President Droupadi Murmu, in her address to a joint sitting of Parliament on Thursday, described the Emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975 as the "biggest attack" on the Constitution, labeling it the "darkest chapter" in India's history.

Speaking after the 18th Lok Sabha was formed post-general elections, President Murmu highlighted the chaos during the Emergency period and emphasized the need to condemn any attempts to undermine democracy. She remarked, "Emergency was the biggest and darkest chapter of the direct attack on the Constitution. The entire country plunged into chaos during Emergency, but the nation was victorious against such unconstitutional powers," amidst cheers from the ruling BJP and protests from the Opposition.

Murmu stressed that any effort to tarnish democracy should be universally condemned, warning against divisive forces both within and outside the country.

The Emergency, lasting from June 1975 to March 1977, was declared by Indira Gandhi and sanctioned by then-President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing imminent internal and external threats.

President Murmu's remarks come amid a heated exchange between the BJP and the Opposition regarding the Emergency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers have frequently recalled the period's hardships, while the Congress and its allies have argued that an "undeclared Emergency" has persisted throughout the BJP-led NDA's decade-long rule.

On Wednesday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, re-elected for a second term, also referenced the Emergency, noting the suppression of democratic values and freedom of expression during that period. He observed a two-minute silence for those who lost their lives during the Emergency, leading to significant protests and sloganeering from the Opposition.