Emergency was a dark chapter in India’s democracy, says BJP Andhra Pradesh spokesperson

Describing the imposition of Emergency on June 25, 1975, as one of the darkest chapters in India’s democratic history, BJP Andhra Pradesh official spokesperson Sadineni Yamini Sharma launched a scathing attack on the Congress party.

In a statement on Wednesday, Ms. Yamini Sharma said that  June 25, 1975, was a day when democratic principles were thrown to the wind by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who imposed Emergency in a desperate bid to cling to power after the Allahabad High Court invalidated her election as an MP. Overnight, civil liberties were suspended, thousands of political leaders and activists were jailed, and the press was gagged under brutal censorship.  More than 250 journalists were imprisoned, and over 100,000 Satyagrahis were arrested during that period.

Calling for June 25 to be observed as “Sacrifice Day”, she said, “This is not just about remembering the past, but about staying alert to ensure that such dictatorial tendencies never return. The sacrifices of youth, journalists, and opposition leaders gave India back its democracy.”

She also criticised the Nehru-Gandhi family, accusing them of continuously undermining India’s democratic fabric.