The 46th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency kicked up a political slugfest with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reminding of those "dark days" that can never be forgotten and Opposition leaders flagging "undeclared emergency" under the current dispensation.
"India remembers the Emergency as a dark period during which every institution was subverted and an atmosphere of fear was created. Not only people but also ideas and artistic freedom were held hostage to power politics.
"This is how Congress trampled over our democratic ethos. It can never be forgotten. The period from 1975 to 1977 witnessed a systematic destruction of institutions," PM Modi tweeted with the hashtag #DarkDaysOfEmergency.
The #DarkDaysOfEmergency can never be forgotten. The period from 1975 to 1977 witnessed a systematic destruction of institutions.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2021
Let us pledge to do everything possible to strengthen India’s democratic spirit, and live up to the values enshrined in our Constitution.
This is how Congress trampled over our democratic ethos. We remember all those greats who resisted the Emergency and protected Indian democracy. #DarkDaysOfEmergency https://t.co/PxQwYG5w1w
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 25, 2021
Soon ministers in the Modi government as well senior BJP leaders mounted a frontal attack on the Congress dusting off 'tales of persecution" during late Indira Gandhi's regime.
Home Minister Amit Shah said, "Congress murdered democracy on this day in 1975 for its lust and arrogance of power. Emergency was imposed to trample on voices that were raised against a family. It was a dark chapter in India's democracy."
1975 में आज ही के दिन कांग्रेस ने सत्ता के स्वार्थ व अंहकार में देश पर आपातकाल थोपकर विश्व के सबसे बड़े लोकतंत्र की हत्या कर दी। असंख्य सत्याग्रहियों को रातों रात जेल की कालकोठरी में कैदकर प्रेस पर ताले जड़ दिए। नागरिकों के मौलिक अधिकार छीनकर संसद व न्यायालय को मूकदर्शक बना दिया। pic.twitter.com/SvFmEXKYcn
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 25, 2021
BJP chief J P Nadda praised the role of Jan Sangh and RSS in fighting the Emergency. "A grateful nation remembers thousands of unsung heroes from Bharatiya Jan Sangh and RSS, who led the anti-Emergency movement from the front.' 'Emergency period was a Black Spot for the country as Democracy was murdered by Indira Gandhi for her vested political interests," he said.
BJP also raked up the controversial issue of the "forced sterilisation" during the Emergency for which Sanjay Gandhi was blamed in the past.
Ironically, Sanjay Gandhi's wife Maneka Gandhi and his son Varun Gandhi are Lok Sabha MPs from BJP.
"Congress-inflicted atrocities that India will never forget. 1.1 crore people were forcefully sterilized during the period of Emergency," the BJP Twitter handle posted.
The Prime Minister also chose the occasion to recall "the horrors of Emergency when freedom of press & freedom of expression were suppressed."
"It is a blot on our democracy," he said remembering all those greats who resisted the Emergency and protected Indian democracy.
25 जून 1975 की उस रात देश के लोकतंत्र को कुचल दिया गया था,
— BJP (@BJP4India) June 25, 2021
तानाशाही और दमन का वो मंजर जो देश ने उस समय देखा वो कभी नहीं देखा था।
आज जब हम खुली हवा में सांस ले रहे हैं, तब भी लोकतंत्र की हत्या के वो दृश्य भुलाए नहीं भूलते।#DarkDaysOfEmergency pic.twitter.com/dtv87ghY8B
AICC Communication Department Chairman Randeep Singh Surjewala hit back at the Prime Minister's Emergency remarks.
"Says a PM, who is synonymous with three “S” - Suppress, Stifle & Subjugate. A PM-who has undermined Parliament, A PM-who has disdain for Constitution, A PM-who has eroded Institutions, A PM-who has trampled Democracy, shouldn’t preach, for India is under ‘Modi-gency’ for 7 yrs," the Congress leader tweeted.
Says a PM, who is synonymous with three “S” - Suppress, Stifle & Subjugate.
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) June 25, 2021
A PM-who has undermined Parliament,
A PM-who has disdain for Constitution,
A PM-who has eroded Institutions,
A PM-who has trampled Democracy,
shouldn’t preach, for India is under ‘Modi-gency’ for 7 yrs. https://t.co/1raTpP8eLx
Swaraj India leader Prashant Bhushan said, "46 years ago, an Emergency was declared, rights suspended, media censored & 100,000 placed under detention. We thought that India would never emerge from that night. We did. Today we live under an undeclared emergency with rights institutions under siege. We will emerge from this too."
46 yrs ago, an Emergency was declared, rights suspended, media censored&100,000 placed under detention.We thought that India would never emerge from that night. We did.
— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) June 25, 2021
Today we live under an undeclared emergency with rights &institutions under siege. We will emerge from this too
Asking people to pledge to do everything possible to strengthen India’s democratic spirit, and live up to the values enshrined in the Constitution, Modi recalled "On June 25, 1975, the nation was turned into a prison. For 21 months, numerous atrocities were committed. Even in that darkness, there were also those who fought for democracy."
He asked readers to visit the NaMo App to know more.
Extending the attack for Emergency to the current Congress leadership, BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda while recalling Emergency excesses, said, "Beware its heirs who make false equivalences to dilute their stigma."
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who had joined BJP in 2015 after a long stint in Congress, said, "National Emergency was not done to thwart any attempt of political violence or sedition. It was a sheer manifestation of Gandhi's anger & her attempt to enjoy political supremacy."
#NationalEmergency was not done to thwart any attempt of political violence or sedition. It was a sheer manifestation of Gandhi's anger & her attempt to enjoy political supremacy.
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) June 25, 2021
Read my views on #Emergency in @assamtribuneoff 👇#Emergency1975HauntsIndia #DarkDaysOfEmergency pic.twitter.com/Ux1xkKRFTp
Tagging to hashtags #Emergency1975HauntsIndia and #DarkDaysOfEmergency, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said called it the darkest chapter in Azad India’s history and added "I wish Congress Party realises how our country suffered under its tyrannical regime."
On this day, India had lost it's freedom with the imposition of the Emergency, the darkest chapter in Azad India’s history. I wish Congress Party realises how our country suffered under it's tyrannical regime. #Emergency1975HauntsIndia #DarkDaysOfEmergency pic.twitter.com/C1jQgivMrL
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) June 25, 2021
Party spokesperson Sambit Patra, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and others also joined the online campaign on the issue.
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