Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation and Senior BJP leader, Amit Shah described the 50th year of the Emergency as a “Dark Day of Emergency’ in India’s democratic history. Shah criticized the Congress party for disregarding the Constitution to maintain power for a specific family. Shah condemned the atrocities inflicted on millions of people during the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s Congress government. The Emergency was later justified during the tenure of her son, Rajiv Gandhi, as Prime Minister.
Shah emphasized that the Congress party has a long history of attacking on democracy and repeatedly undermining it, citing the imposition of Emergency on June 25, 1975, as a stark example. Congress party’s ‘Yuvraj’ seems to overlook the fact that his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, imposed Emergency on the nation to safeguard power. Rajiv Gandhi, the father of the Congress party’s ‘Yuvraj’ expressed pride and proudly stated in the Lok Sabha on July 23, 1985, that nothing was wrong during the terrifying incident of the Emergency. He stated that nothing was wrong during the emergency and even asserted that if any Prime Minister of the country considers it necessary under such circumstances and does not impose it, then they are not worthy of being the Prime Minister of the country. Rajiv Gandhi even asserted that if any Prime Minister of the country considers it necessary under such circumstances and does not impose it, then they are not worthy of being the Prime Minister of the country.
Amit Shah remarked that Rajiv Gandhi’s pride in authoritarian actions shows that, for the Congress party, nothing is more important than family and power. The then arrogant Congress government imposed Emergency for 21 months solely to retain power for a specific family. During the Emergency, citizens’ rights were suspended, media censorship was enforced, constitutional amendments were made and the judiciary was constrained. It was the most contentious and undemocratic period in the history of independent India. I salute the numerous protesters, social activists, workers, farmers, youth and women who bravely opposed the Emergency through protests from Parliament to the streets.
Amit Shah remarked that Rajiv Gandhi’s pride in authoritarian actions shows that, for the Congress party, nothing is more important than family and power
