Three Reasons Why BJP Had To Bring 'Samvidhan Hatya Divas' Ahead Of Budget Session On July 22

June has been the month when the word ‘Samvidhan’ (Constitution) has been repeatedly used, from the streets to Parliament. Dressed in a crisp white t-shirt, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi carried a small version of it while he went to take oath as Rae Bareli MP, ending his speech with ‘Jai Samvidhan’ (Hail Constitution). Many Opposition MPs followed him.

WHY IT WAS BOUND TO COME

It wasn’t a surprise when the government brought a resolution on emergency to discuss its excesses to counter Congress’ overdo. However, what was surprising when the Narendra Modi government brought a gazette notification to declare 25 June as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Divas’ and its decision to observe it as so every year. In 1975, on this day, Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency in the country.

No doubt, it’s the government resorting to its tried and tested method — offense is the best defense — ahead of the budget session that begins on July 22.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s post on X called out Indira Gandhi — grandmother of Rahul Gandhi, who has been championing the cause of ‘Saving Constitution’ – for having a “dictatorial mindset, strangled the soul of Indian democracy”.

Friday’s surprise that the Modi government has sprung on the Congress needs to be seen in continuity.

Last month, addressing a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, President Droupadi Murmu invoked the Emergency of 1975, calling it “the biggest and darkest chapter of direct attack on the Constitution.”

The resolution apart, soon after taking charge as the Lok Sabha speaker, Om Birla in a statement said, “This House condemns the decision to impose the Emergency in 1975.” He called the decision to impose Emergency “dictatorship”.

WHY THE OFFENSIVE?

The decision to go on an offensive was bound by two reasons. Firstly, the Congress’ apparent success in managing to portray the BJP as a party that is against the Constitution that electorally cost them a state like Uttar Pradesh. “They have been successful in creating a fear psychosis among people taking the refuge in Constitution while the Congress has nothing to do with the Constitution. When Ambedkar lost by 15,000 votes, there were 74,333 ballot papers that were rejected because Congress told everyone they have to vote twice to make Ambedkar win. They have not changed their tactics of fooling even now,” said a top BJP source. Bringing a gazette notification that will remind the entire nation of the Congress legacy that has been a taboo for them to even discuss will help BJP put them on the backfoot.

Secondly, many parties like the Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal either had or still have leadership who went to jail during Emergency. It will put them in a spot to object to BJP’s initiative, leaving the Congress alone on this issue. “Lalu Ji went to jail during Emergency. After few months, Misa Bharti was born. He named her after the draconian Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). How will he object Samvidhan Hatya Divas?” asked a top BJP source on conditions of anonymity.

Even while the NDA government brought a resolution on Emergency in Parliament this time, parties like Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party supported the government. The BJP wants to exploit these faultlines every year, putting the Congress and a Constitution wielding Rahul Gandhi in discomfiture.

However, there seems to be a third reason as well why the government has brought such a notification now. It has come to realise that the millennials and Gen Z are out of sync with the atrocities perpetrated during the Emergency. They don’t know about Sanjay Gandhi’s time, mass campaign for vasectomy or incidents like arresting the entire opposition. By observing Samvidhan Hatya Divas every year, the BJP hopes to bring this to the public discourse and educate a whole new generation — some of whom may be Congress supporters – who is oblivious to this ‘dark’ phase of India.