Emergency was mistake for 18 months, but no time limit on ongoing 'undeclared emergency': Abhishek Manu Singhvi in RS

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Monday described the 1975 Emergency as “a mistake that lasted for 18 months”, but noted that there is no time limit for the “undeclared emergency” that the country has been facing currently.

“The Emergency in 1975 lasted 18 months but people eventually reposed faith in the leadership of Indira Gandhi. That Emergency was a distortion, even though the provision was there in the constitution. There were faults, but it ended. What is the time limit for this undeclared emergency which is there right now? What is the constitution safeguard to end it, there is nothing, zero," Singhvi said.

The veteran leader’s response in the Rajya Sabha came as a counter to BJP and some of its allies, who flagged the Emergency as the biggest blot on the Indian Constitution. He was among a number of opposition leaders who cornered the government for undermining the country’s federal structure and misusing the investigative agencies.

Participating in a debate on the 75 years of glorious journey of the Constitution, Singhvi said, "Speaking for the emergency, there were mistakes committed, I mean it and Congress has also said it before. But what about the distortions which have crept in today... what is the answer?”

Attacking the ruling dispensation for perpetuating a sense of an undeclared emergency, he said, “Constitution, the sacred scripture of our sovereignty is under siege, pillars of democracy tremble as tyranny tiptoes into our temples of power. The sanctity of secularism is being shredded and federalism is fractured. We are witnessing an era where institutions are being incapacitated, dissent demonised and truth throttled.”

Biju Janata Dal leader Debashish Samantaray too said that Constitutional watchdogs have been converted into "pet-dogs".

"What is the situation today, anyone can be sent to jail, chief ministers were put in jail, denied bail. There is definitely an Emergency in the country, I will say it openly. The so-called Constitutional watchdogs have become pet dogs, anyone can be behind bars without justification. We speak about Emergency, but there is a pseudo-Emergency in India," he said.

All India Trinamool Congress leader Dola Sen said, “We the people of India will have the last word as they will punish those who have been committing such wrong.”