Democracy is not just a system of governance, but a way of life: The struggle of fighters for democracy is an inspiration for all of us – Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai addressing the Emergency Memorial Day program organised at his residential office on Thursday June 26, 2025 -Photo Credit-CG-PR

Fighters for Democracy honored on Emergency Memorial Day

Raipur: Democracy is not just a system of governance, but a way of life. The freedom we are experiencing in the atmosphere of democracy today, its price was paid by some people during the Emergency by torture, humiliation and spending time in jails. It is our duty to convey the pain and struggle of these democracy fighters to every generation. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said while addressing the Emergency Memorial Day program organised at his residential office on Thursday June 26, 2025 .

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai called for being cautious of anti-democracy forces and to keep working continuously to strengthen democracy. He said that the fighters for democracy , who fought to protect democracy were tied in chains and tortured physically and mentally. All this happened in independent India, but that inhumanity reminded of the cruelty of the British rule. The foighters for democracy who suffered unbearable hardships during the Emergency are a source of inspiration for us even today.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai (Center) and Assembly speaker Dr. Raman Singh ( Right ) releasing the Book Woh 21 Mahine (Hindi) – Photo Credit -CG-PR

Chief Minister Sai felicitated the fighters for democracy on the occasion. In the program, he also released the book ‘Woh 21 Mahine (Those 21 Months ) : Emergency’ written by Sachchidanand Upasne.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that 25 June 1975 is considered the darkest day in the democratic history of India.

During the Emergency, thousands of people were put in jails without any crime, fundamental rights were snatched away and democracy was strangled. Chief Minister Sai said that he has seen this tragedy very closely. His late elder father Shri Prasad Sai was also imprisoned for 19 months during that period. The stories narrated by him still send chills down the spine. He told how the fighters for democracy were chained and given physical and mental torture.

Chief Minister Sai felicitating the fighters for democracy on the occasion of Emergency Memorial Day program organised at his residential office on Thursday June 26, 2025 -Photo Credit-CG-PR

All this happened in independent India, but that inhumanity reminded us again of the cruelty of the British rule. He said that even the freedom of artists was snatched away during the Emergency. When playback singer Kishore Kumar refused to sing government propaganda songs, his songs were banned on All India Radio.

Chief Minister Sai said that the Chhattisgarh government had started giving honorarium to the fighters for democracy , which was stopped by the previous government. Our government not only restarted this honorarium, but also paid the outstanding amount of the last five years which was stopped by the previous government.

The Chief Minister said that now the funeral of fighters for democracy will be done with state honors and their families will be given a financial assistance of ₹ 25,000. Apart from this, by passing an Act in the Assembly, it has been ensured that no government can end this honor scheme in future.

In his address, Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh elaborated on the horrors of the Emergency and the sacrifices of the fighters for democracy . Dr. Singh said that it is the responsibility of today’s generation to convey the torture of 21 months of Emergency and the blow to democracy to every citizen of the country.

Dr. Raman Singh said that it is our good fortune that the participants of the MISA movement and their families are among us today. Terming the Emergency as unconstitutional, he said that at that time the whole country was turned into a huge prison. The pillars of democracy—the judiciary, the executive, the legislature and the media—were rendered inactive. Censorship was imposed on the press and those who spoke the truth were put in jails.

He said that the country was going through a deep economic and social crisis at that time—inflation, unemployment and corruption were at their peak. Resentment was brewing among the people and the Emergency was imposed to suppress it. He said that if democracy is alive and strong today, then the credit for this goes to those fighters who protected the Constitution and the soul of the country despite facing immense hardships.

On this occasion, Pawan Sai and Sachchidanand Upasne, National Vice President of Loktantra Senani Sangh also addressed the program.

Industry Minister Lakhanlal Devangan, MLA Motilal Sahu, CGMSC Chairman Deepak Mhaske, Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman Sanjay Srivastava, Minority Commission Chairman Amarjeet Chhabra, Raipur Development Authority Chairman Nand Kumar Sahu, State President of Loktantra Senani Sangh Diwakar Tiwari along with a large number of Loktantra Senani and their family members were present in the program.