Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy condemned the events of June 25, 1975, labeling it as a dark period in India’s history. He highlighted how the Emergency during that time curtailed fundamental rights, suppressed free speech, controlled the media, and led to the unjust imprisonment of political opponents, journalists, and activists. On the anniversary of the Emergency, observed by the BJP as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas,’ Kishan Reddy honored those who bravely resisted authoritarianism to uphold democracy and the Constitution.
Reflecting on the Emergency, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, accused the Congress party of orchestrating a subversion of the Constitution in pursuit of power. He described the period as an era of undeclared dictatorship that trampled civil rights, stifled dissenting voices, and severely restricted press freedom. Kumar emphasized the need to remember and respect the sacrifices made by individuals who fought to protect democracy and advocated for the preservation of the Constitution.
N. Ramchander Rao, the Telangana BJP President, recalled the coercive sterilization practices enforced during the Emergency, where government officials were assigned quotas, and schoolteachers in states like Uttar Pradesh faced threats of salary cuts unless they promoted sterilization. Rao also mentioned instances such as the censorship of popular singer Kishore Kumar’s songs and the harassment faced by Justice Jagmohan Sinha, who ruled against Indira Gandhi, showcasing the Congress party’s authoritarian tactics during that period.
