The Delhi government commemorated the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Emergency on 25 June 1975 on Wednesday as the “Constitution Betrayal Day” with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta paying heartfelt tributes to all those who fought for the protection of democracy.
Remembering those who put up a brave resitance against the move, she said just as freedom fighters liberated the country from the British rule, they fought to keep the freedom alive during the Emergency.
On the occasion, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the Delhi CM inaugurated a special exhibition at Central Park of Connaught Place that showcased rare documents, photographs, government files, detention orders, and press clippings related to incidents from the Emergency period.
Gupta described the policies of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi’s government as cruel, dictatorial, and insensitive, stating that the Emergency that began on 25 June 1975 lasted for 21 months, during which lakhs of people were imprisoned without cause. “There was no appeal, no argument, and no hearing – it was the darkest chapter in the history of Indian democracy,” she said.
She further remarked that at present, Congress leaders walk around with copies of the Constitution in their pockets even though it was they who disrespected and violated it.
Remembering the pain and struggle of those arrested during the Emergency, Gupta mentioned the names of leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, Madan Lal Khurana, and Shri Balraj Madhok.
She assured that the dark days of the Emergency will never return as the people of India wpn’t tolerate such an authoritarian move.
She praised the democratic policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, stating that both the Central and Delhi governments today uphold the dignity of the Constitution and democracy.
On the occasion, the chief minister announced a year-long series of programs to honour the defenders of democracy from 1975 and hail them as the true sons of Mother India.
Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra said the documents on display clearly show how democracy was murdered during the Emergency. Overnight, the entire Opposition was arrested, the judiciary was crippled, journalists were jailed, and locks were placed on media institutions, Mishra added.
He added that what sets this exhibition at Delhi’s Central Park apart is that it displays documents that have never before been shown to the public. “India can never forget how democracy was crushed during the Emergency. This exhibition is not just an attempt to preserve history, but also a reminder to the nation of the hardships and sacrifices through which democracy was saved,” Mirsha added.
Cabinet ministers of the Delhi government, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, and senior officials were also present on the occasion.