Sarma on Emergency: Congress murdered Constitution to cling to power
Synopsis
On Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma called the 1975 Emergency a deliberate murder of the Constitution and turned the occasion into a direct assault on Rahul Gandhi's constitutional credentials — sharpening a BJP political narrative that shows no sign of fading fifty years on.
Key Takeaways
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma observed Samvidhan Hatya Diwas on 25 June in Guwahati .
Sarma accused the Indira Gandhi -led Congress government of 'murdering the Constitution' during the 1975–77 Emergency .
He honoured Loktantra Senanis — citizens who resisted Emergency-era repression in Assam and across India.
Sarma targeted Rahul Gandhi , alleging hypocrisy on constitutional issues via posts on social media platform X .
The BJP observes 25 June annually as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas; the Congress maintains it has learnt lessons from the Emergency.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, 25 June launched a sharp political attack on the Indian National Congress, accusing the then Indira Gandhi-led government of having 'murdered the Constitution' and dismantling democratic institutions solely to retain power during the Emergency of 1975–1977. The remarks came as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) observed Samvidhan Hatya Diwas across the country.
Honouring the Loktantra Senanis
At an event in Guwahati, Chief Minister Sarma honoured Loktantra Senanis — citizens who resisted the Emergency and faced persecution for defending democratic rights. He said he had the privilege of standing alongside 'some of the brave women and men of Assam' who, together with resistors across the country, refused to yield to authoritarian rule.
'Their struggles and courage ensured that people's power prevailed over authoritarianism,' Sarma wrote in a series of posts on social media platform X, paying tribute to the Loktantra Senanis.
Direct Attack on Congress and Rahul Gandhi
Sarma also turned his fire on Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, accusing the Congress of hypocrisy on constitutional matters. 'The Constitution that Rahul Gandhi holds in his hands while making grand statements is the very same one that records how the late Indira Gandhi murdered the Constitution and the democracy of the country,' Sarma said in another post, using the hashtag #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas.
He further alleged that the Congress government of the time had converted the country into 'a jail' by curbing democratic freedoms. 'Just to cling to power, the then Congress government trampled upon the Constitution and converted the country into a jail,' he said.
What is Samvidhan Hatya Diwas
The BJP has designated 25 June as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas to mark the anniversary of the Emergency's declaration in 1975, framing it as one of the darkest chapters in independent India's democratic history. The observance has become an annual occasion for the ruling party to draw a political contrast with the Congress on questions of constitutional fidelity.
Congress's Counterstance
The Congress, for its part, has consistently defended several decisions taken during the Emergency period while maintaining that lessons have been learnt from that era. The party has not directly responded to Sarma's latest remarks. Political exchanges between the BJP and the Opposition over the Emergency's legacy show no signs of abating ahead of upcoming electoral cycles.
Point of View
Rather than the institution of Congress, signals that the BJP sees personal credibility as the sharper attack surface. What is missing from this debate, on both sides, is any serious engagement with the structural conditions — judicial overreach, press suppression, detention without trial — that made the Emergency possible, and whether those guardrails are stronger today than they were in 1975.
NationPress
26 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Samvidhan Hatya Diwas and why is it observed on 25 June?
Samvidhan Hatya Diwas is observed on 25 June to mark the anniversary of the declaration of the Emergency in 1975 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The BJP designated this day to commemorate what it describes as one of the darkest periods in independent India's democratic history, when civil liberties were suspended and political opponents were detained.
What did Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma say about the Emergency?
Sarma alleged that the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government 'murdered the Constitution' and converted the country into 'a jail' purely to retain power. He made these remarks via posts on social media platform X and at an event in Guwahati honouring Loktantra Senanis.
Who are Loktantra Senanis?
Loktantra Senanis are individuals who resisted the Emergency imposed between 1975 and 1977, often at personal cost including detention and harassment. CM Sarma honoured a group of such individuals from Assam at the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas observance on 25 June.
Why did Sarma target Rahul Gandhi specifically?
Sarma accused Rahul Gandhi of hypocrisy, arguing that the Constitution Gandhi publicly champions is the same document his party's government violated during the Emergency. The attack is part of a broader BJP effort to challenge Congress's constitutional credibility ahead of future electoral contests.
What is the Congress's position on the Emergency?
The Congress has consistently defended several decisions taken during the Emergency while acknowledging that lessons have been learnt from that period. The party has not issued a direct response to Sarma's latest remarks, even as political exchanges over the Emergency's legacy continue between the BJP and the Opposition.
