24.06.2025: Address by Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Maharashtra on the occasion of the Commemoration of Samvidhan Hatya Diwas and Flagging Off the Rally on the 50th Anniversary of the Imposit

Address by Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Maharashtra on the occasion of the Commemoration of Samvidhan Hatya Diwas and Flagging Off the Rally on the 50th Anniversary of the Imposition of Emergency at Darbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Mumbai at 1100 hrs, Wednesday, 25th June 2025

I touch and salute the holy feet of Bharat Mata, the Most Powerful and the Most Merciful.

ஆஜ் இத்தே உபஸ்தித் சர்வான்னா மாஜே நமஸ்கார்

Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra

Shri Eknath Shinde, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra

Shri Ajit Pawar, Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister

Shri Ashish Shelar, Hon’ble Minister of IT and Cultural Affairs

All the Emergency Satyagrahis

Heads of various Schools

Members of women’s self – help groupw

Baheno aur Bhaiyon,

Sabko Mera Namashkar !

I welcome you to this commemoration of 50 years of Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, an event being observed all over the country at the instance of our visionary Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji.

The Union Government’s decision to annually observe 25th June as Samvidhan Hatya Diwas is a tribute to all those who stood bravely against the injustices, atrocities, and suppression of the Emergency that was imposed by the then Prime Minister in 1975.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji rightly said that marking this day serves as a reminder of that dark period when the Constitution of India was trampled upon and the spirit of democracy was strangled.

As Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji has observed, this commemoration will help keep alive the eternal flame of individual freedom and inspire every citizen to safeguard democracy for future generations.

On that infamous night of 25th June 1975, I was a student doing Junior College. But I was attached to the RSS and Jan Sangh. Thanks to the help from a friend, I escaped getting arrested.

I remember the chaotic scene in the country. The entire nation was turned into a vast prison house.

Civil liberties were crushed. Newspapers were told what to publish and what not.

The Indian Express published a blank editorial page on June 28, 1975 – three days after the Emergency was declared. It was a silent but powerful protest against press censorship.

This act became an iconic symbol of resistance by the Indian press during that dark period when censorship was imposed, and the freedom of the press was severely curtailed.

Thousands of innocent citizens were jailed without trial. According to one estimate, almost 35000 people were arrested under the MISA Act and more than 75000 people were arrested under the Defence of India Act.

The Constitution was suspended; the soul of Bharat Mata was imprisoned.

It was a dark chapter – a time when a government turned against its own citizens, driven by a dictatorial mindset.

Fear gripped the political class, the intelligentsia, the business community.

But even in those trying times, the spirit of India remained unbroken.

The people of India, through their unwavering courage, resisted tyranny. When the opportunity arose in 1977, the children of Bharath Mata punished those responsible through the ballot box, restoring democracy with renewed vigour.

The Lok Sabha’s resolution, condemning the Emergency as a black chapter in our history, is a recognition of the sacrifices made by countless individuals who upheld democratic values even in the face of grave danger.

The lessons of the Emergency must never be forgotten.

It is imperative that we educate the younger generation about this period so that they understand the value of our Constitution, the price of freedom, and the importance of eternal vigilance.

I will call upon Heads of various schools and vice chancellors of various universities to incorporate a chapter on Emergency and subversion of democracy in college books.

We must inspire our youths, who are the future citizens of India – to be guardians of democracy so that no authoritarian forces can ever again trample upon the freedoms that define this great nation.

I commend the Government of India for organising this rally and this commemoration. I extend my best wishes to all the participants – may your march today echo the voices of those who fought to preserve our democracy.

Let this day serve as a beacon for the future – a constant reminder that democracy must be cherished, protected, and passed on to generations yet to come.

I congratulate the Government of Maharashtra for organizing the ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ and I take great pleasure in flagging off the Samvidhan Rally.

Dhanyavad !
Jai Hindi ! Jai Bharath ! Jai Maharashtra !!