Emergency was a Dark Chapter for the Nation, Congress Crushed Democracy and the Constitution: Manohar Lal

TIT Correspondent
info@impressivetimes.com

New Delhi, June 25 : Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal stated that the Emergency imposed in India was a dark chapter in the country’s history. On June 25, 1975, Congress, prioritizing its hold on power, crushed democracy and the Constitution. He said that the leaders of Congress, who pretend to be the guardians of the Constitution, should also tell the public the dark truth about the Emergency.

The Union Minister was addressing a gathering on Wednesday after visiting an exhibition on the Emergency organized at Central Park, New Delhi, to mark 50 years since it was imposed. He said, “June 25, 1975, marks the darkest day in India’s democratic history – a horror the nation can never forget. Fifty years ago, Congress suspended fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution, proving that for them, power was supreme — not democracy, not the Constitution.” He added that no Indian will forget how Congress publicly violated the spirit of the Constitution.

On Constitution Betrayal Day, the Union Minister administered a pledge to those present to stand firmly in defense of democracy under all circumstances so that such tyranny is never repeated in the future.

He further said that times of crisis also present opportunities. After the Emergency was imposed, the Jana Sangh was dissolved, and a new party — the Janata Party — was formed. However, due to internal differences, the Janata Party couldn’t sustain itself, and in 1980, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was born. He praised the dedicated efforts of BJP workers in building the party. He recalled the words of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying, “The darkness will fade, the sun will rise, and the lotus will bloom.” Today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has been elected for the third time. “Now, our resolve must be that darkness never returns — the sun shall always rise, and the lotus shall keep blooming,” he said.

BJP Honored Those Who Suffered During the Emergency

The Union Power Minister also said that the 19-month-long Emergency remains a black blot on India’s democracy. It was a time when citizens had to live in hiding, businesses were shut down, farmers couldn’t work in their fields, and people were randomly imprisoned. Forced sterilizations were conducted, and many endured great suffering. During the Emergency, nearly 110,000 people were jailed, and even electricity supply was disrupted.

He explained that an Emergency can only be declared in cases of external aggression, internal disturbances, or severe financial crisis — none of which existed in India in 1975. Yet, Congress imposed it solely to retain power. He added that the Bharatiya Janata Party, after coming to power, has given due respect and recognition to those who suffered during that dark period.