights Modi’s fight for the “ideals of democracy” and brought back “many memories from that time,” he said on X.

He also called upon individuals who recall those “dark days” or whose families suffered to share their experiences on social media, aiming to raise awareness among the youth about the “shameful time from 1975 to 1977.” Modi recalled being a young RSS pracharak during that period.

The central government had last year officially declared June 25 as “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas.” The Emergency, which lasted for 21 months from June 25, 1975, to March 21, 1977, was announced by Indira Gandhi in a broadcast on All India Radio shortly after the Supreme Court granted a conditional stay to an Allahabad High Court verdict that had declared her election to the Lok Sabha null and void.