'Reminder Of When Constitution Was Trampled': PM Modi On Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas; Congress Comes Up With 'June 4' Jibe

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attacked the opposition Congress after they announced that June 25 every year will be marked as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi-led Congress government in 1975.

Taking to his official X account, PM Modi said, “To observe 25th June as #SamvidhaanHatyaDiwas will serve as a reminder of what happens when the Constitution of India was trampled over. It is also a day to pay homage to each and every person who suffered due to the excesses of the Emergency, a Congress unleashed dark phase of Indian history.”

Home Minister Amit Shah Announces ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’

The announcement for the ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ was made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Taking to X, he said, “On June 25, 1975, the then PM Indira Gandhi, in a brazen display of a dictatorial mindset, strangled the soul of our democracy by imposing the Emergency on the nation. Lakhs of people were thrown behind bars for no fault of their own, and the voice of the media was silenced.”

Shah further announced, “The Government of India has decided to observe the 25th of June every year as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas.’ This day will commemorate the massive contributions of all those who endured the inhuman pains of the 1975 Emergency.”

Top BJP Leaders Welcomes Announcement

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also put out a post on social media in a move to recognise the Centre’s announcement. He said, “In the history of Indian democracy, the circumstances that arose due to the Emergency and the kind of repressive cycle that was carried out are still fresh in the memory of the countrymen.”

“To remind us of the attempt to strangle the Constitution by imposing Emergency in India and to pay tribute to the revolutionaries who protected democratic rights, the Government of India has declared 25th June as #SamvidhaanHatyaDiwas . The contribution of those who spent time in jail and suffered torture during the Emergency can never be forgotten,” Singh added.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda also took to X and said, “25 June 1975 was the black day when the dictatorial mindset of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed ‘Emergency’ on the country by killing the democracy enshrined in our Constitution. The central government has decided to celebrate 25 June every year as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’.”

Opposition Hits Back

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacked the Centre against the announcement and called it a “headline-grabbing exercise”. He also accused PM Modi of subjecting the Constitution of India and its principles, values, and institutions to “systematic assault”.

“Yet another headline-grabbing exercise in hypocrisy by the non-biological PM who had imposed an undeclared Emergency for ten long years before the people of India handed him a decisive personal, political, and moral defeat on June 4, 2024 – which will go down in history as ModiMukti Diwas,” Ramesh wrote on X.

Congress leader Manikam Tagore also reacted to the announcement of the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas and called it a diversionary tactics. “People wont accept such kind of politics,” he added.

Samajwadi Party leader Fakhrul Hasan Chaand said, “The agencies and laws were misused in the BJP government and many leaders from the opposition were troubled. Emergency, whether declared or undeclared, is not right for democracy. It weakens the democracy. If the Congress party cannot be forgiven for the emergency in 1975, BJP cannot be forgiven for today’s situation…”

In another attack by the opposition, JMM MP Mahua Maji said, “BJP which had raised the slogan of crossing 400 could not get 400 and had to limit itself to 200…INDIA alliance got the mandate that they got because the Constitution was in danger…We should talk about what development are you (BJP) doing at present, in which direction are you taking the country, are you able to maintain communal harmony here as per the constitution or not…Now elections are going to be held in 4 states for the BJP. Before the elections, they want to mislead people.”

RJD leader Manoj Jha said, “Look who is talking?…They have destroyed the Constitution…They should keep a mirror in front of them. A few years ago Partition Horrors Remembrance Day was announced, but they are not talking about it….The people of India will not fall for your ‘jumlas’ now.”