Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to all those “who resisted” the Emergency on the event’s 48th anniversary, and which Mr. Modi decribed as “dark” and an “unforgettable period” in India’s history.
“I pay homage to all those courageous people who resisted the Emergency and worked to strengthen our democratic spirit. The dark days of Emergency remain an unforgettable period in our history, totally opposite to the values our Constitution celebrates,” Mr. Modi said in a tweet.
He was joined by other BJP leaders who tweeted similar sentiments and also recall that it was under a Congress government in 1975 that the democratic rights of Indians were curbed, dissent was suppressed and Opposition leaders were jailed.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleged that the imposition of the Emergency was a “selfish” power struggle and continues to remain a symbol of Congress’ “dictatorial mentality.”
“On this day in 1975, a family imposed Emergency in the country, taking away the rights of the people and killing democracy, fearing losing power from their hands,” Mr. Shah said in a tweet in Hindi.
“Imposition of Emergency for selfish power struggle is a symbol of Congress’ dictatorial mentality and an indelible taint on the party,” he said.
‘Faced many tortures’
Mr. Shah said lakhs of people struggled to revive democracy facing many tortures. “I heartily salute all those patriots,” he said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the days of Emergency were a “defining political experience” of his generation and “a lifelong lesson.”
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tweeted newspaper clippings to remind her followers about the press’ struggle against curbs on it and the freedom of speech during the Emergency.
“Media protested curbing the freedom of speech and Press freedom under the Emergency. Power hungry Congress muzzled the media, jailed the entire opposition and amended the constitution unilaterally,” she said in her tweet.
On June 25, 1975, the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government imposed Emergency, which lasted for the next 21 months, during which fundamental rights of the people were provisionally suspended and curbs were put on the press.
