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India Holds Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas to Mark Emergency’s 50th Year

Through exhibitions, mock parliaments and public displays, the government has spotlighted Emergency-era abuses to warn against threats to constitutional rights today.

Despite a slew of restrictions during the Emergency, acts of protest, though limited, emerged. (HT ARCHIVE)
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Overview

  • The BJP-led central government designated June 25 as Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas to honour individuals who suffered under the 1975–77 Emergency.
  • Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha recalled how the Maintenance of Internal Security Act empowered authorities to detain journalists, activists and drama performers without trial.
  • Public exhibitions are presenting historical material and eyewitness testimonies that highlight press censorship, arbitrary detentions and script pre-censorship during the Emergency.
  • Editorial commentaries, including one in the Indian Express, have criticised the Congress for imposing the Emergency and accused it of hypocrisy in contesting current electoral processes.
  • Ruling and opposition figures are using the 50th-anniversary events as a platform to debate the resilience of India’s constitutional framework.