50th anniversary of Emergency: BJP to observe ‘Constitution Murder Day’ today

New Delhi: On the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi-led government in 1975, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to observe June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Constitution Murder Day).

The party has planned extensive outreach programs at district and booth levels across the country to mark what it refers to as a "dark chapter" in India's democratic history.

According to BJP leadership, the purpose of these programs is to educate the younger generation about the consequences of the Emergency, during which fundamental rights were suspended, political opponents were jailed, and press freedom was curtailed.

Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, and party organisation officials will actively participate in events organised nationwide.

Delhi government will organise a separate exhibition at Central Park in Connaught Place to mark the occasion, focusing on the historical significance and public memory of the Emergency era.

A major commemorative event is also scheduled at Hari Garden Vatika on the Delhi-Rohtak Road. Haryana Cabinet Minister Krishan Lal Panwar will be the chief guest, joined by Captain Bhupender Singh and Veer Kumar Yadav as key speakers. They are expected to address attendees on the severe implications of the Emergency, describing it as a period that endangered constitutional values.

The program will commence at 10 a.m. and BJP workers and leaders have been given specific responsibilities to ensure its success. The party has urged people to attend in large numbers.

Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP Yuva Morcha is organising mock parliament sessions to illustrate the undemocratic nature of the Emergency and engage students and youth in a political awareness initiative. These sessions aim to simulate the parliamentary environment that was allegedly stifled during the 21-month-long Emergency period.

IANS