Mann Ki Baat Warns Youth: 1975 May Return If We Doze Off
On the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a powerful and emotional message during his Mann Ki Baat broadcast. Describing it as one of the darkest periods in Indian democratic history, he accused those who imposed the Emergency of attempting to enslave the judiciary and crushing the Constitution. With his words, Modi reignited the national debate on civil liberties, political accountability, and the need for eternal vigilance to preserve democracy. His statements are more than historical remembrance—they serve as a warning for the future.
Emergency’s Bloody Chronicle: When Judges Were Pawns and Citizens Became Outlaws
During the June 2025 edition of Mann Ki Baat, PM Modi replayed a rare audio clip of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who had led India after the Emergency was lifted. The clip starkly summarized the horrors of those two years—mass arrests, suspension of civil liberties, censorship of the press, and brutal torture of dissidents. Over one lakh people were jailed, including political leaders, students, journalists, and common citizens. Modi echoed Desai’s sentiment, declaring that Emergency was not just a political event, but an attempt to “murder the Constitution” and break the backbone of Indian democracy.
PM Modi further recalled how leaders like George Fernandes were shackled, courts were crippled, and voices were silenced under laws like MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act). Yet, amidst this repression, the Indian people stood tall. “They did not bow down. They did not break,” he said. This collective resilience eventually led to the defeat of the Emergency-imposing regime in the 1977 elections.
Modi praised the strength of ordinary citizens who turned a political election into a “peaceful revolution,” as described by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The people’s movement became a historic campaign to reclaim democracy, throwing what Modi called the “killers of democracy into the dustbin of history.”
In a poetic turn, Modi connected this past vigilance to the present. As India celebrated Constitution Murder Day on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, he urged all citizens—especially the youth—to draw inspiration from the sacrifices made during that time. He emphasized that democracy is not a given; it must be protected every day.
PM Modi’s speech was not just a historical reflection—it was a national alert. At a time when democracy across the world faces subtle and overt threats, India’s Emergency stands as a reminder of how easily rights can be taken away and how hard they are to win back. As India marches ahead in the 21st century, Modi’s call is clear: “Stay vigilant. Keep democracy alive.”
