Emergency

PM Modi pays tribute to JP Narayan, Nanaji Deshmukh on birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to Jayaprakash Narayan, noted freedom fighter who led the movement against Emergency, and Nanaji Deshmukh, Jana Sangh leader and social activist, on their birth anniversaries. Modi said Loknayak (people's leader), as Narayan was fondly called, dedicated his life to empowering ordinary citizens and strengthening Constitutional values. "His clarion call for Sampoorna Kranti ignited a societal movement, envisioning a nation built on equality, ethics and good governance. He inspired numerous mass movements, notably in Bihar and Gujarat, which led to a socio-political awakening across India," he said. These movements, Modi added, shook the then-Congress government at the Centre, which went on to impose Emergency and trampled over the Constitution. The prime minister posted a page from 'Prison Diary', a journal Narayan wrote during his imprisonment at the time of Emergency, in which JP, a popular short version of his name, penned his

Trump takes control of DC Police, deploys National Guard in historic move

In a first since DC's 1973 Home Rule Act, Trump invokes emergency powers to federalise policing and send troops into the capital's streets

The Conscience Network: Fighting the emergency and the US battlefront

The element of equivalence between then and now is probed delicately but bravely by this book which revisits the Emergency and the resistance to it from a new angle

No intention to remove 'socialism', 'secularism' from Preamble: Govt

The Union government has "no current plan or intention" to reconsider or remove the words 'socialism' and 'secularism' from the Preamble of the Constitution inserted during the Emergency period, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. The House was also told that the government has not "formally" initiated any legal or constitutional process to remove the two words from the Preamble of the Constitution. In a written reply, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said while there may be discussions or debates in certain public or political circles, "no formal decision or proposal has been announced by the government" regarding amendments to these terms. "The government's official stand is that there is no current plan or intention to reconsider or remove the words 'socialism' and 'secularism' from the Preamble of the Constitution. Any discussions regarding amendments to the Preamble would require thorough deliberation and broad consensus, but as of now, the government has not initiated any

Tharoor slams Emergency; Manickam asks if 'bird is becoming a parrot'

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has criticised the Emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 as a "dark chapter" in India's history and asserted that the people of the country responded clearly to the excesses of that period by voting her party out of power by a large margin. In an article published in the Malayalam daily 'Deepika' on Thursday, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) member also mentioned Indira Gandhi's son Sanjay Gandhi's notorious acts, including forced sterilisation campaigns and the merciless demolition of slums in New Delhi. Recalling the dark era of the Emergency declared between June 25, 1975, and March 21, 1977, Tharoor said Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was seen as having endorsed harsh actions. "Some may argue that the Emergency brought about a temporary order and offered brief relief from the disorder of democratic politics. However, these violations were the result of unchecked power turning into authoritarianism. Whatever order may .

Tharoor recalls Sanjay Gandhi's role in Emergency; calls it a dark era

In a Malayalam daily article, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said democracy is a precious legacy that must be nurtured, adding that today's India is very different from that of 1975

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Cabinet passes resolution to mark June 25 as 'Samvidhan Hatya Divas'

The Union Cabinet passed the resolution to observe June 25 as 'Samvidhan Hatya Divas' on the 50th anniversary of Emergency to expose the atrocities perpetrated on people, so that this 'Black Day' is not repeated, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Kiran Rijiju said here on Thursday. "India is the largest democracy in the world and it is the duty of every Indian to safeguard democracy," he said while addressing a press conference here. Rijiju took a jibe at the Congress, saying that those who "murdered" the Constitution are flaunting a copy of it. The Emergency was imposed on the night of June 25, 1975, and opposition leaders and media were throttled and curbs were placed on civil liberties, he added. Rijiju, who is on a three-day visit to Himachal Pradesh, debunked the charge of 'undeclared emergency' and said that those making this charge curse Prime Minister Narendra Modi from early morning to late night. India is the only country where people have so much liberty, he ...

No Indian will ever forget how Constitution was violated: PM on Emergency

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that no Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of the Constitution was violated during the Emergency, as he affirmed his government's commitment to strengthening constitutional principles. In a series of posts on X on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Modi said it was one of the darkest chapters in India's democratic history. The values enshrined in the Constitution were set aside, fundamental rights suspended, press freedom extinguished and a large number of political leaders, social workers, students and ordinary citizens jailed, he noted. The prime minister said, "It was as if the Congress Government in power at that time placed democracy under arrest." The Modi government had announced last year that the Emergency anniversary will be commemorated as "Samvidhan Hatya Diwas". The 42nd Amendment, which made extensive changes to the Constitution and was reversed by the Janata Party government, is a prime example o

Viral video: 67-storey Dubai Marina building catches fire, 3,820 evacuated

A massive fire in a 67-storey Dubai Marina tower forced the evacuation of 3,820 residents. No injuries were reported, but many flagged alarm failures and praised emergency responders

Trump's expanding use of emergency powers raises alarms among experts

Call it the 911 presidency. Despite insisting that the United States is rebounding from calamity under his watch, President Donald Trump is harnessing emergency powers unlike any of his predecessors. Whether it's levelling punishing tariffs, deploying troops to the border or sidelining environmental regulations, Trump has relied on rules and laws intended only for use in extraordinary circumstances like war and invasion. An analysis by The Associated Press shows that 30 of Trump's 150 executive orders have cited some kind of emergency power or authority, a rate that far outpaces his recent predecessors. The result is a redefinition of how presidents can wield power. Instead of responding to an unforeseen crisis, Trump is using emergency powers to supplant Congress' authority and advance his agenda. What's notable about Trump is the enormous scale and extent, which is greater than under any modern president, said Ilya Somin, who is representing five US businesses who sued the ...

Canadian province declares emergency over wildfires as thousands flee

The Canadian province of Manitoba has declared a state of emergency over a series of wildfires, with Prime Minister Mark Carney agreeing to send in the military to help. This is the largest evacuation Manitoba will have seen in most people's living memory, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said. He said the fires forced 17,000 people across several communities to flee. The military is being called for help here because of the sheer scale of the 17,000 folks that we move relatively quickly. I'm happy to say that Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed to the request, Kinew said. The emergency declaration helps officials to safely transport evacuees and provide shelter. The Manitoba city of Flin Flon earlier ordered all 5,000 residents to leave due to an approaching wildfire. Residents were told they should flee south with their essentials and aim to be out by midnight. It already begun sending out high-needs hospital patients. Everybody has to be out by midnight and that includes me. I'm busy

Delhi CM announces pensions for Emergency-era political prisoners

The BJP government in Delhi will provide pensions to those who were political prisoners during the Emergency and felicitate them, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday. She said this at an event held at the Delhi Secretariat to provide job letters to the kin of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims. Previous governments did not provide any relief to those who were kept in jails for months to safeguard democracy during the Emergency imposed in the country, Gupta said. "Our government has decided to provide pensions to the loktantra senanis (political prisoners). They will be felicitated and honoured by the Delhi government as many others states do," she said. The Congress government in the country imposed national emergency under the Constituional provision of Article 352, during 1975-77. Several states in the country, including those ruled by the BJP like UP and MP, provide pensions to those who were jailed during the Emergency in 1975-77. Many BJP leaders and politicians of other

Preparing for the worst: Emergency health kits every household should have

As tensions mount after Operation Sindoor, having a well-stocked emergency health kit can help families in India stay safe during disruptions, evacuations, or medical access crises

98 dead, 160 injured in roof collapse at nightclub in Dominican Republic

At least 27 people died and 160 others were injured in the Dominican capital early Tuesday when the roof collapsed at an iconic nightclub where politicians, athletes and others were attending a merengue concert, authorities said. Crews were searching for potential survivors in the rubble at the one-story Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, said Juan Manuel Mndez, director of the Centre of Emergency Operations. We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble, he said. Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi, was among the victims. Meanwhile, the injured include former Major League baseball pitcher Octavio Dotel, legislator Bray Vargas and merengue singer Rubby Prez, who was performing when the roof collapsed onto patrons, officials said. His manager, Enrique Paulino, whose shirt was spattered with blood, told reporters at the scene that the concert beg

After deadly New Delhi stampede, railways to overhaul crowd management

To mitigate the risk of another stampede, a six-month initiative has been launched to enhance passenger safety, particularly at key stations

'Healthcare revolution for India': AIIMS professor hails Blinkit ambulance

Professor Agrawal described the basic life support services provided to the patient in the ambulance before being brought to the AIIMS Trauma Centre

9 Indians killed in road accident in Saudi Arabia; MEA condoles deaths

The Indian consulate in Jeddah has assured full support to the victims' families and is coordinating with local authorities

Over 50K under evacuation orders as wildfire imperils homes north of LA

Nearly 20,000 people on Wednesday were ordered to evacuate as a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through the rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, as parched Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds and two major previous blazes continued to smolder. The Hughes Fire broke out in the late morning and within hours charred nearly 21 square km of trees and brush, sending up plumes of dark smoke near Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area about 64 km from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week. A 48 km stretch of Interstate 5, a major north-south artery, was closed as flames raced along hilltops and down into wooded canyons. Crews on the ground and in water-dropping aircraft tried to prevent the wind-driven fire from moving across the interstate and toward Castaic, where most of the 19,000 residents were ordered to evacuate. Another 15,000 people in the area were warned to prepare to leave at a moment's notice, according to t

British Sikh groups disrupt Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' screenings in UK

British Sikh groups have organised protests against Kangana Ranaut's Emergency', disrupting the film's screening at some cinemas in the UK during its opening weekend. The Sikh Press Association (PA) group stated on social media that the film is seen as anti-Sikh and the protests have resulted in cancelled screenings in Birmingham and Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands region of England. Community organisation Insight UK posted a video on its X platform showing protesters interrupting a screening of the film, directed by Ranaut who also essays the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, at a cinema in Harrow, north-west London. Pro-Khalistan extremists storm Harrow cinema and attempt to stop the screening of Emergency', states Insight UK. Earlier, Sikh PA had released a statement to register the group's protest against the movie which covers the period of Emergency in India dating back to the 1970s. UK Sikhs are protesting at cinemas (sic) across the UK regarding today's rele