1975 Emergency anniversary: ‘Unforgettable period’, PM Modi pays homage to ‘courageous people’
1 min read 25 Jun 2023, 11:54 AM ISTMinister Narendra Modi pays homage to those who resisted the ‘dark days of emergency’ marking the 48th anniversary of The Emergency declared by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
PremiumPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid homage to those who resisted the “dark days of emergency". June 25 marks the 48th anniversary of The Emergency declared by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975. In a tweet, he said the Emergency Days remain an unforgettable period in Indian history.
“I pay homage to all those courageous people who resisted the Emergency and worked to strengthen our democratic spirit. The #DarkDaysOfEmergency remain an unforgettable period in our history, totally opposite to the values our Constitution celebrates," PM Modi tweeted.
In his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio broadcast on June 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Emergency as a "dark period" in India's history and said those who supported democracy at that time were tortured.
Union Minister Smriti Irani also tweeted a five-minute video with the hashtag #DarkDaysOfEmergency on her official Twitter handle.
“Torture, imprisonment, murder, stifling the voice of free press - 25th June 1975 symbolises all that and more. Lest you forget, what the Emergency imposed on India and Indians entailed; do watch this video & see what the Congress party is capable of! #DarkDaysOfEmergency," she said in a tweet.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also tweeted a video on the 48th anniversary of The Emergency declared by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
“The emergency declared on June 25 1975 by an insecure & authoritarian ruler will always be remembered as a crushing blow to democracy & human rights. It also puts under spotlight, a particular family's & political outfit's arrogance & lust to cling to power," Puri wrote.
The Indira Gandhi government imposed the Emergency on June 25 night, suspending civil liberties and censoring the press. The morning after a crackdown began on opposition leaders and activists with scores of them being jailed across the country. Months later the situation changed and the Emergency was lifted on March 21, 1977.
