The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is observing 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' (Constitution Murder Day) on 25 June 2025 across Bihar, Haryana, and several other states, marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975. The nationwide observance features rallies, honouring ceremonies, and press conferences aimed at highlighting what the party describes as the Emergency's assault on democratic institutions and civil liberties.

Key Events in Bihar

In Bihar, the party has planned programmes at approximately 90,000 booths across the state. Union Health Minister and BJP national president J.P. Nadda is scheduled to honour nearly 450 'JP fighters' and 'Democracy warriors' at Gyan Bhavan in Patna, recognising their role in the anti-Emergency movement led by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan.

At a joint press conference at the BJP's Bihar state office, party state vice-presidents and former legislators Haribhushan Thakur Bachol and Pawan Jaiswal alleged that the Emergency period saw the curtailment of citizens' fundamental rights and deliberate attempts to weaken democratic institutions in order to retain political power.

Pawan Jaiswal further announced that district-level workers' conferences would be held across all 52 organisational districts of Bihar between 30 June and 6 July. Student conferences are also planned across five administrative divisions under the joint banner of the BJP's youth and women's wings.

Haryana BJP Marks the Occasion

In Haryana, BJP leaders described the Emergency as one of the darkest chapters in India's democratic history. Addressing a press conference at the party's state headquarters, Panchkamal, Yamunanagar MLA Ghanshyam Das Arora said the Congress — which frequently invokes the Constitution — should first reflect on its own actions during the Emergency.

Arora alleged that the Congress government of the time restricted democratic freedoms, weakened institutional autonomy, and imposed sweeping curbs on freedom of expression. He further claimed that thousands of democracy activists, political workers, journalists, and social activists were imprisoned during the period, while strict censorship was enforced on the media.

According to Arora, organisations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the erstwhile Jana Sangh strongly opposed the Emergency and launched movements demanding the restoration of constitutional governance. A special programme is scheduled for 5 pm on Thursday at Atal Sabhagar at the BJP headquarters in Panchkula.

The Political Context

The BJP has consistently used the Emergency anniversary as a political touchstone against the Congress, framing it as evidence of the opposition party's authoritarian instincts. This year's observance carries added weight given the charged political climate ahead of state elections in several BJP-governed states.

Notably, the Congress has not formally responded to the BJP's characterisation of the Emergency period in the context of this year's events. Critics of the BJP's framing argue that the party selectively invokes constitutional values while critics of the Congress contend the Emergency remains an unaddressed stain on the party's democratic record.

What Comes Next

The district-level conferences in Bihar, running from 30 June to 6 July, are expected to serve as organisational exercises ahead of the next electoral cycle. The BJP's sustained annual focus on the Emergency anniversary suggests the party intends to keep the issue alive as a long-term narrative against the Congress.