“India Is Not Indira”: Dilip Saikia Recalls Emergency, Criticises Congress

Marking the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday organised a commemorative event titled “Emergency: A Heart-Wrenching Memory – 50 Years On”, where several individuals who had been arrested or had led protests during the period were felicitated.

BJP state president Dilip Saikia, who attended the event, strongly criticised the Congress party, terming the Emergency as one of the darkest phases in India’s democratic history.

“No one should ever forget the black days of the Emergency. Those 21 months remain etched in our nation’s memory,” Saikia said.

He accused the then Indira Gandhi-led government of imposing the Emergency merely to hold on to power after the Allahabad High Court disqualified her from Parliament.

“The declaration of Emergency was a direct outcome of the Congress government's authoritarian mindset, its reliance on family-driven politics, and its disregard for democratic principles,” he asserted.

Saikia also took a swipe at the current Congress leadership, stating that those aligned with the party today cannot claim to be defenders of democracy.

“They stand against fundamental rights and continue to promote dynastic rule. From Rahul Gandhi to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and even Gaurav Gogoi — all are carrying forward this legacy of undermining the Constitution,” he said.

Referring to Dev Kant Barooah’s infamous Emergency-era statement, “India is Indira, Indira is India,” Saikia said that as an Assamese, he feels ashamed recalling such subservient conduct.

He accused the Congress of not only subverting democracy but also attacking India’s cultural heritage during its rule. “For them, the slogan ‘Save the Constitution’ is a hollow cry. It is nothing more than a political gimmick,” Saikia added.

He also criticised the incorporation of the term “secular” into the Preamble of the Constitution during the Emergency, calling it an unnecessary and forced amendment. “There was no need to insert the word ‘secular’ forcibly into the Constitution. It was done with the intent to impose a particular ideological framework,” he said.

Addressing concerns around religious harmony, Saikia remarked, “The 22–23 crore Muslims living peacefully in India today are proof that a Hindu-majority India ensures safety and coexistence.”

He concluded by underscoring the need for fairness in governance, saying, “When it comes to state support, we must hold ourselves to stricter standards while being more generous and considerate towards others.”

The event saw participation from several BJP leaders and veterans who recounted their personal experiences from the 1975 Emergency, a period often marked by suppression of civil liberties, censorship of the press, and mass detentions under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).

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