New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): As the Centre marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency as 'Samvidhan Hatya Divas', Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma on Wednesday said that the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi turned the entire country into a prison in order to save her power.

In a post on X, Sharma, who was the former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, said Democracy was imprisoned, the Constitution was trampled, and millions of patriots were thrown into jails on this day in 1975.

'June 25, 1975. That night, when the soul of India was crushed. Democracy was imprisoned, the Constitution was trampled, and millions of patriots were thrown into jails. In order to save her power, Indira Gandhi turned the entire country into a prison,' she said on X.

Remembering the horrors of the emergency, she said, 'This wasn't Emergency. It was tyranny. A dictatorship masked as governance. 50 years on, we remember the horrors, we honour the resistance and we vow NEVER AGAIN.'

https://x.com/sharmarekha/status/1937705455276687517

The Emergency, declared on this day in 1975, remains one of the darkest chapters in India's post-independence history. Fundamental rights were suspended, press freedoms curtailed, and democratic institutions were silenced. In 2024, the Government of India officially notified June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas to ensure that this critical period is not forgotten and the sanctity of democracy is consistently upheld.

The Union Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Delhi government, will commemorate Samvidhan Hatya today at Thyagaraj Stadium, New Delhi, marking 50 years since the imposition of Emergency in India in 1975. The solemn occasion will serve as a reminder of the importance of safeguarding democratic values and constitutional rights.

Union Minister Amit Shah will flag off the 'Long Live Democracy Yatra' by MYBharat volunteers. The Yatra will travel across the country to spread awareness about constitutional values, democratic rights, and the lessons from the Emergency. (ANI)