Annual Observance Announced to Honor Victims and Remember the Constitution’s Undermining During 1975 Emergency
The government of India has announced that June 25 will be observed annually as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas,’ which translates to ‘the day the Constitution was killed.’ This announcement, made by Home Minister Amit Shah, commemorates the imposition of the Emergency by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975. During the Emergency, many people were imprisoned, and media freedom was suppressed.
The decision aims to honor those who endured the hardships of the Emergency and to serve as a reminder of the period when the Constitution was undermined. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also emphasized that the observance of ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ will remind people of the dangers of trampling the Constitution and pay homage to those who suffered during that time.
The Congress party, however, criticized this move, accusing the BJP of engaging in hypocritical tactics for headlines. Throughout Modi’s tenure, the Congress and other opposition parties have accused the BJP of undermining the Constitution and weakening institutions like the Election Commission and the judiciary. These accusations gained traction when BJP members, including Karnataka MP Anantkumar Hegde and Meerut candidate Arun Govil, mentioned plans to amend the Constitution if the party won a significant number of seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
