“It Was Not the Nation’s Security, But the Chair That Was in Danger”: HM Amit Shah on 50th Anniversary of Emergency
New Delhi : Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing the “Constitution Murder Day 2025” event on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, called the imposition of Emergency on June 25, 1975, the darkest chapter in the history of Indian democracy. He said it was imposed not for national security, but to save one individual’s political power.
Shah highlighted two crucial events that occurred on June 12, 1975 — first, the Allahabad High Court nullified the election of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and second, the Janata Morcha won the Gujarat elections, ousting the Congress government there.
“I come from Gujarat,” Shah said. “On June 12, Congress lost power in Gujarat and the Janata Party formed the government. These two events panicked Indira Gandhi, and on June 25, Emergency was declared. The reason cited was a threat to national security, but the whole world knew — the nation was not in danger, her chair was.”
He said the Emergency declaration on the night of June 24, 1975, marked the beginning of a dictatorial era in India.
“Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the Constitution makers crafted the Constitution with 2,66,000 words of debate and vision. But all that was undermined with just one sentence from Indira Gandhi: ‘The President has declared Emergency.’ In that one sentence, the soul of the Constitution was killed.”
Amit Shah emphasized that history is not just about events, but also about intent and mindset. The Emergency, he said, reflected a political intention where democracy, freedom of speech, and the spirit of the Constitution were crushed under authoritarian impulses.
He also issued a message of caution to the youth:
“Let this serve as a warning for today’s generation — defending democracy is not only about the Constitution’s text but also about those citizens who keep its spirit alive.”
He urged the youth of India to stand up for democratic values and remain vigilant against any rise in authoritarian tendencies.