BJP backs NCERT’s move to include ‘Emergency’ chapter in Class 9 textbook

The BJP on Thursday (June 25, 2026) supported NCERT’s decision to add a chapter on the Emergency years in the Class 9 social science textbook and said it should be remembered to ensure that the “dark page” in India’s constitutional history is never repeated.

The ruling party also attacked the Congress for declaring emergency in 1975 and alleged that it opposed the decision of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to implement the section.

These remarks come after NCERT, for the first time, introduced a chapter on Emergency in its newly developed social science textbook “Understanding Society: India and Beyond”. He describes the Emergency as “one of the greatest challenges” to democracy in India and a situation in which most fundamental rights have been suspended.

This chapter has been included in NCERT’s newly developed social science textbook.

According to BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, June 25, 1975 marked the darkest chapter of India’s democratic and constitutional journey, claiming that the Congress attacked every constitutional institution during this period.

The country was placed under a State of Emergency between 25 June 1975 and 21 March 1977 by then prime minister Indira Gandhi. “The Emergency was imposed by Indira Gandhi and the Congress out of lust for power. Every constitutional body was attacked. Parliament, legislature, judiciary and media were censored and suppressed.

“We saw how even the likes of Kishore Kumar had their voices suppressed and their songs removed from All India Radio. These were the kind of atrocities that were committed,” he said in a video statement.

Fundamental rights have been suspended, judicial review has been abolished and constitutional safeguards have been abolished, he said. NCERT’s decision to add a chapter on Emergency will help students become knowledgeable about this period so that such incidents do not reoccur again.

“Therefore, NCERT has decided to include a chapter on Emergency and educate students on the grounds that it is dangerous for democracy. Because we must remember and commemorate this dark chapter in India’s constitutional history, but we must never repeat it,” the BJP spokesperson said. he said.

Attacking Congress, he alleged that the party continues to have an “Emergency mentality” and questioned why it opposed the addition of the section. “Unfortunately, Congress declared the Emergency in 1975 and they continue to live in the Emergency mentality. They oppose them, the Congress and its ecosystem. Why do you oppose? Shouldn’t you welcome it? If you are a defender of the Constitution and not a supporter of its destruction, then you should be the first to say yes, let’s learn from the mistakes of the past. Because those who do not are doomed to repeat the same thing.”

Mr. Poonawalla said leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav were fighting against the Emergency and claimed that it was ironic that many parties associated with them were now aligned with the Congress.