New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday passed a resolution condemning 50 years of the imposition of the Emergency by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

In a media briefing, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, observed a two-minute silence as a tribute to the victims of the excesses committed during the Emergency. The Union Cabinet paid tribute to their exemplary courage and valiant resistance to the Emergency's excesses.

“The year 2025 marks 50 years of the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, an unforgettable chapter in the history of India where the Constitution was subverted and the republic and democratic spirit of India were attacked. Federalism was undermined, and fundamental rights, human liberty, and dignity were suspended,” he said.

“The Union Cabinet reaffirmed that the people of India continue to repose unflinching faith in the Indian Constitution and the resilience of the country's democratic ethos.

It is as important for the young as it is for the old to draw inspiration from those who resisted dictatorial tendencies and stood firm to defend our Constitution and its democratic fabric. India, as the mother of democracy, stands as an example of preserving, protecting and safeguarding constitutional values. Let us as a nation renew our resolve to uphold our Constitution and its democratic and federal spirit," the minister added.

Earlier in the day, Modi called the imposition of Emergency "one of the darkest chapters in India’s history" and said the values enshrined in the Constitution were set aside as the Congress "placed democracy under arrest."