Raipur, 25 June 2025
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai today attended the Constitution Hatya Diwas program organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in the capital Raipur.
Addressing the programme, Chief Minister Shri Sai said that it is very important that our future generations should also know, understand and learn from that dark day of murder of democracy. Getting emotional while recalling the period of emergency, the Chief Minister said that that period is deeply connected to my life. This is not just an incident for me but a personal pain.
The Chief Minister said that his elder father, late Shri Narhari Prasad Sai was in jail for 19 months during the Emergency. At that time, the condition of the houses of democracy fighters was very pathetic – many times even the stove was not lit in the house. I have seen many such families myself. He said that the autocratic power had crushed the freedom of expression at that time, civil rights were snatched away. In fact, that was the dark day of democracy, whose sting our family has suffered and which I have lived through myself.
During the programme, Chief Minister Shri Sai met members of the families of democracy fighters and honoured them and presented them shawls, coconuts and mementos.
The Chief Minister said that the Chhattisgarh government is working to honour the families of democracy fighters. These families are being given an honorarium of Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 per month – this is a humble effort to salute their struggle and sacrifice.
Addressing the students and youth present in the program, the Chief Minister said that protecting the Constitution is the collective responsibility of all of us. He urged the youth to know, read and understand the history of the Emergency and how the Constitution was crushed during that period. Public awareness and active participation are essential to keep democracy alive and strong.
In his address, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Dr. Raman Singh said that the Emergency is a blot on the Constitution and democracy of India, which has been recorded in black letters in history. By imposing the Emergency, not only was the Constitution rendered inactive, but the soul of democracy was crushed by abolishing the fundamental rights.
He said that at that time the country was turned into an open prison, in which there was an atmosphere of fear and terror. More than one lakh people were imprisoned without judicial process, and were tortured. This was not just a period of political repression, but a well-planned attempt to end the democratic consciousness of India.
Dr. Singh called upon the youth to research, read and understand the Emergency and how many people sacrificed their lives to protect democracy. To keep democracy safe in the future, we will have to always be aware and vigilant.
The keynote speaker of the program and former Vice Chancellor of Kushabhau Thackeray Journalism and Mass Communication University, Shri Baldev Bhai Sharma said that 25 June 1975 was the most shameful and darkest day of Indian democracy. There is no other example in world history of the way the Constitution and democratic values were crushed on this day. Arbitrary amendments were made in the Constitution, which suppressed the self-consciousness and civil rights of the country.
On this occasion, Chief Minister Shri Sai also participated in the public awareness rally organized on the 50th anniversary of Emergency.
Chief Minister and Assembly Speaker observed the special exhibition organized on Emergency
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai and Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh visited a special exhibition based on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency organised at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium.
In this exhibition, the repressive policies during the Emergency, violation of human rights and violation of democracy were depicted through pictures and documents.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the Emergency is a black chapter in the history of Indian democracy, which should not be forgotten. Such an exhibition will prove helpful in explaining the importance of democracy and the Constitution to the new generation.
Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh also praised this initiative and said that this exhibition is a true tribute to those who fought to protect democracy.
On this occasion, Industry Minister Mr. Lakhan Lal Devangan, MLAs Mr. Purandar Mishra, Guru Khuswant Saheb, Mr. Motilal Sahu, CSIDC Chairman Mr. Rajiv Agarwal, Chhattisgarh Tourism Board Chairman Mr. Neelu Sharma, Democracy Fighters Association National Vice President Mr. Sachchidanand Upasne, State President Mr. Diwakar Tiwari, Chhattisgarh Sahitya Academy Chairman Mr. Shashank Sharma and Culture Director Mr. Vivek Acharya along with a large number of scholars, democracy fighters and students were present.
