Delhi BJP Remembers 'Darkest Chapter' on 50th Emergency Anniversary

Marking the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Emergency, Delhi BJP president Virendraa Sachdeva expressed strong criticism toward the Congress party, calling that period the 'darkest chapter' in India's democratic history. He announced an exhibition at Connaught Place to remind today's youth of this crucial historical episode.

In an interview with ANI, Sachdeva remarked, 'The Emergency remains the most traumatic period in our democratic journey. It is imperative that the younger generation comprehends how the Congress party eroded democracy's essence during this time. Such history is vital for understanding the fragile nature of democratic values when a ruler turns autocratic.'

Between June 1975 and March 1977, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency -- a period characterized by the repression of political dissent and severe censorship across India. Citizens were stripped of their civil liberties, mass arrests were made, and widespread media censorship ensued, leaving a lasting impact on the nation's democratic fabric.

Declared by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 due to alleged internal disturbances, this was the first Emergency invoked during peacetime, contrasting earlier wartime proclamations in 1962 and 1971.

(With inputs from agencies.)