Constitutional values were severely tested during Emergency, says VP Radhakrishnan

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan marked Samvidhan Hatya Diwas on Thursday, stating that constitutional values were severely tested during the 1975 Emergency. Meanwhile, the BJP held nationwide programs reflecting on the suspension of civil liberties during the 21-month period

New Delhi: Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan on Thursday marked Samvidhan Hatya Diwas by paying homage to the people who raised their voices in defence of democratic and constitutional values during the Emergency period of 1975.

This comes as India is commemorating the 51st anniversary of the Emergency declaration by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975.

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In a post on X, Vice President Radhakrishnan said, “On Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, I pay my humble tributes to all the brave souls who stood firm in defence of democratic values and safeguarded the spirit of our Constitution during one of the darkest chapters in India’s history – The Emergency declared in 1975.”

“The Emergency stands as a solemn reminder of a time when constitutional values were severely tested. Civil liberties were suspended, freedom of expression was curtailed, and institutions central to our democratic framework were undermined,” he said.

“With the Constitution as our guiding light, let us reaffirm our unwavering commitment to its ideals and continue to build an India rooted in justice, liberty, equality and fraternity,” the Vice President added.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will observe ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Constitution Murder Day) across Bihar, Haryana and several other parts of the country on Thursday to commemorate the anniversary of the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975.

As part of the nationwide observance, the party has planned a series of programmes highlighting what it describes as the impact of the Emergency on democratic institutions and civil liberties.

The 1975 Indian Emergency (25 June 1975 – 21 March 1977) was a 21-month period when the Indira Gandhi government suspended key democratic norms and civil liberties under the Constitution. It is widely regarded as one of the most controversial and authoritarian episodes in independent India’s history, often called a “dark chapter” for democracy.