BJP Sikkim marks 50 years of emergency, remembers ‘Dark Days’ with Samvidhan Hatya Diwas
He also pointed out that Sikkim had just merged with the Indian Union in May 1975, and within a month, it too came under the harsh effects of the Emergency.
LOCAL
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency declared in India on June 25, 1975, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sikkim unit observed Samvidhan Hatya Diwas at its City Office in Gangtok. The event was held to remember what the party describes as one of the darkest periods in Indian democracy. It served both as a day of remembrance and a call to protect democratic values for the future.
The programme was attended by key leaders of BJP Sikkim, including State Vice President Dinesh Chandra Nepal, Media Incharge Niren Bhandari, District President Pempo Dorjee Lepcha, Coordinator Sangay Pulger, along with several party executives, Mandal Presidents, and grassroots workers. The gathering reflected a deep sense of remembrance and responsibility.
In his address to the gathering, Niren Bhandari gave a strong and emotional speech. He spoke about the pain and restrictions people across the country had to face during the Emergency. He reminded everyone that it was a time when freedom of speech, the press, and even basic rights were taken away. “People were jailed, newspapers were silenced, and democracy was crushed,” Bhandari said.
He also pointed out that Sikkim had just merged with the Indian Union in May 1975, and within a month, it too came under the harsh effects of the Emergency. “Even though Sikkim was new to India at that time, the people here were not spared from the fear and control of that regime,” he said.
Bhandari paid heartfelt tributes to leaders of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh—like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, and Narendra Modi—who stood strong during those difficult times and fought to restore democracy in the country. He said their courage and commitment to India’s freedom and democratic system is something every citizen should remember and respect.
He urged all BJP members and the public to always stay alert and protect India’s democracy. “We must make sure that such dark days never return. The Constitution and the freedom it gives us must be protected at all cost,” he added.