India Recalls 'Dark Days of Democracy' to Mark 49 Years of Emergency | Who Said What

New Delhi: On June 25, 1975, then-Prime Minister and Congress leader Indira Gandhi declared a 21-month state of Emergency in an attempt to crack down on civil liberties. "The President has proclaimed Emergency. There is nothing to panic about, " said Gandhi during her midnight address to the nation on All India Radio soon after the Supreme Court granted a conditional stay on the Allahabad High Court verdict, declaring her election to the Lok Sabha 'null and void.'

Today marks 29 years years of those 'dark days of free India.' Remembering those days, Union Ministers and other leaders criticised Congress for harming the democracy of India.

Here's how the Prime Minister and other leaders remembered Emergency 1975:

‘Nation Was Made into Jail’: PM Narendra Modi

Paying homage to people who resisted in an emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on Congress saying that the party "subverted basic freedoms and trampled over the Constitution of India which every Indian respects greatly."

He added that after coming to power, then Congress government disregarded every democratic principle and made the nation into a jail. He added that people who were tortured and harassed if they disagreed with Congress

"Today is a day to pay homage to all those great men and women who resisted the Emergency. The #DarkDaysOfEmergency remind us of how the Congress Party subverted basic freedoms and trampled over the Constitution of India which every Indian respects greatly."

"Just to cling on to power, the then Congress Government disregarded every democratic principle and made the nation into a jail. Any person who disagreed with the Congress was tortured and harassed. Socially regressive policies were unleashed to target the weakest sections. Those who imposed the Emergency have no right to profess their love for our Constitution. These are the same people who have imposed Article 356 on innumerable occasions, got a Bill to destroy press freedom, destroyed federalism and violated every aspect of the Constitution," his post read.

 'Shattered the Spirit of our Constitution': Nirmala Sitharaman

‘Constant Reminder…’: Dr S Jaishankar

Union Minister of External Affairs, EAM Dr S Jaishankar taking to X said, "On the anniversary of the declaration of Emergency, recall the dark period for Indian democracy and the courage shown by those who resisted that challenge.  The collective response of the nation defined our generation. It will remain a constant reminder of the need to keep working to protect, preserve and fight for our democracy. #DarkDaysofEmergency."

'Long History of Killing Democracy': Amit Shah:

Recalling the time of emergency, Union Home Minster Amit Shah said, "Congress has a long history of killing democracy and repeatedly attacking it. The Emergency imposed by Congress on this day in 1975 is the biggest example of this."

"The arrogant, autocratic Congress government had suspended all kinds of civil rights in the country for 21 months for the sake of power of one family. During this period, they had imposed censorship on the media, made changes in the Constitution and tied the hands of even the court. I salute the struggle of countless satyagrahis, social workers, workers, farmers, youth and women who protested from Parliament to the streets against the Emergency. #DarkDaysOfEmergency," Shah added in his post.

'Misuse of Power': Rajnath Singh

"Exactly 49 years ago, Emergency was imposed in India by the then Congress government. Emergency is a dark chapter in the history of our country's democracy which cannot be forgotten even if one wants to. The way the misuse of power and the open game of dictatorship was played during that time, raises a big question mark on the commitment of many political parties towards democracy," said Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

"If democracy is still alive in this country today, the credit goes to those people who struggled to restore democracy, went to jail and had to undergo so much physical and mental torture. The coming generations of India will remember their struggle and their contribution in protecting democracy," the post read further.

'A Blot on  the Great Democracy': Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called Emergency 'a blot on the great democracy.'

Taking to X, he said, "'Emergency', a blot on the great democracy of India, was imposed on the country by the Congress Party on this day in the year 1975. Salute to all the pious Satyagrahis who struggled to restore democracy while enduring all kinds of inhuman tortures in that dark era! Jai Hind!"

'Tried to Trample Constitution': JP Nadda

"June 25, 1975- this is the day the Congress Party's politically driven decision to impose a state of emergency shook the very pillars of our democracy and tried to trample over the Constitution given by Dr. Ambedkar. During this period, those who today claim to be guardians of Indian democracy left no effort to suppress voices raised in defense of constitutional values," Nadda said in a post on X.

"Today, we reflect on the sacrifices made by our great heroes who bravely stood as preservers of democracy during the #DarkDaysOfEmergency. I am proud that our Party belongs to that tradition which resisted the Emergency tooth and nail and worked to protect democracy," the post read further.

Meanwhile, The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on Congress saying, "Save the constitution from Congress…#DarkDaysOfEmergency."

The saffron party shared a picture of India Gandhi's statue with the caption, "The Statue of Emergency!"