BJP Senior Leader B.S. Yediyurappa and columnist S. Gurumurthy delivered stinging criticism of the 1975 Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, calling it one of the darkest chapters in Indian democracy. The remarks were made during a public event titled “50 Years of the 1975 Emergency – Dark Days” held at Bengaluru’s Town Hall on Tuesday.
Addressing the gathering, BJP Central Parliamentary Board member and former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa said the Emergency was a time when “the sacred Constitution was sacrificed at the altar of political power.” He described the 21-month period as a direct assault on fundamental rights, press freedom, judicial independence, and civil liberties.
“Democracy was throttled, the judiciary, legislature, and executive were all brought under authoritarian control. The Congress party, which once fought for India’s freedom, betrayed those very ideals just to remain in power,” Yediyurappa said.
He said the scars left by the Emergency still evoke outrage and warned that such a precedent should never be repeated.
Delivering the keynote address, noted columnist and economic thinker S. Gurumurthy offered a sharp critique of Congress, particularly targeting Rahul Gandhi. He questioned Rahul’s recent symbolic gestures of holding up the Constitution in Parliament:
“It’s ironic that Rahul Gandhi claims to be the protector of the Constitution when it was his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, who imposed the Emergency and subverted that very document.”
Gurumurthy labeled June 25 as “the day the Constitution was murdered,” alleging that amendments were introduced during the Emergency to legalize authoritarianism. He said the 18-month period was not just a temporary political shock but a calculated assault on constitutional democracy.
He also noted the irony that the Congress leaders responsible for the Emergency eventually returned to power and ruled for most of the following decades, “successfully erasing the bitter memories of that era from public consciousness.”
“The resistance led by leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan and countless ordinary citizens was remarkable. But the failure of subsequent governments to hold Emergency-era leaders accountable allowed Congress to stage a political comeback,” he said.
Gurumurthy recounted how Rajiv Gandhi, who later won a record 415 Lok Sabha seats, once reportedly said he would not hesitate to impose the Emergency again if needed. He also recalled a remark from that time, “The BJP is dead. Even carrying its body would need four people, but only two are present.”
The event also featured a photo exhibition showcasing the role of RSS volunteers and leaders from various opposition parties in resisting the Emergency. The audience chanted slogans condemning the suppression of rights and democracy during that period.
The evening concluded with a collective reflection on the inhuman incidents of the Emergency and a call to preserve democratic values at all costs.
