Our duty is to uphold and protect the constitution and its institutions
June 25, 1975: A dark day when the soul of the constitution was betrayed
The Emergency was driven by personal ambition, not National interest
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh -
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini stated that “Samvidhan Hatya Diwas” serves as a solemn reminder that the arrogance of power and nepotism are among the biggest threats to democracy. He emphasized that the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and it is our paramount duty to uphold and protect it. Any action that undermines or violates its core principles cannot and should not be ignored.
Saini was addressing a press conference held in Karnal today to mark Samvidhan Hatya Diwas. He paid tribute to the brave heroes who stood up against dictatorship during the Emergency, noting that they endured imprisonment and torture but never surrendered their principles. "Today, I salute all those heroes who raised their voices for democracy," he added.
Saini said that the country is observing 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' to mark 50 years since the Emergency was imposed. On June 25, 1975, the soul of the Constitution was attacked when the Emergency was declared, putting our democratic values in danger. Although it was claimed that there was an internal crisis, the real reason was a personal desire to stay in power.
For the next 21 months, the country was under dictatorship. Many people who believed in democracy were put in jail and tortured. Saini said that the purpose of observing Samvidhan Hatya Diwas is to remind people especially the younger generation about the importance of democracy, and to keep everyone aware and alert about protecting our democratic system.
Haryana’s people played a key role in the struggle
He said the Emergency was not only a constitutional crisis but also an assault on the process of democracy which guarantees freedom of expression, equality and justice. It was also an attack on the ideas of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who gave the slogan “One Nation – One Constitution” and sacrificed his life for this cause. The Chief Minister said that the people of Haryana also stood strong in this struggle. Many people had sacrificed everything to protect democracy.
Hypocrisy of saving the constitution without true respect
The Chief Minister said that some people are going around holding the Constitution’s book, but this is just hypocrisy when it comes to truly protecting it. These same people claim that the Constitution, written by Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, is under threat. Yet, there was a time when their own party openly destroyed the Constitution under the cover of darkness. He added that those whose political predecessors imposed dictatorship on the country, suppressed the press, jailed leaders, and carried out forced sterilization cannot honestly claim to be defenders of the Constitution and democracy today. Before giving speeches about democracy, they should admit their mistakes, accept responsibility for harming democracy, and apologize to the nation.