Emergency of 1975 recalled at ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ event in Doon
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 25 Jun: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in an event organised at a hotel here today to mark ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ (Constitution Murder Day) when the emergency was imposed on the country in 1975. Today, the country completes 51 years since the imposition of the emergency.
During the event, the CM honoured the democracy fighters and their families who had struggled against the imposition of the emergency. Addressing the gathering on this occasion, Dhami asserted that the Emergency imposed on 25 June 1975 was a dark chapter in the history of Indian democracy. He recalled that the then government, in order to retain power, had curtailed civil liberties, restricted press freedom and struck at the very spirit of the Constitution.
The CM said that it was due to the sacrifice, courage and struggle of democracy fighters that the democratic governance could be restored in the country. Paying tribute to them, he noted that their contribution remains a source of inspiration for present and future generations and added that their struggle to safeguard democracy will always be remembered. He emphasised that the Constitution of India guarantees every citizen freedom of expression and democratic rights, which were suppressed during the Emergency, but the vigilant people of the country responded through democratic means to ensure the restoration of democracy.
Dhami claimed that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Government has achieved new heights of development with service, the good governance and the welfare of the poor at its core. He noted that the guiding principles of Antyodaya, Nation First and the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas are ensuring that the benefits of development reach the last person in society.
The CM further asserted that the state government is continuously working for the honour and welfare of democracy fighters. In 2023, their monthly honorarium was raised from Rs 16,000 to Rs 20,000. Special identity cards have also been issued to those who were jailed during the Emergency and to their dependant spouses. He stressed that it is the collective responsibility of all to convey the contribution of democracy fighters to the younger generation and called upon everyone to uphold the spirit of protecting democracy, respecting the Constitution and placing the nation first while contributing to the making of a developed India and a prosperous Uttarakhand.
On this occasion, democracy fighters were felicitated and gratitude was expressed for their struggle and contribution. Among those who were present on the occasion were Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, Cabinet Ministers Ganesh Joshi and Khajan Das, MLAs Savita Kapoor and Umesh Sharma Kau, Vishwas Dawar, BJP state vice president Shailendra Bisht, BJP state general secretary Kundan Parihar and BJP Metropolitan president Siddharth Agarwal.
