Congress killed the world's largest democracy by imposing Emergency: Amit Shah on 46th anniversary

On June 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency across the country. Home Minister Amit Shah took to social media today (June 25, 2021) to say that the Emergency imposed to quell the voices against one family is a dark chapter in India's history

On June 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency across the country. Today (June 25, 2021) marks the 46th anniversary of emergency's declaration, that remains one of most debated and contested topic of independent India's political history. Emergency was declared for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by PM Indira Gandhi. Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution due to the prevailing "internal disturbance", the Emergency was in effect from June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977. 

Why was the Emergency declared?
The goal of the 21-month-long Emergency in the country was to control “internal disturbance”, for which the constitutional rights were suspended and freedom of speech and the press withdrawn. The order vested upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed.The final decision to impose an Emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the President, and thereafter ratified by the Cabinet and the Parliament (from July to August 1975), based on the rationale that there were imminent internal and external threats to the Indian state.The Emergency is considered to be one of the most controversial periods of independent India`s history. 

Indira Gandhi said the drastic measure was needed to safeguard the national interest. First, she said India’s security and democracy was in danger because of the movement launched by Jayaprakash Narayan. A war with Pakistan had also just concluded. Second, she was of the opinion that there was a need for rapid economic development and upliftment of the underprivileged. Third, she warned against the intervention of powers from abroad which could destabilise and weaken India. The June 12, 1975 verdict of the Allahabad High Court convicting then Indira Gandhi of electoral malpractices and debarring her from holding any elected post is considered as one of the factors, one of the final nails in the coffin, that led to the imposition of the Emergency. Narayan called for Indira and the CMs to resign and the military and police to disregard unconstitutional and immoral orders.

'A dark chapter in the history of independent India'
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday remembered June 25 of 1975 and said that the Emergency was imposed in the nation to quell the voices against one family and termed it as a dark chapter in the history of independent India. Taking to Twitter, Shah said, "Emergency imposed to quell the voices against one family is a dark chapter in the history of independent India. Salute to the sacrifice of all the countrymen who fought relentlessly for the protection of the Constitution and democracy of the country while suffering the brutal tortures of the ruthless rule for 21 months."
Blaming the selfishness and arrogance of the Congress, Shah said, "On this day in 1975, Congress killed the world's largest democracy by imposing emergency on the country in the selfishness and arrogance of power. Innumerable satyagrahis were imprisoned overnight and the press was locked. Taking away the fundamental rights of the citizens, made the Parliament and the court a mute spectator."

(with ANI inputs)