logo
"Country's sacred Constitution was murdered 50 years ago": Assam Minister Bimal Borah

"Country's sacred Constitution was murdered 50 years ago": Assam Minister Bimal Borah

India Gazette5 hours ago

Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 25 (ANI): Commemorating 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas', Assam Minister Bimal Borah said that the country's sacred Constitution was 'murdered' 50 years ago and the rights of people were taken away.
'Our country's sacred Constitution was murdered 50 years ago... The rights of our country's people were taken away by... Remembering that day, we organised a press meet on Constitution Hatya Diwas today,' Borah told reporters on Wednesday.
Earlier today, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hit out at Congress, saying that those who themselves strangled the constitution are now posing as its protectors.
Sarma paid tribute on Wednesday to the brave men and women who stood firm in upholding the Constitution during those dark times.
'Those who themselves strangled the Constitution are now posing as its protectors. 25 June ~ A reminder of the darkest chapter in India's democracy. Never forget the dark days of the Emergency,' he said in a post on X.
'As we mark 50 years of this brutal episode, India pays tribute to the brave men and women who stood firm to uphold the Constitution during those dark times,' the Assam CM asserted, adding that it was solely due to their courageous efforts and valiant sacrifices that the Congress party was brought to its 'knees' - marking the end of a 'shameful' chapter in our history.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that young people cannot afford to forget the 'darkest period' of Indian democracy and emphasised the need to remember those responsible for undermining the Constitution and democratic values.
'...Young people cannot forget or afford not to learn about that darkest period (Emergency). Very thoughtfully, the government of the day decided that this day would be celebrated as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'. The celebration will be - that it (Emergency) will never happen again. The celebration will be about knowing about those guilty people who allowed such transgressions of humanity's rights and the spirit of the Constitution. Who they were, why they did...', he said.
Vice President Dhankhar recalled the dissenting voice of Justice HR Khanna during that time, stating, 'In the Supreme Court at the time, one judge, HR Khanna, had dissented. A leading newspaper in the US had remarked that if ever democracy returns to 'Bharat', a monument will surely be built for HR Khanna, who held his ground.'
The Indira Gandhi government had imposed the Emergency on June 25, 1975. The day is observed by the government as 'Samvidhan Hatya Divas'. (ANI)

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Exhibition marks ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'
Exhibition marks ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'

Time of India

time19 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Exhibition marks ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'

New Delhi: From photos of demolition drives, 'nasbandi (sterilisaiton)' camps, news reports, prison diaries to protests, the one-day exhibition to mark 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' showcased the Emergency period at the Thyagaraja stadium here on Wednesday. Inaugurated by home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday, the exhibition brought together by the ministry of culture not only put out the story of the Emergency era but India's struggle to fight through and come out of that period. The measures being taken by the current govt to strengthen democracy and Constitution were also part of the exhibition. A highlight of the exhibition was a curation of 15 paintings put together by artists associated with the Lalit Kala Academy. The artists, who came from different parts of the country, used art and colours to depict how the attack on fundamental rights played out after June 25, 1975, and at the same time the resilience of people who fought through it to reclaim their voice. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi A few steps away from a display showing the gazette notification of the proclamation of Emergency, one came across a painting showing a pen piercing through the heart of the Constitution caught in chains, with black blood dripping. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Labelled 'Kaala Panna (dark chapter)', the background of the painting shows people behind bars. An LED screen also displayed pictures from demolitions in Delhi during that phase and 'nasbandi' camps. Further on one came across a painting titled 'The Silenced Uprising' where a woman's lips are sewed with a red thread and the background is dark while she adorns the colour red and her eyes are bright reflecting the unrest brewing in the hearts of those who felt the impact of the Emergency and its fallout. Paintings similarly themed were displayed on the wall amid photos of protests held by political leaders. These also depicted the curbs on press freedom with one showing a microphone caged as a metaphor for how the Emergency period silenced not just the media but all those who tried to question those in power and their actions. The special exhibition on Indian Democracy was divided into three curated sections. Bharat-Mother of Democracy: Showcasing India's ancient and participative democratic traditions; Dark Days of Democracy: Chronicling the events and consequences of the 1975 Emergency; and Strengthening Democracy in India: Featuring recent democratic reforms.

India backs Brics position against strikes on Iran
India backs Brics position against strikes on Iran

Hindustan Times

time30 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

India backs Brics position against strikes on Iran

A little more than a week after disassociating itself from a statement by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) condemning Israel's attacks on Iran, India joined other members of Brics in expressing grave concern at the military strikes on Iran and the escalation of the security situation in the Middle East. People walk next to a mural with a picture of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on a street, early hours of ceasefire, in Tehran, Iran, on June 24. (Reuters) The Brics — which includes Brasil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran — issued the statement on Tuesday to say that the military strikes amounted to a violation of international law and the UN Charter. Unlike the statement issued by SCO on June 14, which directly named Israel, the Brics statement made no mention of either the US or Israel while referring to the military strikes against Iran. This made it possible for the Indian side to sign on to the statement, people familiar with the matter said. 'We express grave concern over the military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran since 13 June 2025, which constitute a violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and the subsequent escalation of the security situation in the Middle East,' the Brics statement said. The Brics member states emphasised the 'urgent need to break the cycle of violence and restore peace' amid rising tensions with unpredictable consequences for global peace and security and the world economy. 'We call on all parties to engage through existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy, with a view to de-escalating the situation and resolving their differences through peaceful means,' the statement said. Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday after 12 days of hostilities during which the US joined the Israeli military in targeting Iranian nuclear sites. Both sides have claimed victory, with Iran saying it forced the end of the war by penetrating Israeli defences with its missiles, and Israel claiming to have achieved its goal of destroying Iranian nuclear sites. The Brics statement, however, expressed 'serious concern over any attacks against peaceful nuclear installations that are carried out in violation of international law and relevant resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency'. It added: 'Nuclear safeguards, safety, and security must always be upheld, including in armed conflicts, to protect people and the environment from harm. In this context, we reiterate our support for diplomatic initiatives aimed at addressing regional challenges.' The statement called for protecting and safeguarding civilian lives and civilian infrastructure in compliance with international humanitarian law. 'Guided by the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, BRICS remains committed to promoting international peace and security and to fostering diplomacy and peaceful dialogue as the only sustainable path toward long-term stability in the region,' it said. The Brics member states also called for establishing a 'zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, in line with relevant international resolutions'. While disassociating itself from the earlier SCO statement, India had said it had communicated its overall position to other members of the grouping and it did not participate in the discussions on the statement.

Tharoor visits Russia, meets foreign minister Sergey Lavrov
Tharoor visits Russia, meets foreign minister Sergey Lavrov

Hindustan Times

time33 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Tharoor visits Russia, meets foreign minister Sergey Lavrov

New Delhi Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, currently at the centre of a row within the party, is on a private visit to Russia to promote a documentary series based on his book 'Inglorious Empire' and has had meetings with key members of the Russian leadership such as foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor during a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the Primakov Readings, in Moscow. (PTI) Tharoor is in Russia at the invitation of Russia's state-run television network RT, which produced the 10-part series based on his 2017 book, which itself was based on a speech he made at the 2015 Oxford Union debate on the theme 'Does Britain owe reparations to its former colonies?'. He arrived in Russia on June 21 and participated in the St Petersburg Economic Forum before travelling to Moscow, where he met Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the committee on international affairs of the State Duma or lower house of Parliament, on June 23. On the same day, Tharoor also met the Indian diaspora at the Indian embassy. Tharoor met foreign minister Lavrov on the margins of the Primakov Readings, an annual international meeting focused on international relations and the world economy, on June 24. On Wednesday, Tharoor met Konstantin Kosachev, chair of the foreign affairs committee of the upper house of Parliament, and members of the Malayalee diaspora in Russia. While much of the focus has been on the documentary series, set to be aired by RT sometime in the third quarter of the year, Tharoor has briefed the senior Russian officials he met on India's fight against terrorism against the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and discussed issues such as the Iran-Isreal conflict, the situation in Gaza and India-Russia relations, people familiar with the matter said. Tharoor recently played a similar role when he led one of seven all-party delegations sent by the government to 33 countries to brief interlocutors about India's new approach to fighting terrorism as exemplified by Operation Sindoor, which was launched on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack in April. The 10-part series based on Tharoor's book will cover British colonialism, its impact on India, and the way the colonialism unfolded and ended. During Tharoor's meeting with Slutsky on June 23, the two sides discussed 'pressing international issues, including ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, the crisis in Ukraine, and the recent escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan', RT said on social media. 'India is a key member of BRICS. It is essential that we begin serious discussions about developing a parliamentary dimension within BRICS in the near future,' Slutsky said. 'Good to renew my acquaintance with my Russian counterpart, Mr Slutsky, who had visited Parliament in New Delhi a few months ago with a Russian delegation. We exchanged views on regional peace, #OperationSindoor and possible avenues of future parliamentary cooperation,' Tharoor said on social media. Tharoor's visit to Russia coincided with a controversy within the Congress party triggered by his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent newspaper article on the lessons from the Indian government's global outreach on Operation Sindoor. The article was reposted on social media by the official handle of the Prime Minister's Office, drawing criticism from Congress circles. In his first response to the controversy, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, without directly referring to Tharoor, said for the party, it is 'country first', but for some individuals, it is 'Modi first'. Soon after, Tharoor appeared to respond to Kharge's comments with a social media post that said: 'Don't ask permission to fly. The wings are yours. And the sky belongs to no one…'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store