Emergency a dark chapter in India's history, imposed to quell voices against one family: Amit Shah

Taking to Twitter, Shah said "Emergency imposed to quell the voices against one family is a dark chapter in the history of independent India. Salute to the sacrifice of all the countrymen who fought relentlessly for the protection of the Constitution and democracy of the country while suffering the brutal tortures of the ruthless rule for 21 months."

Shah further said that on this day in 1975, in the selfishness and arrogance of power Congress killed the world's largest democracy by imposing an Emergency on the country.

"On this day in 1975, Congress killed the world's largest democracy by imposing emergency on the country in the selfishness and arrogance of power. Innumerable Satyagrahis were imprisoned overnight and the press was locked. Taking away the fundamental rights of the citizens, made the Parliament and the court a mute spectator," he added.

Emergency was declared for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution due to the prevailing "internal disturbance", the Emergency was in effect from June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.

The order vested upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed.

The final decision to impose an Emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the President, and thereafter ratified by the Cabinet and the Parliament (from July to August 1975), based on the rationale that there were imminent internal and external threats to the Indian state.

The Emergency is considered to be one of the most controversial periods of independent India's history.