PM Modi Marks 50 Years Since Emergency, Calls It ‘Darkest Chapter’ in Democracy

On the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the suspension of democratic values during the 1975–77 period under the Congress government. Recalling the era as a “dark chapter” in India's democratic history, Modi emphasized the need to remember how the Constitution was violated, with fundamental rights suspended, press freedom curtailed, and thousands jailed.

In a series of posts on X, the Prime Minister asserted that the Modi government remains firmly committed to upholding and strengthening constitutional values. “It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest,” he wrote. Last year, the BJP-led government declared June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas to commemorate the day the Emergency was imposed.

The Prime Minister also cited the controversial 42nd Constitutional Amendment as a symbol of authoritarian overreach, which was later repealed by the Janata Party government after Congress’s defeat in the 1977 elections.

Modi paid tribute to the countless individuals—political leaders, journalists, students, and citizens—who resisted the Emergency and defended India's democratic institutions. He hailed their sacrifice as crucial to restoring democracy and shaping the future of India.

Addressing the poor and marginalized, he said they were particularly targeted during the Emergency, with their dignity trampled upon. Reiterating his vision for Viksit Bharat (Developed India), Modi pledged to protect the Constitution and fulfill the dreams of the nation’s most vulnerable.

His remarks have rekindled a national conversation about civil liberties, political accountability, and the enduring relevance of constitutional safeguards.