BJP slams Congress on 50th Anniversary of Emergency, marks ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas' with exhibition in Delhi

Indian Express

5 hours ago

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, imposed on June 25, 1975, by the then Indira Gandhi-led Congress government, the BJP government in Delhi commemorated the day as 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas' by inaugurating a special exhibition at Central Park in Connaught Place.
The exhibition was organised by the government's Department of Art, Culture and Language, in collaboration with the Hindi Academy.
It was inaugurated by Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Paying tribute to those who resisted the Emergency, the CM drew a parallel between the pro-democracy movement of 1975 and India's freedom struggle. She lashed out at the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's government, calling it 'cruel, dictatorial, and insensitive.'
'The 21-month period that began on June 25, 1975, saw millions jailed without cause. There was no appeal, no argument, no hearing — it was the darkest chapter in the history of Indian democracy,' she said.
Taking a dig at the Congress, she remarked: 'Those who once crushed democracy now ironically roam with the Constitution in their pockets, despite having disrespected it in the past.' She recalled the sacrifices of BJP leaders and veterans like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani, Madan Lal Khurana, and Balraj Madhok, who were imprisoned during the Emergency. 'Their stories must be remembered by future generations,' she said.
'Such dark days will never return to this country, and the people will not tolerate any dictatorial attempt,' she said, adding that both the Centre and Delhi government remain committed to upholding the Constitution and its democratic values. She also announced a year-long series of programmes to honour the 'warriors of democracy' who fought against the Emergency.
Minister of Art and Culture Kapil Mishra, whose department had curated the exhibition, said it showcases rare documents, many being displayed publicly for the first time. 'These documents expose how democracy was murdered during the Emergency,' he said.
'Overnight, the entire opposition was thrown behind bars, the courts were stripped of power, journalists were jailed, and media establishments shut down. The way India's democracy was attacked is something the country must never forget,' Mishra said. He called the exhibition 'not just a preservation of history, but a reminder of how democracy was defended through struggle and sacrifice.'