On June 25, 1975, the lights of Indian democracy were abruptly turned off. In a chilling announcement broadcast on All India Radio, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared: “The President has proclaimed the emergency. This is nothing to panic about."

But panic there was, and for good reason. The declaration of the emergency marked the suspension of fundamental rights, the dismantling of democratic institutions, and the persecution of opposition leaders and ordinary citizens alike. As we observe 50 years of that traumatic chapter in Indian history, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words resonate deeply: “The Constitution of India was completely rejected; every part of the Constitution was torn to pieces, the country was turned into a prison, and democracy was completely suppressed."

In the 18th Lok Sabha, Modi urged the nation to take a solemn pledge, “a resolution of a vibrant democracy," so that such a tyranny never revisits our land. But remembering the Emergency is not just a political ritual; it is a civic duty. It is an obligation we owe to those who resisted, who were jailed, tortured, or silenced, and to future generations, who must know what happens when power becomes absolute.

To institutionalise this collective remembrance, the Government of India has decided to observe June 25 every year as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas.’ This symbolic day will commemorate the massive contributions of all those who endured the inhuman pains of the 1975 Emergency. The announcement underlines the national commitment to safeguarding constitutional values and ensuring that history does not repeat itself.

The events leading to June 25, 1975, had been brewing for years. After a resounding electoral victory in 1971 and a triumph in the Bangladesh Liberation War, Indira Gandhi was at the zenith of her popularity. Yet within just a few years, her political base began to erode.

The economy was reeling. High inflation, unemployment, and food........

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