Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, 17 October invoked the 1975 Emergency to draw a sharp distinction between 'Rule of Law' and 'Ruler of Law', telling law graduates at Lucknow's Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University that the dark chapter in India's constitutional history had ultimately strengthened the country's democratic foundations.

The '2047-Viksit Bharat' brief

Addressing the university's fifth convocation ceremony, Chief Minister Adityanath asked the graduating batch to treat their professional mission as a case number: '2047-Viksit Bharat', with 140 crore Indians as the petitioners. 'The opponents in this case are those who believe that this development is not possible in any case. You have to fight this case against those stubborn opponents who are not ready to hear any arguments and do not believe any evidence,' he said, in a veiled reference to the Opposition.

Adityanath mapped a constitutional timeline as the successive 'hearing dates' of this case — 15 August 1947 (Independence), 26 January 1950 (adoption of the Constitution), 25 June 1975 (imposition of Emergency), and 16 May 2024 (the Bharatiya Janata Party's return to power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi).

Emergency, Justice Khanna, and the Rule of Law

The Chief Minister recalled that the Allahabad High Court had declared the election of the 'person sitting on the country's most powerful chair' — a reference to then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — as void, and that Emergency was imposed thirteen days later as a direct response. He then cited the lone dissent of Justice H.R. Khanna during the 1975–1977 Emergency as a landmark instance of judicial courage. 'In 2017, the Supreme Court considered that dissent as correct,' he noted. 'It was the Rule of Law under which the apex court, in 2017, upheld Justice H.R. Khanna's dissent,' Adityanath added, framing the Supreme Court's eventual validation as proof that institutional integrity outlasts executive overreach.

Uttar Pradesh: From 'Rule of Mafia' to 'Rule of Law'

Drawing a parallel with his own tenure, Adityanath referenced the situation in Prayagraj before he assumed office as Chief Minister. 'There used to be a mafia; whichever land he stepped onto became his. He did not abide by law, not even the Chief Minister or Governor. Earlier, there was rule of mafia in the state; we implemented the rule of law which made it possible to bring in reforms here,' he said. He credited Prime Minister Modi with ending 'obsolete laws' and driving what he termed a 'reform express' nationally.

Advice to young lawyers: Roots, red flags, and staying updated

The Chief Minister urged the graduates to remain anchored to their origins, deploying the popular Gen Z phrase 'touch grass' — typically meaning to step away from screens — and reframing it: 'My advice to you is — try to touch the mud of your villages, try to look at your roots because the stronger your roots are, the longer will be the journey of India's democracy.' He invoked Lord Krishna's counsel to Arjun in the Bhagavad Gita as a call to become the 'main character' of their own professional stories. Adityanath also cautioned graduates against shortcuts: 'There will be moments in your career where you will be asked to manage. Remember it is a red flag as there is no shortcut to success.' He urged them to help resolve land and family disputes in rural areas, resist external pressure, and stay updated on legal developments — comparing law amendments to software updates on mobile phones.