Emergency was a time when fundamental essence of democracy capsized: V-P Dhankhar

Condemning the Emergency imposed during the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government in 1975, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Saturday that it was a time when all fundamental essence of democracy capsized.

June 25, 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency by the country’s first woman prime minister, Indira Gandhi. The Emergency, spanning from 1975 to 1977, was a period marked by suspension of civil liberties, censorship of press, and widespread persecution of political opponents under the leadership of Indira Gandhi.

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Interacting with participants of the 7th Batch of Rajya Sabha internship program (RSIP-7) at Vice-President Enclave, New Delhi, Dhankhar said, “Today, I am reflecting on an incident, which comes as a sad anniversary within seven days. India was in the 28th year of its independence from the British colonial regime in 1975. It was June 25, 1975, at midnight. The then-President of India, Dr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, signed, at the instance of the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — a declaration of Emergency in the nation.”

“A President cannot act on the advice of an individual, the Prime Minister. The Constitution is very categorical. There is a Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, to aid and advise the President. This was one violation. What was the result?” he said. 

Reflecting on the collapse of democratic institutions during the Emergency, the Vice-President said, “More than 100,000 citizens were put behind the bars within hours. They were dragged out of their homes, put in cells all over the country. Our Constitution ceased to exist.  Our media was held hostage. Some of the illustrious papers had blank editorials.”

Sharing a chilling account of those arrested during the Emergency, he said, “Who were these people who were suddenly  put behind the bars? Many of them became Prime Ministers of this country- Atal Bihari Vajpayee,  Morarji Desai, Chandra Shekhar. Many of them became Chief Ministers, Governors, Scientists. Many of them were of your age.”

Turning to the judiciary’s role, the Vice-President highlighted, “That was a time when the fundamental essence of democracy capsized in times of distress. People look up to the Judiciary. Nine High Courts in the country have gloriously defined that, emergency or no emergency, people have fundamental rights, and there is access to the justice system. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court overturned all nine High Courts and gave a judgment which will be the darkest in the history of any Judicial institution in the world that believes in the rule of law. The decision was that it is the will of the Executive to have Emergency for as much time as it thinks fit.”

“And secondly, during an Emergency, there are no fundamental rights. So the judgment of the Supreme Court legitimised dictatorship, authoritarianism, and despotism in this land, Bharat, the oldest and now most vibrant democracy. You, therefore, have to remember it because you were not there. I was there.”

Drawing attention to a significant development, he added, “And therefore, the present government thought very wisely, and a notification was issued on July 11, 2024. And that was for a valid reason — we were having the 75th year of our Republic. We became independent in 1947. The 75th came earlier, but we became a Republic. So, we were starting that adoption of the Indian Constitution, the 75th year, and this day was declared officially by a gazette notification on July 11, 2024 — that June 25th will be Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas.”

He said with a call to duty, “And this is to make the event a sombre reminder — that we have to be ourselves, Guardians and watchdogs of democratic values. So, I urge all of you to carefully analyze. Then you will come to know the price of democracy.”