BJP MP Anurag Thakur on 25 June 2026 marked the 51st anniversary of the 1975 Emergency by sharply condemning the Congress government that imposed it, calling the period an indelible stain on Indian democracy and expressing gratitude to all those who resisted it.

Context

Thakur's post, tagged #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas, recalled how 'कांग्रेस की दमनकारी नीतियों' ('Congress's repressive policies') and what he described as a dynastic hunger for power led to the suspension of fundamental rights on the night of 25 June 1975. He wrote that 'lakhs of innocent people were stuffed into jails overnight, the press was locked up, and the freedom of expression and fundamental rights of citizens were snatched away.' He further alleged that 'the ego of one family, one individual was placed above the nation's interest.'

Thakur concluded by dedicating his 'gratitude to all guardians of democracy who raised their voice against the Emergency and vocally opposed Congress's repressive policies even while enduring torture.'

Policy Backdrop

The Emergency of 1975–77 was declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing 'internal disturbance.' It lasted 21 months, from 25 June 1975 to 21 March 1977, during which fundamental rights were curtailed, elections were postponed, and thousands of political workers, journalists, and activists were detained — many under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).

Opposition leader Jayaprakash Narayan, who had spearheaded the nationwide agitation against the government, was among the prominent figures imprisoned. Press censorship was enforced, silencing independent reportage for the duration of the Emergency.

Stakeholders and Impact

The BJP has since 2014 institutionalised the annual remembrance of the Emergency under the banner 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' — literally, 'Constitution Murder Day' — using the occasion to highlight what it characterises as Congress's authoritarian legacy and to contrast it with its own constitutional commitments. The observance is marked each year across BJP platforms, in Parliament, and on social media.

For journalists, civil society activists, and political prisoners of that era, the anniversary serves as a reference point in ongoing debates about press freedom, preventive detention laws, and constitutional safeguards. Opposition leaders from the Congress have historically defended the Emergency as a necessary response to political instability, a position the BJP contests annually.

What's Next

The #SamvidhanHatyaDiwas hashtag is expected to trend across BJP-aligned social media through the day, with similar statements anticipated from senior party leaders and Union Ministers. Parliamentary sessions that follow the anniversary often see references to Emergency-era legislation in debates around civil liberties and constitutional rights. The BJP's consistent framing of 25 June as a day of democratic reckoning signals that the Emergency will remain a live political fault line in its contest with the Congress.