<p>Belagavi: BJP leaders, on Monday, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, calling the resistance against it the ‘second freedom movement’.</p><p>They criticised Congress leaders, who now vocally champion the Constitution, for their silence and complicity when it was amended and undermined to serve the party’s interests during the Emergency period.</p><p>Addressing the gathering organised by the BJP to raise awareness about the ‘Emergency imposed by Congress: 50 years of black history’, MP Jagadish Shettar recalled how Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency to cling to power, stripping citizens of their fundamental rights. He highlighted that political opponents were jailed, media freedom was heavily censored, and newspapers were vetted before circulation. “Congress leaders went as far as equating India with Indira Gandhi herself,” Shettar said.</p><p>He added that if Congress had genuinely worked for the country’s development, the scenario would have been different, but slogans like ‘Garibi Hatao’ (eradicate poverty) remained unfulfilled, while people suffered under oppressive measures. </p><p>Leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, J P Narayan, George Fernandes, and Madhu Dandvate were imprisoned during this time.</p><p>Shettar further asserted that while there is no formal Emergency today, a similar dictatorial approach continues under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Karnataka. He accused them of targeting BJP workers and Hindu activists, urging unity to resist such governance.</p><p><strong>‘Oust Congress’</strong></p><p>He also noted that while Congress now governs only a few states, BJP and its alliance, the NDA, hold power in most states, stressing the need to oust Congress from the remaining regions as well.</p><p>MLC C T Ravi termed the anti-Emergency movement as the ‘second freedom struggle’. He pointed out that the Emergency was declared despite no natural calamities or law-and-order crises, following Indira Gandhi’s disqualification as MP by the Allahabad High Court. To retain power, she overrode the Constitution, arrested opposition leaders, and effectively put democracy in a coma. Ravi criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for discussing the Constitution today while remaining silent when it was ‘murdered’ by Indira Gandhi, even joining her ranks. </p><p>He said Congress has made over 75 constitutional amendments for political gain, to remain in power, and to weaken the Constitution. In contrast, he said, the RSS, Jan Sangh, BJP, and other organisations fought to save the Constitution, a struggle that should be recognised as a second independence movement.</p><p><strong>‘No moral authority’</strong></p><p>He accused Congress leaders of lacking moral authority when they talk about the Constitution today, highlighting their statements on reinstating Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as evidence that they oppose the Constitution and seek to deny Dalits their rights.</p><p>The event also honoured activists from Belagavi who had been imprisoned for opposing the Emergency. </p><p>Among them, Alkatai Inamdar shared her experiences of resisting the Emergency and the hardships endured in jail during that period.</p>
<p>Belagavi: BJP leaders, on Monday, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, calling the resistance against it the ‘second freedom movement’.</p><p>They criticised Congress leaders, who now vocally champion the Constitution, for their silence and complicity when it was amended and undermined to serve the party’s interests during the Emergency period.</p><p>Addressing the gathering organised by the BJP to raise awareness about the ‘Emergency imposed by Congress: 50 years of black history’, MP Jagadish Shettar recalled how Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency to cling to power, stripping citizens of their fundamental rights. He highlighted that political opponents were jailed, media freedom was heavily censored, and newspapers were vetted before circulation. “Congress leaders went as far as equating India with Indira Gandhi herself,” Shettar said.</p><p>He added that if Congress had genuinely worked for the country’s development, the scenario would have been different, but slogans like ‘Garibi Hatao’ (eradicate poverty) remained unfulfilled, while people suffered under oppressive measures. </p><p>Leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Krishna Advani, J P Narayan, George Fernandes, and Madhu Dandvate were imprisoned during this time.</p><p>Shettar further asserted that while there is no formal Emergency today, a similar dictatorial approach continues under Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in Karnataka. He accused them of targeting BJP workers and Hindu activists, urging unity to resist such governance.</p><p><strong>‘Oust Congress’</strong></p><p>He also noted that while Congress now governs only a few states, BJP and its alliance, the NDA, hold power in most states, stressing the need to oust Congress from the remaining regions as well.</p><p>MLC C T Ravi termed the anti-Emergency movement as the ‘second freedom struggle’. He pointed out that the Emergency was declared despite no natural calamities or law-and-order crises, following Indira Gandhi’s disqualification as MP by the Allahabad High Court. To retain power, she overrode the Constitution, arrested opposition leaders, and effectively put democracy in a coma. Ravi criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for discussing the Constitution today while remaining silent when it was ‘murdered’ by Indira Gandhi, even joining her ranks. </p><p>He said Congress has made over 75 constitutional amendments for political gain, to remain in power, and to weaken the Constitution. In contrast, he said, the RSS, Jan Sangh, BJP, and other organisations fought to save the Constitution, a struggle that should be recognised as a second independence movement.</p><p><strong>‘No moral authority’</strong></p><p>He accused Congress leaders of lacking moral authority when they talk about the Constitution today, highlighting their statements on reinstating Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as evidence that they oppose the Constitution and seek to deny Dalits their rights.</p><p>The event also honoured activists from Belagavi who had been imprisoned for opposing the Emergency. </p><p>Among them, Alkatai Inamdar shared her experiences of resisting the Emergency and the hardships endured in jail during that period.</p>
