The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday is observing “Black Day” across Uttar Pradesh to mark 48 years since the Emergency was imposed in 1975 by the then Congress government led by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

While inaugurating the Ram Nath Goenka Marg in Noida on Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, “The day is very significant and Late Ram Nath Goenka played a critical role in saving the world’s largest democracy.”

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“I am honoured to inaugurate the road in Ram Nath Goenka’s name,” said the chief minister, adding, “25 June is a Black Day for Indian democracy.”

The BJP marked the 48th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government by attacking Congress, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah attributing the suspension of democracy in 1975 to “a family killing democracy”.

“The Emergency imposed for its own power interest is a symbol of the dictatorial mentality of the Congress,” he said, adding that lakhs of people were tortured.

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“On this day in 1975, a family had imposed Emergency on the country by taking away the rights of the people and killing democracy, in fear of losing power. The Emergency imposed is a symbol of the dictatorial mentality of the Congress. In those difficult times, lakhs of people struggled to revive democracy after being tortured. I heartily salute all those patriots,” Shah tweeted in Hindi.

“Emergency, imposed in 1975 by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, is, without doubt, the darkest chapter in the history of post-Independent India. Spanning 21 months, this period marks a significant turning point in the country’s democratic history. Its most disturbing aspect was the imprisonment of Opposition leaders, total suspension of civil liberties, curtailment of fundamental rights, draconian curbs on press freedom including censorship, and centralisation of power in the hands of an authoritarian and dictatorial cabal led by Indira Gandhi,” wrote BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu in his column M Venkaiah Naidu writes: Lessons from Emergency we must not forget in The Indian Express.

“Indira Gandhi challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court. Justice V R Krishna Iyer upheld the HC judgment but allowed her to continue as Prime Minister pending the resolution of her appeal. She then took the unprecedented step of imposing a state of Emergency under Article 352 (1) of the Constitution of India citing prevailing internal disturbance,” he wrote.