External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar delivered a strongly worded speech during the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975, targeting the Gandhi family for what he described as a deliberate and undemocratic attack on India’s Constitution and civil liberties. Speaking at the inaugural session of the Mock Parliament organised by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), Jaishankar said the period should serve as a permanent reminder to never take freedom for granted.

Calling the Emergency “a dark chapter in Indian democracy”, the minister said the entire country suffered because “one family considered itself bigger than the nation.” His speech was a reflection of the BJP-led government's larger campaign this year to highlight the 50th year of the Emergency as a moment of reckoning and political education.

'Kissa Kursi Ka' and obsession with power

Jaishankar invoked the famous banned political satire ‘Kissa Kursi Ka’ to draw a parallel with the motives behind the Emergency. He said, “These three words—Kissa Kursi Ka—perfectly sum up the reason for the Emergency: power for one family at any cost.”

The remarks clearly referenced former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, whose government imposed the Emergency on June 25, 1975, after the Allahabad High Court found her guilty of electoral malpractices. The Emergency was formally signed by then-President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, leading to the suspension of civil liberties, press censorship, and mass arrests of political opponents.

The aim was to crush India’s morale

According to Jaishankar, the entire purpose of the Emergency was to break the morale of the Indian public and institutional framework. He said that “politics meant arrest,” and that even those not involved in active politics were caught in the wave of state-sponsored repression.

The mock Parliament session was symbolically staged to represent the silencing of democratic voices during the Emergency, with BJP youth members enacting roles of opposition leaders and political prisoners.

Jaishankar stated, “People should understand that this wasn’t just a political crackdown. It was a total demolition of democratic institutions. Even the judiciary and press couldn’t function freely.”

Rising corruption and dissent silenced

Speaking about the socio-political climate in the early 1970s, Jaishankar said that after the Congress party’s 1971 victory, public discontent rose due to increasing corruption, inflation, and joblessness. Agitations in states like Gujarat and Bihar, led by figures like Jayaprakash Narayan (JP), gained momentum.

Meanwhile, questions were raised about the then Prime Minister’s son, often referred to as the 'yuvraj', who was accused of unethical business activities. The Allahabad High Court verdict that found Indira Gandhi guilty of corrupt practices and misuse of official machinery became the legal trigger, but Jaishankar insists that the Emergency was already politically motivated long before that.

Indira Gandhi’s actions and post-emergency legacy

After the court ruling, Indira Gandhi suspended the Constitution, jailed thousands, and ruled with absolute authority, aided by Sanjay Gandhi, who played a major role in policy decisions during the Emergency period.

Jaishankar said, “There was no apology then, and there is no apology now. A political party’s DNA doesn’t change. The Congress has never admitted guilt for the Emergency.”

The minister indirectly attacked Rahul Gandhi, referencing how some political leaders brandish copies of the Constitution, but allegedly with “different intentions.” This appears to be in response to Congress leaders’ frequent use of the Constitution in election campaigns, accusing the Modi government of trying to alter it.

Modi government’s commemoration of 50 years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was also politically active during the Emergency era as a RSS karyakarta, has reportedly directed that all legal documents, personal testimonies, media archives, and court records from the Emergency era be digitised and preserved. The BJP has termed June 25 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’, or the day of constitutional murder.

Jaishankar echoed this directive, stating, “India must remember this day, not out of hatred, but out of awareness. The youth of this country must know that freedom, democracy, and constitutional values are not gifts—they are responsibilities.”

A broader political narrative

The BJP’s renewed emphasis on Emergency is part of a larger effort to discredit the Congress party’s legacy, especially at a time when the INDIA opposition bloc, led by the Congress, is attempting to rebuild political strength.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Congress frequently accused the BJP of attacking the Constitution, but BJP leaders like Jaishankar are flipping that narrative by reminding citizens of the Congress's own anti-democratic past.

This line of political discourse is also aimed at younger voters, most of whom were born well after the Emergency but are active on digital platforms where political history is increasingly becoming part of online debates and meme culture.

Lessons for future generations

Jaishankar concluded his speech with a strong appeal to the youth: “Never take freedom for granted. It takes only a moment of political arrogance and unchecked power to end democracy.”

He encouraged students, professionals, and political workers to read about the Emergency, visit exhibitions being organised by the BJP, and watch documentaries made by Prasar Bharati and National Film Archives.

The Emergency anniversary, especially with remarks like those from Jaishankar, continues to shape the national political narrative, painting a contrast between what the BJP calls “New India” and the authoritarian tendencies of the past.

As the political temperature rises, and with Assembly elections due in several key states, expect the memory of the Emergency to play a central role in debates over civil liberties, freedom of expression, and constitutional rights—themes that remain as relevant in 2025 as they were in 1975.

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