As part of the nationwide observance of the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands marked Samvidhan Hatya Diwas with a commemorative event organised by the Department of Art and Culture at the Andaman Club in Sri Vijaya Puram on Tuesday.
The event was attended by the Lt. Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Vice Chairman of the Islands Development Agency, Admiral DK Joshi (Retd.), along with key members of the A&N Administration, including the Director General of Police, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, elected heads of local bodies, and senior officials from various departments. The gathering also saw participation from Panchayati Raj Institution representatives, reflecting broad-based administrative and civil engagement in the remembrance.
The programme opened with the National Anthem performed by the A&N Police Band, setting a formal and solemn tone. A highlight of the event was the curated exhibition titled Long Live Democracy, brought to the islands by the Ministry of Culture. The display traced the history of India’s democratic journey, underscoring the importance of participatory governance, and revisiting the 21-month period of the Emergency declared in 1975.
Visitors to the exhibition, including the Lt. Governor and accompanying dignitaries, were taken through a timeline that reflected on both the challenges and the resilience of India’s democratic institutions during one of the most controversial episodes in the country’s post-independence political history. The exhibition aimed to reinforce the message that democratic values must be defended and strengthened through continued awareness and citizen engagement.
Adding a visual and emotional dimension to the event, a short film titled Samvidhan Hatya Diwas was screened. Produced by the Ministry of Culture, the film revisited the events surrounding the Emergency, using archival footage and contemporary reflections to highlight how institutions, civil liberties, and freedoms were impacted during that time. The screening was followed by a moment of silence, prompting reflection among the audience.
A signature campaign under the theme #LongLiveDemocracy was also conducted at the venue. The campaign received enthusiastic participation from attendees, many of whom expressed their solidarity with the ideals of constitutional democracy and individual rights. Participants added their names as a public expression of commitment to democratic values and as a symbolic gesture against authoritarian tendencies.
The programme concluded with a second rendition of the National Anthem by the Police Band, bookending the event with a strong sense of national unity and institutional continuity. The overall tone of the event remained dignified and commemorative, designed to educate as much as to memorialise, and steering clear of partisan messaging.
As India reflects on half a century since one of its darkest political chapters, the observance in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands underscored the enduring relevance of civil liberties and constitutional governance. With its curated exhibitions, public outreach, and educational efforts, the event sought to ensure that the memory of the Emergency is not lost to history, but remembered as a reminder of the responsibilities that come with democracy.
