Union Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Thursday, 25 June 2026 invoked the anniversary of the 1975 Emergency on X, calling it the day Congress 'strangled India's democracy and Constitution,' and used the hashtag #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas — meaning 'Constitution Murder Day.'

Context

In his post, Dr. Singh wrote in Hindi: '25 जून की वो रात... जब कांग्रेस ने सिर्फ आपातकाल नहीं लगाया था, बल्कि भारत के लोकतंत्र और संविधान का गला घोंटा था' — translated: 'That night of June 25... when Congress did not merely impose an Emergency, but strangled the democracy and Constitution of India.' He described it as a day to remember the 'dark history of the suppression of civil rights and dictatorship.'

The post marks the 51st anniversary of the proclamation of the National Emergency, which began on the night of 25 June 1975 and lasted until 21 March 1977 — a period of 21 months.

Policy Backdrop

The 1975 Emergency was proclaimed by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed on the advice of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing 'internal disturbance.' During the period, civil liberties were suspended, opposition leaders were detained, and press censorship was imposed across the country.

The Emergency ended after Indira Gandhi called general elections in early 1977; the Indian National Congress lost power in those polls, widely seen as a public verdict against the authoritarian measures of the preceding two years. The episode remains one of the most contested chapters in post-independence Indian political history.

Stakeholders and Impact

The BJP and its ideological affiliates have, over successive years, systematically commemorated June 25 as a symbol of Congress-era democratic failure. Dr. Singh's post is consistent with this pattern, framing the anniversary as a moment of constitutional reckoning relevant to present-day citizens and voters.

Opposition parties, particularly the Indian National Congress, have historically contested such characterisations, arguing that the Emergency was a specific historical episode that has been selectively weaponised in partisan discourse. Civil society groups and constitutional scholars continue to debate the institutional safeguards that were absent or bypassed during that period.

What's Next

With the anniversary falling during an active political calendar, responses from opposition parties are expected on social media and potentially in upcoming parliamentary proceedings. The use of the hashtag #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas signals a coordinated commemorative framing that may be echoed by other BJP leaders and affiliates through the day. The debate over the Emergency's legacy continues to serve as a recurring reference point in Indian political discourse on constitutional values and democratic accountability.