Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday, 25 June 2026 invoked the 1975 Emergency to accuse the Indian National Congress of placing power above the Constitution, marking the anniversary of one of India's most contested political episodes with a sharp broadside on social media.

Context

Posting under the hashtag #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas ('Constitution Murder Day'), CM Dhami wrote in Hindi: 'Kaangres ne hamesha satta ko Samvidhan se oopar rakha' — 'Congress always placed power above the Constitution.' He described the Emergency as the 'biggest proof of its dictatorial mindset,' alleging that opposition leaders were 'stuffed into jails' and the 'sanctity of the Constitution was torn to shreds.'

The post was published at 12:30 PM IST and accompanied by a video, amplifying its reach across the BJP's digital network on the exact calendar date of the original proclamation.

Policy Backdrop

On 25 June 1975, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi proclaimed a national Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing 'internal disturbance.' The 21-month period that followed saw the suspension of fundamental rights, censorship of the press, and the detention of prominent opposition leaders across the country.

The Emergency was revoked in January 1977 and remains one of the most debated chapters in post-independence Indian political history. Courts, civil society, and successive governments have grappled with its constitutional and democratic implications for decades.

Stakeholders and Impact

BJP leaders at the national and state level have made it a consistent practice to mark 25 June each year as a reminder of what they characterise as Congress's authoritarian legacy. The framing serves a dual purpose: honouring those who resisted the Emergency and drawing a contrast with the ruling party's self-projected image of constitutional fidelity.

For the Congress, the anniversary is perennially uncomfortable. The party has in past years offered varying responses — from acknowledging the Emergency as a mistake to defending the circumstances that led to it. Statements from Congress leadership and allied opposition parties are expected in the hours following such BJP posts.

Ordinary citizens who lived through the 1975–77 period, civil liberties advocates, and constitutional scholars are among those for whom the anniversary carries personal and academic weight beyond partisan point-scoring.

What's Next

With CM Dhami's post setting the tone early in the day, similar statements from BJP chief ministers, Union ministers, and the party's national leadership are likely to follow, collectively building a coordinated narrative around the anniversary. Congress's official response will be closely watched to see whether the party seeks to reframe the historical debate or pivots to contemporary governance critiques. The annual exchange underscores how the 1975 Emergency continues to function as live political ammunition more than five decades after it was lifted.