On the occasion marking 50 years since the imposition of the Emergency, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, organized the Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas 2025 event at Delhi’s Thyagaraj Stadium today. The program was graced by the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah and Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, along with other dignitaries.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, speaking as the Chief Guest, highlighted the significance of remembering such historic episodes. He said, “While bad incidents are generally forgotten over time, those related to national and social life must be remembered perpetually to cultivate a responsible, organized, and vigilant youth ready to defend our democracy.” Shri Shah shared that this spirit inspired Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s decision to commemorate June 25 every year as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’, followed by a formal notification from the Union Home Ministry.

He further reflected on the dark days of the Emergency, when the country was turned into a virtual prison — the nation’s voice silenced, courts rendered powerless, and writers censored. Remembering these incidents, he said, “This commemoration serves as both a remembrance and a warning to future generations.”

Addressing the gathering, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasized the paramount importance of democracy. He recalled that June 25, 1975, marked a dark chapter in India’s democratic history, when the Emergency was imposed, and citizens’ fundamental rights were suspended. Shri Shekhawat stressed the necessity of commemorating this day to raise awareness among the youth, ensuring that violations of constitutional rights and democratic principles are never repeated.

In a significant moment during the event, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah also released the book ‘The Emergency Diaries – Years that Forged a Leader’, which compiles Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s experiences during the anti-Emergency movement.

The event was also attended by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Railways, and Information & Broadcasting Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chief Minister of Delhi Smt. Rekha Gupta, and several other dignitaries.

केंद्रीय संस्कृति एवं पर्यटन मंत्री श्री गजेन्द्र सिंह शेखावत जी ने दिल्ली के त्यागराज स्टेडियम में आयोजित #SamvidhaanHatyaDiwas 2025 कार्यक्रम को संबोधित करते हुए लोकतंत्र के महत्व पर प्रकाश डाला। (1/3)#लोकतंत्र_ज़िंदाबाद #LongLiveDemocracy pic.twitter.com/oSktjF6zrr
— Ministry of Culture (@MinOfCultureGoI) June 25, 2025

“आपातकाल केवल एक राजनीतिक निर्णय नहीं था, बल्कि यह संविधान और नागरिक स्वतंत्रता की खुलेआम हत्या थी।”

आज आपातकाल के 50 वर्ष पूरे होने पर दिल्ली के त्यागराज स्टेडियम में माननीय गृह एवं सहकारिता मंत्री श्री अमित शाह जी की अत्यंत गरिमामय उपस्थिति में ‘संविधान हत्या दिवस 2025’ नामक… pic.twitter.com/q4eqITxGBq
— Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (@gssjodhpur) June 25, 2025

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com

Remembrance Press Release