The final decision to impose an Emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi (File)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked Congress over the Emergency, which was declared 47 years ago, and said that the grand old party snatched the Constitutional rights of every Indian overnight for power.
On the midnight of June 25, 1975, an Emergency was declared due to the prevailing "internal disturbance". Taking to Twitter, the Home Minister saluted all the patriots who sacrificed everything to re-establish democracy and defeat the dictatorial mindset.
"On this day in 1975, the Congress snatched the Constitutional rights of every Indian overnight for power, imposed an Emergency and left the foreign rule behind in terms of brutality. I salute all the patriots who sacrificed everything to re-establish democracy and defeat the dictatorial mindset," Shah said in a tweet.
Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed the 1975 emergency as a "dark chapter" in the history of the country, which can never be forgotten and asked all Indians to take a pledge to maintain the dignity of the Constitution and institutions.
"The imposition of emergency in India 47 years ago is such a dark chapter in the history of this country, which can never be forgotten. On this day, all Indians should not only dedicate themselves to the defence of democracy but should also take a pledge to maintain the dignity of the constitution and institutions," Singh said.
Emergency was declared for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by the then Prime Minister 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.
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.