Reflecting on the Dark Days: Remembering 50 Years Since the Emergency

The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other government officials marked 50 years since the imposition of Emergency in India, a period remembered as a dark chapter in Indian democracy. It was characterized by press censorship, suspension of rights, and undermining of institutions, sparking reflections on constitutional values.

The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw accused the Congress of attacking democracy during the Emergency, despite promoting constitutional values today. Highlighting press censorship and a loss of fundamental rights, he described it as the darkest period in India's republican history during an event in Delhi.

The event, 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas,' commemorated 50 years since the Emergency was declared on June 25, 1975. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also voiced their reflections, emphasizing the importance of protecting democratic rights.

Speaking to a crowd that included Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Vaishnaw shared an example of media resistance—a blank editorial by The Indian Express on June 28, 1975. He criticized the Emergency's impact on media and recounted acts of bravery that defended democracy during that time.

(With inputs from agencies.)