The Significance of June 25
The government of India has declared 25th June as “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas” to recall the emergency imposed by then honourable prime minister Indira Gandhi unconstitutionally citing the reason of internal disturbance. It was a critical period that lasted till 1977 when civil liberties of people were suppressed and democratic values were handicapped.
The 1975 Emergency: A Historical Overview
Fundamental rights of the people which are the basic rights enshrined and provided to the people by constitution were suspended and strict censorship was executed to suppress the freedom of speech and expression to maintain order and control the information that could challenge the authority of government led by then honourable prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Suppression of Civil Liberties
The 42nd amendment in the constitution made during the period of 1975 emergency brought drastic changes in the constitution that were widely criticized and opposed by public as unconstitutional. It extended the powers of government and suppressed the dissent. Thousands of journalists, activists and even leaders who opposed that unconstitutional decision were arrested without any due process followed to create an environment of fear for people to suppress their voice of hostility against government.
The 42nd Amendment: Unconstitutional Changes
Press, which is also known as the fourth pillar of democracy, were obligated to face stark restrictions curtailing their freedom of speech and expression enshrined under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian constitution. The emergency revealed outrageous abuses of power by the government, exposing a stark overreach of authority, illegal imprisonment of many activists, and undue dominance over the voice of press and media.
Impact on Journalists and Activists
Even after facing such challenges, democratic institutions showed their resilience and opposed the unjust and unconstitutional decision of the government which was demonstrated by electoral changes and mass outcry of the public in 1977. To honour those who endured those hardships and stood firmly to oppose the unconstitutional decision of the government, this day is declared as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas which in English translates to “Constitution Murder Day”.
This day is also termed as a black spot on democracy by our honourable prime minister Narendra Modi to emphasize the need to remember this day and prevent such incidents in future.
Resilience of Democratic Institutions
The Government of India has declared June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ to remember the 1975 Emergency, a critical period when democracy was severely tested. This decision, outlined by the Union Home Ministry, underscores the importance of upholding democratic values. Another commitment behind this declaration is to educate and instruct the future generation on the democratic principles and values which are crucial to safeguard against authoritarianism.
This step taken by the BJP government is pivotal to recognize the values of democracy that should be safeguarded and acts as a reminder that freedom and the spirit of democracy should be upheld in the nation.
