New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): As the Centre marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that the Emergency happened due to a combination of the weaponisation of laws, subversion of judicial independence, and disregard of the rule of law.

In a post on X, Sitharaman took a dig at current Congress leaders and said that 50 years on, India remembers the atrocity.

'Emergency...happened due to a combination of the weaponisation of laws, subversion of judicial independence, and disregard of the rule of law.' For those in @INCIndia with a copy of our Constitution in their hands--50 years on, India remembers the atrocity,' she said on X.

https://x.com/nsitharaman/status/1937709892418122214

The Emergency, declared on this day in 1975, remains one of the darkest chapters in India's post-independence history. Fundamental rights were suspended, press freedoms curtailed, and democratic institutions were silenced. In 2024, the Government of India officially notified June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas to ensure that this critical period is not forgotten and the sanctity of democracy is consistently upheld.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister in a post on X, said, 'Today marks fifty years since one of the darkest chapters in India's democratic history, the imposition of the Emergency. The people of India mark this day as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. On this day, the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution were set aside, fundamental rights were suspended, press freedom was extinguished and several political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens were jailed. It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest!'

He added that no Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of our Constitution was violated, the voice of Parliament muzzled and attempts were made to control the courts, adding that the 42nd Amendment is a prime example of their shenanigans. He said that the poor, marginalised and downtrodden were particularly targeted, including having their dignity insulted.

The Union Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Delhi government, will commemorate Samvidhan Hatya on Wednesday at Thyagaraj Stadium, New Delhi. This marks 50 years since the imposition of the Emergency in India in 1975. The solemn occasion will serve as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding democratic values and constitutional rights.

The Ministry of Culture is also coordinating the launch of the 'Long Live Democracy' exhibition at 50 key locations in each State and UT, which will remain open to the public in the coming weeks.

Union Minister Amit Shah will flag off the 'Long Live Democracy Yatra' by MYBharat volunteers. The Yatra will travel across the country to spread awareness about constitutional values, democratic rights, and the lessons from the Emergency.

On 25 June 1975, then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed issued the Emergency proclamation under Article 352, citing threats from internal disturbance. The Emergency was declared in a backdrop of mounting political unrest and judicial developments that shook the legitimacy of the ruling leadership.

The decision followed a press note from the government accusing individuals of provoking the police and armed forces to defy orders. It marked the third Emergency in India's history, but the first one declared in peacetime. Earlier proclamations were during wars with China (1962) and Pakistan (1971). (ANI)