'If Atal Bihari Vajpayee Had Been PM In That Situation, He Would Have Also Imposed Emergency": Sanjay Raut On Centre's Decision To Observe Samvidhan Hatya Divas

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday defended former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for imposing the Emergency 50 years ago in 1975.

Responding to the central government's decision to observe June 25 as Samvidhan Hatya Divas in remembrance of the 1975 Emergency, Raut stated that if Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been Prime Minister in that situation, he would have also implemented the Emergency.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Raut said, "They (BJP) have no work left. It has been 50 years; people have forgotten the Emergency. Why was the Emergency imposed in this country? Some people want to spread anarchy. An open announcement was made from Ramlila Maidan, telling our jawans and army not to follow the orders of the government... In such a situation, if Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been the Prime Minister, he would have also imposed it."

"It was a matter of national security. Some people were making bombs and exploding them at various places. Balasaheb Thackeray had openly supported the Emergency at that time, and the RSS had also supported it," he added.

The Centre on July 12 announced that June 25 will be officially observed each year as "Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas" (Day of the Murder of Democracy) to remember the imposition of the Emergency declared on June 25, 1975, by then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

What Is Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas?

Home Minister Amit Shah explained the rationale behind designating June 25 as 'Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas'. "This day will honor the immense sacrifices of those who suffered during the 1975 Emergency," Shah wrote on the social media platform X.